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
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
In 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 ...
Farming leaders are watching closely whether Damien O’Connor keeps the key portfolios of Agriculture and Trade when Prime Minister Chris Hipkins restructures his Cabinet. O’Connor has been one of the few ministers during Labour’s term in office who has won broad support for what he has done ...
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Ok, 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 ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes: Since her shock resignation announcement, Jacinda Ardern has been at pains to point out that she isn’t leaving because of the toxicity directed at her on social media and elsewhere, rebutting journalists who suggested misogyny and hate may have driven her from office. Yet ...
Since her shock resignation announcement, Jacinda Ardern has been at pains to point out that she isn’t leaving because of the toxicity directed at her on social media and elsewhere, rebutting journalists who suggested misogyny and hate may have driven her from office. Yet there have been dozens of columns ...
The Clinical Magus: Of particular relevance to New Zealanders struggling to come to terms with the sudden departure of their prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, is Jung’s concept of the anima. Much more than what others have called the feminine principle, the anima is what the human male has made out ...
The Select Committee, considering the proposed RNZ-TVNZ merger, has come back with a report conceding many of the criticisms that were made of the original legislation. In what is one of the most comprehensive demolitions of a Bill submitted to a Select Committee, the Economic Development, Science and Innovation ...
Such are the 2020s, the age when no-one, it seems, actually respects the basic underpinnings of democracy. Even in New Zealand. This week, I stumbled across a pair of lengthy and genuinely serious articles, that basically argue that Something is Rotten in the state of New Zealand democracy. One ...
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, ...
Smiling And Waiving A Golden Opportunity: Chris Hipkins knew that the day at Ratana would be Jacinda’s day – her final opportunity to bask in the unalloyed love and support of her followers. He simply could not afford to be seen to overshadow this last chance for his former boss ...
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 ...
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, ...
A very informative video discussion: Are we getting the whole story about Ukraine? | Robert Wright & Ivan Katchanovski Getting objective information on the situation in Ukraine and the cause of this current war is not easy. There is the current censorship and blatant mainstream media bias – which ...
Yesterday the Herald ran an op-ed from Mayor Wayne Brown titled “The case for light rail is lighter than ever” and a few things stood out. However, it’s getting more and more tricky to make a strong economic case for spending up to $29 billion on a single route of ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Samantha Harrington Imagine it’s a cold February night and your furnace breaks. You want to replace it with an electric heat pump because you’ve heard that tax credits will help pay for the switch. And you know that heat pumps can reduce ...
In 2005, then-National Party leader based his entire election campaign on racism, with his infamous racist Orewa speech and racist iwi/kiwi billboards. Now, Christopher Luxon seems to want to do it all again: Fresh off using his platform at this week's Rātana celebrations to criticise the government's approach to ...
Inflation is showing little sign of slowing down, posing a problem for freshly minted PM Chris Hipkins. According to that old campaigner Richard Prebble, Hipkins should call a snap election. If he waits till October, he risks being swept away. The dilemma for the new leader is that fighting an election ...
Buzz from the Beehive A great deal has happened since January 19. Among other things, a new Prime Minister and deputy have been sworn in and our leaders (past, present and aspiring) have delivered speeches at Ratana. Newshub reported that politicians of all stripes had descended upon Rātana for the ...
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 ...
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 ...
A statue of a semi-naked Nick Smith puts the misogyny debate into perspective. GRAHAM ADAMS writes … In the wake of Ardern’s abrupt resignation, the mainstream media are determined to convince us she was hounded from office mainly because she is a woman and had to fall on her sword ...
A Different Kind Of Vibe: In the days and weeks ahead, as the Hipkins ministry takes shape, the only question that matters is whether New Zealand’s new prime minister possesses both the wisdom and the courage to correct his party’s currently suicidal political course. If Chris “Chippy” Hipkins is ...
An editorial in the NZ Herald last week, titled “Nimbyism goes bananas as housing intensifies“, introduced Herald readers to a couple of acronyms that go along with the now-familiar NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard): “bananas” (build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone) “cave” dwellers (citizens against virtually everything). The editorial ...
Back in the dark autumn of 2020, when the prospect of Covid was freaking the country out, Finance Minister Grant Robertson set himself and Treasury a series of questions about what a post-Covid economy might look like. Those were fearful days, and the questions in part reflected a series ...
Buzz from the Beehive Yet another day has passed without Ministers of the Crown posting something to show they are still working for us on the Beehive website. Nothing new has been posted since January 17. Perhaps the ministers are all engaged in the bemusing annual excursion ...
Incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has already indicated he intends making the tax system “fairer”. That points to the route a government facing an election could take to tilt the odds towards winning in its favour, given Labour’s support in the last months of the Ardern era had been ...
NewsHub has a poll on the cost-of-living crisis, which has an interesting finding: the vast majority of kiwis prefer wage rises to tax cuts: When asked whether income has kept up with the cost of living, 54.8 percent of people surveyed said no and according to 58.6 percent of ...
Labour has begun 2023 with the centre-left bloc behind in the polls and losing ground. That being so, did his colleagues choose Chris Hipkins as the replacement for Jacinda Ardern because they think he has a realistic shot at leading them to victory this year, or because he‘s the best ...
Two Flags, Two Masters? Just as it required a full-scale military effort to destroy the first attempt at Māori self-government in the 1850s and 60s (an effort that divided Maoridom itself into supporters and opponents of the Crown) any second attempt to establish tino rangatiratanga, based on the confiscatory policies ...
The first of Kiwirail’s big network shutdowns to fix the foundations on our tracks is now well underway with the Southern Line closed between Otahuhu and Newmarket. This is following on from the network wide Christmas/New Year shutdown, during which Kiwirail say that nearly 1,300 people working across 69 different ...
This is a re-post from the Citizens' Climate Lobby blogIn last year’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Congress included about $20 billion earmarked for natural climate solutions. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for deciding how those funds should be allocated to meet the climate ...
You’ve really got to wonder at the introspection, or lack thereof, from much of the mainstream media post Jacinda Ardern stepping down. Some so-called journalists haven’t even taken a breath before once again putting the boot in, which clearly shows their inherent bias and lack of any misgivings about fueling ...
Over the weekend I was interviewed by a media outlet about the threats that Jacinda Ardern and her family have received while she has been PM and what can be expected now that she has resigned. I noted that the level of threat she has been exposed to is unprecedented ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes: The 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 ...
A Different Kind Of Vibe: In the days and weeks ahead, as the Hipkins ministry takes shape, the only question that matters is whether New Zealand’s new prime minister possesses both the wisdom and the courage to correct his party’s currently suicidal political course. If Chris “Chippy” Hipkins is able to steer ...
The 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 ...
Following the surprise resignation of Jacinda Ardern last week, her replacement, Chis Hipkins, has said: Over the coming week, Cabinet will be making decisions on reining in some programs and projects that aren’t essential right now That messaging is similar to what Jacinda Ardern said late last year and as ...
Much of what will mark the early days of Chris Hipkins’ Prime Ministership would have happened anyway. By December, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister were making it clear the summer break and early days of this year were going to be spent on a reset of government policy. ...
Going to try to get into the blogging thing again (ha!) what with an election coming up and all that. So today I thought I'd start small and simple, by merely tackling the world's (second) richest man.I'm no fan of Elon Musk. You don't want to know why, but I'll ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 15, 2023 thru Sat, Jan 21, 2023. Story of the Week State of the climate: How the world warmed in 2022With a new year underway, most of the climate data for ...
Well, that was a disappointment. As of today, the New Zealand Labour Caucus opted for Chris Hipkins as our new Prime Minister, and I cannot help but let loose a cynical cackle. ...
Get ready for a major political reset once Chris Hipkins is sworn in as Prime Minister this week. Labour’s new leader is likely to push the Government to the right economically, and do his best to jettison the damaging perceptions that Labour has become “too woke” on social issues. Overall, ...
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, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Because our hard-working Ministers of the Crown are engaged in Labour Party caucus stuff in Napier, no doubt jockeying to ensure they keep their jobs or get a better one, Point of Order was not surprised to find no fresh news on the Beehive website this ...
By the end of 2019, Jacinda Ardern was a political superstar heading towards an election defeat. She was an icon, internationally beloved, on track to be an ex-prime minister before the age of forty. It was the year of the Christchurch terror attack when Ardern’s response to the atrocity saw ...
People complain about their jobs being meaningless. Does it matter?David Graeber, author of Bullshit Jobs: The Rise of Pointless Work and What We Can Do About It, would have smiled at Elon Musk’s sacking half the Twitter workforce. Musk seems to be confirming the main thesis of the book, that ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes: Should New Zealand have a snap election? That’s one of the questions arising out of the chaos of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s shock resignation. There’s an increased realisation that everything has changed, and the old plans and assumptions for election year have suddenly evaporated. ...
Should New Zealand have a snap election? That’s one of the questions arising out of the chaos of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s shock resignation. There’s an increased realisation that everything has changed, and the old plans and assumptions for election year have suddenly evaporated. So, although Ardern has named an ...
I warned about the trap of virtue signaling in my article Virtue signaling over Ukraine. This video is still relevant – but have we moved on since then? The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was universally condemned at the time. Or was it? Certainly, the political atmosphere ...
Earlier this week Point of Order carried a post by Geoffrey Miller on how Japan under a new security blueprint is doubling its defence spending. The plans see Japan buying up advanced weaponry – including long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US – and spending more on ...
Anyone else suffering back-to-work-blues? We’re battling, but still upright. Haere tonu! Today’s cover image is of sunset over Tirohanga Whānui Bridge, sourced from Twitter. The week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Jolisa pondered the fate of AT’s ‘Statements of Imagination’. Tuesday’s post was a guest post by Grady ...
Open access notables Bad news delivered by an all-star cast of familiar researchers: Another Year of Record Heat for the Oceans. From the abstract: In 2022, the world’s oceans, as given by OHC, were again the hottest in the historical record and exceeded the previous 2021 record maximum. According to IAP/CAS data, ...
The resignation of Jacinda Ardern has already made more global headlines than you might expect for that of the PM of a small commonwealth nation like say Sierra Leone (population 6.5 million) or Singapore (population 5.5 million). But international observers might not be too surprised by Ardern’s announcement that ...
One of my earliest political memories is the resignation of Prime Minister David Lange in August 1989. I remember this because of a brown felt-tipped pen drawing I did of the Beehive, the building that houses the Executive of the New Zealand Government. More than thirty years later, we ...
Buzz from the Beehive Hard on the heels of our Buzz from the Beehive earlier today, the PM has made two announcements – the 2023 general election will be held on Saturday 14 October and she will not be campaigning to win a third term as Prime Minister. She will ...
Jacinda Ardern had an outsized impact on New Zealand’s international relations. While all Prime Ministers travel internationally, Ardern’s calendar was fuller than most. Ardern’s first major foreign trip came within weeks of her election in 2017, to the APEC summit in Vietnam. The meeting gave Ardern her first in-person encounter ...
She gave it her all. No New Zealand Prime Minister has ever dominated the political scene at home as she has done, or has established an international profile to match hers. No New Zealand Prime Minister has had to confront such a sequence of domestic and international catastrophes – from ...
Jacinda Ardern's shock resignation announcement today has left a lot of us with a lot of complicated feelings. In my case, while I've been highly critical of Ardern's government, I'm still sorry to see her go. We've had far too many terrible things happen during her term as Prime Minister ...
The decision by Jacinda Ardern to end her term as Prime Minister on February 7 has come as a stunning surprise. It turns the task of a centre-left government winning re-election this year from difficult to nigh on impossible. No-one else among the Labour caucus has Ardern’s ability to explain ...
Jacinda Ardern’s first press conference as Labour leader in August 2017 was a defining moment in the past decade of New Zealand politics. A young woman (by the standards of politics) who had long been tipped for higher office, she had underperformed as a minister and Andrew Little’s noble resignation ...
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. ...
Members of Parliament for the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand have today written to Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Khamenei to condemn the ongoing violence and killing of women’s rights and democracy protesters, and to call on him to intervene immediately. ...
As 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 ...
Ka 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 ...
Carmel 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 ...
The 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 ...
Jacinda 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 ...
The Government is maintaining its strong trade focus in 2023 with Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visiting Europe this week to discuss the role of agricultural trade in climate change and food security, WTO reform and New Zealand agricultural innovation. Damien O’Connor will travel tomorrow to Switzerland to attend the ...
The 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,” ...
The 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 ...
Rural 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 ...
A vaccine for people at risk of mpox (Monkeypox) will be available if prescribed by a medical practitioner to people who meet eligibility criteria from Monday 16 January, says Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall. 5,000 vials of the vaccine have been obtained, enough for up to 20,000 ...
RNZ News Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has acknowledged the way Aucklanders have come together and opened their homes to those in need, with the New Zealand government focused on providing the resources needed to get the city back up and running. The new prime minister — just four days into ...
RNZ News Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty has asked for communication on support after the severe thunderstorm in Auckland to be stepped up. It comes after a Civil Defence warning text failed to be sent out, and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown told RNZ they will be reviewing the response, ...
RNZ News Three people are dead and at least one person is missing following the flooding overnight in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. About 1000 people were still stranded today after Auckland Airport was closed last night because of flooding of the arrival and departure foyers. Flights were cancelled for ...
Wayne Brown has doubled down on his decision last night to shun the media until close to midnight and only order a state of emergency at 9.30pm. In a defensive display to the media this afternoon, the Auckland mayor was questioned on comments other councillors made last night, including some ...
Prime minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed there are three deaths linked to the extreme weather event in Auckland over the past 24 hours. There is also at least one person missing. Speaking at a press conference in Auckland, Hipkins said the priority was to make sure Aucklanders were safe, housed ...
*This story was first published on The Conversation and is republished with permission*Until New Zealand's stormwater drain system adapts to our rising climate, it will never be able to cope with the level of flooding seen in Auckland on Friday night, writes James Renwick The extraordinary flood event Auckland experienced ...
Chris Hipkins has experienced his first major event as prime minister, just days into his tenure. He’s spent the day in Auckland alongside emergency services, surveying the damage and assessing next steps. He’s due to speak at 3.15pm alongside Auckland mayor Wayne Brown. Thanks to Stuff, here is a livestream. ...
Due to the “unprecedented weather event” in Auckland, organisers have confirmed the “heartbreaking decision” to cancel this year’s Laneway Festival. “We were so excited to deliver this show to our biggest crowd ever in New Zealand, our team has been working around the clock to do everything they can to ...
With the rain easing for a moment, many will be beginning the arduous task of cleaning out their flooded property. Auckland council has release advice for cleaning up after a flood. Cleaning up after a flood It is important to clean and dry your house and everything in it. Floodwater ...
Air New Zealand Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer Captain David Morgan says the airline’s domestic flights in and out of Auckland resumed from 12pm today as Auckland Airport re-opens. But he said with a backlog of flights and customers, the priority is those who need to travel urgently. “Those ...
Festival-goers holding on hope for Laneway, set to take place at Western Springs on Monday, will have to wait a bit longer for an official update. A brief post on Facebook this afternoon stated: “Safety is Laneway Festival’s number one priority. With the large weather event Auckland is currently experiencing, ...
Wayne Brown has defended the timing of a declaration of a state of emergency last night following record rainfall in Auckland. “The state of emergency is a prescribed process, it’s quite formal, and I had to wait until I had the official request from the emergency management centre. The moment ...
After the 11th hour cancellation last night, Elton John has cancelled the second concert of his farewell tour at Mt Smart, which had been scheduled for this evening. In a statement, John said: “Following the instruction of the emergency services, we have no option but to cancel tonight’s show in ...
The member of parliament for Mt Albert, Jacinda Ardern, has posted a message on Facebook following the flooding in Auckland. “I’m very conscious that it’s been a while since I posted, and there have been a few big things happening. But today the most important thing is everyone’s wellbeing and ...
Flooding of the runway, the check-in and arrivals areas on the ground floor and surrounding roads has disrupted operations at Auckland International, halting all departures until at least 5pm today, with no arrivals before 4:30am tomorrow. “People are asked not to come to the International Terminal at this time for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Victoria Park near the Auckland CBD on January 27.Getty Images The extraordinary flood event Auckland experienced on the night of January 27, the eve of the ...
New Zealand’s largest insurance group, IAG, says it is on track to receive more than 1,100 claims from Aucklanders by lunchtime after the city was deluged in the wettest day on record. Those claims, said the group which includes AMI, State and NZI Insurance, span property damage to homes and ...
The rampant flooding in Auckland didn’t just detonate its provincial public holiday weekend – it coincided with the biggest weekend of the year to date for live events. A pair of Elton John concerts at Mt Smart stadium had a combined capacity of over 80,000, while both Laneway at Western ...
Auckland is beginning a clean-up after its wettest day since records began. “Auckland was clobbered on Friday,” said emergency management duty controller Andrew Clark. “We won’t start to get a good idea of numbers affected until later today and, even then, this will take time, with information still coming in ...
The prime minister, Chris Hipkins, is travelling to Auckland after devastating floods hit the city overnight. With the airport out of operation until at least midday, he is landing at Whenuapai air base on a New Zealand Defence Force Hercules aircraft from Wellington. ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has arrived in Auckland for a daylong visit to the city following its catastrophic flood on Friday night. Flying in an Air Force Hercules to Whenuapai, Hipkins will spend roughly three hours on the ground assessing flood damage in the city before returning. He will receive ...
A quirk of timing left all Auckland’s institutions on the back foot. But social media, particularly TikTok, graphically showed just how bad the situation was. Late afternoon on a Friday is known as time to quietly drop bad news. You have the plausible deniability of it happening during work hours, ...
It’s a common sight during summer. It’s also a recipe for disaster.I recently drove with my family from New Plymouth to Tāmaki Makaurau and, just like how I lost count of how many cows I saw on the way, I lost count of how many cars had a passenger ...
Opinion - Election year has begun with a bang, and already the punditry and speculation are ramping up, but Grant Duncan warns not to treat polls as gospel. ...
New Zealand’s new prime minister, Chris Hipkins, is formally facing down an emergency just a few days after being sworn in, summoning the National Crisis Management Centre to the Beehive. The Beehive Bunker is being stood up to help with coordination of the emergency response in Auckland. I’ve asked ...
Analysis - Jacinda Ardern is one of New Zealand's most historically significant leaders. But she did not achieve the grand vision for Aotearoa her outsized rhetoric promised. ...
Brits abroad can be an asset to Aotearoa - but only if we make an effort to engage with te ao Māori, writes Scottish expat Fran Barclay Earlier this week, the UK High Commissioner signalled a promising intention to address the barriers facing young Māori and Pasifika who aspire to ...
"They want the Māoris out": provincial life in NZShe hadn’t learned to shut her mouth. Howard was tired of Councillor Kemp harping on and on and on. He pushed himself deeper into the boardroom chair and leaned back as far as he could force it. This woman had ranted ...
Positive affirmation quotes often aren’t helpful for tāngata whai ora. But taking the piss out of them can be. Early in January, on the first day of what would be a week of staying in bed with the curtains pulled, I put a disappointingaffirmations Instagram post up on my stories. ...
Ellen Rykers visits Mahakirau Forest Estate, ‘a crown jewel in the Coromandel Range’, where pest control is serious business.This is an excerpt from our weekly environment newsletter Future Proof – sign up here. The Mahakirau Forest Estate is not your average subdivision. Enter through its tall ...
As Auckland tackles severe floods and the city’s airport emerges from a deluge on both the runway and in terminals, Air New Zealand has confirmed that no flights will leave or arrive before noon on Saturday at the earliest. In a statement, the airline said anyone booked for a flight ...
RNZ News Mayor Wayne Brown has shut down criticism that he was too slow in declaring a state of emergency after severe flooding in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. In a media stand-up late on Friday evening, Brown said he was following advice from experts and as soon as they ...
The Prime Minister has gone down to the Beehive bunker to help coordinate the emergency response, as the Insurance Council warns some Aucklanders whose homes and business are flooded face very hard times ahead. Jonathan Milne reports.Comment: Standing by the south-western motorway, I watched in dismay as hundreds of cars ...
A state of emergency has been declared in Auckland as severe weather causes major flooding across much of the city. It’s expected the rain will continue into the morning. This post will be updated as more information is shared.What does a state of emergency mean? A state of emergency ...
Auckland’s mayor Wayne Brown said he declared an emergency in Auckland as soon as he possibly could – and he made the decision without listening to the “clamour” of the public. There has been some criticism of the mayor for his relative silence today throughout the deadly flooding that’s hit ...
Welcome to a special late night edition of The Spinoff’s live updates as Auckland enters a state of emergency. Stewart Sowman-Lund is on deck, with help from our news team.The top linesAuckland is in a state of emergency. It will remain in place for seven ...
Prime minister Chris Hipkins is pleased the call was made to declare a state of emergency in Auckland. All government agencies were working “flat out” to help in what was an “extraordinary set of circumstances”, Hipkins said in a tweet. “The emergency response is underway and the government is ready ...
Auckland’s mayor Wayne Brown has released a statement following the decision to declare a state of emergency in Auckland. Brown has faced criticism this evening for his relative silence throughout today’s major flooding, with the first public pronouncement of the state of emergency coming from his deputy. Brown said the ...
Christopher Luxon has criticised the time it took for the state of emergency in Auckland to be declared. The National Party leader is currently in Southland, but told Today FM he intends to get back to Auckland as soon as possible. Earlier in the night, Luxon sent a tweet “urging” ...
Here is, verbatim, that latest information we have from Civil Defence on tonight’s state of emergency in Auckland: Auckland Emergency Management has opened a Civil Defence Centre to assist those that have been displaced or need assistance following today’s severe weather. The centre is open now and is based at ...
Severe flooding has ravaged Auckland today but the mayor of the city is barely visible. As I write, the airport has flooded, check-in areas looking like a public pool. Motorways are overflowing and cars have been seen floating down streets like a river. A person has died in floodwaters in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers has laid out an economic blueprint for pursuing “values-based capitalism”, involving public-private co-investment and collaboration and the renovation of key economic institutions and markets. In a 6000-word essay in The Monthly ...
This is live coverage of the developing situation in Auckland. We will continue to update this with photos and information as it comes to hand. After a day of torrential rain, and new reports of at least one death in the flood water, a state of emergency has been declared ...
Fans are describing Auckland Transport's plans to help them get to and from Elton John's concerts in the supercity this weekend as a fiasco with tonight's concert now cancelled due to the weather. Two concerts were due at Mt Smart Stadium before tonight's concert was called off in the face ...
A state of emergency has been declared in Auckland due to severe flooding that has caused people to evacuate their homes. It was officially declared at 9.54pm. Meanwhile, Auckland Airport has closed its international terminal check-in due to flooding inside the building. The airport says it is sincerely sorry to ...
RNZ News Residents in flood-prone areas of West Auckland are being asked to prepare to evacuate as bad weather causes power cuts and car crashes across Tāmaki Makaurau, with a severe thunderstorm watch in place for the north of Aotearoa New Zealand. Auckland Emergency Management said the severe weather across ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Ward, Postdoctoral research fellow, The University of Queensland Five years ago, bulldozers with chains cleared forests and woodlands almost triple the size of the Australian Capital Territory in a single year. Brazil? Indonesia? No – much closer: Queensland. In 2018-19, ...
Auckland Transport has apologised for confusing messaging that suggested attendees of tonight’s Elton John concert should drive. In a post on Facebook last night, AT said “driving to the concert is recommended” – a suggestion that prompted backlash due to the lack of parking options near the stadium. The announcement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Tingay, John Curtin Distinguished Professor (Radio Astronomy), Curtin University Asteroid 20223 BU’s path in red, with green showing the orbit of geosynchronous satellites.NASA/JPL-Caltech There are hundreds of millions of asteroids in our Solar System, which means new asteroids are discovered ...
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry revealed he attended the future King and Queen of England’s wedding with a frostbitten penis. A veteran of Antarctic expeditions says it’s not an issue that crops up often, if at all.Now that the avalanche of coverage about the Duke of Sussex’s memoir ...
A new poem by Wellington poet and publisher Ash Davida Jane. objects in the mirror are closer than they appear if a dog digs in the right spot and unearths a rib what do I care if a woman grows from that bone take her in and tend to her ...
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.AUCKLAND1Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Grove Press, $25) Everyone’s chowing down on fiction ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hazel, Associate Professor, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide schankz/Shutterstock Have you ever worried if the play between your cats was getting too rough? A new study published in Scientific Reports has investigated play and fighting ...
More water than anything else, the cucumber is the perfect counter to intense and fiery flavours. Cucumber is without a doubt the most refreshing vegetable*, the antidote to hot summer days. At 95% water, a cucumber is basically an edible, crunchy, waste-free water bottle. Beside water, the cucumber has almost ...
REVIEW:By Rowan Callick Radio Australia was conceived at the beginning of the Second World War out of Canberra’s desire to counter Japanese propaganda in the Pacific. More than 70 years later its rebirth is being driven by a similarly urgent need to counter propaganda, this time from China. Set ...
The yellow brick road to Mt Smart stadium looks to be packed this weekend as thousands travel to dual Elton John concerts In the words of pop royal Elton John, “I think it’s going to be a long, long time” - in this case for the 40,000 odd concert-goers driving ...
The decision by Sport Northland to deny 'Stop Co-Governance', a community group, use of their Whangarei venue to hold a public meeting is illegal and defies the rights given to all Kiwis to voice their political opinions. This case, yet again, illustrates ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rolf Gerritsen, Professorial Research Fellow, Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University The supposed dimensions of the “crisis” in Alice Springs have been exhaustively portrayed in the media, both nationally and in the Northern Territory. The stories abound: shopfront windows repeatedly broken, groups of ...
Children’s Commissioner, Judge Frances Eivers: "Myself and previous Commissioners have been clear that the use of motels at all is deplorable, and a symptom of a system that is failing children. "Concerns around the practice have been raised repeatedly ...
Everything you need to know to get through the chaotic commute to to the Elton John concert in Tāmaki Mākaurau this weekend. Fans heading to Elton John’s concerts at Mt Smart Stadium this weekend have been advised to drive or walk thereby Auckland Transport (AT). In a Facebook post ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tamara Borovica, Research assistant and early career researcher, Critical Mental Health research group, RMIT University Shutterstock If your new year’s resolutions include getting healthier, exercising more and lifting your mood, dance might be for you. By dance, we don’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Andrews, Professor and Academic Director (Indigenous Research), La Trobe University ShutterstockAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people. Many people do not know about the early activism undertaken ...
Finance minister Grant Robertson has opted to go list-only for the upcoming election, meaning he will not seek to be re-elected as MP for Wellington Central. It opens up the door for a swift exit from politics should Labour lose the election; without an electorate, no byelection would be triggered ...
Tory Whanau told The Spinoff’s When The Facts Change podcast that National’s transport spokesperson would push Wellington ‘backwards’ if he becomes transport minister.Wellington’s left-leaning mayor is worried her plans for the city could be scuppered by a new National-led government – and specifically by the party’s most likely candidate ...
Thousands of people are expected to flock to Auckland’s Western Springs on Monday for the triumphant return of the Laneway Festival. But with severe weather warnings in place, is it going to be reduced to a Splendour in the Grass-style “hellscape”? According to the organisers, no. In an email sent ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago A German Leopard 2 heavy battle tank of the type destined for Ukraine.Getty Images The recent decision by Olaf Scholz’s German government to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks – after ...
The Hauraki Gulf Alliance, a group of diverse organisations representing more than 1 million people, has rubbished proposals to continue trawling and dredging in New Zealand’s first marine park, the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. The Hauraki Gulf Fisheries ...
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission has shared experiences of children and young people in emergency housing ahead of New Zealand’s review under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in Geneva this week. “The government ...
It’s felt like a long time between drinks, but everyone’s favourite/least favourite family are almost back on our screens. HBO today released a trailer for the upcoming fourth season of Succession and announced a March release date. Check out the trailer – which doesn’t give away too much, but successfully ...
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:
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.
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
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
These Hawksbay sandflys don't know who they are FUCKING WITH they will soon learn