Are you sick and tired of hearing from blood thirsty arm chair generals and racist Isalamaphobes expound their views on the Middle East safe in the comfort of their New Zealand living rooms?
An Invitation to a Conference on Palestine
Auckland Town Hall with renowned Israeli author MIKO PELED.
From 6.30pm, This Sunday 23 June. FREE ADMISSION – all sessions open to the public – koha welcome.
ALSO:
A special screening of Oscar-nominated documentary ‘5 Broken Cameras’ at 4pm (same venue), and Palestinian speaker Yousef Aljamal – direct from Gaza.
Jenny since you support foreign islamic soldiers in Syria fighting against the locals, you are clearly one of these “blood thirsty arm chair generals”.
The Assad dictatorship as the Saddam Hussein dictatorship before them did, has garnered a lot of political capital by giving support to the Palestinian’s cause.
However recently despite their terrible need, the Palestinians refugees have been spontaneously rejecting or destroying aid shipments that have come from the Basha Assad allied Hisbollah, (Party of God) saying that they would rather starve than take charity from a butcher of the Arab people.
Apparently there is large part of an electorate in Auckland where the housing minister is going to be fast tracking rezoning and planning.
It starts around Massey and extends to Waimauku/Muriwai. That’s part of the MP for Helensville’s patch. Like Kim Dotcom, I’ll bet he hasn’t been briefed. Yeah right. Mums and Dads should try to get some shares in the development companies.
And the electrication of the Western line finishes at Swanson! Typical planning for public transport for an expanding area of Auckland, which has already started. When I first shifted to Swanson our home was right on the edge of the rural/urban divide, but a new housing division was soon commenced in the Crows Road area and is now in full swing.
LOL like these companies are open to public scrutiny let alone listed aside from the fletchers and big civil crowds who will do the initial work in one of those ‘national interest’ scenarios.
Alot of that around SH1’s road to JK’s beachhouse with backers and mates looking to do very nicely of now accessible ‘suburbia’ via a zoning tweak and a shiny new Holiday highway going through.
Some folk have been waiting years as the actual gov’t bodies who buy the land up weren’t given the funds, ah but that’s just annoying detail in the blighted future that those annoying public servants can tidy up….what’s left of them and whatever superdupster ministry they now belong to.
National ’08 45%, ’11 47.5% now 44%.
Labour/ Green ’08 41%, ’11 38.5% now 44.5%
NZ1 ’08 4%, ’11 6.5% now 6%
National has not been impacted by their own foul ups or by the efforts of the opposition.
Labour Greens have closed the gap with the Nats by 4 pc points. However Winston and his 6% will go Nat rather than share power with the Greens.
This is not a success for Labour given all that has gone on since ’08.
This is a failure given that an election could be called anytime ( due to self inflicted wounds by Natz&co) and that a full term election is a little over 12 months away.
Nothing in the Roy Morgan Poll to feel good about. . It is very chilling. All Labour people should be very very concerned.
…how is shifting support to the Greens going to increase the left’s share of the vote?
The left has to show alternative appeal to Key (and show it fast). New leadership is obviously a start.
It’s not just a new leader Labour needs, it needs a change in its internal parliamentary culture, and probably the wider party.
In the meantime, more votes for GP or Mana theoretically could increase the left vote by engaging current non-voters. There is also some evidence that some voters the right are shifting to voting GP, so the bigger the profile they have the better. The bigger the GP gets, the more credibility it gets and the more it has the power to shift the centre back towards the left again. I would be happy if Labour were doing this but they’re not, so fuck ’em. The more Labour voters that vote Green the better.
Cunliffe would have my vote in a heartbeat. Shearer , I doubt it!! The ABC gang’s being caught out, sitting in a corporate box courtesy of Sky City, shows their judgement is sadly lacking – they hate Cunliffe more than they hate being in opposition. What kind of weirdos are they?? At the trough for far too long, only concerned with stashing away truckloads of taxpayer money paid to them over many decades!! The membership of the Party’s wishes regarding the Leadership are not being considered in any way.
Absolutely right Paul – how long will it take for Labour to see the light. I have already stated that I will either become a non-voter next election or vote Green or even Mana (it takes a long time Labour voter like me to change stripes, but I’m being forced into it unless there is a change of leader sooner rather than later.
Indeed Hamie. If Cunliffe was head of the Labour Party. It would represent a sea change. Instead of telling the Greens how it is gonna be in coalition, as Shearer does. Cunliffe might actually start listening to them. This might encourage the Greens to stick with their principles. And see the Greens arguing for far more concessions over environmental issues particularly Deep Sea Oil drilling, which if achieved would avoid the inevitable clash with their members and supporters. Making the coalition much more stable.
Your statement that the Labour Party hate Cunliffe more than they hate being in opposition reminds me of Chris Trotter’s observation of the Labour Party, that they would, “Rather have control of the losing side, than lose control of the winning side.
Yes, The Greens good performance hasn’t converted to a rise in the polls and Labours atrocious performance hasn’t converted to a drop in the Polls…..yet. But when most people start focusing on the Election next year, and people start actively listening to Shearer versus Norman/Turei, Key versus Turei/Norman, I reckon we will see the Polls reacting.
I’m really keen to understand why you think Shearer is a good leader for Labour Te Reo?
I don’t! But he is good enough to scrape over the line. Frankly, I’d like to see Andrew Little lead the party. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but he can actually communicate with people, debate with opponents and lead a team. He’d be the difference between scraping home under Shearer and having a solid working majority.
True, but if it works for the AB’s in cup finals, it should work for Labour. I’m guessing studying rugby strategy was the real reason for the MP’s and Shearer being in the Sky Casino box and when Shearer wins by a single seat, we’ll be hailing him as a tactical genius. Or summat.
After a cup final, the AB’s have done their job. After an election the winner is just beginning theirs. In the first case, the one point win is enough, in the second, with the real job ahead, it does not bode so well for stability.
TRP a scrape over the line leaves an incoming government with precious little political capital and legitimacy to start with. For a Labour Govt that means 1 timid Labour term followed by 2 or 3 more Tory terms.
I don’t want to scrape over the line either and besides Andrew Little hasn’t done his apprenticeship as an MP, as David Shearer hasn’t either, whereas David Cunliffe is a seasoned MP.
I think Labour needs someone who can do more than scrape over the line. Someone who looks good on TV, is very smart and able to communicate clearly and effectively is needed, in other words, David Cunliffe is the man!!! Unfortunately for Andrew Little, he has ZERO charisma, even though he may be very capable. And charisma, especially these days with elections mainly fought for and won on TV, is a MUST!! That would definitely rule out Grant Robertson too. No charisma, always slightly dishevelled, and not popular except on the beltway. Coming third in the party vote in his electorate should tell people something!!
Interestingly Andrew Little despite his Engineering Union background has shown himself open to discussing the reality of Climate Change, whereas Shearer won’t have a bar of it.
I agree that Little does actually communicate with people, and debate with opponents and has shown he can lead a team. This would be completely different to the uncommunicative sulky autocratic type leadership displayed by Shearer. Personally I would prefer Cunliffe over Little as the Party leader. Which also is the Labour membership’s choice. But Little would be my second choice.
Indeed, though he’s fictional, Tywin Lannister speaks the truth:
“A man who says ‘I am the King’ is no true king.”
(And that’s what fiction does: it speaks the truth in the guise of lies)
That’s true: Little second choice, Cunliffe first, Shearer never. OK, Little then.
Shearer would have been a decent minister in Bill Rowling’s cabinet if he’d known his place. He wasn’t, he doesn’t and he’s not. That’s his tragedy and ours.
Funnily enough I agree with TRP. Why aren’t the Greens doing better?
Personally I think that the Greens aren’t growing the left vote, instead they are cannibalising Labour’s. I think that the figures above show this.
Instead of becoming more like Labour the Greens IMHO need to stay true to their environmental principles. When the crunch comes and the Greens find themselves in a Shearer led coalition government, determined to mine the Denniston Plateau and drill for Deep Sea Oil, and in direct opposition to most of their membership, and are destroyed in the resulting implosion, all that voter support taken from Labour will go flooding back. Resulting in a dramatically shrunken Green caucus returned in 2017. Maybe this is Shearer’s strategy, force the Greens into line to destroy them.
That is a pretty straight message from Manhire – but unfortunately I don’t think Shearer will listen to anyone other than those fellow caucus members* whispering in his ear, Anne.
John Hamilton from Arrowtown on the plan to put a tiny amount of affordable housing there
“We don’t need white or black trash renting cheap houses in Arrowtown,” he said.
“Arrowtown has a very low crime rate because poor people can’t afford to live here.”
My view is simple, “People are trash in hamilton’s view but don’t worry he’s not racist because both ‘white’ and ‘black’ people are equally trash, rubbish, thrown away and discarded. What a sad, sick individual hamilton is to have a view of people like that. He is the type that would let poor people die in the street and then complain they are making the place untidy. Personally I’d be quite happy if the hamiltons of this world left this country and never came back.”
Luckily some good people of Arrowtown have formed part of the 250 submissions on the plan and isn’t hamilton’s view a stark contrast to the recent Mana Housing policy where those in need are looked after.
God that is sick. John Hamilton is one sick and ugly puppy.
This doesn’t surprise me though – recall Sam Neill a few years ago trying to do the same to stop people coming in with their average houses and “destroying” the rich peoples 10 acre blocks? Sam Neill was just as ugly with this approach.
It also doesn’t suprise me in another sense. Having spent some time in and out of that area over the years – it has changed from a vibrant, broad, diverse community to one which is sanitised and fucking boring. It is just rich baby boomers driving around in the their range rovers doing the same shit and keeping their lawns like bowling greens. And grimacing whenever someone of average clothes and car goes by.
These people put up these fences and gates around their homes and, without even realising it, around their minds. Boring boring boring. Oh, and wankers.
From what I know there are in fact loads of jobs in the wakatipu basin. All the cleaners and hospo and touro workers and drivers and, well, basically all the work that needs doing in the place, are done by low paid workers and for them finding an affordable house in that location is just impossible (because the wanker Sam Neill and his ilk are hell bent on keeping property values sky high).
Affordable housing would be jumped on quick smart.
Have thought for a long time that the entire basin will eventually end up being populated all to hell and the area littered with more and more housing, a bit like those Euro mountain resort valleys. But you know, people like John Hamilton and Sam Neill love that shit in Euroland and even go to the extreme lengths of flying halfway aroud the world to take their holidays in exactly that environment (and note those euro valleys have cheap housing areas for workers too). Then they come back here and say they don’t like it!
This attitude expressed here by Hamilton and Neill is ugly and unwelcome. It is also shallow and lacks basic human decency. These people should be shunned, not the workers.
Hamilton and Neil weren’t expressing the same sentiment at all. Neil was trying to stop the infil of rural areas, which is to be applauded. If anything he’s been proven right by your statement that the area is now dull and boring.
No no no no I disagree. That may have been Neil’s words but it was absolutely not the sentiment. This approach is seen all the time – people say “wah wah wah, these newcomers will destory the environment” while at exactly the same time having destroyed the environment to get their own piece of infill (recall the basin used to be large scale farms which have been infilled by 10 acre blocks. Same thing, just differnt scale). It is a pull up the drawbridge approach.
And it aint the “infill” that makes the place boring, it is the blandness of the range rover-driving, schist-clad mcmansion-owning baby boomer set. imhumbleo.
And John Hamilton has just brought it all to the fore again.
For me it’s the blandness of the recentish suburbs where all the houses are made out of ticky tacky. Queenstown has always had a high proportion of rich people with flash cars, *shrug*. IMO it’s been a long time since it’s been a culturally attractive place, but obviously lots of people still like living there.
I agree there are issues with what Neil and ilk do in terms of wealth and land prices, but he’s not in the same category as Hamilton and the other Arrowtown people who think that low income = wrong or criminal. I’d like to see you come up with something from Neil that shows he obviously doesn’t understand that the people who clean Queenstown’s toilets aren’t earning high wages, which is what Hamilton seems to have missed. Maybe on Planet Hamilton there are no toilets 😉
(recall the basin used to be large scale farms which have been infilled by 10 acre blocks. Same thing, just differnt scale). It is a pull up the drawbridge approach.
I guess it depends on where you think the limit should be. Or if there should be a limit at all. Queenstown is a very interesting example because it is demonstrates that we live on a finite planet better than most other places. Once they’ve filled in all the land between the Crown Range, the Kawarau Gorge, the Devil’s Staircase and Mt Aspiring Natinal Park, where do you propose the latest incomers should live?
And going into PO/CC/GFC, where do you think all those people are going to get their food from? You can actually grow food for the local population more easily and successfully on 10 acres blocks than you can on large sheep farms. It’s also possible to argue that lifestyle blocks are better for the environment because more trees get planted and there is more biodiversity than on larger farms.
You make fair points there weka. I have to fly out the door but in a quick nutshell, the nimby syndrome is something I have absolutely no time for.
“I guess it depends on where you think the limit should be.” — Yes. But when someone comes along and subdivides a property so they can have a home for themselves, and then objects to the next person coming along and subdividing the previous subdivision so they too can have a home I just see hypocrisy all over the whole place and a complete lack of credibility.
If people like Neil want a rural paradise then how about a covenant on their titles such that when they sell they can only sell to a neighbour who then has to amalgamate to reduce the population and restore true ruralness…..
I agree about your point with smaller farms being “more productive” – witness highly populated parts of the world.
Imo the wakatipu basin should give up on trying to remain like some sort of 1970’s golden poplar-treed sheep-clad paradise and embrace that euro mountain valley higher populated type enclave that works so well over there. There is enough land to house a massive population. I mean, that is the way it is heading. People would love it (except the elite 10 acre block owners and there are f-all of them, and they are just being selfish). People would embrace it. It would become more diverse, more vibrant, more cosmopolitan, more touristy. Imagine it. There are plenty of other rural paradises all around NZ if thats what people want.
If wakatipu people want empty rural then they should go live south of Kinsgton. Go on sam neill, go live south of Kingston if that’s what you want. What do you think weka – would the likes of Neill and Hamilton live there? Still plenty big mountains and scenes, maybe just no “mountain scene”, which seems to be their scene ….. hence cosmpolitanise it all even more ….
“But when someone comes along and subdivides a property so they can have a home for themselves, and then objects to the next person coming along and subdividing the previous subdivision so they too can have a home I just see hypocrisy all over the whole place and a complete lack of credibility.”
By that argument we should build as many houses as we want wherever we want and as high and dense as we want. Not only do most people not agree with that, but we have specific laws in place to prevent that happening.
“If people like Neil want a rural paradise then how about a covenant on their titles such that when they sell they can only sell to a neighbour who then has to amalgamate to reduce the population and restore true ruralness…..”
I’m not sure what the solution is, but I suspect in a sane world it would be a combination of nationally set guidelines and then local communities working democratically to decide how best land should be managed.
“Imo the wakatipu basin should give up on trying to remain like some sort of 1970′s golden poplar-treed sheep-clad paradise and embrace that euro mountain valley higher populated type enclave that works so well over there.”
Except it’s a fragile landscape. A big earthquake will be catastrophic for Queenstown. It’s not a good place for high density population.
“(except the elite 10 acre block owners and there are f-all of them, and they are just being selfish).”
Sorry, but you sound very bitter there, not to mention prejudiced. It’s true that lifestyle blocks have changed many places, for good and bad. But I don’t see the owners as being any more selfish than any other land owner generally.
“There are plenty of other rural paradises all around NZ if thats what people want.”
Not for very much longer, and not if your arguments were followed.
“If wakatipu people want empty rural then they should go live south of Kinsgton. Go on sam neill, go live south of Kingston if that’s what you want.”
I don’t imagine Neil would have a problem living there if he had to. It’s a beautiful landscape for sure. But I suspect that not all Kingston and surrounding people would be that happy with the descending hoards. Not sure if you are aware, but Queenstown workers already live in Kingston and commute because there is not enough accommodation in Queenstown (affordable accommodation I mean, there are obviously enough houses there). By your argument we should just fill the whole country with suburbs. What happens when Kingston is full? I guess we could just keep build suburbs all the way to Bluff. See where I am going with this?
Besides how are people going to afford the commute when petrol is $5/L?
There are only so many people that any given landbase can support. While I agree people like Neil have something to answer for in terms of wealth and land values, I think he did NZ a service. Basically he spoke of the value of open, natural, under-developped places. We need those. I like being able to go to a river or beach and find no-one else there at times. That’s not selfishness, it’s gratitude towards nature.
Hi weka, I appreciate all the points you have made there. Sure, controls are necessary for those reasons you mention and I agree with them to maintain certain intrinsic values around certain environments and stop them being overrun by masses of people and our wrecking ball ways.
The argument around never-ending subdivision is not something I follow and the argument was only made to highlight the hypocrisy of others in wanting to pull the drawbridge up to stop others doing what those who are already there have done themselves. This occurs in spades in this locality.
As for what “spoils” the environment more – lifestyle blocks or subdivisions….. the wakatipu basin (not the mountains which are not lived on anyway) is already completely modified from its natural state. All natural vegetation has been stripped in the areas where housing and lifestyle blocks are. So to put in a pink house and a golf course, or a vineyard and a schist house, to house one family is no better (and in fact worse given the low benefit for similar cost) than putting in 50 houses to house 50 families. Strip all natural features on, say, 20 hectares and house either 1 family or 50 families… see the cost-benefit ratio?
As for whether the basin is a fragile environment, I’m not sure in what sense you mean. It is no more fragile ecologically than pretty much the rest of the South Island mountain locales. And if it is considered that it is ecologically fragile then it must be seen in the context of this being the only such fragile locale in NZ to be used in this way. Then consider, re earthquakes, Wellington, Taupo area, Auckland (Rangitoto went up just a couple hundred years ago remember). I don’t know if your point here holds.
As for me sounding bitter – sorry, sometimes it seems my manner of expression comes out more harshly than intended. But, when it comes to the demands of 10 acre block holders in Wakatipu, yes, there is some displeasure at their manner, demands, and attempts to push away the “trash”, as John Hamilton has so eloquently puts it.
And when you say this re Sam Neill … “Basically he spoke of the value of open, natural, under-developped places” you kind of nail the sticking point. He didn’t do that. All he did was do that in relation to his own pulled-up-drawbridge part of NZ. And further, that pulled-up-drawbridge part of NZ (the wakatipu basin living areas low down) is far from a natural, undeveloped place. It is completely and utterly modified. He spoke in those terms but he was not correct and it was all on the basis of self-interest imo.
You see these types of nimbys all over NZ – they get their piece of paradise and modify the environment all to hell, then pull out these arguments (which are falsely based) to preserve their piece just for themselves and in order to keep out the trash. This is exactly what the turd Hamilton is stating, just in more stark terms than Neill.
I must reiterate my personal view above re the best thing for Wakatipu into the future – that of a densely populated mountain community (there is no other in NZ) that throbs and pulses with a cosmopolitality that is not even matched by NZ’s big cities. It would be spectacular – picture it – snow-clad mountains lit up by moonlight and the sparkling lights of people-bustle in the low areas. It would go crazy. And the effect on the environment would be nil because the envornment has already been dealt a death blow by its development to date.
one more bit … “value of open, natural, under-developped places. We need those. I like being able to go to a river or beach and find no-one else there at times. That’s not selfishness, it’s gratitude towards nature.”
I agree 1000%. Best jam us humans up closer and leave more of those open spaces. Wakatipu is the mountain location for just that in NZ. Jam everyone in there (which is where they want to be too) and leave all other mountain locations empty and natural.
Now here’s a classic case of ‘foriegn ownership of a power company. In debt up to it’s eyeballs, all profits going to service debt to foreign bankers and hedge funds.
So is this what will happen to all of our power companies when they have been stolen and sold off
All’s going to plan.
April 1993: New Plymouth Energy (the electricity division of the New Plymouth District Council) merges with Taranaki Electricity (former Taranaki Electric Power Board) to become Taranaki Energy Limited
November 2004: It is now moving to compulsorily acquire the remaining shares and remove Powerco from the New Zealand stock exchange.
I think something that would boost labours chances of winning would be to appropriate Manas policy on no deposit, low interest rate home loans for Maori, its a vote winner 🙂
OK – I am curious – I have strong views about this (very much against), but genuinly am interested in what “lefties” think of the race based housing policy from Mana.
“Maori first-home buyers would be able to buy homes with no deposit, at the same interest rates that Government pays and with negotiable mortgage terms.”
James in the same speech this was the last couple of sentences
We know that housing is not just an issue that affects Maori; it affects every family on a low income. That’s why John Minto, will be announcing MANA’s wider housing policy on 23 July as a part of our MINTO FOR MAYOR Campaign.
It is, however, absurd to put into law that the houses can only be on-sold to other Maori. And I am flabbergasted why race is being prioritised over need. That’s not redress, that’s blatant divisiveness. And why can’t the iwi take the initiative? Kai Tahu are already doing that with their own money.
The Government has already funded it – the treaty settlements. I have no problem with Maori only development provided iwi use their own money – perhaps with a Government top up
Treaty Settlements were reparation for past theft and injustices, not to make up for failings in current social policy. Did you see marty’s quote about the different rates of home ownership between Maori and non-Maori? Why do you think that is?
“And I am flabbergasted why race is being prioritised over need”
That’s probably because you don’t understand the need and are confusing it with race. If Maori are disadvantaged in home buying compared to the rest of the population, then why not assist them?
You also don’t seem to understand ethnicity. If you target services at Maori and do this in a Maori way, it’s more successful ie it’s a better use of the money. That’s why ‘race’ based funding is important. It’s not because Maori are more special than everyone else.
(and you can argue it the other way – that services delivered the Pakeha way are race based ones that serve Pakeha, but not non-Pakeha).
“I have no problem with Maori only development provided iwi use their own money – perhaps with a Government top up”
Had Iwi been given fair settlements I might agree. But have you looked at the rather small amounts that many settlements entailed compared to the value of the lost assets and resources from since the Treaty was signed? One of the core points about the Treaty and everything that surrounds that is that Maori were severely undermined in the 1800s, in myriad ways, and until they are able to recover from that we cannot consider this a level playing field.
The dompost is getting better at being balanced lately, its normally quite left-leaning but now its starting to report fairly and without bias…bad news for the left though
seriously though – i dont think you would know “reporting fairly and without bias” if it came up, kicked you in the nuts and left a business card with a hand written note for a follow up meeting
the media arent really left or right leaning – they are lazy oppourtunists chasing sensationalism
editorials are of course different to news stories and regularly come out with a much more rightwards view (in terms of what could normally be considered a left or right viewpoint – not how you or i call it)
your really just showing up the shallowness of both your knowledge and opinion, of how the MSM operates in our contemporary, media saturated world
None of that is even close to balanced – it’s pure National Party propaganda.
As for National Standards? Research debunks internal assesment criticism
If you want to destroy education (and thus the children) in NZ then keep them. Otherwise, get a clue and start listening to the teachers.
Based entirely on the fact that when someone said the polls were making them seasick, I referred to gentle swells and suggested they watch the tides (i.e. trends rather than bi-weekly angst/elation sessions).
whatever. I know who I work for and who I am, so if you want to start seeing Robertson’s strategists in every shadow, feel free. It is unlikely to change my opinion of your grip on reality.
Gentle swells are Ok, McFlock- if you’re into fashion, and well-mannered foppery. It’s us northerly Gaels you have to watch out for- we can kick up a storm- though it can be a trifle breezy around the southern parts. Macs Go Bragh!
I watched MRP shares avidly for the first few weeks – not because I have any as I would not have bought on principle. Wish now that I had documented their “progress”, but in the first few weeks, there was massive trading with MRP shares the biggest trades on some days in terms of volume and, on one or two occasions, value. The average of those trades (Volume of shares divided by number of trades) was very, very high – ie, many thousands. . MRP directors were also able to buy up until 31 May, and they did – disclosure notices are on the NZX site.
By contrast, recently numbers of trades, volumes and averages have dropped back markedly.
For example, today so far (as of a few minutes ago), trades have only totalled 124 covering a volume of 421,863 shares, giving an average of 3402 shares per trade (price now $2.23).
I am no expert in the share market, but possibly this indicates that current buyers/sellers are smaller/newbie traders and the biggies are sitting it out at present. Happy to admit my assumptions are wrong if more experienced people can provide a more expert explanation.
Thanks CV. And I now note that MRP shares closed today at $2.20. Which was my (totally uneducated) prediction/hope for the end of the week. And for this time next week – how about $2.15?
While I last heard a couple of weeks ago that things were underway – ie thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ dollars were being paid out to consultants et – to prepare Meridian for sale in Oct, it seems to have gone very quiet….except for Tiwai Point revaluing themselves at basically zero.
After recent events, I presume National has gone on the war path to re-establish internal communications discipline. Making an example out of Dunne will be part of that.
That’s what it comes down to Hami Shearlie. And it’s not as though you’d be losing anyone promisingly Left at all.
Hope it’s not being rude or churlish, certainly not intended, but on television the guy always looks like he needs a shave. Puts me in mind of the final (?) Kennedy/Nixon presidential debate in 1960. It’s still widely expressed that Nixon’s five o’clock shadow look cost him enough to lose by what was a small margin apparently.
Anyway…….back to our sad reality. I doubt anyone can say hand on heart that Shonkey Python would NOT have been on the ropes for months and months now if Cunliffe had been at the helm.
Even if gratuitously The Left could have done with that……..couldn’t we ?
There’s a large pool of voters too disillusioned to vote. If they see a genuine alternative in the Green Party, they might start. I remain fairly sure that National will win the next election and the Greens will be the largest party at the one after that.
Typical of this National Party, hopeless….Meridian float is all over, it wont happen I reckon, who would want to buy it.
The only thing that this National Party gets right is its Crosby Textor inspired media strategy, disguising one of the most incompetent governments NZ has had since the 90’s.
“an allowance to reward experienced teaching staff to the Education Ministry in its pay negotiation round, asking for as many allowances as possible.”
“I think it could look like performance pay if you don’t take into consideration the development behind it and its intent.”
“A staff member at NZEI said its members would not see it as performance pay because teachers’ achievement wouldn’t be based on raw National Standards data.”
its the REPORTER making the logic jump to it being performance pay, its actually experience pay – theres a difference
also – you do realise that teachers already have performance based pay? It happens just the same way as any other employee. The employer evaluates their performance and rewards them accordingly.
What you’re cheering on is politicised pay and mob rule – if thats want you want, go nuts. No ones going to stop you – but at least understand what your arguing for
Yeah, like you’ve ever dealt with any. Your ignorance about union matters is one of your most endearing traits, WS. It’s like you’ve forgotten more than you ever knew.
Its the first step towards performance pay or performance by stealth whatever way you want to look at it.
No it’s not. It’s career enhancement which probably has something to do with hierarchies, i/e, there just isn’t that many places at the top.
You didn’t actually read past the first paragraph did you? You just read the bit about performance pay and left it at that – believing the misreporting.
Fat Tony’s one of my nicknames at footy. I kid myself it refers to Tony Soprano, (but really its the Simmos character). Gandolfini was also great as the hitman in True Romance, the best movie Tarantino never made.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 15.2.1
No, not “bugger”. Fuck. Phuque. Fuketty fuck fuck and feck. And bottoms.
Every account of him says that he was a wonderful guy – kind, generous, gentle. He once said that at home he was “a three hundred pound Woody Allen”. A lot of actors who play villains often are, and show skill at comedy (I’m thinking of Charles Dance, who always seems to play cold-hearted aristocrats and is incredibly warm and funny in interviews). You should see him in In the Loop
My views on that are fairly clear. Apart from the systematic fraud and security issues, if someone can’t be bothered to put aside 45 minutes on a Saturday every 3 years to go vote, they can frak off.
Fair enough. They can still get it wrong from the comfort of their own homes by not voting. It worked pretty well last time. (Only pulling ya leg – anyone who wants to vote under the current system and is housebound can do it, I know.)
Yeah, six months, then three, then 6 weeks, then 3 weeks, then 10 days, then a week, then a day, then an hour, then a minute, then a second, then a millisecond – don’t worry, he still has a microsecond to – God help us – “scrape by”!
Never underestimate the power of denial – or entitlement.
Here’s a funny thing. I just heard Na Raihania on the radio saying the reason to vote for him is that he’ll be “at the table” straight away, whereas none of the others can be “at the table” until National get the boot.
Same waffle that that old fool Pita Sharples comes out with every time he’s asked why anyone should pretend the maori Party are a serious political movement.
Couple of things about that. First, it’s a lie. The maori Party do not sit “at the table”.
John Key and National’s deal with the maori Party specifically excludes them from the cabinet table. The only table they’re allowed to sit at with Key is at the Green Parrot, and the chances of him remembering anything said there are slim to none.
So apart from being a tired old line, it’s also not even based on a fact. It’s the opposite of a fact. It’s a lie.
The second thing is that even if it were true that the maori Party sit “at the table”, which it isn’t, they already have their two token Ministers (outside Cabinet). Does Na Raihania think he’s going to be a Minister if he wins the seat? Pfffffft whatever.
Third thing is that Key doesn’t even know his name. And when asked why he endorsed a candidate who he couldn’t name, he said ‘cos I’ve heard good things about him’. Which means he knows so little about the guy that he can’t even make something up, and for a serial liar like Key that’s quite a fucking place to be.
So I hope people voting in the by election understand that that’s how much influence he really has. He’s never going to be allowed to sit at the table with the PM who wouldn’t recognise him anyway.
Ah…..The Green Parrot. Or “The ‘Arrot” as a mate of mine called it……….on account of the P on Parrot in the neon sign not glowing for ages, years. Fun days. Mid-to-late 70s Wellington.
When the Pig was in charge.
When Rob Campbell, serial corporate director including of late POA, was photographed in PYM regalia holding a bloody firearm.
Damn……..I’m having this bizo going on in my head……..”At least The Pig was emotionally centred in New Zealand……..”
Imagine if it wasn’t “Afternoons with Mora” but instead it was “Afternoons with Graham Norton” (which is my viewing right now on 3).
Sorry there Mensa Mora (Affable Cock), but Graham Norton muchmuchmuchmuchmuch cleverer than you, bro’. In all the ways that matter. Yeah……fair enough it’s a completely different genre but still……
I’ll never forget the anagram of “Tory Cunts”. And the Graham Norton delivery. In fact I do forget the anagram itself but since the root was his whole point, that’s what I remembered.
Clever and funny as hell ! Is there a link anywhere for that ?
Akshilly………..in recent times I’ve heard MM on one or two occasions give comment on “issues” in a way that acknowledges the real life depth and scope of the “issue”. Like maybe his immensity has finally cottoned on to a human vibe which involves at least trying to imagine walking someone elses’ mocassins.
As opposed to the irritating Gushing Hurrah Henry-Ness of the man and the vanity of his slip into foreign European language to make a point in English. Hhmm……….no facility I note in Polynesian or Maori language.
In fact I emailed him once to say, lightly of course, “Dear Jime-Mow-Ray…….listen chap, its not Hon-A Harawira, its Haw-Neh…….
Didn’t even get a response. Was expecting some sparkling eurocentric wit. Not a giggle and no improvement either.
Years ago worked in Mt Albert. Near to, I think it was Kelly’s Caltex, in the dip at the bend 300 metres east of Mt Albert lights on New North Road. Closed now.
Well, I pull in there to get some gas and who should be fluffing around putting gas in his pretty tawdry BMW, squinting embarrassingly through his spectacles, but Michael (What a Baaaad Speech) Bassett.
Honestly, it ran through my head to march up to him and denounce him as a simpering fucking scab.
Didn’t.
Doesn’t change the fact. Him and all the others. They did a bigger con-job than Crosby Textor could dream about. Paradoxically, riding the “Labour Bus” all the way to the scab launching pad.
While also using and abusing the fineness which resided in David Lange.
I was walking my dog once when we came across Roger Douglas and some rich pricks in a sidewalk restaurant on Jervois Rd. I loudly informed the dog that if she knew what an asshole he was, she’d bite him. A few people laughed, probably at me rather than with me, but that’s life.
I remember that petrol station North. Disappeared years ago. Just up the road (back towards the traffic lights) there was a small community hall – now the community constable’s office – where we held our monthly electorate meetings. Those were the days when we used to have as many as 25 to 30 people attend our ordinary business meetings. When Helen Clark became our candidate (1980) I recall her arriving on the noisiest motorscooter that I’ve ever encountered. We could hear her coming 1/2 a kilometre away – slight exaggeration. Fortunately she exchanged it for a car soon afterwards.
I never found out what exactly happened, but she had an almighty row with Michael Bassett and anyone who dared mention his name during the campaign period that followed invariably ended up with a flea in their ear. Those were the days when Helen was still able to be her natural self.
I miss her. I miss her stewardship of the country.
Btw, did you know that Bassett and Lange were related. Second cousins I think it was.
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. 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 ...
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 ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
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 ...
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 ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
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 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
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 ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
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 A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
Are you sick and tired of hearing from blood thirsty arm chair generals and racist Isalamaphobes expound their views on the Middle East safe in the comfort of their New Zealand living rooms?
An Invitation to a Conference on Palestine
Auckland Town Hall with renowned Israeli author MIKO PELED.
From 6.30pm, This Sunday 23 June.
FREE ADMISSION – all sessions open to the public – koha welcome.
ALSO:
A special screening of Oscar-nominated documentary ‘5 Broken Cameras’ at 4pm (same venue), and Palestinian speaker Yousef Aljamal – direct from Gaza.
Check out our website http://www.conferenceonpalestine.co.nz for more details.
Bring your friends & family. “Palestine is still the issue.”
– Roger Fowler, chair of Kia Ora Gaza
Recommend hearing what Miko Peled has to say. He is a very good speaker.
For those who can’t make it to Auckland there are some very good videos of his talks on YouTube.
e.g.
Miko Peled Part 1
Jenny since you support foreign islamic soldiers in Syria fighting against the locals, you are clearly one of these “blood thirsty arm chair generals”.
The Assad dictatorship as the Saddam Hussein dictatorship before them did, has garnered a lot of political capital by giving support to the Palestinian’s cause.
However recently despite their terrible need, the Palestinians refugees have been spontaneously rejecting or destroying aid shipments that have come from the Basha Assad allied Hisbollah, (Party of God) saying that they would rather starve than take charity from a butcher of the Arab people.
Your support of the Syrian proxy war is destabilising the entire region, and yes the Palestinans are now also in the firing line.
Yes that sounds genuine to me.
One cut-and-paster in Auckland is destabilising the entire Middle East? Awesome?
yeah on a re-read that was rather badly worded
http://www.jonathan-cook.net/2013-06-17/sapping-assads-strength-israel-stirs-the-pot-in-syria/
Land for development.
Apparently there is large part of an electorate in Auckland where the housing minister is going to be fast tracking rezoning and planning.
It starts around Massey and extends to Waimauku/Muriwai. That’s part of the MP for Helensville’s patch. Like Kim Dotcom, I’ll bet he hasn’t been briefed. Yeah right. Mums and Dads should try to get some shares in the development companies.
Land bankers have been awaiting this for some years.
No thoughts of public transport and other important infrastructure.
And the electrication of the Western line finishes at Swanson! Typical planning for public transport for an expanding area of Auckland, which has already started. When I first shifted to Swanson our home was right on the edge of the rural/urban divide, but a new housing division was soon commenced in the Crows Road area and is now in full swing.
LOL like these companies are open to public scrutiny let alone listed aside from the fletchers and big civil crowds who will do the initial work in one of those ‘national interest’ scenarios.
Alot of that around SH1’s road to JK’s beachhouse with backers and mates looking to do very nicely of now accessible ‘suburbia’ via a zoning tweak and a shiny new Holiday highway going through.
Some folk have been waiting years as the actual gov’t bodies who buy the land up weren’t given the funds, ah but that’s just annoying detail in the blighted future that those annoying public servants can tidy up….what’s left of them and whatever superdupster ministry they now belong to.
National ’08 45%, ’11 47.5% now 44%.
Labour/ Green ’08 41%, ’11 38.5% now 44.5%
NZ1 ’08 4%, ’11 6.5% now 6%
National has not been impacted by their own foul ups or by the efforts of the opposition.
Labour Greens have closed the gap with the Nats by 4 pc points. However Winston and his 6% will go Nat rather than share power with the Greens.
This is not a success for Labour given all that has gone on since ’08.
This is a failure given that an election could be called anytime ( due to self inflicted wounds by Natz&co) and that a full term election is a little over 12 months away.
Nothing in the Roy Morgan Poll to feel good about. . It is very chilling. All Labour people should be very very concerned.
Simple Labour …….get rid of Shearer and support Cunliffe.
Or switch your vote to Mana or Green.
…how is shifting support to the Greens going to increase the left’s share of the vote?
The left has to show alternative appeal to Key (and show it fast). New leadership is obviously a start.
It’s not just a new leader Labour needs, it needs a change in its internal parliamentary culture, and probably the wider party.
In the meantime, more votes for GP or Mana theoretically could increase the left vote by engaging current non-voters. There is also some evidence that some voters the right are shifting to voting GP, so the bigger the profile they have the better. The bigger the GP gets, the more credibility it gets and the more it has the power to shift the centre back towards the left again. I would be happy if Labour were doing this but they’re not, so fuck ’em. The more Labour voters that vote Green the better.
Cunliffe would have my vote in a heartbeat. Shearer , I doubt it!! The ABC gang’s being caught out, sitting in a corporate box courtesy of Sky City, shows their judgement is sadly lacking – they hate Cunliffe more than they hate being in opposition. What kind of weirdos are they?? At the trough for far too long, only concerned with stashing away truckloads of taxpayer money paid to them over many decades!! The membership of the Party’s wishes regarding the Leadership are not being considered in any way.
Absolutely right Paul – how long will it take for Labour to see the light. I have already stated that I will either become a non-voter next election or vote Green or even Mana (it takes a long time Labour voter like me to change stripes, but I’m being forced into it unless there is a change of leader sooner rather than later.
Indeed Hamie. If Cunliffe was head of the Labour Party. It would represent a sea change. Instead of telling the Greens how it is gonna be in coalition, as Shearer does. Cunliffe might actually start listening to them. This might encourage the Greens to stick with their principles. And see the Greens arguing for far more concessions over environmental issues particularly Deep Sea Oil drilling, which if achieved would avoid the inevitable clash with their members and supporters. Making the coalition much more stable.
Your statement that the Labour Party hate Cunliffe more than they hate being in opposition reminds me of Chris Trotter’s observation of the Labour Party, that they would, “Rather have control of the losing side, than lose control of the winning side.
I blame the Greens. Why aren’t they doing better? Time to get rid of the deadwood in their leadership.
Yes, The Greens good performance hasn’t converted to a rise in the polls and Labours atrocious performance hasn’t converted to a drop in the Polls…..yet. But when most people start focusing on the Election next year, and people start actively listening to Shearer versus Norman/Turei, Key versus Turei/Norman, I reckon we will see the Polls reacting.
I’m really keen to understand why you think Shearer is a good leader for Labour Te Reo?
I don’t! But he is good enough to scrape over the line. Frankly, I’d like to see Andrew Little lead the party. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but he can actually communicate with people, debate with opponents and lead a team. He’d be the difference between scraping home under Shearer and having a solid working majority.
Scrap over the line, now that’s a fine goal to aspire to.
True, but if it works for the AB’s in cup finals, it should work for Labour. I’m guessing studying rugby strategy was the real reason for the MP’s and Shearer being in the Sky Casino box and when Shearer wins by a single seat, we’ll be hailing him as a tactical genius. Or summat.
Lol. I still reckon you lot should defect to the GP or Mana 🙂
After a cup final, the AB’s have done their job. After an election the winner is just beginning theirs. In the first case, the one point win is enough, in the second, with the real job ahead, it does not bode so well for stability.
TRP a scrape over the line leaves an incoming government with precious little political capital and legitimacy to start with. For a Labour Govt that means 1 timid Labour term followed by 2 or 3 more Tory terms.
I don’t want to scrape over the line either and besides Andrew Little hasn’t done his apprenticeship as an MP, as David Shearer hasn’t either, whereas David Cunliffe is a seasoned MP.
Seasoned MP and seasoned Minister. Oversaw the break up of Telecom in the face of major corporate and moneyed opposition.
Never distributed mango skins to poor kids though, as far as I know.
I think Labour needs someone who can do more than scrape over the line. Someone who looks good on TV, is very smart and able to communicate clearly and effectively is needed, in other words, David Cunliffe is the man!!! Unfortunately for Andrew Little, he has ZERO charisma, even though he may be very capable. And charisma, especially these days with elections mainly fought for and won on TV, is a MUST!! That would definitely rule out Grant Robertson too. No charisma, always slightly dishevelled, and not popular except on the beltway. Coming third in the party vote in his electorate should tell people something!!
Hear hear, Hami – David Cunliffe is the man!!!!
You are seriously underestimating the NZ public if you think Shearer is good enough even to scrape.
Interestingly Andrew Little despite his Engineering Union background has shown himself open to discussing the reality of Climate Change, whereas Shearer won’t have a bar of it.
I agree that Little does actually communicate with people, and debate with opponents and has shown he can lead a team. This would be completely different to the uncommunicative sulky autocratic type leadership displayed by Shearer. Personally I would prefer Cunliffe over Little as the Party leader. Which also is the Labour membership’s choice. But Little would be my second choice.
Jenny-Much as I don’t want to harm Shearer & Labour my thoughts concur with yours.
uncommunicative sulky autocratic
Indeed, though he’s fictional, Tywin Lannister speaks the truth:
“A man who says ‘I am the King’ is no true king.”
(And that’s what fiction does: it speaks the truth in the guise of lies)
That’s true: Little second choice, Cunliffe first, Shearer never. OK, Little then.
Shearer would have been a decent minister in Bill Rowling’s cabinet if he’d known his place. He wasn’t, he doesn’t and he’s not. That’s his tragedy and ours.
TRP said:
2005 General Election
LAB 41.1%
GR 5.3%
2011 General Election
LAB 27.5% (-33.1%)
GR 11.1% (+109.4%)
Labour gave up 1/3 of it’s party vote between 2005 and 2011. The Greens more than doubled their party vote (from a small base) over that same time.
The performance of the Greens leadership looks fine to me mate.
Perhaps I should have put a smiley on my comment for the slower kids in class.
Funnily enough I agree with TRP. Why aren’t the Greens doing better?
Personally I think that the Greens aren’t growing the left vote, instead they are cannibalising Labour’s. I think that the figures above show this.
Instead of becoming more like Labour the Greens IMHO need to stay true to their environmental principles. When the crunch comes and the Greens find themselves in a Shearer led coalition government, determined to mine the Denniston Plateau and drill for Deep Sea Oil, and in direct opposition to most of their membership, and are destroyed in the resulting implosion, all that voter support taken from Labour will go flooding back. Resulting in a dramatically shrunken Green caucus returned in 2017. Maybe this is Shearer’s strategy, force the Greens into line to destroy them.
The Herald’s Toby Manhire gives his opinion on what Labour should do:
Labour checking all wrong boxes
Frankly, after the idiocy of his three “top performers” you would think Shearer might start listening to the rest of us…
That is a pretty straight message from Manhire – but unfortunately I don’t think Shearer will listen to anyone other than those fellow caucus members* whispering in his ear, Anne.
* Robertson, Mallard and co.
Give him another six months… I don’t think so.
Where’s ACT or United Future?
John Hamilton from Arrowtown on the plan to put a tiny amount of affordable housing there
My view is simple, “People are trash in hamilton’s view but don’t worry he’s not racist because both ‘white’ and ‘black’ people are equally trash, rubbish, thrown away and discarded. What a sad, sick individual hamilton is to have a view of people like that. He is the type that would let poor people die in the street and then complain they are making the place untidy. Personally I’d be quite happy if the hamiltons of this world left this country and never came back.”
Luckily some good people of Arrowtown have formed part of the 250 submissions on the plan and isn’t hamilton’s view a stark contrast to the recent Mana Housing policy where those in need are looked after.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8822832/Residents-vocal-in-opposition-to-housing-trash
http://mars2earth.blogspot.co.nz/2013/06/white-and-black-trash.html
http://mars2earth.blogspot.co.nz/2013/06/mana-in-house.html
God that is sick. John Hamilton is one sick and ugly puppy.
This doesn’t surprise me though – recall Sam Neill a few years ago trying to do the same to stop people coming in with their average houses and “destroying” the rich peoples 10 acre blocks? Sam Neill was just as ugly with this approach.
It also doesn’t suprise me in another sense. Having spent some time in and out of that area over the years – it has changed from a vibrant, broad, diverse community to one which is sanitised and fucking boring. It is just rich baby boomers driving around in the their range rovers doing the same shit and keeping their lawns like bowling greens. And grimacing whenever someone of average clothes and car goes by.
These people put up these fences and gates around their homes and, without even realising it, around their minds. Boring boring boring. Oh, and wankers.
(now, back to my self-imposed exile from you mm…)
I’m not sure what the point of the exercise would be anyway – there aren’t that many jobs in Arrowtown and everything costs a fortune.
From what I know there are in fact loads of jobs in the wakatipu basin. All the cleaners and hospo and touro workers and drivers and, well, basically all the work that needs doing in the place, are done by low paid workers and for them finding an affordable house in that location is just impossible (because the wanker Sam Neill and his ilk are hell bent on keeping property values sky high).
Affordable housing would be jumped on quick smart.
Have thought for a long time that the entire basin will eventually end up being populated all to hell and the area littered with more and more housing, a bit like those Euro mountain resort valleys. But you know, people like John Hamilton and Sam Neill love that shit in Euroland and even go to the extreme lengths of flying halfway aroud the world to take their holidays in exactly that environment (and note those euro valleys have cheap housing areas for workers too). Then they come back here and say they don’t like it!
This attitude expressed here by Hamilton and Neill is ugly and unwelcome. It is also shallow and lacks basic human decency. These people should be shunned, not the workers.
Hamilton and Neil weren’t expressing the same sentiment at all. Neil was trying to stop the infil of rural areas, which is to be applauded. If anything he’s been proven right by your statement that the area is now dull and boring.
No no no no I disagree. That may have been Neil’s words but it was absolutely not the sentiment. This approach is seen all the time – people say “wah wah wah, these newcomers will destory the environment” while at exactly the same time having destroyed the environment to get their own piece of infill (recall the basin used to be large scale farms which have been infilled by 10 acre blocks. Same thing, just differnt scale). It is a pull up the drawbridge approach.
And it aint the “infill” that makes the place boring, it is the blandness of the range rover-driving, schist-clad mcmansion-owning baby boomer set. imhumbleo.
And John Hamilton has just brought it all to the fore again.
For me it’s the blandness of the recentish suburbs where all the houses are made out of ticky tacky. Queenstown has always had a high proportion of rich people with flash cars, *shrug*. IMO it’s been a long time since it’s been a culturally attractive place, but obviously lots of people still like living there.
I agree there are issues with what Neil and ilk do in terms of wealth and land prices, but he’s not in the same category as Hamilton and the other Arrowtown people who think that low income = wrong or criminal. I’d like to see you come up with something from Neil that shows he obviously doesn’t understand that the people who clean Queenstown’s toilets aren’t earning high wages, which is what Hamilton seems to have missed. Maybe on Planet Hamilton there are no toilets 😉
(recall the basin used to be large scale farms which have been infilled by 10 acre blocks. Same thing, just differnt scale). It is a pull up the drawbridge approach.
I guess it depends on where you think the limit should be. Or if there should be a limit at all. Queenstown is a very interesting example because it is demonstrates that we live on a finite planet better than most other places. Once they’ve filled in all the land between the Crown Range, the Kawarau Gorge, the Devil’s Staircase and Mt Aspiring Natinal Park, where do you propose the latest incomers should live?
And going into PO/CC/GFC, where do you think all those people are going to get their food from? You can actually grow food for the local population more easily and successfully on 10 acres blocks than you can on large sheep farms. It’s also possible to argue that lifestyle blocks are better for the environment because more trees get planted and there is more biodiversity than on larger farms.
You make fair points there weka. I have to fly out the door but in a quick nutshell, the nimby syndrome is something I have absolutely no time for.
“I guess it depends on where you think the limit should be.” — Yes. But when someone comes along and subdivides a property so they can have a home for themselves, and then objects to the next person coming along and subdividing the previous subdivision so they too can have a home I just see hypocrisy all over the whole place and a complete lack of credibility.
If people like Neil want a rural paradise then how about a covenant on their titles such that when they sell they can only sell to a neighbour who then has to amalgamate to reduce the population and restore true ruralness…..
I agree about your point with smaller farms being “more productive” – witness highly populated parts of the world.
Imo the wakatipu basin should give up on trying to remain like some sort of 1970’s golden poplar-treed sheep-clad paradise and embrace that euro mountain valley higher populated type enclave that works so well over there. There is enough land to house a massive population. I mean, that is the way it is heading. People would love it (except the elite 10 acre block owners and there are f-all of them, and they are just being selfish). People would embrace it. It would become more diverse, more vibrant, more cosmopolitan, more touristy. Imagine it. There are plenty of other rural paradises all around NZ if thats what people want.
If wakatipu people want empty rural then they should go live south of Kinsgton. Go on sam neill, go live south of Kingston if that’s what you want. What do you think weka – would the likes of Neill and Hamilton live there? Still plenty big mountains and scenes, maybe just no “mountain scene”, which seems to be their scene ….. hence cosmpolitanise it all even more ….
(now I’m running late)
for later vto 🙂
“But when someone comes along and subdivides a property so they can have a home for themselves, and then objects to the next person coming along and subdividing the previous subdivision so they too can have a home I just see hypocrisy all over the whole place and a complete lack of credibility.”
By that argument we should build as many houses as we want wherever we want and as high and dense as we want. Not only do most people not agree with that, but we have specific laws in place to prevent that happening.
“If people like Neil want a rural paradise then how about a covenant on their titles such that when they sell they can only sell to a neighbour who then has to amalgamate to reduce the population and restore true ruralness…..”
I’m not sure what the solution is, but I suspect in a sane world it would be a combination of nationally set guidelines and then local communities working democratically to decide how best land should be managed.
“Imo the wakatipu basin should give up on trying to remain like some sort of 1970′s golden poplar-treed sheep-clad paradise and embrace that euro mountain valley higher populated type enclave that works so well over there.”
Except it’s a fragile landscape. A big earthquake will be catastrophic for Queenstown. It’s not a good place for high density population.
“(except the elite 10 acre block owners and there are f-all of them, and they are just being selfish).”
Sorry, but you sound very bitter there, not to mention prejudiced. It’s true that lifestyle blocks have changed many places, for good and bad. But I don’t see the owners as being any more selfish than any other land owner generally.
“There are plenty of other rural paradises all around NZ if thats what people want.”
Not for very much longer, and not if your arguments were followed.
“If wakatipu people want empty rural then they should go live south of Kinsgton. Go on sam neill, go live south of Kingston if that’s what you want.”
I don’t imagine Neil would have a problem living there if he had to. It’s a beautiful landscape for sure. But I suspect that not all Kingston and surrounding people would be that happy with the descending hoards. Not sure if you are aware, but Queenstown workers already live in Kingston and commute because there is not enough accommodation in Queenstown (affordable accommodation I mean, there are obviously enough houses there). By your argument we should just fill the whole country with suburbs. What happens when Kingston is full? I guess we could just keep build suburbs all the way to Bluff. See where I am going with this?
Besides how are people going to afford the commute when petrol is $5/L?
There are only so many people that any given landbase can support. While I agree people like Neil have something to answer for in terms of wealth and land values, I think he did NZ a service. Basically he spoke of the value of open, natural, under-developped places. We need those. I like being able to go to a river or beach and find no-one else there at times. That’s not selfishness, it’s gratitude towards nature.
Hi weka, I appreciate all the points you have made there. Sure, controls are necessary for those reasons you mention and I agree with them to maintain certain intrinsic values around certain environments and stop them being overrun by masses of people and our wrecking ball ways.
The argument around never-ending subdivision is not something I follow and the argument was only made to highlight the hypocrisy of others in wanting to pull the drawbridge up to stop others doing what those who are already there have done themselves. This occurs in spades in this locality.
As for what “spoils” the environment more – lifestyle blocks or subdivisions….. the wakatipu basin (not the mountains which are not lived on anyway) is already completely modified from its natural state. All natural vegetation has been stripped in the areas where housing and lifestyle blocks are. So to put in a pink house and a golf course, or a vineyard and a schist house, to house one family is no better (and in fact worse given the low benefit for similar cost) than putting in 50 houses to house 50 families. Strip all natural features on, say, 20 hectares and house either 1 family or 50 families… see the cost-benefit ratio?
As for whether the basin is a fragile environment, I’m not sure in what sense you mean. It is no more fragile ecologically than pretty much the rest of the South Island mountain locales. And if it is considered that it is ecologically fragile then it must be seen in the context of this being the only such fragile locale in NZ to be used in this way. Then consider, re earthquakes, Wellington, Taupo area, Auckland (Rangitoto went up just a couple hundred years ago remember). I don’t know if your point here holds.
As for me sounding bitter – sorry, sometimes it seems my manner of expression comes out more harshly than intended. But, when it comes to the demands of 10 acre block holders in Wakatipu, yes, there is some displeasure at their manner, demands, and attempts to push away the “trash”, as John Hamilton has so eloquently puts it.
And when you say this re Sam Neill … “Basically he spoke of the value of open, natural, under-developped places” you kind of nail the sticking point. He didn’t do that. All he did was do that in relation to his own pulled-up-drawbridge part of NZ. And further, that pulled-up-drawbridge part of NZ (the wakatipu basin living areas low down) is far from a natural, undeveloped place. It is completely and utterly modified. He spoke in those terms but he was not correct and it was all on the basis of self-interest imo.
You see these types of nimbys all over NZ – they get their piece of paradise and modify the environment all to hell, then pull out these arguments (which are falsely based) to preserve their piece just for themselves and in order to keep out the trash. This is exactly what the turd Hamilton is stating, just in more stark terms than Neill.
I must reiterate my personal view above re the best thing for Wakatipu into the future – that of a densely populated mountain community (there is no other in NZ) that throbs and pulses with a cosmopolitality that is not even matched by NZ’s big cities. It would be spectacular – picture it – snow-clad mountains lit up by moonlight and the sparkling lights of people-bustle in the low areas. It would go crazy. And the effect on the environment would be nil because the envornment has already been dealt a death blow by its development to date.
Oh, and go Kingston!
one more bit … “value of open, natural, under-developped places. We need those. I like being able to go to a river or beach and find no-one else there at times. That’s not selfishness, it’s gratitude towards nature.”
I agree 1000%. Best jam us humans up closer and leave more of those open spaces. Wakatipu is the mountain location for just that in NZ. Jam everyone in there (which is where they want to be too) and leave all other mountain locations empty and natural.
servants’ quarters
yep.
Why isn’t the local MP, National’s Dennis Plant, speaking out about this?
lol
too busy with the monorail project
“Arrowtown has a very low crime rate because poor people can’t afford to live here.”
We have returned to the day’s of Dickens, when in Britain there was only two classes in society. The upper class and the criminal class
Uhhhh…no you got it the other way around. The basis of the upper class is the kleptocratic class.
“Eva Baloga said: “There are plenty of affordable homes in Timaru. No need to live in Arrowtown.”
There is a poll here where only about 28% of respondents agree with their point of view.
Now here’s a classic case of ‘foriegn ownership of a power company. In debt up to it’s eyeballs, all profits going to service debt to foreign bankers and hedge funds.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8822635/30m-loss-as-Powerco-hit-by-debts
So is this what will happen to all of our power companies when they have been stolen and sold off
All’s going to plan.
April 1993: New Plymouth Energy (the electricity division of the New Plymouth District Council) merges with Taranaki Electricity (former Taranaki Electric Power Board) to become Taranaki Energy Limited
November 2004: It is now moving to compulsorily acquire the remaining shares and remove Powerco from the New Zealand stock exchange.
I think something that would boost labours chances of winning would be to appropriate Manas policy on no deposit, low interest rate home loans for Maori, its a vote winner 🙂
The u-turn on that this morning must have given someone whiplash
OK – I am curious – I have strong views about this (very much against), but genuinly am interested in what “lefties” think of the race based housing policy from Mana.
“Maori first-home buyers would be able to buy homes with no deposit, at the same interest rates that Government pays and with negotiable mortgage terms.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10891862
Follow up question – do you think Labour should support this?
James in the same speech this was the last couple of sentences
http://mana.net.nz/2013/06/mana-housing-policy-announcement-for-maori-te-hamua-nikora-ikaroa-rawhiti-mana-candidate/
Only 45% of Māori own their own homes compared to 70% for pākehā and that inequity must be addressed imo.
Can they not afford homes because they are maori, or because they are poor?
It is, however, absurd to put into law that the houses can only be on-sold to other Maori. And I am flabbergasted why race is being prioritised over need. That’s not redress, that’s blatant divisiveness. And why can’t the iwi take the initiative? Kai Tahu are already doing that with their own money.
So you would be supportive of govt funding direct to iwi. Sounds a good plan to me.
And who would fund the government, so it could fund the iwi?
Surely you know how the NZ govt is funded Gormless.
The Government has already funded it – the treaty settlements. I have no problem with Maori only development provided iwi use their own money – perhaps with a Government top up
Treaty Settlements were reparation for past theft and injustices, not to make up for failings in current social policy. Did you see marty’s quote about the different rates of home ownership between Maori and non-Maori? Why do you think that is?
“And I am flabbergasted why race is being prioritised over need”
That’s probably because you don’t understand the need and are confusing it with race. If Maori are disadvantaged in home buying compared to the rest of the population, then why not assist them?
You also don’t seem to understand ethnicity. If you target services at Maori and do this in a Maori way, it’s more successful ie it’s a better use of the money. That’s why ‘race’ based funding is important. It’s not because Maori are more special than everyone else.
(and you can argue it the other way – that services delivered the Pakeha way are race based ones that serve Pakeha, but not non-Pakeha).
“I have no problem with Maori only development provided iwi use their own money – perhaps with a Government top up”
Had Iwi been given fair settlements I might agree. But have you looked at the rather small amounts that many settlements entailed compared to the value of the lost assets and resources from since the Treaty was signed? One of the core points about the Treaty and everything that surrounds that is that Maori were severely undermined in the 1800s, in myriad ways, and until they are able to recover from that we cannot consider this a level playing field.
Labour should not only support it they should make it one of their election pledges 🙂
The dompost is getting better at being balanced lately, its normally quite left-leaning but now its starting to report fairly and without bias…bad news for the left though
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/editorials/8821564/Editorial-No-return-to-fortress-NZ
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/editorials/8816279/Editorial-Teachers-in-way-of-standards
thats a good one WS – one of your better jokes
seriously though – i dont think you would know “reporting fairly and without bias” if it came up, kicked you in the nuts and left a business card with a hand written note for a follow up meeting
the media arent really left or right leaning – they are lazy oppourtunists chasing sensationalism
editorials are of course different to news stories and regularly come out with a much more rightwards view (in terms of what could normally be considered a left or right viewpoint – not how you or i call it)
your really just showing up the shallowness of both your knowledge and opinion, of how the MSM operates in our contemporary, media saturated world
None of that is even close to balanced – it’s pure National Party propaganda.
As for National Standards?
Research debunks internal assesment criticism
If you want to destroy education (and thus the children) in NZ then keep them. Otherwise, get a clue and start listening to the teachers.
Boadicea’s analysis of McFlock
I found this exchange last night fascinating.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-20062013/#comment-651607
Based entirely on the fact that when someone said the polls were making them seasick, I referred to gentle swells and suggested they watch the tides (i.e. trends rather than bi-weekly angst/elation sessions).
whatever. I know who I work for and who I am, so if you want to start seeing Robertson’s strategists in every shadow, feel free. It is unlikely to change my opinion of your grip on reality.
Gentle swells are Ok, McFlock- if you’re into fashion, and well-mannered foppery. It’s us northerly Gaels you have to watch out for- we can kick up a storm- though it can be a trifle breezy around the southern parts. Macs Go Bragh!
OOOh! I thought I would check how MRP shares were doing.
They started the day at $2.26 and are now down at $2.22.
Volume of trades have also dropped off noticeably over the last week or so.
Great chance for the big hedge funds to acquire a few more parcels of shares on the quiet.
I just saw this Vv. I wonder how the newbie shareholders are feeling about things now?
I watched MRP shares avidly for the first few weeks – not because I have any as I would not have bought on principle. Wish now that I had documented their “progress”, but in the first few weeks, there was massive trading with MRP shares the biggest trades on some days in terms of volume and, on one or two occasions, value. The average of those trades (Volume of shares divided by number of trades) was very, very high – ie, many thousands. . MRP directors were also able to buy up until 31 May, and they did – disclosure notices are on the NZX site.
By contrast, recently numbers of trades, volumes and averages have dropped back markedly.
For example, today so far (as of a few minutes ago), trades have only totalled 124 covering a volume of 421,863 shares, giving an average of 3402 shares per trade (price now $2.23).
I am no expert in the share market, but possibly this indicates that current buyers/sellers are smaller/newbie traders and the biggies are sitting it out at present. Happy to admit my assumptions are wrong if more experienced people can provide a more expert explanation.
Great looking chart here for you VV
http://nz.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MRP.NZ&t=3m&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=
Thanks CV. And I now note that MRP shares closed today at $2.20. Which was my (totally uneducated) prediction/hope for the end of the week. And for this time next week – how about $2.15?
While I last heard a couple of weeks ago that things were underway – ie thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ dollars were being paid out to consultants et – to prepare Meridian for sale in Oct, it seems to have gone very quiet….except for Tiwai Point revaluing themselves at basically zero.
After recent events, I presume National has gone on the war path to re-establish internal communications discipline. Making an example out of Dunne will be part of that.
Well I’m in it for the lomg haul so share price fluctuations dont really bother me…
The NZ govt will reacquire your shares at the right time.
That’s what it comes down to Hami Shearlie. And it’s not as though you’d be losing anyone promisingly Left at all.
Hope it’s not being rude or churlish, certainly not intended, but on television the guy always looks like he needs a shave. Puts me in mind of the final (?) Kennedy/Nixon presidential debate in 1960. It’s still widely expressed that Nixon’s five o’clock shadow look cost him enough to lose by what was a small margin apparently.
Anyway…….back to our sad reality. I doubt anyone can say hand on heart that Shonkey Python would NOT have been on the ropes for months and months now if Cunliffe had been at the helm.
Even if gratuitously The Left could have done with that……..couldn’t we ?
There’s a large pool of voters too disillusioned to vote. If they see a genuine alternative in the Green Party, they might start. I remain fairly sure that National will win the next election and the Greens will be the largest party at the one after that.
Typical of this National Party, hopeless….Meridian float is all over, it wont happen I reckon, who would want to buy it.
The only thing that this National Party gets right is its Crosby Textor inspired media strategy, disguising one of the most incompetent governments NZ has had since the 90’s.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10891965
Yes…its performance pay but the unions are too greedy to see it.
god – you make it so easy
“an allowance to reward experienced teaching staff to the Education Ministry in its pay negotiation round, asking for as many allowances as possible.”
“I think it could look like performance pay if you don’t take into consideration the development behind it and its intent.”
“A staff member at NZEI said its members would not see it as performance pay because teachers’ achievement wouldn’t be based on raw National Standards data.”
its the REPORTER making the logic jump to it being performance pay, its actually experience pay – theres a difference
also – you do realise that teachers already have performance based pay? It happens just the same way as any other employee. The employer evaluates their performance and rewards them accordingly.
What you’re cheering on is politicised pay and mob rule – if thats want you want, go nuts. No ones going to stop you – but at least understand what your arguing for
Its the first step towards performance pay or performance by stealth whatever way you want to look at it.
Obviously saying its performance pay straight out is going to cause a ruckus so you call it something else and everyones happy.
Unions and their leaders arn’t that hard to deal with because the leaders are generally quite greedy and lazy
Yeah, like you’ve ever dealt with any. Your ignorance about union matters is one of your most endearing traits, WS. It’s like you’ve forgotten more than you ever knew.
Shucks you’ve got me blushing (which is making my co-workers give me some odd looks…)
Well then you’re a blushing fool……
The only reason this fool “Winston Smith” gets odd looks at work is no doubt because he says things as stupid and ignorant as he writes them.
I pity his poor co-workers.
No it’s not. It’s career enhancement which probably has something to do with hierarchies, i/e, there just isn’t that many places at the top.
You didn’t actually read past the first paragraph did you? You just read the bit about performance pay and left it at that – believing the misreporting.
James Gandolfini (aka “Tony Soprano”) died aged 51.
Damn shame, he had many of his best roles in front of him.
yep. Very sad.
Fat Tony’s one of my nicknames at footy. I kid myself it refers to Tony Soprano, (but really its the Simmos character). Gandolfini was also great as the hitman in True Romance, the best movie Tarantino never made.
True Romance. I love that movie. Hopper ft Walken alone worth the admission price.
“Fat Tony’s one of my nicknames at footy.” – dear god thats just ruined that favourite TV series for me. You sure it isnt fat fuk by any chance?
Kia Ora for that display Rob.
Cheers, North, didn’t spot Rob’s effort till now. Mindless bigotry comes in many forms, eh.
Bugger.
No, not “bugger”. Fuck. Phuque. Fuketty fuck fuck and feck. And bottoms.
Every account of him says that he was a wonderful guy – kind, generous, gentle. He once said that at home he was “a three hundred pound Woody Allen”. A lot of actors who play villains often are, and show skill at comedy (I’m thinking of Charles Dance, who always seems to play cold-hearted aristocrats and is incredibly warm and funny in interviews). You should see him in In the Loop
Man…….you cuss brilliantly there Rhino !
Where’d you learn that fine shit ?
Well Poos Bums Wees and Potties – he do too!
Ah, no wait – they’re the Labour Party people that need to get gone
Yeah, excellent in In The Loop. Favourite line is the one at the end of this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ijfrzTnydfU#t=89s
Fuck now I’m going to have to watch the whole film. Actually fuck that. I’m going to have to watch all four seasons and then the film.
Still more good news for National, must suck being a leftie and having to be on the back foot all the time
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/8825983/Consumer-confidence-holding-up
Stop being impatient and give Shearer 6 more months to gain traction please.
Is there a subtle message in there..?
the silent majority being silent again.
the silent stay at home majority.
All eight hundred thousand of them. Gathering recruits all the time…
Don’t worry, I won’t be painting my roof (I’m not a homeowner after all). I’ll vote.
Mr ‘crates 🙂
Are you Starbuck or Hot Dog?
Give em a chance at online voting. They can get it wrong from the comfort of their own homes.
My views on that are fairly clear. Apart from the systematic fraud and security issues, if someone can’t be bothered to put aside 45 minutes on a Saturday every 3 years to go vote, they can frak off.
Fair enough. They can still get it wrong from the comfort of their own homes by not voting. It worked pretty well last time. (Only pulling ya leg – anyone who wants to vote under the current system and is housebound can do it, I know.)
🙂
Yeah, six months, then three, then 6 weeks, then 3 weeks, then 10 days, then a week, then a day, then an hour, then a minute, then a second, then a millisecond – don’t worry, he still has a microsecond to – God help us – “scrape by”!
Never underestimate the power of denial – or entitlement.
Here’s a funny thing. I just heard Na Raihania on the radio saying the reason to vote for him is that he’ll be “at the table” straight away, whereas none of the others can be “at the table” until National get the boot.
Same waffle that that old fool Pita Sharples comes out with every time he’s asked why anyone should pretend the maori Party are a serious political movement.
Couple of things about that. First, it’s a lie. The maori Party do not sit “at the table”.
John Key and National’s deal with the maori Party specifically excludes them from the cabinet table. The only table they’re allowed to sit at with Key is at the Green Parrot, and the chances of him remembering anything said there are slim to none.
So apart from being a tired old line, it’s also not even based on a fact. It’s the opposite of a fact. It’s a lie.
The second thing is that even if it were true that the maori Party sit “at the table”, which it isn’t, they already have their two token Ministers (outside Cabinet). Does Na Raihania think he’s going to be a Minister if he wins the seat? Pfffffft whatever.
Third thing is that Key doesn’t even know his name. And when asked why he endorsed a candidate who he couldn’t name, he said ‘cos I’ve heard good things about him’. Which means he knows so little about the guy that he can’t even make something up, and for a serial liar like Key that’s quite a fucking place to be.
So I hope people voting in the by election understand that that’s how much influence he really has. He’s never going to be allowed to sit at the table with the PM who wouldn’t recognise him anyway.
LOL – I also heard Na on RNZ National and thought (well perhaps it is better that I don’t say what). Not a good look, and dreaming me thinks.
The only table they’re allowed to sit at with Key is at the Green Parrot, and the chances of him remembering anything said there are slim to none.
LOL. That is the Quip of the Week.
+1 – genius, Felix.
Ah…..The Green Parrot. Or “The ‘Arrot” as a mate of mine called it……….on account of the P on Parrot in the neon sign not glowing for ages, years. Fun days. Mid-to-late 70s Wellington.
When the Pig was in charge.
When Rob Campbell, serial corporate director including of late POA, was photographed in PYM regalia holding a bloody firearm.
Damn……..I’m having this bizo going on in my head……..”At least The Pig was emotionally centred in New Zealand……..”
This is for friend Morrissey:
Imagine if it wasn’t “Afternoons with Mora” but instead it was “Afternoons with Graham Norton” (which is my viewing right now on 3).
Sorry there Mensa Mora (Affable Cock), but Graham Norton muchmuchmuchmuchmuch cleverer than you, bro’. In all the ways that matter. Yeah……fair enough it’s a completely different genre but still……
I’ll never forget the anagram of “Tory Cunts”. And the Graham Norton delivery. In fact I do forget the anagram itself but since the root was his whole point, that’s what I remembered.
Clever and funny as hell ! Is there a link anywhere for that ?
Akshilly………..in recent times I’ve heard MM on one or two occasions give comment on “issues” in a way that acknowledges the real life depth and scope of the “issue”. Like maybe his immensity has finally cottoned on to a human vibe which involves at least trying to imagine walking someone elses’ mocassins.
As opposed to the irritating Gushing Hurrah Henry-Ness of the man and the vanity of his slip into foreign European language to make a point in English. Hhmm……….no facility I note in Polynesian or Maori language.
In fact I emailed him once to say, lightly of course, “Dear Jime-Mow-Ray…….listen chap, its not Hon-A Harawira, its Haw-Neh…….
Didn’t even get a response. Was expecting some sparkling eurocentric wit. Not a giggle and no improvement either.
Didn’t even get a response. Was expecting some sparkling eurocentric wit. Not a giggle and no improvement either.
You should have included a racist rant and signed it “Michael Bassett.” He would have read it then.
Bassett ? Bassett ??
Years ago worked in Mt Albert. Near to, I think it was Kelly’s Caltex, in the dip at the bend 300 metres east of Mt Albert lights on New North Road. Closed now.
Well, I pull in there to get some gas and who should be fluffing around putting gas in his pretty tawdry BMW, squinting embarrassingly through his spectacles, but Michael (What a Baaaad Speech) Bassett.
Honestly, it ran through my head to march up to him and denounce him as a simpering fucking scab.
Didn’t.
Doesn’t change the fact. Him and all the others. They did a bigger con-job than Crosby Textor could dream about. Paradoxically, riding the “Labour Bus” all the way to the scab launching pad.
While also using and abusing the fineness which resided in David Lange.
I was walking my dog once when we came across Roger Douglas and some rich pricks in a sidewalk restaurant on Jervois Rd. I loudly informed the dog that if she knew what an asshole he was, she’d bite him. A few people laughed, probably at me rather than with me, but that’s life.
I remember that petrol station North. Disappeared years ago. Just up the road (back towards the traffic lights) there was a small community hall – now the community constable’s office – where we held our monthly electorate meetings. Those were the days when we used to have as many as 25 to 30 people attend our ordinary business meetings. When Helen Clark became our candidate (1980) I recall her arriving on the noisiest motorscooter that I’ve ever encountered. We could hear her coming 1/2 a kilometre away – slight exaggeration. Fortunately she exchanged it for a car soon afterwards.
I never found out what exactly happened, but she had an almighty row with Michael Bassett and anyone who dared mention his name during the campaign period that followed invariably ended up with a flea in their ear. Those were the days when Helen was still able to be her natural self.
I miss her. I miss her stewardship of the country.
Btw, did you know that Bassett and Lange were related. Second cousins I think it was.