Hot cup of morning ideological coffee, from Bernie Sanders’ speech yesterday on what democratic socialism means for him:
“In that remarkable speech this is what Roosevelt said, and I quote: ‘We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. Necessitous men are not free men.’ In other words, real freedom must include economic security. That was Roosevelt’s vision 70 years ago. It is my vision today. It is a vision that we have not yet achieved. It is time we did…The right to a decent job at decent pay, the right to adequate food, clothing, and time off from work, the right for every business, large and small, to function in an atmosphere free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies. The right of all Americans to have a decent home and decent health care. What Roosevelt was stating in 1944, what Martin Luther King, Jr. stated in similar terms 20 years later and what I believe today, is that true freedom does not occur without economic security.”
Yep, Ad, Thanks for the interesting quote. The Roosevelts were definitely on the right track. (Eleanor included – she was instrumental in setting up the UN Decl of Human rights, i think).
Its a pity America lost sight of that vision. Interesting to see the comments on the role of corporations even way back then. A major difference between then and now is that the corporate lobby groups have become even more entrenched with respect to their political influence and power. Bernie Sanders will be in for a hard ride, alas.
“For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.
We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.
They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.
Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.
I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.“
worth remembering that the only feason FDR was any good was because of massive riots, demonstrations and sit down protests which forced him to confrobt the capitalist class and tell them that if they didn’t conceede a few things to workers and citizens, they might end up losing it all.
The only riots started in Auckland these days are when wrinkly white guys start yelling about Unitary Plan provisions and rates increases. Mention either density, heritage features, or your Council bill going up more than 5%, and it’s A Fistful of Dollars and rotating handbag Hail Mary’s at the Howick Bowling Club.
No one from Labour came to TPPA marches last week.
Pathetic.
I shall help campaign to remove them on the TPPA in electorates where they can be beaten by the Greens or New Zealand First.
Only Green MPs in Auckland.
Wonder who will turn up for Climate March.
Clearly not Bill English, who thinks climate change is ‘speculative.’
Pity he doesn’t listen to his spiritual leader, the Pope.
3 Labour MPs at the Auckland Hikoi for Homes today – Jenni Salesa, Phil Twyford and Jacinda Adern did the whole 3 hours in spite of heavy rain at times. Jan Logie and Marama Davidson were there from the Greens. I saw lots of positive interaction between Greens and Labour supporters.
I find it very hard to understand what Little thought he was up to.
He didn’t have to say anything and he shouldn’t have.
Anyone like to estimate what the Labour Party supporters in South Auckland might think about Little? I don’t know the area but I would have thought the Pacific Island population might just be a little peeved.
You can say that again. Mass hysteria of the worst kind. Reminds me a bit of the Princess Diana death manic behaviour. I have no doubt Jonah Lomu was a decent bloke and a great footballer but a state funeral? Jesus the world’s going nuts.
I’m going to upset a few people with the following but who cares:
Jonah Lomu is of Tongan extraction. Among the poorest families in NZ are Tongan families and what did Lomu do? He came out publicly supporting John Key as prime minister even though his government has made the living conditions of many of his own kinsmen/women a damm sight worse than they were 8 years ago.
Riddillusion
You’re the one politicising Jonah and this discussion about him by making your cheap shots. They don’t come much cheaper than the brand you adopt.
Personally I think that Andrew Little should have been supportive of a state funeral. Jonah was a good guy apparently, made a success of himself, lived a short life that many sportspeople now seem to, but in his time carved out an amazing place for himself in people’s minds and hearts. He was a role model for tryers who are willing to work on their skills and for PI people who are pleased to see someone get out from the factory and cleaning jobs.
He also appealed to the working man. There were a lot of guys who liked Shane Jones for being a mans man and Jonah was someone they held in high regard.
tinfoilhat
Pot meet kettle then. Actually Anne is one of the nicest most thoughtful people on this blog. So don’t try and bring her down to your level you jerk.
You have some good points there Anne. The voice of reason, like the little boy who was brave enough to point out the emperor had no clothes when everyone else was bowing and scraping because they didn’t want to stand out. Yes he was a good rugby player. Yes he had a right to his politics but I think he is very like John Key in that he had advantages that enabled him to get to where he did and he was happy to support an ideology which pulled the ladder up for those who came after.
If you looked at the Stuff poll 65% were opposed. Neither are valid polls however.
I agree with Little. Ed Hillary got a state funeral because of what he did after he climbed Everest. Giving Lomu a state funeral for being a very good at rugby is a stupid idea that Little rightly dismissed .
hi anne and karen, i agree about no state funeral for a mere good rugby player, however, jonah was a great all black in a hugely transformative time in rugby and world politics.
he was a big influence in the change to professional rugby, both how the game was played on the field, and on the business side.
jonah was so often the last player to leave the field, signing for children.
he was generous with his time with charities and humble to the bone.
i say this not to change your minds but to perhaps shed a little light as to how others view a good father, great all black, hero to many, and a decent man.
There are many, many people who have achieved very well in sport and gone on to do far more charity work than Lomu ever did, and I have no idea of what you mean by his being a great All Black in a transformative time in “world politics.” Hardly any countries play rugby – it isn’t even a world sport let alone having any influence on world politics.
No denying Lomu was a great All Black, and for that he received a lot of kudos in his life time.
He was also generally thought to be a decent human being. That is not enough to warrant a state funeral. If it were we would be having them every week, but they are actually very rare.
No denying Lomu was a great All Black, and for that he received a lot of kudos in his life time.
Precisely, and there’s no denying he was a decent bloke too if, in my view, a little lacking in insight. But to counter that, he did have more than his fair share of health issues.
There are plenty pf people who would qualify for the same sort of kudos but they would not expect a “state funeral”. Indeed I doubt Jonah Lomu envisaged such a farewell. State funerals are confined to the truly greatest in our land. Sir Edmond Hillary was a truly great man.
As for you tinfoilhat. I suggest you reflect on your occasional faulty perceptions and your [sometime] attitude.
not rationed per se, but in my experience one would perhaps expect one in their lifetime…as outstanding as Jonah Lomu was, a comparable case could be made for many in a range of endeavors and I suspect we may end up having State funerals on a monthly roster.
Jonah Lomu went beyond merely playing rugby. He was involved in charity work and became an ambassador for the game and in effect country.
Nevertheless, whether or not Lomu secured a state service is totally out of Littles hands. He’s not the PM, thus has no say on the matter. Therefore, why comment on it?
As leader of the opposition, Little has far more pressing matters to focus on rather than risk upsetting a number of voters commenting on a hypothetical.
I for one would rather know if Labour plan to back their running down of Paula with an announcement that they will reverse what Little termed her nasty policy?
“I shall help campaign to remove them on the TPPA in electorates where they can be beaten by the Greens or New Zealand First.”
What’s the strategy there Paul? Because as far as I can tell the only change of govt we will get will be a Labour-led one. And if NZF’s vote peaks, then that lessens the chances of a change. Even if NZF choose to support Labour, it’s going to create problems for any left-wing coalition because of Peters’ animosity towards the GP. We might end up with a centrist government that gives a few sops to Peters but basically doesn’t support the kinds of changes I assume you want.
Winston has always sought to marginalise the Greens for what appears to be a few of reasons;
– Personal dislike of some Green MP’s
– The similarity of policy in some areas, specifically where the Greens wish to strengthen and increase the diversity of NZ manufacturing and small local businesses (NZF does not want to share the votes those policies bring).
– NZF is the go-to party for disillusioned National voters. Pretty sure rhetoric in support of the Greens will drive some (most?) of these back to National.
So, once Winston is gone, will NZF retain the same level of support?
And would Ron Mark be keen to work with the Greens?
The answer to both of these is likely to be no.
But, to address Labours problem; to govern it requires the support of two political parties. One of whom wants power, and one that wants change.
By marginalising the Greens Labour sets itself up for a situation where, should it get an opportunity to form a government with NZF and the Greens, the membership of the Green Party might just tell Labour to go fuck themselves and work in opposition while continuing to build the grassroots support that will eventually eat Labours lunch.
The Greens and NZ First are more left than Labour in a number of areas, thus Labour will be the hurdle when it comes to getting left policy through in such a coalition.
My point is that getting the actual coalition together will be far, far more difficult.
Primarily due to NZF politics, and secondarily due to Labours response to how NZF positions itself.
The more Labour head down the centrist path and align with National, the more they distance themselves from their potential coalition partners.
The more the public perceive this distancing the more they struggle to see such a coalition working (as National depicted so well in their last general election campaign).
Getting voter support, thus the numbers required, heavily relies on the three convincing voters they can work together. Labour chasing the centre undermines that.
Labour chasing this mythical “centre” is an explicitly weak strategy which most people I think recognise on one level or another.
It’s an admission that the policies that National follow are the correct ones. Labour would just implement them in a kinder gentler way*.
I.e. We stand for our bums on the govt benches instead of those guys.
* I think that there is a constituency for this among some who wield large amounts of capital.
Though not because Labour are kinder, but because they possesses more competent technocrats than National does.
Labour endorses the fundamental economic, social and security frameworks that National endorses, which leads to general agreement on broad policy between the two large parties.
Implementation of that policy tends to differ but not just because Labour has “more competent” technocrats (a good observation on your part). But because National is more willing to push through ‘bad policy’ if it benefits their core constituency.
In contrast Labour won’t do fuck all to bend policy to benefit their self professed core constituency (working class/precariat) if their technocrats advise against it.
The facts are that on matters of pure policy National and Labour should go into coalition together.
The only reason they do not is because of long held historical and cultural animosity between the two parties.
But its not because of fundamental policy differences.
“It’s an admission that the policies that National follow are the correct ones”
Indeed. Their buckling on the TPP is an example of this. Telling voters it passes 4 of their bottom lines gives an impression the deal isn’t that bad. Effectively implying National were right in signing up.
@ Paul @ 2.1.1…re “No one from Labour came to TPPA marches last week”….how do you know this Paul?
…my sister went to the TPPA marches and she ALWAYS votes Labour….just because you dont walk under a banner or wear a t-shirt saying who you vote for doesnt mean you dont vote Labour
…we had a number of speakers and from unions and I would say they would be Labour voters … certainly not Green because there were so many NZ flags flying all around them and they spoke under NZ flag banners
(btw it is no one’s business who you vote for unless you choose to tell them who you vote for …and you may not know yourself until polling day)
..I really dislike the way the Greens are trying to organise and manoeuvre people into marching with them as a group…eg. “Will you be marching with us on Climate Change Day….so and so? ( not bloody likely)
..they are not fooling anyone in their desperate grab for votes and Green Party members…least of all the young
… infantile!…reminds me of school prefects and peer group pressure …it should be called the the Green Infant School Party…mind you walk in crocodile lines children and stick with your teachers…while we go on this jolly hockey sticks march for climate change….there’s good little kiddies ( and dont forget to bring your Green badges)
Key normally listens to focus groups and polls.
However, his core responsibility is to international finance and to get this corporate deal over the line.
He’ll ignore the numbers and distract people to other issues.
” primary caregiver simply doesn’t give enough of a shit.”
Or they don’t know how to give a shit in a constructive way – for example shaken baby syndrome is not malice, it’s desperation. Even druggies understand desperation, but may not know how to deal with it.
Moreover, poverty stricken, and/or desperate parents (for whatever reason – lack of support, money, education, exposure to babies, time, tiredness) are some of the hardest to reach parents out there.
The montage of photos in the article I linked to…click on each photo and it gives the name of the child and the circumstances of their death and the name of the killer(s). In most cases.
Read ALL of them. Google the names and read articles from the archives about these children and their sad lives. Get a bit of detail, context.
Then let us know how many of these children’s deaths were due solely to poverty and deprivation, social isolation….
Its too easy to blame poverty.
We should have looked at drug and alcohol use, mental illness, NZ’s adulation of the “hard man” culture.,. the ingrained violence.
And shitty government departments who are incompetent, biased, politically and ideologically constipated….and just don’t bloody well listen.
Yes, we should look at all that. That is not simplistic.
“The child is a burden and a nuisance…”
That is not simplistic?
There are not many people out there, imo, who have kids with the desire to get rid of them – that is not to say it doesn’t happen, it;s just not more likely in a country like NZ, than say, Australia, imo.
There are many more parents that simply don’t realise what having a child entails, if support is not provided (whether that is wider family, or other health or social services).
Yes, I agree with what you said about context. But what is that context? As for poverty – Do you not think it is more difficult to access support when poor? Do you not think it is much harder for social service to provide support to financially deprived people?
Having said that I do believe parent socially disconnected from an extended family are more likely to be parents who don’t have the first clue about being parents do really bad stuff. So poor treatment of children is much greater than poverty alone. My issue was your accusation that poverty as a cause of child abuse was simplistic when you then went on to assume that ‘not giving enough of a shit’ was the cause.
So which parents don’t have a clue (or give a shit)? Which ones will have someone to rally around when things turn to custard? Which ones are more likely to take up with partners who don’t give a shit/don’t have a clue about kids – in your opinion?
“We should have looked at drug and alcohol use, mental illness, NZ’s adulation of the “hard man” culture.,. the ingrained violence.
And shitty government departments who are incompetent, biased, politically and ideologically constipated….and just don’t bloody well listen.” yes, rather than saying primary caregivers just don’t give enough of a shit.
One of the problems for poorly supported parents is the 24/7 aspect of it. Never having time for oneself, hardly able to go to the toilet because of some feeding or waking or demand problem. Having to take the child everywhere you go so no freedom any more to just be yourself, be an individual, not be under the duty of care to the vulnerable and demanding child.
A child who vomits, cries, won’t sleep, so intruding into the time the parent needs to rest and restore themself. Tiredness, disappointment, feelings of failure to satisfy the needs of the child, despair, anger, red rage….
If it is one parent only, or a parent with an irresponsible, immature partner, or a parent forced to give access to somebody who doesn’t want to take on a father/mother role and resents it and is unreliable, unstable who is inconsistent, erratic, even capricious (says they will be available and then is not, promises and doesn’t fulfil, promises the child attention then doesn’t turn up, turns up at a different, not scheduled time and wants immediate access, turns up drunk), then it can be a burden beyond bearing at times.
People’s opinions about what should be, are often far away from the reality that parents without good and happy support face and I would like to see parents given far more opportunity to gain support on request, and be assured they were well-thought of members of the community. Which is not how parents on benefits are presently thought of. Hate is more the correct description, discriminated in general, discounted as people, and derided and disparaged particularly by men who know they are never likely to be in that status.
The Stuff analysis of 187 victims of child homicide since 1992 found that the majority of victims (73.5%) were from suburbs with a Social Deprivation Index score of 6 or greater.
It’s not that it’s too easy to blame poverty, it’s more of a case that poverty clearly sticks out.
and on the other side of coin millions have not been murdered. the number is so small could you really make a difference by addressing any of the above, considering these issues will always be with us to some degree, no matter what you do. Changing government may make you feel better but really would much change, answer, no
standard reaction. Why bother your beautiful mind when you can make up just so many reasons to not go outside and check. But at least they could have called the Blueberry Muffin Brigade.
Mind, the time I called them for a young intoxicated female who appeared to be Downs Syndrom I got nothing.
She was out on the streets, drunk as but very lovely soft demeanor and quite pretty, begging and generally being a bit of a nuisance. But my worry was more a. who got her that pissed, b. and anyone could just easily lure her in the car and then there was a good chance of sexual assault given.
So I call the Popo around 1pm in the afternoon, I also called her ‘caretaker’ at the institution where she lived (she gave me the number). The ‘caretaker’ could not come and pick her up because she was with a different ‘client’ and Popo just said we gonna send someone.
I told her to sit in front of my shop and not move, stay and I was pleased that she did. The police and the ‘caretaker’ arrived at the same time, almost 4 hours later.
Anyone could have lured that girl into a car with the help of a cute puppy or some more booze, what would have happened to her in that case, i don’t even want to contemplate.
We are creating a very nasty, very fearful, and very lonely society.
No, failure (again) of the Misery Of Health Contracted Service Providers who are paid BIG$$$ to provide care and support.
And a certain level of ideological claptrap that encourages people with disabilities to live “normal, everyday lives”, which includes (in the happy clappy documentation) the right to take risks.
No, it’s that people really don’t know what to do in those situations. That combined with the teachings that we should just mind our own business leaves people incapable of acting.
If you call the police the first thing you have to supply is your own name and address, so it becomes personal. Then you will be questioned to give as much information as possible, questioned again later, and perhaps be called to give evidence. You might not want to be identified as an informant to the police in some areas.
You may have media calling you for voice quotes. I was phoned asking if I was related to someone with the same surname who I had never heard of. Later I checked on google and it was a little girl who had been injured by a caregiver. This type of trawling would be a put-off.
edited
“That’s what happens when an ideology like neo-liberalism takes over a country for 31 years.”
The neo-lib bit …yes. They cut their teeth on the disabled…contracting out the “too hard” care and support structures to contracted providers…who a quick google of “disability abuse and neglect…NZ” will show have done a pretty shit job. “Reforms” have seen not more “choice”,(another common word in their Happy clappy docs) but less.. as the smaller hometown providers have been sucked out of existence by the Big (some multi national) companies.
The ideology bit….no area is as fraught and sensitive as disability politics.
Years and years of genocide, imprisonment, institutionalisation, abuse, neglect, murder, marginalisation, and every other oppression society can inflict on a minority group has seen some discussions on how best to care for and support vulnerable and at risk people disintegrate into ideological pissing contests.
This sounds harsh…but it does really seem that way. Add in large amounts of government money for ‘charities’, token seats around the table with ministers and bureaucrats discussing “strategies” and “plans”, a divide and rule culture from government…wedge politics….the waving around of the UNCRPD when it suits….sad head -shaking here…’outcomes’ are not much better.
Parents are encouraged to ‘allow’ their adult children with learning disabilities to have more freedom and take risks…like ‘ordinary’ people. Great…as this gives the Contracted Service Providers an ‘out’ when a vulnerable person in their care comes to grief.
This is a very complicated area.
(But good on you Sabine for making contact with this young woman and keeping her safe and giving a shit.)
Chairman. In November 2013 a woman in our neighbourhood was heard screaming at 1pm one morning. Before that residents heard glass smashing, which was the ranch slider door being smashed through for the attacker to gain entrance to her house.
It was quite a ways from our house so we didn’t hear her otherwise we would have acted immediately.
No one did though.
Sarwen Lata Singh was being stabbed to death by her ex husband who she had a protection order against. She lived in area of infill housing so there were plenty of neighbours around who could have called 111. The call to 111 came from her, as she was dying and after he had left. It was too late though. She had died by the time they got there only 10 minutes later.
I will never forgive those residents for not doing anything. We don’t know, but perhaps her life could have been saved had someone intervened. I have no idea how they can live themselves for their lack of action.
The alleged sexual assault in the case I highlighted may have also been averted if only somebody (other than the alleged victim) called the police when they first heard the call for help.
I wonder how those residents feel now knowing what took place?
Yes, I read through that article and thats what brought back what happened in our neighbourhood. I’m really pissed off at those Hamilton residents who did nothing. I’m pissed off at their lame rationale hearing the screaming and calls for help and deliberately choosing not to help. Some were too scared but why didn’t they call the Police?
and b)pissed off at them not thinking through the consequences of their non action.
A number of folks I know who lean right are all for concreting everything so as to avoid having to mow the lawn (much to the embarrassment of their wives and children who quite like their lawn and garden).
You stole my thoughts on this so called lawn Naturesong, as far as his painting prowess, Delusion wouldn’t know which end too hold the brush, but most likely pay someone under the table, for a couple of bucks.
Yes, it’s well known that RWNJs much prefer their beliefs to the reality around them and so will do everything in their power not to learn anything about that reality.
An analysis of Bernie Sanders’ “socialism” speech. It was an amazing speech and Bernie is not going to shy away from proudly using the term socialism. Many are comparing it to JFK’s speech on being a Catholic, and Obama’s speech in 2008 on race. He’s the ‘outsider’ candidate – like JFK and Obama were – and he’s explaining his positions to the American people. And he’s doing it very well.
Michael Woodhouse has a piece coming out in the Listener soon where he describes himself of having come from abject poverty, which is an abject fucking lie. Both his parents had good jobs and brought up children in a warm dry safe house.
perhaps it seems like abject poverty compared to his life now? all relative, and many of us live in “abject poverty” comapred to the people making all the decisions about how we are governed
Once never thinks back, never looks ahead. Once knows the world’s just a theme park that closes tomorrow. That’s why we drink tomorrow, today. No consequences, no regrets. Someone else can clean up our mess.
Sums up the destruction of capitalism and consumerism quite nicely.
La Belle Trevett is doing Robertson’s dirty work again: rubbishing Sepuloni, who has actually won a seat and has impact in the house, while puffing Ardern who never won a seat and never landed a punch in the house.
Has the party learned nothing? Why is Little letting his deputy continue with the behaviour he started under Goff and continued under the vacuous Shearer?
Does Little not get it that the behavior of Robertson and his ABC friends are what lost us credibility and the last election? That type of politics are what turn the public, and the members, off.
Worse still La Belle Trevett puffs that despicable arse Nash while suggesting Cunliffe has no role to play in the Labour Party.
By using press briefings to attack a leader who was elected by the membership is an extremely disappointing approach. Andrew Little will be seen as a pawn of Robertson and King if he lets this type of behaviour become dominant again.
Little promised a fair and united party. He indicated that he would not accept the undermining of colleagues. Cunliffe has been an excellent servant of the party, one of its best ministers and fully deserves the opportunity to continue making a contribution.
Nash over Cunliffe!! The day that happens Little will loose a lot of respect.
Remember that it is Trevett doing the speculating here. Andrew Little is not likely to base his decisions on whatever it is she purports to think. I was also taken aback by the dismissal of Sepuloni, who I have seen as doing very well, not to mention Cunliffe, who has shown a lot of grace under pressure. But I thought, that’s The NZ Herald for you – exerting pressure from outside and stirring the pot is just what they do.
her piece does stink of leaks from within caucus or from Labour staffers. Trevett will have based her speculations on inside sources, not on random tea leaves.
He most assuredly wouldn’t. My understanding is that Josie Pagani is almost persona-non-gratis among the Labour elite and that is unsurprising given some of her past public statements.
As for Trevett. I imagine her standing in the Labour Party is close to the bottom of the barrel.
You don’t understand the relationship between the Parliamentary staff and King. She is the master enforcer.
By setting such a clear reshuffle script into the public like this, Little has been set up for a further story if he deviates from it.
With the List conferences now done away with, a fairly weak President and a Secretary ready to go, King has the floor to herself. Unfortunately, she’s King of a smaller and smaller island every year. Naturally I hope I am wrong and the government changes to something substantial in 2017. Its just the same tiresome shit that continues to make me want to have nothing to do with politics ever again.
The careerists, for the sake of their careers, would rather be in charge of a losing party, than not be in control of a winning party.
And why is that?
i see part of the reasoning of the leaker as being to tie Little’s hands, and also to signal the continued ascendancy of the Robertson and Right factions. Actually it signals the fact that Cunliffe is still feared by them and that Little’s success at “unifying” the caucus is nothing more than him coming in line with the wishes of those major factions.
Olwyn,
It is not speculation by Trevett.
Ignore the silly stuff here saying she is biased.
She is a pro and would not write this story without having actually been explicitly briefed by a Senior Labour Source.
Robertson picks who does this style of briefing: he is a coward and will always push someone else to do his dirty work: he tacitly let Marieanne Street lead the putsch on conman Shearer.
I would like to think Andrew Little had no hand in this…………..
In any case, the important point is that with those names being eye-rollingly promoted up the ranking, the careerist faction strengthens in caucus. Robertson tightens his network around Little and King will be Robertson’s king-maker.
Andrew Little said that he is not interested in political parlour games, and I like to think he is as good as his word. Those who still want to play such games have to be a bit more cautious these days, and Andrew Little seems quite capable of making his own judgements.
….imo the Labour Party is stuffed unless it can listen to its grassroots/ flaxroots membership eg bold action on TPPA…bold action on issues that concern New Zealanders eg ownership of their housing stock and land and country and assets
…and amongst other things this means rolling out a rejuvenated David Cunliffe (the overwhelming rank and file membership choice)
…a high profile David Cunliffe could stick it home to jonkey and nactional…he has electoral appeal …which does not mean Little relinquishes his leadership organising role
imo NZF is the closest natural coalition partner for Labour ( this coalition has worked very successfully in the past)
…the Greens will probably come on board also …despite their competitive and coalitiion splitting and dumping behaviours of late
(eg support for Red Peak flag and John Key and against the NZ flag included in the first referendum and against the wishes of Labour and NZF…and support for Jonkey nacts framing the housing crisis in Auckland as “crude racial profiling”by Labour ( not helpful) and Ron Marks as being racist …also their continued sniping at Winston Peters as unable to work with them…imo a projection of their own competitiveness and antipathy towards Peters and NZF)
…the Greens will probably come on board also …despite their competitive and coalitiion splitting and dumping behaviours of late
The Greens position on coalition has been explicit and unchanging.
The membership vote on it. Thats it.
That means not discounting any coalition partners including National (technically possible but I expect hell to freeze over before this happens), and not assuming the Greens membership won’t vote to tell the Labour party to fuck off if they believe it to be in New Zealands best interest. (also extremely remote)
The fact she goes on about the Turnbull Obama chat shows that this articles are the twitterings of a pointless little shit.
She’s wrong about Cunnliffe I reckon Littles had him on the back burner till things blow over, English has proved that just because someone misses the top job they can’t have a big input.
Wellington-based MPs and their staffers leaking stuff like MP Performance Review metrics and potential Shadow rankings only hurts their potential to gain government. Centralising power to their rightist clique means an homogenized and cowed caucus agreeing to no bold policies. Like last time. One of the others was disunity and leaks. We will have the same mediocre candidate and policy shite to sell to the punters that we had last time if this continues.
Plus, Wellington MPs and staffers signaling they want to slide Auckland MPs down the list shows they still fear Auckland. Labour’s anti-Midas touch with Auckland business means, as their President noted in his speech to the Conference, that they will be fundraising one meat pack raffle at a time, hundreds and hundreds of times for the next two years. Love him or hate him, Cunlilffe has really good fundraising access to the highly salaried professional services classes in Auckland. If Wellington keeps screwing him over he’ll walk – which they will love – until they run out of money.
Trevett’s article simply shows the Usual Suspects scorching the earth using the election as a pretext for cleanout. It simply continues to damage their 2017 chances.
Oh but wait, Nash could come onto The Standard again and remind us it was actually all our fault. Yeah right pal.
“”Labour’s anti-Midas touch with Auckland business means, “”
Just to clarify are you pro Auckland big business being courted to fund labour ,or just agreeing because Ads comment points out past problems in Labour.
Read the piece closely. Claire Trevett, despite being a Nat tool, is still doing her job and ‘reporting’ on a number of things that clearly have been communicated to her from someone in the know in Labour/with the Labour leadership. The language is definite and unambiguous, going into detail, not speculative or made up. Scrutinise the piece and see, for eg:
* “Expect Kelvin Davis to leapfrog over Nanaia Mahuta to be the highest ranked Maori MP and for Mahuta to drop down.”
* “Little’s focus will be instead on bringing forward talented newcomers from the 2011 and 2014 intakes, such as Jenny Salesa, Davis and Stuart Nash.”
* “That is David Shearer’s gain, effectively guaranteeing he will keep his foreign affairs portfolio and possibly pick up defence as well.”
And a whole paragraph focusing on Cunliffe. ABC-ing at work, as usual. The careerist faction is alive and well, and are determined to cement their own “Jobs. Jobs. Jobs.” What has Andrew Little got – no electorate (a deal has been struck with Annette?), last choice for leadership (read: preferentials went through to the final round before he emerged), i.e. no strong power base. And now, this leak. Again.
Little made a strategic error in failing to live up to his promise of replacing King after twelve months.
The members, who were willing to accept his placings in the post leadership week for the sake of unity, will be less willing to swallow rats when they see that King and Robertson are back running the show.
Liabilities like Nash and Shearer and weaklings like Ardern and Faafoi will be seen to be in the ascendant!!
If any elements of this story are true we are fucked.
“The ABC club never died when Cunliffe became leader – they just retired to the corner and got more bitter and twisted. It’s no secret who they are: Trevor Mallard is the life president, Clayton Cosgrove, chief plotter, David Shearer, general-secretary, Stuart Nash, head of communications, Annette King, camp mother, Grant Robertson the uncle, Phil Goff, kaumatua, and the errant ABC kids are Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins and Kris Faafoi.”
Little’ mistake in giving in to the Wellington set will cause Labour to be in opposition for another term. Remember Robertson came THIRD in Wellington Central, King Faafoi Hipkins had bigger reductions in their majorities than Auckland MPs. This group of loosing delusionists now seem to have Little’s ear.
God this makes me angry! http://transportblog.co.nz/2015/11/21/hamilton-bypass-to-be-bypassed/
I cannot imagine a more shortsighted, stupid, and incompetent decision by a government ever! We cannot feed or house our children, we have one of the worst rates of child abuse in the western world, we emit on average 17 tonnes of Carbon each when the global average is 8 (making us the 5th worst on the planet), but we can spent $1B on a by-pass to by pass the Hamilton by-pass (on which we have just spent $200M!). But don’t worry folks – all up it will save you a whole 35 mins on your trip from Wellington to Auckland.
AND!!!
By 2041…. if there are any cars left…. some sections will carry up to 10000 vehicles!
Why not just stand on a hill top some place on a windy day and throw the whole lot, in $100 bills, into the air. At least someone might benefit.
Yep I think that’s it! I used to live in Auckland for about 30 years after growing up in Wellington. I did the trip from Auckland to Wellington many times. Hardly ever did I find it necessary to drive thru Hamilton- the 1b from Cambridge to Taupari was much quicker and far less traffic. It still is. Or Hwy 27 from Tirau to Pokeno. Up grading 1b would cost about the cost of a flag referendum and serve just as well, in the interim until we transitioned to rail.
Am in Perth at the moment. The light rail from Perth to Mandjurah travels about the same distance as Auck to Hamilton. It does the trip – stopping at all 12 stations in about 45 mins at speeds up to 150 kmph – quicker and more convenient than a car. There is a train during the day every 10 – 15 mins and no need to worry about catching this or that train. just go and there will be one in 5 mins. For us Kiwis the cost of traveling around Perth for a day is $12 – Less if you buy a Smart ticket. If you are an Australian pensioner you can travel almost any time of the day apart from the rush hours for free. Want to take a family out for the day? travel with up to 7 for less than 12 dollars – ANYWHERE.
Spending $1 B on building an efficient fast light rail between Auckland and Hamilton would make much more sense.
I just happen to live in the Waikato … So yes I do know about it. As for the growth areas – that’s just where you do need a fast efficient public transport system. Visit south Perth sometime if you want to see massive development.
Trains carry everything that road carries and does it faster and more efficiently. Self driving vehicles are just the RWNJs such as yourself clutching for a saviour but it doesn’t change the figures at all.
Really, you’re arguing that we should continue to use inefficient transportation.
Well said Macro @12, could not agree with you more. All these roads are being built for the very vocal and pro National trucking lobby. Lets face it was National’s policy to stuff rail for their trucking mates.
Had to go to Tauranga last Thursday. We counted going over the Kaimai’s only, not SH 1, 101 heavy trucks and trailers, like container trucks not your local delivery lorries coming in the opposite direction. I guess we can say possibly the same number were going in the same direction as us as I managed to overtake at lest 10. This is a trip we do often, In all the times we have done this trip at different times of the day, we I have yet to see a train on that stretch of rail track that goes through the tunnel.
Don’t worry we have 100 years of oil left, not. The cheap oil comes from where were looking for it in the great south basin and the arctic, not. auckland and hamilton will become mega cities where everyone drives between them. Our only oil refinery can’t refine the oil we produce in Taranaki. They will make statues of Min. Bridges for outstanding vision. What do you reckon we can do with a billion dollars of smooth asphalt when the trucking industry collapses and people can’t afford to fill up…
Hell yes once all that pescky fucking ice is gone we can drill the poles,
Us one wannabee 1%ers can live under a dome of plastic and our money will buy guns to keep the peasants at bay.
Don’t spoil my fun.
My three scenarios are
Cc and rampant capitalism will combine to bring a dark age .
CC will go into feed back and we’re all fucked.
We’ll get it together and after a final period of deep instability humans will realise money should just be the grease that lubricates existence instead of the rock dragging us to the bottom of the ocean.
So we cant know we will need this bypass til we actually need it… and then e can just borrow the money then, right BM. Or have you abandoned that “reasoning” from yesterday?
You launched into macro for questioning our addiction to the car, given the precarious state of our planet. I ask you whether you accept the Science on climate change. You call me weird.
There’s an old guy in his late 80s who trials ,he lives in a retirement village, I’ve been told he trains his dog in a park on rubbish tins. There is a web site
NZDTA that will tell you where and when trials are happening .
I’m pretty sure Turnbull is confused when he calls Key a role model and really just assumes he’ll be able to get away with the same rubbish in Australia as Key pulls off here. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit, but I think the Australians would not have been bought off by the ‘scumbag journalist’ trope that worked in the teapot case.
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
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 ...
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 ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
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, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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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 ...
Hot cup of morning ideological coffee, from Bernie Sanders’ speech yesterday on what democratic socialism means for him:
“In that remarkable speech this is what Roosevelt said, and I quote: ‘We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. Necessitous men are not free men.’ In other words, real freedom must include economic security. That was Roosevelt’s vision 70 years ago. It is my vision today. It is a vision that we have not yet achieved. It is time we did…The right to a decent job at decent pay, the right to adequate food, clothing, and time off from work, the right for every business, large and small, to function in an atmosphere free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies. The right of all Americans to have a decent home and decent health care. What Roosevelt was stating in 1944, what Martin Luther King, Jr. stated in similar terms 20 years later and what I believe today, is that true freedom does not occur without economic security.”
Full text here:
http://www.vox.com/2015/11/19/9762028/bernie-sanders-democratic-socialism
Yep, Ad, Thanks for the interesting quote. The Roosevelts were definitely on the right track. (Eleanor included – she was instrumental in setting up the UN Decl of Human rights, i think).
Its a pity America lost sight of that vision. Interesting to see the comments on the role of corporations even way back then. A major difference between then and now is that the corporate lobby groups have become even more entrenched with respect to their political influence and power. Bernie Sanders will be in for a hard ride, alas.
FDR 1936 campaign speech in Madison Square Garden:
“For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.
We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.
They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.
Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.
I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.“
worth remembering that the only feason FDR was any good was because of massive riots, demonstrations and sit down protests which forced him to confrobt the capitalist class and tell them that if they didn’t conceede a few things to workers and citizens, they might end up losing it all.
TLDR…FDR saved capitalism.
OK that’s just depressing.
The only riots started in Auckland these days are when wrinkly white guys start yelling about Unitary Plan provisions and rates increases. Mention either density, heritage features, or your Council bill going up more than 5%, and it’s A Fistful of Dollars and rotating handbag Hail Mary’s at the Howick Bowling Club.
LOL Ad
Latest 3 News Reid Research poll – 52 percent don’t support the TPPA.
http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/kiwis-still-to-be-convinced-on-tpp-2015112017#axzz3rxU8w74P
Almost a quarter (23%) of National supporters say they don’t want the agreement.
73% of Labour supporters are against it.
Yet, where do Labour stand?
No one from Labour came to TPPA marches last week.
Pathetic.
I shall help campaign to remove them on the TPPA in electorates where they can be beaten by the Greens or New Zealand First.
Sue Moroney spoke at the start of the Hamilton march….
Greens out in force.
Only saw one Union prominent….the staunch Meatworkers.
Only Green MPs in Auckland.
Wonder who will turn up for Climate March.
Clearly not Bill English, who thinks climate change is ‘speculative.’
Pity he doesn’t listen to his spiritual leader, the Pope.
3 Labour MPs at the Auckland Hikoi for Homes today – Jenni Salesa, Phil Twyford and Jacinda Adern did the whole 3 hours in spite of heavy rain at times. Jan Logie and Marama Davidson were there from the Greens. I saw lots of positive interaction between Greens and Labour supporters.
Nobody from NZF turned up. Says it all really.
Forgot – Louisa Wall was on the Hikoi as well – so 4 labour MPs.
Clearly, there are votes to be gained. Labour (with their questionable positioning) are wasting this opportunity.
The latest headline I seen about Little had him shutting down the notion of a state service for Jonah.
It was a kind of dumb hysterical notion.
This poll indicates it was a popular notion. 74% in support.
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/DUNCAN-GARNER-POLL-Should-Jonah-Lomu-get-a-state-funeral/tabid/131/articleID/108381/Default.aspx
Nevertheless, there are far more vital issues the Leader of the opposition should be commenting on.
I find it very hard to understand what Little thought he was up to.
He didn’t have to say anything and he shouldn’t have.
Anyone like to estimate what the Labour Party supporters in South Auckland might think about Little? I don’t know the area but I would have thought the Pacific Island population might just be a little peeved.
Going off the poll above, Little and his consultants seem to be on the wrong side of public opinion in this regard.
“He didn’t have to say anything and he shouldn’t have.”
Requires both nous and discipline.
And not just of Little, but also of the cadre of paid Labour Party strategists who seem demonstrably shit at their job.
Well okay, a dumb mass hysterical notion. Honestly, people need to get a grip.
Ha, I wouldn’t recommend Little conveying that sentiment (people need to get a grip).
+1
@ Gabby.
a dumb mass hysterical notion.
You can say that again. Mass hysteria of the worst kind. Reminds me a bit of the Princess Diana death manic behaviour. I have no doubt Jonah Lomu was a decent bloke and a great footballer but a state funeral? Jesus the world’s going nuts.
I’m going to upset a few people with the following but who cares:
Jonah Lomu is of Tongan extraction. Among the poorest families in NZ are Tongan families and what did Lomu do? He came out publicly supporting John Key as prime minister even though his government has made the living conditions of many of his own kinsmen/women a damm sight worse than they were 8 years ago.
pathetic Anne politicising some ones death
Lomu had just as much right to form his own views in life as we all do.
Your comment is bordering on racist
I was born in Tonga. No, my parents were not Tongan but I felt a strong bond with them.
A few people seems to politicising his death but mostly it seems to be the RWNJs as they look for a poll bounce from his death.
Riddillusion
You’re the one politicising Jonah and this discussion about him by making your cheap shots. They don’t come much cheaper than the brand you adopt.
Personally I think that Andrew Little should have been supportive of a state funeral. Jonah was a good guy apparently, made a success of himself, lived a short life that many sportspeople now seem to, but in his time carved out an amazing place for himself in people’s minds and hearts. He was a role model for tryers who are willing to work on their skills and for PI people who are pleased to see someone get out from the factory and cleaning jobs.
He also appealed to the working man. There were a lot of guys who liked Shane Jones for being a mans man and Jonah was someone they held in high regard.
You really are a nasty piece of work Anne.
steady on tinfoil, put your hat back on.
Yes Anne, my best friend are…. But
tinfoilhat
Pot meet kettle then. Actually Anne is one of the nicest most thoughtful people on this blog. So don’t try and bring her down to your level you jerk.
You may have seen this already Anne. From Morgan Godfery.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/jonah-lomu-made-polynesian-physicality-something-we-could-cheer?CMP=soc_568
You have some good points there Anne. The voice of reason, like the little boy who was brave enough to point out the emperor had no clothes when everyone else was bowing and scraping because they didn’t want to stand out. Yes he was a good rugby player. Yes he had a right to his politics but I think he is very like John Key in that he had advantages that enabled him to get to where he did and he was happy to support an ideology which pulled the ladder up for those who came after.
If you looked at the Stuff poll 65% were opposed. Neither are valid polls however.
I agree with Little. Ed Hillary got a state funeral because of what he did after he climbed Everest. Giving Lomu a state funeral for being a very good at rugby is a stupid idea that Little rightly dismissed .
hi anne and karen, i agree about no state funeral for a mere good rugby player, however, jonah was a great all black in a hugely transformative time in rugby and world politics.
he was a big influence in the change to professional rugby, both how the game was played on the field, and on the business side.
jonah was so often the last player to leave the field, signing for children.
he was generous with his time with charities and humble to the bone.
i say this not to change your minds but to perhaps shed a little light as to how others view a good father, great all black, hero to many, and a decent man.
There are many, many people who have achieved very well in sport and gone on to do far more charity work than Lomu ever did, and I have no idea of what you mean by his being a great All Black in a transformative time in “world politics.” Hardly any countries play rugby – it isn’t even a world sport let alone having any influence on world politics.
No denying Lomu was a great All Black, and for that he received a lot of kudos in his life time.
He was also generally thought to be a decent human being. That is not enough to warrant a state funeral. If it were we would be having them every week, but they are actually very rare.
Thank-you Karen.
Precisely, and there’s no denying he was a decent bloke too if, in my view, a little lacking in insight. But to counter that, he did have more than his fair share of health issues.
There are plenty pf people who would qualify for the same sort of kudos but they would not expect a “state funeral”. Indeed I doubt Jonah Lomu envisaged such a farewell. State funerals are confined to the truly greatest in our land. Sir Edmond Hillary was a truly great man.
As for you tinfoilhat. I suggest you reflect on your occasional faulty perceptions and your [sometime] attitude.
world politics refers to sth africa/mandela and also the mega bucks .01% ‘owning’ a sport globally. murdoch etc.
@ Anne, on reflection you are a sanctimonious nasty piece of work.
a question…..if there was to be only one state funeral in your lifetime would that be for Jonah Lomu?
hi pat,
good question, probably not if state funerals are to be rationed.
not rationed per se, but in my experience one would perhaps expect one in their lifetime…as outstanding as Jonah Lomu was, a comparable case could be made for many in a range of endeavors and I suspect we may end up having State funerals on a monthly roster.
must admit, this started a slightly grim conversation here.
as to who is living, we would honour in this way.
i feel it wise not to speculate.
@ Karen.
Jonah Lomu went beyond merely playing rugby. He was involved in charity work and became an ambassador for the game and in effect country.
Nevertheless, whether or not Lomu secured a state service is totally out of Littles hands. He’s not the PM, thus has no say on the matter. Therefore, why comment on it?
As leader of the opposition, Little has far more pressing matters to focus on rather than risk upsetting a number of voters commenting on a hypothetical.
I for one would rather know if Labour plan to back their running down of Paula with an announcement that they will reverse what Little termed her nasty policy?
“I shall help campaign to remove them on the TPPA in electorates where they can be beaten by the Greens or New Zealand First.”
What’s the strategy there Paul? Because as far as I can tell the only change of govt we will get will be a Labour-led one. And if NZF’s vote peaks, then that lessens the chances of a change. Even if NZF choose to support Labour, it’s going to create problems for any left-wing coalition because of Peters’ animosity towards the GP. We might end up with a centrist government that gives a few sops to Peters but basically doesn’t support the kinds of changes I assume you want.
It seems Labour’s positioning would be the largest hurdle in a Greens, NZ First and Labour coalition.
NZF is the largest hurdle.
Winston has always sought to marginalise the Greens for what appears to be a few of reasons;
– Personal dislike of some Green MP’s
– The similarity of policy in some areas, specifically where the Greens wish to strengthen and increase the diversity of NZ manufacturing and small local businesses (NZF does not want to share the votes those policies bring).
– NZF is the go-to party for disillusioned National voters. Pretty sure rhetoric in support of the Greens will drive some (most?) of these back to National.
So, once Winston is gone, will NZF retain the same level of support?
And would Ron Mark be keen to work with the Greens?
The answer to both of these is likely to be no.
But, to address Labours problem; to govern it requires the support of two political parties. One of whom wants power, and one that wants change.
By marginalising the Greens Labour sets itself up for a situation where, should it get an opportunity to form a government with NZF and the Greens, the membership of the Green Party might just tell Labour to go fuck themselves and work in opposition while continuing to build the grassroots support that will eventually eat Labours lunch.
The Greens and NZ First are more left than Labour in a number of areas, thus Labour will be the hurdle when it comes to getting left policy through in such a coalition.
I agree.
My point is that getting the actual coalition together will be far, far more difficult.
Primarily due to NZF politics, and secondarily due to Labours response to how NZF positions itself.
The more Labour head down the centrist path and align with National, the more they distance themselves from their potential coalition partners.
The more the public perceive this distancing the more they struggle to see such a coalition working (as National depicted so well in their last general election campaign).
Getting voter support, thus the numbers required, heavily relies on the three convincing voters they can work together. Labour chasing the centre undermines that.
Labour chasing this mythical “centre” is an explicitly weak strategy which most people I think recognise on one level or another.
It’s an admission that the policies that National follow are the correct ones. Labour would just implement them in a kinder gentler way*.
I.e. We stand for our bums on the govt benches instead of those guys.
* I think that there is a constituency for this among some who wield large amounts of capital.
Though not because Labour are kinder, but because they possesses more competent technocrats than National does.
Labour endorses the fundamental economic, social and security frameworks that National endorses, which leads to general agreement on broad policy between the two large parties.
Implementation of that policy tends to differ but not just because Labour has “more competent” technocrats (a good observation on your part). But because National is more willing to push through ‘bad policy’ if it benefits their core constituency.
In contrast Labour won’t do fuck all to bend policy to benefit their self professed core constituency (working class/precariat) if their technocrats advise against it.
The facts are that on matters of pure policy National and Labour should go into coalition together.
The only reason they do not is because of long held historical and cultural animosity between the two parties.
But its not because of fundamental policy differences.
@ Naturesong
“It’s an admission that the policies that National follow are the correct ones”
Indeed. Their buckling on the TPP is an example of this. Telling voters it passes 4 of their bottom lines gives an impression the deal isn’t that bad. Effectively implying National were right in signing up.
I saw two Labour flags at Auckland march.
@ Paul @ 2.1.1…re “No one from Labour came to TPPA marches last week”….how do you know this Paul?
…my sister went to the TPPA marches and she ALWAYS votes Labour….just because you dont walk under a banner or wear a t-shirt saying who you vote for doesnt mean you dont vote Labour
…we had a number of speakers and from unions and I would say they would be Labour voters … certainly not Green because there were so many NZ flags flying all around them and they spoke under NZ flag banners
(btw it is no one’s business who you vote for unless you choose to tell them who you vote for …and you may not know yourself until polling day)
..I really dislike the way the Greens are trying to organise and manoeuvre people into marching with them as a group…eg. “Will you be marching with us on Climate Change Day….so and so? ( not bloody likely)
..they are not fooling anyone in their desperate grab for votes and Green Party members…least of all the young
… infantile!…reminds me of school prefects and peer group pressure …it should be called the the Green Infant School Party…mind you walk in crocodile lines children and stick with your teachers…while we go on this jolly hockey sticks march for climate change….there’s good little kiddies ( and dont forget to bring your Green badges)
No Labour MP
not a politician in sight on the demonstration I went on…neither Labour or Green or NZF…just ordinary NZers
Just shows you how unrepresentative the media is of popular opinion.
The MSM isn’t there to represent popular opinion but the opinions of the rich and powerful.
Key normally listens to focus groups and polls.
However, his core responsibility is to international finance and to get this corporate deal over the line.
He’ll ignore the numbers and distract people to other issues.
He only listens when it suits.
didn’t listen to the asset sales referendum
Indeed. Clearly it didn’t suit his agenda.
Special Stuff Report on Child Homicide in New Zealand
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/73717177/Special-investigation-New-Zealand-s-shameful-record-of-child-abuse
So far this year, thirteen children have been murdered.
Poverty and inequality, mental illness…
Violent men, drugs, absurdly cheap and ridiculously available alcohol.
The most deprived parts of New Zealand are overwhelmingly represented in the country’s child homicide statistics.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/74019083/is-there-a-link-between-poverty-and-child-homicide-in-new-zealand
I think it is simplistic to ascribe child abuse and murder to poverty.
Some yes, but I believe that in many cases the primary caregiver simply doesn’t give enough of a shit.
The child is a burden and a nuisance…
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/73755086/fathers-pleas-for-his-babys-life-fell-on-death-ears
and the authorities don’t listen when others wave big red flags…
The repeal of section 59 achieved nothing for these children did it?
Kia ora, Rosemary
Sec. 59 was never going to impact on the type of behaviours that kill or violently abuse children. Did we really think that it would? Seriously?
I wasn’t totally ascribing child abuse and murder to poverty. Merely highlighting the compelling result of the analysis.
And from that, it’s clear poverty plays a large role.
Perhaps addressing that would have had more effect than the removal of section 59?
Simplistic?
” primary caregiver simply doesn’t give enough of a shit.”
Or they don’t know how to give a shit in a constructive way – for example shaken baby syndrome is not malice, it’s desperation. Even druggies understand desperation, but may not know how to deal with it.
Moreover, poverty stricken, and/or desperate parents (for whatever reason – lack of support, money, education, exposure to babies, time, tiredness) are some of the hardest to reach parents out there.
The montage of photos in the article I linked to…click on each photo and it gives the name of the child and the circumstances of their death and the name of the killer(s). In most cases.
Read ALL of them. Google the names and read articles from the archives about these children and their sad lives. Get a bit of detail, context.
Then let us know how many of these children’s deaths were due solely to poverty and deprivation, social isolation….
Its too easy to blame poverty.
We should have looked at drug and alcohol use, mental illness, NZ’s adulation of the “hard man” culture.,. the ingrained violence.
And shitty government departments who are incompetent, biased, politically and ideologically constipated….and just don’t bloody well listen.
Yes, we should look at all that. That is not simplistic.
“The child is a burden and a nuisance…”
That is not simplistic?
There are not many people out there, imo, who have kids with the desire to get rid of them – that is not to say it doesn’t happen, it;s just not more likely in a country like NZ, than say, Australia, imo.
There are many more parents that simply don’t realise what having a child entails, if support is not provided (whether that is wider family, or other health or social services).
Yes, I agree with what you said about context. But what is that context? As for poverty – Do you not think it is more difficult to access support when poor? Do you not think it is much harder for social service to provide support to financially deprived people?
Having said that I do believe parent socially disconnected from an extended family are more likely to be parents who don’t have the first clue about being parents do really bad stuff. So poor treatment of children is much greater than poverty alone. My issue was your accusation that poverty as a cause of child abuse was simplistic when you then went on to assume that ‘not giving enough of a shit’ was the cause.
So which parents don’t have a clue (or give a shit)? Which ones will have someone to rally around when things turn to custard? Which ones are more likely to take up with partners who don’t give a shit/don’t have a clue about kids – in your opinion?
“We should have looked at drug and alcohol use, mental illness, NZ’s adulation of the “hard man” culture.,. the ingrained violence.
And shitty government departments who are incompetent, biased, politically and ideologically constipated….and just don’t bloody well listen.” yes, rather than saying primary caregivers just don’t give enough of a shit.
One of the problems for poorly supported parents is the 24/7 aspect of it. Never having time for oneself, hardly able to go to the toilet because of some feeding or waking or demand problem. Having to take the child everywhere you go so no freedom any more to just be yourself, be an individual, not be under the duty of care to the vulnerable and demanding child.
A child who vomits, cries, won’t sleep, so intruding into the time the parent needs to rest and restore themself. Tiredness, disappointment, feelings of failure to satisfy the needs of the child, despair, anger, red rage….
If it is one parent only, or a parent with an irresponsible, immature partner, or a parent forced to give access to somebody who doesn’t want to take on a father/mother role and resents it and is unreliable, unstable who is inconsistent, erratic, even capricious (says they will be available and then is not, promises and doesn’t fulfil, promises the child attention then doesn’t turn up, turns up at a different, not scheduled time and wants immediate access, turns up drunk), then it can be a burden beyond bearing at times.
People’s opinions about what should be, are often far away from the reality that parents without good and happy support face and I would like to see parents given far more opportunity to gain support on request, and be assured they were well-thought of members of the community. Which is not how parents on benefits are presently thought of. Hate is more the correct description, discriminated in general, discounted as people, and derided and disparaged particularly by men who know they are never likely to be in that status.
+1 A recipe for disaster. So many people/organisations watch it unfolding like a slow motion car crash.
The Stuff analysis of 187 victims of child homicide since 1992 found that the majority of victims (73.5%) were from suburbs with a Social Deprivation Index score of 6 or greater.
It’s not that it’s too easy to blame poverty, it’s more of a case that poverty clearly sticks out.
and on the other side of coin millions have not been murdered. the number is so small could you really make a difference by addressing any of the above, considering these issues will always be with us to some degree, no matter what you do. Changing government may make you feel better but really would much change, answer, no
Residents heard a female voice screaming for help during the night, yet did nothing?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/74227899/screams-for-help-heard-before-car-crash-in-hamilton
Thoughts?
standard reaction. Why bother your beautiful mind when you can make up just so many reasons to not go outside and check. But at least they could have called the Blueberry Muffin Brigade.
Mind, the time I called them for a young intoxicated female who appeared to be Downs Syndrom I got nothing.
She was out on the streets, drunk as but very lovely soft demeanor and quite pretty, begging and generally being a bit of a nuisance. But my worry was more a. who got her that pissed, b. and anyone could just easily lure her in the car and then there was a good chance of sexual assault given.
So I call the Popo around 1pm in the afternoon, I also called her ‘caretaker’ at the institution where she lived (she gave me the number). The ‘caretaker’ could not come and pick her up because she was with a different ‘client’ and Popo just said we gonna send someone.
I told her to sit in front of my shop and not move, stay and I was pleased that she did. The police and the ‘caretaker’ arrived at the same time, almost 4 hours later.
Anyone could have lured that girl into a car with the help of a cute puppy or some more booze, what would have happened to her in that case, i don’t even want to contemplate.
We are creating a very nasty, very fearful, and very lonely society.
The new, uncaring face of NZ?
“The new, uncaring face of NZ?”
No, failure (again) of the Misery Of Health Contracted Service Providers who are paid BIG$$$ to provide care and support.
And a certain level of ideological claptrap that encourages people with disabilities to live “normal, everyday lives”, which includes (in the happy clappy documentation) the right to take risks.
I was referring to the fact that no one called the police after hearing a young woman call out for help.
No, it’s that people really don’t know what to do in those situations. That combined with the teachings that we should just mind our own business leaves people incapable of acting.
It’s not that difficult.
When one hears someone calling out for help, either investigate it or call for assistance. It may actually save a life.
However, in saying that, I also largely agree society has been condition to the ways of individualism.
If you call the police the first thing you have to supply is your own name and address, so it becomes personal. Then you will be questioned to give as much information as possible, questioned again later, and perhaps be called to give evidence. You might not want to be identified as an informant to the police in some areas.
You may have media calling you for voice quotes. I was phoned asking if I was related to someone with the same surname who I had never heard of. Later I checked on google and it was a little girl who had been injured by a caregiver. This type of trawling would be a put-off.
edited
One can contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
That’s what happens when an ideology like neo-liberalism takes over a country for 31 years.
“That’s what happens when an ideology like neo-liberalism takes over a country for 31 years.”
The neo-lib bit …yes. They cut their teeth on the disabled…contracting out the “too hard” care and support structures to contracted providers…who a quick google of “disability abuse and neglect…NZ” will show have done a pretty shit job. “Reforms” have seen not more “choice”,(another common word in their Happy clappy docs) but less.. as the smaller hometown providers have been sucked out of existence by the Big (some multi national) companies.
The ideology bit….no area is as fraught and sensitive as disability politics.
Years and years of genocide, imprisonment, institutionalisation, abuse, neglect, murder, marginalisation, and every other oppression society can inflict on a minority group has seen some discussions on how best to care for and support vulnerable and at risk people disintegrate into ideological pissing contests.
This sounds harsh…but it does really seem that way. Add in large amounts of government money for ‘charities’, token seats around the table with ministers and bureaucrats discussing “strategies” and “plans”, a divide and rule culture from government…wedge politics….the waving around of the UNCRPD when it suits….sad head -shaking here…’outcomes’ are not much better.
Parents are encouraged to ‘allow’ their adult children with learning disabilities to have more freedom and take risks…like ‘ordinary’ people. Great…as this gives the Contracted Service Providers an ‘out’ when a vulnerable person in their care comes to grief.
This is a very complicated area.
(But good on you Sabine for making contact with this young woman and keeping her safe and giving a shit.)
I would argue hiding of domestic violence, acceptance of violence was far more prevalent in the past than it is today
There is a clear link between drugs, alcohol, poverty, violent men and domestic abuse.
Chairman. In November 2013 a woman in our neighbourhood was heard screaming at 1pm one morning. Before that residents heard glass smashing, which was the ranch slider door being smashed through for the attacker to gain entrance to her house.
It was quite a ways from our house so we didn’t hear her otherwise we would have acted immediately.
No one did though.
Sarwen Lata Singh was being stabbed to death by her ex husband who she had a protection order against. She lived in area of infill housing so there were plenty of neighbours around who could have called 111. The call to 111 came from her, as she was dying and after he had left. It was too late though. She had died by the time they got there only 10 minutes later.
I will never forgive those residents for not doing anything. We don’t know, but perhaps her life could have been saved had someone intervened. I have no idea how they can live themselves for their lack of action.
It just sickens me to the core.
That’s extremely sad, and disappointing.
The alleged sexual assault in the case I highlighted may have also been averted if only somebody (other than the alleged victim) called the police when they first heard the call for help.
I wonder how those residents feel now knowing what took place?
Yes, I read through that article and thats what brought back what happened in our neighbourhood. I’m really pissed off at those Hamilton residents who did nothing. I’m pissed off at their lame rationale hearing the screaming and calls for help and deliberately choosing not to help. Some were too scared but why didn’t they call the Police?
and b)pissed off at them not thinking through the consequences of their non action.
Two articles I thought Standardistas may be interested in reading over the weekend:
One by the excellent Susan St. John about welfare reform was actually posted mid week but I missed and some others may have also.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/11/18/national-does-not-understand-what-a-work-incentive-requires/
The other is an article by Giovanni Tiso and Hilary Stace about special needs and education in NZ.
http://ips.ac.nz/publications/files/9b740870cdf.pdf
@Karen. Both excellent articles which were read and appreciated by some of us.
Thank you for trying to bring them to wider attention.
😉
Sorry Karen I have more pressing priorities watching my lawn grow and the paint dry
No one could accuse you as an intellectual heavy lifter could they Red.
Is that what passes for intelligent debate on the Right?
‘They’ no longer care. Except for their lawns and painted surfaces.
Not so sure about the lawns.
A number of folks I know who lean right are all for concreting everything so as to avoid having to mow the lawn (much to the embarrassment of their wives and children who quite like their lawn and garden).
lol.
‘they’ can have their concrete tombs after ‘they’ inter the sight of nature’s life-giving powers.
You stole my thoughts on this so called lawn Naturesong, as far as his painting prowess, Delusion wouldn’t know which end too hold the brush, but most likely pay someone under the table, for a couple of bucks.
All I was highlighting is that I can’t believe anyone in their right mind would contemplate reading those two reports as a good use of your weekend
On the right that passes for genius. He can spell! That’s three standard deviations above their mean right there.
Yes, it’s well known that RWNJs much prefer their beliefs to the reality around them and so will do everything in their power not to learn anything about that reality.
http://www.salon.com/2015/11/20/bernie_sanders_just_gave_the_most_powerful_speech_of_his_campaign_why_his_socialism_address_was_a_defining_moment/
An analysis of Bernie Sanders’ “socialism” speech. It was an amazing speech and Bernie is not going to shy away from proudly using the term socialism. Many are comparing it to JFK’s speech on being a Catholic, and Obama’s speech in 2008 on race. He’s the ‘outsider’ candidate – like JFK and Obama were – and he’s explaining his positions to the American people. And he’s doing it very well.
Meanwhile, he’s just reached an all-time high in the Democratic primary polls: http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/poll-hillary-clinton-holds-steady-support-among-democrats-n466641
He has a more than 20-point lead among those under 30.
Full speech here: http://www.vox.com/2015/11/19/9762028/bernie-sanders-democratic-socialism
While Trump is proposing a database of Muslims, there is a progressive candidate on the other side. And in the general election, Sanders would beat Trump by 12 points. http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/poll-shocker-bernie-sanders-leads-trump-and-bush-double-digits
Michael Woodhouse has a piece coming out in the Listener soon where he describes himself of having come from abject poverty, which is an abject fucking lie. Both his parents had good jobs and brought up children in a warm dry safe house.
Cmon they probably only had one car and one house, that is poverty to a right winger.
perhaps it seems like abject poverty compared to his life now? all relative, and many of us live in “abject poverty” comapred to the people making all the decisions about how we are governed
Spoof captures how advertisers approach millennials and consumerism
Sums up the destruction of capitalism and consumerism quite nicely.
I note that Mike Moore is returning home from his post in DC.
Looks like we will be getting a torrent of op-ed from him urging Labour to support the TPPA.
La Belle Trevett is doing Robertson’s dirty work again: rubbishing Sepuloni, who has actually won a seat and has impact in the house, while puffing Ardern who never won a seat and never landed a punch in the house.
Has the party learned nothing? Why is Little letting his deputy continue with the behaviour he started under Goff and continued under the vacuous Shearer?
Does Little not get it that the behavior of Robertson and his ABC friends are what lost us credibility and the last election? That type of politics are what turn the public, and the members, off.
Worse still La Belle Trevett puffs that despicable arse Nash while suggesting Cunliffe has no role to play in the Labour Party.
By using press briefings to attack a leader who was elected by the membership is an extremely disappointing approach. Andrew Little will be seen as a pawn of Robertson and King if he lets this type of behaviour become dominant again.
Little promised a fair and united party. He indicated that he would not accept the undermining of colleagues. Cunliffe has been an excellent servant of the party, one of its best ministers and fully deserves the opportunity to continue making a contribution.
Nash over Cunliffe!! The day that happens Little will loose a lot of respect.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11548766
Remember that it is Trevett doing the speculating here. Andrew Little is not likely to base his decisions on whatever it is she purports to think. I was also taken aback by the dismissal of Sepuloni, who I have seen as doing very well, not to mention Cunliffe, who has shown a lot of grace under pressure. But I thought, that’s The NZ Herald for you – exerting pressure from outside and stirring the pot is just what they do.
her piece does stink of leaks from within caucus or from Labour staffers. Trevett will have based her speculations on inside sources, not on random tea leaves.
Sounds like something from Pagani, who likes to think of herself as an insider. In fact, it could have been written by Pagani.
Perhaps. But even if that is true, there is no reason whatsoever for Andrew Little to follow Trevett’s suggestions, however she came to them.
I doubt very much that Little would follow suggestions from Trevett or Pagani.
He most assuredly wouldn’t. My understanding is that Josie Pagani is almost persona-non-gratis among the Labour elite and that is unsurprising given some of her past public statements.
As for Trevett. I imagine her standing in the Labour Party is close to the bottom of the barrel.
You don’t understand the relationship between the Parliamentary staff and King. She is the master enforcer.
By setting such a clear reshuffle script into the public like this, Little has been set up for a further story if he deviates from it.
With the List conferences now done away with, a fairly weak President and a Secretary ready to go, King has the floor to herself. Unfortunately, she’s King of a smaller and smaller island every year. Naturally I hope I am wrong and the government changes to something substantial in 2017. Its just the same tiresome shit that continues to make me want to have nothing to do with politics ever again.
The careerists, for the sake of their careers, would rather be in charge of a losing party, than not be in control of a winning party.
And why is that?
i see part of the reasoning of the leaker as being to tie Little’s hands, and also to signal the continued ascendancy of the Robertson and Right factions. Actually it signals the fact that Cunliffe is still feared by them and that Little’s success at “unifying” the caucus is nothing more than him coming in line with the wishes of those major factions.
Olwyn,
It is not speculation by Trevett.
Ignore the silly stuff here saying she is biased.
She is a pro and would not write this story without having actually been explicitly briefed by a Senior Labour Source.
Robertson picks who does this style of briefing: he is a coward and will always push someone else to do his dirty work: he tacitly let Marieanne Street lead the putsch on conman Shearer.
I would like to think Andrew Little had no hand in this…………..
Interesting.
In any case, the important point is that with those names being eye-rollingly promoted up the ranking, the careerist faction strengthens in caucus. Robertson tightens his network around Little and King will be Robertson’s king-maker.
Andrew Little said that he is not interested in political parlour games, and I like to think he is as good as his word. Those who still want to play such games have to be a bit more cautious these days, and Andrew Little seems quite capable of making his own judgements.
+100…hope so Olwyn…that Little is his own man!
….imo the Labour Party is stuffed unless it can listen to its grassroots/ flaxroots membership eg bold action on TPPA…bold action on issues that concern New Zealanders eg ownership of their housing stock and land and country and assets
…and amongst other things this means rolling out a rejuvenated David Cunliffe (the overwhelming rank and file membership choice)
…a high profile David Cunliffe could stick it home to jonkey and nactional…he has electoral appeal …which does not mean Little relinquishes his leadership organising role
imo NZF is the closest natural coalition partner for Labour ( this coalition has worked very successfully in the past)
…the Greens will probably come on board also …despite their competitive and coalitiion splitting and dumping behaviours of late
(eg support for Red Peak flag and John Key and against the NZ flag included in the first referendum and against the wishes of Labour and NZF…and support for Jonkey nacts framing the housing crisis in Auckland as “crude racial profiling”by Labour ( not helpful) and Ron Marks as being racist …also their continued sniping at Winston Peters as unable to work with them…imo a projection of their own competitiveness and antipathy towards Peters and NZF)
…the Greens will probably come on board also …despite their competitive and coalitiion splitting and dumping behaviours of late
The Greens position on coalition has been explicit and unchanging.
The membership vote on it. Thats it.
That means not discounting any coalition partners including National (technically possible but I expect hell to freeze over before this happens), and not assuming the Greens membership won’t vote to tell the Labour party to fuck off if they believe it to be in New Zealands best interest. (also extremely remote)
Wouldn’t bet on it CV, Trevett is a Nat party lacky doing her bosses (Daughter of Norm) dirty work.
Peroxide Blonde +100….”Nash over Cunliffe!! The day that happens Little will loose a lot of respect”
….isnt Nash a friend of the infamous Lusk?…who is a friend of Slater? ….who is a friend of jonkey? …( Dirty Politics?) Labour needs to be rid of Nash
http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/story/nash-embarassed-by-links-to-simon-lusk-2015111718#axzz3s6PRJaeg
Smeagol, he smells
The fact she goes on about the Turnbull Obama chat shows that this articles are the twitterings of a pointless little shit.
She’s wrong about Cunnliffe I reckon Littles had him on the back burner till things blow over, English has proved that just because someone misses the top job they can’t have a big input.
Wellington-based MPs and their staffers leaking stuff like MP Performance Review metrics and potential Shadow rankings only hurts their potential to gain government. Centralising power to their rightist clique means an homogenized and cowed caucus agreeing to no bold policies. Like last time. One of the others was disunity and leaks. We will have the same mediocre candidate and policy shite to sell to the punters that we had last time if this continues.
Plus, Wellington MPs and staffers signaling they want to slide Auckland MPs down the list shows they still fear Auckland. Labour’s anti-Midas touch with Auckland business means, as their President noted in his speech to the Conference, that they will be fundraising one meat pack raffle at a time, hundreds and hundreds of times for the next two years. Love him or hate him, Cunlilffe has really good fundraising access to the highly salaried professional services classes in Auckland. If Wellington keeps screwing him over he’ll walk – which they will love – until they run out of money.
Trevett’s article simply shows the Usual Suspects scorching the earth using the election as a pretext for cleanout. It simply continues to damage their 2017 chances.
Oh but wait, Nash could come onto The Standard again and remind us it was actually all our fault. Yeah right pal.
Bullseye, Ad.
“”Labour’s anti-Midas touch with Auckland business means, “”
Just to clarify are you pro Auckland big business being courted to fund labour ,or just agreeing because Ads comment points out past problems in Labour.
Read the piece closely. Claire Trevett, despite being a Nat tool, is still doing her job and ‘reporting’ on a number of things that clearly have been communicated to her from someone in the know in Labour/with the Labour leadership. The language is definite and unambiguous, going into detail, not speculative or made up. Scrutinise the piece and see, for eg:
* “Expect Kelvin Davis to leapfrog over Nanaia Mahuta to be the highest ranked Maori MP and for Mahuta to drop down.”
* “Little’s focus will be instead on bringing forward talented newcomers from the 2011 and 2014 intakes, such as Jenny Salesa, Davis and Stuart Nash.”
* “That is David Shearer’s gain, effectively guaranteeing he will keep his foreign affairs portfolio and possibly pick up defence as well.”
And a whole paragraph focusing on Cunliffe. ABC-ing at work, as usual. The careerist faction is alive and well, and are determined to cement their own “Jobs. Jobs. Jobs.” What has Andrew Little got – no electorate (a deal has been struck with Annette?), last choice for leadership (read: preferentials went through to the final round before he emerged), i.e. no strong power base. And now, this leak. Again.
Little made a strategic error in failing to live up to his promise of replacing King after twelve months.
The members, who were willing to accept his placings in the post leadership week for the sake of unity, will be less willing to swallow rats when they see that King and Robertson are back running the show.
Liabilities like Nash and Shearer and weaklings like Ardern and Faafoi will be seen to be in the ascendant!!
If any elements of this story are true we are fucked.
Fucked
Fucked
Fucked.
Call me crazy but King is necessary.
They needed an internal enforcer.
It’s just that it comes at a very high strategic price.
Duncan Garner: refresh your memory with this:
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Duncan-Garner-Narcissistic-Labour-proves-voters-were-bang-on/tabid/674/articleID/55918/Default.aspx
“The ABC club never died when Cunliffe became leader – they just retired to the corner and got more bitter and twisted. It’s no secret who they are: Trevor Mallard is the life president, Clayton Cosgrove, chief plotter, David Shearer, general-secretary, Stuart Nash, head of communications, Annette King, camp mother, Grant Robertson the uncle, Phil Goff, kaumatua, and the errant ABC kids are Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins and Kris Faafoi.”
Little’ mistake in giving in to the Wellington set will cause Labour to be in opposition for another term. Remember Robertson came THIRD in Wellington Central, King Faafoi Hipkins had bigger reductions in their majorities than Auckland MPs. This group of loosing delusionists now seem to have Little’s ear.
There is no upside to having King there.
The ship leaks a whole lot less and is coherent.
Conference in particular was down to her.
Little has her at Number 2 to good effect.
And remember hager thanked nat staffers in his last book so despite the lack of light shone on nat party probs, they to exist.
God this makes me angry!
http://transportblog.co.nz/2015/11/21/hamilton-bypass-to-be-bypassed/
I cannot imagine a more shortsighted, stupid, and incompetent decision by a government ever! We cannot feed or house our children, we have one of the worst rates of child abuse in the western world, we emit on average 17 tonnes of Carbon each when the global average is 8 (making us the 5th worst on the planet), but we can spent $1B on a by-pass to by pass the Hamilton by-pass (on which we have just spent $200M!). But don’t worry folks – all up it will save you a whole 35 mins on your trip from Wellington to Auckland.
AND!!!
By 2041…. if there are any cars left…. some sections will carry up to 10000 vehicles!
Why not just stand on a hill top some place on a windy day and throw the whole lot, in $100 bills, into the air. At least someone might benefit.
Maybe the RWNJs are out to gut Hamilton by making sure that nobody ever visits there.
Yep I think that’s it! I used to live in Auckland for about 30 years after growing up in Wellington. I did the trip from Auckland to Wellington many times. Hardly ever did I find it necessary to drive thru Hamilton- the 1b from Cambridge to Taupari was much quicker and far less traffic. It still is. Or Hwy 27 from Tirau to Pokeno. Up grading 1b would cost about the cost of a flag referendum and serve just as well, in the interim until we transitioned to rail.
Am in Perth at the moment. The light rail from Perth to Mandjurah travels about the same distance as Auck to Hamilton. It does the trip – stopping at all 12 stations in about 45 mins at speeds up to 150 kmph – quicker and more convenient than a car. There is a train during the day every 10 – 15 mins and no need to worry about catching this or that train. just go and there will be one in 5 mins. For us Kiwis the cost of traveling around Perth for a day is $12 – Less if you buy a Smart ticket. If you are an Australian pensioner you can travel almost any time of the day apart from the rush hours for free. Want to take a family out for the day? travel with up to 7 for less than 12 dollars – ANYWHERE.
Spending $1 B on building an efficient fast light rail between Auckland and Hamilton would make much more sense.
Seriously, you have no idea about Hamilton and the surrounding areas.
All growth in NZ over the next 25 years will be in the Auckland, Hamilton Tauranga triangle.
That’s why these roads are getting built and about fucking time.
I just happen to live in the Waikato … So yes I do know about it. As for the growth areas – that’s just where you do need a fast efficient public transport system. Visit south Perth sometime if you want to see massive development.
Roads work better in NZ, they’re multi use.
Cars, trucks, buses they all work on roads, trains are so one dimensional.
Add in self driving vehicles and roads are by far the better choice, and no I don’t think the world is going to collapse because of peak oil.
but then you don’t think full stop BM…
Trains carry everything that road carries and does it faster and more efficiently. Self driving vehicles are just the RWNJs such as yourself clutching for a saviour but it doesn’t change the figures at all.
Really, you’re arguing that we should continue to use inefficient transportation.
peak oil was 10 years ago. It’s one of the reasons that the world economy is not going to recover again.
Yep, no matter how much money that the banks create the economy isn’t actually going to grow any more.
Well said Macro @12, could not agree with you more. All these roads are being built for the very vocal and pro National trucking lobby. Lets face it was National’s policy to stuff rail for their trucking mates.
Had to go to Tauranga last Thursday. We counted going over the Kaimai’s only, not SH 1, 101 heavy trucks and trailers, like container trucks not your local delivery lorries coming in the opposite direction. I guess we can say possibly the same number were going in the same direction as us as I managed to overtake at lest 10. This is a trip we do often, In all the times we have done this trip at different times of the day, we I have yet to see a train on that stretch of rail track that goes through the tunnel.
Don’t worry we have 100 years of oil left, not. The cheap oil comes from where were looking for it in the great south basin and the arctic, not. auckland and hamilton will become mega cities where everyone drives between them. Our only oil refinery can’t refine the oil we produce in Taranaki. They will make statues of Min. Bridges for outstanding vision. What do you reckon we can do with a billion dollars of smooth asphalt when the trucking industry collapses and people can’t afford to fill up…
How are they funding it?
who has shares in the road construction companies?…again?
Fuck off with your doomer peak oil bull shit.
Hell yes once all that pescky fucking ice is gone we can drill the poles,
Us one wannabee 1%ers can live under a dome of plastic and our money will buy guns to keep the peasants at bay.
Crystal ball gazing is for fools.
No one has any idea what will happen in the future,
Don’t spoil my fun.
My three scenarios are
Cc and rampant capitalism will combine to bring a dark age .
CC will go into feed back and we’re all fucked.
We’ll get it together and after a final period of deep instability humans will realise money should just be the grease that lubricates existence instead of the rock dragging us to the bottom of the ocean.
🙂
Yeah, we have a very good idea of what will happen in the future based on sound science.
So we cant know we will need this bypass til we actually need it… and then e can just borrow the money then, right BM. Or have you abandoned that “reasoning” from yesterday?
You know currency trading involves an element of predicting the future aye?
Of course it does.
Same as any investment, could go up, could go down, it’s how you ride the winners and minimize your losses, that’s what makes a successful trader.
Very few people have that skill.
Also ,certain bankruptcy awaits the individual not willing to re access and adjust their position.
So you agree the PM must be fool, according to your own “reasoning”
Are you bankrupt?
You are kidding, right?
No.
Are you a climate denier?
You’re a very weird individual Paul.
Ad Hominem attacks do not an argument make, BM.
You launched into macro for questioning our addiction to the car, given the precarious state of our planet. I ask you whether you accept the Science on climate change. You call me weird.
Go figure.
Trans-Tasman Trade
‘Russian cruise missiles hit ISIS from Mediterranean & Caspian; 600 killed in one strike’
https://www.rt.com/news/322881-russia-cruise-missiles-isis/
‘UN calls on world to fight ISIS as Security Council unanimously adopts French-drafted resolution’
https://www.rt.com/news/322931-un-resolution-fight-terrorism-isis/
Yeha for the kiwi team in the dog trial test ,run on Aratiatia station Taupo.
“”The Trans Tasman test has been won by New Zealand. Very well done to the guys and congratulations.
Results as follows: Australia 1st round 356.00 – 2nd round 380.0
New Zealand 1st round 376.5 – 2nd round 385.5
Aggregate = Australia 726.0
New Zealand 762.0 “”
As the besotted owner of a couple of tricolour heading dogs and no stock, marvelous,
There’s an old guy in his late 80s who trials ,he lives in a retirement village, I’ve been told he trains his dog in a park on rubbish tins. There is a web site
NZDTA that will tell you where and when trials are happening .
John Roughan has to relinquish Key interview recordings and transcripts for the Bradley Ambrose defamation case:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11548827
I’m pretty sure Turnbull is confused when he calls Key a role model and really just assumes he’ll be able to get away with the same rubbish in Australia as Key pulls off here. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit, but I think the Australians would not have been bought off by the ‘scumbag journalist’ trope that worked in the teapot case.
Thanks for the link. Interesting times