The latest Roy Morgan poll has some surprises and some results not so surprising.
National Party 49.5% (up 5.5%)
Labour 26.5% (down 4%)
Greens 12.5% (down 4.5%)
New Zealand First 6.5% (up 1.5%)
Maori Party 1.5% (unchanged)
Others 1.5% (up 1%)
Mana Party 1% (up 0.5%)
United Future 1% (up 0.5%)
ACT NZ 0% (down 0.5%)
I’m surprised National have bounced back that much. It may be a lucky spike going againbst a recent slightly downward trend.
Labour’s drop doesn’t surprise me, sustained negative politics and a non-prominent leader won’t be enthusing swing voters.
Greens drop back to earth is no surprise, the last poll spike seemed likely to be too much too quickly.
NZF seems to be still doing well with the “stuff it, there’s no one else worth voting for” vote.
I think TV3 have their next poll release tomorrow night, it will be interesting to see how that compares.
UF doubled what’s been a consistent (albeit very modest) level of poll support for some time. I’m sure there are less worries there than with Labour. Or are you happy with where Labour’s at?
Except the increase is less than the error of the poll and thus statistically non-significant, meaning that it’s more probable that 0.5% increase is noise.
So what does that make the % movement in the Roy Morgan poll for the 3 bigger Party,s in the space of a month???,
Such erratic ‘polling’ cannot really be relied upon as an accurate estimate of support and I would dare not here suggest that a certain Australian public relations firm has had a private conversation with a certain Australian public polling firm, reminding that polling firm just how much biz that public relations firm puts their way,
Such things just never happen like that,(only in the conspiracy theories,our range of tin-foil hats are available for sale online at you know where),
Or do they, during the 2011 election campaign,and, the months leading up to that campaign I was involved commenting online elsewhere, needless to say the experience was a cesspool of abuse firstly directed at me and secondly indulged in by me in terms of ‘giving as good as I got’,
Back to the point tho, during the ongoing debate over whether NZFirst had a bulls roar show of re-entering the Parliament on that un-named site I was actively watching a particular ‘on-line political polling site’ with great interest, particularly the nature of the NZFirst ‘polling’ on that site,
When asked befor the election,and,based upon what I had learned from that particular polling site I quoted NZFirst as being 6.2%–12% of the vote,
The accuracy 6.2% and the wide % differential I gave at the time was simply the addition to what my base-line figure for NZFirst’s polling was at the time of all the times that Party was manipulated downward within that particular poll,(ie every time NZFirst polled 5% it was immediately manipulated back down to 3%),
Over the past 2 Roy Morgan polls the swings for all 3 Party,s Green/Labour/National are far to great to be viewed as an accurate record of voter sentiment…
The fact that almost 30% of the voting population didn’t vote last election and that Roy Morgan are accounting for only around 12% of those people, makes that poll completely useless.
As part of IBM’s Battery 500 project — an initiative started in 2009 to produce a battery capable of powering a car for 500 miles — Big Blue has successfully demonstrated a light-weight, ultra-high-density, lithium-air battery.
…
The main thing, though, is that lithium-air energy density is a lot higher than conventional lithium-ion batteries: the max energy density of lithium-air batteries is theorized to be around 12 kWh/kg, some 15 times greater than li-ion — and more importantly, comparable to gasoline.
That potential energy density is astoundingly high.
Of course, we also need to remember that unlike oil, batteries are not a source of energy. Batteries can only store energy that is sourced or generated from elsewhere.
The reality is, there is no way this is going to be honestly and accurately applied to all the corporate expense accounts, the credit cards, the private parking, in-house catering, the subsidised travel etc etc that the business world gorge on everyday.
What is an expense account if not a payment in lieu of salary?
There’s “some” pressure on Dunedin City Council to follow Christchurch and declare the city frack free. The front page of this week’s community newspaper was covered by it.
It claims “a lot of people in Dunedin are calling for this”. I followed some links and found lightweight support around New Zealand and bugger all in Dunedin. The person claiming that was an Octagon occupier – remember the 99%? What the frack?
Hey Pete, is there any subject that you are not an expert on??
Now let’s see –
knows there is nothing wrong with fracking.
knows everything there is to know about industrial relations.
knows everything about the advantages of charter schools.
knows everything about the advantages of conference centres and government tendering.
knows everything there is to know about good teaching practice (supported Tolley to the hilt remember…)
Or do you just post to flame?
How do you rate on the supply of statins and asparin to all in the country free in order to raise life expectancy?
Are there a few letters missing off your profile.
MSc, LLB, MBA, MEng. MAcc, MGeol, MPlan, MEd
I don’t think there’s “nothing wrong with fracking”. I await the results of the Commissioner for the Environment inquiry with interest. If the inquiry finds real and significant concerns about fracking in New Zealand then I’ll be concerned about fracking here.
I do have a problem with a very small number of people trying to pressure DCC into doing something that probably isn’t council business, and especially without proper democratic consultation.
Urban areas have been known to be harmed by mining when the land subsides. Fracking under urban areas will over time leave a huge risk for homeowners, will this be on the LIM?
Underground mining, such as in Waihi, and the West Coast has sweet f.a. to do with fracking.
Fracking is only used to detect oil and gas at substantial depths.
Fracking causes earthquakes. Earthquakes are just large large earth movements. Subsidence is what people call earth movements that are not perceivable.
Fracking will increase, not only the possibility for earthquakes, but subsidence.
“If the inquiry finds real and significant concerns about fracking in New Zealand then I’ll be concerned about fracking here.”
newsflash for Petey et al, we live on the same frakkin planet you moron, the laws of physics apply here just the same as they do elsewhere. Nitpick all you want but the very physical act of fraccing is class-A-high-grade-collector-edition- stupid!
The reason councils should get involved at the behest of the people is because national government cannot currently be trusted to protect the environment we are all dependent on.
So now that Sky is slated to get pokies, will their investors sue if they lose income from future changes to the law, aka smoking branding?
Crafer was a news story from the beginning, first as cow pooh overflowing, then as the first Chinese buyer was not of good standing, and then National rubberstamping the deal, now as China gets Landcorp to make milk for them. The only good Crafer has commanded is to open the debate up on how stupid it is to fix legislation and tax, lock in decline, and become tenants in our own land.
The Crafer family bankrupted their farms, the ownership therefore turning to the money lenders, Westpac, an Australian Bank who became the de facto owners.
Maybe Westpac should not have lent them so much in the beginning.
Nevertheless they have still lost a large sum from this sale even so.
Warmonger, racist, and general all-round bigoted fuckwit Mark Bennett filling in for Michael Laws on Radio Live yesterday:
I can’t wait to see the first aircraft carrier arrive for god’s sake I mean, you know, big, big lumpy old David Lange, standing up there on his pulpit telling us why we can’t have Americans down here, and forgetting the 70 odd thousand that died to clear all the nips out of this part of the world, you know, I mean, I (sputter, pant sputter), what did, (fap fap choke),what really was the man thinking? (pant pant) I can’t wait for the first nuclear powered American aircraft carrier to arrive in the Waitemata Harbour I’ll be out there on a raft with a big sign saying “welcome home” (bursts into song and jizzes his pants)
Oh and for bonus points this little rant was bookended by anti-mislim fervour.
Hi Felix
Radio Live is outrageously right wing. At the moment they’ve got Rodney Hide filling in for John Tamihere. Laws is a professional underclass basher. Willy Jackson might be effective but dilutes everything with “Mate” ,laughter, humour, feel good music and jokeyness. Maggie Barry who worked there is now a Nat MP. JT is an apologist for the right. Paul Henry another American toady. And Key had his 1 hour Party Political Broadcast prior to the last election.
I think I will vote that old die hard Winnie Peters next time. Was a Labour voter for awhile then migrated to Greens for the past 4 elections.
No wonder Labour has got no traction – a new leader who looks like Keys lite – smiley middle aged middle class white guy -yawn. And the residual Helengrad elements still lurking, like the reverse racist, man hating felix types.
I am particularly impressed with NZ First’s immigration position.
Funny how the biggest tossers name themselves after mythological heros.
Mankind has enough fire thanks kiwi_pro(meth)eus. And since you only seem to be carrying shit you better fuck off before you get to find out if your liver really can grow back overnite.
Warmonger, racist, and general all-round bigoted fuckwit Mark Bennett filling in for Michael Laws on Radio Live yesterday:
Oh, is Bennett still around? I did wonder what had become of him (I listened to him in the 1990s, as his station was the only one I could get while travelling.) What a vile man he is!
We can only hope, the ‘feeling’ here is that ‘climate change’ might have just moved the ‘seasons’ a little meaning Spring/Summer on the wee islands Of Gods Own may start a little later than October,
The evidence for this,well very little,(another bald assertion from the home of bald assertions)our garden seeds tho,sprouting out of the ground with monotonous regularity in October every year would not in 2011 come forth till well into November,
An isolated incident perhaps more to do with Wellington’s ‘strange’ weather in 2011,(snowing twice in Winter down at sea-level),lets see what happens this October…
The summers in NZ are generally referred to the months they end in, as has always been the case. Hence the 2012 summer has already ended as at 29 February 2012.
Much the same in the Northern Hemisphere where the Winters are referred to the months they end in.
You don’t use the start of the seasons to signify the current years. You are the first person I’ve ever seen that seems to think that.
Summer 2013 for NZ starts in December 2012 and ends in February 2013.
Although with this planet shifting by degrees on its axis in the last two years with Chile and Japan (and still waiting to see what the double banger M8’s in Indonesia have caused) it’s theoretically likely that the seasons have shifted by up to a month.
Not everythings on the internet you doofus. My kids primary school newsletter isn’t on the interwebs, and neither is common knowledge that’s been passed down.
Summer 2012 School Holidays are over and it’s back to school.
And a simple google for you will show that Chile and Japan did shift earth on it’s axis.
It’s not shit when it’s been pear-shaped reviewed.
Oskar, you are way off beam with both summers and axis. While the earthquakes may have had a tiny and temporary effect on the way the globe wobbles, they have not moved the seasons by so much as a minute, let alone a month.
Having experienced a few summers, it has been my understanding that NZ seasons traditionally are said to follow European ones. We’ve just ‘enjoyed’ summer 2011 and Europe is just beginning summer 2012. But more importantly, the question is what Trev meant by ‘summer 2012’. And clearly, he meant next summer, because it’s a more sensible time in the electoral cycle to be considering one’s future. If he’d meant summer 2011, he’d have simply said ‘over the summer’.
But given the vast amount by which the sumatran quakes slid past each other – which is “unprecedented” given the plates moved anywhere between 21 – 38 metres depending on which site you read.
We’ll just have to agree to disagree on when the summer period is claimed.
After all, I have an old dominion post here from November last year that talks about Summer 2011-2012 Events.
I would have thought most people would refer to it as Summer 2012 given there’s more months in the 2012 summer than in 2011, albeit a factor of 2 months.
And Te Reo – the effects are not “temporary” they are permanent. 25 years ago Summers regularly started around Labour Weekend. I’ve seen the summer seasons start later and later and haven’t seen a Summer begin before or on Labour Weekend since around 1998.
Ive had to plant out my summer crops later in the year since then given what’s planted over Labour Weekend tends to flower too early for proper pollination.
Anything planted towards the end of November/mid December gets a much better fruiting season on. Zucchinis I planted November last year were done by Waitangi weekend. Some I planted during the xmas break are still going strong even now – and these are all from seedlings.
Stop confusing Oscar with actual numbers, especially when it involves time periods. He has a bit of Timelords problem – never quite sure of what era he is in.
But in this case, I suspect he is confused between the rates of magnetic variation and axial precession. One is measured in minutes per year, the other in fractions of a meter per year.
With long service and his being upfront, Trevor gathered some history, which on cue has the negative sorts picking out those “events.” Think of those very obscure MPs who came and went without their names being known by anyone except their Mums and Dads. Trevor has achieved a great deal. As Minister of Education for instance he was upfront, progressive, approachable and frank. Compare that with current and past Min of Ed.
Williamson in his discourse justified the decision for the Crafar deal as “…well Helen Clark celebrated the high country estate sale to Shania Twain” so that makes it okay – I said – she said …
Just one small point Williamson didn’t mention was that Shania Twain made her estate open to the general public to walk / frolic and appreciate, and from memory, the land did not appear to be in the “productive” area.
(As an aside, some of you may remember the Tokoroa/Kinleath plant under NZForestProducts – The public used to have reasonable access and visit the set-up.
When it went to foreign interests, there were considerably elaborate fences and several security gates erected to discourage visits.)
The 2005 purchase of the 25,000 ha Mototapu and Mt Soho stations by companies linked to Ms Twain and her then husband were hailed by politicians and the media as signalling a new “smart, win win” approach to the controversial subject of foreigners buying up great chunks of prime NZ land.
I’m pretty sure that the stations were quite productive – before Shania Twain bought them anyway.
“Shania Twain made her estate open to the general public to walk / frolic and appreciate,”
err, no she didn’t. What she did was establish a walking track so that the public could access a very specific part of the farm. The rest is off limits. Prior to that access by the public would have been vaguer but more free. Access to high country farms has changed alot in the past decade, largely due to NZ being overrun by tourists. Traditional values on land access have changed.
As far as I know, the Motutapu Station is a productive farm. I don’t know if Twain is still the owner, as her and her husband have since separated.
btw, (for Mark up there esp) I was opposed to the sale at the time.
DTB and weka
points well made, thanks and noted. I was more concerned about the justification – “They did it so that it makes it okay for us…” mentality.
We probably should be grateful – I think Labour’s position on overseas land ownership was one of the outstanding reasons for people to migrate to voting Greens.
Yes I think that was Winston’s and David’s point. The sale of “prime, dairy farming land” is very different from High Country farms. (A great little Campbell Live item on Thursday by the way, on the up for sale of “Castle Hill Station” in the Hill Country Canterbury. Wonderful country.)
felix; too many sausage rolls has made his brain go funny!
they keep idiots like him on tap to appeal to the prejudices of all the bigots and to smother the rest in nonsense.
its easily done.
out on highway 61.
I think I will vote that old die hard Winnie Peters next time. Was a Labour voter for awhile then migrated to Greens for the past 4 elections.
No wonder Labour has got no traction – a new leader who looks like Keys lite – smiley middle aged middle class white guy -yawn. And the residual Helengrad elements still lurking, like the reverse racist, man hating felix types.
I am particularly impressed with NZ First’s immigration position.
[Don’t go there mickey; the mods get to decide what is trolling or not. We have our own brew of “Lynn Prentice Capricious Slash” for piddling on real trolls…RL]
Hang on, felix and the like can be as obnoxious and abuse as they like -> “Warmonger, racist, and general all-round bigoted fuckwit” [ which is actually a fair enough description of the shock jock ]
But if anyone points out the ridiculous views or behaviour of felix et al, it is “trolling”?
But you didn’t point out any of my ridiculous views, k_p, you just made up some ridiculous views and pretended they were mine.
ps I think you’ve been around here for long enough under your various names to know exactly what you were doing and exactly what the rules are (they’re in the policy which you’ve no doubt been pointed to dozens of times).
you just made up some ridiculous views and pretended they were mine.
I’ve often seen you do that felix. It’s a core part of your gaming.
And you say:
“I think you’ve been around here for long enough under your various names…”
and
“I think our new friend k_p is going to be fun.”
within 17 minutes. That’s the sort of thing you might refer to like:
This bald-faced lie, this flat denial of what you just typed in your previous comment.
Yes, I do know, my last comment was slightly sarcastic.
And your claim of sarcasm on your contradictory statements doesn’t make sense. I know that can happen when you post off the cuff comments without giving it much thought, and not bothering reviewing your past comments thoroughly.
Your man hating and reverse racism is right there for everyone to see.
You claim you have nothing to do with Labour, but your extreme views fit in nicely with a certain Labour faction. Which is why you hang around here like a bad smell.
Why don’t you go hang out with that uber man hater QofT on her Wymin Against Phalopression site? She needs all the help she can get, she only averages 1 or 2 comments on her bitter twisted ravings and those are usually her own, lol.
It’s true k_p, I’m a labour voter and I hate men. And I’m a lesbian. And I’m QoT’s lover. And we’re satanists.
But I did already freely admit to my reverse racism so I’m not sure why you’re banging on about that. I think you might be suffering from reverse comprehension.
Why aren’t you over on QofT blog, she looks awfully lonely. Guess you hang out here because its the only site with a decent sized audience which will tolerate a rad fem nut job.
Got a bit of a chip on your shoulder over QoT have you, lie down on the couch and let it all out.
Did she cut you down sometime, or laugh at your micro flightless breeding equipment, oh diddums, go see Slater for another cuddle tosspot.
Did she cut you down sometime, or laugh at your micro flightless breeding equipment, oh diddums, go see Slater for another cuddle tosspot.
I don’t know if you’re a man or a woman, (I tend to assume everyone here is a gay man ) but you all really are terribly obsessed with male genitalia, hey? 🙂
I’ve no obsession with members no, but am rather keen on my partner and her feminine charm.
My attempt to show support for felix with my abuse to k_p was dumb and useless as felix can scratch back just fine without my insignificant two cents.
“I don’t know if you’re a man or a woman, (I tend to assume everyone here is a gay man )”
That is one of the most unusual things I’ve read on here, can you elaborate on that in any way?
You mean that thing about how you said you reckoned only 2 of the regulars here had kids, and I suggested you were speaking in tongues? ‘Cos, like, it was a ridiculous thing to say?
That’s because I posted the first one in the wrong column and when I hit the delete button all I got was a -1 which I presume is an output break for debugging. So I went ahead and posted it further down anyway.
“The carbon-fuelled, capital-driven model of economic growth, which started in my country 200-odd years ago, has spread across the planet and is now, I believe, reaching its apex here in China.”
The party’s Epsom MP today warned supporters that ”New Zealand has taken a major turn to the left.’
[..]
”The people of New Zealand have elected a parliament in the majority that is to the left of what our Australian cousins called socialists…without ACT we are staring in the face of two decades of Labour, the Greens and [NZ First leader] Winston [Peters].”
This, the same day many righties are claiming a rise in National’s support as in the latest Roy Morgan poll.
And, funny, but I thought the 2011 election was claimed by some as a landslide victory for National!
In November, New Zealanders went to the polling booth to elect a new Parliament. John Key and the National came out victorious as Phil Goff led the Labour Party to an all-time low party vote. National made a landslide victory despite it being one of the lowest voter turnout since women were given the right to vote.
John Banks…. the guy who slammed casinos in 1997, and is supportive of them today:
In the past, John Banks has opposed increasing gambling opportunities in New Zealand
“They’re wideboys, they’re flashboys, they’re big boys and they can take it,” he said in 1997. “Because the little people of this country have been sucked, hung, drawn, quartered, bled by these people in these casinos.”
The interior of Banksie’s head is one large scrambled egg. What did the Actoids think of his speech I wonder. While they may be ideologically obsessed with free market logic, not all of them are mad or even idiots.
Maurice Williamson,the latest from within the National Government to stick the leader ‘Slippery’ one with a sharp object, exposing Slippery and His shady dealings with SkyCity for all to see and at the same time getting a spot of utu for previous slights…
Judge O’Grady raised the prospect of there being no trial while hearing arguments over FBI applications to wipe Megaupload’s vast database of members’ files.
He said further study needed to be made of the failure to serve Megaupload, adding; “I frankly don’t know that we are ever going to have a trial in this matter.”
and from the defense:-
Dotcom’s US-based lawyer, Ira Rothken, said it was the defence’s understanding that it was not legally possible for Megaupload to be served with papers accusing it of criminal acts.
He said it would be possible to serve the company with papers for a civil case and – as happened in NZ – for individuals to be remotely charged with crimes.
“My understanding as to why they haven’t done that is because they can’t. We don’t believe Megaupload can be served in a criminal matter because it is not located within the jurisdiction of the United States.”
I suppose we’re going to have to start calling this the Mega Ballsup Case.
Well you did visit, and given your comment i guess you were looking for some intelligent well researched opinions. There are plenty of these on The Standard as well as the kind you obviously don’t like. No reason to run away – unless you just came here just to make a negative judgemental comment. If you’re genuinely interested in challenging and debating left wing politics and ideas then i’d strongly encourage you to stay and get involved
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What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
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The latest Roy Morgan poll has some surprises and some results not so surprising.
National Party 49.5% (up 5.5%)
Labour 26.5% (down 4%)
Greens 12.5% (down 4.5%)
New Zealand First 6.5% (up 1.5%)
Maori Party 1.5% (unchanged)
Others 1.5% (up 1%)
Mana Party 1% (up 0.5%)
United Future 1% (up 0.5%)
ACT NZ 0% (down 0.5%)
I’m surprised National have bounced back that much. It may be a lucky spike going againbst a recent slightly downward trend.
Labour’s drop doesn’t surprise me, sustained negative politics and a non-prominent leader won’t be enthusing swing voters.
Greens drop back to earth is no surprise, the last poll spike seemed likely to be too much too quickly.
NZF seems to be still doing well with the “stuff it, there’s no one else worth voting for” vote.
I think TV3 have their next poll release tomorrow night, it will be interesting to see how that compares.
http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2012/4764/
If you consider 12.5% to be ‘dropping back to earth’ then United Future must be positively subterranean
It’s all relative, isn’t it.
UF doubled what’s been a consistent (albeit very modest) level of poll support for some time. I’m sure there are less worries there than with Labour. Or are you happy with where Labour’s at?
Except the increase is less than the error of the poll and thus statistically non-significant, meaning that it’s more probable that 0.5% increase is noise.
So what does that make the % movement in the Roy Morgan poll for the 3 bigger Party,s in the space of a month???,
Such erratic ‘polling’ cannot really be relied upon as an accurate estimate of support and I would dare not here suggest that a certain Australian public relations firm has had a private conversation with a certain Australian public polling firm, reminding that polling firm just how much biz that public relations firm puts their way,
Such things just never happen like that,(only in the conspiracy theories,our range of tin-foil hats are available for sale online at you know where),
Or do they, during the 2011 election campaign,and, the months leading up to that campaign I was involved commenting online elsewhere, needless to say the experience was a cesspool of abuse firstly directed at me and secondly indulged in by me in terms of ‘giving as good as I got’,
Back to the point tho, during the ongoing debate over whether NZFirst had a bulls roar show of re-entering the Parliament on that un-named site I was actively watching a particular ‘on-line political polling site’ with great interest, particularly the nature of the NZFirst ‘polling’ on that site,
When asked befor the election,and,based upon what I had learned from that particular polling site I quoted NZFirst as being 6.2%–12% of the vote,
The accuracy 6.2% and the wide % differential I gave at the time was simply the addition to what my base-line figure for NZFirst’s polling was at the time of all the times that Party was manipulated downward within that particular poll,(ie every time NZFirst polled 5% it was immediately manipulated back down to 3%),
Over the past 2 Roy Morgan polls the swings for all 3 Party,s Green/Labour/National are far to great to be viewed as an accurate record of voter sentiment…
You are right bad12. In short something does not add up. Margin of error or something else?
Oh well Pete has delivered his analysis so the rest of us may as well piss off home…
ACT-zero point zero-heh.
“Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.”
The fact that almost 30% of the voting population didn’t vote last election and that Roy Morgan are accounting for only around 12% of those people, makes that poll completely useless.
Christian charity corner:
Seven years jail for singing in church?
Interesting battery news. Yes it’s a long way off from production, yada yada yada, but still good news none the less:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/04/20/1344223/ibm-creates-breathing-high-density-lithium-air-battery
Some brief quotes:
Emphasis mine.
I wonder if it is known how much energy/resources are needed to produce a light-weight, ultra-high-density, lithium-air battery?
That potential energy density is astoundingly high.
Of course, we also need to remember that unlike oil, batteries are not a source of energy. Batteries can only store energy that is sourced or generated from elsewhere.
one more tax on the poor
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10800337
or are the usual suspects going to defend it as fair and equitable?
The reality is, there is no way this is going to be honestly and accurately applied to all the corporate expense accounts, the credit cards, the private parking, in-house catering, the subsidised travel etc etc that the business world gorge on everyday.
What is an expense account if not a payment in lieu of salary?
Government’s left hand: we want charities to provide more social housing! We want charities to do all the things we don’t want to do any more!
Government’s right hand: pay us tax on all those fringe benefits you previously didn’t have to tax!
There’s “some” pressure on Dunedin City Council to follow Christchurch and declare the city frack free. The front page of this week’s community newspaper was covered by it.
It claims “a lot of people in Dunedin are calling for this”. I followed some links and found lightweight support around New Zealand and bugger all in Dunedin. The person claiming that was an Octagon occupier – remember the 99%? What the frack?
Hey Pete, is there any subject that you are not an expert on??
Now let’s see –
knows there is nothing wrong with fracking.
knows everything there is to know about industrial relations.
knows everything about the advantages of charter schools.
knows everything about the advantages of conference centres and government tendering.
knows everything there is to know about good teaching practice (supported Tolley to the hilt remember…)
Or do you just post to flame?
How do you rate on the supply of statins and asparin to all in the country free in order to raise life expectancy?
Are there a few letters missing off your profile.
MSc, LLB, MBA, MEng. MAcc, MGeol, MPlan, MEd
Just wondering.
I don’t think there’s “nothing wrong with fracking”. I await the results of the Commissioner for the Environment inquiry with interest. If the inquiry finds real and significant concerns about fracking in New Zealand then I’ll be concerned about fracking here.
I do have a problem with a very small number of people trying to pressure DCC into doing something that probably isn’t council business, and especially without proper democratic consultation.
Urban areas have been known to be harmed by mining when the land subsides. Fracking under urban areas will over time leave a huge risk for homeowners, will this be on the LIM?
Underground mining, such as in Waihi, and the West Coast has sweet f.a. to do with fracking.
Fracking is only used to detect oil and gas at substantial depths.
Fracking causes earthquakes. Earthquakes are just large large earth movements. Subsidence is what people call earth movements that are not perceivable.
Fracking will increase, not only the possibility for earthquakes, but subsidence.
“If the inquiry finds real and significant concerns about fracking in New Zealand then I’ll be concerned about fracking here.”
newsflash for Petey et al, we live on the same frakkin planet you moron, the laws of physics apply here just the same as they do elsewhere. Nitpick all you want but the very physical act of fraccing is class-A-high-grade-collector-edition- stupid!
anywhere, anytime, for anything.
newsflash for freedom – there’s different fracking methods and vastly different gelology in different parts of the world.
Has there been any verifiable reports of significant problems with fracking in New Zealand?
I have often wondered,
do they deliver your koolaid in a drum or do you get an overnight iv?
I agree with you freedom, and add that pete is just a fracking denier
The reason councils should get involved at the behest of the people is because national government cannot currently be trusted to protect the environment we are all dependent on.
So now that Sky is slated to get pokies, will their investors sue if they lose income from future changes to the law, aka smoking branding?
Crafer was a news story from the beginning, first as cow pooh overflowing, then as the first Chinese buyer was not of good standing, and then National rubberstamping the deal, now as China gets Landcorp to make milk for them. The only good Crafer has commanded is to open the debate up on how stupid it is to fix legislation and tax, lock in decline, and become tenants in our own land.
The Crafer family bankrupted their farms, the ownership therefore turning to the money lenders, Westpac, an Australian Bank who became the de facto owners.
Maybe Westpac should not have lent them so much in the beginning.
Nevertheless they have still lost a large sum from this sale even so.
Warmonger, racist, and general all-round bigoted fuckwit Mark Bennett filling in for Michael Laws on Radio Live yesterday:
Oh and for bonus points this little rant was bookended by anti-mislim fervour.
Radio Live, 10:45.35am yesterday. http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Audio/tabid/109/Default.aspx
Hi Felix
Radio Live is outrageously right wing. At the moment they’ve got Rodney Hide filling in for John Tamihere. Laws is a professional underclass basher. Willy Jackson might be effective but dilutes everything with “Mate” ,laughter, humour, feel good music and jokeyness. Maggie Barry who worked there is now a Nat MP. JT is an apologist for the right. Paul Henry another American toady. And Key had his 1 hour Party Political Broadcast prior to the last election.
I think I will vote that old die hard Winnie Peters next time. Was a Labour voter for awhile then migrated to Greens for the past 4 elections.
No wonder Labour has got no traction – a new leader who looks like Keys lite – smiley middle aged middle class white guy -yawn. And the residual Helengrad elements still lurking, like the reverse racist, man hating felix types.
I am particularly impressed with NZ First’s immigration position.
You got one thing right kp, I am a reverse racist.
I’m also a reverse murderer, a reverse Feelers fan, and a reverse foot-fetishist.
Quite wrong about everything else though. As for your trolling, must try harder. Very old hat, very obvious.
Old hat? How about your tired predictable Helen faction drivel? It is as outdated and failed as Rogernomics.
No wonder Labour is going no where fast.
I’m nothing to do with Labour you fucking retard.
Lucky for Labour.
You must be a member of the Tourette Syndrome NZ Party then?
If you don’t like having your intelligence belittled, don’t type such demonstrably stupid things.
If you don’t like naughty words, don’t get into conversations with people who do.
Simple really. Just like you.
If you don’t like having your twisted ideas challenged don’t post them.
Reasonable really. Unlike you.
Are you QofT little sister? – your posts have the same vein popping screamer tone
Lol – your response to someone belittling your intelligence is a four-year old’s version of monkey-see monkey-do.
No surprise, one of felix’s admirers comes rushing to the rescue, lol.
“rescue”? From what? You seem to have delusions of grandeur.
Prometheus…he who stole fire from the gods…and gave it to man kind. Didn’t end up in a very good way did he?
Funny how the biggest tossers name themselves after mythological heros.
Mankind has enough fire thanks kiwi_pro(meth)eus. And since you only seem to be carrying shit you better fuck off before you get to find out if your liver really can grow back overnite.
Another Miss felix admirer, and suffering Tourette’s Syndrome too. You all go to the same support group?
Which reminds me of that funny joke:
How many feminist does it take to change a light bulb?
10, one to change the light bulb and 9 to form a support group for Survivors of Darkness.
Oh dear. Are you not a feminist, k_p?
Ahahaha I wish I’d stayed up for this.
I think our new friend k_p is going to be fun.
Guess you had an early night coz you had to be up for the All Men Are Rapists! Awarness Group meeting.
Oh, is Bennett still around? I did wonder what had become of him (I listened to him in the 1990s, as his station was the only one I could get while travelling.) What a vile man he is!
So when is Mallard coming out with his decision?
Mallard to decide over 2012 summer whether to stand again
Summers long gone, Winter is Coming. Whats the story Scalper Mallard?
That was the 2011 summer just gone, the 2012 summer will start sometime around October.
October? Jeeze some places in NZ are lucky to get summer by New Years 😉
I suggest moving north from Stewart Island 😛
Or away from Wellington!
The North coast of Stewart Island has predominantly pleasant weather.
We can only hope, the ‘feeling’ here is that ‘climate change’ might have just moved the ‘seasons’ a little meaning Spring/Summer on the wee islands Of Gods Own may start a little later than October,
The evidence for this,well very little,(another bald assertion from the home of bald assertions)our garden seeds tho,sprouting out of the ground with monotonous regularity in October every year would not in 2011 come forth till well into November,
An isolated incident perhaps more to do with Wellington’s ‘strange’ weather in 2011,(snowing twice in Winter down at sea-level),lets see what happens this October…
All that hot air rising causes a permanent low pressure area over Wellington.
No
The summers in NZ are generally referred to the months they end in, as has always been the case. Hence the 2012 summer has already ended as at 29 February 2012.
Much the same in the Northern Hemisphere where the Winters are referred to the months they end in.
You don’t use the start of the seasons to signify the current years. You are the first person I’ve ever seen that seems to think that.
Summer 2013 for NZ starts in December 2012 and ends in February 2013.
Although with this planet shifting by degrees on its axis in the last two years with Chile and Japan (and still waiting to see what the double banger M8’s in Indonesia have caused) it’s theoretically likely that the seasons have shifted by up to a month.
Link?
Man, you must read some shit.
Not everythings on the internet you doofus. My kids primary school newsletter isn’t on the interwebs, and neither is common knowledge that’s been passed down.
Summer 2012 School Holidays are over and it’s back to school.
And a simple google for you will show that Chile and Japan did shift earth on it’s axis.
It’s not shit when it’s been pear-shaped reviewed.
Oskar, you are way off beam with both summers and axis. While the earthquakes may have had a tiny and temporary effect on the way the globe wobbles, they have not moved the seasons by so much as a minute, let alone a month.
Having experienced a few summers, it has been my understanding that NZ seasons traditionally are said to follow European ones. We’ve just ‘enjoyed’ summer 2011 and Europe is just beginning summer 2012. But more importantly, the question is what Trev meant by ‘summer 2012’. And clearly, he meant next summer, because it’s a more sensible time in the electoral cycle to be considering one’s future. If he’d meant summer 2011, he’d have simply said ‘over the summer’.
The problem is that your claiming something that isn’t common knowledge.
Yep, by a few centimetres – enough to make no difference at all.
Absolutely tuiti-fruiti.
Exactly – by degrees
But given the vast amount by which the sumatran quakes slid past each other – which is “unprecedented” given the plates moved anywhere between 21 – 38 metres depending on which site you read.
We’ll just have to agree to disagree on when the summer period is claimed.
After all, I have an old dominion post here from November last year that talks about Summer 2011-2012 Events.
I would have thought most people would refer to it as Summer 2012 given there’s more months in the 2012 summer than in 2011, albeit a factor of 2 months.
And Te Reo – the effects are not “temporary” they are permanent. 25 years ago Summers regularly started around Labour Weekend. I’ve seen the summer seasons start later and later and haven’t seen a Summer begin before or on Labour Weekend since around 1998.
Ive had to plant out my summer crops later in the year since then given what’s planted over Labour Weekend tends to flower too early for proper pollination.
Anything planted towards the end of November/mid December gets a much better fruiting season on. Zucchinis I planted November last year were done by Waitangi weekend. Some I planted during the xmas break are still going strong even now – and these are all from seedlings.
No, it’s not degrees, it’s centimetres. For it to be degrees it would have to have been measured in hundreds of kilometres.
Stop confusing Oscar with actual numbers, especially when it involves time periods. He has a bit of Timelords problem – never quite sure of what era he is in.
But in this case, I suspect he is confused between the rates of magnetic variation and axial precession. One is measured in minutes per year, the other in fractions of a meter per year.
/faux concern (Farrar mode) off
With long service and his being upfront, Trevor gathered some history, which on cue has the negative sorts picking out those “events.” Think of those very obscure MPs who came and went without their names being known by anyone except their Mums and Dads. Trevor has achieved a great deal. As Minister of Education for instance he was upfront, progressive, approachable and frank. Compare that with current and past Min of Ed.
Williamson in his discourse justified the decision for the Crafar deal as “…well Helen Clark celebrated the high country estate sale to Shania Twain” so that makes it okay – I said – she said …
Just one small point Williamson didn’t mention was that Shania Twain made her estate open to the general public to walk / frolic and appreciate, and from memory, the land did not appear to be in the “productive” area.
(As an aside, some of you may remember the Tokoroa/Kinleath plant under NZForestProducts – The public used to have reasonable access and visit the set-up.
When it went to foreign interests, there were considerably elaborate fences and several security gates erected to discourage visits.)
Um, what?
I’m pretty sure that the stations were quite productive – before Shania Twain bought them anyway.
“Shania Twain made her estate open to the general public to walk / frolic and appreciate,”
err, no she didn’t. What she did was establish a walking track so that the public could access a very specific part of the farm. The rest is off limits. Prior to that access by the public would have been vaguer but more free. Access to high country farms has changed alot in the past decade, largely due to NZ being overrun by tourists. Traditional values on land access have changed.
As far as I know, the Motutapu Station is a productive farm. I don’t know if Twain is still the owner, as her and her husband have since separated.
btw, (for Mark up there esp) I was opposed to the sale at the time.
(simulpost with Draco)
DTB and weka
points well made, thanks and noted. I was more concerned about the justification – “They did it so that it makes it okay for us…” mentality.
Yes, and Labour did badly on this as well. So it’s more like Labour were dumb fucks so why can’t we be too? 😉
We probably should be grateful – I think Labour’s position on overseas land ownership was one of the outstanding reasons for people to migrate to voting Greens.
Yes I think that was Winston’s and David’s point. The sale of “prime, dairy farming land” is very different from High Country farms. (A great little Campbell Live item on Thursday by the way, on the up for sale of “Castle Hill Station” in the Hill Country Canterbury. Wonderful country.)
“The sale of “prime, dairy farming land” is very different from High Country farms”
In what way?
The fast buck merchants are chasing potential dairy land.
felix; too many sausage rolls has made his brain go funny!
they keep idiots like him on tap to appeal to the prejudices of all the bigots and to smother the rest in nonsense.
its easily done.
out on highway 61.
I think I will vote that old die hard Winnie Peters next time. Was a Labour voter for awhile then migrated to Greens for the past 4 elections.
No wonder Labour has got no traction – a new leader who looks like Keys lite – smiley middle aged middle class white guy -yawn. And the residual Helengrad elements still lurking, like the reverse racist, man hating felix types.
I am particularly impressed with NZ First’s immigration position.
You are trolling kiwi_promethus.
[Don’t go there mickey; the mods get to decide what is trolling or not. We have our own brew of “Lynn Prentice Capricious Slash” for piddling on real trolls…RL]
Hang on, felix and the like can be as obnoxious and abuse as they like -> “Warmonger, racist, and general all-round bigoted fuckwit” [ which is actually a fair enough description of the shock jock ]
But if anyone points out the ridiculous views or behaviour of felix et al, it is “trolling”?
But you didn’t point out any of my ridiculous views, k_p, you just made up some ridiculous views and pretended they were mine.
ps I think you’ve been around here for long enough under your various names to know exactly what you were doing and exactly what the rules are (they’re in the policy which you’ve no doubt been pointed to dozens of times).
you just made up some ridiculous views and pretended they were mine.
I’ve often seen you do that felix. It’s a core part of your gaming.
And you say:
“I think you’ve been around here for long enough under your various names…”
and
“I think our new friend k_p is going to be fun.”
within 17 minutes. That’s the sort of thing you might refer to like:
How does your breakfast taste?
“New friend” was slightly sarcastic Pete.
Hope you didn’t blow your whole wad over that one.
Ok, I’ll rememember the sarcastic excuse for next time.
Sure, but it has to make sense. You know what sarcasm is, right?
I don’t want to see you embarrass yourself claiming all sorts of things are sarcastic when they’re obviously not.
Eggs, eh?
Yes, I do know, my last comment was slightly sarcastic.
And your claim of sarcasm on your contradictory statements doesn’t make sense. I know that can happen when you post off the cuff comments without giving it much thought, and not bothering reviewing your past comments thoroughly.
Sure. It must be easy to forget that you’ve said something over and over again for 2 years.
Scrambled eggs now, is it?
Your constant reference to male sexual organs and their function is fascinating.
Something Freudian going on there with you felix/QofT.
Well I assumed Pete was a male, otherwise I would’ve made a female-equivalent reference.
I’m sure s/he’ll correct me if I got that wrong.
Your man hating and reverse racism is right there for everyone to see.
You claim you have nothing to do with Labour, but your extreme views fit in nicely with a certain Labour faction. Which is why you hang around here like a bad smell.
Why don’t you go hang out with that uber man hater QofT on her Wymin Against Phalopression site? She needs all the help she can get, she only averages 1 or 2 comments on her bitter twisted ravings and those are usually her own, lol.
It’s true k_p, I’m a labour voter and I hate men. And I’m a lesbian. And I’m QoT’s lover. And we’re satanists.
But I did already freely admit to my reverse racism so I’m not sure why you’re banging on about that. I think you might be suffering from reverse comprehension.
My various names?
Calm down, you are being hysterical and irrational.
You sure come across like QofT, little Miss felix.
I think we both know why that is, k_p.
Don’t tell everyone though, it’s taken years of hard work to get the prank to this point and it’s nearly time for the big payoff.
So shh, k? Our little secret.
it’s taken years of hard work to get the prank to this point
The felix prank? That’s no secret.
That’s funny Pete. Like you know what’s up.
Good one.
Why aren’t you over on QofT blog, she looks awfully lonely. Guess you hang out here because its the only site with a decent sized audience which will tolerate a rad fem nut job.
I am over there, logged in as QoT! Doh.
Got a bit of a chip on your shoulder over QoT have you, lie down on the couch and let it all out.
Did she cut you down sometime, or laugh at your micro flightless breeding equipment, oh diddums, go see Slater for another cuddle tosspot.
I don’t know if you’re a man or a woman, (I tend to assume everyone here is a gay man ) but you all really are terribly obsessed with male genitalia, hey? 🙂
I’ve no obsession with members no, but am rather keen on my partner and her feminine charm.
My attempt to show support for felix with my abuse to k_p was dumb and useless as felix can scratch back just fine without my insignificant two cents.
“I don’t know if you’re a man or a woman, (I tend to assume everyone here is a gay man )”
That is one of the most unusual things I’ve read on here, can you elaborate on that in any way?
FWIW, I didn’t think it was dumb to highlight k_p’s weird fixations. And yeah, Vicky does drop some clangers, eh?
Yeah that was an odd one and despite just picking up her comment and hence my late reply, I’d be keen to have her tell more about this.
PMSL! 😀 😀 😀
But Felix you dear sad wee man, that’s what you do! Refer Open Mike 20.4.12…. Therefore the words Pot. Kettle. Black. spring to mind.
You mean that thing about how you said you reckoned only 2 of the regulars here had kids, and I suggested you were speaking in tongues? ‘Cos, like, it was a ridiculous thing to say?
Sorry, was I supposed to take that seriously?
Sorry RL but he posted the same thing twice.
That’s because I posted the first one in the wrong column and when I hit the delete button all I got was a -1 which I presume is an output break for debugging. So I went ahead and posted it further down anyway.
Perhaps China will show us the way forward.
“The carbon-fuelled, capital-driven model of economic growth, which started in my country 200-odd years ago, has spread across the planet and is now, I believe, reaching its apex here in China.”
http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/4876–The-world-s-most-important-story
Breaking news, Banksie has announced that New Zealand has recently taken a major turn to the left. Did anyone else notice, or was I the only one that missed it? http://afinetale.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/which-country-has-taken-major-turn-to.html
Yes, I thought it was a strange comment.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6785559/ACT-party-set-sights-on-2014-election
This, the same day many righties are claiming a rise in National’s support as in the latest Roy Morgan poll.
And, funny, but I thought the 2011 election was claimed by some as a landslide victory for National!
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/opinion/post/-/blog/news_makers/post/75/comment/
John Banks…. the guy who slammed casinos in 1997, and is supportive of them today:
http://www.3news.co.nz/John-Banks-relaxes-views-on-casino-industry/tabid/1607/articleID/251304/Default.aspx
Must be a strange landscape of scrambled and shifting views inside JB’s head!
The interior of Banksie’s head is one large scrambled egg. What did the Actoids think of his speech I wonder. While they may be ideologically obsessed with free market logic, not all of them are mad or even idiots.
“not all of them are mad or even idiots.”
[citation needed]
Umm..aahh… eek.. well, I knew one or two once who seemed reasonably sane. Mind you, it was a long time ago.
Maurice Williamson,the latest from within the National Government to stick the leader ‘Slippery’ one with a sharp object, exposing Slippery and His shady dealings with SkyCity for all to see and at the same time getting a spot of utu for previous slights…
Oh dear
and from the defense:-
I suppose we’re going to have to start calling this the Mega Ballsup Case.
The NZ police co-operated with and used our resources to assist this US corporatised bullshit. Bad judgement all round.
..what a toilet this site has become. No wonder I dont visit here. Yuk.
Well you did visit, and given your comment i guess you were looking for some intelligent well researched opinions. There are plenty of these on The Standard as well as the kind you obviously don’t like. No reason to run away – unless you just came here just to make a negative judgemental comment. If you’re genuinely interested in challenging and debating left wing politics and ideas then i’d strongly encourage you to stay and get involved
+1 as they say!