"The Government yesterday announced a $45 million investment in police on Wednesday, including $15.496 million for a new Tactical Response Model, an additional 78 constabulary staff and 28 intelligence analysts, and frontline training.
The Tactical Response Model will include Tactical Dog Teams and Tactical Prevention Teams with advanced training to undertake warrants and other work involving moderate risk. They will be "generally unarmed" unless specific deployment requires it.
"I want to be clear – the new Tactical Response Model is not Armed Response Teams," Williams said as the funding boost was unveiled.
"These officers will wear standard police uniforms, drive standard police vehicles, and will not be armed in their day-to-day duties. They will support frontline investigation and prevention teams and will focus on high-risk offenders, firearms, methamphetamine, and organised crime groups."
National began calling for the return of ARTs a few months ago after Police Commissioner Andrew Coster revealed violent criminal behaviour was ramping up, and offenders seemed to be more willing to use guns against police.
National's police spokesperson Simeon Brown said on Twitter it was "good" the Government was paying attention to the needs of police, but it looked like the ARTs were being introduced in "disguise". "This is good news for frontline officers but simply reinforces that the ARTs should never have been abandoned."
Police Association president Chris Cahill said the plan "falls short of the overwhelming call from our members for general arming", but he's willing to see how it goes: 'We are prepared to give this tactical response model an opportunity to deliver what our members so clearly need to police safely without the need for general arming.
It's a big ask, but all indications are that police and the Government are serious about a viable alternative between the status quo and an armed police service.'"
… … … …
I found this very interesting. Kind of DOES look to me like the Armed Response Teams, except that I gather they will only carry firearms by order on a case by case basis. Which may give local commanders some wriggle room.
While I personally hesitate to rush to support general arming of the police, having read of the alarming number of cases in recent times where officers have found themselves getting shot at and have been lucky to escape with their lives, I am wondering whether sole officers in patrol cars are too unsafe these days, and should perhaps be wearing their glocks on their hips while on duty.
But then an obvious downside could be that, alone, they may be too much at risk of having their firearm grabbed & used against them. There's no external safety catch on glock pistols. You just pull 'em & fire then, from what I've seen on YouTube gun-lovers' videos.
Some police officers may feel safer and behave differently – if arming NZ police becomes the norm then there will likely be a change in some criminal behaviour too.
Imho routine arming of NZ police would be a backward step – really sad if it’s necessary. #KiwiWayOfLife
No mention of firearms in this 2019 NZ police recruitment video.
Yes, the number of firearms in the possession of criminals is a problem, as is how they choose to use them.
My (uninformed/naive) concern is that some criminals may choose to use their guns more frequently if they know that police officers are routinely armed. I do hope that any 'arms race' (between police officers and criminals) will make the NZ police, and Kiwis in general, safer (or at least no less safe), but I have doubts.
The issue with armed police, as we have seen overseas is it becomes the " police protecting themselves from the public," instead of " the police protecting the public".
We have enough of that attitude from too many already.
Mainly from some of the younger police officers, I suspect.
Sadly, the days of minimum height restrictions & a calm, friendly, helpful manner being some of the principal police recruitment requirements are long gone.
As are the days of at least SOME police officers walking city & town streets, on the beat, when the public/community & the officers got to know & to generally trust each other.
Police officers are now too remote from their corporate-style executive management, & vice versa, I fear.
looks to me more like specialist full-time teams to focus on the big-bads in society. A model that has had mixed results in other police forces – fine until they build an esprit de corps of being "elite" and going for the "big busts" with "high threat levels".
Then they can end up taking down stupid teenagers with the aggression levels needed for arresting pablo escobar.
Well, I dunno what the answer is ensuring our police don’t get shot with no way to immediately defend themselves.
I wouldn’t take on the job of a police officer these days, even if I could.
I posted on other forum for a few years with a poster who’s got two daughters. The older one’s a GP, doing well for herself. He & their mum must have brought them up well because even tho he wasn’t keen the younger one’s a policewoman, in Auckland.
He said she sees a lot of really shitty stuff going on, but she still wants to do the job.
At the time we were posting about it, she’d already been stabbed with a screwdriver once – in South Auckland.
I’m sure I’d be worrying all the time if my “dad’s girl” was a policewoman.
If she's close enough to get stabbed, a gun won't be much help.
One of the good things NZ did was make the AOS largely supplemental to other routine police duties (used to be, anyway – dunno about these days). So they're frontline cops rather than being a sequestered unit where bad attitudes can brew.
But if the tactical response teams end up 9-5 warrant serving, they won't get that out-of-unit exposure.
Just spotted this, in today’s news. Very pertinent. Especially the embedded video of the Police Commissioner, talking about NZ’s criminals having more firearms, where they’re getting them from, & their being much more prepared to use them days.
Found this equally fascinating:
“Judge Russell Collins said a cultural report on Forde’s past and his addiction to meth “painted a pretty sad picture”, involving a childhood beset with violence and alcoholism.
The report, written by high-profile Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam, also said Forde had been subjected to reverse-racism as a Pākehā child raised in Flaxmere, and this had contributed to his becoming a criminal.
The judge said he understood Forde’s reasons for having the firearms, but that could not be accepted as a mitigating argument, and the public had no tolerance for this kind of offending.”
Interesting profile in NY Times ( yes, I know) about the 'other' Bronx progressive congressman that isnt AOC
Unlike AOC who was raised in Westchester suburbs and whos father was an architect Ritchie Torres grew up in a single parent household and worked at dead end minimum wage job.
'“I don’t hire ideologues or zealots,” he tells me on a walk through his district. “Most of the people in the South Bronx are practical rather than ideological. Their concerns are bread and butter, health and housing, schools and jobs.”
He goes off on an interesting tangent on one topic
'Torres is also particularly alarmed by the phenomenon that the Russian American evolutionary anthropologist Peter Turchin calls “elite overproduction.”
“We produce far more college graduates than there are elite positions for those graduates to occupy,” Torres observes. When those graduates find themselves deep in debt, shut out of the kinds of jobs they were promised and crushed by the cost of housing, “it is bound to have a radicalizing effect.”
“The possibility of an additional MIQ facility in Rotorua has created an unlikely political alliance – with National MP Todd McClay, Māori Party MP Rawiri Waititi and Labour List MP Tamati Coffey all united in opposition.
The unified voice from Rotorua’s three MPs comes in the wake of the joint head of managed isolation and quarantine, Megan Main, confirming Rotorua may host additional facilities.
…
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said it had been made “very clear” at a meeting with MIQ officials involving council, iwi, Lakes DHB and Rotorua Economic Development that “Rotorua cannot sustain any more MIQ facilities”.
“Our community has taken on its fair share of MIQ for some time now and we have accepted this at a time when we are also trying to rebuild our economy, and despite housing challenges that have required the use of accommodation stock to fulfil a critical need.”
“Running MIQ facilities impacts on local DHB, police and security resources, and those are resources our community misses out on and that therefore increase risk in these areas. We also need to retain capacity for visitors – which we currently still have.”
…
“Minister Hipkins announced at Wednesday’s 1pm press conference a decision on the location of new MIQ facilities would be announced soon, and his office told Stuff ‘this week, or next week at the latest.'”
… … … … … …
Might be best to look elsewhere, Chris. Wonder if he’ll conclude the same thing?
Maybe the Government could buy the hotels and use them for emergency housing. If they have spare space, those who need emergency housing from other parts of the country can be shipped in. How would the Rotorua luminaries react to that?
Maybe the suggestion can go ahead but the locals can stipulate where those housed come from. Step on down Hamish Walker.
Yes, Sasha, I know. I do sometimes use the Quotes Button on the toolbar.
Problem is my little iPad2 is 2011 -with a pretty small "RAM-brain" for some websites now. I find that after posting 1 or at best 2 comments, the iPad won't let me insert any more text into a new comment.
My workaround is to turn off Javascript in Settings. Then I can type as many comments as I like. BUT – No Javascript : No Toolbox. 😟
I can detect little sympathy in the wider public for poor vaccination rates in the Maori community.
At the end of the day, if Maori don't get vaccinated despite the resources being thrown at the vaccination effort and it is gangs largely made up of Maori that are acting as reservoirs of community covid then the political will to protect Maori communities in the medium term is going to be somewhere between none and less than none.
This political reality seems to elude some people, who will continue to insist on blaming everyone but the mirror when covid catastrophe envelopes the Maori community.
“Vaccination rates of Māori in Taranaki are improving as health providers push for more whānau to get the Covi-19 jab.
District Health Board statistics show that although Māori make up 15.6 percent of people eligible for Covid-19 vaccination in Taranaki, they have only received 10 percent of the shots given in the region.
But last week 1143 Māori had shots in Taranaki, making up 21 percent of all vaccinations in the region – double the previous rate.
It will take a sustained effort to catch up with non-Māori: despite last week’s doubling, the Māori share of all shots so far in Taranaki only gained slightly, from 9.7 percent to 10 percent by the end of the week.”
…. …. ….
Ae, it’s a bit of a mystery why Māori vax rates are still so low. There seem to have been lots of prominent Māori publicly encouraging whanau to get vaccinated. The Māori King arrived rather late to the party but has just recently put something out urging all Māori to get their jabs. Might have been waiting to get his first?
My tuakana (elder same-sex sibling) texted me on 21 August:
“Got mine over a month ago.
Out of the blue call from Māori Tui Ora!
Was due last week for second but heard on news … ring and delay so 7 weeks from first”
…
Well said Sanctuary. That catastrophe could be our undoing in that we settlers may well reap what we have sown ( because of our abysmal treatment of the indigenous people, for those who can't join the dots.).
Yes. I feed a four foot long NZ Native Longfin called Elvira too. I feed them off a 3′ long pointed stick. Meat or dog roll chunks.
Best for them not to arrive together.
Eli attacks Granville. It’s own damn fault. Silly young sod Granville arrived one day at the Eel Spot, where I feed them, behind Elvira, & decided to bite the end of her tail.
He was lucky to survive what happened next. Elvira’s a very BIG girl !
Elvira (below) is a four foot long NZ Native Longfin.
Ella is an even bigger NZ Native Longfin. Longer by about two more inches. I had them arrive for a feed side by side once. I had to work out how to tell them apart. Elvira has a black "beauty spot" on the port side of her dorsal fin, two inches back from where it starts.
"My" stream is pretty big. It would likely be called a river in some countries.
Sometimes it's full of eels – both types.
NZ Native Longfins are protected in all of Wellington's waterways.
That’s what I was thinking yesterday, after it happened.
“Geoscience Australia put the 9.15am quake’s magnitude – a measure of the energy released – at about 5.9. The quake’s epicentre was just south of Mansfield and about 10 kilometres below the Earth’s surface”
…
That’s pretty big. From all the fallen bricks I saw in some street on One News at 6, they’re lucky no one seems to have been injured.
The fallen bricks were, at least as I heard it, in Chapel St, Prahran. It is normally very busy but because of the pandemic the shops were closed. No open shops equals no people. Don't let anyone tell you that there is no good coming from Covid 19.
The proverbial saying 'every cloud has a silver lining' is used to convey the notion that, no matter how bad a situation might seem, there is always has some good aspect to it.
i watched many of the submissions to the Select committee on the BMDRR Bill yesterday.
of note a submission from NZ’s older “states women” including Phillips Bunkle and Sandra Coney. While supporting rights for transgender people, they are against gender self ID and are calling for a royal commission of enquiry into the issues around gender ideology. Their submission starts around 4 50
I am sure people wonder why I continue to post about these issues on the Standard. I do because there is almost a complete media black out on this Bill and almost without exception the only coverage fails to report about gender ideology in any sort of balanced way.
I was also struck by the unprofessional manner of many of the MPs on the committee.
the labour MP for Nelson, Rachel Boyack sat with her eyes closed through out one presentation that she was clearly opposed to. It was very obvious where the committee biases lay, smiling and affirming submissions they supported. Is this usual in select committees? It shouldn’t be. It should be for MPs to neutrally listen and ask relevant questions.
Beth from SUFW gave a great presentation and the micro aggression against her was palpable. Rather than ask questions about the points she raised, Deborah Russell attempted to undermine SUFW, by asking how many people supported them, DR then spoke about NCW and how they have more supporters. I didn’t realise a select committees job was to undermine people who took the time and had the guts to make a presentation. DR attempts back fired as SUFW were able to say200+ active members and over 5000 followers and while NCW have many thousands, very few people follow them on social media. No other submitters asked how many they represent.
[edited link to make it direct and permanent – weka]
The Select Committee's role isn't to uncritically accept what they hear and see from submitters. If submitters choose to submit they need to understand and accept that they will be engaged with and challenged by MPs as that is the nature of political debate.
I've always understood the job of the members of a Select Committee is to ask questions that enhance their understanding of the presenter's submission – points of clarification or follow-up. These people (BDMRR SC) showed no curiosity whatsoever and a couple of them were openly hostile to presenters (SUFW and SWS). This is not what we, taxpayers, pay them for. They need to understand that. The whole idea of this SC process is to substitute for a full and proper public consultation which almost no bill gets and none deserves more than this one.
Thank you for continuing to post about these issues Anker and Weka and others. I don't comment but I always read the posts and all the comments and share your concerns.
thanks so much for the headsup about the FOWL submission. Susan Middleton was outstanding. Ten fucking minutes vs Royal Commission of Inquiry.
I will try and put up a post on Saturday about this, probably a Women's Space post because I see the most important political issue at the moment is for women to have space to talk and organise.
That's fantastic Weka. Just a thought…..I wonder what you think about making this a open post? I.e. open for everyone to comment? I think if you did then men on this site might be more likely to read it.
Just re-read you post about women needing to talk and organise, so disregard what I said about an open post
Its is very significant when NZ Elder Statewomen call for a Royal Commission of Enquiry. Of course nothing in the media about this.
Sandra Coney and Philida Bunkle………For those of you not old enough to know these names google An unfortunate experiment at Greenlane Hospital.
ps Weka was not sure what was meant by your moderator’s comment? Just wanting to check, Cheers,
the link you put up went to the committee’s main FB page, not the page with the video on it. I changed the link so it went directly and people will still be able to find it in a week or a year.
They were exceedingly unprofessional. I get to speak next week and had been thinking of referencing the toxic atmosphere. I did not expect cheap 'gotcha' questions and even accusations of transphobia from Dr Kerekere. Why should anyone offer themselves to provide evidence with their obvious body language. I hope very much the chickens come home to roost on this topic and expose their shameful behaviour. I wrote this in the hope that they do. https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2021/09/23/jan-tinettis-millstone/
Great article Jan. Rachel Boyack unbelievable. It was a select committee to discuss a piece of legislation and RB raised the issue of constituents complaining about something SUFW alleging said in a talk they gave 3 months ago. If it bothered RB so much why didn’t she contacts SUFW to clarify. The complaints made weren’t even correct. SUFW doesn’t talk about women’s refuge in NZ………
I thought about the impact on democracy generally, and women's politics more specifically. I don't know what such committees are usually like, but this was a terrible example of consulation.
Thanks Nordy. I hadn't watched a select committee before, so I didn't know how it worked.
Beth from SUFW was up to the challange, although surely. the challange should be about the ideas submitted for the proposed legislation? No matter, Beth handled the challenge really well.
I agree Sacha about the number of FB followers is no substitute for a well reasoned position, which I think SUFW had. It was Deborah Russell who brought up SUFW membership numbers, although no other group was asked about this. It back fired on DR.
I would recomend anyone watch SUFW, Save NZ sport of Fowls presentations. All well reasoned.
I object to the legitimisation of a changed definition of the word woman , without much wider social debate.The invitation to make submissions is not good enough for such a radical shift..In effect, self sexID is about feelings rather than evidence.What does it mean to "feel" like a woman?Even I don't know and I've had 4 kids, suffered male violence, had painful periods, been discriminated and overlooked because of my sexThe bill amendment does not define what it means by sex or gender.That is far too sloppy
"What does it mean to "feel" like a woman?" I'm damned if I know either. There's nothing that I do or think or feel that's based on my gender. I just am. There's nothing that I do from one day to the next that is effected by my gender, other than the obvious physical attributes.
How does a transgender person 'know' what it feels like to be a woman when we can't identify it.
So true about the responses to a developing female body.The queasiness of being shoved into a corner by a family friend's male gut when no one was around
"Jeez, you're finally filling out"
And the shame of that, not being able to tell someone and be believed
Agree Francesca. They are legalising the changing definition of women and they are doing it by stealth and their is deafening silence by the media.
Having said that I heard SUFW interviewed on Magic Talk today. She was clear, articulate and you could hear the hosts disbelief as he asked questions to clarrify.
The vast majority don't know about these changes and there will be hell to pay for the Green and Labour MPs over this. My prediction.
Select Committees are great places to see the type of people we have as MPs and to see just how badly some of them react to having to sit there wasting their time listening to the Hoi Polloi ….. as some of them so obviously believe.
I have some concerns about the proposed Health changes – but that looks to be a selection of some excellently qualified key people on the boards.
The main thing will be to keep the boards focussed & not let changes get bogged down by unnecessarily bureaucratic middle management. Bureaucracies always grow becos:
Parkinson’s Fourth Law: “The number of people in any working group tends to increase irrespective of the amount of work to be completed.”
&
Parkinson’s Fifth Law: “If there is a way to delay an important decision, the good bureaucracy (or non-elected government officials), public or private, will find it.”
“Political views
Amy Adams describes herself as “socially liberal, economically conservative.” She considers herself a feminist and supported the Abortion Legislation Act 2020. She has defended abortion on the grounds of women’s reproductive rights and urged religious opponents of abortion reform to stop teaching that contraception is a sin.
Adams has also voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage and legalising assisted dying for people with terminal illnesses.
As Minister of Justice, she wiped the convictions of men convicted of homosexual acts prior to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1986, and apologised on behalf of the Government.” – Wikipedia
………………………………………
I don’t have a problem with Adams. She held a telecomms portfolio at one point. Two Labour Ministers have put her on the board. They presumably must believe she brings some useful skills & talents to the table?
The modelling from Te Punaha Matatini suggests that if 80 per cent of the 5+ population was fully vaccinated – around 75 per cent of the entire country – Covid-19 would still cause a serious death toll without other restrictions.
Hendy projects it would cause 60,000 hospitalisations and 7000 deaths over a one-year period.
If 90 per cent of the 5+ population was reached however – around 85 per cent of the full population – then deaths would drop to around 50 over a year.
Summarising:
80% eligible people vaccinated = 7000 deaths per year
For comparison, 27 deaths over 18+ months when vaccination rates were zero to begin with and the Delta variant did not exist from the outset. Not based on modelling, but on cold hard facts.
If vaccines remain effective against the virus or are reinforced with booster shots, if more than 90 percent of the population over the age of 5 is vaccinated and if moderate public health measures (like mandatory masking and improved ventilation) are put in place alongside a comprehensive testing, tracing and case isolation system, then the impact of the virus could be similar to an average flu year.
…
Masking and other widespread but less intrusive public health measures will help depress the R number and vaccines will still make a significant difference, reducing transmission by around 85 percent. But active testing for new cases, contact tracing of positive results, isolation of contacts and quarantine of Covid-19 cases will still be needed, the research has found.
Yup, no silver bullets unless new generation vaccines come around soon that provide lasting sterilising immunity against existing and future Covid-19 variants and possibly still dependent on a global elimination drive. We’re watching & creating the dawning of a New Brave World (not to mention CC).
Te Pūnaha Matatini modeller Professor Shaun Hendy said the cluster was clearly reaching towards the upper limit of expectations when it was detected in Auckland nearly a week ago.
Then they predicted 50 to 120 cases to have been circulating prior to the lockdown.
Now Hendy said a "best-case scenario" could see about 200 cases – greater than the outbreak in August last year – while it was possible the cluster could swell to 1000.
"It's very early to be making estimates because we don't yet know how effective alert level 4 is, but it is possible we could see 1000 cases before we close out this cluster.
"This does mean we will likely see level 4 held in place for several weeks more in the Auckland region.
I stopped searching at last year's US data because we still have loads of old people alive.
If someone needs to go to hospital because of an infectious respiratory disease, they're in deep trouble and going downhill. If they were getting better by themselves, they wouldn't need admitting. Hospitals can usually help, but if there are other factors like age or the patient has other conditions then the odds get worse.
It very much depends on the reason one goes to hospital, these days. Heart attacks? Bloody miracle workers compared to 20 years ago. Most cancers have amazeballs survival stats, too. But your liver or some acute respiratory thing? Still a tall order for a lot of people.
Ultimately, they want people to get vaccinated because they've chosen [my italics] to protect themselves and their community. That will be the main motivation used by the Government.
Transcript by Brittney Deguara of Live update on 23 Sep. 21
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Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Pacific Media Watch Television New Zealand Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities in a ceremony at Government House, reports 1News. She has been the Pacific correspondent for 1News since 2002, breaking many ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Tuesday’s budget will respond to the deepening public agitation over Australia’s housing shortages by pouring new money into crisis accommodation for women and children, social housing and infrastructure. A specially-convened national cabinet late Friday ticked ...
By Kaneta Naimatu in Suva Journalists in the Pacific region play an important role as the “eyes and ears on the ground” when it comes to reporting the climate crisis, says the European Union’s Pacific Ambassador Barbara Plinkert. Speaking at The University of the South Pacific (USP) on World Press ...
Aldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...
The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...
Exhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October. From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Munro, Lecturer, Creative Industries and Digital Media, University of South Australia Twenty-four hours after the release of Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest song Hind’s Hall on social media on May 7, the video had already notched up over 24 million views. In ...
Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dubai skylineAleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Musole, PhD Law Student, University of New England Girts Ragelis/ShutterstockRecent trends show Australians are increasingly buying wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. These electronics track our body movements or vital signs to provide data throughout the day, with ...
Papua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland Maridav/Shutterstock You wake up, stagger to the bathroom and gaze into the mirror. No, you’re not imagining it. You’ve developed face wrinkles overnight. They’re sleep wrinkles. Sleep wrinkles are temporary. But as your ...
The Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell?Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...
The New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...
By Kamna Kumar in Suva Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna stressed the importance of media freedom and its link to the climate and environmental crisis at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme. Under the theme “A Planet for ...
Tara Ward previews a new local TV series offering alternative visions of motherhood. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. A woman is clambering up the side of her two-story house, clinging desperately to a drainpipe. Nearby, her child is perched on the ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is supportive of the cross-party approach to climate adaptation announced by the Minister of Climate Change today. ...
The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) welcome today’s announcement from Government around a bipartisan inquiry into an enduring climate adaptation framework for New Zealand. ...
The Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs, and Minister Brooke Van Velden, to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. ...
Its new building in Wellington will not be nearly big enough for all its records, and it has also run out of money to build its new storage facility in Levin. ...
BusinessNZ is congratulating the Minister of Climate Change for his work in achieving cross-party consensus for a way forward on climate adaptation. ...
Recent research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy. The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to ...
The club’s surprisingly good season is built on the desire to prove a random A-League YouTuber wrong… and a few other factors.“There’s no way that Wellington Phoenix play finals this year. I can’t see it happening at all.” Those are the words of Lachlan Raeside, an Australian football content ...
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.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/09/police-minister-poto-williams-insists-new-tactical-response-model-is-not-armed-response-teams.html
"The Government yesterday announced a $45 million investment in police on Wednesday, including $15.496 million for a new Tactical Response Model, an additional 78 constabulary staff and 28 intelligence analysts, and frontline training.
The Tactical Response Model will include Tactical Dog Teams and Tactical Prevention Teams with advanced training to undertake warrants and other work involving moderate risk. They will be "generally unarmed" unless specific deployment requires it.
"I want to be clear – the new Tactical Response Model is not Armed Response Teams," Williams said as the funding boost was unveiled.
"These officers will wear standard police uniforms, drive standard police vehicles, and will not be armed in their day-to-day duties. They will support frontline investigation and prevention teams and will focus on high-risk offenders, firearms, methamphetamine, and organised crime groups."
National began calling for the return of ARTs a few months ago after Police Commissioner Andrew Coster revealed violent criminal behaviour was ramping up, and offenders seemed to be more willing to use guns against police.
National's police spokesperson Simeon Brown said on Twitter it was "good" the Government was paying attention to the needs of police, but it looked like the ARTs were being introduced in "disguise". "This is good news for frontline officers but simply reinforces that the ARTs should never have been abandoned."
Police Association president Chris Cahill said the plan "falls short of the overwhelming call from our members for general arming", but he's willing to see how it goes: 'We are prepared to give this tactical response model an opportunity to deliver what our members so clearly need to police safely without the need for general arming.
It's a big ask, but all indications are that police and the Government are serious about a viable alternative between the status quo and an armed police service.'"
… … … …
I found this very interesting. Kind of DOES look to me like the Armed Response Teams, except that I gather they will only carry firearms by order on a case by case basis. Which may give local commanders some wriggle room.
While I personally hesitate to rush to support general arming of the police, having read of the alarming number of cases in recent times where officers have found themselves getting shot at and have been lucky to escape with their lives, I am wondering whether sole officers in patrol cars are too unsafe these days, and should perhaps be wearing their glocks on their hips while on duty.
But then an obvious downside could be that, alone, they may be too much at risk of having their firearm grabbed & used against them. There's no external safety catch on glock pistols. You just pull 'em & fire then, from what I've seen on YouTube gun-lovers' videos.
Bugger.
*You just pull 'em & fire them
(Dunno why the TS edit feature isn't coming up on my iPad any more after I post?)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_Zealand_police_officers_killed_in_the_line_of_duty
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/111880584/drumbeat-remains-for-permanent-arming-of-nz-police
Some police officers may feel safer and behave differently – if arming NZ police becomes the norm then there will likely be a change in some criminal behaviour too.
Imho routine arming of NZ police would be a backward step – really sad if it’s necessary. #KiwiWayOfLife
No mention of firearms in this 2019 NZ police recruitment video.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/108057755/new-police-recruitment-video-aims-to-attract-diverse-new-cops-such-as-sam-nugegoda
And just for information (NZ and Norway are adjacent in the list).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_firearm_use_by_country#New_Zealand
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/police-killings-by-country
Problem seems to be that our crims are routinely armed now, especially with the charming imports from Aus in recent years.
Yes, the number of firearms in the possession of criminals is a problem, as is how they choose to use them.
My (uninformed/naive) concern is that some criminals may choose to use their guns more frequently if they know that police officers are routinely armed. I do hope that any 'arms race' (between police officers and criminals) will make the NZ police, and Kiwis in general, safer (or at least no less safe), but I have doubts.
The targets however appear to be other gang members, not police, or the general public, That may well change if they are confronted by armed police.
An "arms race" is definitely possible. It has happened elsewhere.
The issue with armed police, as we have seen overseas is it becomes the " police protecting themselves from the public," instead of " the police protecting the public".
We have enough of that attitude from too many already.
Mainly from some of the younger police officers, I suspect.
Sadly, the days of minimum height restrictions & a calm, friendly, helpful manner being some of the principal police recruitment requirements are long gone.
As are the days of at least SOME police officers walking city & town streets, on the beat, when the public/community & the officers got to know & to generally trust each other.
Police officers are now too remote from their corporate-style executive management, & vice versa, I fear.
looks to me more like specialist full-time teams to focus on the big-bads in society. A model that has had mixed results in other police forces – fine until they build an esprit de corps of being "elite" and going for the "big busts" with "high threat levels".
Then they can end up taking down stupid teenagers with the aggression levels needed for arresting pablo escobar.
Well, I dunno what the answer is ensuring our police don’t get shot with no way to immediately defend themselves.
I wouldn’t take on the job of a police officer these days, even if I could.
I posted on other forum for a few years with a poster who’s got two daughters. The older one’s a GP, doing well for herself. He & their mum must have brought them up well because even tho he wasn’t keen the younger one’s a policewoman, in Auckland.
He said she sees a lot of really shitty stuff going on, but she still wants to do the job.
At the time we were posting about it, she’d already been stabbed with a screwdriver once – in South Auckland.
I’m sure I’d be worrying all the time if my “dad’s girl” was a policewoman.
If she's close enough to get stabbed, a gun won't be much help.
One of the good things NZ did was make the AOS largely supplemental to other routine police duties (used to be, anyway – dunno about these days). So they're frontline cops rather than being a sequestered unit where bad attitudes can brew.
But if the tactical response teams end up 9-5 warrant serving, they won't get that out-of-unit exposure.
.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/125538791/guns-bombs-and-ammo-found-at-gang-pad-for-protection
Just spotted this, in today’s news. Very pertinent. Especially the embedded video of the Police Commissioner, talking about NZ’s criminals having more firearms, where they’re getting them from, & their being much more prepared to use them days.
Found this equally fascinating:
“Judge Russell Collins said a cultural report on Forde’s past and his addiction to meth “painted a pretty sad picture”, involving a childhood beset with violence and alcoholism.
The report, written by high-profile Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam, also said Forde had been subjected to reverse-racism as a Pākehā child raised in Flaxmere, and this had contributed to his becoming a criminal.
The judge said he understood Forde’s reasons for having the firearms, but that could not be accepted as a mitigating argument, and the public had no tolerance for this kind of offending.”
😠
* these days.
Yeah, I'm just wary of heading to models that end up escalating that problem while being a sledgehammer to crack the nuts of less serious offending.
First Dog on the Moon has an important message from Mother Nature.
'
"Whatever you thought you would be doing at the end of the world, you are doing it right now"
FDOTM
"Get back on the comet you flew here on dickheads” made me larf.
Interesting profile in NY Times ( yes, I know) about the 'other' Bronx progressive congressman that isnt AOC
Unlike AOC who was raised in Westchester suburbs and whos father was an architect Ritchie Torres grew up in a single parent household and worked at dead end minimum wage job.
'“I don’t hire ideologues or zealots,” he tells me on a walk through his district. “Most of the people in the South Bronx are practical rather than ideological. Their concerns are bread and butter, health and housing, schools and jobs.”
He goes off on an interesting tangent on one topic
'Torres is also particularly alarmed by the phenomenon that the Russian American evolutionary anthropologist Peter Turchin calls “elite overproduction.”
“We produce far more college graduates than there are elite positions for those graduates to occupy,” Torres observes. When those graduates find themselves deep in debt, shut out of the kinds of jobs they were promised and crushed by the cost of housing, “it is bound to have a radicalizing effect.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/opinion/Ritchie-Torres-AOC.html
😆 Hahahahahaha!
That’s brilliant !
Crikey! Very funny. Lot of hard work there.
Good work
.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126455787/rotoruas-three-mps-united-in-opposition-against-additional-miq-hotels-in-tourism-hub
“The possibility of an additional MIQ facility in Rotorua has created an unlikely political alliance – with National MP Todd McClay, Māori Party MP Rawiri Waititi and Labour List MP Tamati Coffey all united in opposition.
The unified voice from Rotorua’s three MPs comes in the wake of the joint head of managed isolation and quarantine, Megan Main, confirming Rotorua may host additional facilities.
…
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said it had been made “very clear” at a meeting with MIQ officials involving council, iwi, Lakes DHB and Rotorua Economic Development that “Rotorua cannot sustain any more MIQ facilities”.
“Our community has taken on its fair share of MIQ for some time now and we have accepted this at a time when we are also trying to rebuild our economy, and despite housing challenges that have required the use of accommodation stock to fulfil a critical need.”
“Running MIQ facilities impacts on local DHB, police and security resources, and those are resources our community misses out on and that therefore increase risk in these areas. We also need to retain capacity for visitors – which we currently still have.”
…
“Minister Hipkins announced at Wednesday’s 1pm press conference a decision on the location of new MIQ facilities would be announced soon, and his office told Stuff ‘this week, or next week at the latest.'”
… … … … … …
Might be best to look elsewhere, Chris. Wonder if he’ll conclude the same thing?
Where is the elsewhere ?
Rotorua has the hotels. Do they just let them rot and its tourism industry accomodation will just grow again like a new forest….yeah over 20 years!
Ah, what to do?
Maybe the Government could buy the hotels and use them for emergency housing. If they have spare space, those who need emergency housing from other parts of the country can be shipped in. How would the Rotorua luminaries react to that?
Maybe the suggestion can go ahead but the locals can stipulate where those housed come from. Step on down Hamish Walker.
Gezza, have you tried the Quotes button on the editor toolbar? Easy way to show what is from the article and what your own comments are.
Test
Yes, Sasha, I know. I do sometimes use the Quotes Button on the toolbar.
Problem is my little iPad2 is 2011 -with a pretty small "RAM-brain" for some websites now. I find that after posting 1 or at best 2 comments, the iPad won't let me insert any more text into a new comment.
My workaround is to turn off Javascript in Settings. Then I can type as many comments as I like. BUT – No Javascript : No Toolbox. 😟
I'm trying different layouts eg … … … … dotted lines
to see if that visually helps demarcate any "quoted text" from my free text.
Sounds frustrating Gezza.
Not really as frustrating as it sounds, Sasha.
roblogic suggested the workaround to me a week or so ago – was having the same problem with his(?) iPad – a more recent one.
It only takes 2 or 3 seconds to open Settings, turn JS off, & refresh Safari.
Then I just leave it like that unless I need to re-enable Javascript to play & watch a video, for example.
PS: Apologies – just noticed your monicker is correctlly spelt Sacha.
Thank you.
I can detect little sympathy in the wider public for poor vaccination rates in the Maori community.
At the end of the day, if Maori don't get vaccinated despite the resources being thrown at the vaccination effort and it is gangs largely made up of Maori that are acting as reservoirs of community covid then the political will to protect Maori communities in the medium term is going to be somewhere between none and less than none.
This political reality seems to elude some people, who will continue to insist on blaming everyone but the mirror when covid catastrophe envelopes the Maori community.
16 Sept 2021: Stuff :
“Vaccination rates of Māori in Taranaki are improving as health providers push for more whānau to get the Covi-19 jab.
District Health Board statistics show that although Māori make up 15.6 percent of people eligible for Covid-19 vaccination in Taranaki, they have only received 10 percent of the shots given in the region.
But last week 1143 Māori had shots in Taranaki, making up 21 percent of all vaccinations in the region – double the previous rate.
It will take a sustained effort to catch up with non-Māori: despite last week’s doubling, the Māori share of all shots so far in Taranaki only gained slightly, from 9.7 percent to 10 percent by the end of the week.”
…. …. ….
Ae, it’s a bit of a mystery why Māori vax rates are still so low. There seem to have been lots of prominent Māori publicly encouraging whanau to get vaccinated. The Māori King arrived rather late to the party but has just recently put something out urging all Māori to get their jabs. Might have been waiting to get his first?
My tuakana (elder same-sex sibling) texted me on 21 August:
“Got mine over a month ago.
Out of the blue call from Māori Tui Ora!
Was due last week for second but heard on news … ring and delay so 7 weeks from first”
…
And we’re not even Māori ! 😳
Well said Sanctuary. That catastrophe could be our undoing in that we settlers may well reap what we have sown ( because of our abysmal treatment of the indigenous people, for those who can't join the dots.).
Perhaps listen to the likes of Hone Harawira to get a view from a different lens.
Thank you gsays.
This is Granville, in my stream. A 3 foot long Australasian Shortfin eel. He's a beautiful colour – yellow & green. And a very personable tuna.
https://i.imgur.com/RMnFCWf.gif
Yes. They certainly can see you and rise up to be near the surface…you must be feeding him/her
Yes. I feed a four foot long NZ Native Longfin called Elvira too. I feed them off a 3′ long pointed stick. Meat or dog roll chunks.
Best for them not to arrive together.
Eli attacks Granville. It’s own damn fault. Silly young sod Granville arrived one day at the Eel Spot, where I feed them, behind Elvira, & decided to bite the end of her tail.
He was lucky to survive what happened next. Elvira’s a very BIG girl !
I think in some southern lakes they have a giant variant- the NZ longfin
Yes, so do we up in the North Island.
Elvira (below) is a four foot long NZ Native Longfin.
Ella is an even bigger NZ Native Longfin. Longer by about two more inches. I had them arrive for a feed side by side once. I had to work out how to tell them apart. Elvira has a black "beauty spot" on the port side of her dorsal fin, two inches back from where it starts.
"My" stream is pretty big. It would likely be called a river in some countries.
Sometimes it's full of eels – both types.
NZ Native Longfins are protected in all of Wellington's waterways.
Best you don't tell Elvira about eel-rents.
https://historiacartarum.org/eel-rents-project/
Good heavens !
No, joe. I wouldn't want to do anything to ruin our beautiful relationship!
There's a creepy man's face peering out of the mud at 7 seconds. And again at the end.
.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/300413783/scientists-say-victoria-quake-probably-caused-by-tectonic-pressure-from-nz
That’s what I was thinking yesterday, after it happened.
“Geoscience Australia put the 9.15am quake’s magnitude – a measure of the energy released – at about 5.9. The quake’s epicentre was just south of Mansfield and about 10 kilometres below the Earth’s surface”
…
That’s pretty big. From all the fallen bricks I saw in some street on One News at 6, they’re lucky no one seems to have been injured.
I did not realise it was their biggest quake in Melbourne since colonisation until an Australian tv reporter said it on the tvnz breakfast show.
If you have any friends in Melbourne I suggest that you send them a link to this site. It provides a record of all the earthquakes that happen.
https://earthquaketrack.com/p/new-zealand/recent?mag_filter=5
I asked for earthquakes greater than 5 on the North Island East Coast. There are lots of them.
Then you tell your Melburnian mates that a 5.8 is nothing at all. People wouldn't even get up from their chair for that.
The fallen bricks were, at least as I heard it, in Chapel St, Prahran. It is normally very busy but because of the pandemic the shops were closed. No open shops equals no people. Don't let anyone tell you that there is no good coming from Covid 19.
Tru dat.
Gawd. Didn’t expect I’d need to a grammar check on that website! 😰
What is the world coming to these days ! I blame the education dept.
Yes. ONE building has the part of the parapet collapse and into a side street off a well known shopping strip.
Considering the vast swaths of the city in Victorian era unreinforced brick buildings- which they still build with today- Im very surprised.
Good job, it’s time we were able to put some pressure on them instead of vice versa.
of note a submission from NZ’s older “states women” including Phillips Bunkle and Sandra Coney. While supporting rights for transgender people, they are against gender self ID and are calling for a royal commission of enquiry into the issues around gender ideology. Their submission starts around 4 50
I am sure people wonder why I continue to post about these issues on the Standard. I do because there is almost a complete media black out on this Bill and almost without exception the only coverage fails to report about gender ideology in any sort of balanced way.
I was also struck by the unprofessional manner of many of the MPs on the committee.
the labour MP for Nelson, Rachel Boyack sat with her eyes closed through out one presentation that she was clearly opposed to. It was very obvious where the committee biases lay, smiling and affirming submissions they supported. Is this usual in select committees? It shouldn’t be. It should be for MPs to neutrally listen and ask relevant questions.
Beth from SUFW gave a great presentation and the micro aggression against her was palpable. Rather than ask questions about the points she raised, Deborah Russell attempted to undermine SUFW, by asking how many people supported them, DR then spoke about NCW and how they have more supporters. I didn’t realise a select committees job was to undermine people who took the time and had the guts to make a presentation. DR attempts back fired as SUFW were able to say200+ active members and over 5000 followers and while NCW have many thousands, very few people follow them on social media. No other submitters asked how many they represent.
[edited link to make it direct and permanent – weka]
The Select Committee's role isn't to uncritically accept what they hear and see from submitters. If submitters choose to submit they need to understand and accept that they will be engaged with and challenged by MPs as that is the nature of political debate.
And the number of Facebook followers a submitter has is no substitute for a well-reasoned position.
Oh, yes, but a social media megaphone does help spreading beliefs and opinions 24/7 straight onto people’s Apple Watches.
Luckily their position was well reasoned and well evidenced as well as being eloquently delivered.
Lucky for some.
I've always understood the job of the members of a Select Committee is to ask questions that enhance their understanding of the presenter's submission – points of clarification or follow-up. These people (BDMRR SC) showed no curiosity whatsoever and a couple of them were openly hostile to presenters (SUFW and SWS). This is not what we, taxpayers, pay them for. They need to understand that. The whole idea of this SC process is to substitute for a full and proper public consultation which almost no bill gets and none deserves more than this one.
Thank you for continuing to post about these issues Anker and Weka and others. I don't comment but I always read the posts and all the comments and share your concerns.
Thanks Pingao. That really helps to know.!
thanks so much for the headsup about the FOWL submission. Susan Middleton was outstanding. Ten fucking minutes vs Royal Commission of Inquiry.
I will try and put up a post on Saturday about this, probably a Women's Space post because I see the most important political issue at the moment is for women to have space to talk and organise.
Best wishes with this.
@ weka
Ditto.
That's fantastic Weka. Just a thought…..I wonder what you think about making this a open post? I.e. open for everyone to comment? I think if you did then men on this site might be more likely to read it.
Just re-read you post about women needing to talk and organise, so disregard what I said about an open post
Sandra Coney and Philida Bunkle………For those of you not old enough to know these names google An unfortunate experiment at Greenlane Hospital.
ps Weka was not sure what was meant by your moderator’s comment? Just wanting to check, Cheers,
the link you put up went to the committee’s main FB page, not the page with the video on it. I changed the link so it went directly and people will still be able to find it in a week or a year.
Thanks very much. The conversion practices prohibition bill is underway too. Again there are some serious problems. Migt you be interested in an open letter that I have written to Dr Ayesha Verrall as a post for discussion. It's here. https://www.publicgood.org.nz/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Letter-to-Dr-Ayesha-Verrall.pdf
They were exceedingly unprofessional. I get to speak next week and had been thinking of referencing the toxic atmosphere. I did not expect cheap 'gotcha' questions and even accusations of transphobia from Dr Kerekere. Why should anyone offer themselves to provide evidence with their obvious body language. I hope very much the chickens come home to roost on this topic and expose their shameful behaviour. I wrote this in the hope that they do. https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2021/09/23/jan-tinettis-millstone/
I thought about the impact on democracy generally, and women's politics more specifically. I don't know what such committees are usually like, but this was a terrible example of consulation.
Thanks Nordy. I hadn't watched a select committee before, so I didn't know how it worked.
Beth from SUFW was up to the challange, although surely. the challange should be about the ideas submitted for the proposed legislation? No matter, Beth handled the challenge really well.
I agree Sacha about the number of FB followers is no substitute for a well reasoned position, which I think SUFW had. It was Deborah Russell who brought up SUFW membership numbers, although no other group was asked about this. It back fired on DR.
I would recomend anyone watch SUFW, Save NZ sport of Fowls presentations. All well reasoned.
I object to the legitimisation of a changed definition of the word woman , without much wider social debate.The invitation to make submissions is not good enough for such a radical shift..In effect, self sexID is about feelings rather than evidence.What does it mean to "feel" like a woman?Even I don't know and I've had 4 kids, suffered male violence, had painful periods, been discriminated and overlooked because of my sexThe bill amendment does not define what it means by sex or gender.That is far too sloppy
"What does it mean to "feel" like a woman?" I'm damned if I know either. There's nothing that I do or think or feel that's based on my gender. I just am. There's nothing that I do from one day to the next that is effected by my gender, other than the obvious physical attributes.
How does a transgender person 'know' what it feels like to be a woman when we can't identify it.
Just found this. It's excellent
https://www.feministcurrent.com/2018/07/07/feeling-like-woman/
“Woman” is not a feeling. “Woman” just is.
Thanks Brigid
That was great!
So true about the responses to a developing female body.The queasiness of being shoved into a corner by a family friend's male gut when no one was around
"Jeez, you're finally filling out"
And the shame of that, not being able to tell someone and be believed
Because
'he was just being friendly'
Never ever occurred to any of them just how disgusted and revolted we were. And somehow we blamed ourselves!!
Jesus effing bloody christ
Exactly!
Thank you for that
Agree Francesca. They are legalising the changing definition of women and they are doing it by stealth and their is deafening silence by the media.
Having said that I heard SUFW interviewed on Magic Talk today. She was clear, articulate and you could hear the hosts disbelief as he asked questions to clarrify.
The vast majority don't know about these changes and there will be hell to pay for the Green and Labour MPs over this. My prediction.
Select Committees are great places to see the type of people we have as MPs and to see just how badly some of them react to having to sit there wasting their time listening to the Hoi Polloi ….. as some of them so obviously believe.
Govt appoints the initial boards of peak new sector organisations Health NZ and the Māori Health Authority – some solid people named. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/expert-group-appointed-lead-new-zealand%E2%80%99s-future-health-system
I have some concerns about the proposed Health changes – but that looks to be a selection of some excellently qualified key people on the boards.
The main thing will be to keep the boards focussed & not let changes get bogged down by unnecessarily bureaucratic middle management. Bureaucracies always grow becos:
Parkinson’s Fourth Law: “The number of people in any working group tends to increase irrespective of the amount of work to be completed.”
&
Parkinson’s Fifth Law: “If there is a way to delay an important decision, the good bureaucracy (or non-elected government officials), public or private, will find it.”
Some excellently qualified people and Amy Adams
“Political views
Amy Adams describes herself as “socially liberal, economically conservative.” She considers herself a feminist and supported the Abortion Legislation Act 2020. She has defended abortion on the grounds of women’s reproductive rights and urged religious opponents of abortion reform to stop teaching that contraception is a sin.
Adams has also voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage and legalising assisted dying for people with terminal illnesses.
As Minister of Justice, she wiped the convictions of men convicted of homosexual acts prior to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1986, and apologised on behalf of the Government.” – Wikipedia
………………………………………
I don’t have a problem with Adams. She held a telecomms portfolio at one point. Two Labour Ministers have put her on the board. They presumably must believe she brings some useful skills & talents to the table?
Adams was a competent Minister. She also has rural networks which is a big qualification for that role.
Fresh Covid modelling by Shaun Hendy shows big impact of vaccination levels. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300414146/covid19-nz-modelling-suggests-7000-deaths-in-a-year-even-with-75-per-cent-of-country-jabbed
Summarising:
That’s a MASSIVE difference !
Wonder how reliable the modelling is tho.
For comparison, 27 deaths over 18+ months when vaccination rates were zero to begin with and the Delta variant did not exist from the outset. Not based on modelling, but on cold hard facts.
The facts are based on natural selection,hence the difficulty with the laws of chance.
I think those new numbers are without lockdowns. More detail that I have not read yet: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/modelling-thousands-of-deaths-without-high-vaccination-rates
Yup, no silver bullets unless new generation vaccines come around soon that provide lasting sterilising immunity against existing and future Covid-19 variants and possibly still dependent on a global elimination drive. We’re watching & creating the dawning of a New Brave World (not to mention CC).
Core numbers
https://twitter.com/marcdaalder/status/1440846815000084481
Hendry's modelling of Covid in NZ has been pretty impressive. On the 24th August at the beginning the current outbreak his modelling forecast the outbreak could top 1000 cases.
So around 12% of hospitalisations result in death? Seems high.
Not that high really.
I stopped searching at last year's US data because we still have loads of old people alive.
If someone needs to go to hospital because of an infectious respiratory disease, they're in deep trouble and going downhill. If they were getting better by themselves, they wouldn't need admitting. Hospitals can usually help, but if there are other factors like age or the patient has other conditions then the odds get worse.
It very much depends on the reason one goes to hospital, these days. Heart attacks? Bloody miracle workers compared to 20 years ago. Most cancers have amazeballs survival stats, too. But your liver or some acute respiratory thing? Still a tall order for a lot of people.
Transcript by Brittney Deguara of Live update on 23 Sep. 21
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300413679/covid19-live-15-new-community-cases-in-auckland-government-releases-new-vaccine-modelling
That's a pretty impressive AB 23 picked for the 100th test with the Boks.
Bring it on boys and give them a hiding.
Depth at hooker, largely forgotten about Laumape with the steadiness of Havili and Ioane in the centres and Barrett looking good at 10.
Here is an interesting take on the great foe.
https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/09/22/how-the-springboks-hit-an-english-speed-bump-at-suncorp/amp/