Renegade Inc: Rentier Britain: all the rent goes to the 1%
There are three fundamental issues that lie at the heart of our current economic malaise: the first is unearned income and wealth from land rent ( plus property speculation for capital Gain), second the creation of money by privately owned banks, and the third is rent-seeking that is used to juice profits out of intellectual property through copyright and patents (TPPA). But the political class, supported by lobbying, continues to avoid addressing these issues (Current Labour Government does not impose a CGT). So monopolies grow larger and larger, and as they do, more and more people are excluded from the economy ( Our young couples can’t afford to buy homes but must rent for life). To really address the root causes, why don’t we start by calling out the rentier economy as a structural issue that no progressive society can actually afford?
I think the yellow vest protests in France have been more sustained, with far more violence from the authorities, ..people have been blinded and killed by the police and the protests have been going since last November
"Bridges is one bad poll away from oblivion and he will not win the keys to Premier House by earnest attention to detail and well written speeches. He needs to slay a dragon. Through the heart. With a wooden stake. "
I read this earlier, today, thinking what a badly written piece of opinion. The reference to our incumbent PM was a cheap throwaway and the reference to Winston Peters’ handmaidens was, well, a joke considering who occupies seats on his side of the House.
However, referring to Bridge's earnest attention to detail and well written speeches. I have heard him make three speeches in public forums and I would not have characterised them as well- written. I have heard him in the House and he does not come anywhere nearing slaying Winston with his rhetoric. Quite the reverse.
The real dragon sits on his side of the House, tail flicking amidst the desolation……
The article says this. "It is a huge gamble but it also would define Bridges as a leader of courage, honour and integrity. It makes an effective contrast with the incumbent whose power is buttressed by Golriz Ghahraman on her left and Shane Jones on her right."
Now, that means that in Mr Grant's opinion our present Prime Minister does not possess 'courage, honour and integrity' because he says that Bridges would be defined on this way (by doing what Grant says he should) which is in contrast to the PM.
Now that's cheap political writing, with nothing to back it up except somehow to argue that a person of courage, inregrity and honour would not be connected in a coalition with a Green or NZ First politician.
There is nothing to back up those assertions excpt a cheap shot at Peters saying he had only done three things in his political career, and then even wrote them down.
This is political opinion, based on poor analysis. It's just tribal crap that I'd expect from a party hack in a bar-room debate after several Speights.
It kind of ironic I think that the same "Mr Grant" – although everyone deserves a second chance insists on "reading between the lines" and giving his version of the conduct of others.I read and re-read this story and while no doubt it is all "pretty legal" it gave me the sense that he was commenting on more than is his jurisdiction and obligation to perform a service, I wouldn't mind betting he couldn't lie straight in bead but feels free to be judge and jury on a lot of other people and even moreso "Stuff" pays him for his "opinion" I have decided that Stuff can stuff its Sunday rag.
Actually, strike minnows. Bridges is a salmon, earnestly trying to swim upstream far enough to briefly spawn a government, but frankly even if he gets there he'll be politically dead shortly after.
Simon is not the kind that slays dragons, much less a wily old wyrm like Winston. If he had been, non-performers like Nick & Gerry (and Paula) would be long gone. Simon is a seat-warmer waiting for someone else to solve his problems, which makes him a natural leader for the current Gnats, but as relevant to winning anything as Jack Falstaff. As Gandalf said ‘in this neighborhood heroes are scarce, or simply lot to be found. “
Damien Grant is a "columnist" – presumably to separate his contribution, suitable for a partisan blog, from an article by a "reporter", giving facts from some event or speech, or a "journalist" who provides evidence or logical argument for statements put forward. To say that a politician "one bad poll away from oblivion" has the power to slay another politician by a decision to further isolate his party is laughable. We are having mid-term speculation based on nothing however we have predictable discussions as to whether small parties will disappear – again based on little evidence. Unfortunately it is easy to click on a headline before realising who it was written by . . .
The National Party zoologist Steven Joyce would never use a wooden stake to slay a dragon through the heart. Instead, he’d use a rubber dildo and poke it in the eye.
Lessons from legalising weed: don't make it too hard to become a legal seller, and don't tax it too much, and be serious about ensuring sellers actually are legal. If you don't, then it's too easy and tempting for illegal sellers to just carry on.
Yes, Anne, Granny has had quite the field day with that article and the one I'll link to, which was at the top of their website writ large for several hours with an accompanying photo dragged no doubt out of their collection of less than pleasant pics of the PM. I noted that none of the other news outlets had this headline anywhere on their sites – not even Newshub! No names attributed to the articles, of course. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12251488
Speaking to fellow broadcaster Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin, commentator Gemma Tognini said of the Kiwi PM: "It's very, very cute for her to come to another country and morally posturise the way she has been.
Good grief. In other words, "don't you come over here and shame us about the ways that we treat people here!"
That is what this rightist dislike of "virtue signalling" is -the bully does not like being called for what he or she is doing.
My wife and I are on a month long trip to Europe. Talked cricket with a Banglideshi waiter in a restaurant in a quiet part of Venice far away from San Marco. He was able to watch the final, which was more than we were able to do, being en route between cities at the time.
But, and here's the point, he also made reference to the March massacre and how lucky we are as country to have such a wonderful prime minister who showed such compassion and feeling (his words)
The article he links to is interesting too, although not quite as harsh in its evaluation of the Greens.
Oh well, C'est la vie. I don't think they will be missed form Parliament, particularly when one looks at the spectacular stuff-up Shaw managed in his overseeing of Statistics in the Census.
The Greens won't make it past 5% if Martyn Bradbury has anything to do with it, sure. Fortunately, he won't have anything to do with it.
This bit from the Stuff article is far more significant than Bradbury's sour grapes:
The Greens are more worried about external threats: the negative Facebook posts that spread dubious claims during the Australian election campaign. There's every chance Topham Guerin, the Kiwi firm behind much of the Liberals' successful digital campaign will return to home soil in 2020.
Pretty much, although "dubious claims" is a euphemism for "outright lies." Those guys will make Dirty Politics look like the amateur hour it was.
You do realize kiwis have a far stronger history of voting governments out than in correct? Although I still think Labour and NZFirst can go it with the Greens, it would be better if the Greens stayed in don't you think? Unless the electorates are so stupid as to believe rainbows on the Internet will gift the Greens a spot on government.
This “spectacular stuff-up Shaw managed in his overseeing of Statistics in the Census” was not shouting that Census data had been hacked by a black ops team working for a bunch of dirty politicians, was it? That would indeed be a sackable offence.
Wasn't very impressed much when the female co-leader did that interview about some policy, but didn't have the stats to back it up, but the stats male co-leader did for his, along with her being clobbered about it by the previous guy ( who i guess didn't go back to OZ, anyway )
Whatever else, they need to sort out those kind of stuff ups.
I agree that especially in the coms department all three coalition parties individually as well as collectively in the coalition Government could do heaps better. However, I also think that the media love to whip any molehill into a giant stuff up of epic proportions. We also tend to forget that things here in NZ are perhaps not nearly as bad as in other countries where bigly stuff ups are the norm such as Oz, Gr-Br, and US-A. I don’t know about you, but I prefer the NZ stuff ups to war mongers looking for a fight.
I like different. I like how MMP is slowly growing up. I like how NZ (not just Jacinda Ardern) is carving out a niche in the world of geo-politics. I know that there’s a shed load of things to change here and despite the many stuff ups and snail’s pace of change in many areas progress is being made. I like that too.
Last night Country Calendar on TV was about some entrepreneurial people near Nelson who have developed a business around processing various types of nuts. We got to see bags full, thousands of nuts. Good to see, they've done very well.
It came to mind this afternoon when I got in a car that had Magic Radio on (or whatever they call themselves.) Sean Plunket was on and in the few minutes I heard him I had considerably more exposure to nutty than I'd had in half an hour the night before.
That Country Calendar was about Uncle Joe's in Blenheim. Sort of near Nelson- just over the hill 110 km away! Also manufacture flour, oil and spreads made from nuts and seeds. The shells even make a garden mulch which deters snails!
One industry modeling that you can come up with that someone thinks Wahine gets paid more than men get a grip what about all the other organizations that pay Wahine less than men .
I say a gun register is needed to trace the guns back to the owners not all licensed gun owners are responsible citizens + the police will know how many and what type of guns are in Aotearoa. That Christchurch fool was not a gangster was he.
You know what I seen on the weekend a big flash million dollar playground in Cambridge full of children playing. A carpark bigger than the playgrounds in Fairysprings or Maraenui .
We are currently constructing our bathing facilities the systems will be powered by Te Ra and Ahi
Wildlife Seagulls its about survival a tame small dog could quite easily be a birds lunch birds are quite awesome hunters.
These businesses having losses because of the city rail link in Auckland during construction. Do business pay more when times are good No.
That was a funny but a mistake from the greens.
Thats is a great leak the polling shows national is not craling out of that hole .
I think that the undercover sandflys in Aotearoa have long strings connected to the White House.
Michael Eco Maori is correct in the reasons why I chose to blog to 3 tv because every story you screen is a attack on the government.
Ka pai to Greenpeace for the Abigail Smith and co for protesting and climbing a building we only have one environment we don't have a multiverse like some would like us to believe te oil barons muppets.
Its is sad that the police are pushing te tangata whenua protesters in Auckland off their whenua thats the way they use the courts in Aotearoa to hit tangata whenua on the head with the court system Eco Maori tryed to use the courts system to defend himself but the sandflys interfere in my attempt to get JUSTICE muppets are shit scared to face Eco Maori in COURT. They are trying to control me but every time they try they just give Eco Maori more mana.
Eco Maori tau toko his Whanau in Te Wairoa in there quest to BAN PEE FROM Wairoa I have heaps of Whanau in Te Wairoa I want the SHIT BANNED FROM Te taiwhiti East Coast to Banned from Aotearoa to.
Te Wahine should have a choice of abortion if they need it there are many reasons why they would want a abortion I don't think it should be a crime to have a abortion .
The resource management act needs to be replaced with one that doesn't place such huge cost on building a whare . Its's bloody ridiculous the charges from council to build a whare $20.000 just to get consent to build a driveway onto your property . These huge changes for resorce concent to build a whare are pushing tangata whenua out of owning there own whare is that what some designed it to do like the huge cost to servaying tangata whenua whenua in the old days Maori had to sell there whenua to pay the cost of the servaying.
Eco Maori says Aotearoa needs to respect China .
Great game of Netball awesome win.
Ka Pai to Indonesia for considering closings the Island that Kamodo Dragons live on to save there habitat. Ka kite ano
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
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This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkBoth 2023 and 2024 were exceptionally warm years, at just below and above 1.5C relative to preindustrial in the WMO composite of surface temperature records, respectively. While we are still working to assess the full set of drivers of this warmth, it is clear that ...
Hi,I woke up feeling nervous this morning, realising that this weekend Flightless Bird is going to do it’s first ever live show. We’re heading to a sold out (!) show in Seattle to test the format out in front of an audience. If it works, we’ll do more. I want ...
From the United-For-Now States of America comes the thrilling news that a New Zealander may be at the very heart of the current coup. Punching above our weight on the world stage once more! Wait, you may be asking, what New Zealander? I speak of Peter Thiel, made street legal ...
Even Stevens: Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023 (and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result) the average level of support enjoyed by the Left and Right blocs, at roughly 44.5 percent each, turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical.WORLDWIDE, THE PARTIES of the Left are presented ...
Back in 2023, a "prominent political figure" went on trial for historic sex offences. But we weren't allowed to know who they were or what political party they were "prominent" in, because it might affect the way we voted. At the time, I said that this was untenable; it was ...
I'm going, I'm goingWhere the water tastes like wineI'm going where the water tastes like wineWe can jump in the waterStay drunk all the timeI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayAll this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure ...
Waitangi Day is a time to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stand together for a just and fair Aotearoa. Across the motu, communities are gathering to reflect, kōrero, and take action for a future built on equity and tino rangatiratanga. From dawn ceremonies to whānau-friendly events, there are ...
Subscribe to Mountain Tūī ! Where you too can learn about exciting things from a flying bird! Tweet.Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing. It’s a fact.But first -My question to all readers is:How should I set up the Substack model?It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November ...
Here’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s political economy on politics and in the week to Feb 3:PM Christopher Luxon began 2025’s first day of Parliament last Tuesday by carrying on where left off in 2024, letting National’s junior coalition partner set the political agenda and dragging ...
The PSA have released a survey of 4000 public service workers showing that budget cuts are taking a toll on the wellbeing of public servants and risking the delivery of essential services to New Zealanders. Economists predict that figures released this week will show continued increases in unemployment, potentially reaching ...
The Prime Minister’s speech 10 days or so ago kicked off a flurry of commentary. No one much anywhere near the mainstream (ie excluding Greens supporters) questioned the rhetoric. New Zealand has done woefully poorly on productivity for a long time and we really need better outcomes, and the sorts ...
President Trump on the day he announced tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, unleashing a shock to supply chains globally that is expected to slow economic growth and increase inflation for most large economies. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 9 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 3Politics: New Zealand Government cabinet meeting usually held early afternoon with post-cabinet news conference possible at 4 pm, although they have not been ...
Trump being Trump, it won’t come as a shock to find that he regards a strong US currency (bolstered by high tariffs on everything made by foreigners) as a sign of America’s virility, and its ability to kick sand in the face of the world. Reality is a tad more ...
A listing of 24 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 26, 2025 thru Sat, February 1, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
What seems to be the common theme in the US, NZ, Argentina and places like Italy under their respective rightwing governments is what I think of as “the politics of cruelty.” Hate-mongering, callous indifference in social policy-making, corporate toadying, political bullying, intimidation and punching down on the most vulnerable with ...
If you are confused, check with the sunCarry a compass to help you alongYour feet are going to be on the groundYour head is there to move you aroundSo, stand in the place where you liveSongwriters: Bill Berry / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Peter Buck.Hot in the CityYesterday, ...
Shane Jones announced today he would be contracting out his thinking to a smarter younger person.Reclining on his chaise longue with a mouth full of oysters and Kina he told reporters:Clearly I have become a has-been, a palimpsest, an epigone, a bloviating fossil. I find myself saying such things as: ...
Warning: This post contains references to sexual assaultOn Saturday, I spent far too long editing a video on Tim Jago, the ACT Party President and criminal, who has given up his fight for name suppression after 2 years. He voluntarily gave up just in time for what will be a ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is global warming ...
Our low-investment, low-wage, migration-led and housing-market-driven political economy has delivered poorer productivity growth than the rest of the OECD, and our performance since Covid has been particularly poor. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty this ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.As far as major government announcements go, a Three Ministers Event is Big. It can signify a major policy development or something has gone Very Well, or an absolute Clusterf**k. When Three Ministers assemble ...
One of those blasts from the past. Peter Dunne – originally neoliberal Labour, then leader of various parties that sought to work with both big parties (generally National) – has taken to calling ...
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Do its Property Right Provisions Make Sense?Last week I pointed out that it is uninformed to argue that the New Zealand’s apparently poor economic performance can be traced only to poor regulations. Even were there evidence they had some impact, there are other factors. Of course, we should seek to ...
Richard Wagstaff It was incredibly jarring to hear the hubris from the Prime Minister during his recent state of the nation address. I had just spent close to a week working though the stories and thoughts shared with us by nearly 2000 working people as part of our annual Mood ...
Odd fact about the Broadcasting Standards Authority: for the last few years, they’ve only been upholding about 5% of complaints. Why? I think there’s a range of reasons. Generally responsible broadcasters. Dumb complaints. Complaints brought under the wrong standard. Greater adherence to broadcasters’ rights to freedom of expression in the ...
And I said, "Mama, mama, mama, why am I so alone"'Cause I can't go outside, I'm scared I might not make it homeWell I'm alive, I'm alive, but I'm sinking inIf there's anyone at home at your place, darlingWhy don't you invite me in?Don't try to feed me'Cause I've been ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ star is on the rise, having just added the Energy, Local Government and Revenue portfolios to his responsibilities - but there is nothing ambitious about the Government’s new climate targets. Photo: SuppliedLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
It may have been a short week but there’s been no shortage of things that caught our attention. Here is some of the most interesting. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt took a look at public transport ridership in 2024 On Thursday Connor asked some questions ...
The East Is Red: Journalists and commentators are referring to the sudden and disruptive arrival of DeepSeek as a second “Sputnik moment”. (Sputnik being the name given by the godless communists of the Soviet Union to the world’s first artificial satellite which, to the consternation and dismay of the Americans, ...
Hi,Back on inauguration day we launched a ridiculous RFK Jr. “brain worms” tee on the Webworm store, and I told you I’d be throwing my profits over to Mutual Aid LA and Rainbow Youth New Zealand. Just to show I am not full of shit, here are the receipts. I ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump over Gaza and Ukraine.Health expert and author David Galler ...
In an uncompromising paper Treasury has basically told the Government that its plan for a third medical school at Waikato University is a waste of money. Furthermore, the country cannot afford it. That advice was released this week by the Treasury under the Official Information Act. And it comes as ...
Back in November, He Pou a Rangi provided the government with formal advice on the domestic contribution to our next Paris target. Not what the target should be, but what we could realistically achieve, by domestic action alone, without resorting to offshore mitigation. Their answer was startling: depending on exactly ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guest David Patman and ...
I don't like to spend all my time complaining about our government, so let me complain about the media first.Senior journalistic Herald person Thomas Coughlan reported that Treasury replied yeah nah, wrong bro to Luxon's claim that our benighted little country has been in recession for three years.His excitement rose ...
Back in 2022, when the government was consulting internally about proactive release of cabinet papers, the SIS opposed it. The basis of their opposition was the "mosaic effect" - people being able to piece together individual pieces of innocuous public information in a way which supposedly harms "national security" (effectively: ...
With The Stroke Of A Pen:Populism, especially right-wing populism, invests all the power of an electoral/parliamentary majority in a single political leader because it no longer trusts the bona fides of the sprawling political class among whom power is traditionally dispersed. Populism eschews traditional politics, because, among populists, traditional politics ...
I’ve spent the last week writing a fairly substantial review of a recent book (“Australia’s Pandemic Exceptionalism: How we crushed the curve but lost the race”) by a couple of Australian academic economists on Australia’s pandemic policies and experiences. For all its limitations, there isn’t anything similar in New Zealand. ...
Mr Mojo Rising: Economic growth is possible, Christopher Luxon reassures us, but only under a government that is willing to get out of the way and let those with drive and ambition get on with it.ABOUT TWELVE KILOMETRES from the farm on the North Otago coast where I grew up stands ...
You're nearly a good laughAlmost a jokerWith your head down in the pig binSaying, 'Keep on digging.'Pig stain on your fat chinWhat do you hope to findDown in the pig mine?You're nearly a laughYou're nearly a laughBut you're really a crySongwriter: Roger Waters.NZ First - Kiwi Battlers.Say what you like ...
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Climate denial is dead. Renewable energy denial is here. As “alternative facts” become the norm, it’s worth looking at what actual facts tell us about how renewable energy sources like solar and wind are lowering the price of electricity. As ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to stand firm and work with allies to progress climate action as Donald Trump signals his intent to pull out of the Paris Climate Accords once again. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
The new minister of transport has opened the door for public consultation on at least some of the speed limit changes the government said would be automatic. ...
Officially, they’re called ‘memecoins,’ but Kōura Wealth founder Rupert Carlyon says the crypto world has another name for them: ‘shitcoins’.In digital finance, that phrase is used for tokens that have no true value – in essence, a money-grab.A few days before his inauguration, US President Donald Trump launched his own ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. Guy Williams has made a whole show off the joke that he is a “volunteer” journalist. So getting publicly owned by David Seymour while trying to act as a journalist is a good and timely reminder not to underestimate the nuance and ...
Many of Sāmoa’s beloved dishes are the result of cultural collaboration, writes Madeleine Chapman. All photos by Jin FelletIf you ever find yourself at a barbecue in a Sāmoan home, there’s 99% chance that sapasui (chop suey) will be on the table. For the past century, sapasui has ...
The funnyman takes us through his life in television, including Jono and Ben mayhem, live Telethon flubs, and funnelling all those experiences into his new comedy Vince. There’s an inciting incident in Three’s new comedy Vince where morning television presenter Vince Walters (Jono Pryor) is visiting sick kids in hospital ...
People often claim they just want Waitangi Day to be a celebration. At Waitangi, away from the headlined political acrimony and the marae ātea, celebrating is what most people are doing. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous ...
Is there anything more fashionable than a Māori get together? One of the best things about Northland is that nobody cares what they look like — probably because they’re all naturally more stylish than the rest of us, famously. Māori from the Far North, especially. In 27 degree heat, wearing ...
I’ve been in love with him since last July, but it’s only now in this tepid hotel room that I find myself wondering why. The first thing he does when we arrive is smoke a cone in the bathroom – he emerges, hacking up a lung, fists thrust into his ...
MONDAY“Name,” barked a representative of the lower orders.I regarded him with a look of stern disapproval, and told him from up high, “May I remind you that I have name suppression. I shall also thank you to ask with more respect as befits a former president of the Act Party, ...
Books of Mana: 180 Māori-Authored Books of Significance, edited by Jacinta Ruru, Angela Wanhalla and Jeanette Wikaira has just been released by Otago University Press. In this essay, Books are Taonga, Jeanette Wikaira explores her personal relationship to books and their value.For me, books are taonga. The knowledge ...
Get to know Tara, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Tara’s human for their support! Dog name: Tara Age: Two Breed: Mostly Border Collie and a little bit Catahoula Leopard dog If dog ...
Health NZ's CEO has resigned, but frontline healthworkers are sceptical that installing new leadership will make any difference to a system grappling with problems. ...
Gail Duncan, Chairperson of the St Peter’s on Willis Social Justice Group, one of the organisations invited to submit on the Bill, says the Government’s actions are unprecedented. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amani Kasherwa, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland In late January, a rebel group that has long caused mayhem in the sprawling African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo took control of Goma, a major city of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University An ad falsely depicting independent candidate Alex Dyson as a Greens member.ABC News/Supplied The highly pertinent case of a little-known independent candidate in the Victorian seat of Wannon has exposed a gaping ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland Nik/Unsplash You might have heard that eating too many eggs will cause high cholesterol levels, leading to poor health. Researchers have examined the science behind this myth again, and ...
Everything you missed from the third day of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard four hours of oral submission. Read our recaps of day one of the hearings here, and day two here. Parliament was quiet on Friday for the third day of hearings on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University Tijana Simic/Shutterstock The news last week that three people in Sydney were hospitalised with botulism after receiving botox injections has raised questions about the regulation of the cosmetic injectables industry. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jens Blotevogel, Principal Research Scientist and Team Leader for Remediation Technologies, CSIRO Mino Surkala, Shutterstock Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University Netflix Netflix’s new limited series, Apple Cider Vinegar, tells the story of the elaborate cancer con orchestrated by Australian blogger Annabelle (Belle) Gibson. The first episode opens with Gibson’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dee Ninis, Earthquake Scientist, Monash University Greece’s government has just declared a state of emergency on the island of Santorini, as earthquakes shake the island multiple times a day and sometimes only minutes apart. The “earthquake swarm” is also affecting other ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Western Australian state election will be held on March 8. A Newspoll, conducted January 29 to February 4 from a sample ...
She’s back behind the wheel, and this time, she wants to find out what it is that makes us tick. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. After a prolific career on stage and screen, 83-year-old Miriam Margolyes is on the road again. ...
A new poem by Jordan Hamel. Real Poet Every word earned its place and so did he, so should you. Real poet lives in the capital but writes himself into the Mackenzie country golden hour, man of the paper land, he neglects to mention his pollen ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Understanding Te Tiriti by Roimata Smail (Wai Ako Press, $25) No better time to get ...
The committee has published this list to inform the public about its work, and to give clarity to submitters who have contacted the committee asking if they will be invited to make an oral submission. ...
Alex Casey and Gabi Lardies dissect their Laneway 2025 experience. Gabi Lardies: Hi Alex :))))))) Congratulations on not getting sunburnt. Everyone I talked to at Laneway yesterday was braving the sun for one thing. Charli XCX. How was your brat experience?Alex Casey: We will talk about the rest of ...
The US President's suggestion, which sparked enormous debate globally, has been labelled as a threat, not a proposal, by the Federation of Islamic Associations. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in Interior Architecture, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Interior of Auckland South Men’s Prison.Getty Images Prisons are not colourful places. Typically, they are grey or some variation of a monochrome colour scheme. But increasingly, ...
FICTION1Tree of Nourishment (Kāwai 2) by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)Interesting to note that the author of the biggest-selling New Zealand novel in Waitangi Week is Māori (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tai, and Ngāti Kahungunu).2 Kāwai: For Such a Time as This (Kāwai 1) by Monty Soutar (David ...
Remembering the renowned New Zealand writer, who died on February 5, 2025. The Stopover When the trout rise like compassion It is worth watching when the hinds come down from the hills with a new message it will be as well to listen. – Brian Turner Poet, environmentalist, sportsman, journalist, ...
Survivors can choose to have former High Court judge Paul Davison assess their individual claims to tailor payments to their personal circumstances. ...
Are we too modest when it comes to celebrating our putrid plant life?She’s beauty. She’s grace. She smells like a decaying corpse and lurks in the backrooms of Auckland Zoo, wallowing tragically in a bucket. In recent weeks an Australian corpse plant named Putricia has captured the noses and ...
Politicians from the coalition government received a frosty reception at Waitangi this year, but Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says the pōwhiri that received so much attention was just one part of many events throughout the week. ...
Well done the Netball girls, that is all I have to say.
Good boy.
Renegade Inc: Rentier Britain: all the rent goes to the 1%
There are three fundamental issues that lie at the heart of our current economic malaise: the first is unearned income and wealth from land rent ( plus property speculation for capital Gain), second the creation of money by privately owned banks, and the third is rent-seeking that is used to juice profits out of intellectual property through copyright and patents (TPPA). But the political class, supported by lobbying, continues to avoid addressing these issues (Current Labour Government does not impose a CGT). So monopolies grow larger and larger, and as they do, more and more people are excluded from the economy ( Our young couples can’t afford to buy homes but must rent for life). To really address the root causes, why don’t we start by calling out the rentier economy as a structural issue that no progressive society can actually afford?
This applies to New Zealand : The F.I.R.E sector:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03gYq2o-acM
That was a good interview, johnm.
An interesting notion
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/114328666/without-helen-clarks-help-cannabis-reform-will-go-down-in-flames
Seems someone upset someone
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/07/22/just-chaos-bloodshed-hong-kong-district-hundreds-masked-men-assault-protesters-journalists-residents/?fbclid=IwAR30JP9vzb9m9US5v3JoxrowXaEphlUJ-Y2_9OTik_7bN2N9JuTvlooKj8k
China must be wondering whether they should have extended Britain's lease.
I think the yellow vest protests in France have been more sustained, with far more violence from the authorities, ..people have been blinded and killed by the police and the protests have been going since last November
Were/are the French authorities hiring thugs to bash people?
that little gem would be equally at home on the "Peters,Pence,Pompeo and the Rapture" post
Get Winston!
"Bridges is one bad poll away from oblivion and he will not win the keys to Premier House by earnest attention to detail and well written speeches. He needs to slay a dragon. Through the heart. With a wooden stake. "
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/114272849/winston-peters-has-been-a-malign-influence-on-nz-politics-its-time-simon-bridges-finished-him-off
I read this earlier, today, thinking what a badly written piece of opinion. The reference to our incumbent PM was a cheap throwaway and the reference to Winston Peters’ handmaidens was, well, a joke considering who occupies seats on his side of the House.
However, referring to Bridge's earnest attention to detail and well written speeches. I have heard him make three speeches in public forums and I would not have characterised them as well- written. I have heard him in the House and he does not come anywhere nearing slaying Winston with his rhetoric. Quite the reverse.
The real dragon sits on his side of the House, tail flicking amidst the desolation……
But it so much more fun to invent an Imminent Threat, isn't it? One that's on The Other Side, one you can demonise without splitting your own ranks.
It was a very poor piece of work, I agree.
The article says this. "It is a huge gamble but it also would define Bridges as a leader of courage, honour and integrity. It makes an effective contrast with the incumbent whose power is buttressed by Golriz Ghahraman on her left and Shane Jones on her right."
Now, that means that in Mr Grant's opinion our present Prime Minister does not possess 'courage, honour and integrity' because he says that Bridges would be defined on this way (by doing what Grant says he should) which is in contrast to the PM.
Now that's cheap political writing, with nothing to back it up except somehow to argue that a person of courage, inregrity and honour would not be connected in a coalition with a Green or NZ First politician.
There is nothing to back up those assertions excpt a cheap shot at Peters saying he had only done three things in his political career, and then even wrote them down.
This is political opinion, based on poor analysis. It's just tribal crap that I'd expect from a party hack in a bar-room debate after several Speights.
"tribal crap" indeed. But serving a purpose, or at least, paving a way…
It kind of ironic I think that the same "Mr Grant" – although everyone deserves a second chance insists on "reading between the lines" and giving his version of the conduct of others.I read and re-read this story and while no doubt it is all "pretty legal" it gave me the sense that he was commenting on more than is his jurisdiction and obligation to perform a service, I wouldn't mind betting he couldn't lie straight in bead but feels free to be judge and jury on a lot of other people and even moreso "Stuff" pays him for his "opinion" I have decided that Stuff can stuff its Sunday rag.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/114068043/auckland-furniture-chain-fired-staff-without-warning-or-written-confirmation-former-employees-claim
I wonder if he writes a few 'well-written' speeches himself for a fee.
lols
minnows don't kill sharks.
Actually, strike minnows. Bridges is a salmon, earnestly trying to swim upstream far enough to briefly spawn a government, but frankly even if he gets there he'll be politically dead shortly after.
Simon is not the kind that slays dragons, much less a wily old wyrm like Winston. If he had been, non-performers like Nick & Gerry (and Paula) would be long gone. Simon is a seat-warmer waiting for someone else to solve his problems, which makes him a natural leader for the current Gnats, but as relevant to winning anything as Jack Falstaff. As Gandalf said ‘in this neighborhood heroes are scarce, or simply lot to be found. “
"wyrm" – nice choice of word, Stuart; it's how we Southlanders pronounce it
Damien Grant is a "columnist" – presumably to separate his contribution, suitable for a partisan blog, from an article by a "reporter", giving facts from some event or speech, or a "journalist" who provides evidence or logical argument for statements put forward. To say that a politician "one bad poll away from oblivion" has the power to slay another politician by a decision to further isolate his party is laughable. We are having mid-term speculation based on nothing however we have predictable discussions as to whether small parties will disappear – again based on little evidence. Unfortunately it is easy to click on a headline before realising who it was written by . . .
Slaying a dragon with a wooden stake through the heart? Couldn't even get that right.
Winston's been counted out before, and by political opponents with more skills than 'no-Bridges'!
The National Party zoologist Steven Joyce would never use a wooden stake to slay a dragon through the heart. Instead, he’d use a rubber dildo and poke it in the eye.
Authored by Damien Grant… did you expect anything better?
French environment minister resigns over green issues
https://www.france24.com/en/20190716-lobster-champagne-french-minister-resigns-over-spending-scandal
Lessons from legalising weed: don't make it too hard to become a legal seller, and don't tax it too much, and be serious about ensuring sellers actually are legal. If you don't, then it's too easy and tempting for illegal sellers to just carry on.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/07/21/legal-marijuana-black-market-227414
A couple of jealous Aussie bitches bitching about Jacinda Ardern and being disingenuous with their interpretations:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12251514
Lol. That is some severe butt-hurt from the mad right-wing.
Perhaps the Aussies should work out how to stop being racists and producing mass murderers.
zouch
The woman's an idiot.
https://twitter.com/slpng_giants_oz/status/1106095881659375617
Yes, Anne, Granny has had quite the field day with that article and the one I'll link to, which was at the top of their website writ large for several hours with an accompanying photo dragged no doubt out of their collection of less than pleasant pics of the PM. I noted that none of the other news outlets had this headline anywhere on their sites – not even Newshub! No names attributed to the articles, of course. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12251488
Speaking to fellow broadcaster Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin, commentator Gemma Tognini said of the Kiwi PM: "It's very, very cute for her to come to another country and morally posturise the way she has been.
Good grief. In other words, "don't you come over here and shame us about the ways that we treat people here!"
That is what this rightist dislike of "virtue signalling" is -the bully does not like being called for what he or she is doing.
Well someone's got to give Peda Cretin some moral guidance.
Horse – water – drink.
Robert could start a college for the depraved.
I loved the way the female anchor witch said at the end of the clip:
And don't forget how she got there in the first place. Did a deal with Winston Peters.
Potty mouth republicism in ascendancy. Making the U.S. great again. oxymoronic.
The right-wing are puerile, pathetic and desperate.
Some idiot was trying to sell these, but the listing has now been removed by Trade Me.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D_LJNZlUcAAYSoG?format=jpg&name=small
My wife and I are on a month long trip to Europe. Talked cricket with a Banglideshi waiter in a restaurant in a quiet part of Venice far away from San Marco. He was able to watch the final, which was more than we were able to do, being en route between cities at the time.
But, and here's the point, he also made reference to the March massacre and how lucky we are as country to have such a wonderful prime minister who showed such compassion and feeling (his words)
Once again proud to be a NZer.
Ouch.
Martyn Bradbury has come to his senses. About the only thing I would disagree with him in this is that he thinks the Green Party have a 40% chance of surviving the next election. Not a hope, I would say.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/07/21/media-watch-stuff-asks-can-greens-break-5/
The article he links to is interesting too, although not quite as harsh in its evaluation of the Greens.
Oh well, C'est la vie. I don't think they will be missed form Parliament, particularly when one looks at the spectacular stuff-up Shaw managed in his overseeing of Statistics in the Census.
The Greens won't make it past 5% if Martyn Bradbury has anything to do with it, sure. Fortunately, he won't have anything to do with it.
This bit from the Stuff article is far more significant than Bradbury's sour grapes:
The Greens are more worried about external threats: the negative Facebook posts that spread dubious claims during the Australian election campaign. There's every chance Topham Guerin, the Kiwi firm behind much of the Liberals' successful digital campaign will return to home soil in 2020.
Pretty much, although "dubious claims" is a euphemism for "outright lies." Those guys will make Dirty Politics look like the amateur hour it was.
You've bid farewell to The Greens on the advice of Martyn Bradbury, Alwyn?
Your credibility took a further dive from it's subterranean "Metiria's a thief" level.
Any deeper and you'll qualify as one of Stuart's "wyrms".
You do realize kiwis have a far stronger history of voting governments out than in correct? Although I still think Labour and NZFirst can go it with the Greens, it would be better if the Greens stayed in don't you think? Unless the electorates are so stupid as to believe rainbows on the Internet will gift the Greens a spot on government.
This “spectacular stuff-up Shaw managed in his overseeing of Statistics in the Census” was not shouting that Census data had been hacked by a black ops team working for a bunch of dirty politicians, was it? That would indeed be a sackable offence.
AND wasn't the census organised while the Natz were in power?????
Please don’t ask such complicated questions; my tiny brain can’t process them. Alwyn will know the answer.
Sorry Icog. Will try to be better.
Wasn't very impressed much when the female co-leader did that interview about some policy, but didn't have the stats to back it up, but the stats male co-leader did for his, along with her being clobbered about it by the previous guy ( who i guess didn't go back to OZ, anyway )
Whatever else, they need to sort out those kind of stuff ups.
I agree that especially in the coms department all three coalition parties individually as well as collectively in the coalition Government could do heaps better. However, I also think that the media love to whip any molehill into a giant stuff up of epic proportions. We also tend to forget that things here in NZ are perhaps not nearly as bad as in other countries where bigly stuff ups are the norm such as Oz, Gr-Br, and US-A. I don’t know about you, but I prefer the NZ stuff ups to war mongers looking for a fight.
In part it is easier here to do things abit differently.
I like different. I like how MMP is slowly growing up. I like how NZ (not just Jacinda Ardern) is carving out a niche in the world of geo-politics. I know that there’s a shed load of things to change here and despite the many stuff ups and snail’s pace of change in many areas progress is being made. I like that too.
The census was a hospital pass from the incompetent National Party. But then you know that.
Last night Country Calendar on TV was about some entrepreneurial people near Nelson who have developed a business around processing various types of nuts. We got to see bags full, thousands of nuts. Good to see, they've done very well.
It came to mind this afternoon when I got in a car that had Magic Radio on (or whatever they call themselves.) Sean Plunket was on and in the few minutes I heard him I had considerably more exposure to nutty than I'd had in half an hour the night before.
Haven't heard the Plunker in a long time. Not long enough mind you.
That Country Calendar was about Uncle Joe's in Blenheim. Sort of near Nelson- just over the hill 110 km away! Also manufacture flour, oil and spreads made from nuts and seeds. The shells even make a garden mulch which deters snails!
What we need are more nutters like these!
Kia ora The Am Show.
Whats up boys the girls WON.
One industry modeling that you can come up with that someone thinks Wahine gets paid more than men get a grip what about all the other organizations that pay Wahine less than men .
I say a gun register is needed to trace the guns back to the owners not all licensed gun owners are responsible citizens + the police will know how many and what type of guns are in Aotearoa. That Christchurch fool was not a gangster was he.
You know what I seen on the weekend a big flash million dollar playground in Cambridge full of children playing. A carpark bigger than the playgrounds in Fairysprings or Maraenui .
We are currently constructing our bathing facilities the systems will be powered by Te Ra and Ahi
Wildlife Seagulls its about survival a tame small dog could quite easily be a birds lunch birds are quite awesome hunters.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/PWoDSGfSu6o
Kia ora Newshub.
These businesses having losses because of the city rail link in Auckland during construction. Do business pay more when times are good No.
That was a funny but a mistake from the greens.
Thats is a great leak the polling shows national is not craling out of that hole .
I think that the undercover sandflys in Aotearoa have long strings connected to the White House.
Michael Eco Maori is correct in the reasons why I chose to blog to 3 tv because every story you screen is a attack on the government.
Ka pai to Greenpeace for the Abigail Smith and co for protesting and climbing a building we only have one environment we don't have a multiverse like some would like us to believe te oil barons muppets.
Ka kite ano
Kia ora Te Ao Maori News.
Its is sad that the police are pushing te tangata whenua protesters in Auckland off their whenua thats the way they use the courts in Aotearoa to hit tangata whenua on the head with the court system Eco Maori tryed to use the courts system to defend himself but the sandflys interfere in my attempt to get JUSTICE muppets are shit scared to face Eco Maori in COURT. They are trying to control me but every time they try they just give Eco Maori more mana.
Eco Maori tau toko his Whanau in Te Wairoa in there quest to BAN PEE FROM Wairoa I have heaps of Whanau in Te Wairoa I want the SHIT BANNED FROM Te taiwhiti East Coast to Banned from Aotearoa to.
Te Wahine should have a choice of abortion if they need it there are many reasons why they would want a abortion I don't think it should be a crime to have a abortion .
Ka kite ano.
My device is playing up WTF
Kia Ora The Am Show.
The resource management act needs to be replaced with one that doesn't place such huge cost on building a whare . Its's bloody ridiculous the charges from council to build a whare $20.000 just to get consent to build a driveway onto your property . These huge changes for resorce concent to build a whare are pushing tangata whenua out of owning there own whare is that what some designed it to do like the huge cost to servaying tangata whenua whenua in the old days Maori had to sell there whenua to pay the cost of the servaying.
Eco Maori says Aotearoa needs to respect China .
Great game of Netball awesome win.
Ka Pai to Indonesia for considering closings the Island that Kamodo Dragons live on to save there habitat. Ka kite ano
You know who this is for whanau
https://youtu.be/QAB6aXOfUmU
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/v2AC41dglnM
These Hawksbay sandflys don't know who they are FUCKING WITH they will soon learn