"The cabbage white’s white wings reflect ultraviolet light, which we can’t see but the butterflies can. To our eyes the butterflies seem plain, drab, vanilla—but to each other, females are a gentle lavender and males shine with a deep royal purple. "
Hello all, long time, no comment. You might have seen me on interest.co.nz fighting the good fight in the comments section there, though.
Anyway, I have gone through a profound maturation this year, and have been doing a hell of a lot of thinking about the world in general. I came across a twitter thread this morning, which consolidates and elaborates on everything I've been thinking about over the past 3 weeks, and I thought it was worth sharing here as this seems like the best audience:
1/ 2020: The Great Release meets The Transformation Age, what an amazing time to be alive! We are witness to the birth pangs of the new world right beneath & in front of us. Incredible.
A thread on the best way to understand 2020 through the lens of an integral mind.
This just explains where we are in history so well, I think.
I also think that Jacinda is a Teal leader, and that NZ is poised to be a leader in global Teal thinking this century, given our unique geographic location in the world, resource limitations and ecosystem, coupled with the indigenous culture that is an embodiment of resilience. Other indigenous cultures around the world also embody resilience, but in most other countries they've been much more repressed and marginalized than Maori have been in NZ (and we're actively trying to undo our harm – more Teal attitudes).
The only thing that is going to get humanity through this century is everyone working together, and diversity of human creativity, thought and expression.
Lanthanides are silvery white soft metals. I am in agreement with what you have posted, Lanthanide. I believe it reflects, curiously enough, the first post of the day 🙂
I was annoyed that your comment beat me – in the time it took me to get out of bed (where my phone told me 0 comments) and get to my computer to write it.
Yes change is the one constant of life – and that last sentence you wrote above is resonates well with me.
Keep in mind however that hopefully in another decade or so, you will look back on what you believe today – and there will likely be a few more 'duh' moments.
Welcome. Yes I have read you on interest.co.nz. Thanks for a hopeful start to the day, We do have troglodytes marching in three cities today, and your post is a hopeful antidote.
The Standard really should get with the times and have the possibility of a Thumbs Up reply to comments. It's pretty Standard (pun intended) everywhere else on the internet.
I know that Lynn tried it once before already years ago – in fact I was the very person who suggested it that time, too. Go back and check Lynn if you don't believe me. The problem with the add-on you installed is that it allowed downvotes as well as upvotes, so people could troll etc. Just get a plugin or configure it to only allow upvoting. That problem is solved.
It is easy enough to do. However I have a few other things that tend to be more important.
The Standard got a brain transplant last night. Its currently booting off a USB. But it has a Ryzen 5700G upgrading the Ryzen 1700X.
The actual problem at the time was the way that the votes were stored. It did nasty things to the amount of data access and slowing down putting up comments.
From today's Otago Daily Times. I had my say near the end of the article 🙂
New inclusive campaign guidelines for local body elections have been called an "abomination" threatening free speech, but many candidates in the South have endorsed the call for respectful debate.
The guide encourages candidates to consider how they can respect and uphold the Treaty of Waitangi, value te reo Maori, reframe debates to avoid racism and race-baiting, avoid perpetuating stereotypes and identify actions they would take in office to support diversity and "build belonging".
It refers directly to debates about Three Waters and Maori wards, "which have, at times, become derogatory to Maori".
Michael Laws
The guidance was developed by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), written in partnership with the Human Rights Commission, and included comment from race relations commissioner Meng Foon.
Otago regional councillor Michael Laws called the guide an abomination – it was a "biased attempt to stop freedom of speech and thought around Three Waters, around Maori wards, around co-governance, around the Government’s so-called reform agenda".
"It seeks to dissuade those who dissent from this woke nonsense from standing for office," Cr Laws said.
His colleagues were divided.
Cr Gary Kelliher said it was an attempt by LGNZ to "tailor their perfect council candidate" and Cr Hilary Calvert said "this smells of staff of the relevant organisations becoming involved in political matters".
However, Cr Gretchen Robertson said running a campaign that put other people down was weak and "an attempt to deflect attention from your own inadequacies".
Cr Alexa Forbes said: "I’m sorry that we have to be reminded of our obligations and I look forward to the day that we don’t have to be."
Cr Michael Deaker said some people might call the guidelines woke.
"I see them as respectful and well designed for New Zealand in 2022".
LGNZ chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene said a sometimes-toxic environment had built up over time and "shifting what’s acceptable – and what is not – will take more than one election cycle".
Candidates could debate important issues robustly while upholding the dignity of fellow candidates, she said.
Aaron Hawkins
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said making elections safer for a broader range of candidates should be encouraged.
"Sadly, we are seeing an increase in the uglier elements of public debate, including racism.
"Those of us who aren’t the target of that have an obligation to help shut it down."
Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis said the campaigning advice was a patronising, bicultural straitjacket that claimed diversity, but which pushed Maori speech and sensitivity agendas.
He noted it did not dwell on such things as value for money, debt and rates, "which are of interest to voters and should be the real focus of elected representatives".
Fellow councillor Sophie Barker said the document reflected how troubling some behaviour had become, especially online.
She did not recall racist rhetoric during her 2019 campaign, but did encounter sexism.
"On my first night campaigning, while I was looking for a seat on stage, one of the candidates said I could sit on his knee any time," Cr Barker said.
Cr Rachel Elder said the guidelines were great.
"If we demean, belittle, label and personally attack people or people groups, we are not upholding the idea of democracy," Cr Elder said.
Cr Steve Walker said supporting diversity and inclusion should be the default position of any worthy candidate.
Cr Jules Radich said he was comfortable with the guidance.
The Team Dunedin ticket he was leading had "asked for interaction with mana whenua".
Dunedin mayoralty candidate Mandy Mayhem-Bullock said she wanted to see people from all walks of life on the council.
Environment Southland councillor Robert Guyton said he felt Mr Foon had been proactive in alerting candidates to the activities of pressure groups, especially those opposed to Three Waters reform.
"A great deal of the commentary around the claims made by these groups is certainly racist in nature," Cr Guyton said.
At a glance
Tips for fostering inclusion
• Take time to engage with the Treaty of Waitangi by learning your local iwi history
• Have a look at examples of partnership with manawhenua and Maori in local government
• Attend cultural, ethnic and diverse public events
• Use multilingual greetings
• Attend community meetings in diverse settings, including marae, mosques, churches and migrant centres
• Monitor your social media
• Be an "upstander" against racist and discriminatory comments
For those who think naming unevidenced medical treatment for minors as "affirming healthcare" makes everything hunky-dory, a well-written Substack article explains why not.
They read: “The NBHW deems that the risks of puberty suppressing treatment with GnRH-analogues and gender-affirming hormonal treatment currently outweigh the possible benefits, and that the treatments should be offered only in exceptional cases.”
Finland’s Council for Choices in Health Care (COHERE) came to almost the exact same conclusion a year earlier, noting, through a translation: “The first-line intervention for gender variance during childhood and adolescent years is psychosocial support and, as necessary, gender-explorative therapy and treatment for comorbid psychiatric disorders.” And: “In light of available evidence, gender reassignment of minors is an experimental practice.” Gender reassignment medical interventions “must be done with a great deal of caution, and no irreversible treatment should be initiated,” COHERE wrote.
These guidelines were in contrast to those proffered by the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH), an advocacy group made up of activists, academics, lawyers, medical and mental health care providers, which creates “standards of care” that many providers elect to follow. WPATH, which will soon issue its 8th iteration of its SOC, is lowering recommended ages for blockers, hormones and surgeries, and adding chapters on medicine for those with gender identities like non-binary or eunuch. (WPATH did not respond to a request for comment.)
Yes, there's a lot of areas of concern in New Zealand at the moment.
The guidelines of the newly created (2020) Relationships and Sex Education curriculum is one. Exacerbated by the provision of resources from external organisations reducing scrutiny and transparency.
The position those who are seeking to raise awareness are in, is the one that apparently excuses various forms of abuse and considered by NZ media to be occupied by conspiracy theorists.
The last time NZ could be considered (arguably) a sustainable society would have been pre colonisation….there were no imports required (that we know of, if there were they were minimal) and everything needed to support society was provided domestically…(even so there were extinctions and environmental damage)….the population of NZ pre colonisation is estimated to have been around 100,000.
The first wave of Maori settlement is thought to have occurred around 1100 AD. If we estimate that the first wave comprised around 1000 souls (over a period of voyages) then what rate of population growth occurred?
Around 0.66% per annum
If that growth rate had continued until today what would NZs population be now (realising that it is not necessarily sustainable)
"That’s why I argue that Fortress Aotearoa is simply a matter of when not if.
The current political spectrum in New Zealand can not radically adapt fast enough to adopt the changes we must make if we are to survive the climate crisis. It will require a radical Political Movement that elects a Party to implement Fortress Aotearoa…
Move away from intensive farming and look to become domestically self sustainable in terms of food.
Immediately ban all water exports.
Empower local communities to make local decisions and set up resilience programs.
5 year Parliamentary term so Governments can actually plan for change.
Upper and Lower House (Upper House 50-50 split between Māori & Pakeha that can hold up legislation if unhappy about Treaty issues)
Massive investment into R&D from Government with the understanding research is to benefit NZ first before sold offshore.
Large scale increase in Navy, Army & Airforce.
Mass limiting of tourism numbers with huge increased tourist taxes.
Only citizens can vote.
Sustainable immigration and an end to exploitative migrant workers.
Resettlement Programms for all pacific island neighbours.
Increase refugee in take to 10 000 per year
Fully funded public services focused on real welfare of people.
Mass Green housing rebuild.
100% renewable energy for entire country.
Massive tree planting across previous farming land.
Wholesale re-write of state services act to end commercial values.
Investment into basic pharmaceutical production.
Financial transaction tax
Wealth tax
Multinational tax
Inheritance tax
Capitalist monopolies in energy, transport and finance have to be brought into public ownership and control. They should be subject to democratic plans drawn up by the whole community. Workers should have much stronger decision making powers within them.
All economic sectors to be made take steps needed to decarbonise the economy as much as is needed to reach zero net emissions by 2030.
Free and frequent public transport on electric buses and/or trains in all main cities.
Health care and education for life should be free and universally accessible.
Welfare, pensions, child allowances, should be universal wherever possible.
Public housing at fixed and affordable rents should be a right of all not just the desperately poor.
All workers should have a right to a job and the workweek reduced with no loss of pay to make that possible.
Local communes should be supported for control and delivery of as many functions of the centralised state as possible – including housing, education, health care.
Local communes to support cooperative forms of production of food, solar and wind energy, electric transport, and media.
On a rapidly warming planet, NZ will increasingly be the life boat for Earth and the tyranny of our distance will become our blessing.
Pretending that we can ‘stop’ the climate crisis cascade is sophistry, we require radical reform and adaptation now."
he probably shouldn't have been undermining the Greens all these years, eh.
Pretending that we can ‘stop’ the climate crisis cascade is sophistry, we require radical reform and adaptation now.
Not sure what he means there tbh. There is huge benefit in averting the worst of climate change. Runaway CC won't be survivable in NZ even if we were a fortress. I agree about radical change, and mitigation and adaptation are still two sides of the same regen coin.
Agreed about Bomber's attacks on the Greens Weka. I think he is attacking the personnel and not the policies when he makes these attacks which is really dumb.
I still don't get why it's so hard to see the Greens as pathway to better politics. Once they get meaningful power in government, it opens the door for other parties on the left to get in.
The timing is correct. This was signaled when they passed the co-leader requirement for one female and one of any other gender amendment some months back.
Until then they could not get rid of Shaw because there were literally no other credible male candidates. Now they can purge the party of all but a few token white males altogether.
Yes but what are we going to do after breakfast Bomber?
"immediately ban all water exports"….the Clutha alone puts out roughly 300,000 litres a second (it varies between 200 and 600) or a million litres every three seconds.
We have oodles of H2O….providing it is not exported in plastic bottles what is the problem?
at a guess, impact on the ground water, river and river bank ecologies, and the coastal ecologies around the outlet (extending for quite some way). We already interrupt much of that via hydro.
I'm not averse to NZ shipping water globally for aid reasons. Can't see how it can be done for profit reasons without becoming yet another problem of capitalism.
is this a manufacturing dilemma? If you make a product that lasts 40 years, and within five years everyone has one, how do you keep the business going?
Yes and no.The older manufacturing model,had service (repairs and maintenance) where after warranty replacement parts etc,would be an income stream for the dealers.Now it is cheaper in some instances to replace either the whole appliance,or a substantive component.
Also now people seem inclined to buy and looks rather then function.
You change your company to produce items with a 30 year or lifetime warranty. You supply full technical diagrams for how to make all replacement parts, including 3d printing and metal fabrication instructions.
You look at what Red Hat does – they sell support for open source Linux. Linux is literally free, but Red Hat still makes money because using technology is hard.
“These reports are very disturbing and further underline the importance of the IAEA going to the Zaporizhzya plant. I’m continuing my determined efforts to agree & lead a safety, security & safeguards mission to the site as soon as possible. It is urgent,” @RafaelMGrossi said.
— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) July 22, 2022
Mentions of Russian battalions being surrounded beginning to look like they may be true.
Ukraine refuses the enemy's request for a green corridor for thousands of soldiers to exit Kherson region. Ukraine demands their surrender of troops and equipment otherwise they will be eradicated. https://t.co/KhOMb0aX3I
I see some "freedom and rights" people are back out protesting today. I wondered what covid restrictions they are complaining about now. Maybe the recommendation to wear masks inside public spaces or get a covid booster. Pretty much nothing there to continue their muddled thinking against. But no, instead they are protesting violence, cost of living and a stretched health system.
So what exactly is impinging on their 'freedoms' and their 'rights' amongst that list. Nowt I can see. Another set of scatter gun issues which have little to do with freedom and rights, another catch all get some publicity stunt for Brian Tamaki maybe. If they want to protest against violence, fine, go and protest outside gang pads and make it clear to them. If they want to protest against cost of living, go and protest outside the Russian embassy. If they want to protest against a stretched health system, go and protest outside the homes and workplaces where people refuse to wear masks or have an issue getting covid or influenza vaccinations.
Are Ngai Tahu also marching on motorways in order to stop the evil Jacinda Ardern?
It must be excruciating for the political right in New Zealand to see their desires mirrored perfectly by one Bishop Brian Tamaki.
I heard Heather Supidity-Allan try to distance the opposition and their supporters from the protests today but the truth is they are one and the same ideologically.
And hopefully a few other enterprises taking advantage of their charitable status to avoid paying tax. Although WorkSafe and Employment Court might deal to Gloriavale long before IRD gets a go.
What if Standardistas decided to get together and dance around on a motorway. The whole damn lot of us would be dragged away and arrested before you could say Jack Robinson. So why should these nit-wits be allowed to.
A reporter interviewed one of the protesters on TV1 this evening. She said she was there because she doesn't understand what the government is doing. Sheesh…
Oh I thought they were protesting against democracy. RNZ News said the idiot was calling on all parliamentary parties to step aside, presumably so he can step in and be our dictator.
His bikie gang mates must be supplying him with their finest brain-rot poison.
You don't appear that interested in living in a democratic and free society, otherwise you would be generally supportive of Tamaki's groups actions, love him or hate him.
I see the "marchers" of today from Destiny Church and the Coalition wanted to create mayhem, but not violence. Get a dictionary. About 1800 people all up in three centres
Yes. He laid it out so that anyone with half a brain could understand. Why oh why aren't these people given maximum opportunities to inform the public.
I will predict that come this time next week Shaw will still be leader, the Green party will have spent a week being excoriated in the media and the party will drop below 5% in the next poll. Typical Greens internecine politics – posturing tactics without a wider strategy.
Minor tests of integrity build resilience and inner strength.
Just because other parties hide/avoid/refuse to engage in the natural selection process, doesn't mean The Greens have to follow suite.
In any case, the Right despise the type of thinking that has interrupted the leader's BAU and when James turns them out, the blueies will unconsciously cheer him on!
The public show of disunity has damaged the party regardless whether Shaw re runs and is reselected or not…..and I’d add I would not be surprised at all if he didnt rerun .
True, that. The only 2 political parties that are in this enjoyable position, which is a shame because it has a disproportionate influence on NZ politics.
As there was with National….and a series previously with Labour…and in all instances they were detrimental to party support following.
Except in both those cases Nat and Lab were in actual disarray. The GP isn't, this is more about strategy as far as I can tell, rather than the Greens not having a good co leader.
However as you and Robert see no issue then you have nothing to worry about….obviously others disagree, myself included.
the biggest concern I have is the degree to which lefties are freaking out and/or dissing the GP as we speak, and how much hay the MSM will make with that. As for the rest, I find dissent healthy (depending on how it is done. the dissenting MPs at the 2017 election handled it very badly).
It's a media beat up. Stuff said Shaw was "ashen faced" after the vote!!!
Come off it. 70% of the delegates backed him. Just 32 people didn't. He will be massively backed by the members and will be leader at the next election.
But some would be happier with a National/ACT government, so they could have the righteous purity of protest. Cost of self-indulgence: one planet.
that's not it. It's that some people understand the urgency of climate change and think the current strategy is the wrong one. This is a legitimate position.
While the planet burns and drowns a faction of the Greens thinks it is so clever to play gender or sex politics because it is so much more important. Marama Davidson gets a free pass when she has done bugger all, but James Shaw (who doesn't thrill me) doesn't, even though he hasn't been allowed to do enough but has done more than bugger all.
I'm not some rightwing concern troll. I have genuinely voted left my entire life starting with Values. I have been involved in the Greens as a member, a network convenor and a branch co-convener.
But I have lost faith in the Greens. While I could see that climate collapse was the No 1 issue because it was about survival of the species and the opportunity to worry about a whole heap of other things, Marama Davidson wanted to reclaim the C word.
I voted Red/Green last time because in my electorate I thought that was the most effective use of my vote, despite feeling the Greens had dropped the ball long ago.
A party that thinks it crucial to have co-leaders who are female and other is no longer my party.
So long and thanks for the fish.
Now back to the work in my local community trying to help make it more resilient in the existential crisis we're neck deep in.
I think you misunderstand the situation. The Greens embrace and test non-ordinary ideas. There is no-one better, in all of NZ politics, to weather this challenge to orthodox behaviour. James will rise to the challenge, regain his position and go from strength to strength. Had to happen. Will be a success. Most won't be able to understand what has happened.
Brian Tamaki is talking about a new party … yet again:
From RNZ:
Tamaki told RNZ he will soon make an announcement regarding three minor parties forming a coalition. Tamaki said three minor parties have made the commitment to operate under a new umbrella.
"I'm in talks with others. So it looks like there's going to be a new party on the block."
Reminder: Tamaki's party (then called Vision NZ) got 0.15% of the vote at the election.
Still, Luxon being asked if he rules them out would be entertaining.
he hasn't been kicked out. They voted to reopen nominations which means he will face a leadership challenge. Like he did last year. It's just a bit different because they didn't get the nomination in on time I think.
Perhaps he will stay as leader, but that's not really the point.
There have always been tensions, in any deal between 2+ parties, between those who say "get a better deal" and those who say "this is the best we can get". A story as old as coalitions, anywhere. Fine.
But that is irrelevant here. It's not 2017-2020. It's not "Bargain harder than Winston Peters". It's a majority Labour government. Shaw gets as much or as little from Ardern as she wants. Leverage: nil.
So what is it that the anti-Shaw people want him to do?
speak out more is one thing that comes up consistently. That applies to the whole party but particularly the leadership.
There's also the idea that Shaw compromised too much and could have taken a better plan to Labour. I don't know where the truth lies with that, but anyone who thinks our current climate response is adequate is ill informed.
I guess one can yell and grandstand and look good and get nowhere, or you can get in the backrooms out of sight and get those from opposing sides to the table. Idealists dont belong in government.
don't particularly disagree with that, but it fails when considering climate change and that we are running out of time. We need radical change, and I don't think taking another decade to build power alongside Labour is the way to do it.
Probably the most important thing that could happen now would be a strong voice on climate, esp holding Labour to account. Inside or outside of parliament, doesn't have to be the Greens. But it has to be someone.
From the point of view of someone like you weka, with your understanding of climate change, there is no government anywhere, acting with as much immediacy and effort as is needed, am I right?
To expect that James Shaw, leading a party with restricted influence, as The Greens are, to create radical change, is … admirable.
From what I've heard from "sources within Parliament", James Shaw is head and shoulders above any other player in that game, be they red, blue, green, whatever political/ideological colour you choose.
Given the circumstances (the reality of our situation) there is no one better than James.
He will retain/regain his position. He will not throw in the towel. Well-intentioned people will continue to criticise him for "not doing enough".
I think we need both. We need the hard grafters and pragmatists like Shaw who can make inroads into the mainstream. And we need more radical voices to shift the narrative. Best thing would be something akin to the shift XR achieved five years ago, but that opened up the proactive pathways for change, giving people clear vision of where we can go so that things work out. I don't know if the Greens can do that in NZ at this time or not.
Yes, NZ is doing well relative to many other countries. But it may not be enough. The issue is whether the risk now in leadership change is worth it. I don't know this either.
I wasn't talking about you. I was pointing out that the MSM issues would be less of a problem if the Greens weren't also being attacked and undermined by the left.
I suppose there is a connection in that white men tend to be more centrist. But if Shaw wasn't centrist this wouldn't be an issue (centrist relative to his party, not relative to the current Overton Window in NZ).
I doubt James Shaw is "centrist".
Not from what I’ve seen.
He knows how to work within the system and the limitations he has, to make progress. His achievements if you look are many, despite having little real power in Government with Labour's majority vote.
I'm dissapointed that a proportion of Greens want to remove him, for someone more "shouty".
But re-affirming the leadership is an example of robust Democratic process, that is sadly lacking in our other political parties.
but yeah, it's kind of not really that meaningful because most people will translate that into trad left/centrist/right frames and miss that the Greens are orthogonal to that line.
My impression is that with every major weather event, nationally or globally, and with every day passing with lack of action on CC, real or perceived, Shaw was becoming a bigger target. Had he done and achieved more he would have been a big target for some and had he done less he would have been a big target for others.
I find it slightly ironic that the most democratic, transparent, and accountable political party in Aotearoa-New Zealand tends to get such a raw deal from the media and the public. It begs the question whether Kiwis are ready for empowerment and agency or whether they’d rather stick with the authoritarian status quo of National, ACT, and Labour.
Makes sense, people are scared, some will want a radical response, others a conservative one. Next year's election will be bloody interesting.
If I thought the challenge was well planned and they had a good replacement, I'd probably be keen for Shaw to step aside and be Climate Minister* and bring in a more dynamic outspoken co-leader who will change the narrative. But I haven't seen anything yet to suggest it is well planned and that there is a good replacement.
(*not lease because Climate Minister is a big job).
The ABS (Anything But Shaw) failed and the wheels blocked up.
I’d love to see stronger narrative coming from both the Greens and Labour. Ardern does do really good speeches and there’s an underlying narrative, a sub-text, but even she doesn’t articulate the (?) vision as clear and compelling as I’d wish. My own (and only) conclusion is that the ‘vision’ and associated strategy is slowly crystallising and therefore cannot be framed yet as such (aka a work in progress).
I don't understand why the Greens don't speak out more. Maybe we will see this next year? I hope it's not because they're truly being incrementalists.
My own (and only) conclusion is that the ‘vision’ and associated strategy is slowly crystallising and therefore cannot be framed yet as such (aka a work in progress).
Very good. I liked what Delahunty said about it not being about who might replace Shaw but who has a vision that can lead.
really feel the stories we can tell are crucial right now.
I find it slightly ironic that the most democratic, transparent, and accountable political party in Aotearoa-New Zealand tends to get such a raw deal from the media and the public. It begs the question whether Kiwis are ready for empowerment and agency or whether they’d rather stick with the authoritarian status quo of National, ACT, and Labour.
I think most voters don't get the GP particularly well. And for sure they choose the status quo each year.
I think most voters don't get the GP particularly well.
Admittedly the media often negatively filter the Greens to the wider electorate but despite that I think a lot of voters get the Greens perfectly well.
What some Green activists think is important (and it isn’t climate collapse) doesn’t resonate with most voters.
Green activists don't think climate collapse is the most important?
People can still like what they see in the Greens and vote for them, without getting how the party works. As evidenced by the number of GP voters dismayed at what is going on, whereas many people who get the Greens are relatively unfazed and see it as normal democratic process.
Otoh, it may be a split along the lines of climate action has to step up now vs people ok with taking more time.
Green activists don't think climate collapse is the most important?
I did say some. And from experience I believe some Greens are more interested in issues to with gender, sex, sexual orientation etc and not saving a dying planet.
I think some people do get the Greens but don't like what they see. It's not about not getting a democratic process.
Otoh, it may be a split along the lines of climate action has to step up now vs people ok with taking more time.
I think this could well be part of it. One of the reasons I pulled out of my then local branch only a few years ago was that many members didn't seem to see climate collapse as such an urgent issue as I did.
I switched to Extinction Rebellion and found that also had its own issues.
I now concentrate on community development and trying to help build resilience and sustainability.
I will likely party vote Green again because there is no alternative that comes close for me. But the party continually disappoints me and I've made my choice about where to put my energy.
That sounds wise Grey Area. I'm not actively involved in the party either, feeling that my energies are best placed elsewhere. Completely agree about the need for community development. At some point I hope this will meet parliamentary politics and then we might see real change.
I feel much as you do (Grey Area & weka) and have acted similarly however I believe there is a role for people like us to champion The Greens at times of stress, rather than taking a swing at them whenever a challenging issue emerges. I guess I am a loyalist. Can't see much gain in eroding the foundations of my own house 🙂
Hopefully the Greens will have learned that having a leader commit political suicide just before an election is a really, really bad idea. I would not bet on it however.
Well, they didn't learn that it was a bad idea when Meteria Turei did it just before the 2017 election so why should they do so now?
At least in 2017 they had Shaw to get them over the line to get back into Parliament. Without him I think they will be dead. They are starting to behave like the McGillicuddy Serious Party aren't they? That lot realised they were behaving like idiots though.
Well, they didn't learn that it was a bad idea when Meteria Turei did it just before the 2017 election so why should they do so now?
It's pretty clear to those paying attention in the past five years that much of what the GP do now is because of what happened in 2017, they learned a lot from that.
The co-leader thing seems superfluous. What is the point? Reckon the sharp end of the Greens relationship with the public would be a lot more sharp with one leader.
Affirmative action. I have since done a bit of reading. A good policy, but should it extend to leadership/co-leadership where it is a lot harder to satisfy the requirements in the selection of just one or two people?
If there are mandates for a percentage of positions to be filled by people with certain attributes (affirmative action, which is fine) then it's easier to do with a larger number of positions. When you get down to two positions, or one, it becomes quite difficult to fulfil with those parameters.
That's my theory, anyway.
And the Greens are still modifying the requirements which is possibly making it even more difficult.
That would be my take too – if they need Maori and rainbow representation, then a third role might make that possible without tears. Dumping straight males altogether may cost them up to 40% of their vote – not something to do lightly.
One question I wonder about. If Shaw survives, that might be very problematic for the Greens. I think James replacement is Chloe and if she doesn’t replace him, there will be a lot of unhappy youth, very left people in the party, who hate that a Cis white male” who wears a suit and doesn’t shout out his pro nouns is leader.
I expect the outcome of the Greens leadership election will be James Shaw confirmed as coleader, having had to do some work to reaffirm his commitments to more radical policies for climate and social justice than are being delivered by this government. That's no bad thing.
Yes weka. And the prime minister has publicly supported his work by announcing he will remain the Minister for Climate Change. Just because he doesn't make a lot of noise about it doesn't mean he is not a 'hard working' and effective minister. He is.
James Shaw will survive and thrive as a result of this development. Those who are uncomfortable with who he is and how he operates, will be chastised and their mission thwarted. James' supporters will be encouraged and emboldened, as will James. The media, the nay-sayers, pfffttt, they'll rattle about the way they always do.
The Greens have not lost anything over this minor, internal development. In fact, middle-of-the-road voters considering The Greens will be encouraged when it transpires that James has seen off the flakey challenge and strengthened his status as a non-flake (approximating their framing there 🙂
I see more votes for The Greens and a stronger position in Government.
weka's responses were pretty good. I find, what-if questions to be loaded and best avoided. What if The Greens get 20% t the next election, Alwyn 🙂
In any case, 2 female co-leaders? I'd be comfortable with that. James would probably be irked, continue on as Climate minister for a while, then move on.
I'd distance myself further from the party, seeing a behaviour I don't like, or rather, doesn't help the cause I believe The Greens are designed to fight for.
All that said, I believe none of this will happen. James will reclaim his position, the disrupting-factor will be dismissed, having failed in its mission.
On your second point, a repeat of what has happened, I'd do what I've done this time, predict eventual success, but be pretty annoyed at the so-called 25% for their lack of foresight.
I can't imagine that there is, in fact, someone willing to "challenge James" as their name would become mud 🙂
RNZ has been shining their torch into corners where lobbyists lurk and asking such questions as: Do we like the look of this?and Is this as democratic as it could be?These are most certainly questions worth asking, and every bit as valid as, say:Are weshortchanged democratically by the way ...
RNZ has continued its look at the role of lobbyists by taking a closer look at the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Andrew Kirton. He used to work for liquor companies, opposing (among other things) a container refund scheme which would have required them to take responsibility for their own ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has left for Beijing for the first ministerial visit to China since 2019. Mahuta is to meet China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang where she might have to call on all the diplomatic skills at her command. Almost certainly she will face questions on what role ...
TL;DR:The Opportunities Party’s Leader Raf Manji is hopeful the party’s new Teal Card, a type of Gold card for under 30s, will be popular with students, and not just in his Ilam electorate where students make up more than a quarter of the voters and where Manji is confident ...
When I was a kid New Zealand was actually pretty green. We didn’t really have plastic. The fruit and veges came in a cardboard box, the meat was wrapped in paper, milk came in a glass bottle, and even rubbish sacks were made of paper. Today if you sit down ...
Looking back through the names of our Police Ministers down the years, the job has either been done by once or future party Bigfoots – Syd Holland, Richard Prebble, Juduth Collins, Chris Hipkins – or by far lesser lights like Keith Allen, Frank Gill, Ben Couch, Allen McCready, Clem Simich, ...
Chris Trotter writes – The Crown is a fickle friend. Any political movement deemed to be colourful but inconsequential is generally permitted to go about its business unmolested. The Crown’s media, RNZ and TVNZ, may even “celebrate” its existence (presumably as proof of Democracy’s broad-minded acceptance of diversity). ...
Four out of the five people who have held the top role of Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff since 2017 have been lobbyists. That’s a fact that should worry anyone who believes vested interests shouldn’t have a place at the centre of decision making. Chris Hipkins’ newly appointed Chief of ...
Feedback on Auckland Council’s draft 2023/24 budget closes on March 28th. You can read the consultation document here, and provide feedback here. Auckland Council is currently consulting on what is one of its most important ever Annual Plans – the ‘budget’ of what it will spend money on between July ...
by Molten Moira from Motueka If you want to be a woman let me tell you what to do Get a piece of paper and a biro tooWrite down your new identification And boom! You’re now a woman of this nationSpelled W O M A Na real trans woman that isAs opposed ...
Buzz from the Beehive New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti is hosting the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers for three days from today, welcoming Education Ministers and senior officials from 18 Pacific Island countries and territories, and from Australia. Here’s hoping they have brought translators with them – or ...
Let’s say you’ve come all the way from His Majesty’s United Kingdom to share with the folk of Australia and New Zealand your antipathy towards certain other human beings. And let’s say you call yourself a women’s rights activist.And let’s say 99 out of 100 people who listen to you ...
James Shaw gave the Green party's annual "state of the planet" address over the weekend, in which he expressed frustration with Labour for not doing enough on climate change. His solution is to elect more Green MPs, so they have more power within any government arrangement, and can hold Labour ...
RNZ this morning has the first story another investigative series by Guyon Espiner, this time into political lobbying. The first story focuses on lobbying by government agencies, specifically transpower, Pharmac, and assorted universities, and how they use lobbyists to manipulate public opinion and gather intelligence on the Ministers who oversee ...
Nick Matzke writes – Dear NZ Herald, I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. I teach evolutionary biology, but I also have long experience in science education and (especially) political attempts to insert pseudoscience into science curricula in ...
James Shaw has again said the Greens would be better ‘in the tent’ with Labour than out, despite Labour’s policy bonfire last week torching much of what the Government was doing to reduce emissions. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Green Party has never been more popular than in some ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler Poor air quality is a long-standing problem in Los Angeles, where the first major outbreak of smog during World War II was so intense that some residents thought the city had been attacked by chemical weapons. Cars were eventually discovered ...
Yesterday I was reading an excellent newsletter from David Slack, and I started writing a comment “Sounds like some excellent genetic heritage…” and then I stopped.There was something about the phrase genetic heritage that stopped me in tracks. Is that a phrase I want to be saying? It’s kind of ...
Brian Easton writes – Two senior economists challenge some of the foundations of current economics. It is easy to criticise economic science by misrepresenting it, by selective quotations, and by ignoring that it progresses, like all sciences, by improving and abandoning old theories. The critics may go ...
This week marks the twentieth anniversary of the Iraq War. While it strongly opposed the US-led invasion, New Zealand’s then Labour-led government led by Prime Minister Helen Clark did deploy military engineers to try to help rebuild Iraq in mid-2003. With violence soaring, their 12-month deployment ended without being renewed ...
After seventy years, Auckland’s motorway network is finally finished. In July 1953 the first section of motorway in Auckland was opened between Ellerslie-Panmure Highway and Mt Wellington Highway. The final stage opens to traffic this week with the completion of the motorway part of the Northern Corridor Improvements project. Aucklanders ...
National’s appointment of Todd McClay as Agriculture spokesperson clearly signals that the party is in trouble with the farming vote. McClay was not an obvious choice, but he does have a record as a political scrapper. The party needs that because sources say it has been shedding farming votes ...
Rays of white light come flooding into my lounge, into my face from over the top of my neighbour’s hedge. I have to look away as the window of the conservatory is awash in light, as if you were driving towards the sun after a rain shower and suddenly blinded. ...
The columnists in Private Eye take pen names, so I have not the least idea who any of them are. But I greatly appreciate their expert insight, especially MD, who writes the medical column, offering informed and often damning critique of the UK health system and the politicians who keep ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Mar 12, 2023 thru Sat, Mar 18, 2023. Story of the Week Guest post: What 13,500 citations reveal about the IPCC’s climate science report IPCC WG1 AR6 SPM Report Cover - Changing ...
Buzz from the Beehive The building of financial capability was brought into our considerations when Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced she had dipped into the government’s coffers for $3 million for “providers” to help people and families access community-based Building Financial Capability services. That wording suggests some ...
Do you ever come across something that makes you go Hmmmm?You mean like the song?No, I wasn’t thinking of the song, but I am now - thanks for that. I was thinking of things you read or hear that make you stop and go Hmmmm.Yeah, I know what you mean, ...
By the end of the week, the dramas over Stuart Nash overshadowed Hipkins’ policy bonfire. File photo: Lynn GrieveasonTLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and the political economy covered on The Kākā included:PM Chris Hipkins’ announcement of the rest of a policy bonfire to save a combined $1.7 billion, but ...
When word went out that Prime Minister Chris Hipkins would be making an announcement about Stuart Nash on the tiles at parliament at 2:45pm yesterday, the assumption was that it was over. That we had reached tipping point for Nash’s time as minister. But by 3pm - when, coincidentally, the ...
Two senior economists challenge some of the foundations of current economics. It is easy to criticise economic science by misrepresenting it, by selective quotations, and by ignoring that it progresses, like all sciences, by improving and abandoning old theories. The critics may go on to attack physics by citing Newton.So ...
Photo by Walker Fenton on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week again when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kaka for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on Riverside (we’ve moved from Zoom) for our chat about the week’s news with ...
In a nice bit of news, my 2550-word deindustrial science-fiction piece, The Dream of Florian Neame, has been accepted for publication at New Maps Magazine (https://www.new-maps.com/). I have published there before, of course, with Of Tin and Tintagel coming out last year. While I still await the ...
And so this is Friday, and what have we learned?It was a week with all the usual luggage: minister brags and then he quits, Hollywood red carpet is full of twits. And all the while, hanging over the trivial stuff: existential dread, and portents of doom.Depending on who you read ...
When I changed the name of this newsletter from The Daily Read to Nick’s Kōrero I was a bit worried whether people would know what Kōrero meant or not. I added a definition when I announced the change and kind of assumed people who weren’t familiar with it would get ...
There was a time when a political party’s publicity people would counsel against promoting a candidate as queer. No matter which of two dictionary meanings the voting public might choose to apply – the old meaning of odd, strange, weird, or aberrant, or the more recent meaning of gay, homosexual ...
Photo by Joakim Honkasalo on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for the next hour, including:PM Chris Hipkins announcement of the rest of a policy bonfire to save a combined $1.7 billion, but which blew up ...
Even though concern over the climate change threat is becoming more mainstream, our governments continue to opt out of the difficult decisions at the expense of time, and cost for future generations. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Now we have a climate liability number to measure the potential failure of the ...
Thomas Cranmer writesLike it or not, the culture wars have entered New Zealand politics and look set to broaden and intensify. The culture wars are often viewed as an exclusively American phenomenon, but the reality is that they are becoming increasingly prominent in countries around the world, ...
Here’s an analogy for the Stuart Nash saga. If people are to be forgiven for their sins,Catholic dogma requires two factors to be present. There has to be a sincere act of confession about what has been done, but also a sincere act of contrition, which signals a painful ...
Here’s an analogy for the Stuart Nash saga. If people are to be forgiven for their sins,Catholic dogma requires two factors to be present. There has to be a sincere act of confession about what has been done, but also a sincere act of contrition, which signals a painful ...
Human Destabilisers: Russia now has a new strategic weapon – migratory waves of unwelcome human-beings. Desperate people with different coloured skins and different religious beliefs arriving at, or actually breaching, the national borders of Russia’s enemies can wreak as much havoc, culturally and politically, as a hypersonic missile exploding in the ...
Hi,After Webworm contributor Hayden Donnell wrote his latest piece, ‘RIP to Millennials Killing Everything’, he delivered this exciting and important bonus content.It will make more sense if you’ve read his piece.David. Read more ...
Hi,Before we get to Hayden’s column — RIP to Millennials Killing Everything — a quick observation.There was a day last week where it had suddenly reached 10pm and I hadn’t eaten all day. Hunger had suddenly gripped me with a panicky all-consuming force, so I jumped onto Uber Eats and ...
We add some of the CMIP6 models to the updateable MSU comparisons. After my annual update, I was pointed to some MSU-related diagnostics for many of the CMIP6 models (24 of them at least) from Po-Chedley et al. (2022) courtesy of Ben Santer. These are slightly different to what ...
In a memorable Pulp Fiction scene, Vincent inadvertently shoots their backseat passenger in the head. This leads our heroes Jules and Vincent to express alarm about their predicament.We're on a city street in broad daylight here!says Vincent. We gotta get this car off the roads. You know cops tend to ...
Primary, secondary and kindergarten teachers are all on strike today, demanding higher pay and an end to systematic understaffing. While the former is important - wages should at least keep up with inflation - its the latter which is the real issue. As with the health system, teachers have been ...
So the teachers are on strike, marching across Aotearoa today to press their demands for better pay and working conditions.Children remained in bed this brisk morning, many no doubt quite pleased about a day off school. Parents perhaps taking the day off to look after the kids, or working from ...
After the Cold War the consensus among Western military strategists was that the era of Big Wars, defined as peer conflict between large states with full spectrum military technologies, was at an end, at least for the foreseeable future. The … Continue reading → ...
Dairy giant Fonterra has posted a 50% lift in net profit to $546m, doubled its interim dividend, and is proposing a return of capital of 50c a share, injecting a note of optimism into the nation’s dairy industry. Fonterra’s strong performance is against a backdrop of market volatility. It ...
Buzz from the Beehive The bothersome economic news today is that New Zealand’s GDP fell by 0.6% in the December quarter, weaker than market forecasts of a fall of around 0.2% and much weaker than the Reserve Bank’s assumption of a 0.7% rise. This followed the even-more-bothersome news yesterday that ...
Ouch: Hipkins’ policy bonfire has resulted in an expensive self-administered removal of a Budgetary foot with an explosive device. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Bonfires can be dangerous things when they get out of control. They also create a lot of smoke and heat and burn the grass. ...
* Dr Bryce Edwards writes – I teach a first-year course at Victoria University of Wellington about government and the political process in New Zealand. In “Introduction to Government and Law”, students learn there are rules preventing senior public servants from getting involved in big political debates – as we ...
I teach a first year course at Victoria University of Wellington about government and the political process in New Zealand. In “Introduction to Government and Law”, students learn there are rules preventing senior public servants from getting involved in big political debates – as we have recently witnessed with Rob ...
An issue of integrity has claimed the first ministerial scalp in Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ premiership. Police Minister Stuart Nash lasted mere weeks in the role after admitting in a radio interview this morning that he had called Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to ask him if police were going to ...
For some time now we’ve known that the cost and completion timeframe for the City Rail Link would increase. Yesterday we finally learned by just how much. Costs City Rail Link Ltd (CRL Ltd) today confirms it has submitted a formal funding request to its Sponsors – the Crown and ...
The Government’s decision to back peddle on lowering speed limits is hitting potholes. At this stage, although it is part of the Government’s reprioritisation efforts to free up money to alleviate cost of living increases, the speed limit change looks unlikely to do that. And it appears that it ...
The University of Otago – the oldest university in New Zealand – towers over my home city of Dunedin. When classes are on, something like a fifth of Dunedin’s population are university students. It is also the largest employer in the South Island. To say that this is a ...
Last weekend brought the latest instalment in Stuff’s bravura satirical series Of course you can afford a house! Just dig deeper!I love how much their appreciation of humour has evolved in just a few short years since the days when I would get to produce, for a few meagre dollars, ...
Australia’s move to strengthen its defence capability with five nuclear-powered attack submarines underlines how relatively defenceless New Zealand is in the Pacific. Kiwis may gasp that the Labor government in Australia recognises it must outlay $400bn on the nuclear subs, but this ensures that Australia is not exposed ...
Ironically, a repurposed Auckland Ratepayers Alliance placard (with a demand for climate action on the front) featured at the recent climate march. Voting ratepayers don’t want ‘bureaucrats in cushy council jobs’ borrowing or increasing rates, even when the need for investment is becoming increasingly obvious. So is council cost-cutting a ...
The quarterly ETS auction was held today. In the past, these have seen collusion by big players to game the price and force a dump of extra credits from the cost-containment reserve (essentially, trying to pick stuff up cheap now in the belief that it will be more valuable later). ...
Buzz from the Beehive Exempting bikes, electric bikes and scooters from fringe benefit tax looked like something of a sop for a Green Party that had good grounds to grumble after a bunch of climate change measures was tossed on to the PM’s policy bonfire. The combustibles included the clean car ...
Today is a Member's Day, the first of the year. Unfortunately it also looks to be a boring one. First, there's a two hour debate on the budget policy statement (somehow inexplicably "member's business", despite it being fundamentally a government thing). Then there's a couple of "private bills" - people ...
Most days, Chris Hipkins and James Shaw seem a bit like the Seals and Crofts of the centre-left: Earnest, inoffensive, and capable of quite nice harmonies at times. They blow gently through the jasmine in your mind, but you know they’re never going to rock your world. Back in 2020, ...
The reflection gazed back at him. Pale and a little paunchy, he wasn’t a well man.He had a toga made from a fitted sheet and it kept bunching up under his armpits.His Laurel wreath was made from some Christmas tree branches he’d found in the shed, not a real pine ...
Yesterday we covered the government’s latest policy/delivery changes with a focus on light rail. But there was another important transport part of the announcement: The government will also intends to scale back its road safety plans. The programmes that are being reprioritised include: Significantly narrowing the speed reduction programme to ...
Unbridled Consumption: This civilisation we have built (we being the whole human species) is the most astonishingly wonderful thing homo sapiens has ever seen. We love it. We cannot imagine how awful life would be without it. And, we most certainly are not going to co-operate with anyone who advises ...
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 ...
Let’s start with the absolute truisms.Politics is the art of the possibleHalf of something is better than all of nothingLet us now consider these with reference to the Under New Management government.What is a supporter of progressive politics to make of the abandonment of various policies, as announced in recent post-cabinet ...
Chris Hipkins has surprised even some of his closest friends and backers with the bounce he has secured for Labour in public polls since he became Prime Minister. He has been put to the test since he took over from Jacinda Ardern in the top job, and has shown a ...
Buzz from the Beehive It was a big day for the stopping or slowing of a second tranche of government programmes, an exercise which Beehive publicists are pitching as measures to allow the Government to focus more time, energy and resources on “the bread and butter issues” facing New Zealanders. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised in their State of the Planet speech today. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party after the election must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised today. ...
You will never truly understand, from the pictures you’ve seen in the newspapers or on the six o-clock news, the sheer scale of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle. ...
We’re boosting incomes and helping ease cost of living pressures on Kiwis through a range of bread and butter support measures that will see pensioners, students, families, and those on main benefits better off from the start of next month. ...
The error Labour Ministers made by stopping work on a beverage container return scheme will be reversed by the Greens at the earliest opportunity as part of the next Government. ...
“Cabinet needs to do better - and today has shown exactly why we need Green Ministers in cabinet, so we can prioritise action to cut climate pollution and support people to make ends meet,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. ...
Biggest increase in food prices for over three decades shows the need for an excess profit tax on corporations to help people put food on the table. ...
The Green Party has today launched a submission guide to help Aucklanders give crucial input and prevent potentially disastrous Auckland Council budget proposals. ...
With calls growing for inquiries and action on bank profits, the Greens say the Government has all the information it needs to act now and put a levy on banks. ...
As large parts of Aotearoa recover from two of the worst climate disasters we have ever experienced, it would be a huge mistake for the Government to deprioritise climate action from future transport investments, the Green Party says. ...
The Green Party is celebrating the signing of a historic United Nations Ocean Treaty, and calls on the new Oceans and Fisheries Minister to urgently step up protection for Aotearoa’s oceans. ...
This year has seen a series of extreme weather events, unparalleled in New Zealand’s recent history. From Cape Reinga in the far north down to the Tararua Ranges, families and businesses across the country have suffered enormous loss and hardship. While the severe weather hasn’t directly affected every part of ...
E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...
Education Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...
A vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...
Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...
The Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...
Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...
Fifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...
High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...
The economy has continued to show its resilience despite today’s GDP figures showing a modest decline in the December quarter, leaving the Government well positioned to help New Zealanders face cost of living pressures in a challenging global environment. “The economy had grown strongly in the two quarters before this ...
Aucklanders now have more ways to get around as Transport Minister Michael Wood opened the direct State Highway 1 (SH1) to State Highway 18 (SH18) underpass today, marking the completion of the 48-kilometre Western Ring Route (WRR). “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, more ...
This section contains briefings received by incoming ministers following changes to Cabinet in January. Some information may have been withheld in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. Where information has been withheld that is indicated within the document. ...
Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reaffirmed her commitment to working together with the new Government of Fiji on issues of shared importance, including on the prioritisation of climate change and sustainability, at a meeting today, in Nadi. Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand’s close relationship is underpinned by the Duavata ...
The Government is delivering a coastal shipping lifeline for businesses, residents and the primary sector in the cyclone-stricken regions of Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The Rangitata vessel has been chartered for an emergency coastal shipping route between Gisborne and Napier, with potential for ...
The Government will progress to the next stage of the NZ Battery Project, looking at the viability of pumped hydro as well as an alternative, multi-technology approach as part of the Government’s long term-plan to build a resilient, affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system in New Zealand, Energy and Resources ...
This morning I was made aware of a media interview in which Minister Stuart Nash criticised a decision of the Court and said he had contacted the Police Commissioner to suggest the Police appeal the decision. The phone call took place in 2021 when he was not the Police Minister. ...
The Government’s sharp focus on trade continues with Aotearoa New Zealand set to host Trade Ministers and delegations from 10 Asia Pacific economies at a meeting of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission members in July, Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor announced today. “New Zealand ...
$25 million boost to support more businesses with clean-up in cyclone affected regions, taking total business support to more than $50 million Demand for grants has been strong, with estimates showing applications will exceed the initial $25 million business support package Grants of up to a maximum of $40,000 per ...
80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visas applications have been processed – three months ahead of schedule Residence granted to 160,000 people 84,000 of 85,000 applications have been approved Over 160,000 people have become New Zealand residents now that 80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visa (2021RV) applications have been ...
The Government continues to invest in New Zealand’s burgeoning space industry, today announcing five scholarships for Kiwi Students to undertake internships at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash congratulated Michaela Dobson (University of Auckland), Leah Albrow (University of Canterbury) and Jack Naish, Celine Jane ...
The Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques travels to Melbourne, Australia today to represent New Zealand at the fourth Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Security. “The Government is committed to reducing the threat of terrorism ...
The health and safety practices at our nation’s ports will be improved as part of a new industry-wide action plan, Workplace Relations and Safety, and Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “Following the tragic death of two port workers in Auckland and Lyttelton last year, I asked the Port Health ...
Bikes, electric bikes and scooters will be added to the types of transport exempted from fringe benefit tax under changes proposed today. Revenue Minister David Parker said the change would allow bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, and micro-mobility share services to be exempt from fringe benefit tax where they ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will hold bilateral meetings with Fiji this week. The visit will be her first to the country since the election of the new coalition Government led by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka. The visit will be an opportunity to meet kanohi ki ...
The Government is introducing the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill to ensure the recovery and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle is streamlined and efficient with unnecessary red tape removed. The legislation is similar to legislation passed following the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes that modifies existing legislation in order to remove constraints ...
Approximately 1.4 million people will benefit from increases to rates and thresholds for social assistance to help with the cost of living Superannuation to increase by over $100 a pay for a couple Main benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children ...
$1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders with the cost of living A range of transport programmes deferred so Waka Kotahi can focus on post Cyclone road recovery Speed limit reduction programme significantly narrowed to focus on the most dangerous one per cent of state ...
The remaining state of national emergency over the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions will end on Tuesday 14 March, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. Minister McAnulty gave notice of a national transition period over these regions, which will come into effect immediately following the end of the ...
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Industry Transformation Plan to transform advanced manufacturing through increased productivity and higher-skilled, higher-wage jobs into a globally-competitive low-emissions sector. Co-created and co-owned by business, unions and workers, government, Māori, Pacific peoples and wider stakeholders. A plan to accelerate the growth and transformation of New Zealand’s advanced manufacturing sector was launched ...
New Zealand will provide support for Pacific countries to prevent the spread of harmful animal diseases, Associate Minister of Agriculture Meka Whaitiri said. The Associate Minister is attending a meeting of Pacific Ministers during the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry in Nadi, Fiji. “Highly contagious diseases such as African ...
The Public Transport Futures project will deliver approximately: 100 more buses providing a greater number of seats to a greater number of locations at a higher frequency Over 470 more bus shelters to support a more enjoyable travel experience Almost 200 real time display units providing accurate information on bus ...
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Multicultural New Zealand (MNZ) has expressed concern about events scheduled to take place in Auckland and Wellington on March 25th and 26th, respectively. The events will feature British anti-transgender activist, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull. MNZ is ...
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The Auckland mayor’s decision to keep the media at arm’s length makes every interview he does grant a rare and exciting event, like a new Avatar movie. Stewart Sowman-Lund ranks them all from least to most exciting.Wayne Brown has a well-reported lack of affection for the media. In his ...
Tabloid Jubi in Jayapura The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has called on the international community to “pay serious attention” to the escalated violence happening in West Papua. Head of ULMWP’s legal and human rights bureau, Daniel Randongkir, said that since the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) ...
ANALYSIS:By Bronwyn Hayward, University of Canterbury This decade is the critical moment for making deep, rapid cuts to emissions, and acting to protect people from dangerous climate impacts we can no longer avoid, according to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The synthesis report ...
Across five of the latest polls for which results are published, Labour now has an edge over National. A new Talbot Mills poll, as reported by the Herald, has Labour up four points to 37%, with National down two points to 34%. The results, which draw on fieldwork across the first ...
Statement from Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, WWF-New Zealand CEO Today's IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Synthesis Report (AR6) highlights that an accelerated phase-out of fossil fuels is the best way to avoid the planet overshooting 1.5°C and risking total climate ...
The first in a two-part series revealing insights into the working life of a librarian. For privacy reasons, all names – including place names – have been changed. Te Whare Pukapuka o Poutama is a composite library.It’s 9.30AM on a mid-January Monday, high summer, school holidays. Kaitiaki Pukapuka ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elen Shute, Researcher, Flinders University One bird bucks the stereotype of Australia’s raucous parrots – the mysterious and critically endangered night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis). Rather than flying around in noisy flocks or eating fruit in trees, the night parrot roosts all day ...
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Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is warning that the state of our roads could be the next infrastructure crisis if the Government does not adequately fund maintenance costs. LGNZ commissioned a report by one of the country’s leading economists, Brad ...
Today Canstar is proud to release its second Consumer Pulse report, which delves into the financial worries, hopes and dreams of more than 20,000 New Zealanders over the past two years. The report, released annually, tracks Kiwis’ finances and reveals ...
SAFE is again urging the Government to ban greyhound racing sooner rather than later, following a raft of severe injures in Christchurch yesterday. Sugar rose suffered a severe tail injury yesterday at Addington raceway. Her tail was partially amputated ...
In the wake of revelations that Chris Hipkins' chief of staff, Andrew Kirton, lobbied against the Container Return Scheme on behalf of the liquor industry shortly before the scheme was scrapped by the Prime Minister, Greenpeace is calling for the scheme ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Komesaroff, Professor of Medicine, Monash University Libkos/AP/AAP A year after Russia’s invasion, Ukraine is in ruins. At least 8,000 civilians have died, with millions displaced. Generations of infrastructure have been destroyed. Large tracts of the environment and agricultural land ...
The Opportunities Party have proposed a new Teal Deal between taxpayers and young Kiwis - which includes fully-funded healthcare and public transport, and a Kiwisaver kickstarter in exchange for national civic service. Raf Manji, Leader of The Opportunities ...
There are plenty of practical ways the city could make multi-modal transport more accessible – but have they all been consigned to the too-hard basket?How can Auckland start mitigating its impact on the climate crisis? Our biggest city’s sustainable solution must start with transport, its number one source of ...
Long overdue legislation to unlock the economic and export potential of natural health products must not accidentally add more red tape that harms the growing sector and consumers, industry body Natural Health Products New Zealand told Members of ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Shining a bright light on lobbyists in politicsPolitical scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Four out of the five people who have held the top role of Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff since 2017 have been lobbyists. That’s a fact that should worry anyone who ...
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The New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association (NZCA) will today (21st March 2023) tell Parliament’s Health Select Committee that the profession opposes the proposed Therapeutic Products Bill in its entirety in its present form and in particular its ...
The final Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on the climate crisis came out this morning. The report contains no new science but is a summary of eight years of research by hundreds of scientists and the last three IPCC reports published in August 2021, February and April 2022 ...
Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson: Police accept the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority into an incident involving an officer who tasered a man in the cells at Tauranga District Court in February 2019. ...
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Patient Voice Aotearoa’s Dr Malcolm Mulholland will today at 3.30 appear before the Health Select Committee to voice opposition to parts of the Therapeutic Products Bill on behalf of Kiwi patients. “The Bill threatens to obstruct access to unfunded ...
FIRST Union, the union for bank workers across New Zealand, is supporting calls for an immediate inquiry into bank profits and proposing a levy on excess profits to fund the establishment of a Ministry of Green Works . The March 2023 KPMG Financial ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Hayward, Professor of Politics, University of Canterbury Earth Negotiations Bulletin, CC BY-ND This decade is the critical moment for making deep, rapid cuts to emissions, and acting to protect people from dangerous climate impacts we can no longer avoid, ...
There is a growing campaign to remove the costs associated with cervical screening in Aotearoa. Alex Casey explains.What’s all this then? In July, Aotearoa is getting a big shiny new cervical screening programme after years and years and years of delays. The dreaded three-yearly smear test will be exchanged ...
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Flip Grater decided to give up her career in music to pursue her other passion of vegan delicatessens. Now, her meat-free versions of chorizo, pastrami, and turkey have launched her business and landed her products in foodstuffs supermarkets. She talks to Simon Pound about Grater Goods’ rapid success, and expanding ...
“This is it; 2023 will be the last opportunity New Zealand has to get a government that will confront the climate emergency with the urgency it demands,” says the Green Party’s co-leader and climate change spokesperson, James Shaw. Speaking after ...
Today the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, released its ‘synthesis report’, summarising six previous reports. Greenpeace says that the latest report confirms the industrial drivers of climate change, its dire planetary impacts, and ...
Phase One Ventures chief executive Mahesh Muralidhar has been selected by local party members as National’s candidate in Auckland Central for the 2023 General Election. “I want to thank our local party members for backing me to campaign for ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Head of Energy, Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University IISD/ENB The world is in deep trouble on climate change, but if we really put our shoulder to ...
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By Arieta Vakasukawaqa in Suva The installation of the Turaga Bale na Vunivalu Na Tui Kaba, Ratu Epenisa Cakobau, clearly indicates that Fiji’s traditional chiefly system still has a strong footing and chiefs still command respect among the country’s citizens. This is the view of Dr Paul Geraghty, the University ...
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"The cabbage white’s white wings reflect ultraviolet light, which we can’t see but the butterflies can. To our eyes the butterflies seem plain, drab, vanilla—but to each other, females are a gentle lavender and males shine with a deep royal purple. "
https://baynature.org/article/plain-cabbage-white-butterflies-are-anything-but-ordinary/
Hello all, long time, no comment. You might have seen me on interest.co.nz fighting the good fight in the comments section there, though.
Anyway, I have gone through a profound maturation this year, and have been doing a hell of a lot of thinking about the world in general. I came across a twitter thread this morning, which consolidates and elaborates on everything I've been thinking about over the past 3 weeks, and I thought it was worth sharing here as this seems like the best audience:
This just explains where we are in history so well, I think.
I also think that Jacinda is a Teal leader, and that NZ is poised to be a leader in global Teal thinking this century, given our unique geographic location in the world, resource limitations and ecosystem, coupled with the indigenous culture that is an embodiment of resilience. Other indigenous cultures around the world also embody resilience, but in most other countries they've been much more repressed and marginalized than Maori have been in NZ (and we're actively trying to undo our harm – more Teal attitudes).
The only thing that is going to get humanity through this century is everyone working together, and diversity of human creativity, thought and expression.
Lanthanides are silvery white soft metals. I am in agreement with what you have posted, Lanthanide. I believe it reflects, curiously enough, the first post of the day 🙂
I was annoyed that your comment beat me – in the time it took me to get out of bed (where my phone told me 0 comments) and get to my computer to write it.
But now all is forgiven 🙂
Welcome back Lanth.
Yes change is the one constant of life – and that last sentence you wrote above is resonates well with me.
Keep in mind however that hopefully in another decade or so, you will look back on what you believe today – and there will likely be a few more 'duh' moments.
You'll be expanding upon the proposal that "we have never had it so good, yet feel so bad about it", yes?
https://integrallife.com/never-better-never-felt-worse-inside-rise-integral-global-operating-system-21st-century/
That's not my website, I am not Robb Smith. Although very flattered anyone would think I am.
Welcome. Yes I have read you on interest.co.nz. Thanks for a hopeful start to the day, We do have troglodytes marching in three cities today, and your post is a hopeful antidote.
The Standard really should get with the times and have the possibility of a Thumbs Up reply to comments. It's pretty Standard (pun intended) everywhere else on the internet.
I know that Lynn tried it once before already years ago – in fact I was the very person who suggested it that time, too. Go back and check Lynn if you don't believe me. The problem with the add-on you installed is that it allowed downvotes as well as upvotes, so people could troll etc. Just get a plugin or configure it to only allow upvoting. That problem is solved.
In the mean time:
It is easy enough to do. However I have a few other things that tend to be more important.
The Standard got a brain transplant last night. Its currently booting off a USB. But it has a Ryzen 5700G upgrading the Ryzen 1700X.
The actual problem at the time was the way that the votes were stored. It did nasty things to the amount of data access and slowing down putting up comments.
But I’ll have a look at it.
I'm quite ok without the dumbing down feature.
I'm ok with the dumbing down feature – provided nobody does it to me 😮
fixing the mobile commenting bug is the priority imo.
According to Stuff there are 1000 trogs in Akl with hundreds in CHCH and Wellywood…..not exactly a revolution.
From today's Otago Daily Times. I had my say near the end of the article 🙂
New inclusive campaign guidelines for local body elections have been called an "abomination" threatening free speech, but many candidates in the South have endorsed the call for respectful debate.
The guide encourages candidates to consider how they can respect and uphold the Treaty of Waitangi, value te reo Maori, reframe debates to avoid racism and race-baiting, avoid perpetuating stereotypes and identify actions they would take in office to support diversity and "build belonging".
It refers directly to debates about Three Waters and Maori wards, "which have, at times, become derogatory to Maori".
Michael Laws
The guidance was developed by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), written in partnership with the Human Rights Commission, and included comment from race relations commissioner Meng Foon.
Otago regional councillor Michael Laws called the guide an abomination – it was a "biased attempt to stop freedom of speech and thought around Three Waters, around Maori wards, around co-governance, around the Government’s so-called reform agenda".
"It seeks to dissuade those who dissent from this woke nonsense from standing for office," Cr Laws said.
His colleagues were divided.
Cr Gary Kelliher said it was an attempt by LGNZ to "tailor their perfect council candidate" and Cr Hilary Calvert said "this smells of staff of the relevant organisations becoming involved in political matters".
However, Cr Gretchen Robertson said running a campaign that put other people down was weak and "an attempt to deflect attention from your own inadequacies".
Cr Alexa Forbes said: "I’m sorry that we have to be reminded of our obligations and I look forward to the day that we don’t have to be."
Cr Michael Deaker said some people might call the guidelines woke.
"I see them as respectful and well designed for New Zealand in 2022".
LGNZ chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene said a sometimes-toxic environment had built up over time and "shifting what’s acceptable – and what is not – will take more than one election cycle".
Candidates could debate important issues robustly while upholding the dignity of fellow candidates, she said.
Aaron Hawkins
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said making elections safer for a broader range of candidates should be encouraged.
"Sadly, we are seeing an increase in the uglier elements of public debate, including racism.
"Those of us who aren’t the target of that have an obligation to help shut it down."
Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis said the campaigning advice was a patronising, bicultural straitjacket that claimed diversity, but which pushed Maori speech and sensitivity agendas.
He noted it did not dwell on such things as value for money, debt and rates, "which are of interest to voters and should be the real focus of elected representatives".
Fellow councillor Sophie Barker said the document reflected how troubling some behaviour had become, especially online.
She did not recall racist rhetoric during her 2019 campaign, but did encounter sexism.
"On my first night campaigning, while I was looking for a seat on stage, one of the candidates said I could sit on his knee any time," Cr Barker said.
Cr Rachel Elder said the guidelines were great.
"If we demean, belittle, label and personally attack people or people groups, we are not upholding the idea of democracy," Cr Elder said.
Cr Steve Walker said supporting diversity and inclusion should be the default position of any worthy candidate.
Cr Jules Radich said he was comfortable with the guidance.
The Team Dunedin ticket he was leading had "asked for interaction with mana whenua".
Dunedin mayoralty candidate Mandy Mayhem-Bullock said she wanted to see people from all walks of life on the council.
Environment Southland councillor Robert Guyton said he felt Mr Foon had been proactive in alerting candidates to the activities of pressure groups, especially those opposed to Three Waters reform.
"A great deal of the commentary around the claims made by these groups is certainly racist in nature," Cr Guyton said.
At a glance
Tips for fostering inclusion
• Take time to engage with the Treaty of Waitangi by learning your local iwi history
• Have a look at examples of partnership with manawhenua and Maori in local government
• Attend cultural, ethnic and diverse public events
• Use multilingual greetings
• Attend community meetings in diverse settings, including marae, mosques, churches and migrant centres
• Monitor your social media
• Be an "upstander" against racist and discriminatory comments
• Use inclusive language and avoid stereotyping
– Source: Local Government New Zealand
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/new-campaign-guidelines-out
If Laws, Calvert and Vandervis hate the new candidate guidelines they must be spot on
In a nut(shell).
For those who think naming unevidenced medical treatment for minors as "affirming healthcare" makes everything hunky-dory, a well-written Substack article explains why not.
https://lisaselindavis.substack.com/p/letter-from-finland-and-sweden
This group is doing the right things to keep kids safe from indoctrination.
https://www.resistgendereducation.nz/?fbclid=IwAR1a33udKGejuzZ4nhP1oFv8fATrJKKkcl0DG7EyQdWqC6GXx9jAGeWGCEY
Yes, there's a lot of areas of concern in New Zealand at the moment.
The guidelines of the newly created (2020) Relationships and Sex Education curriculum is one. Exacerbated by the provision of resources from external organisations reducing scrutiny and transparency.
We used to understand that culturally driven sexual mutilations like clitorectomy was an abomination. Now we are not even in a position to argue that.
The position those who are seeking to raise awareness are in, is the one that apparently excuses various forms of abuse and considered by NZ media to be occupied by conspiracy theorists.
(See Alison's story in this article: https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/04/04/misinformation-down-the-rabbit-hole-and-back/)
Even the most objective layperson would have reasonable questions about the impact to mind and body when puberty is avoided.
But those questions not answered with abuse, are often answered instead with exhortations (never hard evidence)… Be Kind.
Be kind … of inexcusably negligent in determining quality evidenced healthcare for transgender minors is what is meant.
And that’s a charitable interpretation.
Facts – not ideology. Such a shame to see the levers of the State used to favourite and promote a homophobic and misogynistic ideology.
https://www.speakupforwomen.nz/post/teach-kids-facts-not-wishful-thinking?fbclid=IwAR05VANQnxG5ItZvRaLFgCtiDRWuERidHTDKJmPu0UQ7_DY8n_1go8Ud_9U
Playing with some numbers.
The last time NZ could be considered (arguably) a sustainable society would have been pre colonisation….there were no imports required (that we know of, if there were they were minimal) and everything needed to support society was provided domestically…(even so there were extinctions and environmental damage)….the population of NZ pre colonisation is estimated to have been around 100,000.
The first wave of Maori settlement is thought to have occurred around 1100 AD. If we estimate that the first wave comprised around 1000 souls (over a period of voyages) then what rate of population growth occurred?
Around 0.66% per annum
If that growth rate had continued until today what would NZs population be now (realising that it is not necessarily sustainable)
Around 300,000
We are 5.1 million.
are you meaning economically sustainable?
No….environmentally and societally sustainable.
Ultimately economics is simply a measure of the above.
I should clarify…it depends upon whether you take economically viable to mean financially viable…..they are two seperate things.
Hardly a sustainable society when life expectancy was 28-30 years – similar to France and Spain at the time. It was barely survival.
"The swan species lived between 16 and 19 million years ago on Lake Manuherikia, a massive ancient lake which covered most of modern Central Otago."
Central Otago was a "massive ancient lake"?
Cool.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/471464/ancient-swan-fossil-discovered-at-otago-dig-site
I think you would love a local text book. It is very thin for a text book, but is packed with amazing information about NZ.
Biology Aotearoa – Unique flora, fauna and fungi. Parsons et al.
The title's wee description doesn't give it justice. Loads of history/geology and just amazing facts about our beautiful country.
A tiny tome – can that be a thing? A book of weight, but not physically weighty.
On the search…
oh yeah, incredible landscape and history.
https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/deep-secrets/
"Placing a teaspoon of processed sediment on a tray and peering at it through a microscope engenders a huge sense of excitement and anticipation."
Ridiculous/amazing – yin/yan, right there 🙂
Dream Time …
Land of birds and snails …
Frogs and geckoes…
Bats, eels and seals…
Eden before us
btw, just watched this, was thinking you might enjoy if you haven't seen it already.
"Cloth made that way…must be magical …somehow.. it's going to protect you … "
wasn't that amazing. Look forward to the full film.
I grow those nettles. I plan to ret some 🙂
Everyone needs a swan fren.
Martyn Bradbury goes ape on it:
"That’s why I argue that Fortress Aotearoa is simply a matter of when not if.
The current political spectrum in New Zealand can not radically adapt fast enough to adopt the changes we must make if we are to survive the climate crisis. It will require a radical Political Movement that elects a Party to implement Fortress Aotearoa…
On a rapidly warming planet, NZ will increasingly be the life boat for Earth and the tyranny of our distance will become our blessing.
Pretending that we can ‘stop’ the climate crisis cascade is sophistry, we require radical reform and adaptation now."
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/07/21/the-apocalyptic-heat-wave-in-europe-is-a-climate-warming-hoax-that-will-never-impact-us/
he probably shouldn't have been undermining the Greens all these years, eh.
Not sure what he means there tbh. There is huge benefit in averting the worst of climate change. Runaway CC won't be survivable in NZ even if we were a fortress. I agree about radical change, and mitigation and adaptation are still two sides of the same regen coin.
Bradbury is a loose cannon. He's basically describing Soviet Russia.
Not sure I'd want to meet a tight cannon…
Agreed about Bomber's attacks on the Greens Weka. I think he is attacking the personnel and not the policies when he makes these attacks which is really dumb.
I still don't get why it's so hard to see the Greens as pathway to better politics. Once they get meaningful power in government, it opens the door for other parties on the left to get in.
Own goal from the leftie dudes.
Because they are idiots, that us why. Look at this nonsense with Shaw. Factions of a faction bickering about factions.
The timing is correct. This was signaled when they passed the co-leader requirement for one female and one of any other gender amendment some months back.
Until then they could not get rid of Shaw because there were literally no other credible male candidates. Now they can purge the party of all but a few token white males altogether.
Theres no hope for the greens ,back to fringe loonies
It will not happen. James will be voted for en masse. Testing the system is healthy.
Seems, James still has majority support within the Greens.
It is a 25% vote to re-open nominations,, not a majority.
And I don't see another viable candidate.
If you look at the Twitter thread I posted earlier, the Greens are literally stuck on Green thinking.
We need Teal thinking for this century.
They're close and better than the alternative parties, but not quite right.
Jacinda is a Teal leader of an Amber party. I'd say Maori Party are Green-Teal but they aren't a mainstream party, yet.
Only five tweets in and this is very good. A big missing piece of the political puzzle too.
Yes but what are we going to do after breakfast Bomber?
"immediately ban all water exports"….the Clutha alone puts out roughly 300,000 litres a second (it varies between 200 and 600) or a million litres every three seconds.
We have oodles of H2O….providing it is not exported in plastic bottles what is the problem?
at a guess, impact on the ground water, river and river bank ecologies, and the coastal ecologies around the outlet (extending for quite some way). We already interrupt much of that via hydro.
I'm not averse to NZ shipping water globally for aid reasons. Can't see how it can be done for profit reasons without becoming yet another problem of capitalism.
and no way should we be shipping water commercially to countries that are engaged in practices that fuck with their own water supply.
This century, we will trade water for oil.
The good old days (function not form)
https://mobile.twitter.com/lostinhist0ry/status/1550420291452809223
holy shit that's good.
Had me at the lift out vege conditioner.
Thought that was innovative.
From a time before bean counters ran the world.
Planned obsolesence.
is this a manufacturing dilemma? If you make a product that lasts 40 years, and within five years everyone has one, how do you keep the business going?
Yes and no.The older manufacturing model,had service (repairs and maintenance) where after warranty replacement parts etc,would be an income stream for the dealers.Now it is cheaper in some instances to replace either the whole appliance,or a substantive component.
Also now people seem inclined to buy and looks rather then function.
You change your company to produce items with a 30 year or lifetime warranty. You supply full technical diagrams for how to make all replacement parts, including 3d printing and metal fabrication instructions.
You look at what Red Hat does – they sell support for open source Linux. Linux is literally free, but Red Hat still makes money because using technology is hard.
CFC-free?
Lovelock did not sail on the Shackelton for another decade,and a further decade for Molina to understand the chemical reactions.
20 years previous at the Yalta conference,Churchill (and others) had to be sprayed down with DDT to rid them of bedbugs.
what was keeping the fridge cool?
Halo carbons most probably.Powering them was interesting though,we got a new fridge in the 60's and had no electricity (it ran on kerosene)
My money's on the pissed Russian squadies.
Mentions of Russian battalions being surrounded beginning to look like they may be true.
They need prisoners to trade for the return of Ukrainians in Russian
filtration campsgulags.I see some "freedom and rights" people are back out protesting today. I wondered what covid restrictions they are complaining about now. Maybe the recommendation to wear masks inside public spaces or get a covid booster. Pretty much nothing there to continue their muddled thinking against. But no, instead they are protesting violence, cost of living and a stretched health system.
So what exactly is impinging on their 'freedoms' and their 'rights' amongst that list. Nowt I can see. Another set of scatter gun issues which have little to do with freedom and rights, another catch all get some publicity stunt for Brian Tamaki maybe. If they want to protest against violence, fine, go and protest outside gang pads and make it clear to them. If they want to protest against cost of living, go and protest outside the Russian embassy. If they want to protest against a stretched health system, go and protest outside the homes and workplaces where people refuse to wear masks or have an issue getting covid or influenza vaccinations.
Recently announced review of the Charities Act maybe?
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/charities-act-changes-benefit-nz-communities
Well overdue.
Are Ngai Tahu also marching on motorways in order to stop the evil Jacinda Ardern?
It must be excruciating for the political right in New Zealand to see their desires mirrored perfectly by one Bishop Brian Tamaki.
I heard Heather Supidity-Allan try to distance the opposition and their supporters from the protests today but the truth is they are one and the same ideologically.
The wolf is at the door of the bish?
(Here's hoping)
And hopefully a few other enterprises taking advantage of their charitable status to avoid paying tax. Although WorkSafe and Employment Court might deal to Gloriavale long before IRD gets a go.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/brian-tamakis-anti-government-protest-projectiles-thrown-by-furious-motorists-police-consider-charges-against-protesters/RZ5MDLRQWV6VIEV3TH5JNTS3JE/
If I was 40 years younger I would have picked up a couple of friends and a large box of rotten tomatoes and delivered our own form of justice.
Was delivering child #1 to Newmarket at the time, just managed to get off at Market Rd when the three traffic control trucks were rolling to a stop.
Got back on at St Mark's Rd to an empty motorway all the way home. Didn't see any nutcases.
He is calling for a Sri Lanka solution. What?? He is mad imo.
They are totally deluded.
What if Standardistas decided to get together and dance around on a motorway. The whole damn lot of us would be dragged away and arrested before you could say Jack Robinson. So why should these nit-wits be allowed to.
A reporter interviewed one of the protesters on TV1 this evening. She said she was there because she doesn't understand what the government is doing. Sheesh…
Oh I thought they were protesting against democracy. RNZ News said the idiot was calling on all parliamentary parties to step aside, presumably so he can step in and be our dictator.
His bikie gang mates must be supplying him with their finest brain-rot poison.
You don't appear that interested in living in a democratic and free society, otherwise you would be generally supportive of Tamaki's groups actions, love him or hate him.
A question for you.
"How much should we tolerate, the intolerant".
I see the "marchers" of today from Destiny Church and the Coalition wanted to create mayhem, but not violence. Get a dictionary. About 1800 people all up in three centres
A brilliant interview with Dr. Rod Carr of the Climate Commission:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/07/climate-change-commissioner-rod-carr-calls-for-emissions-reduction-plan-to-be-accelerated.html
Yes. He laid it out so that anyone with half a brain could understand. Why oh why aren't these people given maximum opportunities to inform the public.
Thought provoking (and well researched) piece by Brendon Harre on NZ housing and economy.
https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/116867/brendon-harre-assesses-work-and-thinking-henry-george-19th-century-progressive
What a bunch of chumps the Green party is.
Seems exceptionally daft to cut James Shaw off at the knees at this point… it's going to create an absolute media circus if it ends up a contest…
I will predict that come this time next week Shaw will still be leader, the Green party will have spent a week being excoriated in the media and the party will drop below 5% in the next poll. Typical Greens internecine politics – posturing tactics without a wider strategy.
Self destruction
the 16 year old's don't like James, so there you go.
Dismissing the views of young people, Alan?
Colour me surprised!!!!
Does this even faintly, vaguely, slightly equate with the shamozzle that was the National Party's revolving leader experience?
No.
Not a patch on it.
Minor ripple, yet DESTRUCTION!!
self-destruction
/ˌsɛlfdɪˈstrʌkʃ(ə)n/
noun
"problem gamblers on a path to self-destruction"
Minor tests of integrity build resilience and inner strength.
Just because other parties hide/avoid/refuse to engage in the natural selection process, doesn't mean The Greens have to follow suite.
In any case, the Right despise the type of thinking that has interrupted the leader's BAU and when James turns them out, the blueies will unconsciously cheer him on!
Win-win.
The public show of disunity has damaged the party regardless whether Shaw re runs and is reselected or not…..and I’d add I would not be surprised at all if he didnt rerun .
Disunity?
You mean, The Greens should have presented a National Party-like pretence at unity?
Not the sort of politics I support.
Why? There was a leadership challenge last year too.
Yes there was. Creating a healthy challenge, easily met, by James.
Rinse and repeat.
As there was with National….and a series previously with Labour…and in all instances they were detrimental to party support following.
However as you and Robert see no issue then you have nothing to worry about….obviously others disagree, myself included.
National seems to be doing ok in the polls though …
That's correct, pat, I am not worried. At all.
@ Incognito
…eventually. The difference being National (or Labour) have base support significantly above the 5% threshold.
True, that. The only 2 political parties that are in this enjoyable position, which is a shame because it has a disproportionate influence on NZ politics.
Except in both those cases Nat and Lab were in actual disarray. The GP isn't, this is more about strategy as far as I can tell, rather than the Greens not having a good co leader.
the biggest concern I have is the degree to which lefties are freaking out and/or dissing the GP as we speak, and how much hay the MSM will make with that. As for the rest, I find dissent healthy (depending on how it is done. the dissenting MPs at the 2017 election handled it very badly).
It's a media beat up. Stuff said Shaw was "ashen faced" after the vote!!!
Come off it. 70% of the delegates backed him. Just 32 people didn't. He will be massively backed by the members and will be leader at the next election.
You are correct, BeardedG!
All else is churn.
Only a minority within the party, but I get your point.
2023 could deliver a Labour/Green government. I hope so.
But some would be happier with a National/ACT government, so they could have the righteous purity of protest. Cost of self-indulgence: one planet.
that's not it. It's that some people understand the urgency of climate change and think the current strategy is the wrong one. This is a legitimate position.
I think the only person that could beat James Shaw in a leadership challenge would be Chloe. But does she want to be leader yet?
What a bunch of chumps the Green party is.
Yes.
While the planet burns and drowns a faction of the Greens thinks it is so clever to play gender or sex politics because it is so much more important. Marama Davidson gets a free pass when she has done bugger all, but James Shaw (who doesn't thrill me) doesn't, even though he hasn't been allowed to do enough but has done more than bugger all.
I'm not some rightwing concern troll. I have genuinely voted left my entire life starting with Values. I have been involved in the Greens as a member, a network convenor and a branch co-convener.
But I have lost faith in the Greens. While I could see that climate collapse was the No 1 issue because it was about survival of the species and the opportunity to worry about a whole heap of other things, Marama Davidson wanted to reclaim the C word.
I voted Red/Green last time because in my electorate I thought that was the most effective use of my vote, despite feeling the Greens had dropped the ball long ago.
A party that thinks it crucial to have co-leaders who are female and other is no longer my party.
So long and thanks for the fish.
Now back to the work in my local community trying to help make it more resilient in the existential crisis we're neck deep in.
You and I suspect Gareth Hughes.
Loosing your political moorings like this sucks.
I think you misunderstand the situation. The Greens embrace and test non-ordinary ideas. There is no-one better, in all of NZ politics, to weather this challenge to orthodox behaviour. James will rise to the challenge, regain his position and go from strength to strength. Had to happen. Will be a success. Most won't be able to understand what has happened.
Imo.
Looking at their current line-up the Greens seem to have a serious diversity problem. You should stand – you'd be perfect as the token white guy.
In what way is James not perfect for that role?
I wouldn't dream of challenging 🙂
He'll fly in, unharmed.
Annealed, sure, and tempered, so that's all good.
No I don't think I misunderstand the situation Robert. I think you are gilding the lily. You are giving the Greens far too much credit.
imo
I prefer to give them credit, rather than stick, Grey Area; better to gee-up your ride, than apply the whip, imo.
As I said Robert I've tried. I've been involved on the inside not just criticising from the sidelines.
I'm loath to use the horse racing analogy but I feel like the horse died under me.
Oh well, off to the knacker's yard then, for The Greens.
That leaves you with just, I'm guessing, Shanks's pony.
Is that the Bish's new party?
His sounds like shanks.
Brian Tamaki is talking about a new party … yet again:
From RNZ:
Tamaki told RNZ he will soon make an announcement regarding three minor parties forming a coalition. Tamaki said three minor parties have made the commitment to operate under a new umbrella.
"I'm in talks with others. So it looks like there's going to be a new party on the block."
Reminder: Tamaki's party (then called Vision NZ) got 0.15% of the vote at the election.
Still, Luxon being asked if he rules them out would be entertaining.
Wtf green party, kicking James Shaw out.
He has to contest his position.
He will fly in.
he hasn't been kicked out. They voted to reopen nominations which means he will face a leadership challenge. Like he did last year. It's just a bit different because they didn't get the nomination in on time I think.
That's right, weka. Another cool head. Thank Gaia 🙂
Perhaps he will stay as leader, but that's not really the point.
There have always been tensions, in any deal between 2+ parties, between those who say "get a better deal" and those who say "this is the best we can get". A story as old as coalitions, anywhere. Fine.
But that is irrelevant here. It's not 2017-2020. It's not "Bargain harder than Winston Peters". It's a majority Labour government. Shaw gets as much or as little from Ardern as she wants. Leverage: nil.
So what is it that the anti-Shaw people want him to do?
speak out more is one thing that comes up consistently. That applies to the whole party but particularly the leadership.
There's also the idea that Shaw compromised too much and could have taken a better plan to Labour. I don't know where the truth lies with that, but anyone who thinks our current climate response is adequate is ill informed.
I guess one can yell and grandstand and look good and get nowhere, or you can get in the backrooms out of sight and get those from opposing sides to the table. Idealists dont belong in government.
don't particularly disagree with that, but it fails when considering climate change and that we are running out of time. We need radical change, and I don't think taking another decade to build power alongside Labour is the way to do it.
Probably the most important thing that could happen now would be a strong voice on climate, esp holding Labour to account. Inside or outside of parliament, doesn't have to be the Greens. But it has to be someone.
From the point of view of someone like you weka, with your understanding of climate change, there is no government anywhere, acting with as much immediacy and effort as is needed, am I right?
To expect that James Shaw, leading a party with restricted influence, as The Greens are, to create radical change, is … admirable.
From what I've heard from "sources within Parliament", James Shaw is head and shoulders above any other player in that game, be they red, blue, green, whatever political/ideological colour you choose.
Given the circumstances (the reality of our situation) there is no one better than James.
He will retain/regain his position. He will not throw in the towel. Well-intentioned people will continue to criticise him for "not doing enough".
It's an age old problem.
So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16
I don't dispute his work ethic, but I had more confidence in Russel & Matt.
Scrapping the male co-leadership requirement was risky and probably unsound in the long term, however appropriate it may be to find a place for Chloe.
An ignorant and hostile press won't make any transition easy.
which would be less of an issue if a chunk of the left stopped slagging of the greens every chance they get.
I think we need both. We need the hard grafters and pragmatists like Shaw who can make inroads into the mainstream. And we need more radical voices to shift the narrative. Best thing would be something akin to the shift XR achieved five years ago, but that opened up the proactive pathways for change, giving people clear vision of where we can go so that things work out. I don't know if the Greens can do that in NZ at this time or not.
Yes, NZ is doing well relative to many other countries. But it may not be enough. The issue is whether the risk now in leadership change is worth it. I don't know this either.
I have a post up that addresses some of this,
if a chunk of the left stopped slagging of the greens every chance they get
Trust me, if I were doing that, you'd know.
I wasn't talking about you. I was pointing out that the MSM issues would be less of a problem if the Greens weren't also being attacked and undermined by the left.
I'll probably regret this but why is it the white cis male who has faced multiple leadership challenges?
Should he be immune?
No.
But that's not the point.
It's not. It's the person who is the more centrist in the party.
The more centrist co-leader who just happens to be a white cis male. Bad combo.
I suppose there is a connection in that white men tend to be more centrist. But if Shaw wasn't centrist this wouldn't be an issue (centrist relative to his party, not relative to the current Overton Window in NZ).
I doubt James Shaw is "centrist".
Not from what I’ve seen.
He knows how to work within the system and the limitations he has, to make progress. His achievements if you look are many, despite having little real power in Government with Labour's majority vote.
I'm dissapointed that a proportion of Greens want to remove him, for someone more "shouty".
But re-affirming the leadership is an example of robust Democratic process, that is sadly lacking in our other political parties.
I said he's centrist within the party. There are plenty of people to the left of him politically, and more radical than him.
I said he's not centrist in NZ overton window terms. He's still to the left of the Labour party for instance.
but yeah, it's kind of not really that meaningful because most people will translate that into trad left/centrist/right frames and miss that the Greens are orthogonal to that line.
My impression is that with every major weather event, nationally or globally, and with every day passing with lack of action on CC, real or perceived, Shaw was becoming a bigger target. Had he done and achieved more he would have been a big target for some and had he done less he would have been a big target for others.
I find it slightly ironic that the most democratic, transparent, and accountable political party in Aotearoa-New Zealand tends to get such a raw deal from the media and the public. It begs the question whether Kiwis are ready for empowerment and agency or whether they’d rather stick with the authoritarian status quo of National, ACT, and Labour.
Makes sense, people are scared, some will want a radical response, others a conservative one. Next year's election will be bloody interesting.
If I thought the challenge was well planned and they had a good replacement, I'd probably be keen for Shaw to step aside and be Climate Minister* and bring in a more dynamic outspoken co-leader who will change the narrative. But I haven't seen anything yet to suggest it is well planned and that there is a good replacement.
(*not lease because Climate Minister is a big job).
The ABS (Anything But Shaw) failed and the wheels blocked up.
I’d love to see stronger narrative coming from both the Greens and Labour. Ardern does do really good speeches and there’s an underlying narrative, a sub-text, but even she doesn’t articulate the (?) vision as clear and compelling as I’d wish. My own (and only) conclusion is that the ‘vision’ and associated strategy is slowly crystallising and therefore cannot be framed yet as such (aka a work in progress).
I don't understand why the Greens don't speak out more. Maybe we will see this next year? I hope it's not because they're truly being incrementalists.
Very good. I liked what Delahunty said about it not being about who might replace Shaw but who has a vision that can lead.
really feel the stories we can tell are crucial right now.
I think most voters don't get the GP particularly well. And for sure they choose the status quo each year.
I think most voters don't get the GP particularly well.
Admittedly the media often negatively filter the Greens to the wider electorate but despite that I think a lot of voters get the Greens perfectly well.
What some Green activists think is important (and it isn’t climate collapse) doesn’t resonate with most voters.
Green activists don't think climate collapse is the most important?
People can still like what they see in the Greens and vote for them, without getting how the party works. As evidenced by the number of GP voters dismayed at what is going on, whereas many people who get the Greens are relatively unfazed and see it as normal democratic process.
Otoh, it may be a split along the lines of climate action has to step up now vs people ok with taking more time.
Green activists don't think climate collapse is the most important?
I did say some. And from experience I believe some Greens are more interested in issues to with gender, sex, sexual orientation etc and not saving a dying planet.
I think some people do get the Greens but don't like what they see. It's not about not getting a democratic process.
Otoh, it may be a split along the lines of climate action has to step up now vs people ok with taking more time.
I think this could well be part of it. One of the reasons I pulled out of my then local branch only a few years ago was that many members didn't seem to see climate collapse as such an urgent issue as I did.
I switched to Extinction Rebellion and found that also had its own issues.
I now concentrate on community development and trying to help build resilience and sustainability.
I will likely party vote Green again because there is no alternative that comes close for me. But the party continually disappoints me and I've made my choice about where to put my energy.
That sounds wise Grey Area. I'm not actively involved in the party either, feeling that my energies are best placed elsewhere. Completely agree about the need for community development. At some point I hope this will meet parliamentary politics and then we might see real change.
I feel much as you do (Grey Area & weka) and have acted similarly however I believe there is a role for people like us to champion The Greens at times of stress, rather than taking a swing at them whenever a challenging issue emerges. I guess I am a loyalist. Can't see much gain in eroding the foundations of my own house 🙂
I saw that clip but he did not sound happy on TV1 news tonight.
Hopefully the Greens will have learned that having a leader commit political suicide just before an election is a really, really bad idea. I would not bet on it however.
Well, they didn't learn that it was a bad idea when Meteria Turei did it just before the 2017 election so why should they do so now?
At least in 2017 they had Shaw to get them over the line to get back into Parliament. Without him I think they will be dead. They are starting to behave like the McGillicuddy Serious Party aren't they? That lot realised they were behaving like idiots though.
It's pretty clear to those paying attention in the past five years that much of what the GP do now is because of what happened in 2017, they learned a lot from that.
The co-leader thing seems superfluous. What is the point? Reckon the sharp end of the Greens relationship with the public would be a lot more sharp with one leader.
Green kaupapa, maybe learn how that works.
Affirmative action. I have since done a bit of reading. A good policy, but should it extend to leadership/co-leadership where it is a lot harder to satisfy the requirements in the selection of just one or two people?
how do you mean?
If there are mandates for a percentage of positions to be filled by people with certain attributes (affirmative action, which is fine) then it's easier to do with a larger number of positions. When you get down to two positions, or one, it becomes quite difficult to fulfil with those parameters.
That's my theory, anyway.
And the Greens are still modifying the requirements which is possibly making it even more difficult.
That would be my take too – if they need Maori and rainbow representation, then a third role might make that possible without tears. Dumping straight males altogether may cost them up to 40% of their vote – not something to do lightly.
One question I wonder about. If Shaw survives, that might be very problematic for the Greens. I think James replacement is Chloe and if she doesn’t replace him, there will be a lot of unhappy youth, very left people in the party, who hate that a Cis white male” who wears a suit and doesn’t shout out his pro nouns is leader.
I could be wrong about this though
one potential scenario,
Yes weka. And the prime minister has publicly supported his work by announcing he will remain the Minister for Climate Change. Just because he doesn't make a lot of noise about it doesn't mean he is not a 'hard working' and effective minister. He is.
didn't really understand why people though his Ministerial post would even be in question. It's not tied to him being co-leader is it?
James Shaw will survive and thrive as a result of this development. Those who are uncomfortable with who he is and how he operates, will be chastised and their mission thwarted. James' supporters will be encouraged and emboldened, as will James. The media, the nay-sayers, pfffttt, they'll rattle about the way they always do.
The Greens just went from being highly likely to secure a strong position after next election, to struggling to be part of the next government at all.
The Greens have not lost anything over this minor, internal development. In fact, middle-of-the-road voters considering The Greens will be encouraged when it transpires that James has seen off the flakey challenge and strengthened his status as a non-flake (approximating their framing there 🙂
I see more votes for The Greens and a stronger position in Government.
What is your prediction if either of the following occurs Robert?
1. Shaw get rolled and a second woman becomes the co-leader?
2. No alternative leader is nominated but there are still 25+% who vote to re-re-open the nominations again?
2. very unlikely to happen unless they have someone in mind and didn't get organised in time.
"the GP will have two female coleaders"
You really should be giving lessons to politicians. Never say more in an answer than you have to.
weka's responses were pretty good. I find, what-if questions to be loaded and best avoided. What if The Greens get 20% t the next election, Alwyn 🙂
In any case, 2 female co-leaders? I'd be comfortable with that. James would probably be irked, continue on as Climate minister for a while, then move on.
I'd distance myself further from the party, seeing a behaviour I don't like, or rather, doesn't help the cause I believe The Greens are designed to fight for.
All that said, I believe none of this will happen. James will reclaim his position, the disrupting-factor will be dismissed, having failed in its mission.
On your second point, a repeat of what has happened, I'd do what I've done this time, predict eventual success, but be pretty annoyed at the so-called 25% for their lack of foresight.
I can't imagine that there is, in fact, someone willing to "challenge James" as their name would become mud 🙂