“In pre-European times, tohunga would sit around a fire and wouldn’t have to physically talk to each other, they had some sort of telepathy. Who’s to say that wasn’t some kind of radio spectrum? Our traditional knowledge tells us there are eight to 13 heavens above us, and we also know that the radio spectrum has all of these different layers as well. All of this traditional knowledge can be adapted to teach the technology of the spectrum. I think if Māori had those stories in the marae, it could help to debunk some of those concerns.”
a Māori cultural adviser in the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) area, and a doctoral student at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. He says Māori communities are vulnerable to believing these ideas because of widespread, generational mistrust in the government. The “broken contracts, theft and various other crimes against Māori” over the last 250 years have understandably resulted in a broken relationship between the two groups, he says.
But who would expect the government to be able to delineate the relation between 5G, the various heavens, and the radio spectrum anyway? Westerners haven't even learnt how to count the number of heavens, have they? Being so far behind in cultural development, how can we be expected to catch up so fast?
At the very least, we need to create a government department specialising in cross-cultural theology. It could develop a multicultural basis upon which to proceed. Media ought to invite comment from the Chinese ambassador. The Han are known for their cultural supremacy. We ought to be able to benefit from their expertise.
Funny how projects like 5G claim to represent progress and civilisation, but the behaviour of the political class and economic elites is anything but civilised. All the profits will go to transnational corporations and the expenses lumped on ordinary Kiwis, as always
Thanks xanthe, looks like you intuit the big picture. Although I was being flippant I can't help it if my serious side comes through regardless! 😉 Finding common ground in our multicultural context will require that sort of focus to determine policy formulation, eh? So our academic tradition of silos will have to give way to multi-disciplinary formats to synthesise disparate views into an holistic composite…
All in your mind. I believe Maori cosmology adds value to Aotearoa. What is it that keeps driving leftists to see the dark side everywhere?
I also believe there is value in the thesis that humans have telepathic potential innate. I've read enough about how that creates real-life experiences for many folk to know that science-educated folks (such as myself) are fools to discount that part of human nature.
Mind-reading can usually be seen to be rationalisable on the basis of intuition & reading facial expressions and body language. Yet to assume all mind-to-mind communication amongst humans can be rationalised like this is actually a leap of faith. One that I have learned is foolish!
I think it's your commenting style not being a good match for my brain. I read the original comment three or four times and then the replies and it still looked like you were being sarcastic. Maybe it's too much time on twitter, where that questioning rhetoric is invariably mocking.
anyway, looking at the quotes Taiuru seems to be saying something very useful, and I too would welcome a shift to where Māori values and knowledge bases were well regarded and integrated.
There's a thing about self-reflective consciousness similar to the principle of reflexivity that Soros identified in market trading in the late '80s. I have a metaphysical framework for making sense of such analogies: the number archetypes. Holistic thought derives from one (as an active principle in nature) and binary thinking (dualism) from two.
So when you get discourse proceeding on the assumption of truth/falsity, always look for the third alternative! That's why I often refer to both/and logic in my comments. As this reasoning applies in respect of my framing (above) it can be read as mocking or not. Both takes are valid. The reader chooses (unconsciously, mostly). A reader who sees both interpretations is using their right brain hemisphere more than one who doesn't.
Just to round this off: Aotearoa is bicultural (if we use a binary frame) therefore we ought to see both sides of any issue involving Maori. We need not allow anyone to coerce us into a preference for one or the other. When we adopt this frame, operationally, we synthesise. In terms of the number archetypes our brain engages third gear when we do that!
What, me? Now why would you think that? Just doing my civic duty; pointing out the heavenly cultural context of politics in Aotearoa. I'll leave it to others to thrash out the finer details of how much bandwidth sharing gets produced by the political process.
Mathematicians and physicists, for instance, will probably be required to specify the layers of the atmosphere that correspond to each band, and measure those, even before the tech specs get to the policy makers. Bureaucratic heaven!! 🤩
I've commented on Keys discretion before, the man is a pig.
In any other western country he would have been dismissed immediately, I was overseas at the time when the incident was reported in the local newspapers, Dismissal was the only acceptable solution for this type of behaviour by the leader of a country.
In NZ we dismissed it as OK, cos, like, it's just John having some fun.
Morally Corupt was the man who was at the time NZs most popular PM and the public condoned it.
In any other western country he would have been dismissed immediately…
Really? In Great Britain? In Australia? In the United States?
Dismissal was the only acceptable solution for this type of behaviour by the leader of a country.
Key was an odious creep and a corrupt, malicious politician—but so are Messrs Morrison, Trump, Johnson, Trudeau, and Macron. Then-candidate Donald Trump claimed that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it; Key's bothering of that young woman fits into that same pattern of entitlement and almost guaranteed immunity. https://i.imgur.com/wT4XtDj.gif
So your saying it was OK for the Prime minister of NZ to fondle young girls hair on live TV and then not take responsibility for it.
The Leaders you list have come in a long time after the Key thing.
Morrison, despite being an idiot, would not last 30 seconds if he committed the same offence, the PEOPLE in Australia would DEMAND INSTANT DISMISSAL, and that's the difference between our countries.
We may be very different from Australia, but the public there would not tolerate that particular type of behaviour, maybe because they haven't had their moral compass compromised by a "used car salesman"
So your [sic] saying it was OK for the Prime minister of NZ to fondle young girls [sic] hair on live TV and then not take responsibility for it.
That is one of the most bizarre and inaccurate misconstruals to appear on this site.
Morrison, despite being an idiot, would not last 30 seconds if he committed the same offence…
He survived going on holiday overseas while an enormous area of his country was on fire. He survived laughing on air at the suffering of a political dissident. He's survived the scandal of Australian troops committing atrocities in Afghanistan. You think Australian politicians and media chatterboxes are more ethical than New Zealand's?
We may be very different from Australia…
Really? How so?
but the public there would not tolerate that particular type of behaviour,
So you are contending that the Australian public demands the HIGHEST standards from its politicians. Your view is very different to that of one of Israel's most respected journalists; he was horrified by the depravity and ignorance of Australian politicians.
In Canberra last week I met some Australian members of parliament. It gave me hope, because until I heard them speak I had always thought that Israel’s right wing politicians were the worst. —-(LAUGHTER)— I’ve never heard any Israeli politician speak about the Palestinian people the way that those Australian politicians did. But they are Australia’s problem, not mine. (LAUGHTER) I spoke with the Australian foreign minister; she talked and she was very nice but we could not agree on anything. (LAUGHTER)
— Gideon Levy speaking in Auckland, 3 December 2017
Morrisey you seem to have missed the point, Keys hair pulling is a lot different from a political position being held, Aussies were told it was ok to imprison valid refugees for 7yrs just to use them as a Deterent against people smugglers, highly political when you consider that 100s of migrants were pouring into Australia every day by plane.
But, Aussies have strong values on sexual behaviour surrounding children, as you probably aware with conviction Pell. Most of the Libs challenged the conviction and helped fund his release, but the ordinary citizen in Australia did not agree with that effort.
I've lived in Australia for 2 decades at different times and know how different society is there compared to NZ, my most recent return has taken a long time to adjust to the new NZ we have now, many returnees I've met have reiterated that, it's not the same country, a large adjustment at many different levels.
I'm not saying Aus is a better place, but their standard of morality for the behavior Key exhibited would have seen him gone
The last stint there I saw 5 new PMs in 7 yrs, so moving PMs along is no big deal, and the last 3 were for next to nothing, usually either to far to right or not far enough to right.
Unfortunately, Aus is headed for its lowest point in my lifetime.
In the current context of the ILG matter, our glorious ex leader, Mr Key’s behaviour is actually of some use. It was not a waiter, a subordinate, a server, pulling Mr Key’s hair was it?
Power is powerful, and which ever way you slice it is better not to have relationships with senior work colleagues. If the affair and buzz wears off–is the Minister going to leave? not that likely.
Judith Collins may regret going there, re Parliamentary affairs, before this election season is done.
Don't forget this wasn't an isolated incident, how many very young school girls hair was he filmed fondling, it's unacceptable behaviour for any person in the position on Prime Minister.
Hosking's intense dislike of Jacinda Ardern is borderline creepy, to be honest. The man's so partisan I suspect he's erected a shrine to John 'Ponytail' Key in his living room.
Also, expecting NewsTalkZB to exhibit any kind of editorial discretion is probably pissing into the wind. If they had standards, they wouldn't broadcast Hosking's condescending venom at all.
We don't have 'standards' as such just a self regulated club of owned outlets. Jude decided that it wasn't required at the time….funny that.
The material these partisan hacks would provide to an independent broadcasting standards authority my oh my. How busy would they be over what Woodhouse and Boag just got up to as a single example.
Even if not point taken…he may order one of JC as well once he is sure she is going to be there awhile….he was a bit annoyed at having to melt down the bronze on Toddy's one.
There is one way to stop all these myriad problems, from relationships to plagues to climate change once and for all.
Everybody, everywhere just has to stop fucking, immediately and permanently.
Bullshit. Only if you equate fucking with misuse of power, misogyny, revenge porn and sending unsolicited unasked for nude pics.
As far as cheating goes, I don't like it, or accept it, what others like and accept is their business, as long as those relationships are equal. Cheaters are literally untrustworthy and untruthful, whether its fidelity to a partner in marriage or in business.
And interesting convos with my daughters, both under 13, the 12 year old feeling a bit of pressure because the boys in her class have "rated" the girls, this shit starts early.
I agree, I hate cheats and liars but I dislike dismissers, the only word I can think of but there must be a better one, to address the mythology that only men cheat. It is not possible for there to be say 20% or 30% of men cheating and only 5% to 10% of women, mathematics and research as outlined in the book X and Y establishes that the numbers must be almost equal. Both sexes are equally responsible. There are of course exploitive relationships but they cannot by any means be the norm as this just implies that women are not intelligent and as a male I firmly believe that women are the most intelligent sex. By only a little bit though.
Do you not think that girls do not also rank boys? My 11 year old son was given a cheap cellphone because he biked 14kms home after school, ( don't ask, he wanted to be a TdFrance rider), and it was a safety device for him but he ditched it because some girls were texting him with what were quite sweet messages that he made him aware that he was near the top of the league table and this was 15 years ago.
Young people have been ranking each other for thousands of years. It is human nature otherwise none of us would be here without the attraction imperative, we just have to learn to deal with it.
Of course women cheat, I was cheated on by one, but why whenever mens behaviour comes up we have to say "women suck too!!!". Once there's a flurry of women ministers resigning coz they can't keep it zipped up or sending revenge porn, if my daughters are rating boys and calling them out for being (male equivalent) sluts, lesbians or have "tampons stuck up your arse" then I'll call that out too.
It is better to look at one thing in isolation from all the world's ills. Looking at L-G, he has had a relationship with someone other than his official partner. He is spreading his love around. He should not do that and be true to his partner. And that is his business, and his partner's and also of the other.
Has he been indulging in orgies, where you go and get 'groovy' and feel free, and do whatever you feel like with anyone that you want? That would seem OTT, and not what you would expect a sober MP to do. That would raise questions of probity and decent restraint. There is a matter of balance to be applied in life, and I think it is frequently lacking these days.
This vox pop from Jordon Klepper gives us some idea of where you end up when people just react and have opinions, and don't think at all, just emote. I think that our idea of democracy and what it can do for the country is a lot of candyfloss. I don't want people like this who make no attempt to think deciding who will run a country!
To pre-empt all the whataboutery, if parliament was full of women, across the board, including women like Collins and Bennett, parliament's emotional and social intelligence would still have increased massively. Not because all men are rotten, but because women as a class actually want to do something about the rottenness rather than consolidating power.
thank you Cinny, yes was a great chat, letting them know they don't have to put up with this shit, but at the same time they will have to figure out how to deal with this as it will probably occur throughout their lives, such is the world in which we live. But! Schools should be a safe place, like our work places, and all forms of bullying are unacceptable. "This shit starts early", & obviously learnt in the home.
I will call it out, & support my sisters & daughters. (& maybe some men have never heard womens stories? or women haven't told them and those men way want to think why they've never been told?).
I Feel Love, you are doing a fantastic job at parenting and should feel very proud of yourself. I wish my dad had such conversations with me, would have made certain situations in my life a whole lot easier to navigate.
John Gray's a year older than me, and a retired political philosopher. His academic career featured tenure as a professor of politics at Oxford & Harvard, amongst others. I've got his book about utopianism, which was thought-provoking. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gray_(philosopher)
Like Paweł Pawlikowski in Cold War (2018), Holland renders the human experience of communism with unflinching authenticity. The film reveals a kind of horror that can hardly be spoken, only shown — as when the Welshman joins famished children in eating stew, only to retch when he discovers what it is made from.
So why were western media barons on Stalin's side?? Binary politics. The truth must be made to serve vested interests. Therefore it must be covered up sometimes:
Gareth Jones, the Welsh journalist (and former private secretary to Lloyd George) who revealed the famine in Ukraine, was not the only person to tell the truth. So did the English journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who visited the Soviet Union as a fellow-traveller only to have his illusions shattered around the same time. An American trade unionist named Fred Beal, sent to the country by the American Communist Party, visited Ukraine and found silent villages and fields littered with unburied bodies. No mainstream newspaper would publish Beal’s report, which eventually appeared in Yiddish in the New York Jewish socialist paper Daily Forward.
The campaign against Jones was a response to a question. How could the Soviet state afford its vast programme of industrialisation in the midst of the Great Depression? As the film shows, it was this question that fired Jones’s dogged persistence in search of the truth.
The answer was the export of grain. The Ukrainian famine was manufactured in Moscow as a by-product of the Soviet need for hard currency. (It was the same imperative that drove gold mining in slave labour camps in the Russian Far East, where hundreds of thousands of Gulag prisoners were worked to death.) Ukrainians starved not because there was no food, but because the food they produced was taken from them at gunpoint.
Gareth Jones’s achievement, which is well captured in James Norton’s powerfully expressive performance, was to discover the answer to a question that hardly anyone wanted to ask. Western resistance to his inquiry, which cost Jones his job and possibly his life, was partly a result of the belief among western intellectuals that the Soviet state was the last best hope of humankind, which must be defended at any cost.
For intellectuals, capitalism bad means communism good. For media barons, trade good means truth bad – where that wheat went is a truth defended by private property rights, so don't ask! Binary politics rules.
Which is why politics is always framed as a puppet show. Left hand puppets competing with right hand puppets. The binary structure assumes media consumers & voters will continually swallow the establishment's daily production of shit, and they do, so the system works well.
Belarus is trying to move out a leader who has been there since 1994? and elections are managed to keep him in place. Democracy is a word, the reality vanished and just theatre remains. And the play becomes closer to Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus*. The young people are sacrificing themselves in an attempt to gain back control of the country by the people. Watch out NZ, signs are here also.
"Christchurch Airport, which is 75 per cent owned by the Christchurch City Council and 25 per cent by the Crown, revealed yesterday it had already spent $45 million on the proposal. This would see a two-point-two kilometre runway capable of accomodating international jet aircraft "
I see this as a blocking move to prevent Queenstown Airport, 24.9% owned by Auckland Airport, doing anything that would threaten Christchurch Airport and the wider South Island tourist industry.
QAC / AIA were heading down the track of expanded / new airports when covid hit, that's all on backburner, supposedly, but lots of rumours circulating. Hopefully the government involvement in this move will put some realism into the situation and the interests of the wider South Island come into play rather than funnelling all the traffic through Auckland.
The site has a lot of potential as a transport or residential hub even if the airport idea is shelved or scaled back. Around 200 linehaul trucks go past it most days and that is growing very fast as Central grows. This growth requires a major re-think of transport modes into the region. Put another mode, say rail from Christchurch, into the mix and the site gets very interesting.
If…and thats the key word…the Gov were serious about CC mitigation there is no need to implement commercial blocking moves on industry players that protect the south island from Auckland airport ambitions.
The growth and transport issues remain but it is abundantly apparent the drivers have nothing to do with CC except as cover
reinstating rail from Dunedin port into Central. Even at the time, before climate awareness, the pulling up of those lines looked criminal to me.
If we start with the climate and ecological emergencies, the whole things looks completely different. If we start with unchecked growth then there's no hope of designing sustainable systems. If we start with greed and the need to make money, we may as well just set fire to everything right now. Sorry, got no time for the level of denial from those corporate people, there's no excuse anymore.
Collins anger over the Falloon issue got the better of her and she targeted Lees – Galloway.
Just like Muldoon's anger got the better of him when he targeted Moyle with an incident which occurred 17 months earlier.
Had so much not have occurred in the last 2 weeks Lees – Galloway would have lost his ministerial portfolios and probably he would have stayed on to fight his electorate seat.
I want Lees – Galloway to stand as an independent or to fight for his electoral seat as a Labour candidate.
Collins anger over the Falloon issue got the better of her and she targeted Lees – Galloway.
Just like Muldoon's anger got the better of him when he targeted Moyle with an incident which occurred 17 months earlier.
Had so much not have occurred in the last 2 weeks Lees – Galloway would have lost his ministerial portfolios and probably he would have stayed on to fight his electorate seat.
I want Lees – Galloway to stand as an independent or to fight for his electoral seat as a Labour candidate.
The Prime Minister's plan to announce a roughly $100 million recovery package for Southland, in the wake of the likely closure of the Tiwai Smelter, was scuppered by New Zealand First at the eleventh hour.
…
A week ago, Ardern, Robertson and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones visited Invercargill where they met with Southland mayors to discuss future job opportunities in the region.
That was a week after the smelter announced production would end in August 2021, putting more than 2500 jobs on the line.
It's understood the visit was originally meant to include the announcement of a 'Just Transition' package – similar to what was unveiled in Taranaki after the government banned future offshore oil and gas exploration.
Another clear signal that NZfist aren't just a handbrake on labour/green policies, they're also the shit on your shoe, the fly in your soup and rotten apple in the barrel. Time to get this mob out of parliament for good.
If you want a progressive labour led government, only party vote green or labour.
What I heard was about business relating to coal mines, but apparently radionz can't resist practising populist journalism. (Though it is important to accept prostitution as a righteous occupation, relating to mental and physical health.) And Jones referring to 'woke' – well I just think it is time that he practised keeping schtum, as his backwoods bloke approach doesn't fit these ultra-senstive times of sadness and madness.
The list of businesses Kiwibank says do harm to people or the environment include companies dealing fossil fuel extraction, tobacco, palm oil, casinos, predatory lending, synthetic drugs and weapons.
Not bank's role to make moral judgements – Shane Jones
Shane Jones, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises, questioned why companies that deal with the extraction, production and manufacturing of coal are included.
He told Morning Report Kiwibank should "get out of the pulpit".
"It's the role of the Crown to regulate whether or not there are bads associated with the extractive sector or any other sector.
"My warning to the chairman of Kiwibank is that the bank that goes woke may end up broke.
edit
I wonder if this song would be suitable to go on the authorised political promotion column. I’ve been looking at things I don’t want to see anywhere and feeling depressed. So this is a positive statement for our future. 'I want to be happy' with Bing Crosby.
Starts: I want to be happy, but I can't be happy, till I make you happy too.
It seems to me that is the basis of what I am trying for. Everyone getting a chance for a happy life and each person supporting a constructive political system in the country that enables that for everyone.
Liked that Pharrell Williams one lots to look at there as well as the music. Thanks. I use Happy to change my mindset often. I try to see something different every time I look at it.
Bit of a tech weenie piece on how to adapt and manage EV charging so it doesn't overload an apartment building's existing supply. It's a useful example of how to adapt to increased electrification without requiring the massive upgrades the naysayer fossilheads falsely cite to argue against electrification.
That was interesting. Now here in central Wellington we need a solution that lets the parked on the street overnight cars charge from a house's stored domestic solar supply. Lets make the power companies redundant!
It's a lovely sunny day here today. ( Wind comments are tactfully ignored). There is some on roof solar – I've just been having a general look – based on the number one motivation of all New Zealanders – shafting the power companies.
More generally – with deposit rates and borrowing being way down – $10,000 returns only $100 to $200 p.a.- just about any solar system is likely to take at least that off an annual power bill. Maybe panels first then battery storage . Unfortunately the gap between plug in electric vehicles and petrol still isn't small enough.
This is the farmer who loves his land. That trite saying, that fudges everything such as the idea that a farmer is actually a guardian of his land.
This is the bloke who works on common-sense – which Einstein is supposed to have said is – What you have learned by age 18. The land has been in the family for a long time and now he is bringing it face to face in his lifetime with maximum Extraction of Profit and Efficiency.
"when he cleared mānuka on his property to make room for pasture"
"He denied Chartres had cleared any trees older than 20 years, and said Chartres had existing land use rights.
"Te Anau Downs Station has had a long history of pastoral farming. Nothing has changed over the period of time that the property has been farmed. There has, [from] time to time, been regrowth of native scrub which has, [from] time to time, been cleared to allow pastoral farming to be continued," he said."
There is a vast difference between "Native Forest" and "regrowth of native scrub"
… and it has yet to be proven that any "trees" older than 20 years have been removed.
A bit of balance is required if farmers are to "save" us with their production for export!
"[fhe site] has had a long history of disturbance from fire and pastoral activity however, the review of aerial photographs and the tree ring analysis provides evidence that the majority of the area has not been disturbed for over 30 years. The ecological values and effects of the clearance are considered to be high based on the removal of threatened flora and fauna habitat, the removal of the buffering effect on wetlands that were excluded from the clearance and the opportunity for the natural succession of the vegetation toward a beech forest community. The ecological investigation has found clearance of the mature manuka-bog pine shrubland would not have been permitted under the operative district plan or the previous district plan. The younger bracken fern-manuka-bog pine community may have been permitted under Rule HER.3 of the previous district plan but not under Rule BI0.1 of the operative district plan."
"….The Te Anau Downs East clearance covers an area of approximately 25 ha and appears to have had limited disturbance for over 100 years….."
Looks careless and intentional to me, and typically there's quite a high threshold before Council's start taking action, so it must be quite bad.
News headline, news headline …….human farmer found living under a rock…new creature with no eyes to read with or ears to hear with.
If this is a pastoral lease then permission must be sought for all of these farming ops.
Manuka and native scrub if left and possibly fenced off will revert. So press report is quite correct to say 'manuka' and 'regrowth native scrub'.
The tide went out at least 20 years ago or more on the wholesale clearance of so-called 'worthless' manuka and native regrowth. How will we ever find a tree over 20 years if they are all cultivated away?
The wool that will 'save' us on these high country farms is fine wool from merino sheep. Merino sheep thrive on dry stony areas and not, generally, on lush low country. They have a predisposition to foot rot that is exacerbated by damp etc.
The area may have been cleared to work up for on farm crop or for low country sheep. Low country wool production is not going to save us, not sure about the meat side of it.
A farmer working to the terms of their pastoral lease and the pastoral farming ethos does not need to increasingly bring new areas in for cultivation.
The type of 'bony' lowland country here might be ideal for testing the regenerative farming concept. It does not growth normal grass/crops very well without large inputs of fertiliser etc.
If not a pastoral lease and private then good on the Council. Hope they win.
Travellers to the formerly spectacular Mackenzie basin will have seen the growth of factory farming there and the loss of native cover and awe inducing views.
It is good to note that this government has committing to stop the tenure review process for Crown pastoral leases that has been responsible for the growth of factory farming, and for a large dollop of unearned capital asset floating the farmers way from the Crown or people of NZ
Hon Eugenie Sage Min of Land Information introduced a bill on 16/7/20 doing just this.
'This omnibus bill amends the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 and the Land Act 1948, with a single broad policy to amend these Acts to end tenure review and redesign the regulatory system to deliver improved Crown pastoral land outcomes.'
And this guys prejudice was obvious – he believed that he could do as he damn well pleased no matter what. Unfortunately, he probably won't have the land taken from him despite his abuse of it.
Yeah, but the false equivalence National were striving for with the ILG release has already been established. As long as the public think "plague on all your houses" then it’s Mission Accomplished for the Nats and their media acolytes.
19 September will be mission accomplished for the voters.
When it comes to unbecoming conduct of a leader, minister or an MP, the powers of the speaker of the house and the leader/s of a party need to be managed independently. I have no problem with MPs or members of the public being a witness to a hearing with name suppression.
All scandals are disruptive to the running of the country because the leader of the affected party has to address the problem.
Maybe AB, that was certainly the DP plan, but not many think cheating is that much of a scandal, certainly nowhere near sending unsolicited porn. A lot of relationships are ppl who got together cheating, I can name some journalist couples that did (but I won't name here, but not that hard to figure out). & notice not many MPs condemning ILG, ha!!!
What's going on with the census? The 2013 census, which was only average, cost $90million. The 2018 census cost $126 million and was a complete mess.
For 2023 the option picked costs $210 million. The gold plated version would be $216 million.
So why has the cost of the census soared by so much when wages have barely moved?
And it looks like they want it to be a lot more intrusive of minority groups. Haven't they heard of data set reintegration.
"It balances the need to maintain the current time series of data with a desire for ever-richer, high-quality data about small groups of the population. [It] delivers improvements to the wider data system."
Yes I wondered about that. Or have they got tied into privatised contracts that are escalating?
Or does it have mission creep and the money is being used to support that highly intrusive database that Bill English set up that aggregates all the data that the government holds on each citizen and should be dumped? It only needs one bad actor getting into it.
The 2013 census, which was only average, cost $90million. The 2018 census cost $126 million and was a complete mess.
And when they didn't do the census it was even cheaper and most certainly wasn't a complete mess. Just that the government didn't have the data that they needed to plan with.
The 2018 one was a change in systems and could be expected to go wrong in unexpected ways. I actually suspect that the previous census were also a complete mess but that things had been swept under the rug and/or simply not noticed due to the manual system not being fast enough. Census have always failed to complete on a single day and the stats department would spend months backtracking.
So why has the cost of the census soared by so much when wages have barely moved?
Well, the wages for the plebs have stayed low or even gone backwards but the wages for the execs has sky-rocketed. And they're probably buying new equipment.
Dirty politics is the new NZ politic, although it is no resounding revelation that dirty tactics have been visible in the land of plenty (and well covered) for many a decade.
Nowadays though, "the bigger the whale the greater the impact" seems to be the perpetual catch phrase and the most preferred ammunition of choice.
What ever happened to the good old days of political government, simply instilling fear into the populous, and working their way to power on the back of that?
This is a very interesting story, yet to be verified, but somehow has a ring of truth. Is it skepticism, or is there some substance that we should all be concerned about.
was having trouble posting this link so will post the body of the article from Taimi Allan who works in mental health (article from Radio NZ)……
I was making this point a couple of days back that Falloon's behaviour separate to any issues of grief he is experiencing. Thought this article expressed it better than I did
Opinion – Mental distress is not an excuse for sexual harassment – let's establish that right away. There is nothing in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) that refers to sending unsolicited sexual images as a symptom of any known mental illness.
Disgraced National MP Andrew Falloon. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
We have heard little detail around Falloon's mental health concerns, and that's okay, our mental health challenges are nobody else's business.
We know he experienced a recent loss of a friend, raising unresolved grief from similar losses earlier in life, and we know that grief and suicide touch most of us, and can leave an enormous psychological toll.
What we also know however, is that sending unsolicited graphic images to someone is not a known coping mechanism and will not make you 'feel better'.
Yesterday we heard that when Falloon sent these images, he had been drinking heavily.
At least one woman has accused him of gaslighting – manipulative behaviour that makes the receiver of such communication feel like or believe they are going crazy. It's concerning that someone who is capable of deliberately making someone else question their sanity has also used mental health problems as an excuse for their inappropriate behaviour towards a teenager.
Who knows if these claims are simply a desperate measure to control a narrative, to shift blame and avoid personal responsibility. I can't say if Falloon is genuinely in mental distress or not. I haven't spoken with him and don't know the full details, but I have no doubt that the unwanted attention by the public, his own party and the media he is now getting, will almost certainly be contributing to him feeling some sort of distress.
No, not specifically included, but there is a considerable amount of material in that mental disorders manual which covers various forms of behavioral disorders (including various forms of sexual deviancy), activity which would be consistent with this sort of behavior.
Also, many disorders which appear to be of a sexual in motivation are often more accurately and appropriately linked to, or associated with individuals seeking gratification by way of disturbing others or dominating others, and even attempting to control others.
They might, at least, fit into the first two categories mentioned above, that is to shock people or to bully them. We have seen this in the behavior of many parliamentarians.
I often wonder whether or not the behavior we observe in relation to those holding or seeking publicly recognized positions might also point to a problem, and perhaps a wider problem for New Zealand.
Falloon's display (I guess) may have inadvertently pulled one of a number of issues out of the box which would seriously beg the deliberation over whether or not New Zealand professionals in public office should be regularly evaluated in relation to both their psychological and emotional disposition.
Also, in relation to sexting images. Persons (male or female) who directly receive such material where they had neither requested nor encouraged such activity might well be more shocked than offended by such images.
After all, this isn't just some anonymous server sending unsolicited images to an unknown requester only identified by an internet address, and it wasn't a spam server generating the material as far as the public can ascertain.
If any of his recipients had just received these out of the blue, they might seriously wonder just what it is the National Party are promoting, not what some errant MP is trying to deliver.
If the recipients had previously engaged and, in part, encouraged the activity initially, that would be an entirely different story of course. Even individuals providing personal mobile numbers need to be aware that certain approaches can be misconstrued by some people.
What we also know however, is that sending unsolicited graphic images to someone is not a known coping mechanism and will not make you 'feel better'.
If you are referring to the exchange in the previous thread…..just to be clear I have never said or implied that grief was/is the cause of people coping by sending inappropriate pictures over the the phone. My views were always in the context of what people do to self medicate to resolve grief. Many drink to excess. Many of these who 'cope' in this way are males.
When we (royal we) drink to excess we often become disinhibited and do things our more in control selves would not do. Sometimes we (royal we) wake the next morning and think 'wow did I really do that silly DJ act or dance like that.'…other times we, broadly speaking again, may wake knowing we have had an accident, our car is a write off or we have killed someone.
We don't have an underlying condition as a killer of people or a destructor of cars. We drank, we became disinhibited and our more in control selves were put aside.
You advised your view then that as a person is while sober, as they are drunk.
I disagree wholeheartedly with this. My life in the world with people knows that this is not true. I have seen, lived with and been friends with too many people to know this is not correct.
I haven't spoken with him and don't know the full details, but I have no doubt that the unwanted attention by the public, his own party and the media he is now getting, will almost certainly be contributing to him feeling some sort of distress.
I get the feeling that dealing with grief, unresolved or not is does not even pass muster as some 'sort of distress' and note that you have not mentioned the suicides of friends as a contributor to his 'distress' in this sentence.
It seems that there is a hierarchy and that 'real' MH is the permanent MH conditions while real, serious and other happenings are 'some sort of distress' as you quaintly put it.
Hopefully this is not the view of too many out in the caring community. We want to encourage people to go for help not put them off.
It appears 'Dr' Judith Collins is also of that view though. She is angry that his 'distress' is also not a 'real' MH condition. He apparently deceived her about mental health issues when really he was sending smutty pictures. She too is operating at the 'act' level not the 'causation' level.
I guess you can realise by now I don't think much of your linked article. We do not know what caused the bad behaviour and until we can knock out of contention the heavy drinking and the unresolved grief it behoves us to be a bit careful don't you think?
But again the writer of the article will be pleased to know that Dr Collins also shares her view….Falloon apparently just was just not 'mad' enough to be a person suffering anything to do with mental health, who drank and did bad things to deal with it.
Because I have these views I do does not mean that I am rationalising.
Because I have these views it does not mean I am a member of the National Party as was your suggestion before.
Never have been and never will be.
In point of fact due to my career decision to join the Public Service, right from the very start I have never ever even joined or donated to a political party as I wanted to work in an apolitical arena as an apolitical person and to be seen as such.
Weka so were a police inspector and the cop you were complaining about to have sent switch messages to each other saying "Ramblings of a mad woman, psychologically sick
While it remains unclear exactly where the interaction between the Chinese navy and Australian warships took place, the ABC reported that the warships sailed near the Spratly Islands last week.
Five Australian warships – HMAS Canberra, Hobart, Stuart, Arunta and Sirius – left Darwin on 5 July and are taking part in drills with Japan and the United States in the Philippine Sea this week, before they head to Hawaii to join a US-led military exercise known as Rimpac.
Firstly, let's protest to all parties and tell them that it's not a Fair Go. Then, we can warn them that if they persist they will feel the wrath of New Zealand verbal firepower.
Further, we must tell them that our green and turf heroes and our warriors will mount waka and blockade them if they start firing shots at each other.
We may then absolutely prove that with a vision of our mythical ancestors, as a nation, we can stop bullets and salvos.
If that's not our position greywarshark, it god damn should be!
"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender our expression, our opinions and our perspectives.
Green and brown warriors, knowing how envious the rest of the world is of our pride and our independence.
That’s my quarter of a dollars worth greywarshark.
Now. Where’s that mother freakin’ pipe?
The drains are blocked and welfare won’t cough up the dough to unblock it. That’s government immorality for you, yet again!
Goldsmith doesn't know diddly about economics cutting spending in a recession only makes it worse less money flowing through the economy means lower tax take requiring lower govt spending creating a downward spiral which is National Party austerity their go to policy.
The health system has been exposed by Covid it needs a massive investment.
We need to have a world class health system not 30th placed in the OECD.
The Daily Blog computer is having a foggy morning all day long. Send over Lprent.
I wonder at all the early day commenters here. Fresh air is sweet but evening is a more contemplative time surely. I could make an argument against these free-time commenters versus the originators of the people's movement. But I accept you're all old timers who've got out the other end and prefer cold water and bracing mornings.
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 ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
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 ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
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, Wednesday 24 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
If you want to be distracted from the various shenanigans happening in parliament, why not muse over the cultural interface between Maori, 5G, and telepathy? Heavens above! https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/14-07-2020/why-maori-communities-are-more-vulnerable-to-5g-conspiracies/
Thus spake Karaitiana Taiuru (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rārua).
But who would expect the government to be able to delineate the relation between 5G, the various heavens, and the radio spectrum anyway? Westerners haven't even learnt how to count the number of heavens, have they? Being so far behind in cultural development, how can we be expected to catch up so fast?
At the very least, we need to create a government department specialising in cross-cultural theology. It could develop a multicultural basis upon which to proceed. Media ought to invite comment from the Chinese ambassador. The Han are known for their cultural supremacy. We ought to be able to benefit from their expertise.
Funny how projects like 5G claim to represent progress and civilisation, but the behaviour of the political class and economic elites is anything but civilised. All the profits will go to transnational corporations and the expenses lumped on ordinary Kiwis, as always
" a government department specialising in cross-cultural theology."
Now thats about the first helpful contribution to the debate i have heard in a long time!
Thanks xanthe, looks like you intuit the big picture. Although I was being flippant I can't help it if my serious side comes through regardless! 😉 Finding common ground in our multicultural context will require that sort of focus to determine policy formulation, eh? So our academic tradition of silos will have to give way to multi-disciplinary formats to synthesise disparate views into an holistic composite…
If you actually want to find common ground I'd suggest not mocking Māori culture would be a good place to start.
All in your mind. I believe Maori cosmology adds value to Aotearoa. What is it that keeps driving leftists to see the dark side everywhere?
I also believe there is value in the thesis that humans have telepathic potential innate. I've read enough about how that creates real-life experiences for many folk to know that science-educated folks (such as myself) are fools to discount that part of human nature.
Mind-reading can usually be seen to be rationalisable on the basis of intuition & reading facial expressions and body language. Yet to assume all mind-to-mind communication amongst humans can be rationalised like this is actually a leap of faith. One that I have learned is foolish!
I think it's your commenting style not being a good match for my brain. I read the original comment three or four times and then the replies and it still looked like you were being sarcastic. Maybe it's too much time on twitter, where that questioning rhetoric is invariably mocking.
anyway, looking at the quotes Taiuru seems to be saying something very useful, and I too would welcome a shift to where Māori values and knowledge bases were well regarded and integrated.
FWIW, I concur and I spend no time on Twitter at all 😉
There's a thing about self-reflective consciousness similar to the principle of reflexivity that Soros identified in market trading in the late '80s. I have a metaphysical framework for making sense of such analogies: the number archetypes. Holistic thought derives from one (as an active principle in nature) and binary thinking (dualism) from two.
So when you get discourse proceeding on the assumption of truth/falsity, always look for the third alternative! That's why I often refer to both/and logic in my comments. As this reasoning applies in respect of my framing (above) it can be read as mocking or not. Both takes are valid. The reader chooses (unconsciously, mostly). A reader who sees both interpretations is using their right brain hemisphere more than one who doesn't.
Just to round this off: Aotearoa is bicultural (if we use a binary frame) therefore we ought to see both sides of any issue involving Maori. We need not allow anyone to coerce us into a preference for one or the other. When we adopt this frame, operationally, we synthesise. In terms of the number archetypes our brain engages third gear when we do that!
It was in my mind too. Dammit, maybe there is something in this telepathy praxis eh.
You being sly again, eh?
What, me? Now why would you think that? Just doing my civic duty; pointing out the heavenly cultural context of politics in Aotearoa. I'll leave it to others to thrash out the finer details of how much bandwidth sharing gets produced by the political process.
Mathematicians and physicists, for instance, will probably be required to specify the layers of the atmosphere that correspond to each band, and measure those, even before the tech specs get to the policy makers. Bureaucratic heaven!! 🤩
I do recall a colleague with a tanned upper shoulder area, mocking Maori claims to the sky that aeroplanes used.
He didn't have an answer for the state's right to being able to 'sell' frequencies for radio and television.
This cross-cultural theology is a great idea.
"National has a misogyny problem"… great thread by @juliefairey
https://twitter.com/juliefairey/status/1285799779255988224
& then Minister of Women Louise Upston https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/67981595/minister-for-women-standing-by-prime-minister-after-ponytail-incident
I’d add that too, great thread.
I've commented on Keys discretion before, the man is a pig.
In any other western country he would have been dismissed immediately, I was overseas at the time when the incident was reported in the local newspapers, Dismissal was the only acceptable solution for this type of behaviour by the leader of a country.
In NZ we dismissed it as OK, cos, like, it's just John having some fun.
Morally Corupt was the man who was at the time NZs most popular PM and the public condoned it.
In any other western country he would have been dismissed immediately…
Really? In Great Britain? In Australia? In the United States?
Dismissal was the only acceptable solution for this type of behaviour by the leader of a country.
Key was an odious creep and a corrupt, malicious politician—but so are Messrs Morrison, Trump, Johnson, Trudeau, and Macron. Then-candidate Donald Trump claimed that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it; Key's bothering of that young woman fits into that same pattern of entitlement and almost guaranteed immunity. https://i.imgur.com/wT4XtDj.gif
So your saying it was OK for the Prime minister of NZ to fondle young girls hair on live TV and then not take responsibility for it.
The Leaders you list have come in a long time after the Key thing.
Morrison, despite being an idiot, would not last 30 seconds if he committed the same offence, the PEOPLE in Australia would DEMAND INSTANT DISMISSAL, and that's the difference between our countries.
We may be very different from Australia, but the public there would not tolerate that particular type of behaviour, maybe because they haven't had their moral compass compromised by a "used car salesman"
So your [sic] saying it was OK for the Prime minister of NZ to fondle young girls [sic] hair on live TV and then not take responsibility for it.
That is one of the most bizarre and inaccurate misconstruals to appear on this site.
Morrison, despite being an idiot, would not last 30 seconds if he committed the same offence…
He survived going on holiday overseas while an enormous area of his country was on fire. He survived laughing on air at the suffering of a political dissident. He's survived the scandal of Australian troops committing atrocities in Afghanistan. You think Australian politicians and media chatterboxes are more ethical than New Zealand's?
We may be very different from Australia…
Really? How so?
but the public there would not tolerate that particular type of behaviour,
So you are contending that the Australian public demands the HIGHEST standards from its politicians. Your view is very different to that of one of Israel's most respected journalists; he was horrified by the depravity and ignorance of Australian politicians.
Morrisey you seem to have missed the point, Keys hair pulling is a lot different from a political position being held, Aussies were told it was ok to imprison valid refugees for 7yrs just to use them as a Deterent against people smugglers, highly political when you consider that 100s of migrants were pouring into Australia every day by plane.
But, Aussies have strong values on sexual behaviour surrounding children, as you probably aware with conviction Pell. Most of the Libs challenged the conviction and helped fund his release, but the ordinary citizen in Australia did not agree with that effort.
I've lived in Australia for 2 decades at different times and know how different society is there compared to NZ, my most recent return has taken a long time to adjust to the new NZ we have now, many returnees I've met have reiterated that, it's not the same country, a large adjustment at many different levels.
I'm not saying Aus is a better place, but their standard of morality for the behavior Key exhibited would have seen him gone
The last stint there I saw 5 new PMs in 7 yrs, so moving PMs along is no big deal, and the last 3 were for next to nothing, usually either to far to right or not far enough to right.
Unfortunately, Aus is headed for its lowest point in my lifetime.
The politicians in Australia ganged up on woman PM Julia Gillard. And the people didn't stop it.
In the current context of the ILG matter, our glorious ex leader, Mr Key’s behaviour is actually of some use. It was not a waiter, a subordinate, a server, pulling Mr Key’s hair was it?
Power is powerful, and which ever way you slice it is better not to have relationships with senior work colleagues. If the affair and buzz wears off–is the Minister going to leave? not that likely.
Judith Collins may regret going there, re Parliamentary affairs, before this election season is done.
Don't forget this wasn't an isolated incident, how many very young school girls hair was he filmed fondling, it's unacceptable behaviour for any person in the position on Prime Minister.
Young Act, Boogaloo, sexual harassment, libertarians thinking they're above social rules. https://www.newsroom.co.nz/young-act-sexual-abuse-allegations?amp=1&__twitter_impression=true
A
Just to add to the misogyny, Mike Hosking calls the PM "Queen Cindy" but NZME purges it from the "transcript"
https://twitter.com/nzmrichards/status/1285809489933856769?s=20
Has the campaign started and where is Mike Hoskings campaign promoter statement?
$15million? Money very well spent!
Hosking's intense dislike of Jacinda Ardern is borderline creepy, to be honest. The man's so partisan I suspect he's erected a shrine to John 'Ponytail' Key in his living room.
Also, expecting NewsTalkZB to exhibit any kind of editorial discretion is probably pissing into the wind. If they had standards, they wouldn't broadcast Hosking's condescending venom at all.
We don't have 'standards' as such just a self regulated club of owned outlets. Jude decided that it wasn't required at the time….funny that.
The material these partisan hacks would provide to an independent broadcasting standards authority my oh my. How busy would they be over what Woodhouse and Boag just got up to as a single example.
I suspect he's erectioned a shrine to John 'Ponytail' Key in his living room.
Fify
Was that a Freudian slip?
Even if not point taken…he may order one of JC as well once he is sure she is going to be there awhile….he was a bit annoyed at having to melt down the bronze on Toddy's one.
There is one way to stop all these myriad problems, from relationships to plagues to climate change once and for all.
Everybody, everywhere just has to stop fucking, immediately and permanently.
Lets see how that turns out.
Well that would solve the core problem of too many humans and our unsustainable environmental footprint.
Bullshit. Only if you equate fucking with misuse of power, misogyny, revenge porn and sending unsolicited unasked for nude pics.
As far as cheating goes, I don't like it, or accept it, what others like and accept is their business, as long as those relationships are equal. Cheaters are literally untrustworthy and untruthful, whether its fidelity to a partner in marriage or in business.
And interesting convos with my daughters, both under 13, the 12 year old feeling a bit of pressure because the boys in her class have "rated" the girls, this shit starts early.
I agree, I hate cheats and liars but I dislike dismissers, the only word I can think of but there must be a better one, to address the mythology that only men cheat. It is not possible for there to be say 20% or 30% of men cheating and only 5% to 10% of women, mathematics and research as outlined in the book X and Y establishes that the numbers must be almost equal. Both sexes are equally responsible. There are of course exploitive relationships but they cannot by any means be the norm as this just implies that women are not intelligent and as a male I firmly believe that women are the most intelligent sex. By only a little bit though.
Do you not think that girls do not also rank boys? My 11 year old son was given a cheap cellphone because he biked 14kms home after school, ( don't ask, he wanted to be a TdFrance rider), and it was a safety device for him but he ditched it because some girls were texting him with what were quite sweet messages that he made him aware that he was near the top of the league table and this was 15 years ago.
Young people have been ranking each other for thousands of years. It is human nature otherwise none of us would be here without the attraction imperative, we just have to learn to deal with it.
Of course women cheat, I was cheated on by one, but why whenever mens behaviour comes up we have to say "women suck too!!!". Once there's a flurry of women ministers resigning coz they can't keep it zipped up or sending revenge porn, if my daughters are rating boys and calling them out for being (male equivalent) sluts, lesbians or have "tampons stuck up your arse" then I'll call that out too.
It is better to look at one thing in isolation from all the world's ills. Looking at L-G, he has had a relationship with someone other than his official partner. He is spreading his love around. He should not do that and be true to his partner. And that is his business, and his partner's and also of the other.
Has he been indulging in orgies, where you go and get 'groovy' and feel free, and do whatever you feel like with anyone that you want? That would seem OTT, and not what you would expect a sober MP to do. That would raise questions of probity and decent restraint. There is a matter of balance to be applied in life, and I think it is frequently lacking these days.
This vox pop from Jordon Klepper gives us some idea of where you end up when people just react and have opinions, and don't think at all, just emote. I think that our idea of democracy and what it can do for the country is a lot of candyfloss. I don't want people like this who make no attempt to think deciding who will run a country!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b-dannQQ0Q
https://twitter.com/MaahunuiII/status/1285712936258985984
Wouldn't hurt, at least for a while.
To pre-empt all the whataboutery, if parliament was full of women, across the board, including women like Collins and Bennett, parliament's emotional and social intelligence would still have increased massively. Not because all men are rotten, but because women as a class actually want to do something about the rottenness rather than consolidating power.
Sounds good, Mothers especially would be more likely to legislate with a view to future generations rather than short term profits
pretty much.
Yes it does, and it's horrid. Much love to your girls, please let them know they are not alone.
Part of the issue I think is the objectification of women in porn and the easy access to porn because of the internet.
thank you Cinny, yes was a great chat, letting them know they don't have to put up with this shit, but at the same time they will have to figure out how to deal with this as it will probably occur throughout their lives, such is the world in which we live. But! Schools should be a safe place, like our work places, and all forms of bullying are unacceptable. "This shit starts early", & obviously learnt in the home.
I will call it out, & support my sisters & daughters. (& maybe some men have never heard womens stories? or women haven't told them and those men way want to think why they've never been told?).
I Feel Love, you are doing a fantastic job at parenting and should feel very proud of yourself. I wish my dad had such conversations with me, would have made certain situations in my life a whole lot easier to navigate.
I'm proud of you my friend, you are a good dad.
John Gray's a year older than me, and a retired political philosopher. His academic career featured tenure as a professor of politics at Oxford & Harvard, amongst others. I've got his book about utopianism, which was thought-provoking. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gray_(philosopher)
On Unherd, he has a review of "Polish director Agnieszka Holland’s film Mr Jones, now released on Netflix". https://unherd.com/2020/07/what-the-woke-movement-shares-with-communism/
So why were western media barons on Stalin's side?? Binary politics. The truth must be made to serve vested interests. Therefore it must be covered up sometimes:
For intellectuals, capitalism bad means communism good. For media barons, trade good means truth bad – where that wheat went is a truth defended by private property rights, so don't ask! Binary politics rules.
Worth noting that the entire MSM is foreign owned, except TVNZ and RNZ.
Our information is controlled by big news corporations, Silicon valley psychos, or State actors.
Which is why politics is always framed as a puppet show. Left hand puppets competing with right hand puppets. The binary structure assumes media consumers & voters will continually swallow the establishment's daily production of shit, and they do, so the system works well.
The oligarchs have figured out how to hack democracy… endless torrents of disinformation and paranoia to get people voting against their own interests
Belarus is trying to move out a leader who has been there since 1994? and elections are managed to keep him in place. Democracy is a word, the reality vanished and just theatre remains. And the play becomes closer to Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus*. The young people are sacrificing themselves in an attempt to gain back control of the country by the people. Watch out NZ, signs are here also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnpzDr1T-14
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus_Andronicus_(character)
How seriously do our governing bodies (local and national) take climate change?…..their actions belie their rhetoric.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018756214/some-tarras-locals-horrified-by-international-airport-plans
"Christchurch Airport, which is 75 per cent owned by the Christchurch City Council and 25 per cent by the Crown, revealed yesterday it had already spent $45 million on the proposal. This would see a two-point-two kilometre runway capable of accomodating international jet aircraft "
Game of Thrones amongst airport companies.
I see this as a blocking move to prevent Queenstown Airport, 24.9% owned by Auckland Airport, doing anything that would threaten Christchurch Airport and the wider South Island tourist industry.
QAC / AIA were heading down the track of expanded / new airports when covid hit, that's all on backburner, supposedly, but lots of rumours circulating. Hopefully the government involvement in this move will put some realism into the situation and the interests of the wider South Island come into play rather than funnelling all the traffic through Auckland.
The site has a lot of potential as a transport or residential hub even if the airport idea is shelved or scaled back. Around 200 linehaul trucks go past it most days and that is growing very fast as Central grows. This growth requires a major re-think of transport modes into the region. Put another mode, say rail from Christchurch, into the mix and the site gets very interesting.
If…and thats the key word…the Gov were serious about CC mitigation there is no need to implement commercial blocking moves on industry players that protect the south island from Auckland airport ambitions.
The growth and transport issues remain but it is abundantly apparent the drivers have nothing to do with CC except as cover
reinstating rail from Dunedin port into Central. Even at the time, before climate awareness, the pulling up of those lines looked criminal to me.
If we start with the climate and ecological emergencies, the whole things looks completely different. If we start with unchecked growth then there's no hope of designing sustainable systems. If we start with greed and the need to make money, we may as well just set fire to everything right now. Sorry, got no time for the level of denial from those corporate people, there's no excuse anymore.
Collins anger over the Falloon issue got the better of her and she targeted Lees – Galloway.
Just like Muldoon's anger got the better of him when he targeted Moyle with an incident which occurred 17 months earlier.
Had so much not have occurred in the last 2 weeks Lees – Galloway would have lost his ministerial portfolios and probably he would have stayed on to fight his electorate seat.
I want Lees – Galloway to stand as an independent or to fight for his electoral seat as a Labour candidate.
Collins anger over the Falloon issue got the better of her and she targeted Lees – Galloway.
Just like Muldoon's anger got the better of him when he targeted Moyle with an incident which occurred 17 months earlier.
Had so much not have occurred in the last 2 weeks Lees – Galloway would have lost his ministerial portfolios and probably he would have stayed on to fight his electorate seat.
I want Lees – Galloway to stand as an independent or to fight for his electoral seat as a Labour candidate.
a few days ago Collins said he needs support and is mentally unwell, now she's saying he's a monster.
Had Collins said unwell this would have come across as being sincere.
Winston First playing politics with Tiwai transition funding https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/421801/pm-s-announcement-of-100m-southland-recovery-package-scuppered-by-nz-first
Another clear signal that NZfist aren't just a handbrake on labour/green policies, they're also the shit on your shoe, the fly in your soup and rotten apple in the barrel. Time to get this mob out of parliament for good.
If you want a progressive labour led government, only party vote green or labour.
edit
Shane Jones this am on Radionz having a go at KiwiBank for being responsible and future oriented and having probity.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/421807/kiwibank-steps-back-from-ban-on-business-with-brothels
What I heard was about business relating to coal mines, but apparently radionz can't resist practising populist journalism. (Though it is important to accept prostitution as a righteous occupation, relating to mental and physical health.) And Jones referring to 'woke' – well I just think it is time that he practised keeping schtum, as his backwoods bloke approach doesn't fit these ultra-senstive times of sadness and madness.
The list of businesses Kiwibank says do harm to people or the environment include companies dealing fossil fuel extraction, tobacco, palm oil, casinos, predatory lending, synthetic drugs and weapons.
Not bank's role to make moral judgements – Shane Jones
Shane Jones, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises, questioned why companies that deal with the extraction, production and manufacturing of coal are included.
He told Morning Report Kiwibank should "get out of the pulpit".
"It's the role of the Crown to regulate whether or not there are bads associated with the extractive sector or any other sector.
"My warning to the chairman of Kiwibank is that the bank that goes woke may end up broke.
edit
I wonder if this song would be suitable to go on the authorised political promotion column. I’ve been looking at things I don’t want to see anywhere and feeling depressed. So this is a positive statement for our future. 'I want to be happy' with Bing Crosby.
Starts: I want to be happy, but I can't be happy, till I make you happy too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC4yJujsor4
It seems to me that is the basis of what I am trying for. Everyone getting a chance for a happy life and each person supporting a constructive political system in the country that enables that for everyone.
https://youtu.be/LlY90lG_Fuw
More like this one.
Liked that Pharrell Williams one lots to look at there as well as the music. Thanks. I use Happy to change my mindset often. I try to see something different every time I look at it.
Bit of a tech weenie piece on how to adapt and manage EV charging so it doesn't overload an apartment building's existing supply. It's a useful example of how to adapt to increased electrification without requiring the massive upgrades the naysayer fossilheads falsely cite to argue against electrification.
https://electrek.co/2020/07/22/charging-hundreds-of-evs-parked-at-a-condo-is-a-solvable-problem-heres-how/
That was interesting. Now here in central Wellington we need a solution that lets the parked on the street overnight cars charge from a house's stored domestic solar supply. Lets make the power companies redundant!
There's a few thoughts here.
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-7732287/Oxford-installs-UKs-pop-chargers-rise-pavement.html
Gotta admit, I'm kinda surprised domestic solar is a viable option in Wellie. Woulda thought the better option was something wind-based.
It's a lovely sunny day here today. ( Wind comments are tactfully ignored). There is some on roof solar – I've just been having a general look – based on the number one motivation of all New Zealanders – shafting the power companies.
More generally – with deposit rates and borrowing being way down – $10,000 returns only $100 to $200 p.a.- just about any solar system is likely to take at least that off an annual power bill. Maybe panels first then battery storage . Unfortunately the gap between plug in electric vehicles and petrol still isn't small enough.
Collins is just about to announce she's sacked Phil Twyford.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122220744/live-national-party-leader-judith-collins-to-make-a-transport-announcement
Now were Collin's to announce how long she knew about ILG and saved it up for a rainy day, that would be something.
Would it be a resigning offence?
See Falloon issue still more women affected by his behaviour.
Did you note the other Headline about Falloon, a 5th complaint has been recieved.
This is the farmer who loves his land. That trite saying, that fudges everything such as the idea that a farmer is actually a guardian of his land.
This is the bloke who works on common-sense – which Einstein is supposed to have said is – What you have learned by age 18. The land has been in the family for a long time and now he is bringing it face to face in his lifetime with maximum Extraction of Profit and Efficiency.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/421825/te-anau-farmer-accused-of-destroying-800-hectares-of-native-forest-in-two-years
He might find himself being evicted if he's in breach of his lease. Though that's really only something for poor people to worry about.
Rich white guy, the judge will be lenient
Ummm – "Native Forest" ???
From the article:
"when he cleared mānuka on his property to make room for pasture"
"He denied Chartres had cleared any trees older than 20 years, and said Chartres had existing land use rights.
"Te Anau Downs Station has had a long history of pastoral farming. Nothing has changed over the period of time that the property has been farmed. There has, [from] time to time, been regrowth of native scrub which has, [from] time to time, been cleared to allow pastoral farming to be continued," he said."
There is a vast difference between "Native Forest" and "regrowth of native scrub"
… and it has yet to be proven that any "trees" older than 20 years have been removed.
A bit of balance is required if farmers are to "save" us with their production for export!
Ecologist in the Environment Court report:
"[fhe site] has had a long history of disturbance from fire and pastoral activity however, the review of aerial photographs and the tree ring analysis provides evidence that the majority of the area has not been disturbed for over 30 years. The ecological values and effects of the clearance are considered to be high based on the removal of threatened flora and fauna habitat, the removal of the buffering effect on wetlands that were excluded from the clearance and the opportunity for the natural succession of the vegetation toward a beech forest community. The ecological investigation has found clearance of the mature manuka-bog pine shrubland would not have been permitted under the operative district plan or the previous district plan. The younger bracken fern-manuka-bog pine community may have been permitted under Rule HER.3 of the previous district plan but not under Rule BI0.1 of the operative district plan."
"….The Te Anau Downs East clearance covers an area of approximately 25 ha and appears to have had limited disturbance for over 100 years….."
Looks careless and intentional to me, and typically there's quite a high threshold before Council's start taking action, so it must be quite bad.
https://environmentcourt.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Publications/2020-NZEnvC-101-Southland-District-Council-v-Chartres-Others.pdf
News headline, news headline …….human farmer found living under a rock…new creature with no eyes to read with or ears to hear with.
If this is a pastoral lease then permission must be sought for all of these farming ops.
Manuka and native scrub if left and possibly fenced off will revert. So press report is quite correct to say 'manuka' and 'regrowth native scrub'.
The tide went out at least 20 years ago or more on the wholesale clearance of so-called 'worthless' manuka and native regrowth. How will we ever find a tree over 20 years if they are all cultivated away?
The wool that will 'save' us on these high country farms is fine wool from merino sheep. Merino sheep thrive on dry stony areas and not, generally, on lush low country. They have a predisposition to foot rot that is exacerbated by damp etc.
The area may have been cleared to work up for on farm crop or for low country sheep. Low country wool production is not going to save us, not sure about the meat side of it.
A farmer working to the terms of their pastoral lease and the pastoral farming ethos does not need to increasingly bring new areas in for cultivation.
The type of 'bony' lowland country here might be ideal for testing the regenerative farming concept. It does not growth normal grass/crops very well without large inputs of fertiliser etc.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/416143/regenerative-agriculture-how-a-dairy-farmer-learned-to-trust-his-instincts
https://pureadvantage.org/news/2020/04/30/insight-into-regenerative-agriculture-in-new-zealand-the-good-the-bad-and-the-opportunity/
If not a pastoral lease and private then good on the Council. Hope they win.
Travellers to the formerly spectacular Mackenzie basin will have seen the growth of factory farming there and the loss of native cover and awe inducing views.
It is good to note that this government has committing to stop the tenure review process for Crown pastoral leases that has been responsible for the growth of factory farming, and for a large dollop of unearned capital asset floating the farmers way from the Crown or people of NZ
Hon Eugenie Sage Min of Land Information introduced a bill on 16/7/20 doing just this.
'This omnibus bill amends the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 and the Land Act 1948, with a single broad policy to amend these Acts to end tenure review and redesign the regulatory system to deliver improved Crown pastoral land outcomes.'
ttps://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_99486/crown-pastoral-land-reform-bill
.
And this guys prejudice was obvious – he believed that he could do as he damn well pleased no matter what. Unfortunately, he probably won't have the land taken from him despite his abuse of it.
Common Sense Isn't.
Victim number five comes forward in the Falloon/National Party dirty sexting scandal.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12350394
Yeah, but the false equivalence National were striving for with the ILG release has already been established. As long as the public think "plague on all your houses" then it’s Mission Accomplished for the Nats and their media acolytes.
19 September will be mission accomplished for the voters.
When it comes to unbecoming conduct of a leader, minister or an MP, the powers of the speaker of the house and the leader/s of a party need to be managed independently. I have no problem with MPs or members of the public being a witness to a hearing with name suppression.
All scandals are disruptive to the running of the country because the leader of the affected party has to address the problem.
Maybe AB, that was certainly the DP plan, but not many think cheating is that much of a scandal, certainly nowhere near sending unsolicited porn. A lot of relationships are ppl who got together cheating, I can name some journalist couples that did (but I won't name here, but not that hard to figure out). & notice not many MPs condemning ILG, ha!!!
Apparently he was a Young Act once.
Police have launched a new investigation into former National Party MP Andrew Falloon.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122228519
What's going on with the census? The 2013 census, which was only average, cost $90million. The 2018 census cost $126 million and was a complete mess.
For 2023 the option picked costs $210 million. The gold plated version would be $216 million.
So why has the cost of the census soared by so much when wages have barely moved?
And it looks like they want it to be a lot more intrusive of minority groups. Haven't they heard of data set reintegration.
"It balances the need to maintain the current time series of data with a desire for ever-richer, high-quality data about small groups of the population. [It] delivers improvements to the wider data system."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/421792/stats-nz-advised-risk-2023-census-option-would-produce-very-poor-quality-data
It's more expensive because technology is being used to reduce costs.
Yes I wondered about that. Or have they got tied into privatised contracts that are escalating?
Or does it have mission creep and the money is being used to support that highly intrusive database that Bill English set up that aggregates all the data that the government holds on each citizen and should be dumped? It only needs one bad actor getting into it.
😆
no idea, but I'd look first to Key's govt cutting costs.
And when they didn't do the census it was even cheaper and most certainly wasn't a complete mess. Just that the government didn't have the data that they needed to plan with.
The 2018 one was a change in systems and could be expected to go wrong in unexpected ways. I actually suspect that the previous census were also a complete mess but that things had been swept under the rug and/or simply not noticed due to the manual system not being fast enough. Census have always failed to complete on a single day and the stats department would spend months backtracking.
Well, the wages for the plebs have stayed low or even gone backwards but the wages for the execs has sky-rocketed. And they're probably buying new equipment.
More bad news for Judith Collins' favourite attack dog
With this dirty politics continuing, Collins and Ardern must both answer questions about Slater … because "Both Sides"!
how many court cases has he lost now?
It is easier to count the number that he has won. Which I think totals about zero.
He has just been avoiding the mire severe consequences by being bankrupt again and again.
Eeewww I just saw that too on RNZ. Back into the hot seat for Whaley-boy.
Dirty politics is the new NZ politic, although it is no resounding revelation that dirty tactics have been visible in the land of plenty (and well covered) for many a decade.
Nowadays though, "the bigger the whale the greater the impact" seems to be the perpetual catch phrase and the most preferred ammunition of choice.
What ever happened to the good old days of political government, simply instilling fear into the populous, and working their way to power on the back of that?
For Graig it is about the winning and not the payment for defamation damages.
Slater finally got what he had coming with his key board.
This is a very interesting story, yet to be verified, but somehow has a ring of truth. Is it skepticism, or is there some substance that we should all be concerned about.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12350414
Is there a story in the hibbledribble that interests you?
Three Pro Democracy Chinese Nationals heading to Wellington to present a petition to Parliament killed in accident near Toupo
was having trouble posting this link so will post the body of the article from Taimi Allan who works in mental health (article from Radio NZ)……
I was making this point a couple of days back that Falloon's behaviour separate to any issues of grief he is experiencing. Thought this article expressed it better than I did
Opinion – Mental distress is not an excuse for sexual harassment – let's establish that right away. There is nothing in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) that refers to sending unsolicited sexual images as a symptom of any known mental illness.
Disgraced National MP Andrew Falloon. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
We have heard little detail around Falloon's mental health concerns, and that's okay, our mental health challenges are nobody else's business.
We know he experienced a recent loss of a friend, raising unresolved grief from similar losses earlier in life, and we know that grief and suicide touch most of us, and can leave an enormous psychological toll.
What we also know however, is that sending unsolicited graphic images to someone is not a known coping mechanism and will not make you 'feel better'.
Yesterday we heard that when Falloon sent these images, he had been drinking heavily.
At least one woman has accused him of gaslighting – manipulative behaviour that makes the receiver of such communication feel like or believe they are going crazy. It's concerning that someone who is capable of deliberately making someone else question their sanity has also used mental health problems as an excuse for their inappropriate behaviour towards a teenager.
Who knows if these claims are simply a desperate measure to control a narrative, to shift blame and avoid personal responsibility. I can't say if Falloon is genuinely in mental distress or not. I haven't spoken with him and don't know the full details, but I have no doubt that the unwanted attention by the public, his own party and the media he is now getting, will almost certainly be contributing to him feeling some sort of distress.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/421783/andrew-falloon-may-be-in-distress-but-that-s-no-excuse-for-bad-behaviour
[Link included and image re-sized]
Responding to the DSM reference.
No, not specifically included, but there is a considerable amount of material in that mental disorders manual which covers various forms of behavioral disorders (including various forms of sexual deviancy), activity which would be consistent with this sort of behavior.
Also, many disorders which appear to be of a sexual in motivation are often more accurately and appropriately linked to, or associated with individuals seeking gratification by way of disturbing others or dominating others, and even attempting to control others.
They might, at least, fit into the first two categories mentioned above, that is to shock people or to bully them. We have seen this in the behavior of many parliamentarians.
I often wonder whether or not the behavior we observe in relation to those holding or seeking publicly recognized positions might also point to a problem, and perhaps a wider problem for New Zealand.
Falloon's display (I guess) may have inadvertently pulled one of a number of issues out of the box which would seriously beg the deliberation over whether or not New Zealand professionals in public office should be regularly evaluated in relation to both their psychological and emotional disposition.
Also, in relation to sexting images. Persons (male or female) who directly receive such material where they had neither requested nor encouraged such activity might well be more shocked than offended by such images.
After all, this isn't just some anonymous server sending unsolicited images to an unknown requester only identified by an internet address, and it wasn't a spam server generating the material as far as the public can ascertain.
If any of his recipients had just received these out of the blue, they might seriously wonder just what it is the National Party are promoting, not what some errant MP is trying to deliver.
If the recipients had previously engaged and, in part, encouraged the activity initially, that would be an entirely different story of course. Even individuals providing personal mobile numbers need to be aware that certain approaches can be misconstrued by some people.
If you are referring to the exchange in the previous thread…..just to be clear I have never said or implied that grief was/is the cause of people coping by sending inappropriate pictures over the the phone. My views were always in the context of what people do to self medicate to resolve grief. Many drink to excess. Many of these who 'cope' in this way are males.
When we (royal we) drink to excess we often become disinhibited and do things our more in control selves would not do. Sometimes we (royal we) wake the next morning and think 'wow did I really do that silly DJ act or dance like that.'…other times we, broadly speaking again, may wake knowing we have had an accident, our car is a write off or we have killed someone.
We don't have an underlying condition as a killer of people or a destructor of cars. We drank, we became disinhibited and our more in control selves were put aside.
You advised your view then that as a person is while sober, as they are drunk.
I disagree wholeheartedly with this. My life in the world with people knows that this is not true. I have seen, lived with and been friends with too many people to know this is not correct.
I get the feeling that dealing with grief, unresolved or not is does not even pass muster as some 'sort of distress' and note that you have not mentioned the suicides of friends as a contributor to his 'distress' in this sentence.
It seems that there is a hierarchy and that 'real' MH is the permanent MH conditions while real, serious and other happenings are 'some sort of distress' as you quaintly put it.
Hopefully this is not the view of too many out in the caring community. We want to encourage people to go for help not put them off.
It appears 'Dr' Judith Collins is also of that view though. She is angry that his 'distress' is also not a 'real' MH condition. He apparently deceived her about mental health issues when really he was sending smutty pictures. She too is operating at the 'act' level not the 'causation' level.
I guess you can realise by now I don't think much of your linked article. We do not know what caused the bad behaviour and until we can knock out of contention the heavy drinking and the unresolved grief it behoves us to be a bit careful don't you think?
But again the writer of the article will be pleased to know that Dr Collins also shares her view….Falloon apparently just was just not 'mad' enough to be a person suffering anything to do with mental health, who drank and did bad things to deal with it.
Because I have these views I do does not mean that I am rationalising.
Because I have these views it does not mean I am a member of the National Party as was your suggestion before.
Never have been and never will be.
In point of fact due to my career decision to join the Public Service, right from the very start I have never ever even joined or donated to a political party as I wanted to work in an apolitical arena as an apolitical person and to be seen as such.
[Fixed typo in user name]
Weka so were a police inspector and the cop you were complaining about to have sent switch messages to each other saying "Ramblings of a mad woman, psychologically sick
The wonderful Emerson https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12349525
Poor Crusher/Gunner Collins.
She's having man all guns meantime on her Man O War.
She’s feistier than paper darts, that’s for sure.
.
A change from the usual men's games – Australian league etc.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-23/australian-warships-encounter-chinese-navy-south-china-sea/12481514
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/23/south-china-sea-australian-warships-encounter-chinese-navy-in-disputed-waters
South China Sea: Australian warships encounter Chinese navy in disputed waters
Canberra downplays the ‘unplanned interactions’ amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between two countries…
While it remains unclear exactly where the interaction between the Chinese navy and Australian warships took place, the ABC reported that the warships sailed near the Spratly Islands last week.
Five Australian warships – HMAS Canberra, Hobart, Stuart, Arunta and Sirius – left Darwin on 5 July and are taking part in drills with Japan and the United States in the Philippine Sea this week, before they head to Hawaii to join a US-led military exercise known as Rimpac.
What is our position about this?
Firstly, let's protest to all parties and tell them that it's not a Fair Go. Then, we can warn them that if they persist they will feel the wrath of New Zealand verbal firepower.
Further, we must tell them that our green and turf heroes and our warriors will mount waka and blockade them if they start firing shots at each other.
We may then absolutely prove that with a vision of our mythical ancestors, as a nation, we can stop bullets and salvos.
If that's not our position greywarshark, it god damn should be!
"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender our expression, our opinions and our perspectives.
Green and brown warriors, knowing how envious the rest of the world is of our pride and our independence.
That’s my quarter of a dollars worth greywarshark.
Now. Where’s that mother freakin’ pipe?
The drains are blocked and welfare won’t cough up the dough to unblock it. That’s government immorality for you, yet again!
Guess who will be first online when the US gives out vaccines.
I thought that we were the vaccine. A cure all for the entire world.
Goldsmith doesn't know diddly about economics cutting spending in a recession only makes it worse less money flowing through the economy means lower tax take requiring lower govt spending creating a downward spiral which is National Party austerity their go to policy.
The health system has been exposed by Covid it needs a massive investment.
We need to have a world class health system not 30th placed in the OECD.
With out this we are extremely vulnerable
Who (or WHO) knows? Alan Gibbs and Peter Goodfellow may have come up with the final solution for New Zealand after all.
The Daily Blog computer is having a foggy morning all day long. Send over Lprent.
I wonder at all the early day commenters here. Fresh air is sweet but evening is a more contemplative time surely. I could make an argument against these free-time commenters versus the originators of the people's movement. But I accept you're all old timers who've got out the other end and prefer cold water and bracing mornings.