Yes it is very sad that John Campbell has been sacked. Sacked not “opted to leave” the weasel words of TV3. It is double sad for his team of writers, researchers, journos and crew. There sure is work for these brave people to do, in any democracy, but especially now in this very sick one. What upsets me the most though is wondering what message has the rest of the media just been given? Stand up to the National Government and you will lose your job? And how many people in other walks of life will hear that message too? As they say, “Governments should be afraid of the people and not the other way around”.
Er, yes it does. A significant change in the nature of the employment can be seen as a dismissal. If an employer puts up an option that does not resemble the current job, and the new job is refused, then the end of the employment relationship can be regarded as a sacking. As dv points out above, it’s called a constructive dismissal.
However, it does rather depend on the agreement, the process used by the employer, and whether Campbell can be bothered. It’s probably worth remembering that news presenter John Hawkesby got millions when he was axed in a broadly similar situation.
I agree Maui . There seems be a purge of anything or anyone to the Left of this bloody Tory mob.
We have also lost central TV which kept us up date on local issues and has such informative programmes like Euromaxx and the documentary which often showed the evil of the tory mobs still with us,
Well, a redundancy is a sacking, James. And it’s entirely possible that Campbell’s employment agreement characterises this situation as exactly that. That is, that agreement had redundancy clauses that covers this situation. Or that he was simply offered the new job or redundancy with a payout, as often happens in similar situations. We just don’t know because we weren’t in the room.
But given the public way Mediaworks went through what should have been a private process and the timing of the announcement, I suspect Campbell’s lawyers will be driving a hard bargain (and perhaps already have).
On planet key “sacking” = “dismissal” but “redudancy” != “dismissal”.
To steal a line from John Oliver, the line between “redundancy” and “dismissal” is a bit like the age of consent – if the other party is that close that you need to parse exactly where the line is, you’ve probably already done something very, very wrong.
‘Opted to leave’ = role remains predominantly the same and you decide you no longer want to do the very similar role
‘Redundancy’ = Role has significantly changed, your role no longer exists in its current form, you would need to reapply for the newly formed role
‘Sacking’ = role remains predominantly the same and you have engaged in serious misconduct, or multiple occasions of inappropriate conduct
Which one is it of these three? From what I can tell he ‘opted to leave’. Adding another presenter, changing the format to include lighter/entertainment stories towards the end of the show, and no longer working Fridays does not sound like a significant change to his agreement, so long as he is still offered the same number of hours per week.
OAB “McFlock likes to run his mouth about subjects of which he is entirely ignorant, in this case employment law.
What a tool.”
fify
Which one is it of these three? From what I can tell he ‘opted to leave’. Adding another presenter, changing the format to include lighter/entertainment stories towards the end of the show, and no longer working Fridays does not sound like a significant change to his agreement, so long as he is still offered the same number of hours per week.
Obviously it was significant enough for him to no longer want the job.
You might think being a vapid infotainment host is the same as fronting stories that result in positive social change. But then such misconceptions are common amongst tories.
Do you have any evidence at all he was offered a contract? Do you have evidence of any discussions which led to his not accepting any contract which may have been offered, which suggests there was no coercion involved?
(For goodness sake don’t say, “Because someone on TV said he was offered a contract” because that might not be the truth. After all I know of an esteemed member of our political universe who lies on legal documents and/or in court proceedings.)
Campbell Live is now walking dead. He’s done some great work. Compassionate and caring. Incompatible with a commercial imperative. TVNZ and the abysmal state of broadcasting in NZ is the real issue. Not to mention the government’s role.
John Campbell isn’t one of the “walking dead” though. He will find another outlet for his talents, hopefully in New Zealand, without having to sell out.
I would like to see him given a position in the Labour party head office or in he opposition think tanks, what an asset he could be inthe LP parliamentary office.
I suspect that most greens wouldn’t even read that piece. I started it and then my eyes glazed over. Abstract rhetoric, probably interesting, but really, the main issue around children that we face is the fact that the current kids will be the ones that bear the brunt of climate change not us. Climate change scales are such that we can keep putting off doing the necessary change because the fall out from not acting is abstract. Making it about someone’s child or grandchild makes it real. It’s also the shift to understanding that
“It’s the imagery the greens use over and over – above all else.”
No, it’s not above all else. But where it does get used in NZ, I associate it with the influence of Māori and Pasifika cultures where the wellbeing of children is what creates the wellbeing of society (something markedly absent from Pākehā culture).
The GP in NZ is not inherently conservative (at least not in a political way). Even a cursory glance at its history shows this.
I did try to read it, but it’s too abstract and dense. If you want to explain in your own words what the point is that would be great (I am interested), but as it is you’ve just said ooh bad greens but haven’t demonstrated why.
Seems to be a rant against heterosexuality, a whinge that’s essentially a ZOMG, won’t you think of the queers statement as it assumes that queers can’t have children which, of course, they actually can. Then it tries to apply racism to the idea of having a future because a lot of the children used in the campaigns are white.
Basically it’s a sad, illogical rant that says nothing.
The whole campaign approach, looking towards some future event rather than tacking the issue now. And coupled with that, a heteronormative analysis.
I agree the racism part is iffy, and a bit of waffle – hard to connect them dots…
But analysing of failed green approaches/tactics, should be look at. no? Otherwise we are left with the same old tired crap from Tory powder puffs, saying green politics should be more in line with liberal economics. And worse, many greens buying into that sad approach.
The problem is that nothing can happen now, it always needs to be built up over time. We always act now for the future. Children are an embodiment of that future.
And coupled with that, a heteronormative analysis.
Not really as I pointed out.
But analysing failed green approaches, should be look at.
Are they a failed approach? It didn’t provide anything to back up that statement. All it really said was that the author thought that it was bad.
Otherwise we are left with the same old tired crap from Tory powder puffs, saying green politics should be more in line with liberal economics.
Green approaches have been pretty successful given teh climate they’re operated in. Consider the level of awareness and policy and everything that is in between that has changed in the past 30 years.
I’m only partially convinced weka – I think the past 30 years have been a nightmare of alienation and anomie.
And yes to some extent the green approach has done some real good to counter that.
However, liberal economics as an economic system, is nasty, brutish and short. It also creates the destructive forces which spread across society and the environment.
I’d argue the green approach needs to be doing more, to add in the decline of this rotten economics, and its vicious bedfellows – alienation and anomie
The problem is that nothing can happen now, it always needs to be built up over time…
What the… OK so the instrument of the revolution is out (I mean revolution in the broadest sense and non violent – so economic revolution as a quick and sudden shift, that forces change) – or the fact we need to move reasonably fast on this issue.
That aside – there is only the now – the future is just that – it’s always the future. To live in hope for or want of a better future ignores the now. I know social democrats have this dream of a better future – but please – just look at the actions of both the Martin Luther King a man blessed with living in the now.
Heteronormative we agree to disagree.
Failed approach/tactics – I’d say they are not getting buy in. Look even deniers come here and comment on a regular basis.
The tactics/approach around G.E. genetic engineering. The approach around elections. The approach around dealing with the Tories, and creating a culture beyond building – because well to quote the old adage – critical mass – nope not happened – ever since I heard values people talk about this – it has never happened.
Because back to your first point – building – we can build till the day we die. Unless we get some action – what are we stuck with? I don’t give a damn about future generations – that’s their business, and good luck to them. I’m more worried about the now, and the lack of action.
In 1992, when the alternative pop-music listening audience was trying on angst for size, it was said that what the world needs now was another folk singer – like we need a hole in the head. Problem is, that sometimes folk artists – when they aren’t writing epic and poetic tales of loss and sadness – often take the shortest route to the truest story. Like this tune from the Lumineres, about when you had Flowers in your Hair:
As a man, I find it fairly accurate and easy to relate to, but also can’t help notice it’s missing something. While it tries to reconcile common political stages of awareness with stages of human development, and what’s left, there isn’t much subtlety – it thinks like a man. It needs a suitable reply to complete it; a reply that isn’t just loud in volume (plenty of those around!) but clear in independent intent; a reply that a woman who may have “made a man compromise” might say; a reply like this tune from Catherine MacLellan:
So ask yourself – how is it that ISIS is militarily strong enough and has the numbers to continue making gains in both Syria and in Iraq at the same time (against continuous US airstrikes against them in both countries).
This whole setup stinks to high heaven.
Juan Cole writes a good historical precis of how the Sunni/Shia split has come down through the centuries – and how the Americans have made things much worse today by picking the Shia as winners in Iraq.
I’ve never known a country yet that can win a war by fighting an enemy supplied by arms by one of its allies that it sells arms to (read America/ISIS/Saudi Arabia/America)
So of the four speeches i (for my sins) listened to i’d have to rate them as follows:
1. Winston Peters, yes he talks bollix, yes hes all over the place but geez he sounds like a leader
2. John Key, got some easy hits in on Little (not that Little made it difficult) and made some strong points and once hes on a roll hes hard to stop but too many jokes
3. Andrew Little, he was loud so I didn’t fall asleep
4. Metiria Turei, dreary, boring, dull, sounded like the earnest speech of a sixth former in social studies.
This is based on how they came across, not the axctual content of the speeches
” four speeches i (for my sins) ”
Well you have got representatives for four of the sins.
I guess they would be.
Sloth Peters
Pride Key
Envy Little
Gluttony Turei
Who do you propose to listen to for the other three sins of Lust, Greed and Wrath?
She is certainly an excellent candidate for Wrath. I had rather forgotten about her now she is way up the back of the House.
I was thinking, from recent accounts of his behaviour that Cunliffe probably is a pretty good candidate for the Lust role.
Greed is the problem. It clearly isn’t the same as Gluttony, so it doesn’t seem to fit Gerry.
You right wingers live in such one dimensional worlds Collins lusts for power she’s greedy for money and as far as wrath goes there’s glimpses of it in dirty politics
Can be done, Felix.^ I listened to a speech last week^ fascinated by the rising inflection^ at every pause^ at the end of every phrase^, clause^ or sentence^ to be only relieved at the end of a whole paragraph^ by a downwards inflection.
No idea what he said^, but it was on the topic^ of accident insurance^ for Grey Power members^.
Careful. If you delete all the channels that upset you in some way you will be reduced to watching Suzanne Paul (“But wait there’s more” on the Shopping Channel.
Things were much better in the days of analogue TV before the introduction of Digital broadcasting.
You could tune the TV to a frequency where no station was broadcasting and watch the “snow” that appeared on the screen.
About 1% of that signal was from the 2.7 degree Kelvin background radiation from the Big Bang. You could sit there and look back 14 billion years to the creation of the Universe. Far more significant than any minor man-made program don’t you think?
I don’t suppose you can do that on a digital TV.
Although… I wonder how difficult it would be to hack a sky dish into a halfway decent radio telescope using a raspberry pi and digital TV?
There’s a ponderable – especially if they all networked into a global array. Would need an alt/azi detector, though – but I wonder if it could be gained using the relative strengths of known rf emitters (pulsars, geostationary satellites, the sun), with the remaining noise being the analysis data. Hell, ya gotta eliminate those anyway.
“Beijing and Washington are not mere ships passing each other in the South China Sea – they are the two countries vying to play the commanding role in Asia. While China seeks to redress what it sees as violations of its sovereignty, Washington does have policy options, but are any of them effective?
CrossTalking with Pepe Escobar, Zachary Keck and James Bradley.”
they also tried to imply at the start of their BS piece that bailout funds were infusions of money to the Greek people instead of what they really were: more debt funding more payments to the big banks.
With Campbell being pushed out the door and TV “news” being dumbed down to the point of its demise being in the near future what this country needs is a web based news channel that the likes of Campbell and the very good Jon Stevens can get there story’s out to the people .
Funding of corse is the issue not to mention paying the reporters but give a little or something similar might be away of getting started .
We need these people to keep the barstards honest.
My heart goes out to the jury and family in this case as they must have had to listen to some very distressing testimony and evidence over the last several weeks.
Meanwhile, in an imaginary Beehive office far far away, Bill English takes Charles aside…
“Have you read about my latest budget?”
“No, what’s in it?”
“Bludgers.”
“oh?”
“Yes, bludgers.”
“What else?”
“Hate, stupidity and greed.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Bludgers.”
“I see.”
“What about — ” Charles struggled to find something that would return a sensible answer. It was a National budget, afterall. Nothing would’ve changed.
“Sole parents?” Bill offered.
“Yeah.”
“Lazy bludgers.”
“bludgers huh?”
“Yep!”
“So… it’s all… done. You must be pleased.”
“Sure am,” but he paused, uncertain, and added, “You don’t sound impressed.”
“Well, you know, I’ve heard it all before.”
“BUT BLUDGERS!”
“Yeah, I’m familiar with that part.”
Bill’s face, beaming with self-pleasure, was too much to bear at such a close distance.
Charles asked quickly, “Do you reckon there will be some of those little pink cakes on the tea trolley this morning?”
“They’re blue now.”
“Blueberry?”
“No, just blue. Plain Blue flavour.”
“What does Blue taste like?”
“Nothing. It’s just Blue colouring. Puts people in the right frame of mind.”
“What happened to the pink ones?”
“Catering says they gave them to the poor.”
“oh.”
“Yep. Bludgers.”
Oh dear. On one hand Little fulminates on people not saving enough toward their retirement and then on the other he talks about means-testing Super payments.
What is he really trying to do?
Does he want the situation that prevails in Australia where their Super is means tested? If, with great sacrifice, a couple was to save up a million dollars toward their retirement income they will receive nothing from the state. The problem is that the amount they will get from their investments will only give them an income equivalent to the state pension. They would be just as well off by not saving anything.
Is it any wonder that Australian’s buy Mc Mansions, that are exempt from the asset testing, retire early and spend their savings and Super funds travelling and living high on the hog. Then they claim the State pension to live on after 65.
Is that really what Little wants? Is he really that much of a fool?
Why, because Andrew Little has a rush of blood to the head and wants to do another flip-flop on Labour Party policies, are people who don’t agree with him required to “engage in a discussion” with him?
The National Party approach, with which I happen to agree, is that we can continue with a universal National Superannuation payable at 65.
If Andrew doesn’t think we can afford it is up to him to prove his claim. If he could do that he can then propose that something be done.
Until he does that why should anyone care what he says?
Incidentally has he shown that we don’t need a CGT any more? Or because the current Labour Party leader doesn’t seem to want it is all discussion stifled?
And the following day Labour reverse their attitude again. Do we call that a flip-flop or do we just decide that little Andrew is simply a flop as leader?
I didn’t see “The Nation” but I gather Robertson has “corrected” his revered leader and done a reverse flip-flop on means testing of super?
It is lucky we didn’t waste much time discussing the pros and cons of Little’s thoughts isn’t it?
Robertson has told him to shut up and keep silent. I wonder how long it will be before he tries to get rid of Andrew altogether?
… tell Little what the end game of means testing superannuation is.
It results in National scrapping it; “If you’ve worked hard all your life, why should you support someone else’s retirement just because they were lazy during their life?”
After the Labour caucus treatment of Cunliffe, and now we see that Little is clearly after the centre right vote (you know, the old moving to the centre … of the middle class) all I have to say is this:
I will no longer view Labour as a potential partner in Government and will actively seek to convert Labour voters to the Greens.
ios app for the NZ parliament. Look forward to some geek analysis of the security issues 😉
Virtual House: Release of the NZ Parliament App
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon David Carter welcomes the release of an app that gives people easier access to MPs contact information and insights into Parliament.
Parliament’s Virtual House app is available today from the Apple App Store and is free for anyone to download.
Virtual House is aimed at making Parliament and its members more accessible. It packages information from the Parliament website such as when the House is sitting, contact details for members of Parliament and watching the live web-streaming of Parliament TV.
“It’s important that Parliament is accessible and understandable for everyone. This app provides an easy and convenient way for people of all ages, to interact with MPs and see the democratic processes taking place in the House,” says the Speaker.
At the moment, the Virtual House app is only available for iPhone and iPad. It will be updated and improved over time in response to public feedback, which can be given through the Apple App Store.
SO any person who has refused to succumb to the ‘i thing’ plague is locked out of the discussion. All power to the 1% for their creative ways to exclude the proles yet again.
I’m guessing they’re trialling it before they develop the other platforms. It did make me wonder though, are most NZ ios users in NZ likely to be neoliberals or not? 😉
Not sure about that – most of the IT crowd I know are not neo liberal, they do however have disposible cash for the new iPhone, XTC etc. and often purchase different brands of phone just to check out the tech.
But, in asking the question a couple of them did ask; “why would you develop on apple first when there are cross-platform development tools available”
HTML5; Phonegap and Sencha come to mind immediately.
Ok, interesting. I was being a bit facetious about the neoliberal thing. I suspect though that the decision came down to someone being in the right place at the right time to get the contract, not a bad assumption given this govt.
I’ve been saying for a while that ‘neoliberalism’ – ie a belief in the efficacy of free markets, the distortionary evil of taxes and benefits and the minimalisation of the state – is dead. There are still a few adherents drifting around the fringes of politics that truly believe, but this budget seems like a good time to mark that in National the doctrine is obsolete. National believes in massive intervention in the economy, mostly in favor of their political donors but also in response to signals from their polling and market research, and English has raised or introduced so many taxes I’ve lost count. I don’t know what we’re supposed to call this mode of government, exactly, but it ain’t ‘neoliberal’.
Just when you think all lefties miss the point about everything all the time, Danyl is there to prove you wrong.
On the other hand, the opposition looked like clueless losers yesterday. What kind of left-wing politician opposes the gutting of the KiwiSaver kickstarter – pretty much the definition of middle-class welfare – to tackle child poverty?
And Little’s speech was just awful. ‘Gene Simmons’? ‘Fiscal gender reassignment’? Why did he think it was a good idea to reference a source of internal division within his own party? What a mess.
I’m not sure how much Danyl McLauchlan has read about the notion of neoliberalism but he’s really missed the mark here.
The neoliberal revolution has already happened and been entrenched.
Today, the neoliberal approach to the economy just seems mainstream common sense to the point where a government like the current one can be called ‘moderate’, ‘centrist’ and bafflingly – by McLauchlan – ‘not neoliberal’.
I wrote a post about Eleanor Catton’s comments about our politicians while she was in India that went into a bit of detail both about the characteristics of neoliberalism and, more significantly, the way it has infiltrated our basic assumptions about how the world should work.
“Future historians may well look upon the years 1978–80 as a revolutionary turning-point in the world’s social and economic history. In 1978, Deng Xiaoping took the first momentous steps towards the liberalization of a communist-ruled economy in a country that accounted for a fifth of the world’s population … On the other side of the Pacific, and in quite different circumstances, a relatively obscure (but now renowned) figure named Paul Volcker took command at the US Federal Reserve in July 1979, and within a few months dramatically changed monetary policy. The Fed thereafter took the lead in the fight against inflation no matter what its consequences (particularly as concerned unemployment). Across the Atlantic, Margaret Thatcher had already been elected Prime Minister of Britain in May 1979, with a mandate to curb trade union power and put an end to the miserable inflationary stagnation that had enveloped the country for the preceding decade. Then, in 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States and, armed with geniality and personal charisma, set the US on course to revitalize its economy by supporting Volcker’s moves at the Fed and adding his own particular blend of policies to curb the power of labour, deregulate industry, agriculture, and resource extraction, and liberate the powers of finance both internally and on the world stage. From these several epicentres, revolutionary impulses seemingly spread and reverberated to remake the world around us in a totally different image.
…
Neoliberalism is in the first instance a theory of political economic practices that proposes that human well-being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by strong private property rights, free markets, and free trade. The role of the state is to create and preserve an institutional framework appropriate to such practices. The state has to guarantee, for example, the quality and integrity of money. It must also set up those military, defence, police, and legal structures and functions required to secure private property rights and to guarantee, by force if need be, the proper functioning of markets. Furthermore, if markets do not exist (in areas such as land, water, education, health care, social security, or environmental pollution) then they must be created, by state action if necessary. But beyond these tasks the state should not venture. State interventions in markets (once created) must be kept to a bare minimum because, according to the theory, the state cannot possibly possess enough information to second-guess market signals (prices) and because powerful interest groups will inevitably distort and bias state interventions (particularly in democracies) for their own benefit.”
Harvey’s view is that the entire globe has undergone a neoliberal transformation and most governments in countries such as New Zealand have, to varying degrees, implemented, maintained and extended neoliberal policy settings.
To what extent is the current New Zealand government not presiding over deregulated financial markets, the mass privatisation of previously public assets (and privatising further in education, health and ‘social housing’) and further reducing regulatory barriers in markets (RMA anyone?), etc., etc.?
Further,
“[t]here has everywhere been an emphatic turn towards neoliberalism in political-economic practices and thinking since the 1970s”
And,
“Almost all states, from those newly minted after the collapse of the Soviet Union to old-style social democracies and welfare states such as New Zealand and Sweden, have embraced, sometimes voluntarily and in other instances in response to coercive pressures, some version of neoliberal theory and adjusted at least some policies and practices accordingly.”
And, according to Harvey, the penetration of neoliberalism goes beyond the strictly political sphere and reaches well into a society’s cultural and economic institutions:
“the advocates of the neoliberal way now occupy positions of considerable influence in education (the universities and many ‘think tanks’), in the media, in corporate boardrooms and financial institutions, in key state institutions (treasury departments, the central banks), and also in those international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) that regulate global finance and trade.”
In short, neoliberalism has “become hegemonic” and one of the absolutely significant consequences of that for public political debate – especially here in New Zealand – is that,
“It has pervasive effects on ways of thought to the point where it has become incorporated into the common-sense way many of us interpret, live in, and understand the world.”
Danyl McLauchlan seems to ignore all that remains in place and over which the current government presides – along with a raft of policy initiatives that show beyond any doubt that it is committed to incremental extension of the original neoliberal revolution.
The fact that it is also incredibly cronyistic is neither here nor there – most governments that have introduced and presided over neoliberal reforms have been. (Because, of course, neoliberal reforms – through liberalised policy settings – invite cronyism towards favoured people and companies so that they get the first and biggest bite of the big pie on offer. In fact, inviting ‘friends’ to the neoliberal table probably helps cement in the policy changes.)
And the fact that it occasionally pulls back from its preferred policy settings because of a public backlash does not so much show that its political strategy is not neoliberal but, simply, that its tactics involve an element of caution.
Imagine the situation where a newly elected government in a communist state presided over the communist economic policy settings, perhaps even extending them here and there a bit, and tossed in a bit of cronyism on the side.
Would McLauchlan then claim that such a government clearly was not ‘communist’ – actually quite ‘moderate’ and ‘centrist’, politically – and that ‘true believers’ in communism were only on the ‘fringes’?
Well, that would be an interesting conclusion to draw.
Most people, however, would call it a communist government – quite rightly.
If Danyl’s comment is anything to go by, perhaps we’re all neoliberals now?
Maybe that’s why he can’t see neoliberalism in today’s politics – except on the ‘fringes’.
Not quite: while he describes the remark as ‘flippant’ he only apologises for any offence caused: a typical Clayton’s apology. Why he couldn’t simply apologise for the flippancy is beyond me.
OAB, I thought by acknowledging it was flippant as well as causing offence he did better than a Clayton’s apology. He has also agreed to meet with transgender people to discuss their concerns, so I am going to give him some brownie points for this.
Agree, Andrew needed to acknowledge and apologise, which as expected, he has done.
Drawing vast attention to the policy suggestion was an MSM attempt to distract from broad issues which will get Labour back into government. Of course Labour will address these issues with respect and balance, once we are in, but why give National an opportunity to divide and rule, therefore keeping power?
If people really want to have these (and many other issues society is struggling with) issues addressed, wouldn’t it be wiser to get into government first?
Reminded me of the Monopoly experiment where the game is rigged to favour one or the other players. The favoured player thinks they deserve to win – that they are ‘better’ – even though the rules are obviously bias.
Yes, we tend to think that our advantage is caused by our general ‘worthiness’. The greatest – but always unacknowledged – way in which an ‘entitlement culture’ manifests is in people’s beliefs that they are fully entitled to their privileged position.
For some reason people don’t like the idea that their life outcomes are more a product of the structures in which they operate (and into which they are born) than of their personal ‘qualities’. That reluctance is especially present in cultures that emphasise the ‘self’ as something discrete rather than simply as a social intersection point.
Yes that is exactly it. I know this isn’t cool to say – but reading that has left my eyes wet.
Helen Clark in her valedictory speech said at one point that the reason she went into politics was because she “loathed snobbery and the abuse of privilege”.
People are not all the same. Their lives will turn out different – but all it would take to change that story above is for Richard to have answered the question by saying “Well it’s not my success at all, my parents, friends and colleagues all played their part – as indeed we all do. Now it is merely my privilege to give back something of what has been given to me. ”
And then to have acknowledged Paula’s presence with a sincere ‘thank you’.
No to really change the story a above this country needs to move heaven and earth to give every kid the best education money can buy and then insure that they feel like there is a reason to get out of bed as young adults.it would take 30 years to work but it would change the course of the history of this country.
BTW my eyes got wet and I’m a big tuff farm boy!!
And therein are the ingredients for a fine debate on cause and effect. I’ve thought about this for a while and for the life of me I cannot untangle which of our two perspectives is more ‘true’. If indeed it’s a valid question to even ask.
Maybe it’s better to think of them as indivisible, inseparable aspects of the same thing.
“Maybe it’s better to think of them as indivisible, inseparable aspects of the same thing” holy hell there’s some big words there. 🙂
If you mean does having money make one a wanker , I think it isn’t a certainty that it will make someone a wanker but it definatly increases the chances ,and as for the children of people with money the chances of being a wanker increases with each generation.
On a similar note I have a theory ( using only one example so far) that you’re average lefty is far more likely to have known hardship.
So does hardship = empathy or are some born with it.?
the right wing have created an environment and a lifestyle which reduces chances of people developing their inbuilt characteristics of empathy, and super charges their inbuilt characteristics of selfishness and greed.
The word “capitalism” used to come from heads of livestock (e.g. decapitate). Those who owned wealth in terms of heads of livestock were governed by societal rules which said that you could not simply breed more heads of livestock – as that would jeopardise the sustainability of the lands nearby the village which everyone used for their own livestock as well.
And if someone insisted on continuing to do that, the villagers would burn his house down. Perfect self regulating system.
From what I’ve read, empathy (like IQ or EQ) is not evenly spread about by the genetic lottery. But native empathy alone is probably a poor predictor of whether you turn out a dickhead or not. The critical ingredient is the social controls and values you grow up with.
In other words – decency and dignity are characteristics which have to be taught and inculcated. And as you say, capitalism truly sucks at this.
I have been wondering why there haven’t been any polls from professional companies such as Tv1Colmar and Tv3 Ipsos after the Parnell Pony tail puller’s affair became public?
I know there was the Roy Morgan poll but it came out just a couple of days after the news and therefore most of the survey was done for several days before that.
Thanks.
I think there would have been a significant drop in the horrid hair puller’s personal popularity had the polls come out soon after that despicable outrage.
I had expected those companies to have done those polls straight away after such a significant national; and international event. I wonder why they did not! Is there some kind of big business collusion to help Key here?
Now since that event seems to be put under the carpet and with the public memories being fickle, I have a feeling that Key will once again go free without any consequences from the public for his shocking and oft repeated act.
NZ is slightly above the OECD GINI coefficient for inequality, below the OECD average for overall relative poverty, below the OECD average for the gap between the top 10% and bottom 10%, slightly below the OECD average for child poverty, and below the OECD average for elderly poverty. I believe the OECD is using the 50% threshold which measures poverty whereas 60% measures ‘at risk of poverty’.
So it’s quite mixed. We are definitely no world leader by any measure. I think we have a lot of people on the edge of the poverty line, which is why we can be below average one measure and above average on another – so small changes in incomes and help or hurt poverty rates.
This morning while picking up a coffee from McDonalds in Napier (and yes, they make excellent coffee), I noticed two young workers cleaning out the front. One of them was on a ledge about 10ft up with a long handled cleaning brush while his mate was directing a a stream of water onto the sign from a hose. Who would you make a complaint to about this as it was a very dangerous way to be cleaning a sign.
In a few hours time, voting begins in the south of Ireland referendum on gay marriage.
It is most likely that the electorate will say ‘yes’ to the right of same-sex couples to marry.
The depth and breadth of support for a ‘yes’ vote is quite astounding.
All the parties in the southern parliament, from the viciously anti-working class Fine Gael and Labour parties to Sinn Fein to the Trotskyists (who have about 5 members of parliament); rugby legend Brian O Driscoll; Irish soccer team captain Robbie Keane; MOR crooner Daniel O’Donnell; and even the police federation in their official journal, have all come out publicly for a ‘yes’ vote. Dozens of Gaelic Athletic Association players have leant their names to the ‘yes’ campaign. And, of course, there is the fraternity of actors, artists, writers etc that you would usually expect to line up for same-sex marriage, most prominent among them being Colin Farrell.
The ‘yes’ campaign is supported by a range of devout Catholics, including members of parliament belonging to Fine Gael and two-term president Mary McAleese.
Of the 220 members of the lower and upper houses of parliament, only ten have indicated publicly that they will vote ‘no’.
Meanwhile, the vicious economic onslaught on the working class continues. . .
Nevertheless this is a watershed moment in Irish history – ie the history of the whole island – and it also looks like this will be the first state in the world where gay marriage has been voted for by the public.
This is probably the most important aspect of this case:
(naturally, none of the police responsible for these offences have ever been charged – the law is for us, not for them)
Many of our criminal population are not held to account simply because of their position. Here it’s members of the police but we can also point at rugby players, politicians and businesspeople.
This is corruption and, despite being found to be one the perceived least corrupt countries in the world, we are actually one of the worst. This is something that we need to address but our politicians, our law-makers, seem reluctant to do so.
Rachel Stewart on why so many people are upset about the end of Campbell Live and it isn’t just about investigative journalism (esp for Bill).
I’m in the company of decent New Zealanders who are extremely upset and angry about Campbell Live’s canning.
It’s because it represented so much more to us than just a current affairs programme. It was the last mainstream media hope in the new neoliberal hell called New Zealand.
Campbell made us “do-gooders” feel like someone cared. He worked for the ordinary people, and held the powerful to account. Which, of course, is probably why he’s gone.
In 2015’s version of society, where most people happily choose to stand on the heads of the less fortunate and only a few choose to lend a hand, John Campbell was crucial. He represented all that was decent and all that was fair.
neoliberal means free market, financialised, transnational capital empowered economic systems designed to push costs and burdens on to ordinary people and the environment while the 10% and especially the 0.1% take most of the benefits.
Well I just learned a new word – skeuomorphic. Thanks SHG.
As well as learning the word, I looked up the meaning. That way I understand it in the context in which you used it, which I think is probably a better approach than just assuming you don’t know what you’re talking about, or made it up, or used it randomly, which would have left me looking a right fuckwit.
your right SHG you know you’ve met a real intellectual left wing, champaignsocialist wannabe by the amount of times Neo liberal is used in a conversation, I think it’s a bit like a kid learning a new swear word they get off on it, likewise if your a bit dim They can used it to challenge any proposition they don’t agree with or doesn’t fit batty left wing religious dogma
Well the word does have a meaning, and an etymology that is pretty well documented, so if you really think people are mis-using it you can always point out why they’re wrong.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In 2023, Anthony Albanese was shooting for the moon, his eyes on the Voice referendum. On one view, he looked like the idealist reflecting his left-wing roots. In 2024, we’re seeing a pragmatic, determined, ...
The House - The principle that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word has been tested multiple times this week in Parliament. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Dickinson, Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW Sydney Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Since the review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) released its recommendations in December, there has been a series of Town Hall events to discuss them around the country ...
Asia Pacific Report Two of the global Freedom Flotilla ships are being prepared in Turkey and almost ready for the upcoming humanitarian mission to Gaza. It is expected that the flotilla will include a New Zealand medical team. Kia Ora Gaza is a member of the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition ...
Unions are baaad!
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-05-20/presenting-walmarts-leaked-anti-union-training-video
Walmart’s union-busting scripts are comedy gold if you need a giggle today:
http://gawker.com/walmarts-anti-union-dialogue-is-great-you-bet-1506493461
Yes it is very sad that John Campbell has been sacked. Sacked not “opted to leave” the weasel words of TV3. It is double sad for his team of writers, researchers, journos and crew. There sure is work for these brave people to do, in any democracy, but especially now in this very sick one. What upsets me the most though is wondering what message has the rest of the media just been given? Stand up to the National Government and you will lose your job? And how many people in other walks of life will hear that message too? As they say, “Governments should be afraid of the people and not the other way around”.
Please provide any evidence at all that he was “sacked”.
He was offered a contract, he was offered to stay on (albeit with a different format for the show).
Do you have any evidence at all he was dismissed. Or are you just a liar.
lol
so was he given the option of keeping his current job and work conditions?
“Different format” = “no”.
We need better wingnuts
Could be called a constructive dismissal.
Reply to McFlock Does that mean he was sacked? No it does not.
Er, yes it does. A significant change in the nature of the employment can be seen as a dismissal. If an employer puts up an option that does not resemble the current job, and the new job is refused, then the end of the employment relationship can be regarded as a sacking. As dv points out above, it’s called a constructive dismissal.
However, it does rather depend on the agreement, the process used by the employer, and whether Campbell can be bothered. It’s probably worth remembering that news presenter John Hawkesby got millions when he was axed in a broadly similar situation.
Thats still not a sacking – its a redundancy.
I just learned something: James likes to run his mouth about subjects of which he is entirely ignorant, in this case employment law.
What a tool.
This is frickn pathetic, like arguing whether someone quit first or was fired first. He was pushed.
I agree Maui . There seems be a purge of anything or anyone to the Left of this bloody Tory mob.
We have also lost central TV which kept us up date on local issues and has such informative programmes like Euromaxx and the documentary which often showed the evil of the tory mobs still with us,
“Thats still not a sacking – its a redundancy.”
Well, a redundancy is a sacking, James. And it’s entirely possible that Campbell’s employment agreement characterises this situation as exactly that. That is, that agreement had redundancy clauses that covers this situation. Or that he was simply offered the new job or redundancy with a payout, as often happens in similar situations. We just don’t know because we weren’t in the room.
But given the public way Mediaworks went through what should have been a private process and the timing of the announcement, I suspect Campbell’s lawyers will be driving a hard bargain (and perhaps already have).
A Redundancy means the job does not exist any more. But they are stll going to run a show.Thus NOT a redundancy
lol
two comments later:
On planet key “sacking” = “dismissal” but “redudancy” != “dismissal”.
To steal a line from John Oliver, the line between “redundancy” and “dismissal” is a bit like the age of consent – if the other party is that close that you need to parse exactly where the line is, you’ve probably already done something very, very wrong.
‘Opted to leave’ = role remains predominantly the same and you decide you no longer want to do the very similar role
‘Redundancy’ = Role has significantly changed, your role no longer exists in its current form, you would need to reapply for the newly formed role
‘Sacking’ = role remains predominantly the same and you have engaged in serious misconduct, or multiple occasions of inappropriate conduct
Which one is it of these three? From what I can tell he ‘opted to leave’. Adding another presenter, changing the format to include lighter/entertainment stories towards the end of the show, and no longer working Fridays does not sound like a significant change to his agreement, so long as he is still offered the same number of hours per week.
OAB “McFlock likes to run his mouth about subjects of which he is entirely ignorant, in this case employment law.
What a tool.”
fify
Obviously it was significant enough for him to no longer want the job.
You might think being a vapid infotainment host is the same as fronting stories that result in positive social change. But then such misconceptions are common amongst tories.
Do you have any evidence at all he was offered a contract? Do you have evidence of any discussions which led to his not accepting any contract which may have been offered, which suggests there was no coercion involved?
(For goodness sake don’t say, “Because someone on TV said he was offered a contract” because that might not be the truth. After all I know of an esteemed member of our political universe who lies on legal documents and/or in court proceedings.)
Campbell Live is now walking dead. He’s done some great work. Compassionate and caring. Incompatible with a commercial imperative. TVNZ and the abysmal state of broadcasting in NZ is the real issue. Not to mention the government’s role.
yes, an anchor in the sea of banality that is MSM, thanks to Key/cronies.
John Campbell isn’t one of the “walking dead” though. He will find another outlet for his talents, hopefully in New Zealand, without having to sell out.
I would like to see him given a position in the Labour party head office or in he opposition think tanks, what an asset he could be inthe LP parliamentary office.
He’s a Green Party man
This piece will upset every green here. http://libcom.org/blog/future-kids-stuff-17052015
And every conservative – mind you, I’m starting to put these two together. It’s the imagery the greens use over and over – above all else.
Working with the principle of – politics is appearance.
Add the piece at the daily blog – how far will the greens go to ape the capitalist norms?
I suspect that most greens wouldn’t even read that piece. I started it and then my eyes glazed over. Abstract rhetoric, probably interesting, but really, the main issue around children that we face is the fact that the current kids will be the ones that bear the brunt of climate change not us. Climate change scales are such that we can keep putting off doing the necessary change because the fall out from not acting is abstract. Making it about someone’s child or grandchild makes it real. It’s also the shift to understanding that
“It’s the imagery the greens use over and over – above all else.”
No, it’s not above all else. But where it does get used in NZ, I associate it with the influence of Māori and Pasifika cultures where the wellbeing of children is what creates the wellbeing of society (something markedly absent from Pākehā culture).
The GP in NZ is not inherently conservative (at least not in a political way). Even a cursory glance at its history shows this.
What piece at TDB?
And your response is why you should have read it.
I did try to read it, but it’s too abstract and dense. If you want to explain in your own words what the point is that would be great (I am interested), but as it is you’ve just said ooh bad greens but haven’t demonstrated why.
Can you please link to TDB piece?
Seems to be a rant against heterosexuality, a whinge that’s essentially a ZOMG, won’t you think of the queers statement as it assumes that queers can’t have children which, of course, they actually can. Then it tries to apply racism to the idea of having a future because a lot of the children used in the campaigns are white.
Basically it’s a sad, illogical rant that says nothing.
Did we read the same thing?
No future and Utopia now
The whole campaign approach, looking towards some future event rather than tacking the issue now. And coupled with that, a heteronormative analysis.
I agree the racism part is iffy, and a bit of waffle – hard to connect them dots…
But analysing of failed green approaches/tactics, should be look at. no? Otherwise we are left with the same old tired crap from Tory powder puffs, saying green politics should be more in line with liberal economics. And worse, many greens buying into that sad approach.
The problem is that nothing can happen now, it always needs to be built up over time. We always act now for the future. Children are an embodiment of that future.
Not really as I pointed out.
Are they a failed approach? It didn’t provide anything to back up that statement. All it really said was that the author thought that it was bad.
There doesn’t appear to be a connection.
Green approaches have been pretty successful given teh climate they’re operated in. Consider the level of awareness and policy and everything that is in between that has changed in the past 30 years.
I’m only partially convinced weka – I think the past 30 years have been a nightmare of alienation and anomie.
And yes to some extent the green approach has done some real good to counter that.
However, liberal economics as an economic system, is nasty, brutish and short. It also creates the destructive forces which spread across society and the environment.
I’d argue the green approach needs to be doing more, to add in the decline of this rotten economics, and its vicious bedfellows – alienation and anomie
The problem is that nothing can happen now, it always needs to be built up over time…
What the… OK so the instrument of the revolution is out (I mean revolution in the broadest sense and non violent – so economic revolution as a quick and sudden shift, that forces change) – or the fact we need to move reasonably fast on this issue.
That aside – there is only the now – the future is just that – it’s always the future. To live in hope for or want of a better future ignores the now. I know social democrats have this dream of a better future – but please – just look at the actions of both the Martin Luther King a man blessed with living in the now.
Heteronormative we agree to disagree.
Failed approach/tactics – I’d say they are not getting buy in. Look even deniers come here and comment on a regular basis.
The tactics/approach around G.E. genetic engineering. The approach around elections. The approach around dealing with the Tories, and creating a culture beyond building – because well to quote the old adage – critical mass – nope not happened – ever since I heard values people talk about this – it has never happened.
Because back to your first point – building – we can build till the day we die. Unless we get some action – what are we stuck with? I don’t give a damn about future generations – that’s their business, and good luck to them. I’m more worried about the now, and the lack of action.
Read the Archdruid’s blog entries on the Era of Pretense, and the Era of Impact.
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/
I like, but I will read again tomorrow. Worth a second read through.
🙂 he also has quite a few podcasts on youtube (search for John Michael Greer)
Thanks Colonial Viper
In 1992, when the alternative pop-music listening audience was trying on angst for size, it was said that what the world needs now was another folk singer – like we need a hole in the head. Problem is, that sometimes folk artists – when they aren’t writing epic and poetic tales of loss and sadness – often take the shortest route to the truest story. Like this tune from the Lumineres, about when you had Flowers in your Hair:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5n5wl-DlR0
As a man, I find it fairly accurate and easy to relate to, but also can’t help notice it’s missing something. While it tries to reconcile common political stages of awareness with stages of human development, and what’s left, there isn’t much subtlety – it thinks like a man. It needs a suitable reply to complete it; a reply that isn’t just loud in volume (plenty of those around!) but clear in independent intent; a reply that a woman who may have “made a man compromise” might say; a reply like this tune from Catherine MacLellan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV4UgZoF2oQ
She traverses a different kind of politics, one inherently wrapped up in her being a woman living in a man’s world, and arrives at Something Gold.
ISIS now controls half of Syria
How very interesting all these US airstrikes don’t seem to be helping Assad at all
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/21/isis-palmyra-syria-islamic-state
So ask yourself – how is it that ISIS is militarily strong enough and has the numbers to continue making gains in both Syria and in Iraq at the same time (against continuous US airstrikes against them in both countries).
This whole setup stinks to high heaven.
Juan Cole writes a good historical precis of how the Sunni/Shia split has come down through the centuries – and how the Americans have made things much worse today by picking the Shia as winners in Iraq.
http://www.juancole.com/2014/06/iraqs-sunni-arabs.html
+100….and our troops are pawns in the manufactured mess…
I’ve never known a country yet that can win a war by fighting an enemy supplied by arms by one of its allies that it sells arms to (read America/ISIS/Saudi Arabia/America)
So of the four speeches i (for my sins) listened to i’d have to rate them as follows:
1. Winston Peters, yes he talks bollix, yes hes all over the place but geez he sounds like a leader
2. John Key, got some easy hits in on Little (not that Little made it difficult) and made some strong points and once hes on a roll hes hard to stop but too many jokes
3. Andrew Little, he was loud so I didn’t fall asleep
4. Metiria Turei, dreary, boring, dull, sounded like the earnest speech of a sixth former in social studies.
This is based on how they came across, not the axctual content of the speeches
” four speeches i (for my sins) ”
Well you have got representatives for four of the sins.
I guess they would be.
Sloth Peters
Pride Key
Envy Little
Gluttony Turei
Who do you propose to listen to for the other three sins of Lust, Greed and Wrath?
Collins would cover those three all on her own quit nicely if she got the chance!
She is certainly an excellent candidate for Wrath. I had rather forgotten about her now she is way up the back of the House.
I was thinking, from recent accounts of his behaviour that Cunliffe probably is a pretty good candidate for the Lust role.
Greed is the problem. It clearly isn’t the same as Gluttony, so it doesn’t seem to fit Gerry.
You right wingers live in such one dimensional worlds Collins lusts for power she’s greedy for money and as far as wrath goes there’s glimpses of it in dirty politics
Well I saw Peter Dunne was up next so i realised i’d suffered enough…
Yes, no matter how evil a life you have led or how many sins you have committed no one deserves a diet of Peter Dunne speeches.
Go forth my son and sin no more. Your transgressions are forgiven.
On Back Benches the other night, the question:
‘Do you support public funding for gender reassignment surgery? Yes or No?’
Dunne’s answer:
‘I fully support gender reassignment surgery being available to those who need it whether it’s publicly funded or not.’
Amazing. Pretty much sums up his entire 3-decade contribution.
Aww how cute, the creepy PR guy shuts his eyes and listens to the soothing music of political speeches without hearing the words.
Don’t they give them special soundtracks?
If I was merely judging on content then it’d
1. J Key
2. M. Turei
3-4 Equal tie between A Little and W Peters
But how its presented is more important than whats said in this day and age
Only to creepy PR guys.
Can be done, Felix.^ I listened to a speech last week^ fascinated by the rising inflection^ at every pause^ at the end of every phrase^, clause^ or sentence^ to be only relieved at the end of a whole paragraph^ by a downwards inflection.
No idea what he said^, but it was on the topic^ of accident insurance^ for Grey Power members^.
Soothing, however,^ it was not………….
You ever listened to National MP Joanne Hayes?^ It’s amazing?^ I’ve never heard anything like it?^
Also,^ she’s a fricking genius,^ which really really helps too.
http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/video/36971
Her rhetorical skills are also overwhelming aren’t they felix. Just off to get some Panadol.
I’ve met Jo Hayes before. She’s a new backbencher, she’ll get better.
After Little’s performance yesterday, John Campbell for next Labour leader?
gotta be some way to get Auckland back. 😉
I have just deleted the fascist channel from my tv list, and it feels great!!
Careful. If you delete all the channels that upset you in some way you will be reduced to watching Suzanne Paul (“But wait there’s more” on the Shopping Channel.
…..” something special for the viewers”, yeah right, plonker.
Things were much better in the days of analogue TV before the introduction of Digital broadcasting.
You could tune the TV to a frequency where no station was broadcasting and watch the “snow” that appeared on the screen.
About 1% of that signal was from the 2.7 degree Kelvin background radiation from the Big Bang. You could sit there and look back 14 billion years to the creation of the Universe. Far more significant than any minor man-made program don’t you think?
I don’t suppose you can do that on a digital TV.
Although… I wonder how difficult it would be to hack a sky dish into a halfway decent radio telescope using a raspberry pi and digital TV?
There’s a ponderable – especially if they all networked into a global array. Would need an alt/azi detector, though – but I wonder if it could be gained using the relative strengths of known rf emitters (pulsars, geostationary satellites, the sun), with the remaining noise being the analysis data. Hell, ya gotta eliminate those anyway.
😆
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5PvBzDlZGs
sckiwireddevil +100…me also…i wont be turning TV3 on after ‘Campbell Live’ is gone ( i think last programme is tonight?)
….and lets hope an online NZ television channel can happen…this way ‘Campbell Live’ may be resurrected ….along with other very good NZ programmes
RT is a good example of online television and is a huge success …online television is probably the way of the future
eg Crosstalk
‘China’s south sea?’
http://rt.com/shows/crosstalk/260153-china-us-south-sea/
“Beijing and Washington are not mere ships passing each other in the South China Sea – they are the two countries vying to play the commanding role in Asia. While China seeks to redress what it sees as violations of its sovereignty, Washington does have policy options, but are any of them effective?
CrossTalking with Pepe Escobar, Zachary Keck and James Bradley.”
Interesting article about why stimulus in Greece is unlikely to benefit the Greeks.
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-05-21/reform-not-stimulus-is-the-way-out-for-greece
it was written by economic morons.
Yes they did state it would have been better for Greece if they were allowed to default back in 2010 😉
they also tried to imply at the start of their BS piece that bailout funds were infusions of money to the Greek people instead of what they really were: more debt funding more payments to the big banks.
Q. Did you identify why any analysis you offer or link to about Greece is bunk ?
With Campbell being pushed out the door and TV “news” being dumbed down to the point of its demise being in the near future what this country needs is a web based news channel that the likes of Campbell and the very good Jon Stevens can get there story’s out to the people .
Funding of corse is the issue not to mention paying the reporters but give a little or something similar might be away of getting started .
We need these people to keep the barstards honest.
My heart goes out to the jury and family in this case as they must have had to listen to some very distressing testimony and evidence over the last several weeks.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11453003
Meanwhile, in an imaginary Beehive office far far away, Bill English takes Charles aside…
“Have you read about my latest budget?”
“No, what’s in it?”
“Bludgers.”
“oh?”
“Yes, bludgers.”
“What else?”
“Hate, stupidity and greed.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Bludgers.”
“I see.”
“What about — ” Charles struggled to find something that would return a sensible answer. It was a National budget, afterall. Nothing would’ve changed.
“Sole parents?” Bill offered.
“Yeah.”
“Lazy bludgers.”
“bludgers huh?”
“Yep!”
“So… it’s all… done. You must be pleased.”
“Sure am,” but he paused, uncertain, and added, “You don’t sound impressed.”
“Well, you know, I’ve heard it all before.”
“BUT BLUDGERS!”
“Yeah, I’m familiar with that part.”
Bill’s face, beaming with self-pleasure, was too much to bear at such a close distance.
Charles asked quickly, “Do you reckon there will be some of those little pink cakes on the tea trolley this morning?”
“They’re blue now.”
“Blueberry?”
“No, just blue. Plain Blue flavour.”
“What does Blue taste like?”
“Nothing. It’s just Blue colouring. Puts people in the right frame of mind.”
“What happened to the pink ones?”
“Catering says they gave them to the poor.”
“oh.”
“Yep. Bludgers.”
Very funny,your know him well. 🙂
Oh dear. On one hand Little fulminates on people not saving enough toward their retirement and then on the other he talks about means-testing Super payments.
What is he really trying to do?
Does he want the situation that prevails in Australia where their Super is means tested? If, with great sacrifice, a couple was to save up a million dollars toward their retirement income they will receive nothing from the state. The problem is that the amount they will get from their investments will only give them an income equivalent to the state pension. They would be just as well off by not saving anything.
Is it any wonder that Australian’s buy Mc Mansions, that are exempt from the asset testing, retire early and spend their savings and Super funds travelling and living high on the hog. Then they claim the State pension to live on after 65.
Is that really what Little wants? Is he really that much of a fool?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11452961
Well persuade your side to engage in a discussion. Right now the approach is for the Government to firmly place its head in the sand and do nothing.
Why, because Andrew Little has a rush of blood to the head and wants to do another flip-flop on Labour Party policies, are people who don’t agree with him required to “engage in a discussion” with him?
The National Party approach, with which I happen to agree, is that we can continue with a universal National Superannuation payable at 65.
If Andrew doesn’t think we can afford it is up to him to prove his claim. If he could do that he can then propose that something be done.
Until he does that why should anyone care what he says?
Incidentally has he shown that we don’t need a CGT any more? Or because the current Labour Party leader doesn’t seem to want it is all discussion stifled?
The day after that budget, you want to ridicule Labour for “flip-flopping” on policies? That’s pretty funny…
And the following day Labour reverse their attitude again. Do we call that a flip-flop or do we just decide that little Andrew is simply a flop as leader?
I didn’t see “The Nation” but I gather Robertson has “corrected” his revered leader and done a reverse flip-flop on means testing of super?
It is lucky we didn’t waste much time discussing the pros and cons of Little’s thoughts isn’t it?
Robertson has told him to shut up and keep silent. I wonder how long it will be before he tries to get rid of Andrew altogether?
I hope the Labour caucus and membership are able to
… tell Little what the end game of means testing superannuation is.
It results in National scrapping it; “If you’ve worked hard all your life, why should you support someone else’s retirement just because they were lazy during their life?”
After the Labour caucus treatment of Cunliffe, and now we see that Little is clearly after the centre right vote (you know, the old moving to the centre … of the middle class) all I have to say is this:
I will no longer view Labour as a potential partner in Government and will actively seek to convert Labour voters to the Greens.
Oh yeah, also: Fuck You Labour!!
On reflection.
Sorry for the vulgarity and to all the good people who are associated with the Labour party.
My outburst is really directed at Little and whoever else thought this was a good idea.
For those within the Labour party, is this what you want?
ios app for the NZ parliament. Look forward to some geek analysis of the security issues 😉
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1505/S00407/virtual-house-release-of-the-nz-parliament-app.htm
SO any person who has refused to succumb to the ‘i thing’ plague is locked out of the discussion. All power to the 1% for their creative ways to exclude the proles yet again.
I’m guessing they’re trialling it before they develop the other platforms. It did make me wonder though, are most NZ ios users in NZ likely to be neoliberals or not? 😉
Not sure about that – most of the IT crowd I know are not neo liberal, they do however have disposible cash for the new iPhone, XTC etc. and often purchase different brands of phone just to check out the tech.
But, in asking the question a couple of them did ask; “why would you develop on apple first when there are cross-platform development tools available”
HTML5; Phonegap and Sencha come to mind immediately.
Ok, interesting. I was being a bit facetious about the neoliberal thing. I suspect though that the decision came down to someone being in the right place at the right time to get the contract, not a bad assumption given this govt.
iOS is the only mobile platform that has mattered for the past five years and for the conceivable future.
If you have a problem with it does it tell you to “ask again tomorrow”?
Or maybe threaten you with eviction for having the temerity to ask?
Dimpost reflections post-budget,
https://dimpost.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/thoughts-on-budget-2015/
Just when you think all lefties miss the point about everything all the time, Danyl is there to prove you wrong.
On the other hand, the opposition looked like clueless losers yesterday. What kind of left-wing politician opposes the gutting of the KiwiSaver kickstarter – pretty much the definition of middle-class welfare – to tackle child poverty?
And Little’s speech was just awful. ‘Gene Simmons’? ‘Fiscal gender reassignment’? Why did he think it was a good idea to reference a source of internal division within his own party? What a mess.
Well he did vote to put these pricks in office, so I’m not surprised he’s as easily fooled by them as you are.
Sigh.
I’m not sure how much Danyl McLauchlan has read about the notion of neoliberalism but he’s really missed the mark here.
The neoliberal revolution has already happened and been entrenched.
Today, the neoliberal approach to the economy just seems mainstream common sense to the point where a government like the current one can be called ‘moderate’, ‘centrist’ and bafflingly – by McLauchlan – ‘not neoliberal’.
I wrote a post about Eleanor Catton’s comments about our politicians while she was in India that went into a bit of detail both about the characteristics of neoliberalism and, more significantly, the way it has infiltrated our basic assumptions about how the world should work.
David Harvey who wrote ‘A Brief History of Neoliberalism‘ has this take on the neoliberal revolution (from my post):
“Future historians may well look upon the years 1978–80 as a revolutionary turning-point in the world’s social and economic history. In 1978, Deng Xiaoping took the first momentous steps towards the liberalization of a communist-ruled economy in a country that accounted for a fifth of the world’s population … On the other side of the Pacific, and in quite different circumstances, a relatively obscure (but now renowned) figure named Paul Volcker took command at the US Federal Reserve in July 1979, and within a few months dramatically changed monetary policy. The Fed thereafter took the lead in the fight against inflation no matter what its consequences (particularly as concerned unemployment). Across the Atlantic, Margaret Thatcher had already been elected Prime Minister of Britain in May 1979, with a mandate to curb trade union power and put an end to the miserable inflationary stagnation that had enveloped the country for the preceding decade. Then, in 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States and, armed with geniality and personal charisma, set the US on course to revitalize its economy by supporting Volcker’s moves at the Fed and adding his own particular blend of policies to curb the power of labour, deregulate industry, agriculture, and resource extraction, and liberate the powers of finance both internally and on the world stage. From these several epicentres, revolutionary impulses seemingly spread and reverberated to remake the world around us in a totally different image.
…
Neoliberalism is in the first instance a theory of political economic practices that proposes that human well-being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by strong private property rights, free markets, and free trade. The role of the state is to create and preserve an institutional framework appropriate to such practices. The state has to guarantee, for example, the quality and integrity of money. It must also set up those military, defence, police, and legal structures and functions required to secure private property rights and to guarantee, by force if need be, the proper functioning of markets. Furthermore, if markets do not exist (in areas such as land, water, education, health care, social security, or environmental pollution) then they must be created, by state action if necessary. But beyond these tasks the state should not venture. State interventions in markets (once created) must be kept to a bare minimum because, according to the theory, the state cannot possibly possess enough information to second-guess market signals (prices) and because powerful interest groups will inevitably distort and bias state interventions (particularly in democracies) for their own benefit.”
Harvey’s view is that the entire globe has undergone a neoliberal transformation and most governments in countries such as New Zealand have, to varying degrees, implemented, maintained and extended neoliberal policy settings.
To what extent is the current New Zealand government not presiding over deregulated financial markets, the mass privatisation of previously public assets (and privatising further in education, health and ‘social housing’) and further reducing regulatory barriers in markets (RMA anyone?), etc., etc.?
Further,
“[t]here has everywhere been an emphatic turn towards neoliberalism in political-economic practices and thinking since the 1970s”
And,
“Almost all states, from those newly minted after the collapse of the Soviet Union to old-style social democracies and welfare states such as New Zealand and Sweden, have embraced, sometimes voluntarily and in other instances in response to coercive pressures, some version of neoliberal theory and adjusted at least some policies and practices accordingly.”
And, according to Harvey, the penetration of neoliberalism goes beyond the strictly political sphere and reaches well into a society’s cultural and economic institutions:
“the advocates of the neoliberal way now occupy positions of considerable influence in education (the universities and many ‘think tanks’), in the media, in corporate boardrooms and financial institutions, in key state institutions (treasury departments, the central banks), and also in those international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) that regulate global finance and trade.”
In short, neoliberalism has “become hegemonic” and one of the absolutely significant consequences of that for public political debate – especially here in New Zealand – is that,
“It has pervasive effects on ways of thought to the point where it has become incorporated into the common-sense way many of us interpret, live in, and understand the world.”
Danyl McLauchlan seems to ignore all that remains in place and over which the current government presides – along with a raft of policy initiatives that show beyond any doubt that it is committed to incremental extension of the original neoliberal revolution.
The fact that it is also incredibly cronyistic is neither here nor there – most governments that have introduced and presided over neoliberal reforms have been. (Because, of course, neoliberal reforms – through liberalised policy settings – invite cronyism towards favoured people and companies so that they get the first and biggest bite of the big pie on offer. In fact, inviting ‘friends’ to the neoliberal table probably helps cement in the policy changes.)
And the fact that it occasionally pulls back from its preferred policy settings because of a public backlash does not so much show that its political strategy is not neoliberal but, simply, that its tactics involve an element of caution.
Imagine the situation where a newly elected government in a communist state presided over the communist economic policy settings, perhaps even extending them here and there a bit, and tossed in a bit of cronyism on the side.
Would McLauchlan then claim that such a government clearly was not ‘communist’ – actually quite ‘moderate’ and ‘centrist’, politically – and that ‘true believers’ in communism were only on the ‘fringes’?
Well, that would be an interesting conclusion to draw.
Most people, however, would call it a communist government – quite rightly.
If Danyl’s comment is anything to go by, perhaps we’re all neoliberals now?
Maybe that’s why he can’t see neoliberalism in today’s politics – except on the ‘fringes’.
Good to see Andrew Little apologising for the awful “joke” yesterday.
http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_16869.php
Well done, Andrew. A genuine apology, something Key seems unable to do.
Not quite: while he describes the remark as ‘flippant’ he only apologises for any offence caused: a typical Clayton’s apology. Why he couldn’t simply apologise for the flippancy is beyond me.
OAB, I thought by acknowledging it was flippant as well as causing offence he did better than a Clayton’s apology. He has also agreed to meet with transgender people to discuss their concerns, so I am going to give him some brownie points for this.
Labour Leaders apologising what could go wrong.
@CV LOL ….although I hear your frustration.
Agree, Andrew needed to acknowledge and apologise, which as expected, he has done.
Drawing vast attention to the policy suggestion was an MSM attempt to distract from broad issues which will get Labour back into government. Of course Labour will address these issues with respect and balance, once we are in, but why give National an opportunity to divide and rule, therefore keeping power?
If people really want to have these (and many other issues society is struggling with) issues addressed, wouldn’t it be wiser to get into government first?
Does anyone even care anymore about the musings of Michael Laws?
Will someone please tell him that we don’t give even a continental how he judges anyone, about anything?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/68757139/michael-laws-calls-hilary-barry-unprofessional-for-tears-for-john-campbell
We could stop giving him the attention and clicks 😉
The Pencilsword: On privilege. Brilliant cartoon from Radio NZ’s The Wireless
That was great.
Yup.
Reminded me of the Monopoly experiment where the game is rigged to favour one or the other players. The favoured player thinks they deserve to win – that they are ‘better’ – even though the rules are obviously bias.
That research features in the documentary “Park Avenue: Money, power and the American dream – Why poverty?”
Yes, we tend to think that our advantage is caused by our general ‘worthiness’. The greatest – but always unacknowledged – way in which an ‘entitlement culture’ manifests is in people’s beliefs that they are fully entitled to their privileged position.
For some reason people don’t like the idea that their life outcomes are more a product of the structures in which they operate (and into which they are born) than of their personal ‘qualities’. That reluctance is especially present in cultures that emphasise the ‘self’ as something discrete rather than simply as a social intersection point.
Yes that is exactly it. I know this isn’t cool to say – but reading that has left my eyes wet.
Helen Clark in her valedictory speech said at one point that the reason she went into politics was because she “loathed snobbery and the abuse of privilege”.
People are not all the same. Their lives will turn out different – but all it would take to change that story above is for Richard to have answered the question by saying “Well it’s not my success at all, my parents, friends and colleagues all played their part – as indeed we all do. Now it is merely my privilege to give back something of what has been given to me. ”
And then to have acknowledged Paula’s presence with a sincere ‘thank you’.
No to really change the story a above this country needs to move heaven and earth to give every kid the best education money can buy and then insure that they feel like there is a reason to get out of bed as young adults.it would take 30 years to work but it would change the course of the history of this country.
BTW my eyes got wet and I’m a big tuff farm boy!!
Yes – I agree there are two parts to this; one personal the other structural.
The structural bit is the only bit that can be fixed there will always be wankers.
And therein are the ingredients for a fine debate on cause and effect. I’ve thought about this for a while and for the life of me I cannot untangle which of our two perspectives is more ‘true’. If indeed it’s a valid question to even ask.
Maybe it’s better to think of them as indivisible, inseparable aspects of the same thing.
“Maybe it’s better to think of them as indivisible, inseparable aspects of the same thing” holy hell there’s some big words there. 🙂
If you mean does having money make one a wanker , I think it isn’t a certainty that it will make someone a wanker but it definatly increases the chances ,and as for the children of people with money the chances of being a wanker increases with each generation.
On a similar note I have a theory ( using only one example so far) that you’re average lefty is far more likely to have known hardship.
So does hardship = empathy or are some born with it.?
the right wing have created an environment and a lifestyle which reduces chances of people developing their inbuilt characteristics of empathy, and super charges their inbuilt characteristics of selfishness and greed.
The word “capitalism” used to come from heads of livestock (e.g. decapitate). Those who owned wealth in terms of heads of livestock were governed by societal rules which said that you could not simply breed more heads of livestock – as that would jeopardise the sustainability of the lands nearby the village which everyone used for their own livestock as well.
And if someone insisted on continuing to do that, the villagers would burn his house down. Perfect self regulating system.
Yes I like that explanation CV.
From what I’ve read, empathy (like IQ or EQ) is not evenly spread about by the genetic lottery. But native empathy alone is probably a poor predictor of whether you turn out a dickhead or not. The critical ingredient is the social controls and values you grow up with.
In other words – decency and dignity are characteristics which have to be taught and inculcated. And as you say, capitalism truly sucks at this.
Its a damn shame that society has to get to the house burning stage before the little people get heard.
most villagers figure it out before it has to get to that stage 🙂
I have been wondering why there haven’t been any polls from professional companies such as Tv1Colmar and Tv3 Ipsos after the Parnell Pony tail puller’s affair became public?
I know there was the Roy Morgan poll but it came out just a couple of days after the news and therefore most of the survey was done for several days before that.
Have any of you also wondered about this?
I was expecting aRoy Morgan poll this week, but they probably delayed it until after the budget. Expect something next week.
Thanks.
I think there would have been a significant drop in the horrid hair puller’s personal popularity had the polls come out soon after that despicable outrage.
I had expected those companies to have done those polls straight away after such a significant national; and international event. I wonder why they did not! Is there some kind of big business collusion to help Key here?
Now since that event seems to be put under the carpet and with the public memories being fickle, I have a feeling that Key will once again go free without any consequences from the public for his shocking and oft repeated act.
Because it’s Friday and we could all do with a laugh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSOvTFyEVuw
Come home, John Clarke, your country needs you 😀
Thank you for that, adam
It’s interesting that the people that seem to have cared most for the downtrodden in the worlds history all have the initials ‘JC’
John Campbell
John Clarke
Jesus Christ
Not sure which order I should list them
John Campbell
John Clarke
Jesus Christ
Judith Collins
Jeremy Clarkson
Judith Collins?? The anti Christ
yes but the last two are women surely
One is comfortable in the bar while the other indulges in a car.
And how about another JC…
Jim Carrey!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=79&v=xyprxOa1H1s Interesting video from the OECD on inequality.
http://www.compareyourcountry.org/inequality And this.
NZ is slightly above the OECD GINI coefficient for inequality, below the OECD average for overall relative poverty, below the OECD average for the gap between the top 10% and bottom 10%, slightly below the OECD average for child poverty, and below the OECD average for elderly poverty. I believe the OECD is using the 50% threshold which measures poverty whereas 60% measures ‘at risk of poverty’.
So it’s quite mixed. We are definitely no world leader by any measure. I think we have a lot of people on the edge of the poverty line, which is why we can be below average one measure and above average on another – so small changes in incomes and help or hurt poverty rates.
The general issue is that we were once a world leader. Now, we are not.
For something a little different…
This morning while picking up a coffee from McDonalds in Napier (and yes, they make excellent coffee), I noticed two young workers cleaning out the front. One of them was on a ledge about 10ft up with a long handled cleaning brush while his mate was directing a a stream of water onto the sign from a hose. Who would you make a complaint to about this as it was a very dangerous way to be cleaning a sign.
In a few hours time, voting begins in the south of Ireland referendum on gay marriage.
It is most likely that the electorate will say ‘yes’ to the right of same-sex couples to marry.
The depth and breadth of support for a ‘yes’ vote is quite astounding.
All the parties in the southern parliament, from the viciously anti-working class Fine Gael and Labour parties to Sinn Fein to the Trotskyists (who have about 5 members of parliament); rugby legend Brian O Driscoll; Irish soccer team captain Robbie Keane; MOR crooner Daniel O’Donnell; and even the police federation in their official journal, have all come out publicly for a ‘yes’ vote. Dozens of Gaelic Athletic Association players have leant their names to the ‘yes’ campaign. And, of course, there is the fraternity of actors, artists, writers etc that you would usually expect to line up for same-sex marriage, most prominent among them being Colin Farrell.
The ‘yes’ campaign is supported by a range of devout Catholics, including members of parliament belonging to Fine Gael and two-term president Mary McAleese.
Of the 220 members of the lower and upper houses of parliament, only ten have indicated publicly that they will vote ‘no’.
Meanwhile, the vicious economic onslaught on the working class continues. . .
Nevertheless this is a watershed moment in Irish history – ie the history of the whole island – and it also looks like this will be the first state in the world where gay marriage has been voted for by the public.
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/04/07/irish-society-and-politics-and-the-referendum-on-gay-marriage/
This is probably the most important aspect of this case:
Many of our criminal population are not held to account simply because of their position. Here it’s members of the police but we can also point at rugby players, politicians and businesspeople.
This is corruption and, despite being found to be one the perceived least corrupt countries in the world, we are actually one of the worst. This is something that we need to address but our politicians, our law-makers, seem reluctant to do so.
Trying to find out what New Zealand’s national debt stands at – seems to vary from site to site, but on this one it’s about $108 billion and climbing by the second – http://www.johnpemberton.co.nz/html/government_debt.html
While this one says about $90 billion.
http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/newzealand
Thank you for that debt clock website it is fascinating.
as long as our nation’s debt (private and public) is denominated in NZ dollars that we can issue, we’re fine.
Rachel Stewart on why so many people are upset about the end of Campbell Live and it isn’t just about investigative journalism (esp for Bill).
I’m in the company of decent New Zealanders who are extremely upset and angry about Campbell Live’s canning.
It’s because it represented so much more to us than just a current affairs programme. It was the last mainstream media hope in the new neoliberal hell called New Zealand.
Campbell made us “do-gooders” feel like someone cared. He worked for the ordinary people, and held the powerful to account. Which, of course, is probably why he’s gone.
In 2015’s version of society, where most people happily choose to stand on the heads of the less fortunate and only a few choose to lend a hand, John Campbell was crucial. He represented all that was decent and all that was fair.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/opinion/68767925/why-you-should-care-about-john-campbells-demise
I think “neo-liberal” is now just code for “thing I don’t like”.
Goddamn neo-liberal northern hemisphere refs.
Bloody neo-liberal skeuomorphic user interfaces.
neoliberal means free market, financialised, transnational capital empowered economic systems designed to push costs and burdens on to ordinary people and the environment while the 10% and especially the 0.1% take most of the benefits.
SHG knows that.
He’s just part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Tragically, he’s also probably not in the 1%
Well I just learned a new word – skeuomorphic. Thanks SHG.
As well as learning the word, I looked up the meaning. That way I understand it in the context in which you used it, which I think is probably a better approach than just assuming you don’t know what you’re talking about, or made it up, or used it randomly, which would have left me looking a right fuckwit.
your right SHG you know you’ve met a real intellectual left wing, champaignsocialist wannabe by the amount of times Neo liberal is used in a conversation, I think it’s a bit like a kid learning a new swear word they get off on it, likewise if your a bit dim They can used it to challenge any proposition they don’t agree with or doesn’t fit batty left wing religious dogma
Well the word does have a meaning, and an etymology that is pretty well documented, so if you really think people are mis-using it you can always point out why they’re wrong.