Imagine folks who make pledges like this taking up places in local schools, councils, utilities, etc… because that's EXACTLY what they're doing in the USA right now. And our local mob are learning from them – fast.
Coincidentally 2022 marks the one hundred year anniversary of Mussolini's March on Rome.
Thank Goodness, that unlike Australia or Italy we don't have an unelected regent who could over rule our elected law makers and put the protesters in power.
March on Rome
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The March on Rome (Italian: Marcia su Roma) was an organized mass demonstration and a coup d'etat in October 1922…
….When fascist demonstrators and Blackshirt paramilitaries entered Rome, Prime Minister Luigi Facta wished to declare a state of siege, but this was overruled by King Victor Emmanuel III. On the following day, 29 October 1922, the King appointed Mussolini as Prime Minister, thereby transferring political power to the fascists without armed conflict. [1][2]
These mega-churches preaching prosperity gospel are 'godsends', campaign funds (divine missions and all that) and megaphones for right-wing politicians. Massive audiences. And they in turn provide judges, laws and tax free windfalls to appease the churches.
It's corrupt AF really. Add the white supremacy in and it's plain evil.
DeSantis seems to be the new most dangerous useful idiot. I'm sure it's you who pointed that out a while ago. His anti-woke law was just dog-whistling the church (that pledge in the OP specifically has a pledge against 'wokeness', f'n ridiculous Q-level crazy m'f'ers).
Trump now seems entirely expendable to these good christian folks. Finding it hard to raise a tear.
Jeepers, that sort of one-dimensional crap frightens the life out of me.
For God's sake (I'm not being ironical) people, read candidate bios thoroughly and get out to vote – to make sure such demented half-wits don't get elected to any body in this country.
The action is organised by a group associated with Destiny Church.
Its leader Brian Tamaki is expected to announce that he is forming a new party he hopes will draw votes from a number of anti-government groups, including those which are against Covid-19 public health measures and vaccine mandates.
Wellington mayor Andy Foster told Karyn Hay on Lately that police and council wanted to be prepared in case anything went wrong today, but he did not expect that would happen.
"Brian Tamaki and the Destiny Church have said what they intend to do, and they usually stick to what they say they will do."
There is a Mussolini look-alike demagogue raving on at the demo, waving arms etc……oh its Brian Tamaki in his life of Brian where he does imitations of hateful creatures of the past.
PS I did not go to the counter protest. Bad feeling still about what may happen.
Watching the protest and there are two women who have gradually moved one of those big green plastic bollards away from where it joins the concrete. No doubt waiting for the sign to push it completely and storm onto the forecourt.
Shanreagh…I can tell, (I think) by your earlier comments..etc..you are Brave alright.And I remember you from earlier protest..helping with clean up etc. Good onya.
The cleaner-upperers had a limited amount of work as officials were not keen about sending volunteers onto the actual protest grounds from a health perspective for fear of glass, rubbish and general unmentionables, the pong during the protest was terrible.
They encouraged us to clean up around the streets where we live so we did that.
Get people on the ground and then kick the s**t out of them? Why else would you need to get your boots on?
[Not funny to accuse another commenter of being violent towards others, now and/or in the past. Read the Policy about joking about violence and this includes tar & feathers and lynching. This is your warning – Incognito]
Not all the skinheads/bootboys were like that (except the CHCH ones, which mainly were)…just as not all boffhead rugby jocks are violent thugs when they are drunk…but lots were.
It is good to see that Brian's mates are doing their best to limit climate change by using public transport rather than cars.
Lots of Labour MPs were turning up for the ceremonial lynching of their erstwhile colleague in taxis. None of this sharing vehicles with the hoi polloi for them.
Well I saw two of them in separate taxis and I'll admit I am extrapolating. Probably off the same flight from Auckland of course.
Don't you think they will tar and feather him first?
Then he can steal the quip from Abe Lincoln.
“I feel like the man who was tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail. To the man who asked him how he liked it, he said: ‘If it wasn’t for the honor of the thing, I’d rather walk.’”
Well thats a bugger for your furtive imagination. He's some how managed to wipe the tar and feathers off with a damp cloth before giving a press conference by now.
Probably needs an indepent report into modern asphalt quality.
There was a case in Wellington over the weekend that seemed to illustrate that fact. A slip out in Eastbourne affected two vehicles owned by one family. Their Tesla was half buried and left immovable. Their Ford Ute (a Ranger by the look of it) was shunted out into the road but didn't seem to be nearly as badly damaged as the EV was.
I remember Richard Dawkins warning of a "fascist Christian theocracy" in some of the wackier sectors of US society (The God Delusion). Even he didn't suppose it would become this serious and/or mainstream so soon.
What do you call this horrifying new phenomenon? Aha: ChrISIS! (You read it here first!)
"So my prescription — and it’s only a start — is less live campaign coverage, more context and thoughtful framing, and more fearless straight talk from news leaders about what’s at stake and why politics coverage looks different. The latter could take many forms: editors’ notes on stories, columns written by news directors and posted prominently on websites, public appearances, and more."
That is about the way that Stuff operates these days. They don't inform us about what the candidates say or do. They tell us what they want to happen and why their favorites are the only ones that anyone could possibly vote for.
Frankly I would much rather hear from the candidates themselves.
For those of you out there following the constant and seemingly unending stream of Liberal hypocrisy…here is a good one that needs to be remembered during the upcoming Brazilian elections…
So as we all know, Glenn Greenwald is persona non grata in the fine minded circles of MSM liberal press and its like minded public readers/listeners….thinking RNZ/The Guardian/Washington Post etc here…and variously described on this very site by regular commentors as “Putin’s puppet, Right Wing, Carlson lap dog” etc etc…
Yet, Greenwald, who I might add does not describe himself as ‘Left Wing’, has without a shadow of a doubt, done more tangible good for the actual Left Wing /Antiwar movement than any Liberal rag has over the past half a decade or more.
Just his incredibly brave reporting in an extremely hostile environment on the outrageous illegal imprisonment of Lula da Silva alone, leading directly to his release, therefore Luls’s ability to run in the upcoming Brazilian elections (which Lula is leading) is by itself more important and more effecting to Left Wing politics, possibly (if Lula is elected) the fight against climate change than anything the entire Liberal press has managed to achieve over the past couple of years combined…yet Liberals and the Liberal press will still hate on him…which actually says more about Liberals and their politics than it does about Glenn Greenwalds.
The character behind the Christo-Fascist conservative mob that stacked the US Supreme Court persuaded a donor to give him the proceeds of a US$1.6 billion corporate sale. Tax free.
A US$1.6 billion slush fund to outspend the opposition for years to come.
.
WASHINGTON — A new conservative nonprofit group scored a $1.6 billion windfall last year via a little-known donor — an extraordinary sum that could give Republicans and their causes a huge financial boost ahead of the midterms, and for years to come.
The source of the money was Barre Seid, an electronics manufacturing mogul, and the donation is among the largest — if not the largest — single contributions ever made to a politically focused nonprofit. The beneficiary is a new political group controlled by Leonard A. Leo, an activist who has used his connections to Republican donors and politicians to help engineer the conservative dominance of the Supreme Court and to finance battles over abortion rights, voting rules and climate change policy.
And yet it is Biden/Democratic Party strategy to actually fund and boost some of those same ultra Far Right Republicans over more moderate Republican candidates, some who are even pro choice….
"John Gibbs, who defended a notorious anti-Semitic troll banned by Twitter, got over $400,000 in ad dollars. Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who compared gun control to policies under Nazi Germany and shared an image saying Roe v. Wade was “so much” worse than the Holocaust, got more than $800,000. Maryland state Del. Dan Cox, who has associated with QAnon conspiracy theorists, got $1.2 million. And Illinois state Sen. Darren Bailey, who pushed to evict Chicago from the state, got $35 million.
National Democrats, party-aligned nonprofits, and some of their candidates have together spent millions to elevate the most extreme positions of far-right candidates in races in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Colorado, and Maryland, and it’s a strategy that’s divided party operatives. The total investment this cycle was over $44 million as of last quarter, according to an Open Secrets analysis."
If you have to affirm as otherwise you might be breaking the law, why not. Just don't forget to put out a litter box, some catnip, a few treats and a small serving of raw meat. After all Cats are carnivores, and also allocate lots of free time for grooming, education is i guess secondary for the cats and all the other kids.
In the meantime in NZ. You don't like the sex that was 'assigned' to the fruit of the birthing bodies womb? Go legally change the 'assigned sex' to what ever you seem fit.
This is about adults assigning shit to children, changing legally their sex marker on official documentation and so on.
Scenario. A child called John in a crowded place gets lost. The police to start a search for John. Now John is dressed in blue jean, t-shirt and has short black hair and 6 years old. As per their birth certificate they are a boy.
Now John did not actually get lost but got abducted. John in now somewhere locked up in a house with some adults. Police comes knocking on the door, asks have you seen John? And the person answering the door states, no boys here, just a girl, Jane. Jane is dressed in blue jean, t-shirt and has short black hair and would be considered a girl if examined by a doctor. The cops leave. Jane is later found in a small woods. The copper who asked the people is devastated because they did not knew that John was a trans identified girl, and thus had no chance to correctly identifying Jane as the lost child John.
So, frankly this scenario can/could happen, and i would not be surprised in the future if it does happen. It depends on the parents admitting that the boy is a girl. The same parents who legally changed the documentation on their childs might be the parents who would not divulge that John is actually a Jane and that the child cops should look for is a girl.
But but the economy must grow, and surely if you buy an E-car you can feel all non colonial and exempt from the karmic colonial revenge'.
I do like the hungerstones in the Rivers of Europe. You know what they show? that these levels have been reached before, and people survived and continued on. Also they are good forewarning to those that care about omens and signs in order to prepare.
I grew up with these hungerstones and have seen some of the inscriptions myself whilst a child in the 70 during a big drought in 1974, and later. And you know what, all the rivers have them, they all come with warnings and if you live in a society where the old has value you can find also the 'must do' instructions.
While they are the marker of hunger and strive, they are also a time capsule to let us know that human kind has been there and survived.
And above all i like the fact that history ryhmes and the current and future generation will also learn to survive and adapt and ad its own verses. The young ones mostly will live, the old will wither away and die, and such is nature. So yes, Robert, i take great comfort in that knowledge. Its the sound of nature.
The hunger stones, and perhaps the Nilometer represent the guidance of previous generations, urging caution so that we may not have to endure unprepared the calamities of our time.
NZ rivers could use a few hunger stones, though of course you'd never see them for the slime, and our elected representatives would ignore them in favour of whatever implausible explanation big dairy invents. Dairy donates – rivers do not.
'Survive' framing is bang on – (some) humans will survive. Remarkable really that such a clever and (on the face of it) successful species could foul spaceship Earth in the geological blink of an eye.
Even those political leaders who accept that 'we' are causing the looming catastrophe will neccessarily adopt an increasingly survivalist focus as reality bites. Hunger stone 'alarms' will not change behaviour – BAU ho!
And finally… burn, baby, burn
Stuart Kirk, global head of responsible investing at HSBC Asset Management, told a Financial Times event: “Who cares if Miami is six metres under water in 100 years?”
The night we lost the war on climate change
The real problem, he [President Carter] told America about its unrestrained fuel consumption, was “our failure to plan for the future, or to take energy conservation seriously.”
…
“Some of these efforts will also require dedication, perhaps even some sacrifice from you,” Carter told Americans in February 1977 about efficient use of resources. He stressed “cooperation and mutual effort.”
'some' humans have always survived, hence why we are here to actually have conversations about these things.
The 'hunger stones' are a reminder of those that came before us and what they endured. And in the best case they are a reminder that we are not so much different from them, and that it can happen to us too. And yes, why should we not start carving dates and warnings into our river stones for future generations? Maybe our elders were less selfish then we were.
More resilient (had to be) – this iteration of civilisation is now too bloated (albeit beautiful in parts) and fragile to survive what it has wrought, imho.
Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy in the US and professor at Texas Tech University, said the world was heading for dangers unseen in the 10,000 years of human civilisation, and efforts to make the world more resilient were needed but by themselves could not soften the impact enough.
“People do not understand the magnitude of what is going on,” she said. “This will be greater than anything we have ever seen in the past. This will be unprecedented. Every living thing will be affected.”
In 1976 with the third La Nina in the UK there was a significant heatwave (persistent) long drought,followed by a wet and cold winter .
A large scale economic crisis was under way,with high inflation,high energy costs,strikes,uncollected rubbish and unburied bodies and a significant wealth destruction due to high debt and interest rates.
Callaghan had to go with bended knee to the receivers (aka IMF) Citicorp is forecasting 18.6% inflation for the UK suggesting little has changed.
The deep cold event in the SH is statistically significant in July,with effects from the Hunga-Tonga volcano underway,and starting to show in the NH.
I think it is a given that Labour will expel Sharma from the caucus.
But, if Sharma's objective is to inflict as much damage on Labour as possible as it seems to be, should he resign to force a bi-election?
As I understand it, it is a seat that Labour is likely to lose, and would also keep the issues bubbling away. Thus, he could potentially cause Labour the embarrassment of losing a seat, and would probably keep on getting media attention commenting on the issues. Especially if he choses to run again as an independent.
Yes, I don't expect that Labour will try and force the issue. But as I understand it, Sharma could choose to resign himself. In that case, I don't think there would be any option but to hold a by-election, so long as it is more than six months from the end of the government term.
He is a medical doctor. I expect he could probably earn a lot more away from parliament than by staying in it. So, he could easily decide to resign out of spite.
Looking at this type of situation without a political slant on it, I think the cause for this type of situation relates to why they decided to give up a good, high paying career to go into politics where they probably earn less.
To do that, someone would need to have high ideals and a belief they could make a difference. Perhaps the brutality of politics, and how little they are able to actually contribute is a shock to people with that outlook, and the are just unable to cope with the environment.
The Greens have musterers rather than whips, yetwhen it came to performance management their own rules said you could knife your best player without blinking an eye, so they did.
It was just three months ago that Ardern finally did a reshuffle after the removal of Wall, Fa'afoi and a few others. Clearly it was too little too late for a few.
Everyone finds a way to make their own peace with $170,000 a year.
When Clair Szabo was making the calls to all her MPs in April and May they all had a good idea of who was still up for the fight for a seat, who could just go to the list, who was retiring, it wasn't hard to see trouble.
The loud water-gurgling sucking noise from the polls is going to pull down the drain about 25% of Labour's MPs and they all know it. So the scramble for the list and the safest of seats has begun in earnest.
Who says that he had any expectation of getting into Parliament? Hamilton West was a National seat for four terms before this one. Sharma contested it in 2017 also and lost by 7731 votes. Sue Moroney ran for the second time in 2014 and lost by 5784 votes. Sharma may have wanted to just fly the Labour flag and perhaps raise his own profile.
18 years ago today, I was heading to my law school class in Wellington’s Old Government Buildings, opposite Parliament.
I saw people starting to gather at Parliament, a larger gathering of protestors then usual, so I decided to pop over to see what the cause of the protest was.
It was a group from a little known church then called ‘Destiny’ arriving in black and white uniforms to protest a range of the then 5th Labour Government policies.
I asked some protestors what policies in particular they were opposed to. The responses were mixed but were in general variations on the following: the government is making our 14 year old sons become gay prostitutes and enter gay civil unions."
"There was music and slow dancing next to the Wellington Cenotaph today, and a celebration of community and connection in the counter protest to the so called “voices for freedom”. People came together for diversity and democracy and against the right wing messages of hate and division, and the misinformation peddled by Brian Tamaki and “voices”."
I have recently spoken to a few people who were in Welly's for the recent occupation of the parliament grounds.
All of them mentioned how empowering it was to be in such a diverse group- culturally, politically, religion/spiritually ethnically etc and get along. On other words "a celebration of community and connection…"
A buddy passed thru in the weekend en route to Welly'sand he is motivated by the 'fire crisis' and the sale of Marsden Point. Two fairly important issues that seemed to have passed by without much comment let alone upset in TS.
But lets just stick to the far right rhetoric and everything will be OK…
I mentioned two issues that are impactful for one of the attendees; the 'fire crisis' and the discontinuation of Marsden Point.
Gsays (@5:43 pm), can't comment on the 'fire crisis', but imho it was a mistake to decommission the oil refining capability at Marsden Point. I'm not, however, going to throw my lot in with a generalised 'anti-government' protest because of it.
I've joined a few (not nearly enough, and local only)) protests in the last 7 years: several anti-TPPA (or whatever it’s called now) ones, an anti-military expo one (Ghahraman spoke), and a couple of climate change demos, but didn't and don't want any elected NZ Government overthrown – even (god help me) a NAct Govt.
Yes, spaceship Earth is in a bind, and there's growing discontent with all manner of decisions, events and trends in NZ and the wider world. Still, the only way I could support an umbrella anti-Govt movement would be if I believed it could act as a safety valve, rather than fueling forces that will to continue to fray our society.
Fwiw, I admire your advocacy for a more equal Aotearoa – kia kaha.
Yesterday's protest has been described as "anti-government", so what do the protestors want? To overthrow our elected Govt and put various politicians and/or public servants on trial? Would they be happier if Luxon/Seymour were in charge, and if so then why?
Could the protests be linked in part to the charitable status of Destiny Church? What exactly is their beef?
Brian Raymond Tamaki (born 2 February 1958), is a New Zealand fundamentalist Christian religious leader and far-right political activist. A Tainui man from the Ngati Ngawaero and Ngati Maniapoto tribes, he is the leader of Destiny Church, a pentecostal Christian organisation in New Zealand which advocates strict adherence to fundamentalist biblical morality, and is notable for its position against homosexuality, its patriarchal views, and for its calls for a return to biblical conservative family values and morals. He has also stated the COVID-19 pandemic is a sign the world has "strayed from God", which led to widespread condemnation, with one Anglican vicar describing Tamaki as "dangerous". This, alongside many comments he has made, and how he has amassed a large fortune by preaching the prosperity gospel to a mostly working-class audience, has made him a controversial figure in New Zealand.
His church has led a strong campaign that opposes COVID-19 vaccination, lockdowns and mask mandates since the pandemic began in New Zealand, and are currently engaging in protests against mandates at Parliament. In 2022 Tamaki was being briefly imprisoned for breaching bail conditions as he took part in an anti-vaccination protest in Christchurch. In the same year, following its failure to file, Destiny Church's charity status was revoked.
I mentioned two issues that are impactful for one of the attendees; the 'fire crisis' and the discontinuation of Marsden Point.
I thought Marsden Point may have riled a few round these parts but no. My understanding is that it was a condition of sale of Z service stations. Our nation's resilience and independence sold for a fistful of silver.
It's ok though, Minister Woods has been assured by 'officials' nothing untoward will happen.
Go back to sleep, Aotearoa, your government has got this. (Apologies to Dead Kennedys).
And yet it led to a 3 week occupation of Parliament grounds (not to mention other sites)…I would have thought that your previous incorrect dismissal of such action may have caused pause for thought….apparently not.
The Tamaki Religious Cult … the Green Upper-Middle Pakeha Woke Cult … the Maori ethno-nationalist Cult … none care too much for liberal democracy, majority sentiment or fundamental human rights.
Each grounded in a remarkably crude & distorted worldview … all 3 valorize & sacralize an elect group … all 3 guaranteed to viciously scapegoat & make swathes of innocent people suffer.
Dugin is hardly the influential mastermind our news attempts to convey In Russia he's a total has been, kicked out of Moscow University because he's too radical.This act of terrorism that killed his daughter will no doubt rally Russians behind him though .For a time.
He has never met Putin and has never held a public position of any stature, the west loves him because he is Russia's version of Alex Jones
By 2017, Dugin was openly critical of the president — in an interview that year, he derided Putin for holding an incoherent worldview: “I think that even he doesn’t understand what he’s saying because now he’s a liberal, now a conservative; now he’s for sovereignty, now for globalism, and now against globalism.” As of 2022, Dugin has no personal or professional links to the Kremlin. “Those who think that I stand on the periphery of power are correct.” Dugin stated a few years ago. “I have no influence. I don’t know anybody, have never seen anyone, I just write my books, and am a Russian thinker, nothing more. I write books, somebody reads them.”
Dugin is hardly the influential mastermind our news attempts to convey In Russia he's a total has been….
What are you trying to imply here Francesca?
That because Dugin is a total has been, he best serves Russia as a dead martyr?
Even better if his daughter is martyred, so Dugin can remain a living martyr with a platform to push pro-war, extreme Russian Nationalism and imperialism?
….Mr. Dugin has been one of the most visible proponents of the idea of an imperial Russia at the helm of a “Eurasian” civilization locked in an existential conflict in the West.
A leading advocate for the conquest of Ukraine, he recently has urged the Kremlin to escalate its assault.
Ms. Dugina espoused many of her father’s views, appearing regularly on state television to promote the idea of an imperialist and aggressive Russia. Although she was not well known in Russia beyond ultranationalist and imperialist circles, she also played a role in building ties between Russia and Europe’s far right….
I listened to a clip of this 'philosopher' pontificating on truth.
Truth being one of the fundamentals of philosophy it was an underwhelming and immature angle he came from. He basically said truth is reliant on someone believing something. He came across more as a political propagandist than a philosopher.
FWIW the definition of truth that works for me is 'that which does not change'.
There's more to it than that — Michael Millerman is a philosopher who has translated some of Dugin's stuff (which got him blacklisted from academia) and he has some interesting stuff to say. Right wing thought should not be written off lightly when it has such a massive influence
Solved. Although I did expect the assassin/s to be discovered in a safe house decorated with framed portraits of Zelenskyy, wearing Saint Javelin T-shirts and in possession of explosives and a 1975 map of Moscow.
To avoid suspicion Natalia Volk and her accomplice posed as a mother and daughter. In reality Natalia Vovk is a highly trained assassin skilled in bomb making and her accomplice is a midget disguised as a 12 year old girl.
Only an idiot would believe a mother would bring her 12 year old daughter along on a dangerous hit job.
The FSB have released a description of a tall brunette who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lara Croft accompanied by a 12 year old girl. The FSB have advised the public that the pair not to approached as they are both considered to be armed and dangerous highly trained top secret Western assassins. (The dermal filler in the older woman's lips prove her guilt as an agent of the decadent West).
Unfortunately the highly distinctive pair were able to slip past our vigilant border guards into Estonia. All is not lost, undercover FSB agents in Estonia armed with novichok tipped umbrellas have been alerted to be on the look out for the pair.
The National Republican Army (Национальная Республиканская Армия) is an alleged underground partisan group of Russians inside Russia working towards the violent overthrow of the Putin regime.
Ilya Ponomarev, a former member of Russia’s Duma who was expelled for anti-Kremlin activities, has identified the group as being behind the assassination of Russian propagandist Darya Dugina in August 2022, and “many other partisan actions carried out on the territory of Russia in recent months” [1].
The purported NRA manifesto states: We declare President Putin a usurper of power and a war criminal who amended the Constitution, unleashed a fratricidal war between the Slavic peoples and sent Russian soldiers to certain and senseless death. Poverty and coffins for some, palaces for others – the essence of his policy.
We believe that disenfranchised people have the right to rebel against tyrants. Putin will be deposed and destroyed by us!…
Sharma expelled. Gives press conference afterwards (will be up on various media soon), and at one point sort-of apologises. Remarkably, he claims that when he wrote his original piece for the Herald, he expected the PM to do his bidding the next day, and was surprised when that didn't happen. Clueless.
When pressed to give the worst examples of him being bullied, he again tells the story of the America's Cup event when he was kept waiting, and a reporter suggests that might be "disrespectful" but hardly "bullying". Again – that was the worst he could come up with.
His press conference was all a bit sad. The trouble in his office has been going on for 18 months apparently and it was probably well known around Parliament that he was struggling. My suspicion is that it has been weaponised by National and their Herald/NewsHub cronies as a distraction from the Uffindel nonsense. I hope the guy can resume his medical career eventually – and that such a possibility hasn't also been sabotaged by a political game where everyone in Labour is seen as a potential vector for an attack on Ardern.
Sharma told reporters he had been expelled as he exited the caucus meeting.
"It's not easy, obviously, walking into a situation like this," he said. "I'm gonna go and have a coffee, and take some time to think about it, genuinely."
Gotta love their total lack of self-awareness. In the Ardern "dictatorship", the limp-wristed liberal courts allow basic rights like the accused having lawyers, innocent until proven guilty, habeas corpus, etc.
But not the freedom-lovers …
“The 'people’s court' is about to commence,” the speakers at Parliament declare. Chants of 'guilty' can be heard from the crowd. (NZME live updates)
Not to ignore the danger, but you sort of have to laugh. Brian Tamaki saying being in jail was "taxing." He didn't say "tithing."
And then suggesting that Hannah Tamaki be Speaker.
An angle on that is that we could have our own sort of Clarence and Ginni Thomas power couple. Hannah in the chair? Imagine where the decisions would be made! Mind you the black robe would suit her.
This issue has a lot of the locals absolutely furious – and feeling helpless against the Tories uncaring callousness. Mentioned class action lawsuits to a couple of SNP and scot celeb profiles searching for answers… I hope the idea caught on.
Tourism operators on the entire English coastline, parents, and environmentalists should all band together and SLAM the bastards for every penny they're worth.
Regardless of the party, without the expertise, public acceptance and resource allocation the same problems exist….get rid of the politics and start talking pragmatics,
A great, upsetting, unsurprising article, dense with shocking detail.
Here's another about two men who set out to solve the crimes on the Windrush River and embarrassed the big water companies mightily, not that they cared to admit it – it's long, dense with fascinating detail and human action, reads like a very good thriller.
A tide of effluent, broken laws and ruthless cuts is devastating the nations’ waterways. An academic and a detective have dredged up the truth of how it was allowed to happen – but will anything be done?
Hammond, a retired professor specialising in machine learning, arrived here two decades ago, and delighted in the variety of wildlife he could see in his garden: voles, otters, deer, foxes, badgers, grass snakes, lizards, swans and ducks, as well as chub, barbel and grayling swimming among the long fronds of the water-crowfoot as it swayed over the gravel beds. Kingfishers perched in the willows. It was only in 2013, when he gained a new neighbour – a keen angler and retired detective superintendent called Ashley Smith – that he realised something was wrong with his Cotswolds paradise.
Ahh the Herald- remember the Woodstock in Wellington?
Their link describing the protest goes all Republicans remembering Jan 6 crossed with the Rainbow Connection. Or maybe the Uffindell dorm. In the business section for some odd reason. Perhaps down to the people funding it on the qt.
It’s not only that the next election is guna be for democracy as we know it, but also it is guna be so cringey.
Headline:
Dreamers, schemers and believers: The original riotous Wellington convoy protests
leadin thingy:
What a riot: Some were wild and young and free, others were old and angry and crazy.
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Rod EmmersonThank you to my subscribers and readers - you make it all possible. Tui.Subscribe nowSix updates today from around the world and locally here in Aoteaora New Zealand -1. RFK Jnr’s Autism CrusadeAmerica plans to create a registry of people with autism in the United States. RFK Jr’s department ...
We see it often enough. A democracy deals with an authoritarian state, and those who oppose concessions cite the lesson of Munich 1938: make none to dictators; take a firm stand. And so we hear ...
370 perioperative nurses working at Auckland City Hospital, Starship Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre will strike for two hours on 1 May – the same day senior doctors are striking. This is part of nationwide events to mark May Day on 1 May, including rallies outside public hospitals, organised by ...
Character protections for Auckland’s villas have stymied past development. Now moves afoot to strip character protection from a bunch of inner-city villas. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories shortest from our political economy on Wednesday, April 23:Special Character Areas designed to protect villas are stopping 20,000 sites near Auckland’s ...
Artificial intelligence is poised to significantly transform the Indo-Pacific maritime security landscape. It offers unprecedented situational awareness, decision-making speed and operational flexibility. But without clear rules, shared norms and mechanisms for risk reduction, AI could ...
For what is a man, what has he got?If not himself, then he has naughtTo say the things he truly feelsAnd not the words of one who kneelsThe record showsI took the blowsAnd did it my wayLyrics: Paul Anka.Morena folks, before we discuss Winston’s latest salvo in NZ First’s War ...
Britain once risked a reputation as the weak link in the trilateral AUKUS partnership. But now the appointment of an empowered senior official to drive the project forward and a new burst of British parliamentary ...
Australia’s ability to produce basic metals, including copper, lead, zinc, nickel and construction steel, is in jeopardy, with ageing plants struggling against Chinese competition. The multinational commodities company Trafigura has put its Australian operations under ...
There have been recent PPP debacles, both in New Zealand (think Transmission Gully) and globally, with numerous examples across both Australia and Britain of failed projects and extensive litigation by government agencies seeking redress for the failures.Rob Campbell is one of New Zealand’s sharpest critics of PPPs noting that; "There ...
On Twitter on Saturday I indicated that there had been a mistake in my post from last Thursday in which I attempted to step through the Reserve Bank Funding Agreement issues. Making mistakes (there are two) is annoying and I don’t fully understand how I did it (probably too much ...
Indonesia’s armed forces still have a lot of work to do in making proper use of drones. Two major challenges are pilot training and achieving interoperability between the services. Another is overcoming a predilection for ...
The StrategistBy Sandy Juda Pratama, Curie Maharani and Gautama Adi Kusuma
As a living breathing human being, you’ve likely seen the heart-wrenching images from Gaza...homes reduced to rubble, children burnt to cinders, families displaced, and a death toll that’s beyond comprehension. What is going on in Gaza is most definitely a genocide, the suffering is real, and it’s easy to feel ...
Donald Trump, who has called the Chair of the Federal Reserve “a major loser”. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories shortest from our political economy on Tuesday, April 22:US markets slump after Donald Trump threatens the Fed’s independence. China warns its trading partners not to side with the US. Trump says some ...
Last night, the news came through that Pope Francis had passed away at 7:35 am in Rome on Monday, the 21st of April, following a reported stroke and heart failure. Pope Francis. Photo: AP.Despite his obvious ill health, it still came as a shock, following so soon after the Easter ...
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review found the NIC to be highly capable and performing well. So, it is not a surprise that most of the 67 recommendations are incremental adjustments and small but nevertheless important ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkThe world has made real progress toward tacking climate change in recent years, with spending on clean energy technologies skyrocketing from hundreds of billions to trillions of dollars globally over the past decade, and global CO2 emissions plateauing.This has contributed to a reassessment of ...
Hi,I’ve been having a peaceful month of what I’d call “existential dread”, even more aware than usual that — at some point — this all ends.It was very specifically triggered by watching Pantheon, an animated sci-fi show that I’m filing away with all-time greats like Six Feet Under, Watchmen and ...
Once the formalities of honouring the late Pope wrap up in two to three weeks time, the conclave of Cardinals will go into seclusion. Some 253 of the current College of Cardinals can take part in the debate over choosing the next Pope, but only 138 of them are below ...
The National Party government is doubling down on a grim, regressive vision for the future: more prisons, more prisoners, and a society fractured by policies that punish rather than heal. This isn’t just a misstep; it’s a deliberate lurch toward a dystopian future where incarceration is the answer to every ...
The audacity of Don Brash never ceases to amaze. The former National Party and Hobson’s Pledge mouthpiece has now sunk his claws into NZME, the media giant behind the New Zealand Herald and half of our commercial radio stations. Don Brash has snapped up shares in NZME, aligning himself with ...
A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 13, 2025 thru Sat, April 19, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
“What I’d say to you is…” our Prime Minister might typically begin a sentence, when he’s about to obfuscate and attempt to derail the question you really, really want him to answer properly (even once would be okay, Christopher). Questions such as “Why is a literal election promise over ...
Ruth IrwinExponential Economic growth is the driver of Ecological degradation. It is driven by CO2 greenhouse gas emissions through fossil fuel extraction and burning for the plethora of polluting industries. Extreme weather disasters and Climate change will continue to get worse because governments subscribe to the current global economic system, ...
A man on telly tries to tell me what is realBut it's alright, I like the way that feelsAnd everybody singsWe are evolving from night to morningAnd I wanna believe in somethingWriter: Adam Duritz.The world is changing rapidly, over the last year or so, it has been out with the ...
MFB Co-Founder Cecilia Robinson runs Tend HealthcareSummary:Kieran McAnulty calls out National on healthcare lies and says Health Minister Simeon Brown is “dishonest and disingenuous”(video below)McAnulty says negotiation with doctors is standard practice, but this level of disrespect is not, especially when we need and want our valued doctors.National’s $20bn ...
Chris Luxon’s tenure as New Zealand’s Prime Minister has been a masterclass in incompetence, marked by coalition chaos, economic lethargy, verbal gaffes, and a moral compass that seems to point wherever political expediency lies. The former Air New Zealand CEO (how could we forget?) was sold as a steady hand, ...
Has anybody else noticed Cameron Slater still obsessing over Jacinda Ardern? The disgraced Whale Oil blogger seems to have made it his life’s mission to shadow the former Prime Minister of New Zealand like some unhinged stalker lurking in the digital bushes.The man’s obsession with Ardern isn't just unhealthy...it’s downright ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is climate change a net benefit for society? Human-caused climate change has been a net detriment to society as measured by loss of ...
When the National Party hastily announced its “Local Water Done Well” policy, they touted it as the great saviour of New Zealand’s crumbling water infrastructure. But as time goes by it's looking more and more like a planning and fiscal lame duck...and one that’s going to cost ratepayers far more ...
Donald Trump, the orange-hued oligarch, is back at it again, wielding tariffs like a mob boss swinging a lead pipe. His latest economic edict; slapping hefty tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada, has the stench of a protectionist shakedown, cooked up in the fevered minds of his sycophantic ...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...
One pill makes you largerAnd one pill makes you smallAnd the ones that mother gives youDon't do anything at allGo ask AliceWhen she's ten feet tallSongwriter: Grace Wing Slick.Morena, all, and a happy Bicycle Day to you.Today is an unofficial celebration of the dawning of the psychedelic era, commemorating the ...
It’s only been a few months since the Hollywood fires tore through Los Angeles, leaving a trail of devastation, numerous deaths, over 10,000 homes reduced to rubble, and a once glorious film industry on its knees. The Palisades and Eaton fires, fueled by climate-driven dry winds, didn’t just burn houses; ...
Four eighty-year-old books which are still vitally relevant today. Between 1942 and 1945, four refugees from Vienna each published a ground-breaking – seminal – book.* They left their country after Austria was taken over by fascists in 1934 and by Nazi Germany in 1938. Previously they had lived in ‘Red ...
Good Friday, 18th April, 2025: I can at last unveil the Secret Non-Fiction Project. The first complete Latin-to-English translation of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s twelve-book Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem (Disputations Against Divinatory Astrology). Amounting to some 174,000 words, total. Some context is probably in order. Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) ...
National MP Hamish Campbell's pathetic attempt to downplay his deep ties to and involvement in the Two by Twos...a secretive religious sect under FBI and NZ Police investigation for child sexual abuse...isn’t just a misstep; it’s a calculated lie that insults the intelligence of every Kiwi voter.Campbell’s claim of being ...
New Zealand First’s Shane Jones has long styled himself as the “Prince of the Provinces,” a champion of regional development and economic growth. But beneath the bluster lies a troubling pattern of behaviour that reeks of cronyism and corruption, undermining the very democracy he claims to serve. Recent revelations and ...
Give me one reason to stay hereAnd I'll turn right back aroundGive me one reason to stay hereAnd I'll turn right back aroundSaid I don't want to leave you lonelyYou got to make me change my mindSongwriters: Tracy Chapman.Morena, and Happy Easter, whether that means to you. Hot cross buns, ...
New Zealand’s housing crisis is a sad indictment on the failures of right wing neoliberalism, and the National Party, under Chris Luxon’s shaky leadership, is trying to simply ignore it. The numbers don’t lie: Census data from 2023 revealed 112,496 Kiwis were severely housing deprived...couch-surfing, car-sleeping, or roughing it on ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on a global survey of over 3,000 economists and scientists showing a significant divide in views on green growth; and ...
Simeon Brown, the National Party’s poster child for hubris, consistently over-promises and under-delivers. His track record...marked by policy flip-flops and a dismissive attitude toward expert advice, reveals a politician driven by personal ambition rather than evidence. From transport to health, Brown’s focus seems fixed on protecting National's image, not addressing ...
Open access notables Recent intensified riverine CO2 emission across the Northern Hemisphere permafrost region, Mu et al., Nature Communications:Global warming causes permafrost thawing, transferring large amounts of soil carbon into rivers, which inevitably accelerates riverine CO2 release. However, temporally and spatially explicit variations of riverine CO2 emissions remain unclear, limiting the ...
Once a venomous thorn in New Zealand’s blogosphere, Cathy Odgers, aka Cactus Kate, has slunk into the shadows, her once-sharp quills dulled by the fallout of Dirty Politics.The dishonest attack-blogger, alongside her vile accomplices such as Cameron Slater, were key players in the National Party’s sordid smear campaigns, exposed by Nicky ...
Once upon a time, not so long ago, those who talked of Australian sovereign capability, especially in the technology sector, were generally considered an amusing group of eccentrics. After all, technology ecosystems are global and ...
The ACT Party leader’s latest pet project is bleeding taxpayers dry, with $10 million funneled into seven charter schools for just 215 students. That’s a jaw-dropping $46,500 per student, compared to roughly $9,000 per head in state schools.You’d think Seymour would’ve learned from the last charter school fiasco, but apparently, ...
India navigated relations with the United States quite skilfully during the first Trump administration, better than many other US allies did. Doing so a second time will be more difficult, but India’s strategic awareness and ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is concerned for low-income workers given new data released by Stats NZ that shows inflation was 2.5% for the year to March 2025, rising from 2.2% in December last year. “The prices of things that people can’t avoid are rising – meaning inflation is rising ...
Last week, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment recommended that forestry be removed from the Emissions Trading Scheme. Its an unfortunate but necessary move, required to prevent the ETS's total collapse in a decade or so. So naturally, National has told him to fuck off, and that they won't be ...
China’s recent naval circumnavigation of Australia has highlighted a pressing need to defend Australia’s air and sea approaches more effectively. Potent as nuclear submarines are, the first Australian boats under AUKUS are at least seven ...
In yesterday’s post I tried to present the Reserve Bank Funding Agreement for 2025-30, as approved by the Minister of Finance and the Bank’s Board, in the context of the previous agreement, and the variation to that agreement signed up to by Grant Robertson a few weeks before the last ...
Australia’s bid to co-host the 31st international climate negotiations (COP31) with Pacific island countries in late 2026 is directly in our national interest. But success will require consultation with the Pacific. For that reason, no ...
Old and outdated buildings being demolished at Wellington Hospital in 2018. The new infrastructure being funded today will not be sufficient for future population size and some will not be built by 2035. File photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short from our political economy on Thursday, April 17:Simeon Brown has unveiled ...
Thousands of senior medical doctors have voted to go on strike for 24 hours overpay at the beginning of next month. Callaghan Innovation has confirmed dozens more jobs are on the chopping block as the organisation disestablishes. Palmerston North hospital staff want improved security after a gun-wielding man threatened their ...
The introduction of AI in workplaces can create significant health and safety risks for workers (such as intensification of work, and extreme surveillance) which can significantly impact workers’ mental and physical wellbeing. It is critical that unions and workers are involved in any decision to introduce AI so that ...
Donald Trump’s return to the White House and aggressive posturing is undermining global diplomacy, and New Zealand must stand firm in rejecting his reckless, fascist-driven policies that are dragging the world toward chaos.As a nation with a proud history of peacekeeping and principled foreign policy, we should limit our role ...
Sunday marks three months since Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president. What a ride: the style rude, language raucous, and the results rogue. Beyond manners, rudeness matters because tone signals intent as well as personality. ...
There are any number of reasons why anyone thinking of heading to the United States for a holiday should think twice. They would be giving their money to a totalitarian state where political dissenters are being rounded up and imprisoned here and here, where universities are having their funds for ...
Taiwan has an inadvertent, rarely acknowledged role in global affairs: it’s a kind of sponge, soaking up much of China’s political, military and diplomatic efforts. Taiwan soaks up Chinese power of persuasion and coercion that ...
The Ukraine war has been called the bloodiest conflict since World War II. As of July 2024, 10,000 women were serving in frontline combat roles. Try telling them—from the safety of an Australian lounge room—they ...
Following Canadian authorities’ discovery of a Chinese information operation targeting their country’s election, Australians, too, should beware such risks. In fact, there are already signs that Beijing is interfering in campaigning for the Australian election ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). From "founder" of Tesla and the OG rocket man with SpaceX, and rebranding twitter as X, Musk has ...
Back in February 2024, a rat infestation attracted a fair few headlines in the South Dunedin Countdown supermarket. Today, the rats struck again. They took out the Otago-Southland region’s internet connection. https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360656230/internet-outage-hits-otago-and-southland Strictly, it was just a coincidence – rats decided to gnaw through one fibre cable, while some hapless ...
I came in this morning after doing some chores and looked quickly at Twitter before unpacking the groceries. Someone was retweeting a Radio NZ story with the headline “Reserve Bank’s budget to be slashed by 25%”. Wow, I thought, the Minister of Finance has really delivered this time. And then ...
So, having teased it last week, Andrew Little has announced he will run for mayor of Wellington. On RNZ, he's saying its all about services - "fixing the pipes, making public transport cheaper, investing in parks, swimming pools and libraries, and developing more housing". Meanwhile, to the readers of the ...
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?W.B. Yeats, The Second Coming, 1921ALL OVER THE WORLD, devout Christians will be reaching for their bibles, reading and re-reading Revelation 13:16-17. For the benefit of all you non-Christians out there, these are the verses describing ...
Give me what I want, what I really, really want: And what India really wants from New Zealand isn’t butter or cheese, but a radical relaxation of the rules controlling Indian immigration.WHAT DOES INDIA WANT from New Zealand? Not our dairy products, that’s for sure, it’s got plenty of those. ...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...
Yesterday, 5,500 senior doctors across Aotearoa New Zealand voted overwhelmingly to strike for a day.This is the first time in New Zealand ASMS members have taken strike action for 24 hours.They are asking the government tofund them and account for resource shortfalls.Vacancies are critical - 45-50% in some regions.The ...
For years and years and years, David Seymour and his posse of deluded neoliberals have been preaching their “tough on crime” gospel to voters. Harsher sentences! More police! Lock ‘em up! Throw away the key. But when it comes to their own, namely former Act Party president Tim Jago, a ...
The Government must support Northland hapū who have resorted to rakes and buckets to try to control a devastating invasive seaweed that threatens the local economy and environment. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill that would ensure the biological definition of a woman and man are defined in law. “This is not about being anti-anyone or anti-anything. This is about ensuring we as a country focus on the facts of biology and protect the ...
After stonewalling requests for information on boot camps, the Government has now offered up a blog post right before Easter weekend rather than provide clarity on the pilot. ...
More people could be harmed if Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey does not guarantee to protect patients and workers as the Police withdraw from supporting mental health call outs. ...
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Appiah Takyi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Urban flooding is a major problem in the global south. In west and central Africa, more than 4 million people were affected by flooding in 2024. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Just as voting has begun in this year’s federal election, the Coalition has released its long-awaited defence policy platform. The main focus, as expected, is a boost in defence spending to 3% of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Hicks, Lecturer in Law, The University of Melbourne Roberto La Rosa/Shutterstock Snipers in helicopters have shot more than 700 koalas in the Budj Bim National Park in western Victoria in recent weeks. It’s believed to be the first time koalas ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriele Gratton, Professor of Politics and Economics and ARC Future Fellow, UNSW Sydney Pundits and political scientists like to repeat that we live in an age of political polarisation. But if you sat through the second debate between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Research Fellow, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney Kaboompics.com/Pexels There’s no shortage of things to feel angry about these days. Whether it’s politics, social injustice, climate change or the cost-of-living crisis, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University The death of Pope Francis this week marks the end of a historic papacy and the beginning of a significant transition for the Catholic Church. As the faithful around the world mourn his passing, ...
A recent survey, carried out by PPTA Te Wehengarua, of establishing and overseas trained secondary teachers found that 90% of respondents agreed that mentoring had helped their development. ...
Other Honours recipients include country singer Suzanne Prentice, most capped All Black Samuel Whitelock, and Māori language educator and academic Professor Rawinia Higgins. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Intifar Chowdhury, Lecturer in Government, Flinders University The centre of gravity of Australian politics has shifted. Millennials and Gen Z voters, now comprising 47% of the electorate, have taken over as the dominant voting bloc. But this generational shift isn’t just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Dunley, Senior Lecturer in History and Maritime Strategy, UNSW Sydney National security issues have been a constant feature of this federal election campaign. Both major parties have spruiked their national security credentials by promising additional defence spending. The Coalition has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne In Canada, the governing centre-left Liberals had trailed the Conservatives by more than 20 points in January, but now lead by five ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Narelle Miragliotta, Associate Professor in Politics, Murdoch University Election talk is inevitably focused on Labor and the Coalition because they are the parties that customarily form government. But a minor party like the Greens is consequential, regardless of whether the election ...
Asia Pacific Report The US District Court for the District of Columbia has granted a preliminary injunction in Widakuswara v Lake, affirming the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) was unlawfully shuttered by the Trump administration, Acting Director Victor Morales and Special Adviser Kari Lake. The decision enshrines that USAGM ...
As the PM talks trade with Keir Starmer, his deputy is busy, busy, busy. A prime ministerial speech and free-trade phone tree with like-minded leaders in response to Trump’s tarrif binge impressed many commentators, but not all of them: leading pundit and deputy prime minister Winston Peters was indignant ...
The settlement relates to proposed restructures of the Data and Digital and Pacific Health teams at Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora which were subject to litigation before the Employment Relations Authority set down for 22 April 2025. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Campbell Rider, PhD Candidate in Philosophy – Philosophy of Biology, University of Sydney Artist’s impression of the exoplanet K2-18bA. Smith/N. Madhusudhan (University of Cambridge) Whether or not we’re alone in the universe is one of the biggest questions in science. A ...
A free and democratic society must allow citizens to question — especially when it involves influential figures with platforms that reach into education and public life. Dismissing every objection as bigotry is not progress; it’s intimidation. ...
Glen Kyne joins Anna Rawhiti-Connell to discuss the enormity of the task ahead for TVNZ’s new chief news and content officer, analyse the case laid out by Philip Crump on Monday for a Jim Grenon-led board at NZME and reflect on the recent anti-trust rulings against Google in the US. ...
The booksellers of Unity Books Auckland and Wellington review a handful of children’s books sure to delight and inspire readers of all ages.AUCKLANDReviews by Elka Aitchison and Roger Christensen, booksellers at Unity Books AucklandThe Sad Ghost Club: Find Your Kindred Spirits by Liz Meddings (Age 12+) This ...
Conflating editorial endeavour that seeks accurate reporting and proper context in news stories with subjective support for foreign enemies is a smear, creates a chill factor within newsrooms and stifles open and informed public discourse over foreign ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Kirkland, Research Fellow in Psychology, The University of Queensland LOOKSLIKEPHOTO/Shutterstock Australia just sweltered through one of its hottest summers on record, and heat has pushed well into autumn. Once-in-a-generation floods are now striking with alarming regularity. As disasters escalate, insurers ...
Te Pāti Māori MPs have again declined to turn up to a hearing over their haka protest, but this time they have lodged a written submission in their absence. ...
A replacement for State Highway 1 over Northland's notorious Brynderwyn Hills will be built just to the east of the current road - a major change from the original plan. ...
Mass die-offs of our freshwater guardians expose a failing, fragmented management system. Iwi and hapū are calling for a unified, indigenous-led recovery plan.Although it’s a delicacy for many around the country, you won’t find any smoked tuna on the menu at my marae. Where I come from in the ...
The conclave explained, a cinematic knowledge shortcut and very scientific musings about a possible curse. Gather round atheists, agnostics, apathetes, anyone who hasn’t seen Conclave and all who have successfully rinsed their religious education from their memories.Pope Francis, the first pope from Latin America, the first from the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Knight, Associate Professor, Transdisciplinary School, University of Technology Sydney A low relief sculpture depicting Plato and Aristotle arguing adorning the external wall of Florence Cathedral.Krikkiat/Shutterstock Disagreement and uncertainty are common features of everyday life. They’re also common and expected features ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Pearce, Associate Professor, Health Economics, University of Sydney Okrasiuk/Shutterstock Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly relevant in many aspects of society, including health care. For example, it’s already used for robotic surgery and to provide virtual mental health support. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alfie Chadwick, PhD Candidate, Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub, Monash University Australia’s climate and energy wars are at the forefront of the federal election campaign as the major parties outline vastly different plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle soaring ...
Two widespread communications failures in the Northland storm and Otago within two days last week have again exposed the vulnerability of the country's critical infrastructure. ...
Imagine folks who make pledges like this taking up places in local schools, councils, utilities, etc… because that's EXACTLY what they're doing in the USA right now. And our local mob are learning from them – fast.
Beware the rise of Christo-Fascism.
https://twitter.com/NickKnudsenUS/status/1547259907275075584
Coincidentally 2022 marks the one hundred year anniversary of Mussolini's March on Rome.
Thank Goodness, that unlike Australia or Italy we don't have an unelected regent who could over rule our elected law makers and put the protesters in power.
As for over ruling elected lawmakers….the experts at that are the…C.I.A.
Iran and Chile are two good case …studies.
The mask is off.
https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1541508454740885511
These mega-churches preaching prosperity gospel are 'godsends', campaign funds (divine missions and all that) and megaphones for right-wing politicians. Massive audiences. And they in turn provide judges, laws and tax free windfalls to appease the churches.
It's corrupt AF really. Add the white supremacy in and it's plain evil.
DeSantis seems to be the new most dangerous useful idiot. I'm sure it's you who pointed that out a while ago. His anti-woke law was just dog-whistling the church (that pledge in the OP specifically has a pledge against 'wokeness', f'n ridiculous Q-level crazy m'f'ers).
Trump now seems entirely expendable to these good christian folks. Finding it hard to raise a tear.
Jeepers, that sort of one-dimensional crap frightens the life out of me.
For God's sake (I'm not being ironical) people, read candidate bios thoroughly and get out to vote – to make sure such demented half-wits don't get elected to any body in this country.
Show me..the MONEY !
"Usually" ? ! Well, thats ALLgood. lol
One of my kids is on the train into Wellington and he says there are loads of Tamaki protestors going to the demo.
Hi BG. If like you (I think)….your Kid will know…and how to stay Safe. Best !
He is 28….but thanks.
There is a Mussolini look-alike demagogue raving on at the demo, waving arms etc……oh its Brian Tamaki in his life of Brian where he does imitations of hateful creatures of the past.
PS I did not go to the counter protest. Bad feeling still about what may happen.
Watching the protest and there are two women who have gradually moved one of those big green plastic bollards away from where it joins the concrete. No doubt waiting for the sign to push it completely and storm onto the forecourt.
If it was in Auckland – I would be there for the counter protest as soon as I could get my boots on.
You're braver than I am then.
Shanreagh…I can tell, (I think) by your earlier comments..etc..you are Brave alright.And I remember you from earlier protest..helping with clean up etc. Good onya.
Thank you.
The cleaner-upperers had a limited amount of work as officials were not keen about sending volunteers onto the actual protest grounds from a health perspective for fear of glass, rubbish and general unmentionables, the pong during the protest was terrible.
They encouraged us to clean up around the streets where we live so we did that.
And me also ! Onya matey. Respect !
Were you a skinhead in your younger days?
Get people on the ground and then kick the s**t out of them? Why else would you need to get your boots on?
[Not funny to accuse another commenter of being violent towards others, now and/or in the past. Read the Policy about joking about violence and this includes tar & feathers and lynching. This is your warning – Incognito]
Probably doesn't want to step, barefoot, in the kind of "legacy' the previous Parliamentary protesters left underfoot … 🙂
Yes Robert that was certainly the reason that the volunteers were turned away from helping with the clean-up. Health and safety concerns.
Squidgy!
Mod note
OK
Not all the skinheads/bootboys were like that (except the CHCH ones, which mainly were)…just as not all boffhead rugby jocks are violent thugs when they are drunk…but lots were.
Myself have Kid that age. They still your Kid in that you care. Allgood : )
True
It is good to see that Brian's mates are doing their best to limit climate change by using public transport rather than cars.
Lots of Labour MPs were turning up for the ceremonial lynching of their erstwhile colleague in taxis. None of this sharing vehicles with the hoi polloi for them.
Well I saw two of them in separate taxis and I'll admit I am extrapolating. Probably off the same flight from Auckland of course.
By ceremonial lynching your saying Dr Sharma will only be let out of the front door of parliament today?
Don't you think they will tar and feather him first?
Then he can steal the quip from Abe Lincoln.
“I feel like the man who was tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail. To the man who asked him how he liked it, he said: ‘If it wasn’t for the honor of the thing, I’d rather walk.’”
If you were invited to go down in history like Abe Lyncoln (quipped), wouldn't you accept?
Well thats a bugger for your furtive imagination. He's some how managed to wipe the tar and feathers off with a damp cloth before giving a press conference by now.
Probably needs an indepent report into modern asphalt quality.
I believe, although I am open to correction, that it is bitumen rather than tar that is used to make asphalt.
You're "open to correction", alwyn?
Good.
Nic the NZer has corrected you.
Where did he do that Robert? Are you knowledgeable on Tar and Bitumen.
Nic's all over you, alwyn.
Your suggestion that Sharma appears covered in tar isn't racist…
… is it?
Please drop it, thanks.
Awww!
Okay.
the ceremonial lynching of their erstwhile colleague
And there's the prize for the most ignorant, obnoxious analogy of the day.
"Lots of Labour MPs were turning up for the ceremonial lynching of their erstwhile colleague in taxis."
Heh if it was National….actually I dunno would the country have enough limousines for them?
Just the one member of the National Caucus gets to use a limo.
About 25 of the Labour MPs have a Limo on call at all times. Plus a free self drive car of course.
Now what was your point again?
There aren't that many of them, Barfly – thank Gaia!
I suspect Gaia may be a fan of Limo's Robert.
There was a case in Wellington over the weekend that seemed to illustrate that fact. A slip out in Eastbourne affected two vehicles owned by one family. Their Tesla was half buried and left immovable. Their Ford Ute (a Ranger by the look of it) was shunted out into the road but didn't seem to be nearly as badly damaged as the EV was.
Perhaps Gaia likes big Utes rather than EVs?
Your use of specific examples to prove a generality is …
…impressive, alwyn.
I'm sold.
I remember Richard Dawkins warning of a "fascist Christian theocracy" in some of the wackier sectors of US society (The God Delusion). Even he didn't suppose it would become this serious and/or mainstream so soon.
What do you call this horrifying new phenomenon? Aha: ChrISIS! (You read it here first!)
And they say Dugin's mad
No just evil. IMO.
Via the Bulletin, interesting read from a Washingtom Post journalist about how to report in the current climate.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2022/08/21/margaret-sullivan-last-column-trump-2024-media/
"So my prescription — and it’s only a start — is less live campaign coverage, more context and thoughtful framing, and more fearless straight talk from news leaders about what’s at stake and why politics coverage looks different. The latter could take many forms: editors’ notes on stories, columns written by news directors and posted prominently on websites, public appearances, and more."
That is about the way that Stuff operates these days. They don't inform us about what the candidates say or do. They tell us what they want to happen and why their favorites are the only ones that anyone could possibly vote for.
Frankly I would much rather hear from the candidates themselves.
There's a website that displays all candidate profiles with their thoughts and declarations, alwyn – go there!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/300668179/kiwi-singer-margaret-urlich-57-dies-after-battle-with-cancer
so incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Margaret Urlich. Too young.
she was an incredible talent.
third talented women we have lost (with associations with Australia) in the last couple of weeks.
my sincere condolences to her friends and family
For those of you out there following the constant and seemingly unending stream of Liberal hypocrisy…here is a good one that needs to be remembered during the upcoming Brazilian elections…
So as we all know, Glenn Greenwald is persona non grata in the fine minded circles of MSM liberal press and its like minded public readers/listeners….thinking RNZ/The Guardian/Washington Post etc here…and variously described on this very site by regular commentors as “Putin’s puppet, Right Wing, Carlson lap dog” etc etc…
Yet, Greenwald, who I might add does not describe himself as ‘Left Wing’, has without a shadow of a doubt, done more tangible good for the actual Left Wing /Antiwar movement than any Liberal rag has over the past half a decade or more.
Just his incredibly brave reporting in an extremely hostile environment on the outrageous illegal imprisonment of Lula da Silva alone, leading directly to his release, therefore Luls’s ability to run in the upcoming Brazilian elections (which Lula is leading) is by itself more important and more effecting to Left Wing politics, possibly (if Lula is elected) the fight against climate change than anything the entire Liberal press has managed to achieve over the past couple of years combined…yet Liberals and the Liberal press will still hate on him…which actually says more about Liberals and their politics than it does about Glenn Greenwalds.
Lula holds lead as Brazil’s election campaign officially begins
Lula: no need to fell a single tree to boost Brazil farm output
The character behind the
Christo-Fascistconservative mob that stacked the US Supreme Court persuaded a donor to give him the proceeds of a US$1.6 billion corporate sale. Tax free.A US$1.6 billion slush fund to outspend the opposition for years to come.
.
WASHINGTON — A new conservative nonprofit group scored a $1.6 billion windfall last year via a little-known donor — an extraordinary sum that could give Republicans and their causes a huge financial boost ahead of the midterms, and for years to come.
The source of the money was Barre Seid, an electronics manufacturing mogul, and the donation is among the largest — if not the largest — single contributions ever made to a politically focused nonprofit. The beneficiary is a new political group controlled by Leonard A. Leo, an activist who has used his connections to Republican donors and politicians to help engineer the conservative dominance of the Supreme Court and to finance battles over abortion rights, voting rules and climate change policy.
https://archive.ph/bu92B (nyt)
And yet it is Biden/Democratic Party strategy to actually fund and boost some of those same ultra Far Right Republicans over more moderate Republican candidates, some who are even pro choice….
Democrats have been boosting ultra-right candidates. It could backfire.
Democrats spend millions on Republican primaries
"John Gibbs, who defended a notorious anti-Semitic troll banned by Twitter, got over $400,000 in ad dollars. Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who compared gun control to policies under Nazi Germany and shared an image saying Roe v. Wade was “so much” worse than the Holocaust, got more than $800,000. Maryland state Del. Dan Cox, who has associated with QAnon conspiracy theorists, got $1.2 million. And Illinois state Sen. Darren Bailey, who pushed to evict Chicago from the state, got $35 million.
National Democrats, party-aligned nonprofits, and some of their candidates have together spent millions to elevate the most extreme positions of far-right candidates in races in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Colorado, and Maryland, and it’s a strategy that’s divided party operatives. The total investment this cycle was over $44 million as of last quarter, according to an Open Secrets analysis."
Reminds me of the Wright family funding of Plunkett’s The Platform here in NZ.
What's new ….pussycat!-just hope no one decides to identify…as..a mouse…could be..issues.
Furries Australia: Year 8 Melbourne private school girl identifies as a cat | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site
If you have to affirm as otherwise you might be breaking the law, why not. Just don't forget to put out a litter box, some catnip, a few treats and a small serving of raw meat. After all Cats are carnivores, and also allocate lots of free time for grooming, education is i guess secondary for the cats and all the other kids.
In the meantime in NZ. You don't like the sex that was 'assigned' to the fruit of the birthing bodies womb? Go legally change the 'assigned sex' to what ever you seem fit.
https://www.justice.govt.nz/family/change-the-sexgender-on-a-birth-certificate/
The question that has stumped scores of academics='what is a woman',has been answered by Martina Navratilova='an adult,human,female'.
this has got nothing to do with anything.
This is about adults assigning shit to children, changing legally their sex marker on official documentation and so on.
Scenario. A child called John in a crowded place gets lost. The police to start a search for John. Now John is dressed in blue jean, t-shirt and has short black hair and 6 years old. As per their birth certificate they are a boy.
Now John did not actually get lost but got abducted. John in now somewhere locked up in a house with some adults. Police comes knocking on the door, asks have you seen John? And the person answering the door states, no boys here, just a girl, Jane. Jane is dressed in blue jean, t-shirt and has short black hair and would be considered a girl if examined by a doctor. The cops leave. Jane is later found in a small woods. The copper who asked the people is devastated because they did not knew that John was a trans identified girl, and thus had no chance to correctly identifying Jane as the lost child John.
I understand what you mean,but your 'story ' is flawed and implausible.
how so?
You knw where my scenario came from? This case, i just changed the age/background.
Now the cop that knocked on the door stood there and took the explanations given and the girl in this case ended up dead after days of torture.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-teen-torture-case-girls-body-found-inside-a-rusty-drum-at-abandoned-state-house/DXT3NDUVEID3LZVMEY3AUVXURQ/
So, frankly this scenario can/could happen, and i would not be surprised in the future if it does happen. It depends on the parents admitting that the boy is a girl. The same parents who legally changed the documentation on their childs might be the parents who would not divulge that John is actually a Jane and that the child cops should look for is a girl.
Hard to figure how much more perfect a storm Europe could face:
– War, worst in 80 years
– Drought, worst in 1,000 years
– Heatwave, worst in 500 years
– Energy shortage
One dare not utter the phrase 'karmic colonial revenge' since it all lands on the backs of the poor and of animals.
And it looks like we are in for the third El Nino in a row.
La Niña, I think.
But but the economy must grow, and surely if you buy an E-car you can feel all non colonial and exempt from the karmic colonial revenge'.
I do like the hungerstones in the Rivers of Europe. You know what they show? that these levels have been reached before, and people survived and continued on. Also they are good forewarning to those that care about omens and signs in order to prepare.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_stone
You like the hungerstones?
Gruesome.
At least it wasnt the Hunger Games?
I grew up with these hungerstones and have seen some of the inscriptions myself whilst a child in the 70 during a big drought in 1974, and later. And you know what, all the rivers have them, they all come with warnings and if you live in a society where the old has value you can find also the 'must do' instructions.
From below
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/19/hunger-stones-wrecks-and-bones-europe-drought-brings-past-to-surface
While they are the marker of hunger and strive, they are also a time capsule to let us know that human kind has been there and survived.
And above all i like the fact that history ryhmes and the current and future generation will also learn to survive and adapt and ad its own verses. The young ones mostly will live, the old will wither away and die, and such is nature. So yes, Robert, i take great comfort in that knowledge. Its the sound of nature.
The hunger stones, and perhaps the Nilometer represent the guidance of previous generations, urging caution so that we may not have to endure unprepared the calamities of our time.
NZ rivers could use a few hunger stones, though of course you'd never see them for the slime, and our elected representatives would ignore them in favour of whatever implausible explanation big dairy invents. Dairy donates – rivers do not.
'Survive' framing is bang on – (some) humans will survive. Remarkable really that such a clever and (on the face of it) successful species could foul spaceship Earth in the geological blink of an eye.
https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/the-limits-to-growth/
Even those political leaders who accept that 'we' are causing the looming catastrophe will neccessarily adopt an increasingly survivalist focus as reality bites. Hunger stone 'alarms' will not change behaviour – BAU ho!
https://www.overshootday.org/

Nothing much, too late.
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/climate-change/
'some' humans have always survived, hence why we are here to actually have conversations about these things.
The 'hunger stones' are a reminder of those that came before us and what they endured. And in the best case they are a reminder that we are not so much different from them, and that it can happen to us too. And yes, why should we not start carving dates and warnings into our river stones for future generations? Maybe our elders were less selfish then we were.
More resilient (had to be) – this iteration of civilisation is now too bloated (albeit beautiful in parts) and fragile to survive what it has wrought, imho.
What's our message – BAU; keep calm and carry on? Better than nothing?
Third La Nina.
In 1976 with the third La Nina in the UK there was a significant heatwave (persistent) long drought,followed by a wet and cold winter .
A large scale economic crisis was under way,with high inflation,high energy costs,strikes,uncollected rubbish and unburied bodies and a significant wealth destruction due to high debt and interest rates.
Callaghan had to go with bended knee to the receivers (aka IMF) Citicorp is forecasting 18.6% inflation for the UK suggesting little has changed.
The deep cold event in the SH is statistically significant in July,with effects from the Hunga-Tonga volcano underway,and starting to show in the NH.
https://twitter.com/SimonLeeWx/status/1561832321380130820?cxt=HHwWiICxqZWO36wrAAAA
Nice Tweet but not much sign of cooling here.
3rd season in a row of no Ruapehu snow.
Ohakune is just stuffed.
Its 10hpa ie Stratosphere where cooler temperatures reduce vertical dissipation and effect weather patterns in the troposphere (amplify the sign).
Cooler at 10hpa a consequence of warming troposphere apparently, not the other way around. Can't find link.
Let them pivot to something else then ski tourism, which btw is not good for the environment.
Wenn du mich siehst, dann weine (“If you see me, then weep”), links to the guardian
Pretty amazing historical records of low water emerging worst in 500ish years now.
I think it is a given that Labour will expel Sharma from the caucus.
But, if Sharma's objective is to inflict as much damage on Labour as possible as it seems to be, should he resign to force a bi-election?
As I understand it, it is a seat that Labour is likely to lose, and would also keep the issues bubbling away. Thus, he could potentially cause Labour the embarrassment of losing a seat, and would probably keep on getting media attention commenting on the issues. Especially if he choses to run again as an independent.
Labour has 65 MPs currently.
They won't enforce the Party Hopping Act.
They’ll just allow him onto the bench as an Independent. Unloved by all, career ruined.
Labour could afford a dozen to join Sharma and function happily.
Just a year to go though.
Yes, I don't expect that Labour will try and force the issue. But as I understand it, Sharma could choose to resign himself. In that case, I don't think there would be any option but to hold a by-election, so long as it is more than six months from the end of the government term.
https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/about-elections/what-is-a-by-election/
His career as an MP is sure wrecked. But he obviously has other strings to his bow. So, won’t be a huge loss for him.
What and leave a well paid cushy job that will continue for the next 16 months?
Given that Sharma has shown that it is all about him and his interests, not a chance.
He is a medical doctor. I expect he could probably earn a lot more away from parliament than by staying in it. So, he could easily decide to resign out of spite.
Sharma is one of the few Labour MP's that would almost certainly earn more out of politics.
He's about to find out.
Looking at this type of situation without a political slant on it, I think the cause for this type of situation relates to why they decided to give up a good, high paying career to go into politics where they probably earn less.
To do that, someone would need to have high ideals and a belief they could make a difference. Perhaps the brutality of politics, and how little they are able to actually contribute is a shock to people with that outlook, and the are just unable to cope with the environment.
That is so incredibly sweet of you.
The Greens have musterers rather than whips, yetwhen it came to performance management their own rules said you could knife your best player without blinking an eye, so they did.
It was just three months ago that Ardern finally did a reshuffle after the removal of Wall, Fa'afoi and a few others. Clearly it was too little too late for a few.
Everyone finds a way to make their own peace with $170,000 a year.
When Clair Szabo was making the calls to all her MPs in April and May they all had a good idea of who was still up for the fight for a seat, who could just go to the list, who was retiring, it wasn't hard to see trouble.
The loud water-gurgling sucking noise from the polls is going to pull down the drain about 25% of Labour's MPs and they all know it. So the scramble for the list and the safest of seats has begun in earnest.
Who says that he had any expectation of getting into Parliament? Hamilton West was a National seat for four terms before this one. Sharma contested it in 2017 also and lost by 7731 votes. Sue Moroney ran for the second time in 2014 and lost by 5784 votes. Sharma may have wanted to just fly the Labour flag and perhaps raise his own profile.
But he'd have to earn it.
He would probably feel like he was contributing more to the world in the medical area. So, probably the best place for him to be.
Agreed.
Is that a comment on our suits in parliament in general or just for this very particular case?
Kiri Allan writes:
"
18 years ago today, I was heading to my law school class in Wellington’s Old Government Buildings, opposite Parliament.
I saw people starting to gather at Parliament, a larger gathering of protestors then usual, so I decided to pop over to see what the cause of the protest was.
It was a group from a little known church then called ‘Destiny’ arriving in black and white uniforms to protest a range of the then 5th Labour Government policies.
I asked some protestors what policies in particular they were opposed to. The responses were mixed but were in general variations on the following: the government is making our 14 year old sons become gay prostitutes and enter gay civil unions."
https://www.facebook.com/KiriAllanLabourMP
Was that the event where Tamaki said that by 2008 Destiny would be the Government?
His job title isn't
prophetprofit for nothing.Yep that's probably true. There are a lot in the beehive IMO that are very over paid.
Eugenie Sage writes:
"There was music and slow dancing next to the Wellington Cenotaph today, and a celebration of community and connection in the counter protest to the so called “voices for freedom”. People came together for diversity and democracy and against the right wing messages of hate and division, and the misinformation peddled by Brian Tamaki and “voices”."
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=506826414588316&set=pcb.506827331254891
I have recently spoken to a few people who were in Welly's for the recent occupation of the parliament grounds.
All of them mentioned how empowering it was to be in such a diverse group- culturally, politically, religion/spiritually ethnically etc and get along. On other words "a celebration of community and connection…"
A buddy passed thru in the weekend en route to Welly'sand he is motivated by the 'fire crisis' and the sale of Marsden Point. Two fairly important issues that seemed to have passed by without much comment let alone upset in TS.
But lets just stick to the far right rhetoric and everything will be OK…
I must be a bit viscous because I don't get what this recent NZ protest is trying to achieve – Groundswell light?
Expect more "End the Government", 'don't limit us' themed protests as the effects of limits ramp up.
Dutch farmers dump manure, garbage on roads to protest planned emission reductions
Germany braces for social unrest over energy prices
Yellow vests protest: France may consider imposing emergency to control civil unrest
Police abuse stop and search powers to target protesters, suggests data
Elections to protests: How Iraq descended into crisis
“They are shooting us brazenly" [PDF]
Iran's militarized response to May 2022 protests
Thai protesters say PM reaches term limit, must step down
Social unrest in Latin America rises due to COVID and economic stress
Gsays (@5:43 pm), can't comment on the 'fire crisis', but imho it was a mistake to decommission the oil refining capability at Marsden Point. I'm not, however, going to throw my lot in with a generalised 'anti-government' protest because of it.
I've joined a few (not nearly enough, and local only)) protests in the last 7 years: several anti-TPPA (or whatever it’s called now) ones, an anti-military expo one (Ghahraman spoke), and a couple of climate change demos, but didn't and don't want any elected NZ Government overthrown – even (god help me) a NAct Govt.
Yes, spaceship Earth is in a bind, and there's growing discontent with all manner of decisions, events and trends in NZ and the wider world. Still, the only way I could support an umbrella anti-Govt movement would be if I believed it could act as a safety valve, rather than fueling forces that will to continue to fray our society.
Fwiw, I admire your advocacy for a more equal Aotearoa – kia kaha.
The irony is the counter protest using words like "trash" and "fascist" seem to be the group using more hateful and divisive language.
Yesterday's protest has been described as "anti-government", so what do the protestors want? To overthrow our elected Govt and put various politicians and/or public servants on trial? Would they be happier if Luxon/Seymour were in charge, and if so then why?
Could the protests be linked in part to the charitable status of Destiny Church? What exactly is their beef?
There is nothing more viscous and snarky than a 'leftie' that's been outflanked.
I've yet to meet a viscous and snarky lefty.
Sounds like there were a coupla hundred of 'em at the 'counter protest' yesty.
A missed opportunity.
A reply to Drowsy: You ask, "what's their beef?".
I mentioned two issues that are impactful for one of the attendees; the 'fire crisis' and the discontinuation of Marsden Point.
I thought Marsden Point may have riled a few round these parts but no. My understanding is that it was a condition of sale of Z service stations. Our nation's resilience and independence sold for a fistful of silver.
It's ok though, Minister Woods has been assured by 'officials' nothing untoward will happen.
Go back to sleep, Aotearoa, your government has got this. (Apologies to Dead Kennedys).
The Wellington weather has let us down again. I was hoping for storms plus.
Sod all people (Stuff says 1000) attending anyway Peter.
Those Tamaki was able to press to attend.
And the last protest over 500 people the NZ left had was …..
The climate change protest in Auckland attracted 10 000 …
2017
Yep, that is now upgraded to 2000+ as the pictures tell different tales.
A nation-wide protest, calling all supporters from Reinga to Bluff, peopled mainly by adherents to a cult, could only muster 2 000?
pffffffftttt!
its better then 1000
🙂
Twice the number – good turnout for the launch of a doomed-from-the-start political party.
Confusing though, for Brian's minions, who will be scouring the voting papers for the Eftpostel's name.
From the protest; bull-horn wielding "whip":
"When I say***, you say***
(Crowd – ***)
When I say ^^^, you say ^^^
(Crowd – ^^^)
When I say $$$, you say $$$
(Crowd – $$$)
When I say ###, you say ###
(Crowd ###)
And they have the temerity to call us "sheep" 🙂
"repeat after me: you're all individuals" life of brian.
I'm not
The counter-protest yelled "Go Home!"
And the best response I saw on the live, came from one of the many Maori women there – "We are home, you fullas stole it off us!"
That is funny!
Mind you, she could have been Ngai Tahu 🙂
It was only 3 trucks from Buff if I recall correctly Robert.
And they stopped when they got to Invercargill (or Gore) I believe 🙂
Powerful message.
And yet it led to a 3 week occupation of Parliament grounds (not to mention other sites)…I would have thought that your previous incorrect dismissal of such action may have caused pause for thought….apparently not.
I dismiss such cobbled-together attempts to damage democracy, out of hand. This time around, the convoy (from this end of the country) was a crock.
.
The Tamaki Religious Cult … the Green Upper-Middle Pakeha Woke Cult … the Maori ethno-nationalist Cult … none care too much for liberal democracy, majority sentiment or fundamental human rights.
Each grounded in a remarkably crude & distorted worldview … all 3 valorize & sacralize an elect group … all 3 guaranteed to viciously scapegoat & make swathes of innocent people suffer.
100% Swordfish. Could. to have you back around these parts again.
Nailed it – everyone's worldview is “crude & distorted” except for me and thee…
The Greens "viciously scapegoat"?
Where? When? Who?
What???
Russia finds their Horst Wessel
Alexander Dugin issues a statement that only the defeat of Ukraine will avenge his daughter's assassination.
Dugin is hardly the influential mastermind our news attempts to convey In Russia he's a total has been, kicked out of Moscow University because he's too radical.This act of terrorism that killed his daughter will no doubt rally Russians behind him though .For a time.
He has never met Putin and has never held a public position of any stature, the west loves him because he is Russia's version of Alex Jones
Well, other writers consider his influence appreciable, including Dugin himself.
And, Putin made Foundations of Geopolitics required reading for the Academy of the General Staff of the Russian military. The book has been compared to Mein Kampf.
The assertion that the two have never met is speculation – the writer simply does not know.
What are you trying to imply here Francesca?
That because Dugin is a total has been, he best serves Russia as a dead martyr?
Even better if his daughter is martyred, so Dugin can remain a living martyr with a platform to push pro-war, extreme Russian Nationalism and imperialism?
I listened to a clip of this 'philosopher' pontificating on truth.
Truth being one of the fundamentals of philosophy it was an underwhelming and immature angle he came from. He basically said truth is reliant on someone believing something. He came across more as a political propagandist than a philosopher.
FWIW the definition of truth that works for me is 'that which does not change'.
There's more to it than that — Michael Millerman is a philosopher who has translated some of Dugin's stuff (which got him blacklisted from academia) and he has some interesting stuff to say. Right wing thought should not be written off lightly when it has such a massive influence
https://twitter.com/M_Millerman/status/1382442767129972736?s=20&t=-Dcl2n8iF676gaunYoROBw
Solved. Although I did expect the assassin/s to be discovered in a safe house decorated with framed portraits of Zelenskyy, wearing Saint Javelin T-shirts and in possession of explosives and a 1975 map of Moscow.
But tbf, she did bring her cat.
https://twitter.com/Flash43191300/status/1561725272587640832
To avoid suspicion Natalia Volk and her accomplice posed as a mother and daughter. In reality Natalia Vovk is a highly trained assassin skilled in bomb making and her accomplice is a midget disguised as a 12 year old girl.
Only an idiot would believe a mother would bring her 12 year old daughter along on a dangerous hit job.
The FSB have released a description of a tall brunette who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lara Croft accompanied by a 12 year old girl. The FSB have advised the public that the pair not to approached as they are both considered to be armed and dangerous highly trained top secret Western assassins. (The dermal filler in the older woman's lips prove her guilt as an agent of the decadent West).
Unfortunately the highly distinctive pair were able to slip past our vigilant border guards into Estonia. All is not lost, undercover FSB agents in Estonia armed with novichok tipped umbrellas have been alerted to be on the look out for the pair.
Alternatively:
Take your pick.
Sharma expelled. Gives press conference afterwards (will be up on various media soon), and at one point sort-of apologises. Remarkably, he claims that when he wrote his original piece for the Herald, he expected the PM to do his bidding the next day, and was surprised when that didn't happen. Clueless.
When pressed to give the worst examples of him being bullied, he again tells the story of the America's Cup event when he was kept waiting, and a reporter suggests that might be "disrespectful" but hardly "bullying". Again – that was the worst he could come up with.
His press conference was all a bit sad. The trouble in his office has been going on for 18 months apparently and it was probably well known around Parliament that he was struggling. My suspicion is that it has been weaponised by National and their Herald/NewsHub cronies as a distraction from the Uffindel nonsense. I hope the guy can resume his medical career eventually – and that such a possibility hasn't also been sabotaged by a political game where everyone in Labour is seen as a potential vector for an attack on Ardern.
Ibrahim Omer and Willow Jean-Prime. Two Labour MP's I respect..Highly
The People's Court is in session.
Gotta love their total lack of self-awareness. In the Ardern "dictatorship", the limp-wristed liberal courts allow basic rights like the accused having lawyers, innocent until proven guilty, habeas corpus, etc.
But not the freedom-lovers …
“The 'people’s court' is about to commence,” the speakers at Parliament declare. Chants of 'guilty' can be heard from the crowd. (NZME live updates)
Not to ignore the danger, but you sort of have to laugh. Brian Tamaki saying being in jail was "taxing." He didn't say "tithing."
And then suggesting that Hannah Tamaki be Speaker.
An angle on that is that we could have our own sort of Clarence and Ginni Thomas power couple. Hannah in the chair? Imagine where the decisions would be made! Mind you the black robe would suit her.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/parliament-protest-wellington-on-high-alert-as-group-converges-for-demonstration/KNSHJFDO3DTZOCGNN4GVU3GFDU/
Stuff also streaming it live….nowhere near as exciting as the last day of the previous protest.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300667959/live-antigovernment-protesters-gather-at-parliament
Dr…. Sharma drama ? Well this will all go exceedingly well !
Your penultimate and ultimate sentences – pure gold!
MiB are in town; where’s my Neuralyzer when I need it?
This is the future of water in NZ under Nact:
https://twitter.com/mikegalsworthy/status/1561598399790596100?s=20&t=r_SzHMN45BHIBAGFrQUyKA
This is the model that Labour/Green are building for Aotearoa:
https://twitter.com/We_OwnIt/status/1560998337561513985?s=20&t=r_SzHMN45BHIBAGFrQUyKA
This issue has a lot of the locals absolutely furious – and feeling helpless against the Tories uncaring callousness. Mentioned class action lawsuits to a couple of SNP and scot celeb profiles searching for answers… I hope the idea caught on.
Tourism operators on the entire English coastline, parents, and environmentalists should all band together and SLAM the bastards for every penny they're worth.
Regardless of the party, without the expertise, public acceptance and resource allocation the same problems exist….get rid of the politics and start talking pragmatics,
Politics and getting the message right are 100% necessary, before a sod gets turned. Practicalities such as money and planning depend on it
Here's another about two men who set out to solve the crimes on the Windrush River and embarrassed the big water companies mightily, not that they cared to admit it – it's long, dense with fascinating detail and human action, reads like a very good thriller.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/04/sewage-sleuths-river-pollution-slow-dirty-death-of-welsh-and-english-rivers
I thought works leaders were admonished for partying? Like the Finnish PM?
Different for the Aussies? How? Why?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/aug/23/australian-prime-minister-anthony-albanese-skols-a-beer-at-gang-of-youths-concert
He’s male, she’s female. Misogyny at its best.
The Aussies shat on their best PM in my memory, Julia Gillard
The FARCwits at Parliament have a big chip on their shoulder about JA
Women have only had full human rights in the western world for 50 years or so, it may be an historical anomaly given the sordid history of our species
Ahh the Herald- remember the Woodstock in Wellington?
Their link describing the protest goes all Republicans remembering Jan 6 crossed with the Rainbow Connection. Or maybe the Uffindell dorm. In the business section for some odd reason. Perhaps down to the people funding it on the qt.
It’s not only that the next election is guna be for democracy as we know it, but also it is guna be so cringey.
Headline:
Dreamers, schemers and believers: The original riotous Wellington convoy protests
leadin thingy:
What a riot: Some were wild and young and free, others were old and angry and crazy.
Link to whatever is there. Premium like. Headline unchanged for now.