Open mike 22/04/2021
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- 2023 More Reading: January (+ Old Phuul Update)
Completed reads for January Lilith, by George MacDonald The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (poem), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Christabel (poem), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok, by Anonymous The Lay of Kraka (poem), by Anonymous 1066 and All That, by W.C. Sellar and R.J. ...10 hours ago - Is Britain doomed (again)?
Pity the poor Brits. They just can’t catch a break. After years of reporting of lying Boris Johnson, a change to a less colourful PM in Rishi Sunak has resulted in a smooth media pivot to an end-of-empire narrative. The New York Times, no less, amplifies suggestions that Blighty ...12 hours ago - After The Deluge.
On that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth.Genesis 6:11-12THE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS that dumped a record-breaking amount of rain on Auckland this anniversary weekend will reoccur with ever-increasing frequency. The planet’s atmosphere is ...12 hours ago - Minister of Education (who might be replaced later today) left it to his ministry to apologise for i...
Buzz from the Beehive There has been plenty to keep the relevant Ministers busy in flood-stricken Auckland over the past day or two. But New Zealand, last time we looked, extends north of Auckland into Northland and south of the Bombay Hills all the way to the bottom of the ...14 hours ago - The other ‘big one’: How a megaflood could swamp California’s Central Valley
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters When early settlers came to the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers before the California Gold Rush, Indigenous people warned them that the Sacramento Valley could become an inland sea when great winter rains came. The storytellers described water filling the ...16 hours ago - Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The gamechanger PM and polls
Dr Bryce Edwards writes – Last night’s opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins ...17 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: The Gamechanger PM and polls
Last night’s opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins has changed everything, and Labour is back ...18 hours ago - After the deluge – initial thoughts on the Auckland floods
Over the last few years, it’s seemed like city after city around the world has become subject to extreme flooding events that have been made worse by impacts from climate change. We’ve highlighted many of them in our Weekly Roundup series. Sadly, over the last few days it’s been Auckland’s ...18 hours ago - Ani O’Brien: Luxon can’t afford to continue ‘small target’ politicsA ‘small target’ strategy is not going to cut it anymore if National want to win the upcoming election. The game has changed and the game plan needs to change as well. Jacinda Ardern’s abrupt departure from the 9th floor has the potential to derail what looked to be an ...18 hours ago
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In November last year, the SIS agreed to pay journalist Nicky Hager $66,000 for illegally spying on him. As part of the settlement, they agreed to publish an agreed statement about the settlement on their website. But two weeks later, it was gone. The New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties ...2 days ago - Gordon Campbell on counting the ways Auckland was failed by its mayorI n some alternative universe, Auckland mayor Efeso Collins readily grasped the scale of Friday’s deluge, and quickly made the emergency declaration that enabled central government to immediately throw its resources behind the rescue and remediation effort. As Friday evening became night, Mayor Collins seemed to be everywhere: talking with ...2 days ago
- Mercury Energy’s hydro power generation has been boosted by a wet half-year
They called it an “atmospheric river”, the weather bombardment which hit NZ’s northern region at the weekend. It exacted a terrible toll on metropolitan Auckland and the rest of the region. Few living there may have noted a statement from electricity generator Mercury Energy labelled “WET, WET, WET!” This was ...2 days ago - When it rains it pours.
I know, that is a pretty corny title but given the circumstances here in the Auckland region, I just had to say it. The more oblique reference embedded in the title is to the leadership failures exhibited by Mayor Wayne Brown and his so-called leadership team when confronted by the ...2 days ago - Bryce Edwards: How authorities failed Aucklanders in an emergencyHow much confidence should the public have in authorities managing natural disasters? Not much, judging by the farcical way in which the civil defence emergence in Auckland has played out. The way authorities dealt with Auckland’s extreme weather on Friday illustrated how hit-and-miss our civil defence emergency system is. In ...2 days ago
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- Flooding flushes out more evidence of life in the BeehiveBuzz from the Beehive Yes, there’s life – and the hint of ministerial hum – in the Beehive. The latest announcement on the Beehive website deals with flood relief for Auckland: Government steps up to assist Auckland during flooding As the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the ...3 days ago
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Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.It was another ‘SHOCK! HORROR!’ headline from a media increasingly venturing into tabloid-style journalism:Andrea Vance’s article seemed to focus on the "million dollar sums from the Government as the country grapples with a housing ...3 days ago - Brian Easton: Christmas briefing papers — what was the PM reading in the runup to Election Year?Dr Brian Easton writes: It’s the summer break. Everyone settles down with family, books, the sun and some fishing. But the Prime Minister has a pile of briefing papers prepared just before Christmas, which have to be worked through. I haven’t seen them. Here is my guess at some ...4 days ago
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What Was the Prime Minister Reading in the Runup to Election Year?It’s the summer break. Everyone settles down with family, books, the sun and some fishing. But the Prime Minister has a pile of briefing papers prepared just before Christmas, which have to be worked through. I haven’t seen them. ...4 days ago - A significant loopholeIn case you hadn't noticed, FYI, the public OIA request site, has been used to conduct a significant excavation into New Zealand's intelligence agencies, with requests made for assorted policies and procedures. Yesterday in response to one of these requests the GCSB released its policy on New Zealand Purpose and ...4 days ago
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- Ministers are muted – or missing in action, maybeBuzz from the Beehive Nothing to report, folks. Other than Willie Jackson’s tribute on Wednesday to Titewhai Harawira, ministers of the Crown have posted nothing on the Beehive website since the day ...4 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the bad outlook for fuel and transport costsOk, there’s good news and bad news in this week’s inflation figures, but bad > good. Our inflation rate held steady but hey, at a level below the inflation rate in Australia. The main reason for the so/so result here? A fall in petrol prices of 7.2% offset the really ...5 days ago
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- Garrick Tremain’s view …
... 5 days ago - Tribute has been paid to Titewhai Harawira but Beehive has missed govt response to the CPI and Crown...Buzz from the Beehive Hurrah. Today we found something fresh on the Beehive website, Beehive.govt.nz, which claims to be the best place to find Government initiatives, policies and Ministerial information. It wasn’t from Finance Minister Grant Robertson, whose reaction to the latest inflation figures would have been appreciated. So, too, ...5 days ago
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- Ominous Similarities.Extremism Consumes Itself: The plot of “Act of Oblivion” concerns the relentless pursuit of the “regicides” Edward Whalley and William Goffe – two of the fifty-nine signatories to King Charles I’s death warrant. As with his many other works of historical fiction, Robert Harris’s novel brings to life a period ...5 days ago
- You could dismiss co-governance critics as racist – or you could consult Thomas Cranmer (and see h...To challenge the Government’s promotion of co-governance, to share power between Maori and public authorities and agencies, is to invite accusations of racism. An example: this article by Martyn Bradbury on The Daily Blog headed Luxon’s race baiting hypocrisy at Ratana. The article was triggered by National leader Christopher Luxon, ...6 days ago
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It’s a big day for New Zealand; our 41st Prime Minister has taken office and the new, “Chippy” era of politics is underway. Or, on the other hand, the Labour Party continues to govern with an overall majority and much the same leadership team in place. Life goes on and ...7 days ago - Thomas Cranmer: Chris Hipkins on co-governance – “No-one understands what it means”New Zealand has another Prime Minister who does not have a basic grasp of the three articles of the Treaty of Waitangi. THOMAS CRANMER writes: It is simply astonishing that New Zealand’s next Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, is unable to give even a brief explanation of the three articles ...7 days ago
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- When Sepuloni finds time to check on the latest benefit stats, perhaps she will explain what has bee...Buzz from the Beehive Again we must report that nothing fresh has been posted on the Beehive website since 19 January, when Jacinda Ardern announced the General Election will be held on 14 October and her resignation as Prime Minister. But we are eagerly awaiting the posting of a statement ...1 week ago
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- Bryce Edwards: Labour shifts focus from Grey Lynn to West AucklandThe days of the Labour Government being associated with middle class social liberalism look to be numbered. Soon-to-be Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni are heralding a major shift in emphasis away from the constituencies and ideologies of liberal Grey Lynn and Wellington Central towards the ...1 week ago
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- 2023: a crucial year for Aotearoa already, fair thinking voters need to step up right now
Things have gone sideways… and it’s only the third week of January? It was political earthquake time. For some the Prime Minister made a truly significant announcement. For others – did you have this on your bingo card? – a body double did so (sit tight, you’ll understand later, ...1 week ago
- Urgent action needed to support families
The tools exist to help families with surging costs – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...6 days ago - Green Party writes to new Prime MinisterThe Green Party has written to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins outlining a plan for a fairer Aotearoa. ...6 days ago
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- Government boosts fund for Auckland flooding
The Government is providing a further $1 million to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Cabinet today agreed that, given the severity of the event, a further $1 million contribution be made. Cabinet wishes to be proactive ...10 hours ago - New Cabinet focused on bread and butter issuesThe new Cabinet will be focused on core bread and butter issues like the cost of living, education, health, housing and keeping communities and businesses safe, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. “We need a greater focus on what’s in front of New Zealanders right now. The new Cabinet line ...10 hours ago
- Prime Minister to meet with PM AlbanesePrime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week for an in person meeting with Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. “The trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealand’s closest and most important, and it was crucial to me that my first overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Australia,” Chris Hipkins ...12 hours ago
- Government makes first payment to Auckland Flooding fundThe Government is providing establishment funding of $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “We moved quickly to make available this funding to support Aucklanders while the full extent of the damage is being assessed,” Kieran McAnulty ...3 days ago
- Government steps up to assist Auckland during floodingAs the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the Government, through NEMA, is able to step up support for those affected by flooding in Auckland. “I’d urge people to follow the advice of authorities and check Auckland Emergency Management for the latest information. As always, the Government ...4 days ago
- Poroporoaki: Titewhai Te Huia Hinewhare HarawiraKa papā te whatitiri, Hikohiko ana te uira, wāhi rua mai ana rā runga mai o Huruiki maunga Kua hinga te māreikura o te Nota, a Titewhai Harawira Nā reira, e te kahurangi, takoto, e moe Ka mōwai koa a Whakapara, kua uhia te Tai Tokerau e te kapua pōuri ...6 days ago
- Enhanced Task Force Green Approved following Cyclone HaleCarmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment, has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding and damaged caused by Cyclone Hale in the Tairāwhiti region. Up to $500,000 will be made available to employ job seekers to support the clean-up. We are still investigating whether other parts ...1 week ago
- General Election to be held on 14 October 2023The 2023 General Election will be held on Saturday 14 October 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “Announcing the election date early in the year provides New Zealanders with certainty and has become the practice of this Government and the previous one, and I believe is best practice,” Jacinda ...2 weeks ago
- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces resignationJacinda Ardern has announced she will step down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. Her resignation will take effect on the appointment of a new Prime Minister. A caucus vote to elect a new Party Leader will occur in 3 days’ time on Sunday the 22nd of ...2 weeks ago
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- Government funding relief for flood-affected Wairarapa farmers and growersThe Government has extended its medium-scale classification of Cyclone Hale to the Wairarapa after assessing storm damage to the eastern coastline of the region. “We’re making up to $80,000 available to the East Coast Rural Support Trust to help farmers and growers recover from the significant damage in the region,” ...2 weeks ago
- Government provides support to flooded Tairāwhiti communitiesThe Government is making an initial contribution of $150,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Tairāwhiti following ex-Tropical Cyclone Hale, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “While Cyclone Hale has caused widespread heavy rain, flooding and high winds across many parts of the North Island, Tairāwhiti ...3 weeks ago
- Government support for flood-affected Gisborne Tairāwhiti farmers and growersRural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor has classified this week’s Cyclone Hale that caused significant flood damage across the Tairāwhiti/Gisborne District as a medium-scale adverse event, unlocking Government support for farmers and growers. “We’re making up to $100,000 available to help coordinate efforts as farmers and growers recover from the heavy ...3 weeks ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Finnigan, Leader, Complex Systems Science, CSIRO Shutterstock One of Australia’s leading climate scientists, Professor Will Steffen, died on Sunday. Steffen has been hailed as a leading climate thinker, selfless mentor and gifted communicator. He is survived by his wife ...5 hours ago - Ombudsman Cautions Against Complacency
New Zealand’s reputation as a country mostly free from corruption in its public service and judiciary has been reaffirmed in the 2022 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says. But Mr Boshier ...5 hours ago - New Zealand Second Equal In Latest Corruption Perceptions IndexNew Zealand is ranked second equal with Finland in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index, Denmark is now clearly at the top of the ranking. New Zealand’s score dropped one point to 87 while Denmark improved by 2 points scoring 90. This is only the third ...7 hours ago
- The winners and losers in Chris Hipkins’ ‘bread and butter’ reshuffle
Analysis: In juggling his cabinet, the new prime minister said he sought to balance stability with renewal, writes Toby Manhire. There were some massive shifts reflected in the first cabinet of Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced this afternoon – it’s just we knew about them already. Specifically: Mt Albert MP ...8 hours ago - Emergency Mobile Alert issued for possible further downpours in AucklandAuckland Emergency Management has issued an Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) warning of the potential for further extremely heavy rain to hit the Auckland region tonight. The alert asks Aucklanders to act immediately if they see rising water, due to how quickly flooding can happen. They should evacuate to high ...8 hours ago
- Promotions for Verrall, McAnulty and Edmonds in Labour reshuffleAyesha Verrall will become the minister of health and moves to the front bench, taking the portfolio over from Andrew Little. Kieran McAnulty will join cabinet and take over the local government portfolio. Meanwhile, Little drops seven spots on the list, Phil Twyford is no longer a minister, and the ...8 hours ago
- After a decade of decline, Australia is back on the rise in a global anti-corruption rankingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Graycar, Professor of Public Policy, University of Adelaide Just months after Australia legislated to establish the long-anticipated National Anti-Corruption Agency, our standing is back on the rise in Transparency International’s annual Global Corruption Perceptions Index. This is a small but important ...8 hours ago
- Jetlag hits differently depending on your travel direction. Here are 6 tips to help you get over itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sally Ferguson, Director, Appleton Institute, CQUniversity Australia Shutterstock After a few difficult years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, people are finally winging their way across the globe again; families are being reunited and sights are being seen. Yet the ...8 hours ago
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- National energy strategy taking too long, environment commissioner tells minister
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- Auckland deputy mayor talks up media role in disasters in wake of mayor Brown ‘drongos’ textAuckland mayor Wayne Brown is under fire for calling New Zealand journalists “drongos”, blaming them for having to cancel a round of tennis with friends on Sunday as the city dealt with the aftermath of record rainfall and flooding that left four dead. It comes after widespread criticism of ...10 hours ago
- A self-destructing mayoralty
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- Prime Minister Chris Hipkins reveals Cabinet reshufflePrime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced Jan Tinetti, Ayesha Verrall, Willie Jackson and Kiri Allan are being shifted up the Labour rankings, with Nanaia Mahuta and Andrew Little dropping down. Watch here. ...10 hours ago
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- Gardeners warned of food safety risk, consumers face vege shortagesConsumers have been warned to prepare for fruit and vegetable shortages as floodwaters in the upper North Island impact food safety. The weekend’s flooding will exacerbate supply issues caused by rainy conditions this summer in much of the country, leading to higher prices nationwide. Anne-Marie Arts of industry group United ...11 hours ago
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- Some personal news: The Spinoff CEO Duncan Greive resignsDuncan Greive founded The Spinoff in 2014. Today he has decided to hand the torch to his colleague and friend Amber Easby. He explains why. I swear I thought of it first. Or at least, in parallel. I remember walking up the stairs to work on January 9, and for ...13 hours ago
- Entity A Iwi Mobilise Resources And Relief For Tāmaki And Te Tai TokerauToday’s launch of Waipuna aa rangi, the formal body set to represent hapū and iwi across Te Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki Makaurau in the Three Waters reforms, has been postponed by the ongoing extreme weather event. “The latest red warning for parts ...13 hours ago
- Can chewing help manage stress, pain and appetite? Here’s what the science saysSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics AO, University of Newcastle Pexels/Anna Shvets Ever feel a bit stressed or need a concentration boost? Research suggests one remedy may be right under your nose. Chewing has benefits for brain function, ...13 hours ago
- AI is helping us search for intelligent alien life – and we’ve found 8 strange new signalsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danny C Price, Senior research fellow, Curtin University Midjourney, Author provided Some 540 million years ago, diverse life forms suddenly began to emerge from the muddy ocean floors of planet Earth. This period is known as the Cambrian Explosion, and ...13 hours ago
- Labor’s proposed family law overhaul makes some important changes, but omits othersSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Camilla Nelson, EG Whitlam Research Fellow at the Whitlam Institute, and Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame Australia April Fonti/AAP There is much to be excited about in Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’s draft Family Law Amendment Bill 2023, the first in ...13 hours ago
- Climate change is already putting the heat on insurance companies – Auckland’s floods could be a...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Naylor, Senior Lecturer, Massey University Getty Images The clean-up from Auckland’s devastating floods last week is just beginning but insurance companies will need to start thinking about what the record-breaking weather event will mean for future coverage. Over ...14 hours ago
- A coalition of anti-poverty and welfare advocacy groups has called for urgent government action to support people affected by flooding in Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and Waikato. The Fairer Future group - which called for increases in income support ...14 hours ago
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- The Bulletin: hospital waiting lists growHospital waiting lists grow Chris Hipkins is expected to announce his cabinet reshuffle today. There’s been some speculation that Andrew Little may lose the health portfolio to Ayesha Verrall. As Stuff’s Bridie Witton reported, Little said he was happy to stick it out as the health minister. ...15 hours ago
- Overseas Home Buyers’ Share Remains LowIn the December 2022 quarter, 0.4 percent of home transfers were to people who didn’t hold New Zealand citizenship or a resident visa, Stats NZ said today. This compares with 0.4 percent in the December 2021 quarter, and 0.5 percent in the September 2022 ...15 hours ago
- The app making it easier to share your DoshNew Zealand is well behind the rest of the world when it comes to transferring money between banks. Shane Marsh and James McEniery discovered this when they were living in Singapore and started Aotearoa’s first real time payment mobile wallet. They aim to bring banking in New Zealand into the ...16 hours ago
- Heavy rain approaches as mayor’s text message emergesMetService satellite imaging shows a deepening low moving towards New Zealand. It’s expected to bring more heavy rain to areas already impacted by the record-breaking rainfall on Friday that caused severe flooding in Auckland. Red and orange heavy rain warnings have been issued. Red warnings are issued when rain is ...16 hours ago
- An investigation into school uniforms, by three intermediate studentsOur uniforms are overpriced and so packed with plastics they’ll outlive our great-great-grandchildren, write the student journalists of Balmoral Intermediate. Last year, Balmoral Intermediate’s student-run newspaper Kawepūrongo released a multi-part investigation into their polyester-packed school uniforms. The first instalment, titled “What Really Goes Into Our Uniform?” was initially sparked by ...16 hours ago
- Use Of Dog To Arrest Car Thieves In New Plymouth JustifiedThe Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that a Police dog handler’s decision to command his dog to restrain two young people while arresting them for attempting to steal a car was a justified, necessary and proportionate response in ...16 hours ago
- Rain and Wayne to carry onWhile the upper North Island braces for more heavy rain, Auckland mayor Wayne Brown remains adamant he’s not resigning as a new text message about “media drongos” sent by Brown comes to light, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The ...17 hours ago
- EDS Files Legal Proceedings Challenging The Lawfulness Of Plantation Forestry RegulationsThe Environmental Defence Society says that the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) are failing to protect the coastal marine environment from the significant adverse effects of sedimentation associated with plantation ...17 hours ago
- AI is helping us search for intelligent alien life – and we’ve already found 8 strange new signa...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danny C Price, Senior research fellow, Curtin University Midjourney, Author provided Some 540 million years ago, diverse life forms suddenly began to emerge from the muddy ocean floors of planet Earth. This period is known as the Cambrian Explosion, and ...18 hours ago
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- How culling Australia’s feral water buffalo could help tackle climate changeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Davies, Research Associate, Charles Darwin University The world’s largest wild population of water buffalo now roam Australia. As does the largest wild herd of camels. We have millions of feral goats and deer. For these introduced species, Australia is a paradise. ...18 hours ago
- The hype is out of this world, but mining in space won’t save the EarthSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Juliana Segura-Salazar, Research Fellow, The University of Queensland Planetary Resources We know the world must move to cleaner energy sources to head off the worst effects of climate change, but the technology required for the transition is very mineral-intensive. So ...18 hours ago
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Given we've been assured that "rents have tended to mirror wage growth" just wondering if anyone here has seen a 6 percent wage increase recently?
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2104/S00327/rents-show-biggest-annual-increase-in-over-two-years.htm
she got it sorted.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/renting/124823927/sharing-a-wellington-hostel-bedroom-with-7-others-is-a-better-option-than-flatting-says-58yearold
This person should not be let out of jail early.
Previous to this he stomped on someone's neck. So its not a one off incident. When he gets angry, he gets the prison guard to lock him in his cell…..what happens when he is released and gets angry?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/124890747/man-who-fatally-headbutted-victim-over-parking-space-to-serve-less-than-half-his-sentence-in-prison
Only one and a half years in jail for killing someone looking after a disabled person over a parking space.
According to the headlines Mike Hosking reckons we're heading for a brain drain to Australia. Means he's staying I guess
well there are others then Mike Hosking who reckon the same. Builder and Nurses first, anyone else who may have a chance at a job (for those not working from home and construction) and an affordable house.
Why not? Indeed why not?
It's a nice place to visit…
How old are you?
Like Gillard, old enough to know better – I'm re-tired.
that explains a lot.
Glad I could help
– though it is a nice place to visit.
People have always left Hokitika for Christchurch or Hokianga for Whangarei or Whangarei for Auckland or Auckland for London.
This week and next week what would you do to keep people heading off to the streets paved with gold?
What should other countries do to stop their people leaving their homelands to come here to do the low paid work our economy apparently needs which we can't furnish orders for?
pay them as much as we do here, cause that is why they are here. Our low paid jobs are still better then theirs, in the same sense as OZ low paid jobs are still better paid then ours here, and their houses are cheaper.
And economic migrant is an economic migrant, no matter if you call them Ex-pat or Immigrant.
Sabine, how long is it since you were in Australia? Many homes have
1. water charges
2. Bodycorp charges
3. Rates charges
4. Surcharges for storm and flood damage.
They have surging house prices, high unemployment, and good luck getting a work visa, plus needing sufficient funds for your stay, a permanent address, an ABN and an Australian bank account. Not quite as easy as you are saying.
A number of ex-Kiwis are coming here as they see help being offered. This Government did not create Rotorua's drug or gang problem. In Australia, the Centre Link pages offer all sorts, until you get to the bit that says "Except for New Zealanders" They get one time help once only, and do not qualify for anything else except medicare. Go figure.
Not much different to Auckland then, we also have the bonus that alot of our apartment buildings and townhouses are steaming piles of turd… that includes the new ones… see Stonefields… scaffold and wrap up on new by the quarry in 3 Kings only 3 years old… tearing the guts out of new 'executive' apartments in Grafton and keeping the reasons very very quiet with non disclosure agreements.
But to be fair I think Aus has its fair share of problems in that regard…
So, in Vanuatu and Fiji and wherever they should have minimum wages which are equivalent to ours? And us? We should find out what builders and nurses are paid in Australia and make those the minimum here?
this was your question, my answer is here
a. increase the wages of our low paid work that no one here wants to do cause they would not earn enough money to pay rent in a n 8 bedroom dorm of a Hostel to something that would afford the median 600 odd dollar now charged for 2 – 3 bedrooms without outgoings and food.
b. remove any unemployment benefits and other benefits and force people here to do these jobs that they don't want to do because low pay.
c. accept the fact that we will import low wage workers as NZ has done since ages ago – be they the early chinese communities, the european migrants, refugees etc, and call that cheap labour these guys and i once upon a time had to do to earn their 'right to breathe the good air of NZ' (yes, i was told that) – the 'Kiwi Experience'.
d. drop our min wage to that of vanuatu to remove any incentives for the guys from vanuatu to come here, or increase their to what we have so that they don’t have an incentive to come here.
Or else, find some Kiwis that are happy to work in understaffed old folks homes, that clean our hospitals and old folk homes, that pick our food, that do all sorts of jobs that we don't want to do. But you don't get to complain about someone applying to come here for a better live, when all of Pakeha NZ basically is build on Migration.
.
So there won't be any unemployment benefits and other benefits for anyone in Kaitaia. People would be 'forced' to go to Central Otago of Hawkes Bay to pick fruit. The wages would be so high they will want to do it.
At the same time we drop our minimum wage so that workers from Vanuatu won't want to come here.
Your answer, if I understand it right, is bewildering.
why? you have asked a question as to what can be done.
I gave you a few samples of things that already had been proposed.
As for the benefit being cut or cancelled, well we are almost there. Our benefit levels are so low that you are essentially below the poverty line if you are on one, and they are set that way so that the dear unemployed and poor don't forget the 'value of work'. Comments courtesy of dear Carmel Sepuloni, she who follows as closely in the steps of Paula Benefit as she can without upsetting any labour doodas.
Never mind what job, never mind if you are trained for it, or even just good at it, value of work……..either that or cheap migrants. Who cares. Not anyone here in NZ.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/more-people-getting-work
https://communitylaw.org.nz/community-law-manual/chapter-23-dealing-with-work-and-income/benefit-rates-how-much-youll-get-and-how-much-you-can-earn/how-earning-money-will-affect-your-benefit-abatement/
yadda yadda yadda yadda yadda
rinse repeat.
I suspect there will be quite a few Covid refugees who returned home from Europe and the US go to Australia. They believe they are too big for New Zealand. They hate it here and rather than fix the perceived faults they'd rather chip away from places like Brisbane.
Why do you think that people are 'too big' for NZ, when all they want mostly is a steady income, a house, and maybe a bit more sun?
Personally OZ is not for me, but then i live in Rotorua now, and i know quite a few people who are planning to leave. And why not? Seriously why not? No jobs. And i mean that. No houses – not for rent not to buy. Gangs fucking everywhere and no cops in sight, no social workers in sight, no government in sight. Panhandling, Drug dealing, open prostitution. Why not leave to OZ, after all where would you move to in NZ to escape this? Auckland? Wellington? lol. See above the article of a women living in an 8 bedroom dorm in a Hostel while being a student in Wellington. Why not move.
Maybe its not that those that leave think they are to big for NZ, maybe NZ has no use for them, maybe NZ government has written of whole towns/regions as 'too hard to do anything there', and maybe NZ really does not care for those that have not made it big enough to actually live and eat and be warm in NZ on a standard wage without having to beg Winz for a subsidy.
Lol He would go well there, He and Jones!!
Surprise, surprise – Australia continually treating us like a piece of shit stuck on their shoe has consequences for both countries.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/300283352/foreign-minister-nanaia-mahutas-remarks-on-china-blindside-australian-officials
I want to bring this group to the attention of TS. It's a Brash/Newman fan club with accent on fake patriotism and shutting down those pesky darkies.
Kiwi Frontline.
No link. Not gonna make it easy for idiots. Journos, I present you this haven for haters. Now do what you do do well.
oooo, "frontline", they're ever so butch.
Frontline is a good flea treatment for cats.
and Dogs lol.
Not sure I'd trust this mob with my pets.
They’re feral.
The establishment of a new Public Health Agency gives me real hope. One of the key things I will be looking for is how much sway with the new agency the alcohol lobby will have.
Alcohol is a real scourge on all levels of our society. We really do need to start to regulate it’s sale much like we have done, and continue to do, with tobacco.
Stopping the sale of all alcohol in supermarkets. Regulate the number of liquor stores in any given area on a per head of population basis. These would be two great places to start.
The sugar lobby as well!!
Well that didn't take long did it. So much for any labour market resets – talk about ignoring people who vote for you Labour. And relying on continuing immigration despite the headaches that it has given us in every other area.
Back to importing cheap labour to compete with the local unemployed and our own young people coming onto the employment market. So much for any tourism reset. And given that no tourists doesn't seem to have done much over al, economic harm.
Plus we look like we are again going to be letting in the families of temporary workers with 12 months left on the visa. Are we again holding out false hope – that temporary visas can be made permanent easily – and at the expense of our own workforce.
All this in the face of the the study into the fruit industry and local studies that show local labour displaced low productivity and under utilisation – women and maori in oarticular being affected.
from Monday 19 April, applicants from the 14 uncapped countries who are currently in Australia will be able to apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa. INZ is promising to process applications within the standard timeframes.
The countries concerned are the UK, USA, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
“This is great news for tourism and hospitality businesses struggling to find additional staff, especially temporary and part-time roles. There may be up to 45,000 young travellers in Australia although we don’t know how many would be from the 14 eligible countries,” Mr Roberts says.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2104/S00231/tourism-employers-welcome-back-working-holidaymakers.htm
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2104/S00125/border-exceptions-will-see-more-families-reunited.htm
https://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/300278980/the-underemployed-marlborough-has-too-many-parttimers-who-want-more-work
Misinformation,the malady of our times.
A Koch-sucker under every rock.
Putting Private Wealth before Public Health risks both.
The catalogue of Right Wing administrations, Trump, Bolsanaro, Modi, that have prioritised the economy over fighting the pandemic have ended up damaging both.
Hopefully Andrew Little’s reforms will reinforce and harden our health system, ready to ramp up against any outbreak, (an outbreak that some have said will be inevitable with the more open borders).
Let’s hope Little’s reforms are not too late, that the Health Minister can muster the massive health resources our nation will need against an outbreak.
Sounds like the braying of our National opposition MPs. Thank goodness they were not in power when the pandemic struck.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/21/system-has-collapsed-india-descent-into-covid-hell?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3p9h4if_OgJdoHuj60wgbE5HmpheEXRk1ZWbZ1b9xI566z3G5ypJpYFZo#Echobox=1619005174