Reading about resignation of Tory Minister Iain Duncan Smith, and watching BBC interview with Andrew Marr, well I never, could this be a sign that we have reached peak Crosby Textor, greedy elitist politics?
Cannot see any one in National government having the guts to stand against Key…..except maybe Collins, and that would be greed, not guts.
Maybe we have. Don’t forget Crosby was dispatched by the gang to Ottawa late last year to try and save Harper’s sorry old arse and failed miserably in that endeavour.
“Cannot see any one in National government having the guts to stand against Key…..except maybe Collins, and that would be greed, not guts.”
I can not see the old guard permitting Judith Collins to become Leader.
Too much of a liability given the business activities of her husband Mr Wong-Tung i.e Oravida and the murky goings on Milk-Swamp Kauri-Bottled Water, especially Swamp kauri which there has been a reputed $200 million dollars worth of illegal activities. While there is no proof of any wrong doings by Oravida, there has been plenty of noise in the media. Tarred by association I guess one may say.
Anyone can post an image like that without date stamp, co-ordinates, or verifiable attribution. The internet is one huge information bubble. Bubbles have a tendency to pop.
Wikileaks have helped open a window on this matter, PB:
WikiLeaks Reveals How the US Aggressively Pursued Regime Change in Syria, Igniting a Bloodbath
The cables gave the public a recent window into the strategies and motivations of US officials as they expressed them to each other, not as they usually expressed them to the public. In the case of Syria, the cables show that regime change had been a long-standing goal of US policy; that the US promoted sectarianism in support of its regime-change policy, thus helping lay the foundation for the sectarian civil war and massive bloodshed that we see in Syria today; that key components of the Bush administration’s regime-change policy remained in place even as the Obama administration moved publicly toward a policy of engagement; and that the US government was much more interested in the Syrian government’s foreign policy, particularly its relationship with Iran, than in human rights inside Syria.
A December 13, 2006 cable, “Influencing the SARG [Syrian government] in the End of 2006,”1 indicates that, as far back as 2006 – five years before “Arab Spring” protests in Syria – destabilizing the Syrian government was a central motivation of US policy. The author of the cable was William Roebuck, at the time chargé d’affaires at the US embassy in Damascus. The cable outlines strategies for destabilizing the Syrian government.
Millions of cables are produced, they are not ‘plans’.
BUt what has that got to do with the warcrimes committed by Assad and Russia? Di they justify it?
Did the US create the protests?
Did the US force Assad to respond as he did?
Did the US force assad to support islamist insurgents during the Iraq occupation?
None of this is relevent. That cable does not justify what Assad has done, and what you support.
the fact you front page on this site with thie crap you do, and your support for war crimes, will make it that much harder for us to oppose NZ involvement on whatever the next US president dreams up.
Your complete failure to condemn war crimes has finally made my mind up to abandon this blog.
I’ve gotta say, that when I wander into central Vienna in the weekends the Syrians standing silently with their flags, banners, leaflets and their stories and photos of horrific war crimes are condemning Assad, not the US.
Assad is willing to destroy his country and his people (and clearly he does believe he owns them).
He is a dictator of the worst order.
Russia is not acting as peacemaker, but to to protect its own strategic interests (Russia’s interests are obviously best served by peace – and that means Assad in control until an acceptable transition is in place). This does not make Assad or Putin the nice guys.
Actually every photo I’ve seen of Putin shaking Assad’s hand, Putin looks as if he wants to vomit.
+100
When the rest of us are getting ourselves tied up in knots, along comes Pb and sorts us out. Not only have we seen some good authors disappear, we are losing our best commenters and Pb was up there near the top with felix. Very sad.
+100 CV..it is quite clear USA and friends ( Israel and Saudi Arabia) want Assad out and Syria destabilised …so they can subdivide it up for themselves
Russia went into the conflict at the behest of Assad the democratically elected leader ( unlike USA and friends)
From the link above, the memo makes it quite clear that the US had made a detailed analysis on how to destroy Syria as a country.
And the intervening years show that at least some of these plans were successfully actioned against the Syrian people.
This cable shows that, in December 2006, the top US diplo mat in Syria believed that the goal of US policy in Syria should be to destabilize the Syrian government by any means available; that the US should work to increase Sunni-Shia sectarianism in Syria, including by aiding the dissemination of false fears about Shia proselytizing and stoking resentment about Iranian business activity and mosque construction; that the US should press Arab allies to give access in the media they control to a former Syrian official calling for the ouster of the Syrian government; that the US should try to strain relations between the Syrian government and other Arab governments, and then blame Syria for the strain; that the US should seek to stoke Syrian government fears of coup plots in order to provoke the Syrian government to overreact; that if the Syrian government reacted to external provocations, it proved that the regime was paranoid; that the US should work to undermine Syrian economic reforms and discourage foreign investment; that the US should seek to foster the belief that the Syrian government was not legitimate; that violent protests in Syria were praiseworthy and exemplary; that if Syria is the victim of terrorism and tries to do something about it, the US should exploit that to say that the Syrian government is weak and unstable, and is experiencing blowback for its foreign policy.
Forgotten the name of the city North of Bagdad which was razed by the Americans during the Iraqi war to bring Democracy to the people. No one was allowed in to witness the devastation wreaked by the brave Americans. I expect it would have looked like Pascal’s photos. (Falluja?)
Images tell us nothing. We need history, actions and reactions.
And, no, I’m not a supporter of Assad/Putin. Although in Assad’s case he is the legitimate ruler of Syria and that’s solely a decision of the Syrians via democracy.
What we see in Syria today seems to be a result of the actions of the US in their attempts to forcefully remove Assad via proxies.
ok, so the general consensus is that y’all need more info.
Google can be your friend on that I guess.
However, how about, just for the sake of argument, we assume that areas of Daraya have been hit as hard as that photo suggests. Would your opinions change re Assad and Russia and the legitimacy of what is happening?
What is depressing me, friends, is the clear double standard being displayed on this blog of late.
If that photo was from Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Yemen, how many of you can hand on heart say you would be reacting to it in the same way, and giving the US the benefit of doubt before having something to say?
‘Saudi forces on the run as Houthis close on Taiz’ .. Saudis commanded by retired Australian generals according to a piece I saw at the same site a while ago.
How does the Foriegn Fighters legislation apply to all those NZ army and Australian army types who are now mercenaries/contractors? Maybe Dame Kitteridge could comment on these ( anti) Jihadists. My guess is that as they are motivated by money then they are regarded by the Nat/SIS as being ideologically pure.
Last weekend we were in Mildura. Walked into the info centre, “What’s it like out there?” asks a pleasant woman behind the desk. “About 36 deg” we tell her. “Oh that’s a relief she says, come right down from 46 deg last week!”
THE HEAT IS ON
Maximum temperature at least 4C above average, from March 1 to 4
Temps 8 to 12C above average for most of southeast Australia
Record 39 straight days over 26C in Sydney
Perth had more 40C days this summer than ever before
Melbourne had hottest March night on record, at peak of 38.6C
Canberra had 10 straight days of 30C or more
Echuca, VIC, and Tocumwal, NSW, sweltered through eight straight days of 38C or more in March, breaking records for any month of the year
Temperature records shattered around the world, with this January and February hotter than any other.
(Source: Climate Council)
Yup those inland areas are frying, how long before its too hot to sustain the crops that drive them like citrus, grapes etc.
I thought the murray down around albury, echuca etc were bad enough 20 years but mates still there are looking at tassie now as its simply too hot now.
It’s the high night time temps that are the killer. When it’s midnight and still > 30 degC for days on end, or it’s still > 26 degC at 6am you just don’t get any respite or proper sleep. After 4 -5 nights I’m definitely starting to lose the plot.
Aircon becomes mandatory. Which of course only makes the root cause worse.
Still it’s amazing how much water they can keep pumping out of the Murray; the place was the most green I’ve seen over here in ages. The big new crop in the past few years is almonds. Endless km of them.
Believe it or not but that sort of temperature in Mildura really isn’t that bad.
The very high temperatures in Victoria are associated with very, very low humidity.
The wind just comes south across Australia, getting hotter and hotter, but drier and drier as it does so.
I am not saying it is pleasant but 46C in Mildura is easier to tolerate than 34C in Singapore or 38+C in Sydney. That is my opinion of course but I have experienced them all. The hard part is 30+C at night. You can’t sleep.
So Nick Smith has made yet another FU with his Kermadec marine reserve. I really can’t think of anything this professional trougher has achieved in his decades on an MPs salary.
Yep Smith is hopeless. Total lack of consultation on the end to fishing rights for Maori in the proposed marine reserve-off to Court they go.
Loved Key on Morning Report this morning saying that the Kermadec’s haven’t been fished for over 10 years. Then the Maori guy comes on and says they fish there every year. Another lie for the Blip list.
When is the Maori Party going to realise that the Gnats are riding roughshod over their rights?
Nats get marine reserve then it’s open slather for commercial (non-maori) vessels to come in and fish the hell out of the area after bypassing maori rights
Yep Smith is hopeless. Total lack of consultation on the end to fishing rights for Maori in the proposed marine reserve-off to Court they go.
Māori didn’t have any fishing rights there as they never settled the Kermadecs and thus it doesn’t come under Ti Tiriti. Can’t be considered traditional.
From admitted limited personal knowledge, I understood that māori land rights were more than the rights of residence.
Particular land rights could be issued for different uses. ie. one tribe might have seasonal fishing rights, while another had the right of residence or agriculture.
There are many tribes that had seasonal visits to particular locations for food gathering, fishing etc.
Just because it was not used as a residence, does not mean that it was not used.
History is that it was used as a stop on journeys by many peoples but no one settled there. If we were now to extend fishing rights to peoples who once fished there before annexation by New Zealand then we’d have to extend them to the entire Pacific. Even the US would have a reasonable claim under those conditions as their whalers once used the place as a stop as well. The sanctuary would never come into being.
Personally, I’m more in favour of the sanctuary than trying to find out if anyone once fished there.
Simple fact of the matter is that no one claimed the Kermadecs in any way until the British did during WWI which was then subsequently transferred over to NZ thus it was not part of the promises made in Ti Tiriti.
Lots of places in NZ had no permanent settlement but were still part of local Iwi and Hapū’s rohe. Many places were lived at seasonally rather than settled. I don’t think lack of settlement is relevant. There is also an issue of what rights Māori have in decision making beyond traditional use.
As always the MSM doesn’t know how to report the complexities of issues that involve Māoridom. To be informed we would need to know what the fisheries trust objections are (they appear to be around lack of consulation), and who the Iwi were that Smith is claming supported the sancturay and what their perspectives are. Is that clear yet? I only read the article linked yesterday.
Lots of places in NZ had no permanent settlement but were still part of local Iwi and Hapū’s rohe.
The Kermadecs weren’t part of NZ until 1918. This is actually important as they’re making a Ti Tiriti claim.
The point is that no one claimed them but many people used them. Usually as a source of food/water on their journeys from A to B. There are no particular rights to any particular people.
And New Zealand didn’t exist until the Crown established that it did. I’m asking what the Māori perspectives are, and those are independent of the State or Eurocentric ideas about claims and entitlement.
Maori were given a decent slice of NZ’s existing commercial fisheries in the 90s through the Treaty. Also the Treaty gives them rights over NZ’s total fishery. I think that gives them the right to be involved in decision making where existing fisheries are to be made into sanctuaries. They may not have used the Kermadecs much in the past, but I think this is more about the present day Maori involvement.
” Even the US would have a reasonable claim under those conditions”
That reminds me of the fate of the kumara in the Waitangi Tribunal claim 262.
Maori claimed intellectual property rights to, among other things, all kumara sold in New Zealand. Unfortunately DNA evidence submitted to the tribunal showed, according to the scientist who did the analysis.
“The modern commercial crop was based on three cultivars: the beauregard, a recent import, the toka toka gold, a 19th-century import, and the owairaka red.
“There is no link between commercial lines and any varieties assumed to have been present in New Zealand pre-contact,” Dr Gould said.”.
Forest and Bird have been intensively lobbying the government for seven years to secure environmental protection in the Kermadec’s.
They say it “will go down in the history of Forest and Bird as one of our greatest
moments, the result of a seven year public campaign that will protect one of the most complex and pristine deep sea habitats left on earth”
“This monumental decision expands the amount of marine protection in New Zealand waters from an insignificant 0.5 percent to 15 percent”
Forest and Bird, issue 358, summer 2015 pg.8.
Maybe best to take it up with Forest and Bird, WWF New Zealand and the Pew charitable trusts, who worked so hard on this campaign that “Nick Smith even said he was getting sick of having Forest and Bird’s postcards coming across his desk, and complimented us on a textbook campaign”
Don’t go all poohie on me because I rang nicky, I was bored sh*tless, I have no friends, you don’t pick up the fu*king phone. Anyway I’m not attracted to nicky, he isn’t my type.
Julie need not worry, I’ve already told them the website will be up in June. I already have my website material – just need to brush it up a bit. Then I will save my pennies all of May. If I say I’m going to do something I will.
All i’m saying is that it doesn’t matter who you vote for (national or labour) you end up with the same 5-10 years down the track (they’re all bought out before the election starts), illuminati anyone?
Is this the same Fonterra that was, to stay competitive requesting from its suppliers to extend the time that they get paid, request discounts or to be paid “normally” to give a prompt payment discount. http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11604140
And now we get this “Forsyth Barr analyst James Bascand expects the co-operative’s normalised earnings before interest and tax to leap 83 per cent from $376 million to $687 million, and for an increased interim dividend to 18.5c from 10c, reflecting lower inputs and a big turnaround in the business.” And for many out their “normalised profits” are what many senior execs have part of their bonus calculated on.
This defies belief, and any resemblance of being a good corporate citizen. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11608977
The short-sightedness of putting your major suppliers or services under cash-flow stress to compensate for your own flawed decision making is just more of the same.
Have they not considered that they may be putting their own business under further stress when those necessary suppliers and service providers go to the wall?
I can’t help but remark on the irony of this stance. By Smith’s own account, the field of economics is experiencing an empirical revolution. Unlike the past, it has become necessary to test theories against reality. That places the field of economics many decades behind the field of evolution and numerous fields in the human social sciences that have been rigorously evidence-based all along. Earth to the economics profession: Welcome to Science 101!
As I’ve noted for sometime now. Economics has become delusional as it’s completely divorced itself from reality.
More trade, more consumption has been the cry of politicians and economists for more than 200 years.
We have a failed economic system because it:
1. Makes being rich the sole goal of economics
2. Dismisses the fact that resources are limited
3. Dismisses the fact that we do actually need the environment in good working order
We need to change this and fast. Unfortunately, National and other greedy bastards are standing in the way of rational action.
Do you actually know anything about economics and have you ever studied the subject?
Your rant here would indicate that you haven’t and are entirely ignorant on the subject.
“allocation of scarce resources”
That is the entire focus of the discipline.
Every economist considers it on every topic.
Just above you claimed “yes I do and yes I have” about learning Economics.
Just 11 minutes later you demonstrate that, even if you may have attended some classes, you failed to learn anything.
“Associate Minister of Tourism Paula Bennett said she was determined to stop a company from using sexually provocative slogans on the sides of its camper vans.”
Now where are the anti-PC crowd calling Nanny State about this overreaction?
What even more hilarious is that it was the front page of the Sunday Herald!! Oh my what a lovely world we must be living in, if this is considered such a scoop by MSM.
Bad signage of the camper vans is front page news, and as well our Paula ‘trougher’ Bennett and climate change minister – is defiantly doing to do something about it!!
Finally an issue she feels she can handle as a minister.
I anxiously await Part 2, of this Herald investigation and government crack down!
Wicked are the more visible end of the sleeper van / freedom camping market that is currently shitting in it’s own nest. The enforcement of freedom camping standards is left to local councils, so ratepayers have to wear it for no return, DOC tries to provide facilities which are overwhelmed and which the campers won’t pay for.
So the operators cream it by socialising their, and their customer’s expenses.
Once again, our brighter future…
Of note from the second link,
“In 2005, the Government established the $11 million tourism demand subsidy scheme, which subsidised water and wastewater projects in popular tourist areas such as Hanmer Springs and Franz Josef.
That’s unacceptable for sure but it is not the role of the government to legislate to protect people from offence surely? The free market will work it’s magic!
nanny state alright
how about some new ones
if you don’t pull up the ladder they will see up your skirt paula
if you don’t have your little firemans helmet on , you’ve got the wrong hat
pullya benefit to please yourself
TPPA to pullya pud away
john key loves nz (cant get much more offensive than that)
fucking national if it was one of their cronies it would be different
“It won’t be a witch hunt. I get the feeling that the current licensing regime works – the majority of gun owners are law abiding citizens who follow the rules – and my concern is not with recreational hunters and sporting folk, but rather the criminal element of society.”
As long as he leaves semi-autos alone it’ll be all good but more importantly Labour could do a lot worse then to look at Stuart Nash after they suffer another embarrassing election loss
@ Puckish Rogue National are so short on talent maybe they should recruit Stuart Nash themselves as future PM? They are a much better fit!
Wasn’t National vowing to do a war on P crimes as part of their government? What tends to follow drugs, are guns. Surprise surprise. More P imports, more Gun imports.
In true neoliberal style it sounds like the police resources were diverted into marijuana seizures so they could seize the owners assets rather than actually cracking down on the criminal activity of P and guns, being bought into the country. (Maybe those MAF layoffs checking imports, were not a good idea after all?)
Another great neoliberal idea, similar to police being used to issue speeding tickets instead of solve burglaries or protect dairy owners?
Or political harassment of Hager rather than police day jobs? Didn’t police even prosecute the messager aka du Plessis-Allan case who showed how easy guns were to get under current laws.
“du Plessis-Allan case who showed how easy guns were to get under current laws.”
She didn’t use a loophole to purchase the rifle, she broke a number of laws to obtain said rifle, all she demonstrated was how easy it is to purchase a rifle if you’re prepared to break a number of laws
How many rifles were found to have been illegally purchased in the way she demonstrated…none, she highlighted a problem that doesn’t exist
She should have been prosecuted because she knowingly broke the law, it wasn’t bringing up a loophole and it all really does is show how feeble our firearms laws are or rather the enforcement of the laws
A good starting point would be the strict enforcement of all laws pertaining to firearms
It just bugs me though that this will be used by those who’re convinced we’re in the USA that the best way to deal with this is ban all weapons or at the very least ban all MSSA weapons even though most crimes are done with normal rifles and shot guns
Well considering we have no ability to track individual firearms in this country, and neither party to the dodgy transaction is going to incriminate themselves, hardly surprising.
Sorry, but it defies logic to think that HDPA and her producer sat down and looked at the form and thought “Oh, we’ll just make it up and she’ll be sweet”. They knew it would go straight through, that’s why they did it.
The question you need to answer is how did they know it was going to work?
Sorry, but it defies logic to think that HDPA and her producer sat down and looked at the form and thought “Oh, we’ll just make it up and she’ll be sweet”. They knew it would go straight through, that’s why they did it
– Actually it doesn’t, it sounds like they had a heads from Greg O’Connor for whatever reason
if they had any brains they would be taking all guns off farmers , the way they have treated them, we wouldn’t want one to lose it and do something crazy(not to himself, the govt of course)
An extremely sad tale and nothing the courts decide will bring the child back but hopefully, if the punishment is harsh enough, it’ll cause some dick smack parents to go to doctor earlier
“It did not jump out at me that he was that seriously ill,” she told court, according to the Lethbridge Herald.
She did suggest, however, that he could have viral meningitis, and told Collet to seek medical help.
“I think you should take him to see a doctor,” Meynders testified, according to CBC.
– First suggestion to see a doctor
“You need to tell the lady to take the child to emergency right away,” the naturopathic doctor, Tracey Tannis, told an employee on the phone with Collet.
“I think you should see a medical doctor,” the employee, Lexie Vataman, relayed to Collet, according to court testimony.
– Second suggestion to see a doctor
By the time the Stephans drove to the naturopath to pick up the tincture a day or two later, however, Ezekiel’s body was so stiff from his illness that he couldn’t sit in his car seat, according to an interview – played in court – the couple gave to Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Instead, the couple put a mattress in the back of their vehicle to take him to the naturopath.
– I’m not a doctor (obviously) but I’d suggest that if your kid is so stiff you have to put him on a mattress then you really should be taking him to hospital
I guess I’m really suggesting that if your child is ill you take them to the doctor, if you’re child is so stiff you can’t sit them down then you take them to the hospital
What you don’t do in a first world country is rely on placebo (homeopathy) when your child is sick
My suggestion is that if you think your child has meningitis, phone your doctor and/or the hospital, don’t take your child to a waiting room full of sick, contagious and immunologically vulnerably people (unless it is an emergency). Meningitis is contagious. If you think it’s bacterial meningitis, you shouldn’t be waiting for a GP appointment, you should be acting immediately.
They didn’t rely on placebo. I’ve read about this case elsewhere and there is a huge amount of misinformation on all sides. And assumptions being made, including ignorant ones like yours regarding homeopathy and the parents’ intentions and motivations.
For every child that dies from this kind of mishandling of a situation (whether from neglect or ignorance) there are children that die from medical misadventure. It’s not as simple as saying take your child to a doctor. Plenty of people successfully use alternative medicine at home. You are conflating use of alternative medicine with ignorance around risk assessment and action.
You go right ahead and assume that. Apparently asking for actual evidence to support your assumptions is some sort of paradigmatic bullying by an epistemological reductionist.
I’m sure the distinction isn’t lost on the dead kids.
have to agree PR (im punching myself in the head as I write)
there are some fucked up parents around(if they were kiwis they would probably vote united)
Just spotted this myself. Part of me wonders if Turnbull hasn’t just done a Muldoon.
With the polling numbers heading south for the Coalition, there was every reason for Turnbull to pull the pin early, but my instinct is that it could backfire badly.
So many question will never be asked. Pity. (Wonder what happens to the $8,000 raised.)
“Bradley Ambrose decided to take Mr Key to court over the Prime Minister’s comments, which included comparing Mr Ambrose’s actions to the discredited News of the World newspaper.
The two parties have now reached a settlement, meaning the case will not go to trial. Mr Key says a payment was made, but won’t reveal how much. Mr Ambrose had sued for $1.25 million.”
So Key relies on “GimmeAsMuchAsFixesThis” from public funds. And it all goes away. Which has it follow that it was an entirely public discussion in the first place. Banana Republic happening please !
Over the weekend I watched this Witness documentary about the flourishing Israeli international arms trade, on Al Jazeera. It was an unsettling watch. A military “philosopher” ( as he was referred to) oozed a fascist blood lust, grinning constantly about the efficiency and skill of the IDF. Arms dealers at a trade fair sold their weapons proudly, stating they had been “tested” and that they were the best on the market – testing, meaning they had used them “successfully” on the Palestinians. The narrative of the dealers and military was purely barbaric.
Then in a surreal parallel with our very own abuser PM, a retired IDF general who became involved in the arms trade for all its lucrative gains, filmed attending the trade show, was standing next to a female soldier, and couldn’t help but give her ponytail a violent yank, enough to pull her head back.
It was a few seconds of footage but demonstrated how these war lords view themselves as untouchable and all powerful, with the god given right to abuse.
The sense of entitlement that those in power can have, to do as one pleases, for their own pleasure and entertainment was quite apparent in those few seconds. While Key hasn’t quite reached the status of war lord, he does share the same level of unaccountability and sense of entitlement as anyone in a position to abuse their power. Pure creepy and sick.
….and the arms dealers are often coexistent with the drugs dealers , the other side of the coin, if not one and the same…and the mafia are involved…and it is even more scary when hidden government agencies are involved
…democracy is a fragile thing when these forces are unleashed
Article on the establishment’s approach new Alternative for Germany party, with reference to the Left Party and the relationship with the Social Democrats (Germany’s Labour Party equivalent):
“The Social Democrats hate the Left Party so much (ostensibly because of its links to the old SED communist party which ruled in East Germany, but also because of personal rivalries as the Left Party grew out of a disgruntled SPD faction) that they have refused to work with it at state or federal levels.
In 2013, this led to a further Grand Coalition at the federal level, even though the SPD-Greens-Left party had a majority in the Bundestag – graphically illustrating the depth of ill-feeling towards the Left Party.”
Turkey appears to be stuffing jihadist gangs as faux refugees in one of its own state-run refugee camps (which no outside agencies have access to) in preparation for sending them to attack the Syrian Kurdish fighters. They also appear to be coercing refugee women into prostitution
That’s my feeling Paul. Richie, Dan, blah blah blah, millionaires probably many times over. No offence to them but what’d ya expect ? Rich, white, Tory boys.
Quite buzzes me though that League…….Kiwis and Warriors down, don’t seem to exhibit that shit. Except Old Sir Peter Mad Butcher who couple of times has sailed with salivated tongue disgracefully close to Key’s nethers……..
No comment at all on the fact/fiction balance here but we really are seeing “celeb’s” lashing back…….Hosking ‘cos someone called him an arse licker…….then we got poor Max…….then this lass……the glassing that wasn’t a glassing and three months later less chance of it ever being a glassing.
Always knew the shallow vainglorious bastards wouldn’t give up without a fight. But the fight is there and it’s being fought out this way…….I don’t watch any 5.30-7.30 pm TV anymore. Replicated my switch-off tens, eventually hundreds of thousands of times ? What’s the advertiser think ?
Good job really. Licking licking licking ended up quite the wrong styles didn’t it Gower, Williams, Ralston et al. I know I’ve missed some worthies but they’ll know who they are.
Current themes in the MSM, trolls aimed at ‘celebrities’ (inlcuding media ‘personalities’) & ‘P houses’ – I wonder if there’s some GOVT announcement coming up. I also noticed both Stuff & Herald love ‘thought dead but coming back alive’ stories, maybe John Banks is going to be making a come back?
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
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New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
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Reading about resignation of Tory Minister Iain Duncan Smith, and watching BBC interview with Andrew Marr, well I never, could this be a sign that we have reached peak Crosby Textor, greedy elitist politics?
Cannot see any one in National government having the guts to stand against Key…..except maybe Collins, and that would be greed, not guts.
Maybe we have. Don’t forget Crosby was dispatched by the gang to Ottawa late last year to try and save Harper’s sorry old arse and failed miserably in that endeavour.
very true, are we on a roll???
“Cannot see any one in National government having the guts to stand against Key…..except maybe Collins, and that would be greed, not guts.”
I can not see the old guard permitting Judith Collins to become Leader.
Too much of a liability given the business activities of her husband Mr Wong-Tung i.e Oravida and the murky goings on Milk-Swamp Kauri-Bottled Water, especially Swamp kauri which there has been a reputed $200 million dollars worth of illegal activities. While there is no proof of any wrong doings by Oravida, there has been plenty of noise in the media. Tarred by association I guess one may say.
Assad -Putin fans got any comments about the images coming out of Daraya?
eg
https://twitter.com/ward_alyafe/status/711328608665600002#tweet_711328608665600002
If you support that, you sure as shit better not have had anything bad to say about Fallujah.
Anyone can post an image like that without date stamp, co-ordinates, or verifiable attribution. The internet is one huge information bubble. Bubbles have a tendency to pop.
Well he’s right there on the internet if you wish to directly call him a liar. Post the link so we can see how you get on.
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-besieges-islamist-stronghold-inside-damascus-map-update/
PB: Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar – with help from the US – supplied foreign fighters in Syria with both money and heavy and advanced weapons.
As part of a regime change attempt to depose Assad’s secular government and replace it with Islamist/Jihadi rule.
Not going to happen now.
See, doesn’t he sound just like one of those little Pro-Israel propaganda commenters that swarm onto threads when Palestine is discussed?
At least they get paid.
Wikileaks have helped open a window on this matter, PB:
WikiLeaks Reveals How the US Aggressively Pursued Regime Change in Syria, Igniting a Bloodbath
http://www.truth-out.org/progressivepicks/item/33180-wikileaks-reveals-how-the-us-aggressively-pursued-regime-change-in-syria-igniting-a-bloodbath
What matter.
Everyone knows about that cable, ffs.
Millions of cables are produced, they are not ‘plans’.
BUt what has that got to do with the warcrimes committed by Assad and Russia? Di they justify it?
Did the US create the protests?
Did the US force Assad to respond as he did?
Did the US force assad to support islamist insurgents during the Iraq occupation?
None of this is relevent. That cable does not justify what Assad has done, and what you support.
the fact you front page on this site with thie crap you do, and your support for war crimes, will make it that much harder for us to oppose NZ involvement on whatever the next US president dreams up.
Your complete failure to condemn war crimes has finally made my mind up to abandon this blog.
I’m out.
Sorry to hear that. Just one of your comments is worth more than some people’s entire output.
+1
+1
Sorry to read that Pb. Please reconsider.
I’ve gotta say, that when I wander into central Vienna in the weekends the Syrians standing silently with their flags, banners, leaflets and their stories and photos of horrific war crimes are condemning Assad, not the US.
Assad is willing to destroy his country and his people (and clearly he does believe he owns them).
He is a dictator of the worst order.
Russia is not acting as peacemaker, but to to protect its own strategic interests (Russia’s interests are obviously best served by peace – and that means Assad in control until an acceptable transition is in place). This does not make Assad or Putin the nice guys.
Actually every photo I’ve seen of Putin shaking Assad’s hand, Putin looks as if he wants to vomit.
+100
When the rest of us are getting ourselves tied up in knots, along comes Pb and sorts us out. Not only have we seen some good authors disappear, we are losing our best commenters and Pb was up there near the top with felix. Very sad.
Yes, agreed Anne.
A mind I completely respect.
And what an inspired pseudonym!
Bugger.
Hope you come back some time.
PB, don’t bail buddy – I have always appreciated your contributions to debate.
Yet another alienated intelligent voice…
That’s all good eh?
If PB doesn’t like what happens here he knows where the door is?
Nothing wrong with the format or policy then?
Nothing worth discussing. Let’s just move into tomorrow with the newly reduced gene pool.
oh. Sarc.
+100 CV..it is quite clear USA and friends ( Israel and Saudi Arabia) want Assad out and Syria destabilised …so they can subdivide it up for themselves
Russia went into the conflict at the behest of Assad the democratically elected leader ( unlike USA and friends)
http://journal-neo.org/2015/12/20/bashar-al-assad-the-democratically-elected-president-of-syria/
http://217.218.67.231/Detail/2015/09/30/431381/Syria-Russia-air-force-President-Assad-
From the link above, the memo makes it quite clear that the US had made a detailed analysis on how to destroy Syria as a country.
And the intervening years show that at least some of these plans were successfully actioned against the Syrian people.
You might want to read Gwen Dyer on the topic. Personally I’ve always found his moral compass pretty reliable:
http://www.lfpress.com/2016/03/16/russias-syrian-strategy-smart-efficient-effective
Cheers RL.
looks like most of the countries America “visits”
Forgotten the name of the city North of Bagdad which was razed by the Americans during the Iraqi war to bring Democracy to the people. No one was allowed in to witness the devastation wreaked by the brave Americans. I expect it would have looked like Pascal’s photos. (Falluja?)
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2004/11/fall-n17.html
Thanks CV. Would have been horrific to see the aftermath. And today …..?
Images tell us nothing. We need history, actions and reactions.
And, no, I’m not a supporter of Assad/Putin. Although in Assad’s case he is the legitimate ruler of Syria and that’s solely a decision of the Syrians via democracy.
What we see in Syria today seems to be a result of the actions of the US in their attempts to forcefully remove Assad via proxies.
+1, would Russia have even been involved without US destabilisation.
ok, so the general consensus is that y’all need more info.
Google can be your friend on that I guess.
However, how about, just for the sake of argument, we assume that areas of Daraya have been hit as hard as that photo suggests. Would your opinions change re Assad and Russia and the legitimacy of what is happening?
What is depressing me, friends, is the clear double standard being displayed on this blog of late.
If that photo was from Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Yemen, how many of you can hand on heart say you would be reacting to it in the same way, and giving the US the benefit of doubt before having something to say?
Really.
I think Sony Bill Williams is more sincere than you by a factor of about 1000 to 1 Pascals …….
truthfully.
Yeah well, I reckon you couldn’t think of anything to say so just blurted out that peice of irrelevant nonsense. So we’ll call it even I guess.
next?
‘Saudi forces on the run as Houthis close on Taiz’ .. Saudis commanded by retired Australian generals according to a piece I saw at the same site a while ago.
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/saudi-forces-run-houthis-closes-taiz/ |
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/retired-british-army-officer-killed-in-yemen/
UAE hiring foreign mercernaries including Blackwater to fight against Yemenis
http://www.forbes.com/sites/charlestiefer/2015/11/26/in-yemen-war-mercenaries-launched-by-blackwater-head-were-spotted-today-not-good-news/#57ec4371bae1
How does the Foriegn Fighters legislation apply to all those NZ army and Australian army types who are now mercenaries/contractors? Maybe Dame Kitteridge could comment on these ( anti) Jihadists. My guess is that as they are motivated by money then they are regarded by the Nat/SIS as being ideologically pure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiz
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-14/…australian…saudi…/7087726
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/…australian…yemens…/1535612
http://www.middleeasteye.net/…/mercenaries-charge-uae-forces-fighting-yemen- 764309832
http://www.smh.com.au/…/australian-mercenary-reported-killed-in-yemen- 20151209-glja9s.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWfleB-guBo
Last weekend we were in Mildura. Walked into the info centre, “What’s it like out there?” asks a pleasant woman behind the desk. “About 36 deg” we tell her. “Oh that’s a relief she says, come right down from 46 deg last week!”
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/record-temperatures-for-march-a-warning-of-whats-to-come-say-experts-20160320-gnmkc9.html#ixzz43TIBkjhx
Follow us: @theage on Twitter | theageAustralia on Facebook
Yup those inland areas are frying, how long before its too hot to sustain the crops that drive them like citrus, grapes etc.
I thought the murray down around albury, echuca etc were bad enough 20 years but mates still there are looking at tassie now as its simply too hot now.
It’s the high night time temps that are the killer. When it’s midnight and still > 30 degC for days on end, or it’s still > 26 degC at 6am you just don’t get any respite or proper sleep. After 4 -5 nights I’m definitely starting to lose the plot.
Aircon becomes mandatory. Which of course only makes the root cause worse.
Still it’s amazing how much water they can keep pumping out of the Murray; the place was the most green I’ve seen over here in ages. The big new crop in the past few years is almonds. Endless km of them.
Got up the other morning and it was still 19 C. Cooler than it has been but still bloody warm for that time even for summer.
And yeah, temperatures made sleeping difficult over the summer months here as well.
Pretty sure the Australians are going to invade NZ within the next 20 years.
In many ways we really like it over here. Not hiding from some of the downsides, but the positives are worth embracing and celebrating.
But this sort of thing does prompt me to keep the Plan B option of coming back home very much alive.
Indeed. Once that wet bulb temp consistently surpasses 38 deg C…
“Pretty sure the Australians are going to invade NZ within the next 20 years.”
Why bother invading when we are willingly selling the country to them, piece by piece?
Because they will object to us repossessing the land and not paying them for it…
Why bother invading when we are willingly selling the country to them, piece by piece?
Don’t like it? Get the law changed.
Better still, change the government.
Those temps are unsustainably insane. Will have put the unwell and elderly at risk of death associated with heat stroke too.
When you have seen the horizon blacked out by bushfire on an annual basis you take climate change seriously.
Believe it or not but that sort of temperature in Mildura really isn’t that bad.
The very high temperatures in Victoria are associated with very, very low humidity.
The wind just comes south across Australia, getting hotter and hotter, but drier and drier as it does so.
I am not saying it is pleasant but 46C in Mildura is easier to tolerate than 34C in Singapore or 38+C in Sydney. That is my opinion of course but I have experienced them all. The hard part is 30+C at night. You can’t sleep.
So Nick Smith has made yet another FU with his Kermadec marine reserve. I really can’t think of anything this professional trougher has achieved in his decades on an MPs salary.
Yep Smith is hopeless. Total lack of consultation on the end to fishing rights for Maori in the proposed marine reserve-off to Court they go.
Loved Key on Morning Report this morning saying that the Kermadec’s haven’t been fished for over 10 years. Then the Maori guy comes on and says they fish there every year. Another lie for the Blip list.
When is the Maori Party going to realise that the Gnats are riding roughshod over their rights?
Nats get marine reserve then it’s open slather for commercial (non-maori) vessels to come in and fish the hell out of the area after bypassing maori rights
Māori didn’t have any fishing rights there as they never settled the Kermadecs and thus it doesn’t come under Ti Tiriti. Can’t be considered traditional.
Thanks Draco-noted.
From admitted limited personal knowledge, I understood that māori land rights were more than the rights of residence.
Particular land rights could be issued for different uses. ie. one tribe might have seasonal fishing rights, while another had the right of residence or agriculture.
There are many tribes that had seasonal visits to particular locations for food gathering, fishing etc.
Just because it was not used as a residence, does not mean that it was not used.
History is that it was used as a stop on journeys by many peoples but no one settled there. If we were now to extend fishing rights to peoples who once fished there before annexation by New Zealand then we’d have to extend them to the entire Pacific. Even the US would have a reasonable claim under those conditions as their whalers once used the place as a stop as well. The sanctuary would never come into being.
Personally, I’m more in favour of the sanctuary than trying to find out if anyone once fished there.
Simple fact of the matter is that no one claimed the Kermadecs in any way until the British did during WWI which was then subsequently transferred over to NZ thus it was not part of the promises made in Ti Tiriti.
I agree a sanctuary is very important.
Lots of places in NZ had no permanent settlement but were still part of local Iwi and Hapū’s rohe. Many places were lived at seasonally rather than settled. I don’t think lack of settlement is relevant. There is also an issue of what rights Māori have in decision making beyond traditional use.
As always the MSM doesn’t know how to report the complexities of issues that involve Māoridom. To be informed we would need to know what the fisheries trust objections are (they appear to be around lack of consulation), and who the Iwi were that Smith is claming supported the sancturay and what their perspectives are. Is that clear yet? I only read the article linked yesterday.
I also don’t trust National on this.
The Kermadecs weren’t part of NZ until 1918. This is actually important as they’re making a Ti Tiriti claim.
The point is that no one claimed them but many people used them. Usually as a source of food/water on their journeys from A to B. There are no particular rights to any particular people.
And New Zealand didn’t exist until the Crown established that it did. I’m asking what the Māori perspectives are, and those are independent of the State or Eurocentric ideas about claims and entitlement.
edited.
I dunno mate.
The relevant thing would be the settlement, no?
If implied or explicit rights to fish there were included in the settlement reached for acknowledged breaches, then there is a right.
The Treaty settlements gave them a quota. They still have that quota.
Maori were given a decent slice of NZ’s existing commercial fisheries in the 90s through the Treaty. Also the Treaty gives them rights over NZ’s total fishery. I think that gives them the right to be involved in decision making where existing fisheries are to be made into sanctuaries. They may not have used the Kermadecs much in the past, but I think this is more about the present day Maori involvement.
I agree the issue seems more about the modern govt/Maori relationship around fisheries governance than about any location-based rights.
Smith’s track record on respecting co-governance is shocking. No surprise whose electorate the whole foreshore and seabed debacle spread from.
Yes
You might find this book interesting – settlers on the Kermadecs in 1878 – it was read to us at school 😉 http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-MorCrus.html
” Even the US would have a reasonable claim under those conditions”
That reminds me of the fate of the kumara in the Waitangi Tribunal claim 262.
Maori claimed intellectual property rights to, among other things, all kumara sold in New Zealand. Unfortunately DNA evidence submitted to the tribunal showed, according to the scientist who did the analysis.
“The modern commercial crop was based on three cultivars: the beauregard, a recent import, the toka toka gold, a 19th-century import, and the owairaka red.
“There is no link between commercial lines and any varieties assumed to have been present in New Zealand pre-contact,” Dr Gould said.”.
Royalties should, one imagine be owing to people in South America from whence these came. Funny that the whole thing was rapidly dropped and the subject forgotten.
From.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10422951
Forest and Bird have been intensively lobbying the government for seven years to secure environmental protection in the Kermadec’s.
They say it “will go down in the history of Forest and Bird as one of our greatest
moments, the result of a seven year public campaign that will protect one of the most complex and pristine deep sea habitats left on earth”
“This monumental decision expands the amount of marine protection in New Zealand waters from an insignificant 0.5 percent to 15 percent”
Forest and Bird, issue 358, summer 2015 pg.8.
Maybe best to take it up with Forest and Bird, WWF New Zealand and the Pew charitable trusts, who worked so hard on this campaign that “Nick Smith even said he was getting sick of having Forest and Bird’s postcards coming across his desk, and complimented us on a textbook campaign”
Don’t go all poohie on me because I rang nicky, I was bored sh*tless, I have no friends, you don’t pick up the fu*king phone. Anyway I’m not attracted to nicky, he isn’t my type.
Julie need not worry, I’ve already told them the website will be up in June. I already have my website material – just need to brush it up a bit. Then I will save my pennies all of May. If I say I’m going to do something I will.
Er, WTF???
Eh?
I figure its a bot.
Right on cue
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/78083367/soft-drink-companies-could-sue-over-uk-sugar-tax
Not quite TPPA But!!
So why has our Government ruled out a sugar tax? Is this like the “chilling” effect outlined in the TPPA Disputes Resolution in the future?
Good point Ian
More than likely.
The Health Minister is clueless got his qualifications out of the Weetbix Packet?
Imagine a coin, one side national, other side labour…still the same coin is it not?
Imagine a coin with a fish on one side and a potato on the other. Still the one coin right?
+1
All i’m saying is that it doesn’t matter who you vote for (national or labour) you end up with the same 5-10 years down the track (they’re all bought out before the election starts), illuminati anyone?
Is this the same Fonterra that was, to stay competitive requesting from its suppliers to extend the time that they get paid, request discounts or to be paid “normally” to give a prompt payment discount.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11604140
And now we get this “Forsyth Barr analyst James Bascand expects the co-operative’s normalised earnings before interest and tax to leap 83 per cent from $376 million to $687 million, and for an increased interim dividend to 18.5c from 10c, reflecting lower inputs and a big turnaround in the business.” And for many out their “normalised profits” are what many senior execs have part of their bonus calculated on.
This defies belief, and any resemblance of being a good corporate citizen.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11608977
that was Fonterra when it was wearing a different hat
The short-sightedness of putting your major suppliers or services under cash-flow stress to compensate for your own flawed decision making is just more of the same.
Have they not considered that they may be putting their own business under further stress when those necessary suppliers and service providers go to the wall?
Crooked business practices?
Earth to Economics: Welcome to Science 101
As I’ve noted for sometime now. Economics has become delusional as it’s completely divorced itself from reality.
More trade, more consumption has been the cry of politicians and economists for more than 200 years.
We have a failed economic system because it:
1. Makes being rich the sole goal of economics
2. Dismisses the fact that resources are limited
3. Dismisses the fact that we do actually need the environment in good working order
We need to change this and fast. Unfortunately, National and other greedy bastards are standing in the way of rational action.
+1 Draco
Do you actually know anything about economics and have you ever studied the subject?
Your rant here would indicate that you haven’t and are entirely ignorant on the subject.
You’re not measurably better.
I could ask the first question of you. Care to answer it?
Yes I do and yes I have. The ignorance is all on the part of the economists and politicians who still think that the economy is about money.
I’ve studied economics, and the basic tenet of economics is allocation of scarce resources. I wish politicians remembered that from time to time…
I wish that the economists would remember that.
“allocation of scarce resources”
That is the entire focus of the discipline.
Every economist considers it on every topic.
Just above you claimed “yes I do and yes I have” about learning Economics.
Just 11 minutes later you demonstrate that, even if you may have attended some classes, you failed to learn anything.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/299487/wicked-campers-'overstepped-the-mark‘
“Associate Minister of Tourism Paula Bennett said she was determined to stop a company from using sexually provocative slogans on the sides of its camper vans.”
Now where are the anti-PC crowd calling Nanny State about this overreaction?
@ Arkie
What even more hilarious is that it was the front page of the Sunday Herald!! Oh my what a lovely world we must be living in, if this is considered such a scoop by MSM.
Bad signage of the camper vans is front page news, and as well our Paula ‘trougher’ Bennett and climate change minister – is defiantly doing to do something about it!!
Finally an issue she feels she can handle as a minister.
I anxiously await Part 2, of this Herald investigation and government crack down!
I’m waiting to see how far this goes as well.
Wicked are the more visible end of the sleeper van / freedom camping market that is currently shitting in it’s own nest. The enforcement of freedom camping standards is left to local councils, so ratepayers have to wear it for no return, DOC tries to provide facilities which are overwhelmed and which the campers won’t pay for.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/376833/camp-site-refugee-camp
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/376973/funding-welcome-govt-could-do-more
So the operators cream it by socialising their, and their customer’s expenses.
Once again, our brighter future…
Of note from the second link,
“In 2005, the Government established the $11 million tourism demand subsidy scheme, which subsidised water and wastewater projects in popular tourist areas such as Hanmer Springs and Franz Josef.
The scheme was wound up in 2010.”
I’ll bet you find the following story just as hilarious.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11608971
That’ll put Paula in her place you no doubt think?
That’s unacceptable for sure but it is not the role of the government to legislate to protect people from offence surely? The free market will work it’s magic!
http://pundit.co.nz/content/the-lost-kiwiblog-post-on-wicked-campers
“Zip it sweetie” would be ok on one of these vans maybe? http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8015422/Bennett-tells-Ardern-Zip-it-sweetie
Exactly! I also bristle at the involvement of serial fusspot Bob McCoskrie and his ilk.
nanny state alright
how about some new ones
if you don’t pull up the ladder they will see up your skirt paula
if you don’t have your little firemans helmet on , you’ve got the wrong hat
pullya benefit to please yourself
TPPA to pullya pud away
john key loves nz (cant get much more offensive than that)
fucking national if it was one of their cronies it would be different
http://www.labour.org.nz/growing_gun_use_impetus_for_reforms
“It won’t be a witch hunt. I get the feeling that the current licensing regime works – the majority of gun owners are law abiding citizens who follow the rules – and my concern is not with recreational hunters and sporting folk, but rather the criminal element of society.”
As long as he leaves semi-autos alone it’ll be all good but more importantly Labour could do a lot worse then to look at Stuart Nash after they suffer another embarrassing election loss
@ Puckish Rogue National are so short on talent maybe they should recruit Stuart Nash themselves as future PM? They are a much better fit!
Wasn’t National vowing to do a war on P crimes as part of their government? What tends to follow drugs, are guns. Surprise surprise. More P imports, more Gun imports.
In true neoliberal style it sounds like the police resources were diverted into marijuana seizures so they could seize the owners assets rather than actually cracking down on the criminal activity of P and guns, being bought into the country. (Maybe those MAF layoffs checking imports, were not a good idea after all?)
Another great neoliberal idea, similar to police being used to issue speeding tickets instead of solve burglaries or protect dairy owners?
Or political harassment of Hager rather than police day jobs? Didn’t police even prosecute the messager aka du Plessis-Allan case who showed how easy guns were to get under current laws.
our immigration policy has a lot to do with the P problem, Nazis will never sort that out , so our P problem will never be sorted.
Natzis bringing in triad Asian P Importers as part of its Immigration Policy?
“du Plessis-Allan case who showed how easy guns were to get under current laws.”
She didn’t use a loophole to purchase the rifle, she broke a number of laws to obtain said rifle, all she demonstrated was how easy it is to purchase a rifle if you’re prepared to break a number of laws
How many rifles were found to have been illegally purchased in the way she demonstrated…none, she highlighted a problem that doesn’t exist
She should have been prosecuted because she knowingly broke the law, it wasn’t bringing up a loophole and it all really does is show how feeble our firearms laws are or rather the enforcement of the laws
A good starting point would be the strict enforcement of all laws pertaining to firearms
My god, criminals who break the law to acquire guns? Who would have thought?
Since I’m boycotting TV3 never watched the show.
Heres the thing though she was trying to say it was a loophole, it wasn’t it was breaking the law. To me that’s a big difference.
I don’t blame you: boycotting TV3
Yeah, including proper checking of documentation by dealers.
If they’d checked the documents before they sent the gun out we wouldn’t be having this discussion and HDPA would be looking a bit sad right now.
True that
It just bugs me though that this will be used by those who’re convinced we’re in the USA that the best way to deal with this is ban all weapons or at the very least ban all MSSA weapons even though most crimes are done with normal rifles and shot guns
And I wonder how many times the same stunt had been pulled by those of less honourable intention.
HDPA wouldn’t have been going there with less than 80, probably more like 95% chance of success. I’m picking a pretty well trod path.
Have any firearms found to have been sold illegally by the method she used?
The answer is no
Well considering we have no ability to track individual firearms in this country, and neither party to the dodgy transaction is going to incriminate themselves, hardly surprising.
Sorry, but it defies logic to think that HDPA and her producer sat down and looked at the form and thought “Oh, we’ll just make it up and she’ll be sweet”. They knew it would go straight through, that’s why they did it.
The question you need to answer is how did they know it was going to work?
Sorry, but it defies logic to think that HDPA and her producer sat down and looked at the form and thought “Oh, we’ll just make it up and she’ll be sweet”. They knew it would go straight through, that’s why they did it
– Actually it doesn’t, it sounds like they had a heads from Greg O’Connor for whatever reason
if they had any brains they would be taking all guns off farmers , the way they have treated them, we wouldn’t want one to lose it and do something crazy(not to himself, the govt of course)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/78064003/parents-on-trial-after-death-of-son-whose-meningitis-they-treated-with-home-remedies
An extremely sad tale and nothing the courts decide will bring the child back but hopefully, if the punishment is harsh enough, it’ll cause some dick smack parents to go to doctor earlier
Are you suggesting that if a parent suspects their child has bacterial meningitis they should take it to their GP? Have you thought that through?
“It did not jump out at me that he was that seriously ill,” she told court, according to the Lethbridge Herald.
She did suggest, however, that he could have viral meningitis, and told Collet to seek medical help.
“I think you should take him to see a doctor,” Meynders testified, according to CBC.
– First suggestion to see a doctor
“You need to tell the lady to take the child to emergency right away,” the naturopathic doctor, Tracey Tannis, told an employee on the phone with Collet.
“I think you should see a medical doctor,” the employee, Lexie Vataman, relayed to Collet, according to court testimony.
– Second suggestion to see a doctor
By the time the Stephans drove to the naturopath to pick up the tincture a day or two later, however, Ezekiel’s body was so stiff from his illness that he couldn’t sit in his car seat, according to an interview – played in court – the couple gave to Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Instead, the couple put a mattress in the back of their vehicle to take him to the naturopath.
– I’m not a doctor (obviously) but I’d suggest that if your kid is so stiff you have to put him on a mattress then you really should be taking him to hospital
I guess I’m really suggesting that if your child is ill you take them to the doctor, if you’re child is so stiff you can’t sit them down then you take them to the hospital
What you don’t do in a first world country is rely on placebo (homeopathy) when your child is sick
My suggestion is that if you think your child has meningitis, phone your doctor and/or the hospital, don’t take your child to a waiting room full of sick, contagious and immunologically vulnerably people (unless it is an emergency). Meningitis is contagious. If you think it’s bacterial meningitis, you shouldn’t be waiting for a GP appointment, you should be acting immediately.
They didn’t rely on placebo. I’ve read about this case elsewhere and there is a huge amount of misinformation on all sides. And assumptions being made, including ignorant ones like yours regarding homeopathy and the parents’ intentions and motivations.
For every child that dies from this kind of mishandling of a situation (whether from neglect or ignorance) there are children that die from medical misadventure. It’s not as simple as saying take your child to a doctor. Plenty of people successfully use alternative medicine at home. You are conflating use of alternative medicine with ignorance around risk assessment and action.
When the naturopath says take the child to a doctor, take the child to a doctor.
As for your claimed 1:1 ratio of medical misadventure to medical mishandling, I’m sure you’ve previously linked to a source for that figure…
“When the naturopath says take the child to a doctor, take the child to a doctor.”
Of course (although I still think it’s better not to expose a clinic full of people to meningitis).
It’s not 1:1, it’s far worse. Look it up yourself.
lolright
whatever.
Sweet, I’ll assume you believe that iatrogenesis is equal to or less then parental neglect via healthcare in terms of child deaths.
You go right ahead and assume that. Apparently asking for actual evidence to support your assumptions is some sort of paradigmatic bullying by an epistemological reductionist.
I’m sure the distinction isn’t lost on the dead kids.
have to agree PR (im punching myself in the head as I write)
there are some fucked up parents around(if they were kiwis they would probably vote united)
Aww, FJK missed out on the one mention he desires the most.
How Obama Views the Men and Women Who (Also) Rule the World
A rough guide to the president’s relationships with other leaders
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/03/obama-goldberg-world-leaders/473367/?utm_source=nl__031816
Could be an early election in Australia on 2 July.
Just spotted this myself. Part of me wonders if Turnbull hasn’t just done a Muldoon.
With the polling numbers heading south for the Coalition, there was every reason for Turnbull to pull the pin early, but my instinct is that it could backfire badly.
Still very interesting times over the ditch.
‘Teapot tape’ settlement reached
http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/teapot-tape-settlement-reached-2016032113#axzz438VM4zZx
So many question will never be asked. Pity. (Wonder what happens to the $8,000 raised.)
“Bradley Ambrose decided to take Mr Key to court over the Prime Minister’s comments, which included comparing Mr Ambrose’s actions to the discredited News of the World newspaper.
The two parties have now reached a settlement, meaning the case will not go to trial. Mr Key says a payment was made, but won’t reveal how much. Mr Ambrose had sued for $1.25 million.”
Read more: http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/teapot-tape-settlement-reached-2016032113#ixzz43Ukod9Sq
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WT9wONW5UY
Seems appropriate
Tax payers to subsidise electioneering
The Prime Minister’s office confirmed a cash payment would be paid to Ambrose as part of the settlement.
“A small payment towards Mr Ambrose’s costs will be made from the Parliamentary leaders budget.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/78103963/prime-minister-and-bradley-ambrose-settle-over-infamous-teapot-tapes
So Key relies on “GimmeAsMuchAsFixesThis” from public funds. And it all goes away. Which has it follow that it was an entirely public discussion in the first place. Banana Republic happening please !
Over the weekend I watched this Witness documentary about the flourishing Israeli international arms trade, on Al Jazeera. It was an unsettling watch. A military “philosopher” ( as he was referred to) oozed a fascist blood lust, grinning constantly about the efficiency and skill of the IDF. Arms dealers at a trade fair sold their weapons proudly, stating they had been “tested” and that they were the best on the market – testing, meaning they had used them “successfully” on the Palestinians. The narrative of the dealers and military was purely barbaric.
Then in a surreal parallel with our very own abuser PM, a retired IDF general who became involved in the arms trade for all its lucrative gains, filmed attending the trade show, was standing next to a female soldier, and couldn’t help but give her ponytail a violent yank, enough to pull her head back.
It was a few seconds of footage but demonstrated how these war lords view themselves as untouchable and all powerful, with the god given right to abuse.
The sense of entitlement that those in power can have, to do as one pleases, for their own pleasure and entertainment was quite apparent in those few seconds. While Key hasn’t quite reached the status of war lord, he does share the same level of unaccountability and sense of entitlement as anyone in a position to abuse their power. Pure creepy and sick.
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/
+100 thanks Rosie…will watch
….and the arms dealers are often coexistent with the drugs dealers , the other side of the coin, if not one and the same…and the mafia are involved…and it is even more scary when hidden government agencies are involved
…democracy is a fragile thing when these forces are unleashed
Article on the establishment’s approach new Alternative for Germany party, with reference to the Left Party and the relationship with the Social Democrats (Germany’s Labour Party equivalent):
“The Social Democrats hate the Left Party so much (ostensibly because of its links to the old SED communist party which ruled in East Germany, but also because of personal rivalries as the Left Party grew out of a disgruntled SPD faction) that they have refused to work with it at state or federal levels.
In 2013, this led to a further Grand Coalition at the federal level, even though the SPD-Greens-Left party had a majority in the Bundestag – graphically illustrating the depth of ill-feeling towards the Left Party.”
http://bit.ly/25efMc4
Turkey appears to be stuffing jihadist gangs as faux refugees in one of its own state-run refugee camps (which no outside agencies have access to) in preparation for sending them to attack the Syrian Kurdish fighters. They also appear to be coercing refugee women into prostitution
http://www.kurdishinfo.com/akp-places-jihadist-gangs-tent-camp-suruc
Vodafone prepared to fund a waterfront stadium.
I’d prefer it if they’d pay their taxes.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11609365
AIG sponsor the All Blacks.
I’d prefer it if they spent their money fixing homes in Christchurch.
No wonder so many sports players end up as out and out Tories.
The blood money ends up poisoning them.
That’s my feeling Paul. Richie, Dan, blah blah blah, millionaires probably many times over. No offence to them but what’d ya expect ? Rich, white, Tory boys.
Quite buzzes me though that League…….Kiwis and Warriors down, don’t seem to exhibit that shit. Except Old Sir Peter Mad Butcher who couple of times has sailed with salivated tongue disgracefully close to Key’s nethers……..
N. Korea launches missile towards Sea of Japan – reports
https://www.rt.com/news/336397-north-korea-launches-missile/
excellent
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11609120
No comment at all on the fact/fiction balance here but we really are seeing “celeb’s” lashing back…….Hosking ‘cos someone called him an arse licker…….then we got poor Max…….then this lass……the glassing that wasn’t a glassing and three months later less chance of it ever being a glassing.
Always knew the shallow vainglorious bastards wouldn’t give up without a fight. But the fight is there and it’s being fought out this way…….I don’t watch any 5.30-7.30 pm TV anymore. Replicated my switch-off tens, eventually hundreds of thousands of times ? What’s the advertiser think ?
Good job really. Licking licking licking ended up quite the wrong styles didn’t it Gower, Williams, Ralston et al. I know I’ve missed some worthies but they’ll know who they are.
Current themes in the MSM, trolls aimed at ‘celebrities’ (inlcuding media ‘personalities’) & ‘P houses’ – I wonder if there’s some GOVT announcement coming up. I also noticed both Stuff & Herald love ‘thought dead but coming back alive’ stories, maybe John Banks is going to be making a come back?