As a patriotic dual-national I am appalled by reports that after Key-Turnbull negotiations in Canberra only New Zealanders earning more than A$90K pa will be eligible for Australian citizenship.
None of the convicts at Sydney cove, or most aboriginals, immigrants and current Australians would meet this criterion – Vonnegut would have been proud of this Catch-22.
This was not a meeting of ANZ prime ministers, but of ministers for Goldman and Merrill.
Globalism is allowing free movement of nationals and the countries having the most problems with migration are those who have (worldwide) high standards of living and social welfare. It is dropping the wages of the people who live in countries with social welfare and tightening social welfare at the same time. Some of the migrants I know are just in NZ to get the passport and leave for OZ, (while leaving the kids at school and retirees in NZ) so maybe OZ not so keen on migration by proxy via NZ.
Look at Britain – about to have a referendum about leaving the EU because migration has caused massive problems in Britain. (and these countries have a lot more money than NZ).
I’m not sure what the answer is. But in NZ are we going to be able to afford free health care in 20 years time and the unemployment benefit and superannuation – and are we going to be tenants in our own country the way things are going?
I think we should welcome those migrants already here, but halt more migrants until jobs, housing and social welfare allocations in NZ are up to what is required for the amount of new people coming into the country and work out a way to balance the intake so that it is positive and sustainable for NZ and increasing jobs and wages while protecting the environment here, not decreasing them.
The world is a dynamic place and we can’t stay in the 19th century by raising a metaphorical drawbridge. The flag referendum, I think, will opt for no change – but the issue has been put on the public agenda and may recur in unexpected ways.
Our geology makes long-term planning especially fraught. It could take one burp from Rangitoto to crash Auckland property values, another from lake Taupo to kill the tourist industry .. need I go on ?
Australia has serious issues with climate change. Jared Diamond in his Pulitzer prize-winning “Guns, Germs, and Steel” points to the progressive collapse of mid-level towns serving various professions leaving a decaying rural hinterland and mega-cities on the coast. http://www.jareddiamond.org/Jared_Diamond/Welcome.html
The world is full of futile dreams of grandeur. Search wikipedia for Fhatepur Sikri.
Diamond has a good account of the fall of the Maya.
“Enjoy Aotearoa while you can.” Quite frankly it will not be long..
“Bruce Bisset: It’s the finish for GE-Free fans
Much as we might like to stay GE-Free, I’m sorry to say the argument is already settled, in favour of frankenfoods – thanks to the government’s slavish acceptance of the terms of the TPPA.”
Interestingly in the Damian horror movies the devil takes over the food supply to bring about the end of the world. Always reminds me of Monsanto tactics.
One does not need to dream up an imaginary entity like The Devil to predict The Apocalypse when we possess the best self-destruct mechanism currently known to man: Ego. Ironically, this is also (!) an entirely human (man-made) construct, an illusion.
Neoliberalism, personal responsibility, individuation, freedom of choice are not ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’ per se but when they rampantly rule our behaviour that is dominated by Ego ‘bad’ things will happen.
Volcanic activity we can not control (although rumoured evidence that oil fracking can induce earthquakes etc) and not at all like signing the TPPA two weeks ago by John Key at his favourite Casino, on behalf of our kids NOW which is obviously going to change the way Kiwis live, what we eat, how we export and the security we have, that is something people can fight!
Our geology makes long-term planning especially fraught.
No it doesn’t. It does mean that it’s obvious that we have to plan our population level though instead of just assuming that we can take more and more people.
Australia has serious issues with climate change.
So do we. Estimations that I’ve seen pretty much have NZ going into continuous drought conditions compared to what we have now and that’s going to mean a decrease in ability to support a large population.
Re 1.1.savenz. Questions and matters that have to be looked at savenz. And dispassionately, so as to understand the situation now, the trend line and to study future numbers and the outcomes from that. The hospital system in Auckland sees all the immigrants, from all the nations, with all the ailments and there is a need for access to nearly a hundred language translators.
So the incomers, as is an old term for new people in a settled community, are here. Their numbers are being encouraged excessively both to bring in their dollars, so boosting our apparent national earnings, or to provide a group of low-paid, hard working, passive workers. And that is causing increasing social stress and our services being put under pressure, even ‘milked.’
edited
@Greywarshark – yep I agree. No one wants to be a right winger and going back to NZ own horrible past of discrimination (Chinese, Dawn raids etc) BUT global migration is not sustainable with a social welfare system the way it is going and governments are just now saying NO to everyone. Before it gets to that point in NZ, governments need to stop and plan.
Right wingers love migration, it is bringing wages and conditions down and consumption up!
But breaching the social welfare pact with Kiwis. How many Kiwis are off social welfare and waiting for operations?
We just borrowed 2.8 billion where is the xtra money coming from?
And is there a relationship to the environment that we want to protect? Should we mine or fish or build houses and cut down forests and make more animals extinct so that we can have more people in NZ and they choose where to live under globalism?
And do people coming into NZ want to have a relationship with the environment or just want to exploit it for personal profit?
My own personal experience is that a lot of migrant friends want to come here, buy a new house, buy a new car preferably a mercedes and live close to a mall as their recreation is shopping. I”m not kidding! These are educated and culture people too!
They don’t go into the natural environment at all, and therefore have zero experience of it or want to protect it.
“Chapter 8 of the TPPA deals with technical barriers to trade. In article 8.6 it seeks to lower such barriers by adopting conformity to accepted standards, essentially saying everyone’s standards must conform to everyone else’s.
Moreover any party must “accord treatment no less favourable” than for its own to any other party’s standards assessment bodies, and even should there be doubt about conformity, the concerned party MUST accept the other’s findings. Note well: This includes both non-governmental and for-profit assessment bodies.
That means Monsanto, whose testing regime is accepted by the US FDA without review, and the FDA’s stamp of approval is in turn accepted as “conforming” by New Zealand, has the power to require New Zealand to accept that there is nothing wrong with a GE product – even one that isn’t licensed in the US!”
Harmonise. That is the word used to smooth the way for compatibility of international systems. Not only Monsanto but how about Pharma, Schools, Hospitals? And what will happen where countries do not harmonise systems?
Never mind the GMOs – US beef – never tested for BSE in spite of the only extant wild reservoir of prion protein diseases (CWD) will compete equally and without labelling beside NZ product.
@paaparakauta
I can only suggest that you reread the information while wearing you glasses.
The actual figure is $A53,000/year for 5 consecutive years since 2001.
In the middle of the last 5 years (2013) the average full time wage in Australia was $A74,724 so it isn’t really that high.
“The ABS says the average individual wage in Australia in November 2013 was $57,980 before tax. The average full-time wage is $74,724 before tax”
This was from http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/do-you-consider-yourself-a-struggling-comfortable-or-rich-australian/story-e6frfmcr-1226910189131
Australia will only welcome you if you’re rich and male. If you’re poor, a woman, took time out of the workforce to raise a family, or if you moved to Australia as a child and haven’t entered the workforce yet, you’re shit out of luck, there’s no possibility of citizenship or residency for you, and you’re under permanent threat of deportation.
I think No Right Turn is misinterpreting things. If a full time working man was to qualify that qualifies his spouse and young children to be included.
If the children were born there they also qualify automatically when they turn 10.
A spouse doesn’t have to qualify in their own right.
In addition it would appear that if you are there now you can still qualify in the future. It is only people who were not living there prior to Friday(?) who aren’t able to take advantage of it.
Have a look at this link in Stuff, and related material. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/77076257/How-to-get-your-head-around-the-landmark-Aussie-citizenship-announcement
As far as families go, look at this bit late in the link. It certainly appears to envisage the whole family doesn’t it?
“The main application charge has been set at A$3600 per applicant, an extra A$1800 for partners and dependent children over 18 and A$900 for children under 18.”
For those who don’t yet meet the income criteria look at this comment
“You’re eligible if you moved to Australia between February 26, 2001 and February 19, 2016 and hold a SCV”
It obviously is impossible to meet the 5 years if you went there a week ago so it clearly implies people can qualify in the future.
There, does that help?
ps. Complaints about the cost can be addressed to the nearest Australian High Commission. I don’t believe you can pin that on John Key.
Thanks for the link Yes it does seem that it applies to households. I certainly hope so. My son-in-law and daughter and 2 g’children are there and I think want to stay permanently as National shoved them out 5 years ago.
I’d just like to note this addition to the extensive catalogue of Rodney Hide’s ignorance: he confuses the slang term “wedding tackle” with the more prosaic and distinctly inanimate winching equipment, “block and tackle.”
My partner and I drove over the Harbour Bridge, Auckland yesterday at 5.15 in the afternoon towards the North Shore and the two flags were flying on the bridge. I do wish to retain the existing flag but that has nothing to do with this. I honestly could not distinguish the colours on the new flag until we were almost underneath it, it was terrible, a mish mash of grey/blue/nothing, I couldn’t discern the white fern at all. The existing flag is an amazing deep blue and the ensign in the corner is very bright and clear and always looks regal and correct as an ensign. The weather was clear with sunshine and a fair amount of breeze to keep the ensign aloft. What on earth were they thinking about when they designed it? Did they make any ahead of submitting designs and hoist them up in different weather conditions. Design wise it looks absolutely terrible. Just my opinion, but my partner was with me on this – up on a flag staff its a bad choice for a new flag.
BM why do you annoy me considerably. It is not the same ….. flag, watch your language please, its anything but. The colours of the new flag are a disgrace – they do not show up against a blue sky or any climatic sky – and hey, that’s what the purpose of the flag was for – to be dynamic, show our originality and to bring in an era of change and to be seen well. This flag does nothing to enhance our fantastic talent we have here for true design, and believe me a flag designer had nothing to do with this new design – its just junk. Change the flag if you must but for heaven’s sake do the country proud and design something deserving of New Zealand and which hits you in the eye when it’s seen up on a flag staff..
I fully agree with you Kate, the proposed flag looks like training clothes – new design courtesy of Canterbury or Addidas. I expect a flag to be something that encompasses all of NZ.
You’re wrong BM. If the fern just replaced the union jack and it is otherwise the same flag, the fern would be within the same area as the current union jack up in the top left hand corner on an all-blue flag with the southern cross.
All five of the final designs are abominations. Google & look at the flags of all other countries. The basic design principles stand out clearly. If we adopted this ugly black/blue out of proportion white leaf brand logo we’d be an international laughing stock.
This what you get when you ask people for designs that “represent who we are”. Company signage & clip art.
That’s true, but I think the black within the blue would look awful. It’s such a terrible representation of a silver fern as well. Stylizing it turned it into a leaf. I gather the panel did consult at least one vexilologist, but we still ended up with 5 final designs that were all out of step with the general layouts and designs of national flags.Our 5 finalists really do all look like logos.
The design brief was too vague, and apparently (judging by the result) didn’t pay any attention to international country flag design principles. We should’ve done what South Africa did and got a professional flag designer to come up with several designs. It would’ve been simpler & probably produced more suitable designs than the free-for-all that garnered 10,292 proposals ranging from clip art to crayon drawings.
We should’ve tossed out everything on our current flag – like Canada did – & started anew. By far the coolest design I’ve seen is the Tino Rangatiratanga flag. But that’d never be accepted because it’s the National Maori flag, and because its association with grievances & separatist sentiments make it far too divisive. If it had just been designed and submitted now, I wonder if our amateur-night panel would’ve picked it. Probably not.
yep this is my flag too and I am so looking forward to the day it becomes our countries flag – on that day we will have grown up and matured as a society. We will be ready to move into the future and we will be strong.
Behave yourself. You will upset Kate. Someone else used that awful word (you know the one I mean) and she chastised him severely.
As Kate said “watch your language please”.
I expected to be typing about SC and Nevada today, but Fiji/ Cyclone Winstone is much closer to home!
This CNN video shows the best track I’ve been able to find; straight between Vanua Levuand Vitu Levu, with the eye over water the whole time. Pretty much the worst possible scenario:
while Winston weakened as it moved over land — as these types of storms do — it has since reintensified, and with the El Niño-warmed water serving as fuel, Winston’s eye has reformed.
CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said Winston is expected to “keep strength as it continues on its path in open waters,” but said “it will weaken Tuesday or Wednesday once it hits cooler waters and stronger shear.”
Winston’s 184 mph winds smashed the previous record for a Southern Hemisphere cyclone. According to Colorado State University hurricane expert Philip Klotzbach, both Cyclone Zoe, which battered the Solomon Islands in 2002, and Cyclone Monica, which walloped Australia in 2006, previously shared the record with their estimated winds of 178 mph.
Fortunately only one dead so far, though I’d expect that to rise. NZH live coverage is surprisingly good:
One man was killed as hurricane force winds and 12m high waves battered the Pacific nation, homes were destroyed and terrified tourists hustled from their hotel rooms to hunker down for the night.
I kept getting a; “You do not have permission to edit this comment”, message in a pink box when I tried to edit the above. Just minor typos this time, so not too important, but could be bad if someone makes a glaring error they can’t correct (edit – this comments’s edit function is fine). Also, I am still getting occasional red flags when I try to load pages. Though there doesn’t seem to be any pattern there and these’ll usually clear up in an hour or so.]
I don’t think many Maori throughout NZ want the flag changed, they sought an allegiance with the British Crown as they felt the British were the best alternative to the French and the Americans, whether they made the right choice or not is debatable?
I would be interested to know if the Natzis and Key consulted with Maori Iwi throughout NZ on the changing of the flag?
Well, hey, amongst the abominations was one with a koru. That one probably let the panel feel they could tick the box for “Maori input”.
It’s a good point though. To be honest I was expecting to see more comment from Maori on the issue but don’t recall any getting much air or print time.
Hundertwasser, an Austrian who adopted NZ as his home, designed a nice flag with koru. Maori might have chosen that one if they had a choice. It has been pointed out that the Maori sovereignty flag would not have been the right one for them to gather behind, as it would only confuse its association with themselves particularly and Maori aspirations for their own advancement.
A Hundertwasser type flag was in the last 40 but had to be removed after the Hundertwasser foundation claimed copyright.
As the panel said
“Please note that the ‘Modern Hundertwasser’ design has been removed from the long list following a copyright claim by the Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation.”
Hypnoflag and Red Peak were a joke in terms of Maori influence. Just because something looks vaguely like a tukutuku panel or the front of a marae doesn’t mean it represents Maori. Where was the Tino rangatira flag in this whole “democratic” process. A flag designed by Maori for Maori was ignored.
Youre supposed to consult before and during the decision making process, not once you’ve made up your mind. This has happened for the flag process, carbon emissions and tppa under this government. Its not consultation or democratic.
Until we have grown up as a country I suspect many will vote for the existing flag – it does accurately represent us as we are and where we are at – even if it is painful to admit.
I don’t think American conquest of Aotearoa was ever an option in 1840. The Americans had not even explored their own country at that point in time and certainly we’re not looking for another.
Correct. In 1840 the European Americans hadn’t even slaughtered off all the native Americans yet. They were too consumed with destroying Afro-Americans.
It took until the second half of the 20th century for the Americans to really get into the swing of conducting multiple simultaneous genocides.
The Brits, French, and Spanish mastered it much earlier.
A couple of links for those following the US presidential candidate selection process. The Guardian count is ahead of the NBC one, but doesn’t have as detailed a breakdown, plus there are strangely cutesy animations.
Apparently, rather than coinflips, ties are decide by card cuts in Nevada. Clinton’s luck with these is making me lean towards the literal deal-with-the-devil scenario:
Interesting: a precinct in Pahrump has been decided by cutting the deck. Pahrump precinct chair Peggy Rhoads with the cards drawn in tied Precinct 10. Hillary’s ace beat Bernie’s six.
So Clinton was going to walk this one, right? Iowa and New Hampshire were ‘white’ and therefor favourable to Sanders while Nevada….cake walk.
38.6% reporting and only a couple of percentage points in it (51.36% v 48.53%). Wonder what the rationale will be for this latest ‘glitch’ in Clinton’s run?
Yep the change from “provided for under paragraph 1”
became “provided for under Sub-paragraph 1”
A tiny change means our courts would be forced to imprison some-one who dared to add local subtitles to a foreign film.
Drastic! Criminal! Hidden!
I’m just glancing through an old book on past social history called The Bleak Age by JL & Barbara Hammond.
I put this quote, and point out that this actually happened. A so called civilised society can oppress its citizens as is written, it did happen in Britain starting with the Poor Law of 1834, and it means that this could happen again. Once it becomes the norm, people have to make a huge effort to change that habitual behaviour, to admit wrong policies and behaviour, and completely overturn their systems and their thinking.
This is one example of the Poor Law Commission’s approaches to poverty and treatment of needy humans.
One of the forms of task work imposed in certain workhouses was the crushing of bones, and the master of the Andover Workhouse was accused of starving the paupers so that they fought among themselves for the gristle and marrow to be found in the half-putrid bones given to them for this purpose. Indignation led to a demand for inquiry, so vehement and general that the Government had to yield, and the revelations that followed made a profound impression on the public mind. For an inquiry that began with the Andover scandals ended as an inquisition into the life and methods of the Poor Law Commission.
A comment from one being questioned added insult to injury by ‘regretting’ Parliament time spent on “a workhouse squabble”.
Therefore, are you suggesting Sanders would be considered less electable than Clinton?
No, I’m saying that the only reason to give a few people more power than anyone else is to have the vote go the way you want it to go and that’s usually against the wishes of the people.
Surely the the person most electable by democrats is the person they vote for and not the person selected by the few people with lots of power?
“No, I’m saying that the only reason to give a few people more power than anyone else is to have the vote go the way you want it to go and that’s usually against the wishes of the people”
Yes I initially gathered that, thus I put forward their reasoning. Which is the grounds they will have to justify their decision. Hence, do you think the argument will stand?
Like Ms. Clinton, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz also accepts money from super PACs and corporate interests. Given Ms. Wasserman Shultz’s campaign financing strategies—in conjunction with the virtual bankruptcy the DNC is facing under her leadership—the rescinding of the ban on donations from federal lobbyists and super PACs should come as no surprise…
Growing calls for Ms. Wasserman Schultz’s resignation have stemmed from her alleged favoritism for Ms. Clinton—ranging from her position as co-chair of Ms. Clinton’s failed 2008 presidential campaign, to criticism over her limited and poorly scheduled Democratic presidential debates…
A joint fundraising committee between the Clinton campaign and the DNC—called the Hillary Victory Fund—raised $26.9 million as of December 31, 2015, much of which has gone directly to the DNC and other Democratic candidates across the country. Thirty-three state Democratic parties signed pacts with Ms. Clinton’s campaign, meaning she is essentially buying support from Democratic leaders around the country. In short, the Clinton campaign controls the money and decides which states receive it after the campaign and the DNC get their cut. According to Bloomberg, New Hampshire received $124,000, where six out of six superdelegates supported Ms. Clinton while over 60 percent of the primary vote favored Mr. Sanders. Nevada and South Carolina also have pacts with the Hillary Victory Fund, where Ms. Clinton has already won support from three of Nevada’s eight superdelegates and three out of South Carolina’s six superdelegates.
Unlike the NZ Labour caucus, the super delegates want to win the election. A lot of super delegates switch from Hillary to Obama in 2008 when they realized he had a better chance of winning.
Sanders is the best match-up against any of the Republicans and Hillary is the least trusted candidate of either party. Even 35% of democrats don’t trust her. (Nor do I.)
Anyone seen the post just up on the NZ Herald website late this morning – Richie McCaw wants a new flag! This “big revelation” came to him on the rugby field. So we are supposed to listen to him with reverence and obediently change our flag because of rugby. Rugby is obviously so much more important than our sovereignty, so much more important than all the men and women who died fighting under our flag, and of course having a silver fern on an all black jersey means that it’s certainly good enough for our flag too. It doesn’t matter that the “new” flag is a hastily thrown together tea-towel which looks terrible on a flagpole. I thought Richie was smarter than this – I thought he wouldn’t let himself be used by a very obviously desperate Key and end up looking just as shallow. Obviously there is less to him than many thought! Maybe the New Zealander of the Year is just NOT!
Dear Richie. You are just a rugby player. You have a fern on your chest. You also have advertising logos on your chest. You are a bill board. Why makes you think your opinion is so important. Or even the fact that you had an epiphany on the flag and thought that the media must be informed IMMEDIATELY! Very disappointing. Just remember you have (had?) a lot of fans who revered your rugby playing skills, but more to the point saw you as just a humble, no airs and graces, accessible to everyone , Kiwi bloke. No longer. You now appear to be a corporate puppet. So sad.
Never did think Ritchie was deserving of so much adoration. He is a great rugby player, no doubt about that but other than that, he doesn’t come across as anybody really special. Rugby was his career and he was well remunerated for it. So he should play well, he was paid well enough for it, it was his job for goodness sake. He brought some special prizes back to NZ and that was great. How about the many other people who do fantastic things for this country, and do it for next to nothing – the lady who ran the Auckland Mission for many many ears for one. Ritchie has choices, and if he wishes to keep company with politics that’s his affair but he owes it to the country to stay neutral on important matters like the change of flag and let the people make up their own minds. Dan Carter should keep out of it as well. If anything they are doing even more harm than good. I know many people who have turned off them and the team because of the farce of it all.
Another thing, I have also mentioned before on this site that he invests in the Retirement Village industry and its a complete rort for the elderly, they would be better off going out renting (out of town if in Auckland) and letting their house out and keeping their equity in their home. Even Mary Holm recommended it. I do not think its good for his image to invest in unethical industries. But then there are many in this country who just think of money full stop and without the consequences of how it is earned. NZ of the year is way over the top, but that’s my own personal opinion.
I agree with all that. Now Richie will be making even more money as the retirement villages get involved with state housing! McCaw has damaged himself by doing this – the timing is very obviously desperation by Key! McCaw is OWNED now! Reputation is very easy to destroy!
1. Our men and women may have died under our flag but they’re buried beneath the silver fern
2. Hes allowed his opinion and hes allowed to express that opinion, mainly due to the sacrifices made by those same men and women who died fighting to ensure our continued freedom
“1. Our men and women may have died under our flag but they’re buried beneath the silver fern
2. Hes allowed his opinion and hes allowed to express that opinion, mainly due to the sacrifices made by those same men and women who died fighting to ensure our continued freedom”
1. Apart from the ones who were blown to bits, and nothing left to retrieve – or those who came back injured, demoralised and broken and wanted no remembrance of their service on their graves. (My point being, this is not a very relevant point for the design.)
2. McCaw is “allowed” an opinion – but he has a very public platform given to him – and pumped up by our PM’s attention, that is not linked in any way to his design, constitutional or sovereignty knowledge.
If he was in any way self-aware – he would not be using this demi-god rugby platform to act as a promotional vehicle for a political movement.
But like Dan Carter, their AB career was just as much about “selling things” as it was about rugby. It is learned, and profitable, behaviour for those who do it.
1. People are saying that because men and women fought under a flag we shouldn’t change it, I’m saying that to honour our dead, the ones who made the ultimate sacrifice our should be similar to whats on their head stones
2. Essentially because Richie disagrees with your opinion he shouldn’t be allowed to express it, is that about right?
Chris, he can mention it just like you and me like most people are – to friends or family, but people like Ritchie and Dan know they are taking advantage of their position to push the case for change. This flag change is an extremely personal decision like voting in a new Government and people who could influence the vote of something like this flag change should keep out of it. I always thought it was wrong to use your position when you are gifted air time, to sway opinion, they are sports people for heaven’s sake – why should they be any different to any other people and nobody else is given the media space to flog their opinions like they. Its off putting for many people and its demeaning for them to use their position this way. Somebody else on this site has said they have been paid for – bought men – what’s that going to do to help their reputation. Better men and women would not take this stance they have.
So why not let me know who is or isn’t actually allowed to express an opinion, apparently Richie isn’t but is Hayden Paddon?
I’m guessing you think politicians shouldn’t be allowed to express an opinion because they may sway someone but are judges allowed also?
The RSA can sometimes be political and are high profile so they better not say anything either
Business people get a lot of airtime so they’re probably not allowed either
See where I’m going with this?
Richie McCaw is allowed to speak his mind because he has the right to, he should not be stopped saying what he thinks simply because some people don’t agree with him
Thats censorship, thats curtailing personal liberties and thats what a lot people died fighting against and thats what the left is trying to bring back and you and everyone else that thinks Richie should be banned from speaking his mind should be ashamed of yourselves
I am happy for everyone to have their say equally. So, to be even-handed and treat everyone the same as Richie, let every other kiwi express their personal opinion in a Herald puff piece – now that would be totally fair to all!
You seem to forget the aspect of responsibility and display of character. Richie McCaw has every right to express his opinion – privately. It amounts to advertisement if it is done through public media.
He did have my respect as he dodged Key’s pressure to get a knighthood.
That is Key the republican who wants to change the flag yet wants to keep Lords and Ladies.
By the way, on my view of McCaw, speak for yourself, not others please.
I can easily guess you’re not a fan of Richie and heres why:
He is perhaps our greatest all black and that means you don’t respect him because as a sportsperson hes strives to be better then anyone else, not the same as everyone but better then anyone else
He gives everything to win, he wants to win more then anyone else and he achieves it (more often then not)
Hes invested wisely in ventures that make him money, a lot of money
He is everything the Right espouses and the Left despises
Living off the poor, elderly, and vulnerable may earn one a lot of money. It doesn’t earn one respect.
So if the Right espouses that sort of morality they know where they can shove it.
He played for team sponsored by corporates so that’s a strike
He strived to be better then his fellow players so that’s another strike
He played through injury so thats another strike
He knows John Key (thats worthy of excommunication)
Hes invested wisely that’s a major strike
The people on here stating crap like Richie shouldn’t express an opinion because hes Richie is crap
You have the nutters suggesting the Richies being paid for this or possibly being manipulated into it and no thought given that he might actually support a flag change
Then you have people talking that his reputation has somehow been damaged because IF it has (I don’t think it will be) its because of the unhinged that have decided that derailing the flag change referendum will somehow impact on John Key therefore Richie is in league with John Key and must be punished
and lets not forgot the people using the sacrifice of our service people to try to link it to keeping the flag (thats just pathetic)
and some of us (yes including me) actually like the proposed new flag and prefer it to the current flag and don’t like seeing the left ignore the referendum, then try to hijack the referendum and finally try to shut down any positive talk about the flag
Reply for chris73 below: “The people on here stating crap like Richie shouldn’t express an opinion because hes Richie is crap”
You are missing the salient point.
I agree with you that everyone is allowed an opinion, but like anyone in an elevated position he should be taking due care and attention to using his high profile to speak about political movements.
He has been assisted by rugby, and the PM’s attention and NZers high regard for the game and players into a position of prominence. His circle of influence is much greater than that of the guy next door. (Even if supposed guy is well versed in politics, flag design, sovereignty and Treaty of Waitangi issues).
Because of that he should refrain from making public statements that seem to be coercing the public to vote in a particular way in a referendum. If he was a member of a political party, then he is using his political platform to speak on politics. No problem there. But he is not.
What he is doing is using – as if he was selling a product – his rugby platform to influence votes. And these votes have nothing to do with rugby, and his area of expertise.
Even though you may venerate McCaw – can you not see a problem with this in terms of people making an informed and considered vote in the referendum?
My big problem Molly is that you want to censor him, dress it up however you like but you want him to not be able to freely express his opinion and thats a slippery slope no one here should want (least I hope not)
Chris 73 – Honest to God man you just haven’t a clue have you about what all of us have been talking about. About knowing when to do the right thing and knowing when to refrain. You need to start re-thinking what’s basically right and wrong – what your Mum and Dad taught you. Simple really – common sense.
Chris 73 It’s only a game for heaven’s sake – get a grip, you would think he was putting his life on the line and had earned a VC – it’s a game and you kick a ball and you are bloody well paid heaps for it as well. He’s not the only person in NZ who likes to win and does, in other fields like scientific research when they find a great cure for something for example.
Mind you he has put his life on the line, all for the money and the game, he will be a walking cripple when he is 50 maybe earlier. Most people suffer from joint problems when they are elderly, these gladiators/AB’s will be hobbling crippled with pain or bionic men long before that. For what – kicking a ball around, older people who have wear and tear pain will wince everytime these players have a shoulder, knee reconstruction done when they are so young, it will all come home to roost – the poor sods. All for money, pity you cannot put an old head on young shoulders.
Good so don’t begrudge him him the opportunity to say what he believes and since hes only a rugby player no one will take it seriously so everyones happy
Chris, you have dishonoured your god with your petulant display here. Richie is far to modest to be discussing things in such a manner. You should follow your god’s teachings of modesty more closely.
All Blacks are a paid for contracted commodity whose incomes are met through corporate sponsorships
The players operate under instructions on and off the field. It is transparent and callow to be used in this way, but that’s the business world of which they are employees
The public have previously, and will see through the propaganda obce again, just as they did last year when McCaw spoke in favour of flag change
I had no idea about Ritchie making comments last year about a flag change, I remember Dan Carter on twitter on election day and he got away with it, so I didn’t deliberately recycle my comment. Paid by corporate sponsorship maybe but I am pretty sure the flag change would not been in his contract, but there is such a thing as a “conscience vote” and he and Dan should have put their clout behind that instead and used it – it would have been accepted just like Ritchie turned down a Knighthood but with the flag he chose not to.
So isn’t paid by someone else and have conditions in their employment contracts?
You do realise that maybe, just maybe Richie (arguably one of the greatest rugby platers ever) born and bred product of a North Otago farm, driven to be the very best he can be at what he does might actually want a flag change?
Of course he wants a flag change, but he doesn’t have to convince others to change as well – we are all quite capable of making up our own minds without having to be lead to a decision. Its probably making things worse by having us needlessly prodded and steered towards making up our minds. Like constant background noise getting in the way of our thought processes.
Are you planning to follow your own advice Kate?
Can we now assume that there will be no further comments from you telling us how much you dislike the proposed new flag and want to keep the existing one?
How many comments have you made like that. Hundreds I would guess. All of them like Richies and trying to persuade us to follow your opinion.
Try putting “Whispering Kate flag” in the search box and see how many you get.
Alwyn – all I have said is people should be allowed, in their own time, to make up their own minds, we don’t need to be told what other people feel about their choices. to try and persuade us in our decision making. Its a personal thing making this choice. I would have loved a new flag if it had been a great design – this new flag is not a great design, its not even a sort of decent design. I am not going to vote for this flag for that reason, its a poor choice and we deserve better. If you think its because of “no name” then forget it, he isn’t even in the equation with such an important decision to make. Don’t be such a grouch.
I know, Kate. You say here that
“people should be allowed, in their own time, to make up their own minds, we don’t need to be told what other people feel about their choices. to try and persuade us”
You didn’t say that though previously. You have proposed, over and over again that we shouldn’t vote for the new flag.
I don’t mind that in the slightest. However it doesn’t go down well when the same person thinks that someone with the opposite view should be told to stop advocating for their own choice.
Would you seriously claim that these examples are not advocating for your own choice of flag rather than just asking people to think about it? http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21022016/#comment-1136456 http://thestandard.org.nz/john-keys-flag-an-exercise-in-optics/#comment-1134485 http://thestandard.org.nz/key-booed-by-rugby-crowd/#comment-1130416
Actually I withdraw the comment about there being hundreds. Dozens is closer
Richie McKey demeans himself. Giving weight (and macho transfusions) to the weirdo prime minister. I don’t mention Carter cos’ who cares about that facsimile upper class ChCh laddie laddie anyway.
For cynicism you take the cake Chris73. And you establish that all this carry on is about Key’s failure, on his own, to reflect anything vaguely resembling thoroughgoing manhood. Effete prick !
They are public figures and either have been roped in or think their public
profile can be influential. I am sure that pollsters have data broken down
by gender from randomised polls .. such as
Expressing your feelings via a twitter sentence on a political issue is a bit different to being part of an orchestrated government campaign, like writing a piece in the herald or being part of a promotional video.
Please. Farrar’s site is jam packed with unmoderated hate speech from commenters.
That’s the issue here, is it not? Not that Farrar himself would become so abusive (even though he thinks that way) but that he allows it from his commenters without moderation.
He’s piggybacking Slater who was the one (ironically) who had a problem with the hate speech comments.
Their argument is that RNZ is taxpayer funded yet the thing that is lost on the slug and the gnome is that their sites are government funded also – through dirty politics. The catch is that this government blurs the line between party and state at will…
Yep. That hate speech flows unregulated from the mouths of his followers seems lost on him.
Of course he and his close friend Slater will argue that RNZ is taxpayer funded. but what they ignore is that their own sites are also funded by the government through dirty politics.
Farrar’s Curia Co. rang me about two weeks ago. It was a political poll and the questions came thick and fast. Just as the pollster was signing me off, he came up with an extra question – which flag are you voting for? Lo and behold within a week the ‘celebrities’ started coming forward begging people to vote for the new flag. The latest being that “Story” woman, Heather du Plessis Allan. In her case she didn’t ask people to vote for the new flag but spent her latest column in the S.H. trashing the current flag.
They’ve got the positives and the negatives covered.
Anne. Have you or have you not called women on here a slut (in only the last few days) and a bitch? They were offensive and I called you on it. You on the other hand stood by your slut comment.
Thus I came to the conclusion that you use terms like that on women you do not agree with, and don’t use it when you agree. Please feel to correct me and I will withdraw and apologise. But your own post seem to back up what I have said.
In the seven years I have been commenting here, I have used those two terms only once each – the s-word a few days ago on a subject for which I feel strongly about, and the b-word at least a month ago. I am of the opinion both individuals deserved the description because of their behaviour. I have never called anyone else derisive names of that extreme nature before and I object to your insinuation that it’s a regular occurrence.
As for the comment @ 21.1… I was not making the inference you have chosen to assume. I did not agree with the tone of the journalist’s article and I expressed as much. Nothing more nor less.
I will concede that you dont use the terms regularly.
However – my point is that it is NEVER ok to use terms like that against women .
[RL: Deleted. You don’t get to shame or silence Anne for her entirely justified anger over Glucina’s slime-ball behaviour, by using it in another entirely different context. Leave it here.]
Clutching your pearls and hooting like a distressed dowager over some ‘words’ from Anne – the giggling man-child repeatedly assaults Amanda Bailey and the best you can come up with is an acknowledgment so limp and perfunctory as to be questionable for its sincerity.
The awkward fact out of the way so to speak you then launch straight into backing up the foulness of the man-child and that odious trash Glucina.
Shall we apply your absolutes to the man-child’s globally televised giggles about whether or not the child rapist/murderer comes to lunch ? Giggling, thus adding to the survivors’ renewed horror.
Since when has Anne used those words? You are a disgrace to this blog and we know what you are going to say as soon as we see your pseudonym. So don’t bother to come here and reduce the level of argument.
Thanks greywarshark but I did use those terms once each recently. One in respect of Rachel Glucina’s disgraceful behaviour over John Key’s harassment of Amanda Bailey. The other was in relation to Josie Pagani’s ongoing undermining of Andrew Little and Labour. That was at least a month ago so James has a remarkably good memory?
TPP and GMO
Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (which is supported by the European Commission.)
“TACD’s recommendations on the proposed food safety chapter in TTIP”
The TPP SPS chapter includes a provision in the market access chapter to allow import of unapproved genetically modified organisms. There must be no such provision either in the TTIP SPS chapter or market access chapter. Regulatory approval of plant and animal agricultural products produced by a new generation of modification techniques, such as gene drives, could result in trade of undefined “low level presence” of synthetically modified organisms that could establish themselves as invasive species in the importing country.
– The TPP includes a low standard definition for scientific data to be used in SPS risk assessments: “reasonably available and relevant scientific data.” Adopting this low standard would allow trade in food and agricultural products whose risk assessments hide data affecting consumer health from scientific peer review by claiming such data as Confidential Business Information (CBI). TTIP must not adopt such a low standard for use of scientific data. According to the “reasonably available” standard, governments could claim that CBI data and unpublished corporate studies in commercialization applications were “science-based” but not “reasonably available” for independent peer review.
I heard that Nick Willis-2006 Commonwealth games gold medalist and 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist (both for the 1500m)-isn’t a fan of a flag change. So, not every elite NZ athlete is in favour of a new flag.
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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. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
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 ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
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 ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
Essay: If the Crown harms children, how do you hold it accountable? Analysis by Aaron Smale in light of the Waitangi Tribunal court decision. The post The Crown versus Māori Children appeared first on Newsroom. ...
As a patriotic dual-national I am appalled by reports that after Key-Turnbull negotiations in Canberra only New Zealanders earning more than A$90K pa will be eligible for Australian citizenship.
None of the convicts at Sydney cove, or most aboriginals, immigrants and current Australians would meet this criterion – Vonnegut would have been proud of this Catch-22.
This was not a meeting of ANZ prime ministers, but of ministers for Goldman and Merrill.
Globalism is allowing free movement of nationals and the countries having the most problems with migration are those who have (worldwide) high standards of living and social welfare. It is dropping the wages of the people who live in countries with social welfare and tightening social welfare at the same time. Some of the migrants I know are just in NZ to get the passport and leave for OZ, (while leaving the kids at school and retirees in NZ) so maybe OZ not so keen on migration by proxy via NZ.
Look at Britain – about to have a referendum about leaving the EU because migration has caused massive problems in Britain. (and these countries have a lot more money than NZ).
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/feb/19/david-cameron-deal-european-leaders-paves-way-june-referendum?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+main+NEW+H&utm_term=157754&subid=13842748&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2
I’m not sure what the answer is. But in NZ are we going to be able to afford free health care in 20 years time and the unemployment benefit and superannuation – and are we going to be tenants in our own country the way things are going?
I think we should welcome those migrants already here, but halt more migrants until jobs, housing and social welfare allocations in NZ are up to what is required for the amount of new people coming into the country and work out a way to balance the intake so that it is positive and sustainable for NZ and increasing jobs and wages while protecting the environment here, not decreasing them.
The world is a dynamic place and we can’t stay in the 19th century by raising a metaphorical drawbridge. The flag referendum, I think, will opt for no change – but the issue has been put on the public agenda and may recur in unexpected ways.
Our geology makes long-term planning especially fraught. It could take one burp from Rangitoto to crash Auckland property values, another from lake Taupo to kill the tourist industry .. need I go on ?
Australia has serious issues with climate change. Jared Diamond in his Pulitzer prize-winning “Guns, Germs, and Steel” points to the progressive collapse of mid-level towns serving various professions leaving a decaying rural hinterland and mega-cities on the coast.
http://www.jareddiamond.org/Jared_Diamond/Welcome.html
The world is full of futile dreams of grandeur. Search wikipedia for Fhatepur Sikri.
Diamond has a good account of the fall of the Maya.
Enjoy Aotearoa while you can.
“Enjoy Aotearoa while you can.” Quite frankly it will not be long..
“Bruce Bisset: It’s the finish for GE-Free fans
Much as we might like to stay GE-Free, I’m sorry to say the argument is already settled, in favour of frankenfoods – thanks to the government’s slavish acceptance of the terms of the TPPA.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=11592432
History will show this as Key’s greatest treason against NZ — releasing GMO’s into our environment and destroying our food.
Can Te Tiriti help against this ? Let’s see. This cursed agreement is yet to be ratified after all.
Interestingly in the Damian horror movies the devil takes over the food supply to bring about the end of the world. Always reminds me of Monsanto tactics.
One does not need to dream up an imaginary entity like The Devil to predict The Apocalypse when we possess the best self-destruct mechanism currently known to man: Ego. Ironically, this is also (!) an entirely human (man-made) construct, an illusion.
Neoliberalism, personal responsibility, individuation, freedom of choice are not ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’ per se but when they rampantly rule our behaviour that is dominated by Ego ‘bad’ things will happen.
Volcanic activity we can not control (although rumoured evidence that oil fracking can induce earthquakes etc) and not at all like signing the TPPA two weeks ago by John Key at his favourite Casino, on behalf of our kids NOW which is obviously going to change the way Kiwis live, what we eat, how we export and the security we have, that is something people can fight!
https://www.lexiconoffood.com/post/reclaiming-farm-trade-terms
Unfortunately, physical reality always trumps peoples desires.
No it doesn’t. It does mean that it’s obvious that we have to plan our population level though instead of just assuming that we can take more and more people.
So do we. Estimations that I’ve seen pretty much have NZ going into continuous drought conditions compared to what we have now and that’s going to mean a decrease in ability to support a large population.
Re 1.1.savenz. Questions and matters that have to be looked at savenz. And dispassionately, so as to understand the situation now, the trend line and to study future numbers and the outcomes from that. The hospital system in Auckland sees all the immigrants, from all the nations, with all the ailments and there is a need for access to nearly a hundred language translators.
So the incomers, as is an old term for new people in a settled community, are here. Their numbers are being encouraged excessively both to bring in their dollars, so boosting our apparent national earnings, or to provide a group of low-paid, hard working, passive workers. And that is causing increasing social stress and our services being put under pressure, even ‘milked.’
edited
@Greywarshark – yep I agree. No one wants to be a right winger and going back to NZ own horrible past of discrimination (Chinese, Dawn raids etc) BUT global migration is not sustainable with a social welfare system the way it is going and governments are just now saying NO to everyone. Before it gets to that point in NZ, governments need to stop and plan.
Right wingers love migration, it is bringing wages and conditions down and consumption up!
But breaching the social welfare pact with Kiwis. How many Kiwis are off social welfare and waiting for operations?
We just borrowed 2.8 billion where is the xtra money coming from?
And is there a relationship to the environment that we want to protect? Should we mine or fish or build houses and cut down forests and make more animals extinct so that we can have more people in NZ and they choose where to live under globalism?
And do people coming into NZ want to have a relationship with the environment or just want to exploit it for personal profit?
My own personal experience is that a lot of migrant friends want to come here, buy a new house, buy a new car preferably a mercedes and live close to a mall as their recreation is shopping. I”m not kidding! These are educated and culture people too!
They don’t go into the natural environment at all, and therefore have zero experience of it or want to protect it.
“Chapter 8 of the TPPA deals with technical barriers to trade. In article 8.6 it seeks to lower such barriers by adopting conformity to accepted standards, essentially saying everyone’s standards must conform to everyone else’s.
Moreover any party must “accord treatment no less favourable” than for its own to any other party’s standards assessment bodies, and even should there be doubt about conformity, the concerned party MUST accept the other’s findings. Note well: This includes both non-governmental and for-profit assessment bodies.
That means Monsanto, whose testing regime is accepted by the US FDA without review, and the FDA’s stamp of approval is in turn accepted as “conforming” by New Zealand, has the power to require New Zealand to accept that there is nothing wrong with a GE product – even one that isn’t licensed in the US!”
Bruce Bissett is onto something here.
Harmonise. That is the word used to smooth the way for compatibility of international systems. Not only Monsanto but how about Pharma, Schools, Hospitals? And what will happen where countries do not harmonise systems?
Never mind the GMOs – US beef – never tested for BSE in spite of the only extant wild reservoir of prion protein diseases (CWD) will compete equally and without labelling beside NZ product.
An own goal only the Gnats could’ve come up with.
@paaparakauta
I can only suggest that you reread the information while wearing you glasses.
The actual figure is $A53,000/year for 5 consecutive years since 2001.
In the middle of the last 5 years (2013) the average full time wage in Australia was $A74,724 so it isn’t really that high.
“The ABS says the average individual wage in Australia in November 2013 was $57,980 before tax. The average full-time wage is $74,724 before tax”
This was from
http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/do-you-consider-yourself-a-struggling-comfortable-or-rich-australian/story-e6frfmcr-1226910189131
Keys announcement will exclude the 30% living in the bottom of the income stream and a lot more higher income earners if they are in a two income household.
I think No Right Turn is misinterpreting things. If a full time working man was to qualify that qualifies his spouse and young children to be included.
If the children were born there they also qualify automatically when they turn 10.
A spouse doesn’t have to qualify in their own right.
In addition it would appear that if you are there now you can still qualify in the future. It is only people who were not living there prior to Friday(?) who aren’t able to take advantage of it.
you have a link for that?
Have a look at this link in Stuff, and related material.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/77076257/How-to-get-your-head-around-the-landmark-Aussie-citizenship-announcement
As far as families go, look at this bit late in the link. It certainly appears to envisage the whole family doesn’t it?
“The main application charge has been set at A$3600 per applicant, an extra A$1800 for partners and dependent children over 18 and A$900 for children under 18.”
For those who don’t yet meet the income criteria look at this comment
“You’re eligible if you moved to Australia between February 26, 2001 and February 19, 2016 and hold a SCV”
It obviously is impossible to meet the 5 years if you went there a week ago so it clearly implies people can qualify in the future.
There, does that help?
ps. Complaints about the cost can be addressed to the nearest Australian High Commission. I don’t believe you can pin that on John Key.
Thanks for the link Yes it does seem that it applies to households. I certainly hope so. My son-in-law and daughter and 2 g’children are there and I think want to stay permanently as National shoved them out 5 years ago.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11592989
Extraordinarily rich of Love Perks Hide to invoke credibility or how the public might feel about the judge.
Given this supreme hypocrite’s rorts on the public you’d think the Herald would deprive him use of the word ‘credibility’.
Rorts??? What rorts (plural) did Hide engage in?
Googley Gossy. Don’t tell me you’re denying. How very ‘living in a bubble right wing nutter’ of you !
Twenty five thousand in aid to his block & tackle.
/
I’d just like to note this addition to the extensive catalogue of Rodney Hide’s ignorance: he confuses the slang term “wedding tackle” with the more prosaic and distinctly inanimate winching equipment, “block and tackle.”
What happens when you think you can tax your way out of a fiscal hole.
http://www.economist.com/news/business/21693213-big-tax-rises-are-driving-companies-out-country-actual-grexit?fsrc=scn/fb/te/bl/ed/
Surely the lesson from Greece is to make sure enough taxes are collected so the hole doesn’t get too big to begin with.
No the lesson is run a deficit to counter unemployment.
This appears to be a straight up comment by the Gosman. ☺
Did I say “Love Perks” Gossy ?
“One night at a top-end London hotel in Mayfair cost the tax-payer $1435.93, …”
My partner and I drove over the Harbour Bridge, Auckland yesterday at 5.15 in the afternoon towards the North Shore and the two flags were flying on the bridge. I do wish to retain the existing flag but that has nothing to do with this. I honestly could not distinguish the colours on the new flag until we were almost underneath it, it was terrible, a mish mash of grey/blue/nothing, I couldn’t discern the white fern at all. The existing flag is an amazing deep blue and the ensign in the corner is very bright and clear and always looks regal and correct as an ensign. The weather was clear with sunshine and a fair amount of breeze to keep the ensign aloft. What on earth were they thinking about when they designed it? Did they make any ahead of submitting designs and hoist them up in different weather conditions. Design wise it looks absolutely terrible. Just my opinion, but my partner was with me on this – up on a flag staff its a bad choice for a new flag.
Christ, It’s basically the same fucking flag, the only real difference is that the Union Jack has been replaced with a silver fern.
That’s the extent of your observational prowess
No surprise you’re regarded as junk bond status here
Be kind – BM is Newton, Einstein & the Borg all rolled into one by far-right standards.
BM why do you annoy me considerably. It is not the same ….. flag, watch your language please, its anything but. The colours of the new flag are a disgrace – they do not show up against a blue sky or any climatic sky – and hey, that’s what the purpose of the flag was for – to be dynamic, show our originality and to bring in an era of change and to be seen well. This flag does nothing to enhance our fantastic talent we have here for true design, and believe me a flag designer had nothing to do with this new design – its just junk. Change the flag if you must but for heaven’s sake do the country proud and design something deserving of New Zealand and which hits you in the eye when it’s seen up on a flag staff..
I fully agree with you Kate, the proposed flag looks like training clothes – new design courtesy of Canterbury or Addidas. I expect a flag to be something that encompasses all of NZ.
You’re wrong BM. If the fern just replaced the union jack and it is otherwise the same flag, the fern would be within the same area as the current union jack up in the top left hand corner on an all-blue flag with the southern cross.
All five of the final designs are abominations. Google & look at the flags of all other countries. The basic design principles stand out clearly. If we adopted this ugly black/blue out of proportion white leaf brand logo we’d be an international laughing stock.
This what you get when you ask people for designs that “represent who we are”. Company signage & clip art.
The white fern wouldn’t work if there wasn’t the black contrast.
Therefore the black has to be considered part of the white fern.
That’s true, but I think the black within the blue would look awful. It’s such a terrible representation of a silver fern as well. Stylizing it turned it into a leaf. I gather the panel did consult at least one vexilologist, but we still ended up with 5 final designs that were all out of step with the general layouts and designs of national flags.Our 5 finalists really do all look like logos.
The design brief was too vague, and apparently (judging by the result) didn’t pay any attention to international country flag design principles. We should’ve done what South Africa did and got a professional flag designer to come up with several designs. It would’ve been simpler & probably produced more suitable designs than the free-for-all that garnered 10,292 proposals ranging from clip art to crayon drawings.
We should’ve tossed out everything on our current flag – like Canada did – & started anew. By far the coolest design I’ve seen is the Tino Rangatiratanga flag. But that’d never be accepted because it’s the National Maori flag, and because its association with grievances & separatist sentiments make it far too divisive. If it had just been designed and submitted now, I wonder if our amateur-night panel would’ve picked it. Probably not.
The Tino Rangatiratanga flag is the only authentically Aotearoan design rooted in our thousand year old history.
Yeah, and I think it’s a terrific design – but even though it’s recognised as the national Maori Flag by the Government, it was originally designed for/by the Maori sovereignty / independence movement and, as well as a lot of pakeha objecting to it on that basis, its possible many Maori consider it theirs alone & would object to it being used as the national flag as well.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/flags-of-new-zealand/maori-flag
https://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/a-matou-kaupapa/crown-iwi-hapu-whanau-maori-relations/the-national-maori-flag/
Ngai Tahu and Te Arawa apparently won’t fly it in their rohe. Ngai Tahu seems to fly the United Tribes flag on Waitangi Day.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3295467/Ngai-Tahu-reject-flag-as-trouble
There might be copyright / royalty issues as well perhaps.
The Tino Rangatiratanga flag would get my vote.
yep this is my flag too and I am so looking forward to the day it becomes our countries flag – on that day we will have grown up and matured as a society. We will be ready to move into the future and we will be strong.
+1
The two lockwood flags are basically the same fucking flag.
Behave yourself. You will upset Kate. Someone else used that awful word (you know the one I mean) and she chastised him severely.
As Kate said “watch your language please”.
+1
I expected to be typing about SC and Nevada today, but Fiji/ Cyclone Winstone is much closer to home!
This CNN video shows the best track I’ve been able to find; straight between Vanua Levuand Vitu Levu, with the eye over water the whole time. Pretty much the worst possible scenario:
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/20/us/tropical-cyclone-winston-fiji/
This Met service forecast is good too, but will update soon (it currently covers the whole sweep from Saturday avo on).
http://www.metservice.com/maps-radar/maps/tasman-sea-nz
Fortunately only one dead so far, though I’d expect that to rise. NZH live coverage is surprisingly good:
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11592782
Best wishes to all in the path of this storm!
[Lprent
I kept getting a; “You do not have permission to edit this comment”, message in a pink box when I tried to edit the above. Just minor typos this time, so not too important, but could be bad if someone makes a glaring error they can’t correct (edit – this comments’s edit function is fine). Also, I am still getting occasional red flags when I try to load pages. Though there doesn’t seem to be any pattern there and these’ll usually clear up in an hour or so.]
A few more degrees of ocean warming and a cyclone like that will be over NZ.
I don’t think many Maori throughout NZ want the flag changed, they sought an allegiance with the British Crown as they felt the British were the best alternative to the French and the Americans, whether they made the right choice or not is debatable?
I would be interested to know if the Natzis and Key consulted with Maori Iwi throughout NZ on the changing of the flag?
Pretty obviously .. not so.
Well, hey, amongst the abominations was one with a koru. That one probably let the panel feel they could tick the box for “Maori input”.
It’s a good point though. To be honest I was expecting to see more comment from Maori on the issue but don’t recall any getting much air or print time.
Hundertwasser, an Austrian who adopted NZ as his home, designed a nice flag with koru. Maori might have chosen that one if they had a choice. It has been pointed out that the Maori sovereignty flag would not have been the right one for them to gather behind, as it would only confuse its association with themselves particularly and Maori aspirations for their own advancement.
A Hundertwasser type flag was in the last 40 but had to be removed after the Hundertwasser foundation claimed copyright.
As the panel said
“Please note that the ‘Modern Hundertwasser’ design has been removed from the long list following a copyright claim by the Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation.”
Hypnoflag and Red Peak were a joke in terms of Maori influence. Just because something looks vaguely like a tukutuku panel or the front of a marae doesn’t mean it represents Maori. Where was the Tino rangatira flag in this whole “democratic” process. A flag designed by Maori for Maori was ignored.
The design panel certainly claimed that they had consulted and that was their job, wasn’t it?
“In finalising the long list we invited a number of cultural (including tikanga), vexillology (the study of flags), art and design experts to review the selection”
https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/the-nz-flag-your-chance-to-decide/open-letter/
Youre supposed to consult before and during the decision making process, not once you’ve made up your mind. This has happened for the flag process, carbon emissions and tppa under this government. Its not consultation or democratic.
Key consults with the hollowmen who along with Crosby textor and the heavy lifters like Joyce etc sort out the agenda, execution and timeline.
What follows is the well observed charade consultation comprised of stacked committees and the msm shillfest.
+1
Until we have grown up as a country I suspect many will vote for the existing flag – it does accurately represent us as we are and where we are at – even if it is painful to admit.
I don’t think American conquest of Aotearoa was ever an option in 1840. The Americans had not even explored their own country at that point in time and certainly we’re not looking for another.
Correct. In 1840 the European Americans hadn’t even slaughtered off all the native Americans yet. They were too consumed with destroying Afro-Americans.
It took until the second half of the 20th century for the Americans to really get into the swing of conducting multiple simultaneous genocides.
The Brits, French, and Spanish mastered it much earlier.
A couple of links for those following the US presidential candidate selection process. The Guardian count is ahead of the NBC one, but doesn’t have as detailed a breakdown, plus there are strangely cutesy animations.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2016/feb/20/nevada-south-carolina-live-results-primary-caucuses
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/primaries/NV
Apparently, rather than coinflips, ties are decide by card cuts in Nevada. Clinton’s luck with these is making me lean towards the literal deal-with-the-devil scenario:
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/feb/20/south-carolina-primary-nevada-caucus-live-coverage-us-presidential-election?page=with:block-56c8da7ee4b0f2fd18cafb93#block-56c8da7ee4b0f2fd18cafb93
So Clinton was going to walk this one, right? Iowa and New Hampshire were ‘white’ and therefor favourable to Sanders while Nevada….cake walk.
38.6% reporting and only a couple of percentage points in it (51.36% v 48.53%). Wonder what the rationale will be for this latest ‘glitch’ in Clinton’s run?
The 2008 Nevada caucus results were:
Obama 45.09% (13 delegates)
Clinton 50.82% (12 del)
Edwards 3.71% (0 del)
Anything less than a 5% victory margin isn’t going to be pleasing to the Clintons. Currently at 52% Clinton to 48% Sanders with 57% reporting.
god, I bet that animation gets tired pretty quick
live reporting.
https://nvcaucuses.com/
Fivethirtyeight – Clinton is on track to win
https://fivethirtyeight.com/live-blog/nevada-caucus-south-carolina-primary-presidential-election-2016/
Just tucking this in here for folks to notice …
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/02/sneaky-change-tpp-drastically-extends-criminal-penalties
Yep the change from “provided for under paragraph 1”
became “provided for under Sub-paragraph 1”
A tiny change means our courts would be forced to imprison some-one who dared to add local subtitles to a foreign film.
Drastic! Criminal! Hidden!
Questionaire that indicates the degree of privilege we have. Interesting and thought provoking.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/dayshavedewi/what-is-privilege#.ce3GVKrDM
http://toolsforchange.org/buzz-feed-and-huffington-post-features-tools-for-change-work/
I’m just glancing through an old book on past social history called The Bleak Age by JL & Barbara Hammond.
I put this quote, and point out that this actually happened. A so called civilised society can oppress its citizens as is written, it did happen in Britain starting with the Poor Law of 1834, and it means that this could happen again. Once it becomes the norm, people have to make a huge effort to change that habitual behaviour, to admit wrong policies and behaviour, and completely overturn their systems and their thinking.
This is one example of the Poor Law Commission’s approaches to poverty and treatment of needy humans.
We must not let this happen again to us – now.
Could Unelected Superdelegates Give Clinton the Nomination Even If Sanders Wins the Primaries?
http://www.democracynow.org/2016/2/11/could_unelected_superdelegates_give_clinton_the
Probably. That’s what they’re there for after all – to ensure that the right person wins the nomination rather than the person who the people want.
The justification was to ensure the winner of the primaries (who the Democratic voters want) is electable in a general election.
Therefore, are you suggesting Sanders would be considered less electable than Clinton?
Before answering, keep in mind they may be going up against Trump.
No, I’m saying that the only reason to give a few people more power than anyone else is to have the vote go the way you want it to go and that’s usually against the wishes of the people.
Surely the the person most electable by democrats is the person they vote for and not the person selected by the few people with lots of power?
“No, I’m saying that the only reason to give a few people more power than anyone else is to have the vote go the way you want it to go and that’s usually against the wishes of the people”
Yes I initially gathered that, thus I put forward their reasoning. Which is the grounds they will have to justify their decision. Hence, do you think the argument will stand?
No.
http://observer.com/2016/02/how-the-dnc-helps-clinton-buy-off-superdelegates/
Unlike the NZ Labour caucus, the super delegates want to win the election. A lot of super delegates switch from Hillary to Obama in 2008 when they realized he had a better chance of winning.
Sanders is the best match-up against any of the Republicans and Hillary is the least trusted candidate of either party. Even 35% of democrats don’t trust her. (Nor do I.)
Yep – to ensure the backroom “elites” keep “their” candidate on a leash.
Ralph Nader touches on some points of interest
https://youtu.be/e0OnOpgaAjg
Film The Corporation
Wish some people who frequent this site would watch it and educate themselves.
c73 would benefit were he informed.
Good movie, that.
Pity c73 never watched it.
Self-flagellation may interest you but it has zero interest for me
Anyone seen the post just up on the NZ Herald website late this morning – Richie McCaw wants a new flag! This “big revelation” came to him on the rugby field. So we are supposed to listen to him with reverence and obediently change our flag because of rugby. Rugby is obviously so much more important than our sovereignty, so much more important than all the men and women who died fighting under our flag, and of course having a silver fern on an all black jersey means that it’s certainly good enough for our flag too. It doesn’t matter that the “new” flag is a hastily thrown together tea-towel which looks terrible on a flagpole. I thought Richie was smarter than this – I thought he wouldn’t let himself be used by a very obviously desperate Key and end up looking just as shallow. Obviously there is less to him than many thought! Maybe the New Zealander of the Year is just NOT!
And only the other day Carter came out and said the same thing.
Interesting timing.
Dear Richie. You are just a rugby player. You have a fern on your chest. You also have advertising logos on your chest. You are a bill board. Why makes you think your opinion is so important. Or even the fact that you had an epiphany on the flag and thought that the media must be informed IMMEDIATELY! Very disappointing. Just remember you have (had?) a lot of fans who revered your rugby playing skills, but more to the point saw you as just a humble, no airs and graces, accessible to everyone , Kiwi bloke. No longer. You now appear to be a corporate puppet. So sad.
Never did think Ritchie was deserving of so much adoration. He is a great rugby player, no doubt about that but other than that, he doesn’t come across as anybody really special. Rugby was his career and he was well remunerated for it. So he should play well, he was paid well enough for it, it was his job for goodness sake. He brought some special prizes back to NZ and that was great. How about the many other people who do fantastic things for this country, and do it for next to nothing – the lady who ran the Auckland Mission for many many ears for one. Ritchie has choices, and if he wishes to keep company with politics that’s his affair but he owes it to the country to stay neutral on important matters like the change of flag and let the people make up their own minds. Dan Carter should keep out of it as well. If anything they are doing even more harm than good. I know many people who have turned off them and the team because of the farce of it all.
Another thing, I have also mentioned before on this site that he invests in the Retirement Village industry and its a complete rort for the elderly, they would be better off going out renting (out of town if in Auckland) and letting their house out and keeping their equity in their home. Even Mary Holm recommended it. I do not think its good for his image to invest in unethical industries. But then there are many in this country who just think of money full stop and without the consequences of how it is earned. NZ of the year is way over the top, but that’s my own personal opinion.
I agree with all that. Now Richie will be making even more money as the retirement villages get involved with state housing! McCaw has damaged himself by doing this – the timing is very obviously desperation by Key! McCaw is OWNED now! Reputation is very easy to destroy!
+1 Hami S & Whispering Kate
1. Our men and women may have died under our flag but they’re buried beneath the silver fern
2. Hes allowed his opinion and hes allowed to express that opinion, mainly due to the sacrifices made by those same men and women who died fighting to ensure our continued freedom
“1. Our men and women may have died under our flag but they’re buried beneath the silver fern
2. Hes allowed his opinion and hes allowed to express that opinion, mainly due to the sacrifices made by those same men and women who died fighting to ensure our continued freedom”
1. Apart from the ones who were blown to bits, and nothing left to retrieve – or those who came back injured, demoralised and broken and wanted no remembrance of their service on their graves. (My point being, this is not a very relevant point for the design.)
2. McCaw is “allowed” an opinion – but he has a very public platform given to him – and pumped up by our PM’s attention, that is not linked in any way to his design, constitutional or sovereignty knowledge.
If he was in any way self-aware – he would not be using this demi-god rugby platform to act as a promotional vehicle for a political movement.
But like Dan Carter, their AB career was just as much about “selling things” as it was about rugby. It is learned, and profitable, behaviour for those who do it.
1. People are saying that because men and women fought under a flag we shouldn’t change it, I’m saying that to honour our dead, the ones who made the ultimate sacrifice our should be similar to whats on their head stones
2. Essentially because Richie disagrees with your opinion he shouldn’t be allowed to express it, is that about right?
Chris, he can mention it just like you and me like most people are – to friends or family, but people like Ritchie and Dan know they are taking advantage of their position to push the case for change. This flag change is an extremely personal decision like voting in a new Government and people who could influence the vote of something like this flag change should keep out of it. I always thought it was wrong to use your position when you are gifted air time, to sway opinion, they are sports people for heaven’s sake – why should they be any different to any other people and nobody else is given the media space to flog their opinions like they. Its off putting for many people and its demeaning for them to use their position this way. Somebody else on this site has said they have been paid for – bought men – what’s that going to do to help their reputation. Better men and women would not take this stance they have.
So why not let me know who is or isn’t actually allowed to express an opinion, apparently Richie isn’t but is Hayden Paddon?
I’m guessing you think politicians shouldn’t be allowed to express an opinion because they may sway someone but are judges allowed also?
The RSA can sometimes be political and are high profile so they better not say anything either
Business people get a lot of airtime so they’re probably not allowed either
See where I’m going with this?
Richie McCaw is allowed to speak his mind because he has the right to, he should not be stopped saying what he thinks simply because some people don’t agree with him
Thats censorship, thats curtailing personal liberties and thats what a lot people died fighting against and thats what the left is trying to bring back and you and everyone else that thinks Richie should be banned from speaking his mind should be ashamed of yourselves
I am happy for everyone to have their say equally. So, to be even-handed and treat everyone the same as Richie, let every other kiwi express their personal opinion in a Herald puff piece – now that would be totally fair to all!
You seem to forget the aspect of responsibility and display of character. Richie McCaw has every right to express his opinion – privately. It amounts to advertisement if it is done through public media.
Hi chris73,
Did they decide what would be on their headstones? I suspect it was simpler/cheaper to engrave than a flag.
I suspect its more to do with the fern being more in use than the flag:
https://www.google.co.nz/imgres?imgurl=http://historygeeknz.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/ag18991118-2-17-a2-428w-c32-6297-4514-855-2080.jpg%253Fw%253D584&imgrefurl=http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f%3D20%26t%3D283449%26start%3D100&h=176&w=425&tbnid=SidyOPZvRVqKKM:&docid=HP2lVQj7RAL0UM&itg=1&ei=EH7JVpi3DoOU0gSI37bICQ&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEwiY_8y-wIjLAhUDipQKHYivDZkQMwhLKCUwJQ
https://www.google.co.nz/imgres?imgurl=http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Atillathenunns/2010-06-29007.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nzmr.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f%3D8%26t%3D374%26start%3D90&h=500&w=568&tbnid=E-eRmDizPoSFSM:&docid=hdzcXceioFs_eM&ei=EH7JVpi3DoOU0gSI37bICQ&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEwiY_8y-wIjLAhUDipQKHYivDZkQMwhaKDQwNA
(sorry about the size of the links)
Interesting time to express it.
Publicly.
It is a political statement.
In favour of Key.
McCaw has lost my respect.
Well I’m sure hes cut up about losing your respect I highly doubt he ever had it in the first place
He did have my respect as he dodged Key’s pressure to get a knighthood.
That is Key the republican who wants to change the flag yet wants to keep Lords and Ladies.
By the way, on my view of McCaw, speak for yourself, not others please.
I can easily guess you’re not a fan of Richie and heres why:
He is perhaps our greatest all black and that means you don’t respect him because as a sportsperson hes strives to be better then anyone else, not the same as everyone but better then anyone else
He gives everything to win, he wants to win more then anyone else and he achieves it (more often then not)
Hes invested wisely in ventures that make him money, a lot of money
He is everything the Right espouses and the Left despises
Sure you’re not related to Mike Hosking?
Go back far enough and we’re all related, even you and I
Living off the poor, elderly, and vulnerable may earn one a lot of money. It doesn’t earn one respect.
So if the Right espouses that sort of morality they know where they can shove it.
I would highly recommend that the Left in NZ should strongly publicize this train of thought to NZ
It’d probably produce a rather strong bounce in the polls
What utter nonsense.
He played for team sponsored by corporates so that’s a strike
He strived to be better then his fellow players so that’s another strike
He played through injury so thats another strike
He knows John Key (thats worthy of excommunication)
Hes invested wisely that’s a major strike
Richie is blue through and through
Crazed….
Pissed is a more accurate way of putting it.
The people on here stating crap like Richie shouldn’t express an opinion because hes Richie is crap
You have the nutters suggesting the Richies being paid for this or possibly being manipulated into it and no thought given that he might actually support a flag change
Then you have people talking that his reputation has somehow been damaged because IF it has (I don’t think it will be) its because of the unhinged that have decided that derailing the flag change referendum will somehow impact on John Key therefore Richie is in league with John Key and must be punished
and lets not forgot the people using the sacrifice of our service people to try to link it to keeping the flag (thats just pathetic)
and some of us (yes including me) actually like the proposed new flag and prefer it to the current flag and don’t like seeing the left ignore the referendum, then try to hijack the referendum and finally try to shut down any positive talk about the flag
So yeah I’m a bit pissed
Reply for chris73 below:
“The people on here stating crap like Richie shouldn’t express an opinion because hes Richie is crap”
You are missing the salient point.
I agree with you that everyone is allowed an opinion, but like anyone in an elevated position he should be taking due care and attention to using his high profile to speak about political movements.
He has been assisted by rugby, and the PM’s attention and NZers high regard for the game and players into a position of prominence. His circle of influence is much greater than that of the guy next door. (Even if supposed guy is well versed in politics, flag design, sovereignty and Treaty of Waitangi issues).
Because of that he should refrain from making public statements that seem to be coercing the public to vote in a particular way in a referendum. If he was a member of a political party, then he is using his political platform to speak on politics. No problem there. But he is not.
What he is doing is using – as if he was selling a product – his rugby platform to influence votes. And these votes have nothing to do with rugby, and his area of expertise.
Even though you may venerate McCaw – can you not see a problem with this in terms of people making an informed and considered vote in the referendum?
My big problem Molly is that you want to censor him, dress it up however you like but you want him to not be able to freely express his opinion and thats a slippery slope no one here should want (least I hope not)
Chris 73 – Honest to God man you just haven’t a clue have you about what all of us have been talking about. About knowing when to do the right thing and knowing when to refrain. You need to start re-thinking what’s basically right and wrong – what your Mum and Dad taught you. Simple really – common sense.
If you think silencing someone for expressing an opinion is justified in this situation then I feel nothing but pity for you
Read what I said.
You are speaking utter claptrap.
And I suspect it is dishonest.
Chris 73 It’s only a game for heaven’s sake – get a grip, you would think he was putting his life on the line and had earned a VC – it’s a game and you kick a ball and you are bloody well paid heaps for it as well. He’s not the only person in NZ who likes to win and does, in other fields like scientific research when they find a great cure for something for example.
Mind you he has put his life on the line, all for the money and the game, he will be a walking cripple when he is 50 maybe earlier. Most people suffer from joint problems when they are elderly, these gladiators/AB’s will be hobbling crippled with pain or bionic men long before that. For what – kicking a ball around, older people who have wear and tear pain will wince everytime these players have a shoulder, knee reconstruction done when they are so young, it will all come home to roost – the poor sods. All for money, pity you cannot put an old head on young shoulders.
Good so don’t begrudge him him the opportunity to say what he believes and since hes only a rugby player no one will take it seriously so everyones happy
Well I for one don’t take any notice of what he says – even though he (like I) plays the bag pipes.
Chris, you have dishonoured your god with your petulant display here. Richie is far to modest to be discussing things in such a manner. You should follow your god’s teachings of modesty more closely.
All Blacks are a paid for contracted commodity whose incomes are met through corporate sponsorships
The players operate under instructions on and off the field. It is transparent and callow to be used in this way, but that’s the business world of which they are employees
The public have previously, and will see through the propaganda obce again, just as they did last year when McCaw spoke in favour of flag change
Recycled comments perhaps ?
I had no idea about Ritchie making comments last year about a flag change, I remember Dan Carter on twitter on election day and he got away with it, so I didn’t deliberately recycle my comment. Paid by corporate sponsorship maybe but I am pretty sure the flag change would not been in his contract, but there is such a thing as a “conscience vote” and he and Dan should have put their clout behind that instead and used it – it would have been accepted just like Ritchie turned down a Knighthood but with the flag he chose not to.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/richie-mccaw-favours-silver-fern-flag-2015083118
“I think it’s great that there is a debate about it. The All Blacks – the silver fern is what it means to be a Kiwi,” he says.
“Wearing the black jersey, I’m obviously biased in that regard. So if something like that was a change, I’d be more than happy with that.”
So isn’t paid by someone else and have conditions in their employment contracts?
You do realise that maybe, just maybe Richie (arguably one of the greatest rugby platers ever) born and bred product of a North Otago farm, driven to be the very best he can be at what he does might actually want a flag change?
Of course he wants a flag change, but he doesn’t have to convince others to change as well – we are all quite capable of making up our own minds without having to be lead to a decision. Its probably making things worse by having us needlessly prodded and steered towards making up our minds. Like constant background noise getting in the way of our thought processes.
Are you planning to follow your own advice Kate?
Can we now assume that there will be no further comments from you telling us how much you dislike the proposed new flag and want to keep the existing one?
How many comments have you made like that. Hundreds I would guess. All of them like Richies and trying to persuade us to follow your opinion.
Try putting “Whispering Kate flag” in the search box and see how many you get.
Alwyn – all I have said is people should be allowed, in their own time, to make up their own minds, we don’t need to be told what other people feel about their choices. to try and persuade us in our decision making. Its a personal thing making this choice. I would have loved a new flag if it had been a great design – this new flag is not a great design, its not even a sort of decent design. I am not going to vote for this flag for that reason, its a poor choice and we deserve better. If you think its because of “no name” then forget it, he isn’t even in the equation with such an important decision to make. Don’t be such a grouch.
I know, Kate. You say here that
“people should be allowed, in their own time, to make up their own minds, we don’t need to be told what other people feel about their choices. to try and persuade us”
You didn’t say that though previously. You have proposed, over and over again that we shouldn’t vote for the new flag.
I don’t mind that in the slightest. However it doesn’t go down well when the same person thinks that someone with the opposite view should be told to stop advocating for their own choice.
Would you seriously claim that these examples are not advocating for your own choice of flag rather than just asking people to think about it?
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21022016/#comment-1136456
http://thestandard.org.nz/john-keys-flag-an-exercise-in-optics/#comment-1134485
http://thestandard.org.nz/key-booed-by-rugby-crowd/#comment-1130416
Actually I withdraw the comment about there being hundreds. Dozens is closer
He’s a “product” now? Yep he sure is, bought and sold. Kind of sad really – he’s no Peter Blake or Edmund Hillary , that’s for sure!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/the-flag-debate/77109006/richie-mccaw-weighs-in-on-flag-debate-in-favour-of-change
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11591390
The big guns are coming out (not Bob Parker) to play
It’s so *boringly* predictable. Key has spent too long staring at a Forex screen
and has long ago lost touch with reality.
Its boringly predictable because it works
It’s still boring.
“It’s still boring.”
🙂
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11593172
Richie McKey demeans himself. Giving weight (and macho transfusions) to the weirdo prime minister. I don’t mention Carter cos’ who cares about that facsimile upper class ChCh laddie laddie anyway.
Actually it underlines the fact that Fern equals Rugby. Carter+McCaw = Rugby. So credibility? Nah.
I’m feeling a lot more confident about the flag change now but we just need one more person to tip the balance even further…
http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1342580903/407/7302407_600x400.jpg
http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/7/s/r/v/k/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.17sxhm.png/1446370823055.jpg
http://www.gettyimages.co.nz/detail/news-photo/codie-taylor-sam-cane-kieran-read-and-willie-apiata-enjoy-a-news-photo/495165620
Wonder who else we can call on…
🙂
For cynicism you take the cake Chris73. And you establish that all this carry on is about Key’s failure, on his own, to reflect anything vaguely resembling thoroughgoing manhood. Effete prick !
🙂
Chris73 Is 73 the year you were born or is it your IQ? I’m guessing the latter.
Cameron Slater often appears pretty clueless about US politics, but his heading today demonstrates a surprising level of ignorance-
Quote
“South Carolina goes to Trump and Clinton”
Unquote.
Clinton won the Democratic caucus in Nevada. The Republicans held a primary in Sth Carolina.
Next week its the other way around.
Maybe Slater did not personally responsible write the inaccurate headline, but whoever is has no business running a blog commenting on US politics.
Especially when they’re always so critical of mistakes made by the MSM.
Looks like Trump will win the nomimation though.
Perhaps he’s a little worried about paying the bills.
Of course he put the hat out “reluctantly”
Seems to receive a lot of handouts for a bene basher.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/296881/slater-fined-for-contempt-of-court
chris73: .. but they are all blokes ! Last time I checked, half the population was female !
Would hate to be accused of being sexist:
http://www.scout.co.nz/Dan-Carter-and-Maria-Tutaia-back-the-flag-change/tabid/511/articleID/11552/Default.aspx
http://www.silverfernflag.org/supporters.html
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1602/S00223/high-profile-new-zealanders-join-change-the-flag-campaign.htm
Dame Cath Tizard also backs it as well as Celia Wade-Brown
They are public figures and either have been roped in or think their public
profile can be influential. I am sure that pollsters have data broken down
by gender from randomised polls .. such as
http://www.newshub.co.nz/…/poll-shows-most-kiwis-opposed-to-changing-nzs-flag -2016020103
From memory there were a lot on here who were very happy for an all black to say anti TPP tweets.
So public figures shouldn’t. Make comments unless they suit your agendas ????
Expressing your feelings via a twitter sentence on a political issue is a bit different to being part of an orchestrated government campaign, like writing a piece in the herald or being part of a promotional video.
Latest Colman Brunton poll has National on 47%, Labour 32%, NZ First 10%, Greens 8%
https://twitter.com/ColmarBruntonNZ/status/701272151907696640
That’s a huge drop for the greens. I doubt that same result will show in the other poll results.
If it is however – then things are getting more interesting.
Labour’s education policy helped switch few percentages from Greens?
Is see David Farrar is having a cry about hate speech from commenters on the RNZ site.
Here’s a thought David, if you don’t like hate speech – don’t peddle it!
I challenge you to find farrar saying comments like is being posted.
Please. Farrar’s site is jam packed with unmoderated hate speech from commenters.
That’s the issue here, is it not? Not that Farrar himself would become so abusive (even though he thinks that way) but that he allows it from his commenters without moderation.
Is Farrar having a go at Radionz because it isn’t one of his patsy channels?
He’s piggybacking Slater who was the one (ironically) who had a problem with the hate speech comments.
Their argument is that RNZ is taxpayer funded yet the thing that is lost on the slug and the gnome is that their sites are government funded also – through dirty politics. The catch is that this government blurs the line between party and state at will…
Yep. That hate speech flows unregulated from the mouths of his followers seems lost on him.
Of course he and his close friend Slater will argue that RNZ is taxpayer funded. but what they ignore is that their own sites are also funded by the government through dirty politics.
Nice to see you standing up for the people wanting to gas John Key’s mother…. *thumbs up for the red team*
Lol. You sound like furious John Key in parliament calling Labour backers of rapists.
Fyi, he was forced to apologise for that later.
Farrar is keys chief propaganda merchant the pot calling the kettle black?
Farrar’s Curia Co. rang me about two weeks ago. It was a political poll and the questions came thick and fast. Just as the pollster was signing me off, he came up with an extra question – which flag are you voting for? Lo and behold within a week the ‘celebrities’ started coming forward begging people to vote for the new flag. The latest being that “Story” woman, Heather du Plessis Allan. In her case she didn’t ask people to vote for the new flag but spent her latest column in the S.H. trashing the current flag.
They’ve got the positives and the negatives covered.
Gee Anne. You must
agree with her else I guess you would be calling her a slut or a bitch like you have about other women you disagree with.
No, no James. That speech is the domain of Farrar’s crowd. No doubt you’ve seen the way they talk about Jacinda Arden?
Moderator: this rwnj called “James” is now being deceitful and offensive.
and the change from business as usual is??
Anne. Have you or have you not called women on here a slut (in only the last few days) and a bitch? They were offensive and I called you on it. You on the other hand stood by your slut comment.
Thus I came to the conclusion that you use terms like that on women you do not agree with, and don’t use it when you agree. Please feel to correct me and I will withdraw and apologise. But your own post seem to back up what I have said.
In the seven years I have been commenting here, I have used those two terms only once each – the s-word a few days ago on a subject for which I feel strongly about, and the b-word at least a month ago. I am of the opinion both individuals deserved the description because of their behaviour. I have never called anyone else derisive names of that extreme nature before and I object to your insinuation that it’s a regular occurrence.
As for the comment @ 21.1… I was not making the inference you have chosen to assume. I did not agree with the tone of the journalist’s article and I expressed as much. Nothing more nor less.
I will concede that you dont use the terms regularly.
However – my point is that it is NEVER ok to use terms like that against women .
[RL: Deleted. You don’t get to shame or silence Anne for her entirely justified anger over Glucina’s slime-ball behaviour, by using it in another entirely different context. Leave it here.]
You’re a hypocrite James.
Clutching your pearls and hooting like a distressed dowager over some ‘words’ from Anne – the giggling man-child repeatedly assaults Amanda Bailey and the best you can come up with is an acknowledgment so limp and perfunctory as to be questionable for its sincerity.
The awkward fact out of the way so to speak you then launch straight into backing up the foulness of the man-child and that odious trash Glucina.
Shall we apply your absolutes to the man-child’s globally televised giggles about whether or not the child rapist/murderer comes to lunch ? Giggling, thus adding to the survivors’ renewed horror.
Get a life punk. Absolutely !
I have changed my mind on which flag I’m voting for. Richie McCaw is my hero he is voting for the new flag. So that tells me vote change the flag!
Fucking dreamer!
I wonder what the real Richie the Macaw thinks about the new flag. Perhaps he can make a prediction …
Since when has Anne used those words? You are a disgrace to this blog and we know what you are going to say as soon as we see your pseudonym. So don’t bother to come here and reduce the level of argument.
I think Anne answered your question for you.
Thanks greywarshark but I did use those terms once each recently. One in respect of Rachel Glucina’s disgraceful behaviour over John Key’s harassment of Amanda Bailey. The other was in relation to Josie Pagani’s ongoing undermining of Andrew Little and Labour. That was at least a month ago so James has a remarkably good memory?
James has to save up our misdemeanours (in his eyes) to complain about, while we get a large supply to choose from each day from his scrofulous team.
TPP and GMO
Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (which is supported by the European Commission.)
“TACD’s recommendations on the proposed food safety chapter in TTIP”
(my italics)
http://tacd.org/tacds-recommendations-on-the-proposed-food-safety-chapter-in-ttip/
I heard that Nick Willis-2006 Commonwealth games gold medalist and 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist (both for the 1500m)-isn’t a fan of a flag change. So, not every elite NZ athlete is in favour of a new flag.