Yes, and "Aunty" is humbly helping with the food. I thought "Go Jacinda" showing where your heart is. It makes a mockery of some statements about her and her future.
Changed (in the internal cacher) the site html/xml Cache-control to public and an max-age of 0.
Javascript and CSS to caching with an max-age of 600 seconds. That is simply to allow dynamic style updates to cause only short amount of confusion at the expense of a slightly slower page display.
The rest of the media and images to public with long max-age.
That seems to be working in my test cases where I could see the problem previously.
I'll check on the different desktop / mobile settings later. However I think I have added a setting to make sure that the cache is stored by device type (it was rather late/early when I did it).
Christopher Luxon, quite likely to be Prime Minister later this year, does not accept the word of the Police Commissioner.
The Commissioner provided specific factual information but the Leader of the Opposition is more prepared to accept anecdotal information off the street.
It is to his advantage to have as many upset and fearful and he'll use concern and fear about crime to paint as scary a picture about the community as possible.
Scarier than any crime in cyclone stricken regions is that anyone would so wilfully use misinformation for political ends in the circumstances. Scarier still is then expect to be seen as a leader. And scariest, that dumb arses won't have the nous to see his crap for what it is.
Sorta wonder if there's not a bit of cover / denial of some other problems going on here. Blaming 'gangs' to cover an inflated insurance claim or omissions that led to a greater loss.
The Greens have floated a windfall profit tax to help support the cleanup.
"The Green Party has said a number of times that in this inflationary environment, there are a number of companies that are making massive, unearned windfall gains simply because of constrained supply.
…
Shaw wants to table the Climate Adaptation Bill before the election but said it was unlikely to pass before the end of the year.
The bulk of the bill addresses the issue of managed retreat, relocating settlements away from vulnerable areas.
"We are going to be looking and seeing what we can do to accelerate it."
…
Asked whether an amnesty for RSE workers who have overstayed was a good thing, Shaw said climate change was displacing more and more people both here and in the Pacific.
"I think having an immigration system that treats people with dignity and takes account of those circumstances would be no bad thing at all."
Shaw said there were thousands of people who lost everything in Cyclone Gabrielle and the top priority now has to be to make sure they have everything they need.
Well tell them to get on with it, as we now have pictures full of damage and harm done by not regulating the forestry industry when burning slash was verboten.
wE could have saved some bridges and maybe prevented some of that real bad flooding. But then we are only ever living in the moment and forecasting is not something we do.
Btw, Slash has been a problem for years now. But surely after the windfall tax on rich people such as them will take away all problems.
2017 we had the same problem with Cyclone/Storm Debbie and the huge floods in Edgecumbe. The Bridge at Tane Atua was almost taken out by slash, the surrounding farmlands and houses were all several meters under water. I know that cause i was there.
So yes, if you remove a way of rubbish removal but don't come up with an alternative that is legislated/regulated into law then some of the issue that arise could be called man made.
I don't fully blame the Greens for that. The Greens are the party they are. But since 2017 i do blame the Labour Party and the Green Party for the lack of regulations created to make the forestry industry safer and to provide a frame work / guidelines on how to dispose of the rubbish they leave behind after clear logging.
So i don't give a shit about their 'tax the rich' – btw, all of them are rich, crappola, but i do care about the fact that neither Labour nor the Greens are doing anything about slash.
What this proposal is for is the funding of restoration of vital services for those affected by the latest storm. The Greens have decried the lack of planning for the future for their entire existence. The Labour party has been in complete control of the legislative process since 2017, the Greens can only make proposals. But those who want to blame the Greens will continue to do so it seems.
Bruh, i don't really fucking care that you are upset that i am not happy with the Greens and the Labour Party. I really don't. No more then i care about some N or A supporter being upset that i am not happy with these two parties either.
this upsets me, the disposal of slash needs to be regulated and it should have been done when burning of slash was phased out on the grounds of the environment.
I mean how many more time do we need to see the same thing happening before Green supporters demand that they do better.
Oh a tax on rich people – that people like James Shaw will be able to aptly avoid cause they are a tax lawyer and they know how to avoid taxes. Seriously this shit has gotten old.
This is all a derail from my original post. It is what-about-ism.
The government needs to fund infrastructure restoration now, and getting that additional funding by a windfall tax on excess corporate profits is the proposal.
It is the logical extention. You remove something, and another thing will fill the voild.
so preventing forestry businesses from burning slash is good for the environment – that might very well be that way, but if no alternative is proposed for the removal of said slash what happens is that it accumulates, and eventually will become a danger.
And we have seen how destructive it is – there are enough clips about bridges being taken out and land covered in old rotting logs to make that clear.
This should have been regulated a long time ago. The last time to regulate that was in 2017. The next best time is now. I am waiting with baited breath.
This tax the rich shit is just feel good band aids. Non of the rich people will pay these taxes as they already have structured their income streams so as to avoid paying any meaningful taxes.
Have a chat with James Shaw about that. They are an accountant and thus are knowlegable about such things. Also if you google rich paying taxes on only the first 70 grand you will find articles going back years stating that rich don't pay taxes. So that is just a feel good, look we are doing stuff window dressing.
Never mind that Labour had a chance of doing so a few years back and all we got was a wee feel good extra tax bracket that literally brings pennies in. Timid, fake, band aid solution that makes people think stuff is being done. Not.
ditto for the freeze the rent cries. Unless you properly regulate the rental market you will always have rents increasing. Why? cost increase, renting is a business and businesses must bring profit. Unless the government starts building to rent in large numbers we will always have a housing crisis.
So you regulate the rental market. Freezing the rent will achieve nothing more then at the very best a bit of relieve on the treasury as the accomodation benefits will not be needed to be increased. And the accomodation benefit is a direct benefit tot he landlord. Might that have something to do with the ever increasing rents? Oh, lets not think that. ey?
We need a government that has the guts to regulate industries. And sadly we don't have that.
So slash will take out communities/bridges/roads every other year, and house prices will go up when housing stock goes down, and rents will go up as housing stock goes down.
Rinse repeat. Rinse repeat. Rinse repeat. Until we finally elects some people with guts.
The slash problem – and foreseeable increase in damage it causes in foreseeable increases in violent and sudden weather events, is something that can be focused on that will produce immense benefits going forward.
Members of the public only need to view some of the images and videos to understand how we all bear the cost of the slash issue not being prioritised:
It's irrelevant because the proposal is for a company windfall tax, it's right there in the quote of my original post. It's not a proposed tax on individuals.
I don't suggest that James Shaw will use his skills, i suggest that his tax accountant will, and if his tax accountant does not so James Shaw should fire him for not doing his job.
I suggest that some people might ask James Shaw on his opinion on that as an Accountant. If anyone knows the system he does. James Shaw will know how to structure financial affairs in a manner that will result in paying the least amount of tax possible, and i would go so far as saying that everyone currently, and past, in parliament will do exactly the same.
Fwiw, every person in that income class will have an accountant that will do their darnest to avoid his client to pay taxes.
Afaik, all the Green MPs tithe part of their salary to the party. I’m pointing this out because not all people on high salaries are greedy in the say you are saying.
Hey Sabine, how are things in your neck of the woods?
re the politics, three things.
1. the Greens don't have a magic wand. The idea that they are responsible for legislation since 2017 is just wrong. Labour/NZF were the govt in 2017, Labour in 2020. In order for the Greens to have more influence to pass legislation they need more MPs, which means more party votes.
2. the Greens have limited resources because they have 10 MPs. I agree how they prioritise those resources is a matter of public interest, but it's also up to the party and membership.
3. please explain why legislation around slash should take precedent over regen forestry or taxing to help with post-flood recovery/
thankfully we have a new mayor who is not going to build low income housing in flood prone zones, aka, reserves in low income housing as proposed. Other then that, crime, drug use, domestic violence, etc are all up, and my shopfringe now has a full row of metalblocks to prevent further ramraids. As one would say, just a nice day in Aotearoa.
2. I dont' actually care about the resources and such. I just expect them to put forward sensible bills.
They can be tooth and nails on Self Id, they can be tooth and nails on regulating the removal of slash.
3. We are planting trees for harvesting. For some farfetched carbon schemes that do nothing to make anything better.
In regards of the slash, maybe burning it is an option again, if all the good minds of this country can not come up with anything else.
Or else, mulch the shit, give it away for people to heat their homes, sell it overseas, or simply stop the growing of pines for profit.
But above all, i would like to people to admit that slash is an environmental man made disaster that seemingly is harder fix then just killing cows/sheep or other animals for their farts.
4. Friends have finally been able to contact us. Thankfully.
Have you got alink about this burning of slash being forbidden.
The only time I have seen/heard of any restrictions was after the forests had been clear felled and the remaining left overs piled and burnt. But that was not a forbidden act more of a waiting for proper condtions requirement.
Slash usually comes from pruning. From very early times in the growth cycle the trees are pruned and instead of removing the prunings, as home gardeners/orchardists do, the prunings are left around the tree on the ground. Then next pruning the same. And so it goes on.
I cannot remember any time when pruners removed the slash from around the growing trees to an area and then burned these.
So when you get to harvest, not only do you have the leftovers from the actual felling but 30 or so years of prunings that may or may not have decomposed.
What I do remember is that recently foresters have resisted any moves from home firewood gatherers to remove material suitable for burning. I know there are H & S fears, but these could be worked through.
In the 'olden days' prior to neo lib selling off of Forests, in some communities Service Clubs removed at harvest waste, cut it and distributed it for free or $$$$. Or SC hosted days and supervised those private people wanting to gather firewood.
Some of the slash is in areas away from areas of greatest need for firewood.
You can burn – controlled fires that is, with the correct permits. But forestry slash is a different beast. And what ever tinkering happened the last time was just that tinkering.
…i am not happy with the Greens and the Labour Party…
Seriously this shit has gotten old.
No-one is getting any younger, but the idea of an effective tax on wealth will never get old, at least for me.
Petition request (petition opened yesterday, closes 17 March)
That the House of Representatives pass legislation requiring forestry companies to pay for damage from slash.
Has 8 (make that 10) signatures so far – I’ve just signed.
who cares. Dude. I am not happy with any of the Parties atm. Non of them are doing the work that needs to be done. Some tinkering on the fringes were the fraying is obvious.
I would like to see free public transport. I would like to see trains. I would like to see houses build for rent. I would like to see communities be created preferably not in flood plains. I would like to see GST removed from food. I would like to see the first 25 grand to be tax free – this would also benefit anyone who is on a fixed income / benefit. I would like to see smaller community clinics being build, student loans removed from healthcare / well fare jobs.
And here we are 2023 and we know that house prices are going to go up again, food prices will go up – shortages are mostly assured given the distruction in our food growing areas, people will lose their houses but the mortgage will still need to be serviced.
Well tell them to get on with it, as we now have pictures full of damage and harm done by not regulating the forestry industry when burning slash was verboten.
I am intrigued. Perhaps you'd care to point out where and when the central government stopped the forestry industry burning slash?
I had thought that this was a council issue and fire service issue.
That the reason that forestry had been prevented from burning was because their neighbours thought it was a really bad idea. Both because of the smoke and that the forestry companies causing wildfires. It made it hard to get permits to burn from councils and fire service.
Yet somehow you seem to be in the grip of absolute knowledge that the Greens and Labour legislated against it.
But I'd have expected that would show up in this forest practice guide on slash. On burning it says (and I have pointed out the relevant requirement in bold). All pretty sensible limits about doing slash burns.
Burning
6. Burning can be an effective option to reduce the amount of slash in a birds nest. The processing slash can sometimes burn for weeks which can pose a severe fire risk in dry or windy conditions. Burning debris can also roll downslope creating a risk of starting fires. High levels of fire supervision and resourcing are required when burning processing slash.
7. Seek specialist advice if you wish to use burning as a slash management technique.
8. Have a fire permit if required, a Burn Plan and Fire Control Plan, and follow all local fire authority requirements. Check the relevant council’s air plan and forest insurance requirements and consider any ecological implications.
9. Ensure designated areas of protected vegetation are protected from burning. Consider over-sowing burnt areas to reduce the risk of surface erosion.
The fire service says in the section about "Farms, rural properties and rural businesses"…
Regional councils may require resource consents for open burning on commercial and industrial sites. Please check your regional council requirements.
Not a word about central government or legislation beyond the duty of councils. In fact the most interesting thing was the issues about getting insurance when lighting fires on forestry or farming land to indemnify against burning their neighbours. Also an issue for councils.
In these forestry regions councils aren’t exactly stuffed with Greens or Labour councillers.
Perhaps you're merely delusional and determined to blame the wrong people? Or just full of self-righteous bullshit.
Green Party spokeswoman Eugenie Sage said forestry was an important industry to the East Coast but could not continue the way it had.
“They are externalising the impacts of the industry onto the local environment and local people.”
The industry has said that it has changed practices since 2018 when heavy rain and flooding in Tolaga Bay left tonnes of forestry debris strewn across farms, resulting in multiple prosecutions.
But Sage said it was clear more needed to be done.
Along with a community-initiated review, Sage said the Government needed to tighten the current national environmental standards for plantation forestry.
She said a levy should be explored along with an end to clearing entire forests during harvest. Given the economic impacts of any changes, Sage said a “just transition” needed to be supported and smaller councils such as Gisborne District Council also needed more support to monitor the industry.
“They are a small council with a small rates base. They only have two compliance officers but thousands of hectares of forestry to monitor.
then hire some more compliance offers to monitor the thousands of unmonitored hectares of foresty areas. It will save houses, lifes and bridges.
What is cheaper?
Yes, that's what the Greens are advocating in that quote. Did you read it? Those hiring decisions are the responsibility of the underfunded Gisborne District Council, not the Greens, funny that.
The industry has said that it has changed practices since 2018 when heavy rain and flooding in Tolaga Bay left tonnes of forestry debris strewn across farms, resulting in multiple prosecutions.
The problem is that slash usually takes many decades to decompose. We had wood piles on the farm that we chopped out in the 70s that were still not decomposed by the early 2000s. That wasn't even fullgrown trees. It was just scrub bush – mostly wilding pines. The piles just got overgrown and decomposed only at the bottom.
Forestry would need to bury it, chip it, or move it offsite. All of which are expenses. For decades they mostly just left it onsite in piles, often on steep hillsides or probably in gullies.
Still accumulated there decades later unless it got a good solid storm.
regenerative forestry would treat it as a resource. One potential is to use hugelkultur. Scaling this up would be dependent on the location and a matter of design.
Mounding is fine on flat country, most of the forestry on East Coast isn't, and a lot is very steep. This makes it very difficult and expensive to harvest to start with, let alone deal with the slash.
Coming up with a mechanism to restrict harvesting to flatter sites will be tricky, forest owners would have had an expectation of a return, so will want compensation. Best alternative would be to make forest owners responsible for their waste.
Surely there must be some grounds under the RMA to prosecute, or even a civil case by insurers.
definitely needs to be regulated, and the power and will to enforce the regulations.
What won't work is a national solution applied locally, there is no one size fits all. As you've said, those particular hills shouldn't be in pine anyway. But if we leave it to the forest owners, it will just be more extractive/polluting BAU, they will just pass the pollution on somewhere else in the cheapest way possible. There will be a regenerative solution that suits that place.
Don't know if they still do this, but Dunedin City Council used to give permits to locals to go in and take the useful firewood from their forests after they'd felled or pruned. Solutions like this aren't hard to design once we place other values alongside or ahead of profit. Again, this is not going to work everywhere, but these are the kinds of things we should be thinking about. Burning slash in the age of climate change should be a crime, both because of the pollution and the wasted materials/embodied energy.
Probably the easiest solution would be for the Government to buy the trees on the problem slopes to remain as a permanent forest. It wouldn't be that much, the net return on them would be marginal because they are so hard to harvest. Recovering the higher value trunks is hard enough, getting the next grade isn't economic, so there's 'slash' that would be on the trucks in easier country. Some of what's in the mess would be saleable logs elsewhere.
The other side of the coin is that harvesting the trees is jobs for local people. So will cleaning up the mess, once there's a way of paying for it.
Thus completing the cycle at NZ taxpayers expense from
1 owned by NZ taxpayer through NZFS. Forests built up by funded provided by NZ Govt/taxpayer
2 neo lib experiments especially 'selling the family silver'
3 cutting rights sold at bargain basement prices to mainly overseas firms at a cost to NZ taxpayer
Now – suggestion is cutting rights are purchased back.
4 Cutting rights purchased back at a cost to NZ taxpayer/NZ Govt
5 land is restabilised/retired/replanted etc at a cost to MZ taxpayer/NZ Govt
When will the madness that was neo lib and small Government ever end?
Then there are the costs both inside and ouside the Forestry industry that have happened while we participated in the neo lib experiement.
a whole communities that supplied the labour to these forests wiped out, in more ways than one, as owners flew in pruning crews from around NZ thus severing the local connection with these forests.
b costs met by the community/taxpayer in damage to roads by logging trucks
c mud and localised floods
d still selling commodities (logs) overseas and very little processing into more valuable products in NZ and thus no employment opportunities.
and so it goes on.
There is a lot of myth making and ‘woe is us’ from forestry owners. I have covered some of this further down thread.
before buying anything we need to sharpen up the people’s side of the ledger as a means to derive a realistic cost.
I may be wrong, though I doubt it, but my view is that the extraction methods used up the coast and Northern HB may not have met the commonly applied best practice extractions for sensitive land. These extractors I feel use the iron fist.
And lets read Arkie’s link also below from Dame Anne Salmond on the makeup of slash.
Forestry cadets in tune with Graeme's local suggestion is another winning idea.
As an aside, for fireworks, the soft woods- pinus radiata and willow for example, make fast, hot black powder, while hard woods make slower longer burning black powder.
THE #CHARCOAL | Hilario Artigas, a resident of #Agüero (#Huesca), was a great rural wise man, knowledgeable about many of the techniques necessary to take advantage of the resources of the #mountain. One of the many trades that we were able to recover with him in our documentaries was that of charcoal burner. In 1999 we were with him to see what this job of transforming #holm oak #firewood into #charcoal was like.
btw, Eugenio Monesma's Lost Trades is an absolute gold mine.
Rents continue to climb to record highs while the supply continues to increase:
Rent in Aotearoa is at an all-time high, with the national median weekly rent reaching $595 in January, according to the latest Trade Me Property data.
Following three stagnant months when the national median weekly rent remained at $580, rent jumped 4% or $25 a week in January when compared to the same month last year.
Trade Me Property sales director Gavin Lloyd said the jump would be “unpleasant news” for renters.
…
The number of rental listings nationwide increased by 1% year-on-year in January and marked 10 consecutive months of supply jumps.
Nearly every region had an increase in listings when compared with January 2022, but the biggest were seen in the lower North Island, where rental listings were up 52% in Manawatū/Whanganui and 40% in Wellington.
Gonna get worse. the country lost a huge amount of houses, and has neither the skill nor the material so rebuild fast and efficient. Never mind the closure of Marsden Point and the washed away roads.
Our issue in NZ is really that no one does risk assessment and forecasts. The what if road is taken by no one it seems.
But on the bright side, house prices will go up again, after all we just lost a huge amount of them. s/
Or in this case the issue is landlords profit-seeking to the detriment of those trapped in the rental market, those who are feeling the effects of the increasing inequality in our society most keenly. It is long past time for rent controls.
And when during those last 20 years were the Greens the government? Lets assign blame as it is appropriate, those that led the government during that time; the big two.
"Or in this case the issue is landlords profit-seeking to the detriment of those trapped in the rental market,"
Is it the issue? Or a politically expedient "issue" that directs focus away from successive and continuing government failings in addressing the housing crisis?
Or is it both? At the same time? I'm just asking questions?
My post was about the disconnect between housing supply and rental demand and rental costs. Continuous rental price increases is profit-seeking, and renters don’t have the luxury of waiting for prices to fall of their own volition. Controls are a way to protect those least able to weather the rising ‘inflation’ of prices, those on the lowest incomes.
@arkie, this movement assumes that ALL landlords make huge profits on their rentals, which may be true for some, but not for all. There are a myriad contributors to housing unaffordability in our country, but let's just look at one in regards to the increasing cost of rent: banks.
Since, October 2021, landlords (unlike any other business) are unable to include the mortgage interest on their rentals. It may be a surprise to some, that a foreseeable effect of that is that landlords would then raise rents. (In actual fact it was so foreseeable, that in 2020 rental rules were introduced that tried to limit that business response to increased costs/reduced income)
This approach protected the ones that have made the most profits from the housing crisis – the banks. The banks are also the ones that create rules that give them the least exposure while their profits soar. They do not have to concern themselves with the rising costs of maintenance, rates or insurance. They just have to demand that insurance is taken – to protect their profitability.
There has been no credible attempt to address bank profits as a driver of housing unaffordability.
As successive governments fail to deliver affordable housing, they do invariably consistently attempt to politically demonise the private providers of housing (simultaneously ignoring/rejoicing in the fact that private provision allows them to kick their responsibilities further down the road).
This is a landlord's self-assessment. Is it an investment or are you ‘providing’ housing? Can't be both. A charitable housing trust provides housing, private landlords hoard houses. If landlords want to 'provide housing' then they can register as non-profits, otherwise they are profit-seeking investments.
A landlord provides housing like a scalper provides tickets
Landlords have said they would raise rents because they would have costs meeting a higher housing standard. Not all landlords were in this position.
Some of those with mortgages on their property say they will raise rent because they are beginning to lose (phase out) mortgage deductibility. Not all landlords are in this position.
The changes will raise the quality of our housing stock and reduce the presence of those speculating in property with borrowed money.
The changes are designed to reduce property values and increase home ownership.
Windfall profit seeking during a shortage results in either taxation or price/rent control.
The tax changes are of a design to move investment into new building, where the extra money is useful, not bidding up the value of existing property and reducing the level of home ownership.
This is a fascinating read and a warning how Woke politics tends towards eating it's own.
" This might be just another lament about “woke” campus culture, and the loss of traditional educational virtues. But the seminar topic was “Race and the Limits of Law in America.” Four of the 6 weeks were focused on anti-black racism (the other two were on anti-immigrant and anti-indigenous racism). I am a black professor, I directed my university’s black-studies program, I lead anti-racism and transformative-justice workshops, and I have published books on anti-black racism and prison abolition. I live in a predominantly black neighborhood of Philadelphia, my daughter went to an Afrocentric school, and I am on the board of our local black cultural organization.
Like others on the left, I had been dismissive of criticisms of the current discourse on race in the United States. But now my thoughts turned to that moment in the 1970s when leftist organizations imploded, the need to match and raise the militancy of one’s comrades leading to a toxic culture filled with dogmatism and disillusion. How did this happen to a group of bright-eyed high school students?"
Good article. The Telluride Association had a deserved reputation for quality education.
I looked at Deep Springs College a few years back, (they have a list of well-known alumni).
Interesting collaborative approach to management and curriculum, which worked for decades.
Failure to value critical thinking in such processes has led to the equivalent of an authoritarian wolf in progressive clothing, taking control of the flock.
Apparently, this is based on US intelligence, which has proved to be fairly accurate. And calling the Chinese out is seen as a warning shot that severe sanctions will be imposed if China takes that step.
Zeihan argues that one of the first sanctions would likely be to lock the Chinese out of the US dollar. This would have severe implications for the Chinese, as, according to Zeihan, they are a voracious user of the US currency.
If that were to happen there could be major implications for us, given that exports to China are 21 billion, more than double our next largest trading partner, Australia.
Firstly, we may have pressure put on us to impose trade sanctions on China. But, more importantly, it may well affect the ability of our customers in China to pay for what they import from us.
Damn – got the word. Car written off from flooding in the cyclone 3 odd weeks ago. The carpets got wet.
It got water in the carpets and the underlay. Quoted $1500 to lift, dehumidify, and replace – but with a risk level for the insurers. Car is insured for under $10k.
Looking for another Honda Fit RS hybrid – mostly used for a fortnightly trip to Hamilton. But I may pay a bit more and get a more slightly more recent one.
Damn, even with the low ~5000 km over the last 18 months, I really enjoyed that car. Far more so than the similarly underutilised 2005 Caldina because I didn't have to squeeze into the door and headroom.
take the money from insurance co, buy yr car back cheap, dry yr carpets , change yr insurance to third party($130 approx), and drive on..if you like the car and use it sparingly, its the sensible option.
The carpet on my car got wet on one side – dodgy door seal – parked on a slope and driving rain. I just left the windows open when driving, and when parked outside my house in the sunshine. It has all dried out OK. The car is 16 years old and I am not planning on keeping it for more than another year so I have not bothered claiming on it.
use lemons to reduce the smell of damp carpets. sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, let it dry, then vacuum. fun fact, cars are waterproof .dont buy into the myth that you have to throw them away so quickly. if yr car is worth less than 5-6 grand , full insurance is a rort. with (rising)premiums and (rising) excesses, you have to have a claim over 2 grand to break even.go 3rd party.
It seems as though this has become the default position for insurers – with water damage. Since they can't be sure that there isn't associated electrical damage as well.
Coincidentally, I had this brought to my attention by a friend in the UK – whose Tesla was involved in a relatively minor nose-to-tail accident (they were the meat in the sandwich). And, despite what looked like relatively minor damage to bumpers and crumple zone on the boot – the car was completely written off by the insurer.
It seems to be a combination of the Tesla supply chain for parts – and the heavily plastic/light-weight construction of EV – which results in 'replace' rather than 'repair' being the default option.
Did a quick look around, and it seems to be worldwide (so not just a thing in the UK)
Probably they'd auction it and get say half of the insured value. Someone will pick it up as -is-where-is as a flood damaged car. So say $5k.
The nett loss to insurance is $10k -$5k – 0.5k = $4.5k.
The alternate is that they have a nett loss of $2k to fix (1.5k – 0.5k excess + $1k of admin and legal expenses). The overhead of running a claim is pretty high. You're organising everything dealing with repairer, the client, the auditors, and god only knows who else.
However you can't know what other damage there is.
Say that there is a 50% chance that an extra $1k of damages show up to fix some electrics or the aircond. So that is another $2k costs ($1k for repair, $1k for admin). You're now looking at a nett loss of $4k to insurer.
Now it only requires one more little thing and it is a nett loss.
And that is just the direct costs. Having expensive people and systems dealing with your claim for a second hand 10yo car might mean that the insurer screws up on a much larger claim – say a 60k new car with wet carpets.
It is cheaper for them with the risks to write the car off.
Unfortunately for me, that means I now have to spend time organising finance for another car – and I hate dealing with banks. But who knows when the insurer will cough up, and running without a car is fraught with problems.
I'm working in Hamilton today – have taken my partners usual car. If she has a working need for a car, then she is going to be using a uber or a scooter. Sure 95% of the time we only need one vehicle. I ride a bike, my partner often just walks.
But when we do overlap on time dependent stuff – well this is Auckland. For instance it gets really hard to get to PBTech for that bit of hardware that is only available at Glenfield – to get The Standard back up. Which has happened – I once had motherboard network ship failure. Which is why TS now has 3 separate network chips and 6 ethernet ports (and why I have a spare server level box that I use as a workstation for a swap).
Takes about 40 minutes round trip in a car. Takes 2-2.5 hours in a bus. And that includes me walking about 2km on my crippling arthritic big toe.
And then I have to deal with used car sales people. Pleasant folk who like expending my time .
For those interested in a solution to our forestry slash problem, one of our leading forestry experts, David Norton has an article in the conversation:
These ultimate causes are complex but primarily revolve around historic poor land management decision-making and human-induced climate change.
Among the key drivers of the current problems in Tairāwhiti are the large areas of exotic tree plantations that were established with government support after the devastation of Cyclone Bola.
But this devastation also reflects earlier poor land management decisions to clear native forest off steep, erodible hill country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which was also encouraged by the government of the day.
I just wanted to take issue with a small part of the attachment. The author seems to think that the forestry only really started after Cyclone Bola. There was forestry planted for Soil conservation (Soilcon) works near Ruatoria, Mangatu (huge plantings from the late 1950s/early 1960s to counter the massive flooding of the flats out of Gisborne by the Mangatu River), then moving south the Wharerata forests and Patunamu, south to Mohaka, around Tangoio and the Devil's Elbow.
All planted before 1987-1990 the time of the asset sales.
It was these forests that were parcelled off and sold to (mainly) overseas interests for cutting rights. Undoubtedly companies have added to the land that they acquired in late 1980s/early 1990s. They may be onto a second rotation cutting on some areas.
It was of concern to some that land that was growing good trees because of stewardship from NZFS (govt) was only in NZFS ownership because the trees were a first line attempt to stop the land from slipping away to the sea. NZFS were good at managing forestry regimes.
At the time they were planted it was not really envisaged what future felling regimes would look like. Later before the asset sale NZFS had developed expertise in selective and careful logging on soilcon areas. There was a recognition that these were not to be treated like regular commercial forests.
Such nuances were lost in the division into land that was conservation only, or commercial only. No land could be mixed use these were Treasury and SOE driven divisions.
So there are, to my view, some areas planted in trees that should have been treated for their highest and best use and that was being managed as a soilcon resource. It should not have been subject to the rigours of a logging regime over huge blocks.
I am not sure what, if any knowledge the new owners of the wood or the crews they flew from forest to forest to tend to the silviculture requirements, had of the history or of how to manage on 'tender' land such as this.
As an observer it has seems to have got much worse, in extraction work even allowing for climate change. The just seems to be an air of we'll carry on regardless, we'll not learn, we'll chase whatever $$$$$ we can. Some of the skidder sites further down into HB were visible from the main roads and were a real mess.
Now that we have our Census papers it is time to tell Statistics what we think of their assertion that we all have a "gendered soul".
“This new Gender category will be used as the default category for sorting all the other data – so despite also collecting data on Sex, they are absolutely desperate to know your Gender. So desperate in fact that if you don’t answer or don’t know, they will answer the question for you”.
Now that we have our Census papers it is time to tell Statistics what we think of their assertion that we all have a “gendered soul“.
Talking of souls, I'm contemplating refusing to complete the portion of the census form that deals with religious affiliation.
I am contemplating refusing to complete that portion of the Census on the grounds that I am being forced to have a political opinion.
Fortunately (for me), my sex at birth and gender are congruent (such a conformist!), and I'll be completing my census form accordingly.
Fwiw, no-one will be forced to disclose their gender in order to complete their 2023 census form. One can choose to answer the 'sex at birth' question only, and avoid the 'gender' question if unsure or uncomfortable about gender-related matters.
Gender [in 'Design of forms for the 2023 Census' – StatsNZ PDF]
Respondents must answer either this [gender] question, the sex at birth question, or both questions. They will not be able to proceed further on the online form if they have not provided a response to either the gender question or the sex at birth question.
Findings from testing
Generally, our testing found that respondents were able to work through this question accurately and without any known error. Some respondents, especially those who were older, had difficulty with the concept of gender. The most common misinterpretations were confusing gender with sex or sexual identity, or not understanding why both sex at birth and gender were being asked.
Some respondents presumed this might be because others might feel uncomfortable or sensitive when answering this question. While it was perceived as being a sensitive subject, many respondents noted the value of collecting data about gender.
their assertion that we all have a "gendered soul".
While that lines up with your opinion that having a gender different to birth sex is not real/is a belief/is like a religious faith – the concept is related to their sense of identity/a matter of their psychology/psyche/sense of self/conscious being.
The idea of a female psyche in a male body (male psyche in a female body) was mooted back in the 19th C.
I see however, no evangelism about a gendered "soul" (that survives mortal life death) as a requirement to identify as transgender (or agender, non binary, gender fluid, gender queer, etc).
And it belongs in the 19th C. You no more have a "female brain" in a male body than you have a "female kidney" in a male body. What you may have is a psychological issue where for various reasons you identify more with one set of sexist stereotypes than another. And you can identify as a cocker spaniel if you like – it does not make you one. The rest of that ideological claptrap is as made up as any other religion.
Minister Nash does little to encourage us that this Labour government is prepared to do what is necessary to deal with the slash issues:
Dame Anne Salmond has seen some actual research on what is in the forestry 'slash' bedevilling Tairāwhiti, and it doesn't bear out the forestry minister's claim
Over the past month or so, the Minister of Forestry Stuart Nash has repeatedly tried to fend off an independent inquiry into forestry slash. In the process, he has made statements that don't bear close scrutiny.
When questioned by RNZ about the devastation caused by the clear felling of pine plantations on the East Coast, for instance, he said, "My understanding is its 40 percent from harvesting operations and the rest is indigenous.” The media should be fact-checking these claims.
…
Under these tragic circumstances, it seems inexplicable that the Minister of Forestry should try to defend the indefensible, and be able to make misleading statements to that end.
What is going on with the Inter Island Ferries? Apparently only two out of six running at the moment. This is starting to make us look a bit 3rd World.
It is becoming a major issue, not only for passengers. But also freight in both directions. This could become a major hinderance to the recovery up north if goods and equipment need freighting from the South Island to the North.
And, it is a major nuisance for business. We have been told to add at least an extra week to freighting times.
Equipment failures (this has never happened before) can be inconvenient, and not a good look, but are often temporary. Maybe StraitNZ needs govt help (could cost taxpayers) – or flog off KiwiRail's Interislander?
Time to develop 'resilience strategies' to cope better with these "major nuisances"?
With small island developing states, such as those in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, depending on marine transport for their livelihood and on climate action for their resilience, the second session of the meeting will add their voice to the debate and focus on the sustainability and resilience strategies they and their international partners might adopt. https://cubic.co.nz/experts-seek-sustainability-solutions-freight-transport/
Imho it's never too late to develop Aotearoa NZ – we just need to be leery of growth.
As to the ferries not sailing, I would imagine safety would be a major influence.
Plus, it's as if truck, ferry, truck is the only way to move stuff around the shaky isles. Coastal shipping is an option. An option, that if we are serious about mitigating CO2, needs to become mainstream (boom boom).
"…I [Paul Douglas] was disconcerted to find that the economic and political conservatives had acquired almost complete dominance over my department and taught that market decisions were always right and profit values the supreme ones…"
Has anybody else noticed the media obsession with the flood issues for the elites or the upper middle class in their urban fringe lifetsyle blocks ?
'The musician’s four-bedroom $3.3 million dollar property saw water rushing through it before draining down the hill towards the ocean.
Despite being listed by homes.co.nz as being on a steep rise, the 1882m2 property still saw waters rise right up to its front door and a minor slip on the front lawn.'
The author Matthew Scott then goes on to give incorrect/misleading information about council data/maps on flood prone areas
The map shows that homeowners atop the ridge shouldn’t have to worry. Last week told those homeowners a different story.
The same council data shows that an overland flow path from the ponding area on Garden road runs right through the Finn estate. Which is exactly what occurred
An clue would be this property sits on a sand ridge behind the beach road, but the Finn home is a saddle between higher ground each side. Must have made a flatter building site and the real estate web site mentioned does show flattish lawns.
Hint , always check the overland flow paths
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
The same council data shows that an overland flow path from the ponding area on Garden road runs right through the Finn estate.
I have no idea what you’re talking about. Why don’t you illustrate your point with an actual image or link or something with the property in question highlighted and the overland flows shown as well?
I am amazed GWWnz that you got as much as you did from this really poorly written article from Matthew Scott.
Talk about once over lightly on the maps/geography aspect from the author, as you say.
The subject of geography often gets bad press from the purists. However any geographer and any person who observes landforms will be able to tell you that hills are not hills and flats are not flats. There are a myriad of landforms where they are mixed so we get flattened tops of hills, we get lakes on mountains, we get ponding areas and swamps on land forms that look like hills. So we get saddles between ridges and on them water drains down from the ridges on either side. All these occur naturally ie without direct human intervention.
Only a person with no geographic or map reading experience would think that living on a hill you wouldn't have to worry.
My Dad used repeat the truism 'water finds its own level' and to that I want to add that in finding its own level water finds its way back to its old levels and old patterns. It finds its way back to drained swamps, and overland flow paths. This often occurs in times of climate stress as we have just had.
I have also seen it happen in times of yore (1980s) when culverted/diverted streams just blew out and re-emerged down valleys.
Yes. Theres an existing pond -wetland behind the top of the dunes and there is a overflow point from that pond towards the beach. It goes over the dunes via a saddle that is Neil Finns place and the council GIS shows that .
often with stories about flooding slips if it interests me I look it up on google earth or my online NZ Topo maps.
In another elite centered story theres was small slip in a gully in Parnell, which from my previous work I was familiar with that area. There the claim was the council reserve ( actually overgrown low value land) had caused the slip and the story had the owner saying 'what was council going to do about it'
Of course slips are natural occurences and the owner of the land below doesnt have to do anything unless they have deliberately excavated below without retaining. Modern building codes require a building site to be stabilised before building, usually in ground piles. However this cottage seems to pre date all this.
Like flooding areas , slope stability can be ignored by buyers who dont wonder why its so cheap in this area .
Most of our work was geotechnical and a portion was in the Waitakeres. I used to say to people privately back then that if you live there start thinking of moving on.
if a cyclone hits Auckland the area is so vulnerable ( especially those on town water and sewage) as the damage will be widespread to roads and infrastructure and will mean they will be unable to move back home for months ( for some not ever).
There was old evidence of previous slips everywhere…regrowth covers it up unless you know where to look
There were places also in Karekare close to the stream…I imagine they are gone now , but the road in is virtually unusable – it was barely usable in ordinary times.
Personally I feel that place is finished as nothing is really worth rebuilding or fixing the road enough . Watch for the outcry when thats decided
The future rainfall and cyclones can only be worse
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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. ...
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 ...
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. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
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 Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Onya Jacinda. Still giving. All the Best for you and Family : )
Yes, and "Aunty" is humbly helping with the food. I thought "Go Jacinda" showing where your heart is. It makes a mockery of some statements about her and her future.
I'm pretty sure that I've figured out where the recent caching problems were coming from.
https://developers.cloudflare.com/cache/about/default-cache-behavior
Changed (in the internal cacher) the site html/xml Cache-control to public and an max-age of 0.
Javascript and CSS to caching with an max-age of 600 seconds. That is simply to allow dynamic style updates to cause only short amount of confusion at the expense of a slightly slower page display.
The rest of the media and images to public with long max-age.
That seems to be working in my test cases where I could see the problem previously.
I'll check on the different desktop / mobile settings later. However I think I have added a setting to make sure that the cache is stored by device type (it was rather late/early when I did it).
Christopher Luxon, quite likely to be Prime Minister later this year, does not accept the word of the Police Commissioner.
The Commissioner provided specific factual information but the Leader of the Opposition is more prepared to accept anecdotal information off the street.
It is to his advantage to have as many upset and fearful and he'll use concern and fear about crime to paint as scary a picture about the community as possible.
Scarier than any crime in cyclone stricken regions is that anyone would so wilfully use misinformation for political ends in the circumstances. Scarier still is then expect to be seen as a leader. And scariest, that dumb arses won't have the nous to see his crap for what it is.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018878893/christopher-luxon-wants-burglary-looting-sentences-doubled
OMG, does he ever give a straight answer to any question?
Sorta wonder if there's not a bit of cover / denial of some other problems going on here. Blaming 'gangs' to cover an inflated insurance claim or omissions that led to a greater loss.
Then there's the elephant up the hill…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/484641/green-party-floats-windfall-profit-tax-to-support-cyclone-gabrielle-cleanup
Sensible proposals from the Greens
Have the Greens come up with a solution to Slash that could be regulated into law? I hear they are good at that.
Here's their Forestry policy.
The Polluter Pays principle could be applied to forestry slash.
Well tell them to get on with it, as we now have pictures full of damage and harm done by not regulating the forestry industry when burning slash was verboten.
wE could have saved some bridges and maybe prevented some of that real bad flooding. But then we are only ever living in the moment and forecasting is not something we do.
Btw, Slash has been a problem for years now. But surely after the windfall tax on rich people such as them will take away all problems.
Obviously it's the Greens lack of specific slash policy that has caused the long-term issue that successive governments have failed to regulate. /s
The windfall tax proposal is to fund the work needed to restore the damaged regions infrastructure, it's not trying to solve the slash problem.
Nothing the Greens can do will satisfy those who would never vote for them.
2017 we had the same problem with Cyclone/Storm Debbie and the huge floods in Edgecumbe. The Bridge at Tane Atua was almost taken out by slash, the surrounding farmlands and houses were all several meters under water. I know that cause i was there.
So yes, if you remove a way of rubbish removal but don't come up with an alternative that is legislated/regulated into law then some of the issue that arise could be called man made.
I don't fully blame the Greens for that. The Greens are the party they are. But since 2017 i do blame the Labour Party and the Green Party for the lack of regulations created to make the forestry industry safer and to provide a frame work / guidelines on how to dispose of the rubbish they leave behind after clear logging.
So i don't give a shit about their 'tax the rich' – btw, all of them are rich, crappola, but i do care about the fact that neither Labour nor the Greens are doing anything about slash.
But hey, maybe that is for the next storm.
What this proposal is for is the funding of restoration of vital services for those affected by the latest storm. The Greens have decried the lack of planning for the future for their entire existence. The Labour party has been in complete control of the legislative process since 2017, the Greens can only make proposals. But those who want to blame the Greens will continue to do so it seems.
Bruh, i don't really fucking care that you are upset that i am not happy with the Greens and the Labour Party. I really don't. No more then i care about some N or A supporter being upset that i am not happy with these two parties either.
this upsets me, the disposal of slash needs to be regulated and it should have been done when burning of slash was phased out on the grounds of the environment.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FpdjI0KaQAAC7dU?format=png&name=900×900
I mean how many more time do we need to see the same thing happening before Green supporters demand that they do better.
Oh a tax on rich people – that people like James Shaw will be able to aptly avoid cause they are a tax lawyer and they know how to avoid taxes. Seriously this shit has gotten old.
This is all a derail from my original post. It is what-about-ism.
The government needs to fund infrastructure restoration now, and getting that additional funding by a windfall tax on excess corporate profits is the proposal.
no it is not.
It is the logical extention. You remove something, and another thing will fill the voild.
so preventing forestry businesses from burning slash is good for the environment – that might very well be that way, but if no alternative is proposed for the removal of said slash what happens is that it accumulates, and eventually will become a danger.
And we have seen how destructive it is – there are enough clips about bridges being taken out and land covered in old rotting logs to make that clear.
This should have been regulated a long time ago. The last time to regulate that was in 2017. The next best time is now. I am waiting with baited breath.
This tax the rich shit is just feel good band aids. Non of the rich people will pay these taxes as they already have structured their income streams so as to avoid paying any meaningful taxes.
Have a chat with James Shaw about that. They are an accountant and thus are knowlegable about such things. Also if you google rich paying taxes on only the first 70 grand you will find articles going back years stating that rich don't pay taxes. So that is just a feel good, look we are doing stuff window dressing.
Never mind that Labour had a chance of doing so a few years back and all we got was a wee feel good extra tax bracket that literally brings pennies in. Timid, fake, band aid solution that makes people think stuff is being done. Not.
ditto for the freeze the rent cries. Unless you properly regulate the rental market you will always have rents increasing. Why? cost increase, renting is a business and businesses must bring profit. Unless the government starts building to rent in large numbers we will always have a housing crisis.
So you regulate the rental market. Freezing the rent will achieve nothing more then at the very best a bit of relieve on the treasury as the accomodation benefits will not be needed to be increased. And the accomodation benefit is a direct benefit tot he landlord. Might that have something to do with the ever increasing rents? Oh, lets not think that. ey?
We need a government that has the guts to regulate industries. And sadly we don't have that.
So slash will take out communities/bridges/roads every other year, and house prices will go up when housing stock goes down, and rents will go up as housing stock goes down.
Rinse repeat. Rinse repeat. Rinse repeat. Until we finally elects some people with guts.
More a specifics issue.
The slash problem – and foreseeable increase in damage it causes in foreseeable increases in violent and sudden weather events, is something that can be focused on that will produce immense benefits going forward.
Members of the public only need to view some of the images and videos to understand how we all bear the cost of the slash issue not being prioritised:
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/02/14/watch-bridges-around-north-island-destroyed-by-raging-floodwaters/
And that is because we keep electing Labour governments and then blame the Greens for Labours timidity.
You do you though.
sorry James Shaw is an Accountant, that too makes them qualified enough to not pay the taxes that they are advocating for.
are you suggesting that James Shaw will use his skills to avoid paying tax? What evidence do you have for that?
It's irrelevant because the proposal is for a company windfall tax, it's right there in the quote of my original post. It's not a proposed tax on individuals.
I don't suggest that James Shaw will use his skills, i suggest that his tax accountant will, and if his tax accountant does not so James Shaw should fire him for not doing his job.
I suggest that some people might ask James Shaw on his opinion on that as an Accountant. If anyone knows the system he does. James Shaw will know how to structure financial affairs in a manner that will result in paying the least amount of tax possible, and i would go so far as saying that everyone currently, and past, in parliament will do exactly the same.
Fwiw, every person in that income class will have an accountant that will do their darnest to avoid his client to pay taxes.
I think this says more about your world view than anything.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/131005019/wealthy-donors-set-national-and-act-up-for-election-year
Afaik, all the Green MPs tithe part of their salary to the party. I’m pointing this out because not all people on high salaries are greedy in the say you are saying.
Hey Sabine, how are things in your neck of the woods?
re the politics, three things.
1. the Greens don't have a magic wand. The idea that they are responsible for legislation since 2017 is just wrong. Labour/NZF were the govt in 2017, Labour in 2020. In order for the Greens to have more influence to pass legislation they need more MPs, which means more party votes.
2. the Greens have limited resources because they have 10 MPs. I agree how they prioritise those resources is a matter of public interest, but it's also up to the party and membership.
3. please explain why legislation around slash should take precedent over regen forestry or taxing to help with post-flood recovery/
2. I dont' actually care about the resources and such. I just expect them to put forward sensible bills.
They can be tooth and nails on Self Id, they can be tooth and nails on regulating the removal of slash.
3. We are planting trees for harvesting. For some farfetched carbon schemes that do nothing to make anything better.
In regards of the slash, maybe burning it is an option again, if all the good minds of this country can not come up with anything else.
Or else, mulch the shit, give it away for people to heat their homes, sell it overseas, or simply stop the growing of pines for profit.
But above all, i would like to people to admit that slash is an environmental man made disaster that seemingly is harder fix then just killing cows/sheep or other animals for their farts.
4. Friends have finally been able to contact us. Thankfully.
Have you got alink about this burning of slash being forbidden.
The only time I have seen/heard of any restrictions was after the forests had been clear felled and the remaining left overs piled and burnt. But that was not a forbidden act more of a waiting for proper condtions requirement.
Slash usually comes from pruning. From very early times in the growth cycle the trees are pruned and instead of removing the prunings, as home gardeners/orchardists do, the prunings are left around the tree on the ground. Then next pruning the same. And so it goes on.
I cannot remember any time when pruners removed the slash from around the growing trees to an area and then burned these.
So when you get to harvest, not only do you have the leftovers from the actual felling but 30 or so years of prunings that may or may not have decomposed.
What I do remember is that recently foresters have resisted any moves from home firewood gatherers to remove material suitable for burning. I know there are H & S fears, but these could be worked through.
In the 'olden days' prior to neo lib selling off of Forests, in some communities Service Clubs removed at harvest waste, cut it and distributed it for free or $$$$. Or SC hosted days and supervised those private people wanting to gather firewood.
Some of the slash is in areas away from areas of greatest need for firewood.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/131236979/wall-of-wood-the-trouble-with-forestry-slash
this is quite a decent article on that.
You can burn – controlled fires that is, with the correct permits. But forestry slash is a different beast. And what ever tinkering happened the last time was just that tinkering.
this is what the fire services say.
https://docs.nzfoa.org.nz/site/assets/files/1509/6-1_harvest-slash_managing-processing-slash-on-landings-2-0.pdf
It is a mess. And btw, dangerous to fire fighters too.
No-one is getting any younger, but the idea of an effective tax on wealth will never get old, at least for me.
Has 8 (make that 10) signatures so far – I’ve just signed.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2301/S00010/eds-calls-for-formal-inquiry-into-forestry-practices-following-east-coast-disaster.htm
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2212/S00173/ernslaw-to-pay-225000-fifth-forestry-company-fined.htm
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/130759618/the-resource-management-act-rewrite-is-heading-for-an-iceberg
who cares. Dude. I am not happy with any of the Parties atm. Non of them are doing the work that needs to be done. Some tinkering on the fringes were the fraying is obvious.
I would like to see free public transport. I would like to see trains. I would like to see houses build for rent. I would like to see communities be created preferably not in flood plains. I would like to see GST removed from food. I would like to see the first 25 grand to be tax free – this would also benefit anyone who is on a fixed income / benefit. I would like to see smaller community clinics being build, student loans removed from healthcare / well fare jobs.
And here we are 2023 and we know that house prices are going to go up again, food prices will go up – shortages are mostly assured given the distruction in our food growing areas, people will lose their houses but the mortgage will still need to be serviced.
And so on and so forth.
You are correct. I am so over this.
We both care enough to comment here, and I would like to see what you would "like to see" @11:21 am.
Civilisation is fundamentally buggered, a victim of its own 'success', and yet my irrational hopes and dreams are a comfort.
I am intrigued. Perhaps you'd care to point out where and when the central government stopped the forestry industry burning slash?
I had thought that this was a council issue and fire service issue.
That the reason that forestry had been prevented from burning was because their neighbours thought it was a really bad idea. Both because of the smoke and that the forestry companies causing wildfires. It made it hard to get permits to burn from councils and fire service.
Yet somehow you seem to be in the grip of absolute knowledge that the Greens and Labour legislated against it.
But I'd have expected that would show up in this forest practice guide on slash. On burning it says (and I have pointed out the relevant requirement in bold). All pretty sensible limits about doing slash burns.
The fire service says in the section about "Farms, rural properties and rural businesses"…
Not a word about central government or legislation beyond the duty of councils. In fact the most interesting thing was the issues about getting insurance when lighting fires on forestry or farming land to indemnify against burning their neighbours. Also an issue for councils.
In these forestry regions councils aren’t exactly stuffed with Greens or Labour councillers.
Perhaps you're merely delusional and determined to blame the wrong people? Or just full of self-righteous bullshit.
yes, yr last two sentences nails it lprent. fun fact, bitter, bile filled people give off far more heat when burnt.
Why won't the Greens do something about slash! /s
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/cyclone-gabrielle-political-consensus-builds-for-review-into-forestry-slash/CHFOETNYFJDBNIGG7TSFQ5F3QU/
then hire some more compliance offers to monitor the thousands of unmonitored hectares of foresty areas. It will save houses, lifes and bridges.
What is cheaper?
Yes, that's what the Greens are advocating in that quote. Did you read it? Those hiring decisions are the responsibility of the underfunded Gisborne District Council, not the Greens, funny that.
The problem is that slash usually takes many decades to decompose. We had wood piles on the farm that we chopped out in the 70s that were still not decomposed by the early 2000s. That wasn't even fullgrown trees. It was just scrub bush – mostly wilding pines. The piles just got overgrown and decomposed only at the bottom.
Forestry would need to bury it, chip it, or move it offsite. All of which are expenses. For decades they mostly just left it onsite in piles, often on steep hillsides or probably in gullies.
Still accumulated there decades later unless it got a good solid storm.
regenerative forestry would treat it as a resource. One potential is to use hugelkultur. Scaling this up would be dependent on the location and a matter of design.
https://twitter.com/wekatweets/status/1628169992712904704
Mounding is fine on flat country, most of the forestry on East Coast isn't, and a lot is very steep. This makes it very difficult and expensive to harvest to start with, let alone deal with the slash.
Coming up with a mechanism to restrict harvesting to flatter sites will be tricky, forest owners would have had an expectation of a return, so will want compensation. Best alternative would be to make forest owners responsible for their waste.
Surely there must be some grounds under the RMA to prosecute, or even a civil case by insurers.
definitely needs to be regulated, and the power and will to enforce the regulations.
What won't work is a national solution applied locally, there is no one size fits all. As you've said, those particular hills shouldn't be in pine anyway. But if we leave it to the forest owners, it will just be more extractive/polluting BAU, they will just pass the pollution on somewhere else in the cheapest way possible. There will be a regenerative solution that suits that place.
Don't know if they still do this, but Dunedin City Council used to give permits to locals to go in and take the useful firewood from their forests after they'd felled or pruned. Solutions like this aren't hard to design once we place other values alongside or ahead of profit. Again, this is not going to work everywhere, but these are the kinds of things we should be thinking about. Burning slash in the age of climate change should be a crime, both because of the pollution and the wasted materials/embodied energy.
Probably the easiest solution would be for the Government to buy the trees on the problem slopes to remain as a permanent forest. It wouldn't be that much, the net return on them would be marginal because they are so hard to harvest. Recovering the higher value trunks is hard enough, getting the next grade isn't economic, so there's 'slash' that would be on the trucks in easier country. Some of what's in the mess would be saleable logs elsewhere.
The other side of the coin is that harvesting the trees is jobs for local people. So will cleaning up the mess, once there's a way of paying for it.
that's a really good solution. Transition them to permanent mixed species forests to increase biodiversity and stability. That's the jobs.
Thus completing the cycle at NZ taxpayers expense from
1 owned by NZ taxpayer through NZFS. Forests built up by funded provided by NZ Govt/taxpayer
2 neo lib experiments especially 'selling the family silver'
3 cutting rights sold at bargain basement prices to mainly overseas firms at a cost to NZ taxpayer
Now – suggestion is cutting rights are purchased back.
4 Cutting rights purchased back at a cost to NZ taxpayer/NZ Govt
5 land is restabilised/retired/replanted etc at a cost to MZ taxpayer/NZ Govt
When will the madness that was neo lib and small Government ever end?
Then there are the costs both inside and ouside the Forestry industry that have happened while we participated in the neo lib experiement.
a whole communities that supplied the labour to these forests wiped out, in more ways than one, as owners flew in pruning crews from around NZ thus severing the local connection with these forests.
b costs met by the community/taxpayer in damage to roads by logging trucks
c mud and localised floods
d still selling commodities (logs) overseas and very little processing into more valuable products in NZ and thus no employment opportunities.
and so it goes on.
There is a lot of myth making and ‘woe is us’ from forestry owners. I have covered some of this further down thread.
before buying anything we need to sharpen up the people’s side of the ledger as a means to derive a realistic cost.
I may be wrong, though I doubt it, but my view is that the extraction methods used up the coast and Northern HB may not have met the commonly applied best practice extractions for sensitive land. These extractors I feel use the iron fist.
And lets read Arkie’s link also below from Dame Anne Salmond on the makeup of slash.
Another solution to work alongside of the hugelkultur is (reaches over and puts on a scratched record) biochar.
Mobile retorts moved to where the waste is. Charcoal, pyroligneous acid, (wood vinegar) creosote and wood gas are the by-products.
Here is an example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDhvcvmho8E
We can make a scaled up one here either a tweaked version or manufacture under licence.
FWIW this is the one I want to build here, at home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBtxYJtf2WM&t=17s
nice one! What would we do with those (by)products at the amount being produced?
Does pine make decent biochar?
Pine, yes. It's carbon.
Forestry cadets in tune with Graeme's local suggestion is another winning idea.
As an aside, for fireworks, the soft woods- pinus radiata and willow for example, make fast, hot black powder, while hard woods make slower longer burning black powder.
I forgot to mention wood vinegar's many uses.
A feriliser, insecticide, aids seed germination, repels birds…
This is a sales pitch but still informative.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFhWpQw7juA
Who needs a barbecue/smoker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMFiwj97Cj4
THE #CHARCOAL | Hilario Artigas, a resident of #Agüero (#Huesca), was a great rural wise man, knowledgeable about many of the techniques necessary to take advantage of the resources of the #mountain. One of the many trades that we were able to recover with him in our documentaries was that of charcoal burner. In 1999 we were with him to see what this job of transforming #holm oak #firewood into #charcoal was like.
btw, Eugenio Monesma's Lost Trades is an absolute gold mine.
https://www.youtube.com/c/eugeniomonesma
NZ example, with involvement from Professor Huhana Smith – was covered on RNZ a week-or-so ago.
Using biochar for art and also as land restoration – and especially filtering contaminants out of streams.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018877322/prof-huhana-smith-using-biochar-to-restore-whenua
Not on a commercial scale (or at least not yet) – but a fascinating take on the topic.
I loved the kiln – suitable for small scale – and a beautiful thing in itself.
https://www.drawingopen.com/blog/2021/5/10/kuku-biochar-project
https://twitter.com/NZGreens/status/1628173924398956549
Seemingly too wild for some.
Rents continue to climb to record highs while the supply continues to increase:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/131286094/rents-start-the-year-at-a-record-high-trade-me-says
Rent freeze now
Gonna get worse. the country lost a huge amount of houses, and has neither the skill nor the material so rebuild fast and efficient. Never mind the closure of Marsden Point and the washed away roads.
Our issue in NZ is really that no one does risk assessment and forecasts. The what if road is taken by no one it seems.
But on the bright side, house prices will go up again, after all we just lost a huge amount of them. s/
Or in this case the issue is landlords profit-seeking to the detriment of those trapped in the rental market, those who are feeling the effects of the increasing inequality in our society most keenly. It is long past time for rent controls.
like we need controls on how to remove slash. lol.
Multiple things need to happen, it's almost as if it's not dichotomy, lol.
been needing to happen for the last 20 years, yet here we are and we are learning that we got fuck all done.
And when during those last 20 years were the Greens the government? Lets assign blame as it is appropriate, those that led the government during that time; the big two.
Easy solution – vote Natz or Act.
A sure way to make all the problems get much worse! Heigh ho!
or don't vote at all! best of neither worlds.
"Or in this case the issue is landlords profit-seeking to the detriment of those trapped in the rental market,"
Is it the issue? Or a politically expedient "issue" that directs focus away from successive and continuing government failings in addressing the housing crisis?
Or is it both? At the same time? I'm just asking questions?
My post was about the disconnect between housing supply and rental demand and rental costs. Continuous rental price increases is profit-seeking, and renters don’t have the luxury of waiting for prices to fall of their own volition. Controls are a way to protect those least able to weather the rising ‘inflation’ of prices, those on the lowest incomes.
Rent controls now!
https://rentersunited.org.nz/rentcontrolsnow/
@arkie, this movement assumes that ALL landlords make huge profits on their rentals, which may be true for some, but not for all. There are a myriad contributors to housing unaffordability in our country, but let's just look at one in regards to the increasing cost of rent: banks.
Since, October 2021, landlords (unlike any other business) are unable to include the mortgage interest on their rentals. It may be a surprise to some, that a foreseeable effect of that is that landlords would then raise rents. (In actual fact it was so foreseeable, that in 2020 rental rules were introduced that tried to limit that business response to increased costs/reduced income)
This approach protected the ones that have made the most profits from the housing crisis – the banks. The banks are also the ones that create rules that give them the least exposure while their profits soar. They do not have to concern themselves with the rising costs of maintenance, rates or insurance. They just have to demand that insurance is taken – to protect their profitability.
There has been no credible attempt to address bank profits as a driver of housing unaffordability.
As successive governments fail to deliver affordable housing, they do invariably consistently attempt to politically demonise the private providers of housing (simultaneously ignoring/rejoicing in the fact that private provision allows them to kick their responsibilities further down the road).
This is a landlord's self-assessment. Is it an investment or are you ‘providing’ housing? Can't be both. A charitable housing trust provides housing, private landlords hoard houses. If landlords want to 'provide housing' then they can register as non-profits, otherwise they are profit-seeking investments.
A landlord provides housing like a scalper provides tickets
Lest we forget that a few landLords are mega 'providers'.
Rents are a function of a market.
Landlords have said they would raise rents because they would have costs meeting a higher housing standard. Not all landlords were in this position.
Some of those with mortgages on their property say they will raise rent because they are beginning to lose (phase out) mortgage deductibility. Not all landlords are in this position.
The changes will raise the quality of our housing stock and reduce the presence of those speculating in property with borrowed money.
The changes are designed to reduce property values and increase home ownership.
Windfall profit seeking during a shortage results in either taxation or price/rent control.
The tax changes are of a design to move investment into new building, where the extra money is useful, not bidding up the value of existing property and reducing the level of home ownership.
This is a fascinating read and a warning how Woke politics tends towards eating it's own.
" This might be just another lament about “woke” campus culture, and the loss of traditional educational virtues. But the seminar topic was “Race and the Limits of Law in America.” Four of the 6 weeks were focused on anti-black racism (the other two were on anti-immigrant and anti-indigenous racism). I am a black professor, I directed my university’s black-studies program, I lead anti-racism and transformative-justice workshops, and I have published books on anti-black racism and prison abolition. I live in a predominantly black neighborhood of Philadelphia, my daughter went to an Afrocentric school, and I am on the board of our local black cultural organization.
Like others on the left, I had been dismissive of criticisms of the current discourse on race in the United States. But now my thoughts turned to that moment in the 1970s when leftist organizations imploded, the need to match and raise the militancy of one’s comrades leading to a toxic culture filled with dogmatism and disillusion. How did this happen to a group of bright-eyed high school students?"
https://www.compactmag.com/article/a-black-professor-trapped-in-anti-racist-hell
Good article. The Telluride Association had a deserved reputation for quality education.
I looked at Deep Springs College a few years back, (they have a list of well-known alumni).
Interesting collaborative approach to management and curriculum, which worked for decades.
Failure to value critical thinking in such processes has led to the equivalent of an authoritarian wolf in progressive clothing, taking control of the flock.
Here is an interesting short video from Peter Zeihan on the implications of the threat growing of US sanctions on China.
As Zeihan points out, there are implications following Blinken's recent statement alleging that the Chinese are preparing to send weapons and ammo to Russia.
Apparently, this is based on US intelligence, which has proved to be fairly accurate. And calling the Chinese out is seen as a warning shot that severe sanctions will be imposed if China takes that step.
Zeihan argues that one of the first sanctions would likely be to lock the Chinese out of the US dollar. This would have severe implications for the Chinese, as, according to Zeihan, they are a voracious user of the US currency.
If that were to happen there could be major implications for us, given that exports to China are 21 billion, more than double our next largest trading partner, Australia.
Firstly, we may have pressure put on us to impose trade sanctions on China. But, more importantly, it may well affect the ability of our customers in China to pay for what they import from us.
Interesting times.
Damn – got the word. Car written off from flooding in the cyclone 3 odd weeks ago. The carpets got wet.
It got water in the carpets and the underlay. Quoted $1500 to lift, dehumidify, and replace – but with a risk level for the insurers. Car is insured for under $10k.
Looking for another Honda Fit RS hybrid – mostly used for a fortnightly trip to Hamilton. But I may pay a bit more and get a more slightly more recent one.
Damn, even with the low ~5000 km over the last 18 months, I really enjoyed that car. Far more so than the similarly underutilised 2005 Caldina because I didn't have to squeeze into the door and headroom.
take the money from insurance co, buy yr car back cheap, dry yr carpets , change yr insurance to third party($130 approx), and drive on..if you like the car and use it sparingly, its the sensible option.
Sorry to hear that – best of luck with a replacement.
Possible the car is worth more as parts to the insurers. Also your mention of risk to the insurer flagged in the quote, they'll be wary for a reason.
I'd be taking the payout and getting as far from the flooded car as I could, urban flood water can do nasty things to cars.
The carpet on my car got wet on one side – dodgy door seal – parked on a slope and driving rain. I just left the windows open when driving, and when parked outside my house in the sunshine. It has all dried out OK. The car is 16 years old and I am not planning on keeping it for more than another year so I have not bothered claiming on it.
use lemons to reduce the smell of damp carpets. sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, let it dry, then vacuum. fun fact, cars are waterproof .dont buy into the myth that you have to throw them away so quickly. if yr car is worth less than 5-6 grand , full insurance is a rort. with (rising)premiums and (rising) excesses, you have to have a claim over 2 grand to break even.go 3rd party.
It seems as though this has become the default position for insurers – with water damage. Since they can't be sure that there isn't associated electrical damage as well.
Coincidentally, I had this brought to my attention by a friend in the UK – whose Tesla was involved in a relatively minor nose-to-tail accident (they were the meat in the sandwich). And, despite what looked like relatively minor damage to bumpers and crumple zone on the boot – the car was completely written off by the insurer.
It seems to be a combination of the Tesla supply chain for parts – and the heavily plastic/light-weight construction of EV – which results in 'replace' rather than 'repair' being the default option.
Did a quick look around, and it seems to be worldwide (so not just a thing in the UK)
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42709679/tesla-insurance-fixes-expense/
Probably they'd auction it and get say half of the insured value. Someone will pick it up as -is-where-is as a flood damaged car. So say $5k.
The nett loss to insurance is $10k -$5k – 0.5k = $4.5k.
The alternate is that they have a nett loss of $2k to fix (1.5k – 0.5k excess + $1k of admin and legal expenses). The overhead of running a claim is pretty high. You're organising everything dealing with repairer, the client, the auditors, and god only knows who else.
However you can't know what other damage there is.
Say that there is a 50% chance that an extra $1k of damages show up to fix some electrics or the aircond. So that is another $2k costs ($1k for repair, $1k for admin). You're now looking at a nett loss of $4k to insurer.
Now it only requires one more little thing and it is a nett loss.
And that is just the direct costs. Having expensive people and systems dealing with your claim for a second hand 10yo car might mean that the insurer screws up on a much larger claim – say a 60k new car with wet carpets.
It is cheaper for them with the risks to write the car off.
Unfortunately for me, that means I now have to spend time organising finance for another car – and I hate dealing with banks. But who knows when the insurer will cough up, and running without a car is fraught with problems.
I'm working in Hamilton today – have taken my partners usual car. If she has a working need for a car, then she is going to be using a uber or a scooter. Sure 95% of the time we only need one vehicle. I ride a bike, my partner often just walks.
But when we do overlap on time dependent stuff – well this is Auckland. For instance it gets really hard to get to PBTech for that bit of hardware that is only available at Glenfield – to get The Standard back up. Which has happened – I once had motherboard network ship failure. Which is why TS now has 3 separate network chips and 6 ethernet ports (and why I have a spare server level box that I use as a workstation for a swap).
Takes about 40 minutes round trip in a car. Takes 2-2.5 hours in a bus. And that includes me walking about 2km on my crippling arthritic big toe.
And then I have to deal with used car sales people. Pleasant folk who like expending my time .
For those interested in a solution to our forestry slash problem, one of our leading forestry experts, David Norton has an article in the conversation:
https://theconversation.com/we-planted-pine-in-response-to-cyclone-bola-with-devastating-consequences-it-is-now-time-to-invest-in-natives-200060
I just wanted to take issue with a small part of the attachment. The author seems to think that the forestry only really started after Cyclone Bola. There was forestry planted for Soil conservation (Soilcon) works near Ruatoria, Mangatu (huge plantings from the late 1950s/early 1960s to counter the massive flooding of the flats out of Gisborne by the Mangatu River), then moving south the Wharerata forests and Patunamu, south to Mohaka, around Tangoio and the Devil's Elbow.
All planted before 1987-1990 the time of the asset sales.
It was these forests that were parcelled off and sold to (mainly) overseas interests for cutting rights. Undoubtedly companies have added to the land that they acquired in late 1980s/early 1990s. They may be onto a second rotation cutting on some areas.
It was of concern to some that land that was growing good trees because of stewardship from NZFS (govt) was only in NZFS ownership because the trees were a first line attempt to stop the land from slipping away to the sea. NZFS were good at managing forestry regimes.
At the time they were planted it was not really envisaged what future felling regimes would look like. Later before the asset sale NZFS had developed expertise in selective and careful logging on soilcon areas. There was a recognition that these were not to be treated like regular commercial forests.
Such nuances were lost in the division into land that was conservation only, or commercial only. No land could be mixed use these were Treasury and SOE driven divisions.
So there are, to my view, some areas planted in trees that should have been treated for their highest and best use and that was being managed as a soilcon resource. It should not have been subject to the rigours of a logging regime over huge blocks.
I am not sure what, if any knowledge the new owners of the wood or the crews they flew from forest to forest to tend to the silviculture requirements, had of the history or of how to manage on 'tender' land such as this.
As an observer it has seems to have got much worse, in extraction work even allowing for climate change. The just seems to be an air of we'll carry on regardless, we'll not learn, we'll chase whatever $$$$$ we can. Some of the skidder sites further down into HB were visible from the main roads and were a real mess.
Now that we have our Census papers it is time to tell Statistics what we think of their assertion that we all have a "gendered soul".
“This new Gender category will be used as the default category for sorting all the other data – so despite also collecting data on Sex, they are absolutely desperate to know your Gender. So desperate in fact that if you don’t answer or don’t know, they will answer the question for you”.
https://www.speakupforwomen.nz/post/do-we-really-count?fbclid=IwAR0DOZM0bo3aW7bdnnog3IYPz0wkPEijrcbJ8h9SfrstJ71gB7pPq_5Cydg
I am contemplating refusing to complete that portion of the Census on the grounds that I am being forced to have a political opinion.
Talking of souls, I'm contemplating refusing to complete the portion of the census form that deals with religious affiliation.
Fortunately (for me), my sex at birth and gender are congruent (such a conformist!), and I'll be completing my census form accordingly.
Fwiw, no-one will be forced to disclose their gender in order to complete their 2023 census form. One can choose to answer the 'sex at birth' question only, and avoid the 'gender' question if unsure or uncomfortable about gender-related matters.
While that lines up with your opinion that having a gender different to birth sex is not real/is a belief/is like a religious faith – the concept is related to their sense of identity/a matter of their psychology/psyche/sense of self/conscious being.
The idea of a female psyche in a male body (male psyche in a female body) was mooted back in the 19th C.
I see however, no evangelism about a gendered "soul" (that survives mortal life death) as a requirement to identify as transgender (or agender, non binary, gender fluid, gender queer, etc).
And it belongs in the 19th C. You no more have a "female brain" in a male body than you have a "female kidney" in a male body. What you may have is a psychological issue where for various reasons you identify more with one set of sexist stereotypes than another. And you can identify as a cocker spaniel if you like – it does not make you one. The rest of that ideological claptrap is as made up as any other religion.
You and anyone else can strawman that psyche is to be equated with the physical brain, but that does not make it so.
And you and anyone can claim that they do this
but offer no evidence for it whatsoever.
And you will get called on it every time that you do.
Is anything you claimed in 10 true?
Minister Nash does little to encourage us that this Labour government is prepared to do what is necessary to deal with the slash issues:
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/anne-salmond-on-slash-research
New 3 Waters meme 😀
https://twitter.com/rawiritaonui/status/1628190584203784192?s=46&t=KT133s1UWaUIazF2V5RhAQ
What is going on with the Inter Island Ferries? Apparently only two out of six running at the moment. This is starting to make us look a bit 3rd World.
It is becoming a major issue, not only for passengers. But also freight in both directions. This could become a major hinderance to the recovery up north if goods and equipment need freighting from the South Island to the North.
And, it is a major nuisance for business. We have been told to add at least an extra week to freighting times.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/484650/people-left-sleeping-on-couches-stuck-on-wrong-island-after-interislander-problems
Equipment failures (this has never happened before) can be inconvenient, and not a good look, but are often temporary. Maybe StraitNZ needs govt help (could cost taxpayers) – or flog off KiwiRail's Interislander?
Time to develop 'resilience strategies' to cope better with these "major nuisances"?
Imho it's never too late to develop Aotearoa NZ – we just need to be leery of growth.
As to the ferries not sailing, I would imagine safety would be a major influence.
Plus, it's as if truck, ferry, truck is the only way to move stuff around the shaky isles. Coastal shipping is an option. An option, that if we are serious about mitigating CO2, needs to become mainstream (boom boom).
And cargo cult economic ideas parachuted in on unsuspecting natives such as from the Chicago School per NZ Treasury.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_school_of_economics
P. Douglas vs R. Douglas
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23092848
Yes I read that about the Douglas at Chicago and his dismay to find that a form of macro economics he did not like much had taken over……
Of course the NZ Douglas had his form go hand in hand with our Actoid and Natoids keenness on small Government. A perfect match for textbook ideology.
Has anybody else noticed the media obsession with the flood issues for the elites or the upper middle class in their urban fringe lifetsyle blocks ?
'The musician’s four-bedroom $3.3 million dollar property saw water rushing through it before draining down the hill towards the ocean.
Despite being listed by homes.co.nz as being on a steep rise, the 1882m2 property still saw waters rise right up to its front door and a minor slip on the front lawn.'
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/pihas-gravity-defying-waters-take-on-formerly-crowded-house
The author Matthew Scott then goes on to give incorrect/misleading information about council data/maps on flood prone areas
The same council data shows that an overland flow path from the ponding area on Garden road runs right through the Finn estate. Which is exactly what occurred
An clue would be this property sits on a sand ridge behind the beach road, but the Finn home is a saddle between higher ground each side. Must have made a flatter building site and the real estate web site mentioned does show flattish lawns.
Hint , always check the overland flow paths
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I have no idea what you’re talking about. Why don’t you illustrate your point with an actual image or link or something with the property in question highlighted and the overland flows shown as well?
I am amazed GWWnz that you got as much as you did from this really poorly written article from Matthew Scott.
Talk about once over lightly on the maps/geography aspect from the author, as you say.
The subject of geography often gets bad press from the purists. However any geographer and any person who observes landforms will be able to tell you that hills are not hills and flats are not flats. There are a myriad of landforms where they are mixed so we get flattened tops of hills, we get lakes on mountains, we get ponding areas and swamps on land forms that look like hills. So we get saddles between ridges and on them water drains down from the ridges on either side. All these occur naturally ie without direct human intervention.
Only a person with no geographic or map reading experience would think that living on a hill you wouldn't have to worry.
My Dad used repeat the truism 'water finds its own level' and to that I want to add that in finding its own level water finds its way back to its old levels and old patterns. It finds its way back to drained swamps, and overland flow paths. This often occurs in times of climate stress as we have just had.
I have also seen it happen in times of yore (1980s) when culverted/diverted streams just blew out and re-emerged down valleys.
Yes. Theres an existing pond -wetland behind the top of the dunes and there is a overflow point from that pond towards the beach. It goes over the dunes via a saddle that is Neil Finns place and the council GIS shows that .
often with stories about flooding slips if it interests me I look it up on google earth or my online NZ Topo maps.
In another elite centered story theres was small slip in a gully in Parnell, which from my previous work I was familiar with that area. There the claim was the council reserve ( actually overgrown low value land) had caused the slip and the story had the owner saying 'what was council going to do about it'
Of course slips are natural occurences and the owner of the land below doesnt have to do anything unless they have deliberately excavated below without retaining. Modern building codes require a building site to be stabilised before building, usually in ground piles. However this cottage seems to pre date all this.
Like flooding areas , slope stability can be ignored by buyers who dont wonder why its so cheap in this area .
Good idea.
Though I guess you would have a good sense of 'tosh' talking even without doing this.
It all seems to tie into this constant expansion/growth at all/any cost.
We have had a pandemic and now floods and losses.
Buzz words/phrases like BAU, build back better
What seems to be missing is the phrase 'build back better or not at all.' For some land doing nothing and retreating is the best option.
Most of our work was geotechnical and a portion was in the Waitakeres. I used to say to people privately back then that if you live there start thinking of moving on.
if a cyclone hits Auckland the area is so vulnerable ( especially those on town water and sewage) as the damage will be widespread to roads and infrastructure and will mean they will be unable to move back home for months ( for some not ever).
There was old evidence of previous slips everywhere…regrowth covers it up unless you know where to look
There were places also in Karekare close to the stream…I imagine they are gone now , but the road in is virtually unusable – it was barely usable in ordinary times.
Personally I feel that place is finished as nothing is really worth rebuilding or fixing the road enough . Watch for the outcry when thats decided
The future rainfall and cyclones can only be worse