“Paul Rusesabagina – the one-time hotel manager portrayed as a hero in a Hollywood film “Hotel Rwanda” – was found guilty of being part of a group responsible for “terrorist” attacks and has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Rwandan court.
Rusesabagina boycotted Monday’s verdict after declaring he did not expect justice in a trial he called a “sham”.
If the Afghanis want this assistance provide it. Saving lives and preventing injury often goes down better than drone attacks.
Saw a meme yesterday…
“If you think you are ineffective…
the US took twenty years, trillions of dollars,
thousands killed, hundreds of thousands injured,
to replace the Taliban with the Taliban…”
I live right next to a large stream (in some countries it would be called a river).
I spend some time observing & occasionally videoing the wildlife that frequents & inhabits te wai & the surrounding stream banks. Mainly birds, waterbirds, Pukekos, ducks, a Little Black Shag, & 2 varieties of eel – some of which I’ve fed & named.
One of my favourite stream-dwellers is a female water-rat. I’ve named her Sarah. She’s actually quite cute. Not that I’m encouraging her to visit my property, but one day she came in under the fence palings & curled up & had a wee snooze on my back lawn. So she got added to my wildlife video collection.
Hi Robert. Lovely to see Spring has sprung in your garden. Don't know if you remember our blackbird called Pegleg. Well bless his heart he is still in our garden and has to be at least 8 seasons old now. We went to the US three years ago for a month and we had him in our garden for quite a few years prior to that. His gammy leg doesn't seem to have impeded his many breeding seasons. He is still glossy and cocky as a cock blackbird usually is. I wonder what spring will bring us this time as a female blackbird is wrecking our hanging baskets digging the straw lining to pieces and flying off with enormous bundles of straw in her beak. Oh the wonders of a garden.
Hat tip to Sandra Coney for sharing this powerful poem.
Sandra: “Got this fabulous poem today from Human Rights Network. Wish he'd said more about women and girls but agree with his sentiment. Sorry gaps between stanzas have been lost.”
Before I Start This Poem
by Emmanuel Ortiz written in 2004
[Deleted 199 double spaced lines; click on the link if you want to read the poem]
Emmanuel Ortiz works with the Minnesota Alliance for the Indigenous Zapatistas (MAIZ)
Collins has to go after bagging others for not wearing masks outdoors .Collins and 2 other National MP's not wearing masks in Queenstown takeaway icecream parler.
Collins is toast. National MPs & the party hierarchy cannot fail to see that she’s a massive fracking liability. She’s an idiot.
All she does these days, when she even opens her mouth, & for anybody who has however reluctantly been starting to wonder if she’s a fool, is instantly remove all doubt !
Probably needed a cooling icecream after a heavy session of pleading her case to the illuminati that control national from their powerbase in a cave in queenstown,
I wonder how many people there are whose application for bail is supported by the Corrections Department? I suspect that for most people who are charged for anything except a few white column crimes there is an instinctive "We oppose bail" response.
The US is heading for 675,000 deaths which will be its worst public health event – bigger than the 1918 Spanish flu.
Differences are that in 1918 the U.S. population was less than a third of today’s with an estimated 103 million people living in America just before the roaring 1920s. Today it's about 330 million people living in the U.S. That means the 1918 flu killed about 1 in every 150 Americans, compared with 1 in 500 who have died from Covid so far.
The first confirmed cases originated in the United States. Historian Alfred W. Crosby stated in 2003 that the flu originated in Kansas, and author John M. Barry described a January 1918 outbreak in Haskell County, Kansas, as the point of origin in his 2004 article.
New Zealand government takes a calculated risk to relax Auckland’s lockdown while new cases continue to appear
The decision to move Auckland to alert level 3 from midnight on Tuesday is a calculated risk by the government. New daily cases in Auckland have stayed stubbornly high over the past week, a period when many of us had hoped to see them fall to single digits.
“It’s official. The Government’s impossible Covid elimination strategy has been scrapped, although don’t expect it to admit to that. Just like it would never accept the alert level 4 lockdown in Auckland hasn’t been anything but a raging success.
The spin is that if it had waited just one more week before turning the key on lockdown, there would be at least 5000 cases by now.
That of course we will never know, although under level 3, if you listen to the Beehive’s puppet master Ashley Bloomfield, the numbers will now “rumble along”. That in epidemiological-speak presumably means expect more numbers.
…”
In my younger daze I used to sometimes feel sorry for Grumpy Old Men.
Until I realised recently that I somehow seem to have become one. I thought about it for a few days, & then, with a grin, decided that actually it wasn’t anywhere near as bad being one as I thought.
The trick, I’ve concluded, is to make sure you keep your sense of humour, continue to be able to hear yourself when you’re being one – and to just stop & laugh at yourself.
the trick is to be self-aware and realise you are turning into a grumpy old man. I am in the stale pale male group, and find myself occasionally slipping into the grumpy old man group. but knowing that, and deliberatley stopping, and having a couple of calming breaths is good, and,as you correctly point out , being able to stand back and laugh at yourself is a great leveller.
👍🏼 The first hint I had that I might be slipping in to GOM territory was some years back, when I was listening to some really discordant (to my ears) hip hop song, and the words formed in my mind:
“You call THAT music !?” 😡 😀
Me dear ol departed da instantly popped into my mind, grinning, & saying, “See what I meant?”
I only spotted that screw up too late when it went into moderation.
I thought about emailing the site but didn’t think anyone would read it in time to delete the extra characters. Already corrected the name in any following comments.
I think that context qualification you refer to fails the left massively. Nobody, except people like-minded to those around here, buys that.
Further, the assumptions around your qualification also fail. Try telling that to the poor old white man struggling in his Council flat.
Or alternatively, keep making excuses for using your own abusive terms and see it continue to be bounced straight back at you.
Or, to make it personal, if people refer to my own 'race', age, gender, religion, etc, they can go f&%k themselves. You know, just to keep it as real as it is in the streets…
sheesh….
edit: why do you feel the need to refer to a persons age, race, religion and gender?
Thing is, when powerful public figures do it, they deserve to be bailed up and face criticism. When someone from an historically oppressed group criticise their oppressors it's a different story.
But I agree with the sentiment that public discourse would probably be more constructive if we decided not to include certain insults in our arsenal.
"When someone from an historically oppressed group criticise their oppressors it's a different story"
Sure, in many ways true.
But the point still stands I think that there is no need, and no purpose served, in referring to oppressor's age, religion, gender, or race in a derogatory way.
Said young brown girl speaking to, say, Don Brash, "hey you old white honky, blah, blah…"..
yeah nah, it is just abuse.
and yeah, we should exclude certain insults… doesn't advance the cause one iota methink
The government surrender, has finally given the National Party opposition something to talk about and run with.
Chris Bishop was able to speak extensively this morning on TVNZ breakfast about 'government failure'. Not about eliminating the virus or lifting the lockdown early.
Chris Bishop attack line, ran like this;
If the pandemic spins out of control, if "this calculated risk fails", it is the government's fault that everyone is not vaccinated.
If the government's gamble does fail, expect a big resurgence of National in the polls.
"If the government's gamble does fail, expect a big resurgence of National in the polls."
Possibly, Jenny. Might depend on who's their leader? How many voters in NZ really think that the muddlesome, erratic, gaffe-prone Collins under the same pressure from all the various affected sectors of society would have done anything different, or any better?
If it fails, Ardern's best bet would be to front up, admit it (conceding no errors could potentially be politically fatal) & then tell the whole country what she is going to do about it.
I think she is completely incapable of admitting that she has ever made an error and she is simply going to go on and on and on trying to do the impossible and open up our country without letting Covid in. Still the majority of the late middle-aged women of my acquaintance continue to think she is wonderful so I doubt she will change.
I am cheered up by the way that the public seem to have decided that the America's Cup is a farce though. Team New Zealand, as they so grandiosely call themselves have been polling on whether the New Zealand public want to give them more money. I suspect they are having great difficulty getting any other country interested so they are hoping to be able to get more out of the New Zealand Government.
The public have spoken. Only 26% are willing to throw more taxpayer dosh into the black hole. Fifty percent say they should go overseas and the taxpayer shouldn't give them anything. Yippee, says I.
With any luck the Public will come to the same conclusion about the shambles that is our current Government and decide that the mad money printing of Grant Robertson will destroy us.
To those who say "Who will you choose to kill off?" I would ask in return "How many are you willing to kill from cancer, heart disease, suicide etc, etc, etc by devoting all your attention to Covid 19 now that vaccines have reduced its impact?" and "How many children's live will you ruin by preventing them getting an education?".
interesting alwyn. coming from someone who seems unable to admit his own numerous errors, an accusation that jacinda suffers from your problem is laughable. she seems perfectly capable of laughing at herself. you?
Ardern has already made it clear that if she can’t continue as PM, she’s off, alwyn. Presumably to a lucrative stint offshore at the UN or some other well-paid role for which her international reputation is thought by overseas fans to qualify her.
Ae. Were it not for the crises of the Mosque shootings, the Lynnmall stabbings, & of course, the biggie, Covid, voters’ attention may well be a lot more focussed on Ardern’s Ministers in several key areas showing a disturbing lack of apparent competence & cohesive policies to improve some very bad stats in poverty, child poverty, crime rates, gang growth, housing, emergency housing, health, mental health etc.
However, equally disturbing is the prospect of the rump of the National opposition going into government, with their several untested comparative newbies, and some experienced – but not previously particularly impressive – former Ministers. And if Collins was still leader they’d probably be shite.
ACT have the luxury of being able to take pot shots & wax eloquent about what they’d do, but they’re an untested crew too.
Unnerving times. May not be the best move to change the government horses.
Bye, Team NZ. Happy to watch you sail on TV with all the cool CGI, don’t like to see you lose, but you ain’t earning enuf for the country to justify more tax-spend. That money’s desperately needed elsewhere.
The Our World in Data dataset appears to show that we had negative excess deaths in 2020 but positive values in 2021. My suspicion would be that this was due to there shutdown last year meant there were negligible flu deaths but I'm not really up in this subject.
I have no idea on what is causing the positive numbers this year except to say that they appear to be happening.
You have to feel sorry for Bishop. He and his colleagues and Kiwibloggers are on their paths raving about the government 'ruling by Covid fear.
They rant about lockdowns, those needing to come off and how people in Auckland are all imprisoned and the Auckland economy being destroyed.
The latest decisions are made so it's into negative mode and pandering to a fear narrative, focussing on "calculated risk."
Feel sorry for Bishop? He must want things to go wrong. He loves the fear factor. He no doubt wants an outbreak so he can say, "I told you so." The desperate, die-hard, still National supporters will be hoping for the same and I would suggest are not averse to deaths as long as it's not them or their family and friends.
Hopefully the more intelligent kiwis will understand that covid is a barstard , and while Ardern and co haven't always nailed it they've given this country the best shot at getting through with the least harm possible.
'Surrender'? We should all know by now that "elimination" in pandemic response language does not mean zero cases, yet media and scared folk on Facecloth wilfully confuse the public. Why do you think the PM and DG are always talking about uncontrolled public spread?
Its not a surrender, and we have eliminated under level 3 before, so I am hopeful we can do so again.
But I am still unlcear on why or how the health advice has changed in the space of a week, when the case numbers (including numbers of unlinked cases) are essentially the same as they were a week ago.
Why was it unsafe a week ago to move to level 3, but it is now safe to do so? From evryhting we have been told in the past by the Prime Minister, I would have preferred that we delayed the move in levels.
Baz says Ashley is the "puppet master" while Prof Des says going to L3 is a "political decision". I guess grumpy old right-wing blokes are allowed to contradict each other (and even themselves) with impunity. Because in essence, impunity is what they're all about.
The German Federal election this week is showing the SPD still as the biggest party which it has been like that for the last month.
AS we know from our MMP biggest party doesnt mean you get to lead a new coalition government but the as both major parties are in an existing Grand Coalition the largest party will take the leading role.
Roughly the SPD is at around 26%, The Union Faction( CDU + CSU) at 21%, Greens at 16%, FDP at 7%, AfD at 11% and Der Linke at 6%.
However those are nationwide polls and unlike us , the German MMP allocation is done by federal state. The parties can vary widely in strength in various states which can boost the list allocation when all rolled up nationally. The Scottish MMP is similar and thats how SNP can end up with more seats than its nationwide vote would suggest.
The German overhangs and their 'leveling seats' for leading parties' can also be considerable number ( last election was just over 100 extra seats in Bundestag of 598)
Der Linke are Left so the Greens, SPD and Der Linke are at 48% which, if it holds, should see them home assuming, as in NZ, that there is some wasted vote.
Your graph unfortunately ends at Apr 2020, so it doesn't show the developments since then with significant movements for all parties. It will be interesting to see the final outcome at election day.
One thing that makes the German language interesting (and annoying) is the gender. In this case the gender of the word "Partei" is female. So it's "Die Linke (Partei)" not "Der Linke".
Der while always being masculine (and i still don't know why a table or a chair would be masculine 🙂 ) does not mean that Die is always 'feminine'. Die is plural also.
So a man would be Der Mann, but die Maenner means The men. 🙂 So any Partei will always be a Die, Die SPD, Die Gruenen, Die CDU, Die CSU etc, as Partei implies an assembly of more then one.
That my dear is the idiosyncrasy of the german language that makes no sense and drives many a german study mad.
It should, but 'die Linke' is the name of the party, And in that for some reason, die linke or die rechte (see what i do there) is both ' feminine', but 'die rechten and die linken are plural.
My thinking is that 'die linke' implies the word Partei but without explicit naming it, as it literally was and still is a coalition of the left that was not and is not included into german politics.
The Left (German: Die Linke (proper spelling: DIE LINKE[18]), stylised in its logo as DIE LiNKE.), also commonly referred to as the Left Party (German: die Linkspartei [diː ˈlɪŋkspaʁˌtaɪ] (listen)), is a democratic socialist[2][3] political party in Germany. The party was founded in 2007 as the result of the merger of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative (WASG). Through PDS, the party is the direct descendant of the Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the former East Germany (GDR), the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED).[19]
one thing that i found easy learning english is the word THE – while hard to prnonounce for some of us germans, it is so easy to use.
Mind look at the french, il and elle, he and her. have a group of women they are 'elles', add one bloke to that group of 'elles' and they become 'ils'. 🙂
The "lease" will end up being the purchase. The Australians are incapable of building nuclear boats and this whole deal will turn to be a chimera to placate South Australian MPs worried about jobs in their electorates.
aus can find or train qualified submariners for its diesel subs.one of the main reasons most of them are tied up at the dock. how are they going to find sailors for nuke subs ?(far more difficult to run). may have to get a few chinese submariners in to staff them!lol
Give up, Morrissey. So many words change their meaning over time, and this is another case. The vast majority understand 'Redneck' as an unthinking, blunt conservative who goes all red around the neck and blows his stack if contradicted.
You are a hopeless, tiny minority in trying to restore the original meaning. The battle is already lost. Let it go.
It has certainly achieved preventing an explosion of cases that would break the health system and gave us the breathing room to get vaccination numbers up.
It has also kept elimination as a real possibility – whether that actually happens will be seen over the next few weeks. But even if elimination is no longer a realistic possibility, vaccination numbers are now high enough that an overwhelmed broken health system is much less likely. (but still enough of a possibility that anything we can do to continue lifting vaccination rates is worthwhile).
Quite – if we cannot ultimately push cases down to zero, at least we have given ourselves the opportunity of a semi-controlled exit from the strategy, rather than a total car-crash. But why bother trying to give nuanced answers to (most likely) bad faith questions – it's like being interviewed by Mike Hosking.
Do you really have to ask? try looking across the ditch, if you can't see the benefit of the hard and fast 5 week lockdown, you purposely have your eyes closed.
Moving to L3 is a balancing act that I hope works out. Not being in Auckland it would be easy for me to say keep them in lockdown longer but the reality is, you have to keep the majority on side unless you are going to bring in the Army so if letting people get their Takeaways etc keeps them on side, then it's exactly the right thing to do.
Level 3 is still lockdown by any reasonable definition of lockdown, even if the government and some others don't want to call it lockdown.
Going from level 4 to level 3 is like going from solitary confinement to general prison. We still can't go hang with our mates (if I had any mates, that is), we still can't go out of Auckland even to say last goodbyes to family, we're still restricted in what we can do for exercise, we're still not supposed to go anywhere or do anything besides home, work, and essentials (which now includes takeaway KFC and coffee).
In other words, our Bill of Rights freedoms of movement and association and peaceful assembly and religion are still heavily curtailed.
Not dying from a fucking horrible disease is not actually a right that I can find written down anywhere. Arguably it should be, particularly when it's mostly very cheaply and safely preventable by vaccination.
But the importance we as a society place on not dying from preventable fucking horrible disease can be seen in Section 70 of the health act giving health officials draconian powers to override actual rights to achieve that protection from dying from a fucking horrible disease.
Rather than trying to distinguish between types of deaths, The Economist’s approach is to count all of them. The standard method of tracking changes in total mortality is “excess deaths”. This number is the gap between how many people died in a given region during a given time period, regardless of cause, and how many deaths would have been expected if a particular circumstance (such as a natural disaster or disease outbreak) had not occurred. Although the official number of deaths caused by covid-19 is now 4.7m, our single best estimate is that the actual toll is 15.5m people. We find that there is a 95% chance that the true value lies between 9.6m and 18.1m additional deaths.
Yes they're referring to potential under-reporting, mainly in the third world. They also say "just one in 20 people infected globally thus far had entered official statistics. " While I agree the data is 'ropey', if just one in 20 infected have been reported, but their estimated death rate is 4x the official numbers, then the death rate to infections is even lower than the 2% widely published.
"the right to not die from a fucking horrible disease" is a rather dramatic statement. In 2021 one person has died in New Zealand with Covid-19 and that was a 90 year old women who had a number of underlying health conditions. In that same 9 month period 220 people have died on our roads, approx 6,000 from cancer and a total of approx 25,000 deaths from all causes. The reason that I have listed these figures is that I think we need perspective around the risks in our lives. We seem to have lost that at the moment.
If allowed to run it's course a conservative estimate is that about about a fifth of the population will be infected with Covid and after recovery, nearly 25% of those infected will exhibit persistent or new symptoms.
But I guess you'd be okay with an already creaking health system being lumbered with a quarter of a million long Covid patients….right up until you're confronted with the personal cost of your perception of risk.
Absolutely, it is not easy and people saying what is the point in moving to L3 or having L4 negates the seriousness of this bloody thing. I think it is the right thing to move slowly down the Levels. Do you not think any Government at times may need to curtail peoples rights for the betterment of the greater good. (Car seatbelts, Smoking in buildings etc, spring to mind)
I am very grateful of the effort and hardship that the majority of Aucklanders have endured.
Absolutely the role of government includes balancing various competing rights. All rights are subject to some limitations, exclusions, and responsibilities depending on the situation of the moment. The requirements of the situation of the moment can be very fluid and change quickly.
I happen to think the government made a good call a week ago to keep Auckland in level 4, and it's a good call to move Auckland to level 3 tonight. Even though infection numbers don't look better now than a week ago. To me, the difference is the vaccination numbers do look a lot better now. Hopefully those vaccination numbers will keep getting better.
I just get incredibly frustrated with some that focus on just one right, such as the right to refuse medical treatment, and appear to think that one right extends to justifying trampling wholesale over all others (not accusing you of this, RBO). It's always a balancing act that needs to be very mindful of what actual rights are actually being currently unusually curtailed.
Yes, that's the whole point of a lockdown – to stop the exponential growth of cases. Ashley Bloomfield's comments seem to indicate they are prepared for more cases, but are relying on other measures to keep the ongoing community spread reduced.
Oh well, that's that then, We don't need a team of health professionals driving our Covid response, we can just hand it over to The Jester to save us all, I feel so much safer. /sarc
I must admit, I'm no "expert" like Shaun Hendy who predicted up to 80,000 deaths even though Sweden has twice our population and basically 'let it rip'. Mind you he did predict this outbreak could be as high as 100-120! I guess that's a bit more accurate.
Keep pushing the 80k line as well. Pretend that it wasn't the absolute worst-case possible scenario with a virulent disease, no controls, no lockdowns, no change in personal behaviour (mandated or not) and business as usual. Helps remind people you're just a bad-faith actor who for some reason wants to see thousands of NZers dead. Sure, let's get Sweden's death rate. It's be good for small business owners (funeral directors in particular).
The behaviour requirements that led toan estimate of up to 80k dead were quite clearly outlined and published over a year ago.
And if you match the prediction for the criteria describing the measures we actually implemented, it's pretty accurate: 0.0004% of 5 million is 20 dead. We're currently at 27.
BTW, the accuracy of that prediction is the difference between science and economics. If treasury or RBNZ could predict GDP or unemployment 18months down the line to within 0.00005%, they'd be in heaven.
So a government lobby group for light rail announces that "they think light rail is the best solution for the City Centre to Mangere corridor" and that's news?
They had a big presence at the Balmoral flea market right before lockdown.. about 10 staff handing out info lobbying etc…
From what I heard very little thought put into how they might hope to preserve the little restaurants & character of Dominion road during the build. Best I got was but they'll all do so well when its finished… I'll bet theyll be gone long before its done.
I can see it being an absolute disaster full of unintended consequences shunting traffic onto Mt Eden and Sandringham roads being one of them
Auckland Council and it's offshoots have developed a ''talking points" approach to selling projects. This involves a large amount of spin and bullshit, and very little actual listening. AT are among the worst, but are by no means alone. When I looked at the Board of ALR and saw some of the 'usual suspects' (the CEO of AC, the CEO of AT, Chris Darby) I can only hope that this project is stopped in it's tracks.
An increased emphasis in littoral surface combat against peer opponents is noticeable. Lots of missile carrying destroyers and frigates, with a big increase in submarines and amphibious warfare capability & the ability to support expeditionary forces in extended operations. Many of the ships are planned to be un-manned.
Combined with significant investment in missile defense systems and previously neglected advanced anti-ship missiles and it is obvious the US is in a huge and rapid build up for a peer conflict in east Asia. Wonder with who that might be?
If it happens, like in all wars, it will likely be far easier to start than to finish, will not go exactly to plan for either side, & may well see some completely unexpected war-winning tactic or capability completely unforeseen used by one side to deliver a final victory.
I’m wondering how many technologically advanced military assets of China, Russia, USA are critically dependent on “secure” internet or satellite comms, but actually have an achilles heel that the other side has – or will have – the ability to exploit?
"At least six people were killed as a student opened fire at a university in the Russian city of Perm, the second mass shooting this year in a country where such incidents are usually rare.
The suspect was detained shortly after launching the attack on Monday morning at Perm State University, which is about 1,300km (800 miles) east of the capital, Moscow.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said the attacker had been identified as a student at the university. It has opened a murder probe into the incident.
The death toll had previously been stated as eight, but was later revised to six. More than 20 people were injured, several with bullet wounds. The severity of the injuries was not immediately clear."
Zuckerberg reportedly agreed with Kushner that FB wouldn't fact-check during the 2020 election and the tRump administration would avoid regulating FB. And Thiel's a thoroughly unlikable character.
In my opinion the judge needs to be held to account after letting this gang member out on bail to travel out of Auckland. Who would have thought, a gang member would stop four times on the way there and not follow the rules.
"It will take everyone doing their bit" resonates more with me than "playing a role" reminds me of what a relative said when I asked why they joined up in WW2. I was beginning to think she was getting into a reality TV state of mind and was losing confidence. A truly great Prime Minister.
Seconded. Great piece. Summarises how NZME and the gNats have attempted to sabotage a public health crisis response. And how NZME is taking a nosedive into Fox News territory.
Yet, as with previous outbreaks, the clamour from critics of the government started almost immediately, a chorus of whinge.
Business special interests laundered their messaging through an uncritical media …
Writing in Britain’s Daily Telegraph, one commentator called the outbreak “poetic justice” and claimed a “once-welcoming nation is turning into an isolated dystopia, where liberties are taken away in a heartbeat and outsiders are shunned”.
The economy must reign supreme, after all.
[Barry Soper] issued a remarkable dog-whistle to New Zealand’s far-right, the kind of people who believe Ardern – a fairly mild political centrist – is turning the country into a communist dictatorship.
“If you have ever wondered what it must have been like to live in a totalitarian state, then perhaps wonder no more.”
This nonsense went on and on.
This speaks to how the media has fundamentally misunderstood what the briefings are: public service announcements.
Thanks John G for posting the excellent article by Glen Johnson of Aljazeera. I do wish we had a more intelligent and balanced local media here.
Not having listened, but read about it, Mike Hosking was his usual rude obnoxious self with Dr Bloomfield this morning. It seems to me Hosking and his ilk would like nothing more than NZ to have an outbreak like NSW and Victoria solely to be able to accuse the PM of being a failure. Nasty, cynical people.
The PM is absolutely remarkable how she maintains her dignity and commendable qualities in the face of these onslaughts.
Ah, yes, Hoskings. The plonker who said this recently:
"Berejiklian is Australia's most successful premier. Her state is the best economic performer, she is popular, and she has led far and away Australia's most successful COVID response."
Does any sane person, a) listen to Hoskings or b) take any notice of what he says?
Anyone else getting tired of overseas based New Zealanders constant whining about not being able to get back.
Obviously it is very frustrating and upsetting for them. But, many have chosen to live overseas for many years seeking a "better" and more lucrative and interesting life out of New Zealand. They have not paid taxes here or contributed to life here. But things got bad elsewhere so want to come back and seem to think NZ should take over every empty hotel, provide security and healthcare and cleaners and meals. We are a very small country with a small population. To build a dedicated quarantine would take two or three years to do, given material and staff shortages.
I do sound grumpy! But with close family myself who have been away 14 years, the situation affects me also. Have had three trips to visit them cancelled in the last 18 months.
They have had over a year to come home, and chose to leave it to the last minute. Unfortunate but necessary border controls have saved NZ from a disaster that has traumatised the rest of the world
Seems that the queue for MIQ spots is longer because there seems to be plenty in NZ who want to do trip overseas and come back.
Sometimes for family reasons other times its because they can.
When they get back in the country they will be 'surprised' at getting a bill for the MIQ stay. But it seems many have the 'family illness' theme all lined up
People doing essential work, such as seafarers, who are residents and tax payers in NZ, who are stuck overseas for months after their normal leave is due.
Most of them had to find jobs overseas, when the NZ Government in the 90's destroyed NZ shipping.
I know several. Including those who have had to resign from jobs because of the uncertainty in getting back.
No system with 3000 spaces and 20000 applications, will please everyone, but I still find who gets priority puzzling.
Holy smoke if this is true, it doesn’t bow well for NZ Foreign or NZ Defence Policies mandated by the NZG!
A well known NZ Aviation Forum has mentioned that the RNZAF is now down 2 C130’s 04 &05 with 02 is retired at RNZAF Woodbourne to provide spares for 04 & 05? If this the case then it doesn’t bow well for the summer, the Sth Pacific Cyclone Season, the Antarctic Research Summer or any hort Notice Taskings in the short term 1-3yrs.
But there is no mention the status of 01 or 03 either atm.
I had heard from my Uncle, the RNZAF had said to the last Government & the previous National Government that they are running out of hrs for the Engines, critical Airframe components & other System related components. As Lockheed won’t support once these components or systems when they reach their end life design hrs as Lockheed couldn’t guarantee what would happen once those Systems & Components reach the end of their respective design hrs.
I'm OK with fines for Covid-19 rule-breaking increasing, but another clueless neoliberal move from a government that is blind to inequality. In more enlightened countries they recognise that a $1000 fine means completely different things depending on your income, and base fines on your income or wealth.
Here in NZ the maximum $12,000 fine is completely beyond the means of people on the minimum wage, while our richest citizen could pay this fine every single day for the next 2,671 years or so…
One law for the wealthy, another for everyone else.
Odd that a Labour government has to be dragged kicked and screaming to address this issue – but then it took them 40 years to acknowledge not all was sweetness and light on the slave ships. One of many acts, together with residency wage theft scams, that need to be cleaned up. MBIE might even be given the "please explain" over how they let things get this bad.
Yes, if like me and most NZers you are keen on the truth about the reality of a pandemic like COVID & our Govt's response, then we (like Hipkins) can be forgiven for getting pissed-off at politicians (like Bishop) who don't see anything wrong with blatant, calculated lies, and misinformation.
Venom, Gezza? This? " What I do agree with is that the member should stop spreading misinformation. That is not what any Minister in this Government has said. I would say to any New Zealander listening to him that they should think twice about any of the statements he makes, because most of them don't stack up." Rebuttal etc said forcefully but does 'venom' overstate it a bit? I watched it, by the way, at the time.
Telling off accepted. Sorry mac. “Venom” definitely does overstate it. I wasn’t watching the telly directly when I heard the raised voices towards the end. Was preoccupied in my dining room.
No telling off, Gezza; I've too much respect for what you write here, but I have a grumpiness about over-exaggeration- like people who talk of a 'shambles' all the time.
But Hipkins can give a telling off in parliamentary terms, and there was cause for that. He might look as young as a schoolboy but some responsibility and I suspect some good mentoring along the way has seen him grow impressively into the job.
Hipkins is a real blinken Peter Pan, isn’t he? He seems to have discovered the fountain of youth. Never seems to age a day. He’s one of Ardern’s better Ministers. Very hardworking & competent, imo.
Thank you for that remark about respecting my comments. Nice thing to say.
Please pick one email address and stick to it. The system treats new emails as new commenters and then we have to release the comments manually. Also double check spelling, because some devices don't manage the name and email address field well.
I watched the video. I must come from a volatile background as I didn't think they were "absolutely hammering" each other.
Venom being spat? Hipkins sounded peed off with Bishop for putting out what he says is misinformation. It seems he thinks Bishop is undermining with negativity.
Bishop was on RNZ this morning. I didn't listen to hear how he would have had the MIQ system organised from the beginning and his ideas right now to have 25,000 expeditiously and fairly brought back into the country. * He has been loud in criticism but I haven't heard him say what specifically should be done and that he'd passed his considered views on to the relevant ministers.
Maybe the Bishop parody has pertinent observations about his attitude.
* Accepting that had his party been in government there probably wouldn't have been a need for any MIQ, we wouldn't have had lockdowns and everyone, 100%, would have been vaccinated fully many months back.
Telling off accepted, Pete. “Venom” definitely does overstate it. I wasn’t watching the telly directly when I heard the raised voices towards the end. Was preoccupied in my dining room. And the video certainly doesn’t amount to “hammering each other”.
More like Bishop getting a deserved metaphorical rap on the knuckles with a ruler.
Will try to be more careful to avoid hyperbole & wait until I see on Vimeo what actually really happened in future.
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
RNZ News A group of academic staff at New Zealand’s largest university have expressed concern at the administration’s move to block a protest encampment that was planned to take place on campus calling for support for the rights of Palestinians. This week, the University of Auckland warned that while it ...
Genterwocky After a hard days marching, Sir Doocey calls in at the Village Tavern For a pint of ale and a pork pie. The grim villagers stare at him. “Do not be travelling on the forest road,” warns a crusty old beak. “And why is that, antique peasant?” Grins Sir ...
Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
Al Jazeera English tv is reporting that:
“Paul Rusesabagina – the one-time hotel manager portrayed as a hero in a Hollywood film “Hotel Rwanda” – was found guilty of being part of a group responsible for “terrorist” attacks and has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Rwandan court.
Rusesabagina boycotted Monday’s verdict after declaring he did not expect justice in a trial he called a “sham”.
The case has had a high profile since Rusesabagina, 67, was arrested in August 2020 after what he described as a kidnapping from Dubai by Rwandan authorities.”
…
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/20/rwanda-court-finds-hotel-rwanda-hero-guilty-in-terrorism-case
TALIBAN CALL FOR MORE INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO CLEAR UNEXPLODED ORDINANCE IN AFGHANISTAN
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EnDB7-5BCLk
If the Afghanis want this assistance provide it. Saving lives and preventing injury often goes down better than drone attacks.
Saw a meme yesterday…
“If you think you are ineffective…
the US took twenty years, trillions of dollars,
thousands killed, hundreds of thousands injured,
to replace the Taliban with the Taliban…”
And a few psycopathetic capitalists became extremely rich
I would go one step further.
Mandate either/and supplier or firer of munitions bears the cost of clean up.
This is a job for the Hero Rats.
Indeed.
I live right next to a large stream (in some countries it would be called a river).
I spend some time observing & occasionally videoing the wildlife that frequents & inhabits te wai & the surrounding stream banks. Mainly birds, waterbirds, Pukekos, ducks, a Little Black Shag, & 2 varieties of eel – some of which I’ve fed & named.
One of my favourite stream-dwellers is a female water-rat. I’ve named her Sarah. She’s actually quite cute. Not that I’m encouraging her to visit my property, but one day she came in under the fence palings & curled up & had a wee snooze on my back lawn. So she got added to my wildlife video collection.
Elvira
https://i.imgur.com/vXMmxq1.gif
NOW I remember you from Keeping Stock!
Elvira's a 4 foot long NZ Native Longfin tuna, Rōpata. My girl.
Tomorrow I might post Granville, a 3 foot long Australasian Shortfin tuna. He's a beautiful colour.
Bluey & Sweety Pook, with solo pooklet
https://i.imgur.com/rOuXqgr.gif
They had four pooklets, one season. Once the kidz sprouted wings & learned to fly they'd all come into my back yard and trim the grass. My lawn moas.
Hi Robert. Lovely to see Spring has sprung in your garden. Don't know if you remember our blackbird called Pegleg. Well bless his heart he is still in our garden and has to be at least 8 seasons old now. We went to the US three years ago for a month and we had him in our garden for quite a few years prior to that. His gammy leg doesn't seem to have impeded his many breeding seasons. He is still glossy and cocky as a cock blackbird usually is. I wonder what spring will bring us this time as a female blackbird is wrecking our hanging baskets digging the straw lining to pieces and flying off with enormous bundles of straw in her beak. Oh the wonders of a garden.
Sounds like you'd like my place, Kate?
I saw these rats in Cambodia. Fantastic to watch them work, with a very high success rate, virtually no false positives.
The human stories related to these 'spent' munitions are heartbreaking.
'
"Spray and Walk Away!"
https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-detail/story/2018722375/the-tragic-results-of-nzdf-s-failure-to-clean-up-after-bamyan
It's what we do.
Audio file;
https://podcast.radionz.co.nz/thedetail/thedetail-20191118-0500-the_tragic_results_of_nzdfs_failure_to_clean_up_after_bamyan-02.ogg
Hat tip to Sandra Coney for sharing this powerful poem.
Sandra: “Got this fabulous poem today from Human Rights Network. Wish he'd said more about women and girls but agree with his sentiment. Sorry gaps between stanzas have been lost.”
Before I Start This Poem
by Emmanuel Ortiz written in 2004
[Deleted 199 double spaced lines; click on the link if you want to read the poem]
Emmanuel Ortiz works with the Minnesota Alliance for the Indigenous Zapatistas (MAIZ)
Collins has to go after bagging others for not wearing masks outdoors .Collins and 2 other National MP's not wearing masks in Queenstown takeaway icecream parler.
Collins is toast. National MPs & the party hierarchy cannot fail to see that she’s a massive fracking liability. She’s an idiot.
All she does these days, when she even opens her mouth, & for anybody who has however reluctantly been starting to wonder if she’s a fool, is instantly remove all doubt !
Probably needed a cooling icecream after a heavy session of pleading her case to the illuminati that control national from their powerbase in a cave in queenstown,
Collins got given a hard time by One News at 6 over this.
Her attempt to say she wasn’t being hypocritical because of her criticism of Siouxsie Wiles “Not really, we’re in Level 2” was so lame it was tragic.
Item ended with Ben Thomas telling viewers she’s gone as leader soon.
Judge decided, against Corrections advice, to release Black Power member on bail to Whakatīwai where Covid spread https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300411598/corrections-deemed-black-power-member-who-caught-covid19-unsuitable-for-bail
I wonder how many people there are whose application for bail is supported by the Corrections Department? I suspect that for most people who are charged for anything except a few white column crimes there is an instinctive "We oppose bail" response.
Would be nice to know why Corrections are so sure transmission didn't happen at Mt Eden.
I'm guessing because it's genomically linked to one of the gang houses they visited after that.
The US is heading for 675,000 deaths which will be its worst public health event – bigger than the 1918 Spanish flu.
Differences are that in 1918 the U.S. population was less than a third of today’s with an estimated 103 million people living in America just before the roaring 1920s. Today it's about 330 million people living in the U.S. That means the 1918 flu killed about 1 in every 150 Americans, compared with 1 in 500 who have died from Covid so far.
But still a long, long way to go there.
And the number of cases in the last weekish have been
abt 150k, 80k, 60k and 30k ish
CF 200k, 300k at peak.
The 1918 Kansas Flu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu#United_States
The Breadheads win
What the medical experts are all saying:
"Gamble"
"Calculated risk"
What if the calculated risk fails?
What if the gamble is lost?
What if the virus keeps spreading?
What if our hospitals start to become overwhelmed?
Will the Level 4 lockdown be re-imposed?
Does the government still have the courage to face down the breadheads?
Or was that the last Lockdown ever?
To placate the business and banking lobby, will the government surrender our country to the virus, to keep the markets happy?
Have the neo-liberal money men achieved total victory over our democracy?
Let us all play that this gamble succeeds?
Baz Soper has burst into print:
“It’s official. The Government’s impossible Covid elimination strategy has been scrapped, although don’t expect it to admit to that. Just like it would never accept the alert level 4 lockdown in Auckland hasn’t been anything but a raging success.
The spin is that if it had waited just one more week before turning the key on lockdown, there would be at least 5000 cases by now.
That of course we will never know, although under level 3, if you listen to the Beehive’s puppet master Ashley Bloomfield, the numbers will now “rumble along”. That in epidemiological-speak presumably means expect more numbers.
…”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-barry-soper-dont-expect-govt-to-admit-elimination-strategy-has-been-scrapped/4GKLRVCI22TM3XNZ2DG5VYBUIE/
Silly old men give old men a bad name.
😀
In my younger daze I used to sometimes feel sorry for Grumpy Old Men.
Until I realised recently that I somehow seem to have become one. I thought about it for a few days, & then, with a grin, decided that actually it wasn’t anywhere near as bad being one as I thought.
The trick, I’ve concluded, is to make sure you keep your sense of humour, continue to be able to hear yourself when you’re being one – and to just stop & laugh at yourself.
the trick is to be self-aware and realise you are turning into a grumpy old man. I am in the stale pale male group, and find myself occasionally slipping into the grumpy old man group. but knowing that, and deliberatley stopping, and having a couple of calming breaths is good, and,as you correctly point out , being able to stand back and laugh at yourself is a great leveller.
👍🏼 The first hint I had that I might be slipping in to GOM territory was some years back, when I was listening to some really discordant (to my ears) hip hop song, and the words formed in my mind:
“You call THAT music !?” 😡 😀
Me dear ol departed da instantly popped into my mind, grinning, & saying, “See what I meant?”
music and the ability to enjoy it is one of the big factors in keeping dementia-altzheimers at bay. I try and dose myself with rock music every day.
👍🏼 The Blues still does it most for me. 🎸
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RSht5j3Cnh0
please fix user name on next comment.
Sorry weka.
I only spotted that screw up too late when it went into moderation.
I thought about emailing the site but didn’t think anyone would read it in time to delete the extra characters. Already corrected the name in any following comments.
all good. I drop a note so people pick it up the next time (some people don’t realise and I won’t necessarily have seen their next comments).
Emailing TS is probably the lease efficient way of communicating 🙂
And here's another silly old man – a gross understatement imo:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-ashley-bloomfield-mike-hosking-clash-on-his-relationship-with-government/3OEQE5C773QAW7KYYGI26UFMZI/
And what kind of a shit treats a senior public servant like Bloomfield as if he's a politician.
i think it is incumbent on the entire populace to remove ageism and sexism from their everyday discourse
silly brown girl
grumpy old man
bloody maori
bloody honky
silly old chook
big fat hypocrite
just dump the lot ok. this seems quite hard for many around here – a centre for calling out abuse – which is hard to fathom
no. free speech includes offensive remarks.
sure.. wasn't my point
Language does not happen in a social or power vacuum. Quite a big contextual difference in those examples you're written.
I think that context qualification you refer to fails the left massively. Nobody, except people like-minded to those around here, buys that.
Further, the assumptions around your qualification also fail. Try telling that to the poor old white man struggling in his Council flat.
Or alternatively, keep making excuses for using your own abusive terms and see it continue to be bounced straight back at you.
Or, to make it personal, if people refer to my own 'race', age, gender, religion, etc, they can go f&%k themselves. You know, just to keep it as real as it is in the streets…
sheesh….
edit: why do you feel the need to refer to a persons age, race, religion and gender?
white lives matter
refer previous
Thing is, when powerful public figures do it, they deserve to be bailed up and face criticism. When someone from an historically oppressed group criticise their oppressors it's a different story.
But I agree with the sentiment that public discourse would probably be more constructive if we decided not to include certain insults in our arsenal.
"When someone from an historically oppressed group criticise their oppressors it's a different story"
Sure, in many ways true.
But the point still stands I think that there is no need, and no purpose served, in referring to oppressor's age, religion, gender, or race in a derogatory way.
Said young brown girl speaking to, say, Don Brash, "hey you old white honky, blah, blah…"..
yeah nah, it is just abuse.
and yeah, we should exclude certain insults… doesn't advance the cause one iota methink
The government surrender, has finally given the National Party opposition something to talk about and run with.
Chris Bishop was able to speak extensively this morning on TVNZ breakfast about 'government failure'. Not about eliminating the virus or lifting the lockdown early.
Chris Bishop attack line, ran like this;
If the pandemic spins out of control, if "this calculated risk fails", it is the government's fault that everyone is not vaccinated.
If the government's gamble does fail, expect a big resurgence of National in the polls.
"If the government's gamble does fail, expect a big resurgence of National in the polls."
Possibly, Jenny. Might depend on who's their leader? How many voters in NZ really think that the muddlesome, erratic, gaffe-prone Collins under the same pressure from all the various affected sectors of society would have done anything different, or any better?
If it fails, Ardern's best bet would be to front up, admit it (conceding no errors could potentially be politically fatal) & then tell the whole country what she is going to do about it.
Think Ardern has what it takes to do that?
A very simple answer Gezza. No she doesn't.
I think she is completely incapable of admitting that she has ever made an error and she is simply going to go on and on and on trying to do the impossible and open up our country without letting Covid in. Still the majority of the late middle-aged women of my acquaintance continue to think she is wonderful so I doubt she will change.
I am cheered up by the way that the public seem to have decided that the America's Cup is a farce though. Team New Zealand, as they so grandiosely call themselves have been polling on whether the New Zealand public want to give them more money. I suspect they are having great difficulty getting any other country interested so they are hoping to be able to get more out of the New Zealand Government.
The public have spoken. Only 26% are willing to throw more taxpayer dosh into the black hole. Fifty percent say they should go overseas and the taxpayer shouldn't give them anything. Yippee, says I.
With any luck the Public will come to the same conclusion about the shambles that is our current Government and decide that the mad money printing of Grant Robertson will destroy us.
To those who say "Who will you choose to kill off?" I would ask in return "How many are you willing to kill from cancer, heart disease, suicide etc, etc, etc by devoting all your attention to Covid 19 now that vaccines have reduced its impact?" and "How many children's live will you ruin by preventing them getting an education?".
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/americas-cup/126442680/new-poll-favours-team-nz-defending-americas-cup-offshore-without-public-money
interesting alwyn. coming from someone who seems unable to admit his own numerous errors, an accusation that jacinda suffers from your problem is laughable. she seems perfectly capable of laughing at herself. you?
Ardern has already made it clear that if she can’t continue as PM, she’s off, alwyn. Presumably to a lucrative stint offshore at the UN or some other well-paid role for which her international reputation is thought by overseas fans to qualify her.
Ae. Were it not for the crises of the Mosque shootings, the Lynnmall stabbings, & of course, the biggie, Covid, voters’ attention may well be a lot more focussed on Ardern’s Ministers in several key areas showing a disturbing lack of apparent competence & cohesive policies to improve some very bad stats in poverty, child poverty, crime rates, gang growth, housing, emergency housing, health, mental health etc.
However, equally disturbing is the prospect of the rump of the National opposition going into government, with their several untested comparative newbies, and some experienced – but not previously particularly impressive – former Ministers. And if Collins was still leader they’d probably be shite.
ACT have the luxury of being able to take pot shots & wax eloquent about what they’d do, but they’re an untested crew too.
Unnerving times. May not be the best move to change the government horses.
Bye, Team NZ. Happy to watch you sail on TV with all the cool CGI, don’t like to see you lose, but you ain’t earning enuf for the country to justify more tax-spend. That money’s desperately needed elsewhere.
..another lie with it's boots on..
https://twitter.com/Thoughtfulnz/status/1439105585601912832
https://twitter.com/Thoughtfulnz/status/1439105589435457536
We're running negative excess deaths wal, bad news for undertakers I'll concede.
Really?
The Our World in Data dataset appears to show that we had negative excess deaths in 2020 but positive values in 2021. My suspicion would be that this was due to there shutdown last year meant there were negligible flu deaths but I'm not really up in this subject.
I have no idea on what is causing the positive numbers this year except to say that they appear to be happening.
You have to feel sorry for Bishop. He and his colleagues and Kiwibloggers are on their paths raving about the government 'ruling by Covid fear.
They rant about lockdowns, those needing to come off and how people in Auckland are all imprisoned and the Auckland economy being destroyed.
The latest decisions are made so it's into negative mode and pandering to a fear narrative, focussing on "calculated risk."
Feel sorry for Bishop? He must want things to go wrong. He loves the fear factor. He no doubt wants an outbreak so he can say, "I told you so." The desperate, die-hard, still National supporters will be hoping for the same and I would suggest are not averse to deaths as long as it's not them or their family and friends.
It's pretty rich that Bishop is National's spokesperson on Covid-19 response.
C-19's an aggressive respiratory/lung disease.
And in his former guise, Bishop was the PR man for NZ's Big Tobacco!
Hopefully the more intelligent kiwis will understand that covid is a barstard , and while Ardern and co haven't always nailed it they've given this country the best shot at getting through with the least harm possible.
'Surrender'? We should all know by now that "elimination" in pandemic response language does not mean zero cases, yet media and scared folk on Facecloth wilfully confuse the public. Why do you think the PM and DG are always talking about uncontrolled public spread?
Its not a surrender, and we have eliminated under level 3 before, so I am hopeful we can do so again.
But I am still unlcear on why or how the health advice has changed in the space of a week, when the case numbers (including numbers of unlinked cases) are essentially the same as they were a week ago.
Why was it unsafe a week ago to move to level 3, but it is now safe to do so? From evryhting we have been told in the past by the Prime Minister, I would have preferred that we delayed the move in levels.
Now The Hosk, surprise, surprise, has put the boot in to Bloomfield:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-ashley-bloomfield-mike-hosking-clash-on-his-relationship-with-government/3OEQE5C773QAW7KYYGI26UFMZI/
hosk doesnt have a boot . all he knows about boots, are what john keys tastes like.
It has been said, that he is that far up the LotO he can see Whaleoil's boots.
Baz says Ashley is the "puppet master" while Prof Des says going to L3 is a "political decision". I guess grumpy old right-wing blokes are allowed to contradict each other (and even themselves) with impunity. Because in essence, impunity is what they're all about.
They like to cover all the bases, knowing their more rabid followers will happily parrot contradictory nonsense unquestioningly.
NSW reopening is driven by the real managers of strayla…..business.
Gfoffloffle takes full responsibility.
The German Federal election this week is showing the SPD still as the biggest party which it has been like that for the last month.
AS we know from our MMP biggest party doesnt mean you get to lead a new coalition government but the as both major parties are in an existing Grand Coalition the largest party will take the leading role.
Roughly the SPD is at around 26%, The Union Faction( CDU + CSU) at 21%, Greens at 16%, FDP at 7%, AfD at 11% and Der Linke at 6%.
However those are nationwide polls and unlike us , the German MMP allocation is done by federal state. The parties can vary widely in strength in various states which can boost the list allocation when all rolled up nationally. The Scottish MMP is similar and thats how SNP can end up with more seats than its nationwide vote would suggest.
The German overhangs and their 'leveling seats' for leading parties' can also be considerable number ( last election was just over 100 extra seats in Bundestag of 598)
Der Linke are Left so the Greens, SPD and Der Linke are at 48% which, if it holds, should see them home assuming, as in NZ, that there is some wasted vote.
I understand the 'wasted vote' is reused to give the leading party some extra list seats. I think thats how it works or used to.
But the overhang and leveling seats are a bit out of control , other 100 last time, so Im not sure what changes they have made
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-seeks-electoral-reform-to-avoid-xxl-bundestag/a-54694043
Your graph unfortunately ends at Apr 2020, so it doesn't show the developments since then with significant movements for all parties. It will be interesting to see the final outcome at election day.
One thing that makes the German language interesting (and annoying) is the gender. In this case the gender of the word "Partei" is female. So it's "Die Linke (Partei)" not "Der Linke".
Sorry but inserting images can be tricky doesnt show the full picture width wise
The full graphics and numbers are here. I should have put it with the comment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2021_German_federal_election
Der while always being masculine (and i still don't know why a table or a chair would be masculine 🙂 ) does not mean that Die is always 'feminine'. Die is plural also.
So a man would be Der Mann, but die Maenner means The men. 🙂 So any Partei will always be a Die, Die SPD, Die Gruenen, Die CDU, Die CSU etc, as Partei implies an assembly of more then one.
Good point. Wouldn't that be "Die Linken" instead of "Die Linke" if we stick to plural?
That my dear is the idiosyncrasy of the german language that makes no sense and drives many a german study mad.
It should, but 'die Linke' is the name of the party, And in that for some reason, die linke or die rechte (see what i do there) is both ' feminine', but 'die rechten and die linken are plural.
My thinking is that 'die linke' implies the word Partei but without explicit naming it, as it literally was and still is a coalition of the left that was not and is not included into german politics.
one thing that i found easy learning english is the word THE – while hard to prnonounce for some of us germans, it is so easy to use.
Mind look at the french, il and elle, he and her. have a group of women they are 'elles', add one bloke to that group of 'elles' and they become 'ils'. 🙂
Interesting opinion piece from Tasmania about Aukus and it's potential to destabilise and exacerbate unease in Southeast Asia
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3149413/why-southeast-asia-so-concerned-about-aukus-and-australias-plans
A de facto US submarine base in Australia
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/19/australia-could-lease-submarines-from-uk-or-us-but-nuclear-weapons-remain-off-the-table
The "lease" will end up being the purchase. The Australians are incapable of building nuclear boats and this whole deal will turn to be a chimera to placate South Australian MPs worried about jobs in their electorates.
aus can find or train qualified submariners for its diesel subs.one of the main reasons most of them are tied up at the dock. how are they going to find sailors for nuke subs ?(far more difficult to run). may have to get a few chinese submariners in to staff them!lol
Ocker watch: scumo is off to the states so Barnaby Joyce is acting PM.
Captain redneck can’t even control his own team.
Last time Scumo was out of the country (in self-quarantine on return) Joyce rolled his own leader. No telling what he'll do this time.
Probably pushing more coal industry boondoggles and avoiding George.
Don't call him a redneck. That bludger has not done an hour of hard work in the sun in his entire life.
We covered the inappropriate and condescending use of that term on this forum just over a week ago….
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11-09-2021/#comment-1814864
Give up, Morrissey. So many words change their meaning over time, and this is another case. The vast majority understand 'Redneck' as an unthinking, blunt conservative who goes all red around the neck and blows his stack if contradicted.
You are a hopeless, tiny minority in trying to restore the original meaning. The battle is already lost. Let it go.
At least Scomo gives First Dog on Moon lots of material to work with.
Scott Morrison got to see his kids on Father’s Day and everyone is furious at him all the time now | First Dog on the Moon | The Guardian
With Auckland moving to L3 tomorrow and we still have a similar number of daily cases I have to ask what the last 5 weeks lockdown was all about?
It has certainly achieved preventing an explosion of cases that would break the health system and gave us the breathing room to get vaccination numbers up.
It has also kept elimination as a real possibility – whether that actually happens will be seen over the next few weeks. But even if elimination is no longer a realistic possibility, vaccination numbers are now high enough that an overwhelmed broken health system is much less likely. (but still enough of a possibility that anything we can do to continue lifting vaccination rates is worthwhile).
Quite – if we cannot ultimately push cases down to zero, at least we have given ourselves the opportunity of a semi-controlled exit from the strategy, rather than a total car-crash. But why bother trying to give nuanced answers to (most likely) bad faith questions – it's like being interviewed by Mike Hosking.
It's not usually for those that ask the questions, their minds are usually already made up.
It's for the off chance that someone else reading might go hmmm …
Do you really have to ask? try looking across the ditch, if you can't see the benefit of the hard and fast 5 week lockdown, you purposely have your eyes closed.
Moving to L3 is a balancing act that I hope works out. Not being in Auckland it would be easy for me to say keep them in lockdown longer but the reality is, you have to keep the majority on side unless you are going to bring in the Army so if letting people get their Takeaways etc keeps them on side, then it's exactly the right thing to do.
Level 3 is still lockdown by any reasonable definition of lockdown, even if the government and some others don't want to call it lockdown.
Going from level 4 to level 3 is like going from solitary confinement to general prison. We still can't go hang with our mates (if I had any mates, that is), we still can't go out of Auckland even to say last goodbyes to family, we're still restricted in what we can do for exercise, we're still not supposed to go anywhere or do anything besides home, work, and essentials (which now includes takeaway KFC and coffee).
In other words, our Bill of Rights freedoms of movement and association and peaceful assembly and religion are still heavily curtailed.
Ah but the right to not die from a fucking horrible disease is still protected
Not dying from a fucking horrible disease is not actually a right that I can find written down anywhere. Arguably it should be, particularly when it's mostly very cheaply and safely preventable by vaccination.
But the importance we as a society place on not dying from preventable fucking horrible disease can be seen in Section 70 of the health act giving health officials draconian powers to override actual rights to achieve that protection from dying from a fucking horrible disease.
The worlds population is around 7675billion.
The number of covid deaths is around 4.55million.
That is a death rate of 0.06%. US data suggests that nearly 80% of those are 65+.
So your chances of dying from this "fucking horrible disease" are remarkably small. And even smaller if you're vaccinated.
The Economist has an article this week that says the true death number is 18 million not 4.5 million. Sorry it is paywalled.
shhh…
Rather than trying to distinguish between types of deaths, The Economist’s approach is to count all of them. The standard method of tracking changes in total mortality is “excess deaths”. This number is the gap between how many people died in a given region during a given time period, regardless of cause, and how many deaths would have been expected if a particular circumstance (such as a natural disaster or disease outbreak) had not occurred. Although the official number of deaths caused by covid-19 is now 4.7m, our single best estimate is that the actual toll is 15.5m people. We find that there is a 95% chance that the true value lies between 9.6m and 18.1m additional deaths.
https://archive.li/QxUIt
Yes they're referring to potential under-reporting, mainly in the third world. They also say "just one in 20 people infected globally thus far had entered official statistics. " While I agree the data is 'ropey', if just one in 20 infected have been reported, but their estimated death rate is 4x the official numbers, then the death rate to infections is even lower than the 2% widely published.
"the right to not die from a fucking horrible disease" is a rather dramatic statement. In 2021 one person has died in New Zealand with Covid-19 and that was a 90 year old women who had a number of underlying health conditions. In that same 9 month period 220 people have died on our roads, approx 6,000 from cancer and a total of approx 25,000 deaths from all causes. The reason that I have listed these figures is that I think we need perspective around the risks in our lives. We seem to have lost that at the moment.
Guess why the numbers are low Rony. Take yr time.
Yes 'Zactly !!!!
If allowed to run it's course a conservative estimate is that about about a fifth of the population will be infected with Covid and after recovery, nearly 25% of those infected will exhibit persistent or new symptoms.
But I guess you'd be okay with an already creaking health system being lumbered with a quarter of a million long Covid patients….right up until you're confronted with the personal cost of your perception of risk.
Feel free to quote us the excess death/mortality numbers during the same period. And please provide links to your claims of fact.
Since you’re new here, please read the About and the Policy of this site:
About « The Standard
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I don't want your "perspective" to place bets on my life or the lives of my loved ones.
Heard of Status Quo bias?
https://twitter.com/G_S_Bhogal/status/1438972548570664960?s=20
Absolutely, it is not easy and people saying what is the point in moving to L3 or having L4 negates the seriousness of this bloody thing. I think it is the right thing to move slowly down the Levels. Do you not think any Government at times may need to curtail peoples rights for the betterment of the greater good. (Car seatbelts, Smoking in buildings etc, spring to mind)
I am very grateful of the effort and hardship that the majority of Aucklanders have endured.
Absolutely the role of government includes balancing various competing rights. All rights are subject to some limitations, exclusions, and responsibilities depending on the situation of the moment. The requirements of the situation of the moment can be very fluid and change quickly.
I happen to think the government made a good call a week ago to keep Auckland in level 4, and it's a good call to move Auckland to level 3 tonight. Even though infection numbers don't look better now than a week ago. To me, the difference is the vaccination numbers do look a lot better now. Hopefully those vaccination numbers will keep getting better.
I just get incredibly frustrated with some that focus on just one right, such as the right to refuse medical treatment, and appear to think that one right extends to justifying trampling wholesale over all others (not accusing you of this, RBO). It's always a balancing act that needs to be very mindful of what actual rights are actually being currently unusually curtailed.
Ronald Have a look at the graph of case numbers
Note the nearly vertical climb before lockdown and the sharp drop after lockdown.
What do you think the nos would have been with NO lockdown?
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=auckland+covid+case+numbers&client=safari&rls=en&sxsrf=AOaemvJdW5IGtoBzAu2XpABlfPCSXR9zuA%3A1632176308139&ei=tAhJYYTeB8uP4-EP296gYA&oq=AUCKLAND+COVID+NUMBERS&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYATIFCAAQgAQyBggAEBYQHjoHCAAQRxCwAzoHCAAQsAMQQzoECCMQJzoNCC4QsQMQxwEQ0QMQQzoRCC4QgAQQsQMQgwEQxwEQowI6DgguEIAEELEDEMcBENEDOggIABCxAxCDAToLCC4QgAQQxwEQ0QM6BAgAEEM6CgguEMcBEKMCEEM6CgguEMcBENEDEEM6BAguEEM6CAgAEIAEELEDOgoILhCxAxCDARBDOgcIABDJAxBDOgUIABCSAzoLCAAQgAQQsQMQgwE6DQguELEDEIMBEEMQkwI6CgguEMcBEK8BEEM6BwguELEDEEM6CggAELEDEIMBEEM6DggAEIAEELEDEIMBEMkDOggILhCABBCxAzoICCEQFhAdEB46BQghEKABOgUIIRCSA0oECEEYAFDtC1jqpAFg5a8BaAVwAngAgAGdAogBmiiSAQYwLjE5LjeYAQCgAQHIAQrAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz
Yes, that's the whole point of a lockdown – to stop the exponential growth of cases. Ashley Bloomfield's comments seem to indicate they are prepared for more cases, but are relying on other measures to keep the ongoing community spread reduced.
I think we could have been at level 3 at least a week ago and the South Island could be at level 1 now.
Oh well, that's that then, We don't need a team of health professionals driving our Covid response, we can just hand it over to The Jester to save us all, I feel so much safer. /sarc
I'll have you know jesters navel is a very reliable source of ideas.
Wrong side of body BW
I must admit, I'm no "expert" like Shaun Hendy who predicted up to 80,000 deaths even though Sweden has twice our population and basically 'let it rip'. Mind you he did predict this outbreak could be as high as 100-120! I guess that's a bit more accurate.
No, he said that when the first positive case was found in the community there were an estimated 50-120 other covid-positive people undetected at that time.
Keep pushing the 80k line as well. Pretend that it wasn't the absolute worst-case possible scenario with a virulent disease, no controls, no lockdowns, no change in personal behaviour (mandated or not) and business as usual. Helps remind people you're just a bad-faith actor who for some reason wants to see thousands of NZers dead. Sure, let's get Sweden's death rate. It's be good for small business owners (funeral directors in particular).
We would not get anywhere near 80k deaths in NZ unless we all went around licking toilet seats or something.
The behaviour requirements that led to an estimate of up to 80k dead were quite clearly outlined and published over a year ago.
And if you match the prediction for the criteria describing the measures we actually implemented, it's pretty accurate: 0.0004% of 5 million is 20 dead. We're currently at 27.
BTW, the accuracy of that prediction is the difference between science and economics. If treasury or RBNZ could predict GDP or unemployment 18months down the line to within 0.00005%, they'd be in heaven.
Yes. And the very best case scenario with lockdowns and other public health measures the death toll could be …..20.
Why do I always see a man with a striped short sleeved jersey, shorts and a handkerchief on his head when I read a statement beginning "I think……"?
The peak was around 80 cases per day at end of August
It was about getting to a point where it was safe to drop to level 3. Duh.
https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2021/09/21/auckland-light-rail-suggest-light-rail-in-auckland/
I’ve a lot of faith in Michael Wood, but he better get this one right.
So a government lobby group for light rail announces that "they think light rail is the best solution for the City Centre to Mangere corridor" and that's news?
They had a big presence at the Balmoral flea market right before lockdown.. about 10 staff handing out info lobbying etc…
From what I heard very little thought put into how they might hope to preserve the little restaurants & character of Dominion road during the build. Best I got was but they'll all do so well when its finished… I'll bet theyll be gone long before its done.
I can see it being an absolute disaster full of unintended consequences shunting traffic onto Mt Eden and Sandringham roads being one of them
Auckland Council and it's offshoots have developed a ''talking points" approach to selling projects. This involves a large amount of spin and bullshit, and very little actual listening. AT are among the worst, but are by no means alone. When I looked at the Board of ALR and saw some of the 'usual suspects' (the CEO of AC, the CEO of AT, Chris Darby) I can only hope that this project is stopped in it's tracks.
Politicking by media (click on tweet to see full cartoon, damn cropping).
https://twitter.com/joshua_drummond/status/1440042958682681347
US Navy plans to expand to a fleet size last seen under Reagan, going from 296 ships to 512 in their latest plan –
https://news.usni.org/2021/09/17/congressional-budget-office-analysis-of-navys-30-year-shipbuilding-plan
An increased emphasis in littoral surface combat against peer opponents is noticeable. Lots of missile carrying destroyers and frigates, with a big increase in submarines and amphibious warfare capability & the ability to support expeditionary forces in extended operations. Many of the ships are planned to be un-manned.
Combined with significant investment in missile defense systems and previously neglected advanced anti-ship missiles and it is obvious the US is in a huge and rapid build up for a peer conflict in east Asia. Wonder with who that might be?
If it happens, like in all wars, it will likely be far easier to start than to finish, will not go exactly to plan for either side, & may well see some completely unexpected war-winning tactic or capability completely unforeseen used by one side to deliver a final victory.
I’m wondering how many technologically advanced military assets of China, Russia, USA are critically dependent on “secure” internet or satellite comms, but actually have an achilles heel that the other side has – or will have – the ability to exploit?
Dreadful anywhere it happens. I usually expect these to occur in the USA.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yAkWQQwBSQQ
"At least six people were killed as a student opened fire at a university in the Russian city of Perm, the second mass shooting this year in a country where such incidents are usually rare.
The suspect was detained shortly after launching the attack on Monday morning at Perm State University, which is about 1,300km (800 miles) east of the capital, Moscow.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said the attacker had been identified as a student at the university. It has opened a murder probe into the incident.
The death toll had previously been stated as eight, but was later revised to six. More than 20 people were injured, several with bullet wounds. The severity of the injuries was not immediately clear."
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/20/several-killed-in-shooting-at-russian-university
Zuckerberg reportedly agreed with Kushner that FB wouldn't fact-check during the 2020 election and the tRump administration would avoid regulating FB. And Thiel's a thoroughly unlikable character.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/peter-thiel-silicon-valley-contrarian-max-chafkin.html
Zero surprises there and I can't recall Biden doing anything either since becoming POTUS.
In my opinion the judge needs to be held to account after letting this gang member out on bail to travel out of Auckland. Who would have thought, a gang member would stop four times on the way there and not follow the rules.
Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Infected inmate – PM wants answers over bail breach and family transmission – NZ Herald
Perhaps the judge has a weak bladder and had to stop four times during the trip.
The judge is just weak full stop.
Do you know who the judge was, out of interest?
"It will take everyone doing their bit" resonates more with me than "playing a role" reminds me of what a relative said when I asked why they joined up in WW2. I was beginning to think she was getting into a reality TV state of mind and was losing confidence. A truly great Prime Minister.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/451944/auckland-could-reach-90-percent-first-dose-vaccination-milestone-in-two-weeks-ardern
This is a reasonable summation of NZ media I think
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/9/20/new-zealand-is-on-its-way-of-eradicating-covid-19-again
Well worth the read.
Seconded. Great piece. Summarises how NZME and the gNats have attempted to sabotage a public health crisis response. And how NZME is taking a nosedive into Fox News territory.
Some people have been working on this for a long time (90 second clip).
https://twitter.com/rawirimj/status/1440092022790967299
No context tweet
https://twitter.com/NZAHParallels/status/1440101108811063300?s=20
Thanks John G for posting the excellent article by Glen Johnson of Aljazeera. I do wish we had a more intelligent and balanced local media here.
Not having listened, but read about it, Mike Hosking was his usual rude obnoxious self with Dr Bloomfield this morning. It seems to me Hosking and his ilk would like nothing more than NZ to have an outbreak like NSW and Victoria solely to be able to accuse the PM of being a failure. Nasty, cynical people.
The PM is absolutely remarkable how she maintains her dignity and commendable qualities in the face of these onslaughts.
Ah, yes, Hoskings. The plonker who said this recently:
"Berejiklian is Australia's most successful premier. Her state is the best economic performer, she is popular, and she has led far and away Australia's most successful COVID response."
Does any sane person, a) listen to Hoskings or b) take any notice of what he says?
Anyone else getting tired of overseas based New Zealanders constant whining about not being able to get back.
Obviously it is very frustrating and upsetting for them. But, many have chosen to live overseas for many years seeking a "better" and more lucrative and interesting life out of New Zealand. They have not paid taxes here or contributed to life here. But things got bad elsewhere so want to come back and seem to think NZ should take over every empty hotel, provide security and healthcare and cleaners and meals. We are a very small country with a small population. To build a dedicated quarantine would take two or three years to do, given material and staff shortages.
I do sound grumpy! But with close family myself who have been away 14 years, the situation affects me also. Have had three trips to visit them cancelled in the last 18 months.
They have had over a year to come home, and chose to leave it to the last minute. Unfortunate but necessary border controls have saved NZ from a disaster that has traumatised the rest of the world
Seems that the queue for MIQ spots is longer because there seems to be plenty in NZ who want to do trip overseas and come back.
Sometimes for family reasons other times its because they can.
When they get back in the country they will be 'surprised' at getting a bill for the MIQ stay. But it seems many have the 'family illness' theme all lined up
Not just trippers though.
People doing essential work, such as seafarers, who are residents and tax payers in NZ, who are stuck overseas for months after their normal leave is due.
Most of them had to find jobs overseas, when the NZ Government in the 90's destroyed NZ shipping.
I know several. Including those who have had to resign from jobs because of the uncertainty in getting back.
No system with 3000 spaces and 20000 applications, will please everyone, but I still find who gets priority puzzling.
Holy smoke if this is true, it doesn’t bow well for NZ Foreign or NZ Defence Policies mandated by the NZG!
A well known NZ Aviation Forum has mentioned that the RNZAF is now down 2 C130’s 04 &05 with 02 is retired at RNZAF Woodbourne to provide spares for 04 & 05? If this the case then it doesn’t bow well for the summer, the Sth Pacific Cyclone Season, the Antarctic Research Summer or any hort Notice Taskings in the short term 1-3yrs.
But there is no mention the status of 01 or 03 either atm.
I had heard from my Uncle, the RNZAF had said to the last Government & the previous National Government that they are running out of hrs for the Engines, critical Airframe components & other System related components. As Lockheed won’t support once these components or systems when they reach their end life design hrs as Lockheed couldn’t guarantee what would happen once those Systems & Components reach the end of their respective design hrs.
I am very concerned that our precious RNZAF personnel may be flying in now-unsafe aircraft.
Worthy of an Opposition news story, if I knew who they were.
bode
I'm OK with fines for Covid-19 rule-breaking increasing, but another clueless neoliberal move from a government that is blind to inequality. In more enlightened countries they recognise that a $1000 fine means completely different things depending on your income, and base fines on your income or wealth.
Here in NZ the maximum $12,000 fine is completely beyond the means of people on the minimum wage, while our richest citizen could pay this fine every single day for the next 2,671 years or so…
One law for the wealthy, another for everyone else.
or as some wag put it, for the rich a "fine" is just a "license fee".
Make it a Category 1 offence that comes with a criminal record. The fines seem to more or less equal reflecting the severity of the offence.
Modern slavery: Time for NZ legislation (msn.com)
Odd that a Labour government has to be dragged kicked and screaming to address this issue – but then it took them 40 years to acknowledge not all was sweetness and light on the slave ships. One of many acts, together with residency wage theft scams, that need to be cleaned up. MBIE might even be given the "please explain" over how they let things get this bad.
I forgot that today is a Parliament sitting day.
I switched on the tv & caught a bit of Question Time. Need to go find the video & have a proper look when it’s posted on the Parliament website.
Whatever Covid-related Question it was, Bishop & Hipkins were absolutely hammering each other. Both sounded really insulting & bitter.
It can be how people get when they're misquoted, misrepresented, and questioners are less than factual. Funny that……
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20210921_20210921_12
Yes, no doubt. The venom was mostly spat by Hipkins, I see now.
For those that like to witness the actual drama in The House.
At least it didn't descend into argy bargy with the Speaker, & a "flouncing out" ejection.
Yes, if like me and most NZers you are keen on the truth about the reality of a pandemic like COVID & our Govt's response, then we (like Hipkins) can be forgiven for getting pissed-off at politicians (like Bishop) who don't see anything wrong with blatant, calculated lies, and misinformation.
Venom, Gezza? This? " What I do agree with is that the member should stop spreading misinformation. That is not what any Minister in this Government has said. I would say to any New Zealander listening to him that they should think twice about any of the statements he makes, because most of them don't stack up." Rebuttal etc said forcefully but does 'venom' overstate it a bit? I watched it, by the way, at the time.
Telling off accepted. Sorry mac. “Venom” definitely does overstate it. I wasn’t watching the telly directly when I heard the raised voices towards the end. Was preoccupied in my dining room.
No telling off, Gezza; I've too much respect for what you write here, but I have a grumpiness about over-exaggeration- like people who talk of a 'shambles' all the time.
But Hipkins can give a telling off in parliamentary terms, and there was cause for that. He might look as young as a schoolboy but some responsibility and I suspect some good mentoring along the way has seen him grow impressively into the job.
I hope I'm not over-exaggerating…….
No, you’re not.
Hipkins is a real blinken Peter Pan, isn’t he? He seems to have discovered the fountain of youth. Never seems to age a day. He’s one of Ardern’s better Ministers. Very hardworking & competent, imo.
Thank you for that remark about respecting my comments. Nice thing to say.
Test
Seems James and his menagerie missed out on MIQ places. Off to the boss lady to get an emergency place. It’s not what you know …
You’re new here, so my suggestion is you learn how things work here rather than trolling.
Ardern has already said the Climate Minister will be given places in MiQ to return.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-climate-change-minister-james-shaw-taking-nine-staff-to-glasgow-scotland-for-cop26-talks/XW7DYQHJRWZTWA3D6IGIS3JOGU/
Why in gods name did he go into the lottery then?
I recommend staying ahead of the news rather than behind it before accusing someone of trolling 🤗
https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/09/james-shaw-hasn-t-secured-miq-spot-for-uk-climate-conference-only-1-of-14-person-entourage-has.amp.html
Please pick one email address and stick to it. The system treats new emails as new commenters and then we have to release the comments manually. Also double check spelling, because some devices don't manage the name and email address field well.
My link is more recent than yours and includes this,
So I ask again, why in gods name did he go into the lottery if the boss lady had already granted an MIQ space for him and the menagerie???
Your timeline is off as far as I can tell.
https://twitter.com/henrycooke/status/1440129780460834816
I await your next complaint.
I watched the video. I must come from a volatile background as I didn't think they were "absolutely hammering" each other.
Venom being spat? Hipkins sounded peed off with Bishop for putting out what he says is misinformation. It seems he thinks Bishop is undermining with negativity.
Bishop was on RNZ this morning. I didn't listen to hear how he would have had the MIQ system organised from the beginning and his ideas right now to have 25,000 expeditiously and fairly brought back into the country. * He has been loud in criticism but I haven't heard him say what specifically should be done and that he'd passed his considered views on to the relevant ministers.
Maybe the Bishop parody has pertinent observations about his attitude.
https://twitter.com/bishflap?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
* Accepting that had his party been in government there probably wouldn't have been a need for any MIQ, we wouldn't have had lockdowns and everyone, 100%, would have been vaccinated fully many months back.
I’ll repeat my response to mac, above:
Telling off accepted, Pete. “Venom” definitely does overstate it. I wasn’t watching the telly directly when I heard the raised voices towards the end. Was preoccupied in my dining room. And the video certainly doesn’t amount to “hammering each other”.
More like Bishop getting a deserved metaphorical rap on the knuckles with a ruler.
Will try to be more careful to avoid hyperbole & wait until I see on Vimeo what actually really happened in future.