An atrocious act reminiscent of our own Chch attack except it took place at a concert hall and there was a small group of "extremists" involved.
Yes it took place in Moscow, Russia. Yes we don't like what Russia is doing to Ukraine. But these are innocent people killed and maimed just as in Chch.
Will Luxon have the balls to send a message of sympathy and understanding on our behalf to the people of Moscow? I doubt it. But he may prove me wrong.
Yeah taking out civilians for misguided reasons is just fucked on any side.
Why however don't we expect the PM to comment on this:
Gunmen kidnap more than 100 in latest Nigeria attacks
Kidnappers have abducted over 100 people in two new attacks in northwest Nigeria weeks after more than 250 school pupils were seized in the same state, residents and officials told AFP on Monday.
At least 15 Catholic worshippers have been killed in a Burkina Faso village when gunmen attacked a community as they gathered for mass at a church in the country’s conflict-hit northern region, church officials said.
Sunday’s violence in the village of Essakane was a “terrorist attack” that left 12 attendees dead at the scene, while three others died later as they were being treated for their wounds, according to a statement issued by Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, vicar-general of the Catholic Diocese of Dori, where the attack happened.
About 30 people were killed in attacks on two villages in central Mali over the weekend, the rural commune's mayor said on Monday.
He did not say who was responsible. The West African country is home to militant groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that wage frequent attacks on the army and civilians.
The attacks started on Saturday in the villages of Ogota and Oimbe in Bankass circle, in the Mopti region, Bankass Mayor Moulaye Guindo said in a phone interview.
Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed US warnings about a potential terror incident in Moscow just days before gunmen attacked a concert hall in the city on Friday.
[…]
Earlier this month, the US embassy in Russia issued a security alert warning about a potential terror attack in Moscow and urged people to avoid crowds, monitor local media for updates, and be aware of surroundings.
"The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours," the March 7 security alert said.
Putin addressed the warnings a couple weeks later, criticizing the warning three days ago as "provocative."
Per TASS, the Russian president said on March 19 the aim of "the recent provocative statements of a number of official Western structures about the possibility of terrorist attacks in Russia" was harming Russian society.
"All this resembles outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society," Putin said, according to state media reporting on his remarks.
A. (U) AUTHORITY: The National Security Act of 1947, as amended;
Executive Order (EO) 12333, as amended; and other applicable provisions
of law.
B. (U) PURPOSE
1. (U) This Directive establishes in policy a consistent, coordinated
approach for how the Intelligence Community (IC) will provide warning regarding threats to specific individuals or groups of intentional killing, serious bodily injury, and kidnapping
[…]
l . (U) Duty to Warn means a requirement to warn U.S . and non-U.S.
persons of impending threats of intentional killing, serious bodily injury,
or kidnapping.
Apparently the United States on march 7 sent a clear warning to embassy staff in Moscow and to the Moscow authorities about a potential ISIS terrorist attack on a concert hall in Moscow.
It seems Putin may have chosen to ignore this warning
Prime Minister Christoper Luxon's electorate office has been vandalised for the third time in less than six months. Footage taken in east Auckland's Botany on Friday shows the words "grant the visas" painted on the walls of Luxon's office in black.
An image of Luxon had also been targeted with a moustache and hair drawn on.
It is people with attitudes like yours which encourages many MPs to buy their Electorate Office properties. They can rely on keeping the property available rather than be forced out by anti-social b******ds like yourself trying to wreck the place.
It does open up some interesting considerations though. Would you approve of a landlord being able to evict a tenant because that tenant has voted for a party (say Labour) that the landlord does not approve of? By your reckoning they would be entitled to do so.
It was clearly a self evident joke – we all, including yourself, know who the landlord is.
Right wingers get so emotional. Making mountains out of molehills since I don't know when. Extrapolating and projecting and thin edge wedging. Just waiting for you to invoke the modern equivalent of the Reichstag Fire Decree. Sort those communist agitators out.
An MP has a highly exposed job, with plenty of implied violence coming with it.
After the attack on our Parliamentary grounds in 2022 that could easily have turned into our very own January 6th – and all the abuse and threats that MPS got after that – I can see why there were so many retirements.
It is aggravating that so many budget cuts are simply generating petty spite like vandalism rather than broadscale public protest, as we would have in decades gone. Time for those hard core activists with a vigilante sneer to be arrested, shamed, and jailed.
Anyone on the left excusing consistent attacks on the PM's office needs their head read.
The point is that you stop catastrophising.
Luxon is the Landlord !!
DofS was making a joke….
Your list shows there are always protests, some more threatening than others, but has little relevance to the joke. The sad thing is getting so prickly it has to be explained, and even then you would not “get it” because it requires the ability to laugh at yourself.
I have never found claiming that someone is like Hitler was ever funny. And that is what those dopey bastards did. Such activities are never something to joke about. Never.
Have a look at the picture of how they vandalised Luxon's picture. Then laugh.
That's stretching the English language a long, long way.
Another hint :if you are going to talk right-wing you need to add plenty of superlatives. You need at least a "very" and a pinch of hyperbole.
Luxon has it sussed:
People like the farmers I met in Gore, who are working incredibly hard,
The teachers I met in Auckland, who are laser focused
New Zealand is the best country on Planet Earth.
We reach for the stars even while we stay close to our roots.
(I have no idea what this even means but mixing metaphors can be fun I guess eg it is good to know our PM has put the bit between his teeth and taken the bull by the horns”.)
A great example is the huge cost-blow outs in the ferry project.
it is a massive job to clean up the mess left by the previous government.
is also a major problem.
vast swathes of the former Eastern Bloc
We are delivering big changes and I’m incredibly proud
In my former life, it’s what I would have called a big turnaround job.
massive infrastructure deficit.
This is just from one speech which I haven't even finished. Wish someone would bring back "A Week of It".
and Alwyn quickly pulls Godwins Law when it is shown he is a Woke Snowflake with zero sense of humour regarding a joke about the Landlord of a building when no mention or support of the type of Grafitti had been stated.
Then make the point yourself and don't hijack my post with irrelevancies.
Maybe you could link it to your posts criticising Stephen Jack for putting up a poem likening Jacinda to Hitler, or your outrage at the pub in Bluff that put up signs saying:
A Bluff pub is in the firing line after placing a sign in its window comparing the Covid-19 response to Nazi Germany.
The sign, which is meant to explain to customers that it is mandatory to sign in using the Covid-19 tracer app, makes reference to Nazis Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels and Operation Reinhard, a German plan to exterminate Jews.
In a photo taken over the weekend, the sign faces out the window and labels Jacinda Ardern "Hitler" and Dr Ashley Bloomfield "Dr Ashley Goebbels".
Responding to a LinkedIn post by Seymour a year ago, Naidu-Franz said: "If you are wondering how the Nazis were able to come into power and do all the horrific things that they did, well you are looking at the start of the process right here. So Mr Seymour, when can we expect those who are unvaccinated to start wearing armbands? When can we expect to see concentration camps and re-education camps? When can we start expecting to see troops on our streets rounding up people?"
To be clear this was one of the few times I agreed with Seymour who condemned it when it was raised later.
There's so many examples I could do a long long list. I'm just unsure where your public outrage was at the time – maybe you just silently railed within.
You seem to have kept track of the dreadful comments that Jacinda Ardern had to put up with.
Did you laugh and tell jokes about them? If not why do you do so when the remarks are about Luxon? Are you really so ignorant that you equate him with one of the most evil people in history? Are you really so foolish?
Have a look at the picture of how they vandalised Luxon's picture. Then laugh.
Lol. I did laugh. I mean it's visually comically funny. But doubly because the MSM said someone had draw hair and moustache on him rather than saying they were mocking him as Hitler.
Beyond that, what are you trying to say? That it's beyond the pale to the PM to Hitler? Do you want to explain that in the context of this?
I'm not sure which of the pictures in this link I am supposed to be looking at. There seem to be hundreds of them.
However if it is one that is claiming that PM Ardern was behaving like Hitler I will say that it is incredibly offensive, Comparing anyone, with the exception of individuals like Kim Jong Un, or Putin, to Hitler is offensive.
Do you think comparing Ardern to Hitler is offensive, or would you laugh at it?. Would you say the same about comparing Luxon to Hitler, or not? If your reaction isn't the same in the two cases can you really justify the difference?
I think that Jacinda Ardern was the worst PM New Zealand has had in my lifetime. It doesn't mean I think she was evil in the way Hitler was.
I would be of two minds. Muldoon or Palmer. I would go with Muldoon as the second worst.
Best two are much easier. Holyoake was the best. Fraser was number two. I have a soft spot for Moore though. He saved Labour from extinction in just a couple of months.
Just out of interest how many blighted lives and deaths does someone have to cause to be comparable to Hitler? 1000, 10 000, 100, 000, millions? Is there a scale of evil equivalence?
Bombing 100 children as against 1000 000?
Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson, and their Governments decades of blighted lives and deaths from the illnesses and despair from the poverty they caused, say! That the Coalition of cuts is knowingly and cynically exacerbating.
More or less evil than the acknowledged fascists?
The effects on the people they harm is the same.
You sound a little like the person who accepted Stalin's dictum.
"The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic."
For the record the generally accepted big three of 20th century madmen were Hitler, Stalin and Mao who each deliberately murdered or starved to death tens of millions of people, with Mao probably the champion at about 45 million of his own countrymen..
Only statistics as Stalin said. You on the other hand seem to have a phobia about Douglas and Richardson who didn't kill anyone. They carried out necessary economic changes that improved the average living standards of the New Zealand populace. If they were so bad why has no succeeding Government made any significant changes to their policies? To claim that they were evil, in the way the great dictators were, is as foolish as the people who equate Ardern with the Nazis. It just isn't so.
"carried out necessary economic changes that improved the average living standards of the New Zealand populace".
Absolute bullshit. Most people's living standards have dropped ever since.
We still haven't recovered from the absolute disaster they caused.
And the damage they did to many thousands. “Killed nobody” How many children die of rheumatic fever, to name just one lot of people they killed. Caused by the callous increase in poverty in NZ, to benefit a few mostly non productive, speculators.
Of course it is in the hundreds of thousands, and now ongoing for generations. So. "Just a statistic"
And, The reason why the Neo-liberal disaster hasn't been reversed is it is too costly. Buying back and fixing rail, after they fucked it, cost enough on it's own.
Repairing the damage the current Coalition of clowns has done in just 100 days, will take decades.
@Alwyn
No. It means the evidence is all around you, but your ideology has made you blind to it.
In the 60's and 70' s one income could feed a family and own a house. Even for those in labouring jobs. Now two incomes barely suffice.
Over 80% of the WW2 generation retired owning a house. What percentage of boomers, whose prime working years coincided with the Neo-Liberal disaster, will own a house without a mortgage. Less than 60%. The percentage for our children will be even less.
This is a disgraceful indictment on our Governments, given NZ 's per capita wealth.
You do know he was probably the worst grifter of the lot.
A prime example:
Goldsmith was less restrained, noting Holyoake’s ‘great ingenuity for turning events to his advantage’ and the fact that many thought the road construction ‘had the smell of fish’ about it.24
Holyoake would have known for some time that the Crown was going to build roads to access the land being developed to the north and west of the lake. In September 1959 the Taupo Times reported that construction of a highway up the western side of the lake would soon commence, and added in October 1960 that ‘The actual construction of the new 33-mile highway is only incidental to the network of roads which must intersect the whole of the Western Bay area now that the development of the new farmlands is well under way.’25 It seems more than likely that the Deputy Prime Minister was well aware of all these impending developments. The question really boiled down to one of timing.
I suggest that you read and learn about Holyoake's action during the Vietnam.
He opposed the war and went to extremes to ensure that we never sent anyone except volunteers to the country. Even the regular force members weren't sent there unless they requested the assignment. No conscripts were ever sent there, in contrast to the US or Australia.
There were only 3,000 people who went there, and the peak was only 550 in 1968. 37 died on active service during the whole 12 years there were people from here involved.. They were not actually front line troops but mostly artillery in support roles back from the front.
Holyoake managed to resist enormous pressure from the US to send more troops. He actually encouraged demonstrations so that he could tell the US that he couldn't do any more as he would lose office and a Labour Government would certainly do less and might even recognize the North Vietnamese as the Government of the South.
In summary he gave as little support as was possible.
The last, most shameful chapter of NZ's involvement in the Vietnam War
Defence officials had not disclosed their presence to the government and the hapless Defence Minister Allan McCready, who was shielded from the youngsters when he visited Dong Ba Thin, denied my story when it was published. Even after being corrected, he claimed that the number trained by New Zealanders was insignificant – "about 10".
I took my statistics from the Official New Zealand Government material on Vietnam.
If I had to choose I assume that it will be more accurate than Wikipedia.
On the other hand I did misquote it. It does not say there were only 3,000. It says there were over 3,000, so you number could be accurate.
"The Vietnam War was our longest and most contentious military experience of the twentieth century. Over 3000 New Zealanders served in South Vietnam from 1963 to 1975."
I thought you were joking when you asked for this. I would have thought you would have learnt this sort of thing at Primary School.
It has nothing to do with Economics. It has nothing to do with Statistics. It is simply what calculations are valid and which aren't.
Here is a simple example. If I tell you that the average age of the New Zealand population aged less than 100 is 38 and the average age of people over 100 was 102. Would you happily tell me that the average age of the population is (38 + 102) / 2 or 70?
Would you think again if I told you there were 5 million under 100 and 300 over 100? That is the level of the question you were asking and why I thought you were simply joking.
I thought you were joking when you asked for this.
I'm not joking alwyn – are you?
You've critiqued my method of calculating the "per annum minimum wage increase above inflation" by mentioning inflation "in Venuzela in 2017", and by using another "simple example" at 8:11 pm today.
Perfectly prepared to accept that the method of calculation I used is flawed, but only if you can provide a worked example of a better method of calculation using the mutually-agreed relevant figures, which I set out again below for your convenience.
Allowing for 15% inflation, the per annum minimum wage increase above inflation was ~1.8% ([31% – 15%] / 9 years) under National-led govts.
Allowing for 25% inflation, the per annum minimum wage increase above inflation was ~3.2% ([44% – 25%] / 6 years) under Labour-led govts.
You seem ‘reluctant’ to show a better method using these figures – what would you conclude, if our positions were reversed?
Minimum wage increase slammed as ‘tiny‘ by Labour, but it could’ve been lower [1 Feb 2024]
The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety recommended to Cabinet an even lower minimum wage increase than what has been agreed to.
The government is already copping criticism from Labour over what the party called a “tiny” and “pathetic” 2 percent increase to the minimum wage, from $22.70 to $23.15.
One of the best ways to look at wages in my opinion is wages against productivity.
Prior to the 80's, there was a clear 'connection' between productivity growth and wage growth. So as productivity increased, wages also increased in line with this. In other words, workers were rewarded in line with increased productivity.
Since the 80's, productivity has continued to increase whereas wages in real terms, have flatlined. In other words all of the profit from increased productivity over the last 4 decades has gone to shareholders and executives instead of a fair share of it going to workers via increased wages.
Here's a graphical example which is US data but from memory (and logic) I'm pretty sure all western economies are similar:
Comparing Jacinda Adern, who did her best to save lives, to Hitler is simply a joke.
David Seymour however, whose policies if enacted will kill tens of thousands with the illnesses of poverty and despair, and blight the lives of millions more to come, is simply being accurate.
The current callous dismissal and disregard for people's lives and livelihoods, to benefit a few, reminds me of a commentator on WW2 Nazism who talked about the "banality of evil". And how the evil doers didn't think of themselves as evil.
Unless these vandals can be persuaded that Labour, Greens and TPM have the nous to work together and be an effective opposition that rallies New Zealand, I fear there will be more of this dumb bullshit.
Hipkins just needs to get out of his shell and pick up the phone the Chloe and start something.
Except that Anderton and Clark already had history. And Chippy is mostly a control freak leader, who’s uninterested in the policy making structure of his own party. He thinks about clinging on.
I can’t see that he’s a man who would risk giving the Greens (who are being done over by someone, if not themselves) more air.
This has to be a one term government.
But what survives?
Luxon is all kinds of…it wouldn’t surprise if he unilaterally scrapped the MRDS to increase his own wealth. Which it will significantly. That’s a conflict of interest. It’s a soft corruption.
Unlike more obvious corruptions of Ministers granting favours as one shot deciders.
Front footing what a coalition might look like and where any leadership would come from is essential. Hipkins again offers nothing and overrules everything. $5 off is a coupon, it’s not a vision for how the society can combat infrastructure deficit and being poor and survive the next ten years…
Labor needs to focus (damn hard) on the Labor Party and forget about the Green Party and TPM.
As Peters has shown well whether you like him or not is that the time for talking to other party's (publicly) is after an election. Until then they need to concentrate on revealing what Labor truly is.
Agreed BG. Russell Coutts throwing his toys out of the cot, saying SailGP wouldn't return to Lyttelton due to "minority interests".
I loved the quote on RNZ from a Lyttelton local who said "at the end of the day, the minority group would be the people who want to see these dolphins harmed".
Auckland managed to do the Americas Cup races with quite similar conditions only 3 years ago. Clearly Christchurch isn't suited to do that kind of racing after all, so they should come back to Auckland.
Just want to put on record the sadness at the loss of Judge Phil Recordon. He was an amazing leader of the legal profession by constantly upgrading legal systems, and by supporting civil society in a whole host of areas. He was at least as progressive in his work as the great Ted Thomas.
Unstinting work for civil society causes from the early 1980s, and a powerhouse of justice in South Auckland.
Which brings me to New Zealand’s deputy prime minister Winston Peters and his use of Tubthumping. The man is clearly modelling himself on the recent upsurge of populist politicians, these ultra-wealthy men somehow getting to claim to be “of the people”. Across the globe, from Italy to Sweden and from Jair Bolsonaro to Donald Trump, these self-styled “outsiders” are gaining power and popularity using slogans that appeal to ordinary people, slogans that make no sense when you put them in the mouths of millionaire careerists. Their rhetoric is anti-elite, and yet they clearly and definably are the elite. Their popularity depends upon them playing at being just like you and me, the good guy at the bar who buys you a drink while you’re watching the football, who tells you the reason the country is going down the drain isn’t because of the multibillionaire corporate hoarding of the world’s wealth but because … cue a culture-warrior rant about immigration and snowflakes and experts and “I did my own research”.
Boff Whalley is a musician and writer, and the former lead guitarist of Chumbawamba
The coalition is certainly gaining us notice on the international stage
Winston Peters comparing indigenous rights (honouring the Treaty) to the 1930's German regime.
I cannot wait till some American rapper says in a new smash hit, so if I say I run as fast as Jesse, or I can Shaq your little frame out of my way that means I am some sort of racist, you short, slow too much milk assimilated into your coffee Uncle Tom.
FYI, both OM and DR are scheduled manually for appearance on the site by Admin/Mods, which means that it goes wrong sometimes, notwithstanding technical failures such as power cuts, etc.
good to see another South Island MP for the Greens. I hope Hernandez is ready. I only know him from twitter, where he shitposted (in a good way) through the early election.
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, 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 ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
An atrocious act reminiscent of our own Chch attack except it took place at a concert hall and there was a small group of "extremists" involved.
Yes it took place in Moscow, Russia. Yes we don't like what Russia is doing to Ukraine. But these are innocent people killed and maimed just as in Chch.
Will Luxon have the balls to send a message of sympathy and understanding on our behalf to the people of Moscow? I doubt it. But he may prove me wrong.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/512479/gunmen-kill-at-least-40-in-attack-at-concert-hall-near-moscow
Yeah taking out civilians for misguided reasons is just fucked on any side.
Why however don't we expect the PM to comment on this:
Gunmen kidnap more than 100 in latest Nigeria attacks
Kidnappers have abducted over 100 people in two new attacks in northwest Nigeria weeks after more than 250 school pupils were seized in the same state, residents and officials told AFP on Monday.
https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20240318-gunmen-kidnap-more-than-100-in-latest-attacks-in-northern-nigeria
or this:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/25/at-least-15-killed-in-attack-on-catholic-church-in-burkina-faso
At least 15 Catholic worshippers have been killed in a Burkina Faso village when gunmen attacked a community as they gathered for mass at a church in the country’s conflict-hit northern region, church officials said.
Sunday’s violence in the village of Essakane was a “terrorist attack” that left 12 attendees dead at the scene, while three others died later as they were being treated for their wounds, according to a statement issued by Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, vicar-general of the Catholic Diocese of Dori, where the attack happened.
https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20240318-gunmen-kidnap-more-than-100-in-latest-attacks-in-northern-nigeria
or this:
About 30 people were killed in attacks on two villages in central Mali over the weekend, the rural commune's mayor said on Monday.
He did not say who was responsible. The West African country is home to militant groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that wage frequent attacks on the army and civilians.
The attacks started on Saturday in the villages of Ogota and Oimbe in Bankass circle, in the Mopti region, Bankass Mayor Moulaye Guindo said in a phone interview.
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/about-30-killed-mali-weekend-village-attacks-2024-01-29/
I'm constantly surprised at how selective we are when responding to atrocities.
A despicable and unjustified attack.
Knowing who did what, and why, will be difficult.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350223458/moscow-concert-terror-attack-claimed-islamic-state
Paranoia costs lives.
/
Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed US warnings about a potential terror incident in Moscow just days before gunmen attacked a concert hall in the city on Friday.
[…]
Earlier this month, the US embassy in Russia issued a security alert warning about a potential terror attack in Moscow and urged people to avoid crowds, monitor local media for updates, and be aware of surroundings.
"The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours," the March 7 security alert said.
Putin addressed the warnings a couple weeks later, criticizing the warning three days ago as "provocative."
Per TASS, the Russian president said on March 19 the aim of "the recent provocative statements of a number of official Western structures about the possibility of terrorist attacks in Russia" was harming Russian society.
"All this resembles outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society," Putin said, according to state media reporting on his remarks.
https://news.yahoo.com/putin-dismissed-us-warnings-potential-205300616.html
Putin trying to stir up some outrage?
Nope, the Head Choppers are back.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/23/world-reaction-to-the-attacks-on-moscows-crocus-city-hall
ISIS and its off-shoots are back:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/23/theres-little-reason-to-doubt-attack-on-moscow-venue-was-by-islamic-state
NZ is not immune but I doubt we are anywhere near the top of the list.
Apparently the United States on march 7 sent a clear warning to embassy staff in Moscow and to the Moscow authorities about a potential ISIS terrorist attack on a concert hall in Moscow.
It seems Putin may have chosen to ignore this warning
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68646375
https://ru.usembassy.gov/security-alert-avoid-large-gatherings-over-the-next-48-hours/
Maybe the landlord should kick him out.
Prime Minister Christoper Luxon's electorate office has been vandalised for the third time in less than six months. Footage taken in east Auckland's Botany on Friday shows the words "grant the visas" painted on the walls of Luxon's office in black.
An image of Luxon had also been targeted with a moustache and hair drawn on.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/03/prime-minister-christopher-luxon-s-auckland-office-vandalised-for-third-time-in-six-months.html
"Maybe the landlord should kick him out"
It is people with attitudes like yours which encourages many MPs to buy their Electorate Office properties. They can rely on keeping the property available rather than be forced out by anti-social b******ds like yourself trying to wreck the place.
It does open up some interesting considerations though. Would you approve of a landlord being able to evict a tenant because that tenant has voted for a party (say Labour) that the landlord does not approve of? By your reckoning they would be entitled to do so.
lol.
Were you amused and did you laugh out loud when
Hone Harawira's Office had shots fired at it?
Helen Clark's Office was vandalised?
James Shaw was assaulted?
John Key's electorate office was fire-bombed?
I suppose you thought they were hilarious if you "lol" about this one.
https://nzissues.com/Community/threads/willie-jackson-thinks-theres-a-violent-shift-in-political-debate.35879/page-3
The lol is at you. Stop being a moron.
It was clearly a self evident joke – we all, including yourself, know who the landlord is.
Right wingers get so emotional. Making mountains out of molehills since I don't know when. Extrapolating and projecting and thin edge wedging. Just waiting for you to invoke the modern equivalent of the Reichstag Fire Decree. Sort those communist agitators out.
It's what happens when a tory/conservative/capitalist/Hoskings handmaiden tries to appear like they care about people.
So out of character, it's like watching a horse trying to walk backwards.
Fully agree Alwyn.
An MP has a highly exposed job, with plenty of implied violence coming with it.
After the attack on our Parliamentary grounds in 2022 that could easily have turned into our very own January 6th – and all the abuse and threats that MPS got after that – I can see why there were so many retirements.
It is aggravating that so many budget cuts are simply generating petty spite like vandalism rather than broadscale public protest, as we would have in decades gone. Time for those hard core activists with a vigilante sneer to be arrested, shamed, and jailed.
Anyone on the left excusing consistent attacks on the PM's office needs their head read.
Where in here has a single person condoned it? Stop buying into Alwyn's framing.
You blamed the victim of the attack by recommending that the victim be evicted.
that would be illegal.
https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/starting-a-tenancy/tenancy-agreements/discrimination/
Once again Alwyn, you "bark at every passing car" and completely miss the point !!
Yes, Patricia, I sometimes think Alwyn is part of the 'Convoy of Stupid' Grant Robertson was referring to in his Valedictory speech earlier this week.
That did occur to me Jilly Bee.
And the point is what precisely? Is it acceptable to vandalise an MPs Office? Can I evict a tenant because other people are attacking him?
What are you advocating Patricia?
The point is that you stop catastrophising.
Luxon is the Landlord !!
DofS was making a joke….
Your list shows there are always protests, some more threatening than others, but has little relevance to the joke. The sad thing is getting so prickly it has to be explained, and even then you would not “get it” because it requires the ability to laugh at yourself.
I have never found claiming that someone is like Hitler was ever funny. And that is what those dopey bastards did. Such activities are never something to joke about. Never.
Have a look at the picture of how they vandalised Luxon's picture. Then laugh.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/03/prime-minister-christopher-luxon-s-auckland-office-vandalised-for-third-time-in-six-months.html
Well said alwyn.
Well said alwyn.
That's stretching the English language a long, long way.
Another hint :if you are going to talk right-wing you need to add plenty of superlatives. You need at least a "very" and a pinch of hyperbole.
Luxon has it sussed:
People like the farmers I met in Gore, who are working incredibly hard,
The teachers I met in Auckland, who are laser focused
New Zealand is the best country on Planet Earth.
We reach for the stars even while we stay close to our roots.
(I have no idea what this even means but mixing metaphors can be fun I guess eg it is good to know our PM has put the bit between his teeth and taken the bull by the horns”.)
A great example is the huge cost-blow outs in the ferry project.
it is a massive job to clean up the mess left by the previous government.
is also a major problem.
vast swathes of the former Eastern Bloc
We are delivering big changes and I’m incredibly proud
In my former life, it’s what I would have called a big turnaround job.
massive infrastructure deficit.
This is just from one speech which I haven't even finished. Wish someone would bring back "A Week of It".
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/state-nation-0
Lux-on is nothing like hitler..
Hitler garnered wide support from taking care of the German working class..
Lux-on wants to eviscerate the nz working class..
Nothing like each other…
and Alwyn quickly pulls Godwins Law when it is shown he is a Woke Snowflake with zero sense of humour regarding a joke about the Landlord of a building when no mention or support of the type of Grafitti had been stated.
Then make the point yourself and don't hijack my post with irrelevancies.
Maybe you could link it to your posts criticising Stephen Jack for putting up a poem likening Jacinda to Hitler, or your outrage at the pub in Bluff that put up signs saying:
A Bluff pub is in the firing line after placing a sign in its window comparing the Covid-19 response to Nazi Germany.
The sign, which is meant to explain to customers that it is mandatory to sign in using the Covid-19 tracer app, makes reference to Nazis Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels and Operation Reinhard, a German plan to exterminate Jews.
In a photo taken over the weekend, the sign faces out the window and labels Jacinda Ardern "Hitler" and Dr Ashley Bloomfield "Dr Ashley Goebbels".
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-bluff-bars-disturbing-sign-compares-ardern-to-hitler-covid-response-to-jewish-atrocities/GZ5MAIG52JPYLLCSPNWKPHGZ5E/
Oy maybe the one where a supporter of the New Conservative Party put up a poster showing Jacinda with Hitler.
https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-christchurch/residents-%E2%80%98deeply-offended%E2%80%99-over-hitler-ardern-sign
Or the Act party candidate who wrote:
Responding to a LinkedIn post by Seymour a year ago, Naidu-Franz said: "If you are wondering how the Nazis were able to come into power and do all the horrific things that they did, well you are looking at the start of the process right here. So Mr Seymour, when can we expect those who are unvaccinated to start wearing armbands? When can we expect to see concentration camps and re-education camps? When can we start expecting to see troops on our streets rounding up people?"
To be clear this was one of the few times I agreed with Seymour who condemned it when it was raised later.
Or the swastikas on Jacinda's hoardings.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/07/jacinda-ardern-s-election-billboards-defaced-with-nazi-imagery.html
There's so many examples I could do a long long list. I'm just unsure where your public outrage was at the time – maybe you just silently railed within.
You seem to have kept track of the dreadful comments that Jacinda Ardern had to put up with.
Did you laugh and tell jokes about them? If not why do you do so when the remarks are about Luxon? Are you really so ignorant that you equate him with one of the most evil people in history? Are you really so foolish?
Are you really so ignorant that you equate him with one of the most evil people in history?
Where have I done that? Post your evidence.
Unless of course you're a National party candidate.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300857204/national-candidate-shared-a-poem-likening-jacinda-ardern-to-adolf-hitler?
to be fair, he resigned.
Lol. I did laugh. I mean it's visually comically funny. But doubly because the MSM said someone had draw hair and moustache on him rather than saying they were mocking him as Hitler.
Beyond that, what are you trying to say? That it's beyond the pale to the PM to Hitler? Do you want to explain that in the context of this?
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&sca_esv=dfbdc3300e18911d&q=jacinda+ardern+hitler&tbm=isch&source=lnms&prmd=invsmbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj72q25wYmFAxVU0jQHHe7UCKAQ0pQJegQICRAB&biw=1256&bih=711&dpr=2.22
I'm not sure which of the pictures in this link I am supposed to be looking at. There seem to be hundreds of them.
However if it is one that is claiming that PM Ardern was behaving like Hitler I will say that it is incredibly offensive, Comparing anyone, with the exception of individuals like Kim Jong Un, or Putin, to Hitler is offensive.
Do you think comparing Ardern to Hitler is offensive, or would you laugh at it?. Would you say the same about comparing Luxon to Hitler, or not? If your reaction isn't the same in the two cases can you really justify the difference?
I think that Jacinda Ardern was the worst PM New Zealand has had in my lifetime. It doesn't mean I think she was evil in the way Hitler was.
Who would be your second worst?
I would be of two minds. Muldoon or Palmer. I would go with Muldoon as the second worst.
Best two are much easier. Holyoake was the best. Fraser was number two. I have a soft spot for Moore though. He saved Labour from extinction in just a couple of months.
Amazing how ideology can blind someone.
Just out of interest how many blighted lives and deaths does someone have to cause to be comparable to Hitler? 1000, 10 000, 100, 000, millions? Is there a scale of evil equivalence?
Bombing 100 children as against 1000 000?
Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson, and their Governments decades of blighted lives and deaths from the illnesses and despair from the poverty they caused, say! That the Coalition of cuts is knowingly and cynically exacerbating.
More or less evil than the acknowledged fascists?
The effects on the people they harm is the same.
You sound a little like the person who accepted Stalin's dictum.
"The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic."
For the record the generally accepted big three of 20th century madmen were Hitler, Stalin and Mao who each deliberately murdered or starved to death tens of millions of people, with Mao probably the champion at about 45 million of his own countrymen..
Only statistics as Stalin said. You on the other hand seem to have a phobia about Douglas and Richardson who didn't kill anyone. They carried out necessary economic changes that improved the average living standards of the New Zealand populace. If they were so bad why has no succeeding Government made any significant changes to their policies? To claim that they were evil, in the way the great dictators were, is as foolish as the people who equate Ardern with the Nazis. It just isn't so.
Alwyn.
Absolute bullshit. Most people's living standards have dropped ever since.
We still haven't recovered from the absolute disaster they caused.
And the damage they did to many thousands. “Killed nobody” How many children die of rheumatic fever, to name just one lot of people they killed. Caused by the callous increase in poverty in NZ, to benefit a few mostly non productive, speculators.
Of course it is in the hundreds of thousands, and now ongoing for generations. So. "Just a statistic"
And, The reason why the Neo-liberal disaster hasn't been reversed is it is too costly. Buying back and fixing rail, after they fucked it, cost enough on it's own.
Repairing the damage the current Coalition of clowns has done in just 100 days, will take decades.
'Most people's living standards have dropped ever since."
And what is you evidence for this claim?
Where have you been for the last 40 years?
Planet Key?
@KJT.
Does your comment mean that you don't have any evidence but you feelz that way?
@Alwyn
No. It means the evidence is all around you, but your ideology has made you blind to it.
In the 60's and 70' s one income could feed a family and own a house. Even for those in labouring jobs. Now two incomes barely suffice.
Over 80% of the WW2 generation retired owning a house. What percentage of boomers, whose prime working years coincided with the Neo-Liberal disaster, will own a house without a mortgage. Less than 60%. The percentage for our children will be even less.
This is a disgraceful indictment on our Governments, given NZ 's per capita wealth.
Holyoake!!! LOL Best voice in the house.
You do know he was probably the worst grifter of the lot.
A prime example:
Oh and we have him to thank for our involvement in Vietnam as well.
I suggest that you read and learn about Holyoake's action during the Vietnam.
He opposed the war and went to extremes to ensure that we never sent anyone except volunteers to the country. Even the regular force members weren't sent there unless they requested the assignment. No conscripts were ever sent there, in contrast to the US or Australia.
There were only 3,000 people who went there, and the peak was only 550 in 1968. 37 died on active service during the whole 12 years there were people from here involved.. They were not actually front line troops but mostly artillery in support roles back from the front.
Holyoake managed to resist enormous pressure from the US to send more troops. He actually encouraged demonstrations so that he could tell the US that he couldn't do any more as he would lose office and a Labour Government would certainly do less and might even recognize the North Vietnamese as the Government of the South.
In summary he gave as little support as was possible.
"We can have a big debate about the technical numbers", but where would that get us – it's all about the vibe.
Any joy devising a better method of calculation? It's been 7 weeks
I took my statistics from the Official New Zealand Government material on Vietnam.
If I had to choose I assume that it will be more accurate than Wikipedia.
On the other hand I did misquote it. It does not say there were only 3,000. It says there were over 3,000, so you number could be accurate.
"The Vietnam War was our longest and most contentious military experience of the twentieth century. Over 3000 New Zealanders served in South Vietnam from 1963 to 1975."
https://www.vietnamwar.govt.nz/nz-vietnam-war
"Any joy devising a better method of calculation?"
I thought you were joking when you asked for this. I would have thought you would have learnt this sort of thing at Primary School.
It has nothing to do with Economics. It has nothing to do with Statistics. It is simply what calculations are valid and which aren't.
Here is a simple example. If I tell you that the average age of the New Zealand population aged less than 100 is 38 and the average age of people over 100 was 102. Would you happily tell me that the average age of the population is (38 + 102) / 2 or 70?
Would you think again if I told you there were 5 million under 100 and 300 over 100? That is the level of the question you were asking and why I thought you were simply joking.
Ha ha – only 6 weeks!
I'm not joking alwyn – are you?
You've critiqued my method of calculating the "per annum minimum wage increase above inflation" by mentioning inflation "in Venuzela in 2017", and by using another "simple example" at 8:11 pm today.
Perfectly prepared to accept that the method of calculation I used is flawed, but only if you can provide a worked example of a better method of calculation using the mutually-agreed relevant figures, which I set out again below for your convenience.
You seem ‘reluctant’ to show a better method using these figures – what would you conclude, if our positions were reversed?
Does this mean that the minimum wage has decreased in real terms? How would you even calculated that?
One of the best ways to look at wages in my opinion is wages against productivity.
Prior to the 80's, there was a clear 'connection' between productivity growth and wage growth. So as productivity increased, wages also increased in line with this. In other words, workers were rewarded in line with increased productivity.
Since the 80's, productivity has continued to increase whereas wages in real terms, have flatlined. In other words all of the profit from increased productivity over the last 4 decades has gone to shareholders and executives instead of a fair share of it going to workers via increased wages.
Here's a graphical example which is US data but from memory (and logic) I'm pretty sure all western economies are similar:
https://croakingcassandra.com/2019/03/01/wages-and-productivity/
out of curiosity, how is it offensive to you?
Comparing Jacinda Adern, who did her best to save lives, to Hitler is simply a joke.
David Seymour however, whose policies if enacted will kill tens of thousands with the illnesses of poverty and despair, and blight the lives of millions more to come, is simply being accurate.
The current callous dismissal and disregard for people's lives and livelihoods, to benefit a few, reminds me of a commentator on WW2 Nazism who talked about the "banality of evil". And how the evil doers didn't think of themselves as evil.
Unless these vandals can be persuaded that Labour, Greens and TPM have the nous to work together and be an effective opposition that rallies New Zealand, I fear there will be more of this dumb bullshit.
Hipkins just needs to get out of his shell and pick up the phone the Chloe and start something.
Except that Anderton and Clark already had history. And Chippy is mostly a control freak leader, who’s uninterested in the policy making structure of his own party. He thinks about clinging on.
I can’t see that he’s a man who would risk giving the Greens (who are being done over by someone, if not themselves) more air.
This has to be a one term government.
But what survives?
Luxon is all kinds of…it wouldn’t surprise if he unilaterally scrapped the MRDS to increase his own wealth. Which it will significantly. That’s a conflict of interest. It’s a soft corruption.
Unlike more obvious corruptions of Ministers granting favours as one shot deciders.
Front footing what a coalition might look like and where any leadership would come from is essential. Hipkins again offers nothing and overrules everything. $5 off is a coupon, it’s not a vision for how the society can combat infrastructure deficit and being poor and survive the next ten years…
I feel like inflation is screwing our exports.
This is a three term government unless Hipkins and Davidson can actually unite, and do it soon and in durable form.
Labor needs to focus (damn hard) on the Labor Party and forget about the Green Party and TPM.
As Peters has shown well whether you like him or not is that the time for talking to other party's (publicly) is after an election. Until then they need to concentrate on revealing what Labor truly is.
"which encourages many MPs to buy their Electorate Office properties."
This I did think was funny.
Pretty sure claiming allowances to rent to yourself is a much bigger incentive than anything I may or may not do.
What, what – do you mean like this from 2022 which I understand is still the case ? …
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/11/national-leader-christopher-luxon-very-comfortable-with-45-000-taxpayer-top-up-from-renting-office-back-to-parliament.html
"National leader Christopher Luxon 'very comfortable' with $45,000 taxpayer top-up from renting office back to Parliament"
Perhaps the graffiti artist first tried to make the poster look like Mussolini .
Trouble was nobody could spot the difference.
Il Luce?
Ha, ha love it Incognito.
Dolphins 1 Rich Pricks 0.
Maybe there is a god?
Agreed BG. Russell Coutts throwing his toys out of the cot, saying SailGP wouldn't return to Lyttelton due to "minority interests".
I loved the quote on RNZ from a Lyttelton local who said "at the end of the day, the minority group would be the people who want to see these dolphins harmed".
Auckland managed to do the Americas Cup races with quite similar conditions only 3 years ago. Clearly Christchurch isn't suited to do that kind of racing after all, so they should come back to Auckland.
Yeah thats right….in Akl they would just trash the dolphins.
No dolphins were harmed at all in Auckland.
some weekend political humour from Monty Python
https://twitter.com/HeavyMetalSvet/status/1771252890880839901
Just want to put on record the sadness at the loss of Judge Phil Recordon. He was an amazing leader of the legal profession by constantly upgrading legal systems, and by supporting civil society in a whole host of areas. He was at least as progressive in his work as the great Ted Thomas.
Unstinting work for civil society causes from the early 1980s, and a powerhouse of justice in South Auckland.
A great man.
https://thelawassociation.nz/judge-phil-recordon-hangs-up-his-gown/
Daily review conspicuous by its absence.
At least we are getting noticed I guess.
Which brings me to New Zealand’s deputy prime minister Winston Peters and his use of Tubthumping. The man is clearly modelling himself on the recent upsurge of populist politicians, these ultra-wealthy men somehow getting to claim to be “of the people”. Across the globe, from Italy to Sweden and from Jair Bolsonaro to Donald Trump, these self-styled “outsiders” are gaining power and popularity using slogans that appeal to ordinary people, slogans that make no sense when you put them in the mouths of millionaire careerists. Their rhetoric is anti-elite, and yet they clearly and definably are the elite. Their popularity depends upon them playing at being just like you and me, the good guy at the bar who buys you a drink while you’re watching the football, who tells you the reason the country is going down the drain isn’t because of the multibillionaire corporate hoarding of the world’s wealth but because … cue a culture-warrior rant about immigration and snowflakes and experts and “I did my own research”.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/22/my-band-hit-tubthumping-is-the-latest-working-class-anthem-to-be-co-opted-by-populist-politicians
DR has weekends off.
And under who wrote that anyhow
The coalition is certainly gaining us notice on the international stage
Winston Peters comparing indigenous rights (honouring the Treaty) to the 1930's German regime.
I cannot wait till some American rapper says in a new smash hit, so if I say I run as fast as Jesse, or I can Shaq your little frame out of my way that means I am some sort of racist, you short, slow too much milk assimilated into your coffee Uncle Tom.
DR has weekends off.
Had never noticed that. Now I feel unobservant.
The Standard is a left-leaning blog site after all , with “the values and principles that underpin the broad labour movement” (https://thestandard.org.nz/about/#political_angle).
Weekly DR has its own Category here and has been a regular occurrence since 1 July 2015 with breaks during the holidays and Public Days (https://thestandard.org.nz/category/media/the-standard-media/daily-review/page/62/).
It started as an experiment on Thursday 2 April 2015 (https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review/), the day before Good Friday, under the Category open mike (https://thestandard.org.nz/category/media/the-standard-media/open-mike/).
FYI, both OM and DR are scheduled manually for appearance on the site by Admin/Mods, which means that it goes wrong sometimes, notwithstanding technical failures such as power cuts, etc.
HTH
This is very disappointing from the Greens. They need to do more than a routine candidate selection review.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350222068/more-claims-emerge-against-suspended-green-mp-darleen-tana
Good commentary from Gareth Hughes. Describes Fitzsimons as Steel Magnolia by way of comparison.
What I don't get is how no-one knew. The Waiheke community much be pretty small.
The next two off the list are (in for …. and Shaw or Shaw and ….).
The new reserves then would be
https://www.greens.org.nz/green_party_unveils_its_list_for_the_2023_election
The burden of growing the vote, a need for more "why not" research on candidates down the list.
good to see another South Island MP for the Greens. I hope Hernandez is ready. I only know him from twitter, where he shitposted (in a good way) through the early election.
Janis Joplin tribute by Melissa Etheridge (bald post chemo) and Joss Stone in 2005 (pre Caribbean phase)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuJ-qXbjtm4