As part of their legally required consultation with the union, the Ports of Auckland Ltd have released their rationale and their timeline for contracting out the Ports.
Disclosure:
The full document is quite long, so the following is an abridged version of this document. Missing are several tables, and other data on port operations.
Ports of Auckland
Contracting Out – Consultation | 20 January 2012
Introduction
• Contracting out is being considered in a process parallel to conclude a new collective to see it it could deliver the flexibility we require to improve productivity to the extent that we can meet our targets.
The Rationale for Contracting Out
• The need for PoAL to significantly improve operational productivity and efficiency of its container terminal and support services is now CRITICAL.
• Contracting out its operations and support services could potentially offer PoAL a method for achieving the improvements in the flexibility and productivity it requires.
• Using a contractor means that we would only pay for work that is done. When people are needed they work and when they not needed they could be working elsewhere and so would not be a cost to the Port.
• When there are peaks in volume we would have more contracting staff present and when there are quieter periods they would not need to be here.
• Contractors may also be paid for the volume of work completed to the standard and timeframes required, rather than the hours that are worked.
• Multiple contractors could also introduce an element of competition to encourage contractors to keep improving services.
• Use of multiple contractors could also introduce further flexibility by ensuring that we are not dependent on a single supplier if issues arise.
• Multiple contractors could also provide an opportunity for each to learn from the other, improving standards throughout the industry.
Restrictions for Contracting Out
While remaining open to options, PoAL envisages that, should any contracting out occur, the Port would retain:
• The direct customer relationship with the Shipping Lines and Line Operators
• Overall management of the yard
• Functions which are key to retaining our IP and competitive advantage.
Where We are Now
• PoAL has sent out an RFP (Request for Proposal) to a range of Contractors believed to have the required skills and experience to provide services to the Port.
• This is a fact finding exercise. No final commitment has been made to contract out and the contractors have been told this.
• The proposals received will be used to assess the range of contracting out options available, to determine if any would give us the improved operational efficiencies and cost savings we are seeking.
• Staff and unions are also being consulted (this is your opportunity).
• Through this process we invite feedback about contracting out and how it might help us achieve the improvements we need. We are also open to any other ideas you have that might help us achieve the required improvements.
What is Next
• We are expecting to receive a range of contractor proposals over next two weeks.
• Feedback from staff and the unions will also be gathered over the next two weeks.
• Proposals will be evaluated to see whether contractors can provide PoAL’s specific service requirements to the required standard.
• Feedback from staff and unions will be carefully considered.
• A decision will then be made on whether to enter into negotiations with contractors in early February.
• Should there be a decision to proceed, staff will be consulted on the implementation process and be informed about how this will impact them.
Services and Responsibility
If a decision is made to progress contracting out, POAL envisages contracting these services from (at least) three Contractors.
POAL would retain responsibility for managing the operation.
The Contractors would have employee-management responsibility.
POAL and each Contractor would be responsible for ensuring efficient communication and interaction between the two levels of management.
Timeline
• RFP published 13 January 2012.
• Closing date for proposals 27 January 2012.
• Appoint Contractors (if a decision is made to progress contracting out after feedback received).
• Contract start date immediately following appointment of Contractors.
• There would be a transition period of a few weeks before the Contractors are fully operational on the Terminals.
Using a contractor means that we would only pay for work that is done.
But not the costs of maintaining those people to be available to work.
PoAL has sent out an RFP (Request for Proposal) to a range of Contractors believed to have the required skills and experience to provide services to the Port.
So, where do these contractors who have neither a port to operate or the people to work it get the skills and experience to work one?
The proposals received will be used to assess the range of contracting out options available, to determine if any would give us the improved operational efficiencies and cost savings we are seeking.
That is actually physically impossible as the contractors will be charging out workers at rates greater than what the workers are being paid now. The difference will be that the workers get less while costing more.
We are also open to any other ideas you have that might help us achieve the required improvements.
I suggest firing the present directors and CEO and getting the union to operate the port. That should save several million dollars per year.
• Using a contractor means that we would only pay for work that is done. When people are needed they work and when they not needed they could be working elsewhere and so would not be a cost to the Port.
• When there are peaks in volume we would have more contracting staff present and when there are quieter periods they would not need to be here.
• Contractors may also be paid for the volume of work completed to the standard and timeframes required, rather than the hours that are worked.
If workers could only apply this sort of flexibility to their land lord, mortgagor, grocer or other fixed costs. So that they only have to pay them when they get work.
Or conversely only have to pay rent for the hours they are at home. Unfortunately all these bills are totally inflexible.
The document makes a big play of consulting staff and the unions before the final decision is made to contract out. But gives the game away somewhat, when in the final paragraph they put the legal duty to receive feedback into brackets, a sort of typographical way of laughing up your sleeve.
Another notable quirk, is that during most of the document the words unions and contractors are all spelt with lower case first letter. However near the end of the document the word contractors gets promoted to Contractors, unfortunately the same sign of respect is not paid to the word unions.
It is with such small slips that the management of the Ports reveal their pathology and antipathy.
I see the Labour Party is making people redundant after a poor election result ,and a 20% drop in funding. I trust that those people will be well looked after, and have a good redundancy package
And the Greens will get an increase in funding and significantly ramp up their parliamentary presence. NZ First will have to hire an entirely new set of staff.
Meanwhile National will be unchanged, reflecting their mostly unchanged election result. ACT is decimated and MP will likely see their funding trimmed.
There was big dong dong yesterday between various posters on here and Brett Dale about Isarealis being discriminated against.
One thing which interested me (and I don’t want to start the whole ding dong again) is a question which a couple asked Mr Dale, one which I have asked a few people recently. And that is, what “race” are Israelis, in this context… In Africa there are the negros and the arabs. In the Americas there are the indians and the polynesians etc inhabit the pacific. The euros in europe. Asia has various forms from the indian type from about Pakistan to Bangladesh and then through to the chinese in the far east. Please excuse my somewhat crude descriptions. But, what are the Israelis? It seems to me they are part of the arab race.
“Israeli” isn’t a ‘race’, it’s a nationality. Most Israelis, as far as I am aware, are Jewish. Jews are part of the semitic language group that includes Arabic people. This language group roughly aligns with people who largely share a similar DNA/biological heritage, although this is not a clear-cut category.
But basically, ‘race’ is not a scientific concept, but a human construct based on a belief that people from certain ethnic (cultural) groups share the same biological characteristics.
Thanks Carol. So, if there are only caucasians, asians, arabs, africans and indians as the major human types across the planet then the israelis / jews are part of the arab grouping…
Which makes sense – they look the same, they live there and claim to always have done so, and as you say their language slots them in there too.
I think that “race”, which is a horribly vague term, is a quite unhelpful concept in the context of the point Brett was attempting to make yesterday. As I understand it the people whose ancestors came from a Europe, the middle east across to at least modern day Pakistan and down to northern and a fair bit of eastern Africa would have been included in the definition of “Caucasian”, so people who identify today as Israeli or Arab would most likely be included in the definition.
My understanding was that two people were refused service at a cafe because they were from a country that is governed by a political party that implements policies that the cafe owner found particularly objectionable. That’s not racist. It’s bad business, it’s unreasonable, and not constructive, but it’s not illegal.
I’d like to know if Brett believes that every business should be compelled (by legislation, for example) to serve all-comers, without exception.
I’m tempted to have a search for Brett’s outrage at cafes who ask breast-feeding mothers to leave, which has always been a bigger problem IMO. Perhaps Brett can confirm.
Finally, I’d like to know why Brett was demanding “the left” express their outrage when he’s demanded nothing of the sort from his team. At best I expect bluster in response.
Hi Armchair critic, I wasn’t going to come here again but got word that someone asked me some questions.
A Cafe owner living and working in NewZealand should not be allowed to kick out anyone who isnt creating a disturbance.
This is New Zealand, I dont care what someones race is, what country they are from, what their political views are, this is NewZealand if you own a business you should serve one and all, white/black/gay/straight/American/Israeli/English/Iranian/Iraqi, if your from Turkey, Canada, Qatar, if your a Christian/Muslim/Hindu or no religion at all.
Oh I dont think breastfeeding woman are a problem at all in cafes or restaurants.
You want to do a google search to see if Im bigoted, go head, your going fine a ton of stuff i have written in support of gay marriage and against the homophobic’s. Your going to find a lot of pro Obama posts.
If any business in this country refuses to serve someone because of the country they are from or their race, then that is disgusting.
Now I dont want to come here again, so any further questions to me, come to my blog. Cheers.
Now I dont want to come here again, so any further questions to me, come to my blog. Cheers.
If I believed that was true then there wouldn’t be any point in replying. So:
Thanks for the invite. I’d follow your blog, but it seems to be about American TV a lot, and I’m not that interested in TV. Or America. Or country music. I do like cupcakes, so it was good to see a post on them.
And I think you have expressed your opinion both extensively and to your full capability, so at this stage I won’t be asking any further questions. If any do spring to mind I’ll post them and link to your blog.
ps please don’t go forever, I find you oddly fascinating. And you have good taste in stand-up comics which I think says something about a person’s character. Although in your case your taste in music might cancel it out, but still, I hope you stick around anyway.
Brett Dale’s faux accusation would have sounded much weaker if he’d used “anti-Israeli” (which was more accurate) instead of “racist” (which was less accurate). And he knew it.
In terms of religious affiliation about 80% are Jewish, 15% Sunni Muslim, and 2% Druze. The ethnic breakdown is even more diverse.
The Druze ….usually completely overlooked in any discussion around this topic…actually have the best claim to having lived in the area of Palestine continuously. A point that is of academic interest only; the Druze are by and large content to mind their own business as best they can.
No, actually “Jewish” is a religion, not a race. There are Hasidim from Central and Eastern Europe, Sephardi from the Iberian peninsula, black African Jews from Ethiopia, and even Arab Jews in the Middle East. The Jews of Western Europe were more or less assimilated and secular, identifying more with whatever country they lived in – as a category they were more-or-less reinvented by Hitler during the Holocaust. Actually, a huge number of people exterminated as Jews under the evil of the Nuremberg Race Laws probably wouldn’t have been considered Jewish in the traditional sense because they were only connected through the paternal line, or belonged to one of the many Jewish families that had converted to Christianity. The Jews in Israel are predominantly Western European, American and Hasidic, and the way they regard the minority Sephardi and Arab Jews in Israel is pretty appalling. You can convert to Judaism, or you can be born Jewish through the maternal line – hence the Israeli newspapers at the time of the last spy debacle were correct by their terms in saying John Key is Jewish, even though I have no idea whether he identifies as such (I doubt it) and that’s entirely his business.
It’s worth noting that over reliance on the free market system, something the Act party often promotes, is what got us into the mess in the first place.
Bryan Gould makes an excellent summary over the risk of Government interfering with the Freedom of the Press. Insidious it is: “But threats to press freedom can come in much more insidious forms – and two recent instances make the point clearly……..
…… the Prime Minister’s conversation over a cup of tea with John Banks during the election campaign. The Prime Minister was clearly very keen that the contents of that conversation should not be made public………
…..He did not go to court to seek an injunction and assert his right to privacy. Instead, he laid a complaint with the police and asked them to investigate what he maintained might be a criminal offence…….
…..The police investigation, while so far inconclusive on the issue of criminality, has nevertheless been successful in another respect; it has fully met the Prime Minister’s requirements by keeping the conversation secret till beyond – well beyond – the election.
……that a programme on child poverty it had funded was broadcast in the days leading up to the election….It has announced that it may seek legal advice on obtaining a law change that would give it the power to delay until after an election a broadcast that might embarrass politicians.
…..What is worrying about this episode is that an expression of concern from the Prime Minister (in this case, through his electorate chairman who is a board member of NZ On Air) about a perfectly lawful broadcast was enough to induce the body that has a public duty to fund such programmes to seek to limit the freedom of the broadcasters.
National slimed their way back to power by wasting the election with shuting down tactics.
And once over they wonder why so many people are totally turned off by Brand Key.
So they’ve got it into their thick heads it must have been the poverty doco.
They’re worried that Key now tired and hollow that he will not get another Rugby world
cup shadow, and with the poor quality of his MPs, and their marginal government block,
that Key may be forced to the polls at any moment.
What’s clear is Key’s spinmasters are desperate, desperate to hide the tape, desperate to
give us all some reason why hie re-election wasn’t so great (doco poverty).
When in fact its just National were tired and bored when they first won power in 2008,
and their only victory seems to be the product of disasters, ChCh, Mine, Rena, and their
ability to look marginal in the face of these disasters.
History will likely favor the next government who will have to deal to the world
risks of climate change, peak pil, resources limits etc. Key will be noted only for
his unnoteworthiness in the histoy of NZ, you could say our John Howard.
Pretty much the same as every other dictatorship (including early Western Democracy) throughout history. NAct really are trying to take us back to the time where a few rich people (rich through exploitation of everyone else) ruled and everyone else kissed their feet.
which won’t happen since there are too many sociopaths today, too many people living too closely together, to much information to scan, too many are able to create a new sub lingo…etc, etc. This is not pre-revolutionary France we heading for. And no I don’t believe that there is a consprisy of the rich. I think its just natural inertia in the face of radical change, those wtih most to lose are betting that it’ll all work out and so hang on in there.
Key is basically feeding that monster, and its always come out bad, since either they inertia-ists are wrong and lose even worse, or they are right and so create the culture of dismissal and denial that will inevitable deblitate them when a crisis does hit (which they always do).
Sure its going to get bad even if the governments are clued up and just silent about what their planning is. But we are the free market and we are choosing to go low carbon early and often.
URGENT!! URGENT!!! AUCKLAND COUNCIL-HIRED PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS ARE TRYING TO CLOSE DOWN OCCUPY AUCKLAND PEACEFUL PROTESTORS BY SEIZING TENTS AND PROPERTY! PROTESTORS ARE REFUSING TO MOVE!!
I have just spoken to Occupy Auckland protestor Chris Glen (10.20am), and asked ‘on what lawful authority’ is this action allegedly happening?
“Land Reclaim Act” replied Chris Glen.
IS THIS MAYOR LEN BROWN’S ‘VISION’ TO HELP MAKE AUCKLAND THE MOST LIVEABLE CITY IN THE WORLD?
COUNCIL BY LAWS CANNOT AND MUST NOT ‘TRUMP’ OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS TO PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION – THIS IS WHAT IS NOW BEFORE THE COURTS!
Judge Wilson’s decision – effectively ignored the LAW and the intention of Parliament on this matter and is being appealed:
(Local Government Act 2002 s 155 (3)
155 Determination whether bylaw made under this Act is appropriate
(1AA) This section applies to a bylaw only if it is made under this Act.
(1) A local authority must, before commencing the process for making a bylaw, determine whether a bylaw is the most appropriate way of addressing the perceived problem.
(2) If a local authority has determined that a bylaw is the most appropriate way of addressing the perceived problem, it must, before making the bylaw, determine whether the proposed bylaw—
(a) is the most appropriate form of bylaw; and
(b) gives rise to any implications under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
(3) No bylaw may be made which is inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, notwithstanding section 4 of that Act.
HOW PRECIPITIOUS IS THIS ACTION?
WHO FROM AUCKLAND COUNCIL HAS AUTHORISED THIS ACTION?
THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL CEO?
THE GOVERNING BODY OF AUCKLAND COUNCIL – THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES?
THIS MATTER IS BEFORE THE COURTS!
OCCUPY AUCKLAND PEACEFUL PROTESTORS ARE DEFENDING OUR LAWFUL RIGHTS TO PEACEFUL PROTEST AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION!
COME AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT NOW AT AOTEA SQUARE!
“WHEN PEOPLE’S RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK – STAND UP – FIGHT BACK!”
It’s not like they found a shipping container full of class A drugs. Apparently, out of all the people who had been staying or visiting the occupation, at least one had been in position of drugs. This is not too different from the general population.
Richard Heinberg, JHK, Dimitri Orlov, Nicole Foss and Noam Chomsky panel discussion – Chomsky does ramble a bit and JHK takes him to task re Daniel Yergin:
Peak oil is not on the agenda. Take something as simple as the private car, supermarkets target private car consumers with petrol vouchers, and the low carbon consumer who walks, or cycles, or buses to the super market gets this voucher for fuel they are unlikely to use. So here we have a private car subsidy by non-car owners to car owners. Carbon credits will not stop supermarkets taxing the low carbon citizens and supporting the high carbon abusers since the high carbon abuses have the spare cash from over paying jobs and too much access to the ‘activity’ wealth.
and the low carbon consumer who walks, or cycles, or buses to the super market gets this voucher for fuel they are unlikely to use
I never have! (Got a cheap fuel voucher), but if I did, I wouldn’t know what to do with it… none of the family has a car, I walk to my local supermarket, which is fine by me! I hadn’t actually thought about it that way, but those of us who walk are subsidising the car people! (It amuses me that the checkout people always assume I am driving and pack stuff accordingly, which can be awkward..
According to Shlomo Sand, Professor of History at Tel Aviv University and author of, The Invention of the Jewish People, most of the Jews living in Israel are Europeans who are the descendants of converts to Judaism and the Palestinians are the most likely descendants of the original Jews, but who converted to Islam during the Arab conquest (6th century AD?) .
Make the claim that you can keep the middle class supplied with its familiar comforts and status symbols and you’ll be able to count on a following in the years to come.
‘Among its other benefits, that’s a good way to see the limits on the alleged freedom of choice that the consumer economy provides its inmates.’
‘The second advantage is one I’ve mentioned here before. If you’re going to be poor in the future, and you are, you might as well learn how to do it competently. It’s entirely possible to lead a life that’s poor in terms of money, material goods, and energy consumption, and profoundly rich—far richer than most contemporary lifestyles—in human values. If you’re going to do that, though, you’re going to have to learn how it’s done, and the only school where you can study that is that ancient institution, the school of hard knocks. If you start cutting your energy use and your material wants now, before you’re forced to do so, you can get past the hard part of the learning curve while you still have other options.’
Absolute gold CV – been a while since I’ve visited this site. The inmates line – LOL.
well they have made monkeys of us all over the port issue.
according to both mike williams and tootin hooton on rnz this am they want to close th eport for exports and that is that.
so I suppose we all had a bit of fun while THEY laughed their tits off at us.
This mornings radionz session with Mike Williams and Matthew Hooten was very lively. With strong comments being made and a lot of stats flying around. I thought they both did very well though Hooten doesn’t cut off quickly enough. Well worth a listen.
And on Bryan Crump’s nighttime session on radionz site, there have been a couple of interesting books written which have been been reviewed on Windows on the World – International public radio features and documentaries. Produced by Nicky Chapman.
(Note the rider – Copyright restrictions prevent us from making these programmes available as audio on demand or podcasts.
Monday 23 January: Two Authors
Peter Day talks to two authors of recent books about the way the world is developing. Borderless Economics – Chinese Sea Turtles, Indian Fridges and the New Fruits of Global Capitalism by Robert Guest, Published by Palgrave.
The Coming Jobs War, by Jim Clifton , Published by Gallup Press.
One comment from Jim Clifton was that in Gallup polls, which they take one thousand of each day, a common goal is to get a good job. And as there are less good jobs than those looking for them, this is the basis for a very unhappy society, or no society at all.
and nightmare on elm street tonight.
brian krump interviews (kisses his ass) rodney hide telling us all about his hero the nasty little weasel karl popper.
what the fuck did new zealanders do to get this sort of crap served up to us.
“WHEN OUR RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK – STAND UP – FIGHT BACK!!”
JOIN US – AS SOON AS YOU CAN!
IF YOU CAN’T STAY IN A TENT – AT LEAST STAND WITH US IN SOLIDARITY!
These are YOUR rights that we are trying to protect!
I for one will be back at Aotea Square IN MY TENT tonight, and I encourage all those who believe that Council By Laws SHOULD NOT and DO NOT ‘trump’ our lawful rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression to join us.
Just who is running Auckland Council?
Unelected businesspeople and unelected Council Officers – or ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES?
I find it VERY interesting that this arguably MOST precipitious action, is taking place the day after our Occupy Auckland General Assembly, (yesterday Sunday 22 January 2012) where a petition I have initiated , stating ….. was unanimously endorsed.
COPIES OF THIS PETITION WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SIGN AT AOTEA SQUARE AFTER 3PM TODAY.
2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Awards Prose: High School First Place
Fighting a Forbidden Battle: How I Stopped Covering Up for a Hidden Wrong
by JESSE LIEBERFELD 11th grade, Winchester Thurston
I once belonged to a wonderful religion. I belonged to a religion that allows those of us who believe in it to feel that we are the greatest people in the world—and feel sorry for ourselves at the same time. Once, I thought that I truly belonged in this world of security, self-pity, self-proclaimed intelligence, and perfect moral aesthetic. I thought myself to be somewhat privileged early on. It was soon revealed to me, however, that my fellow believers and I were not part of anything so flattering.
Although I was fortunate enough to have parents who did not try to force me into any one set of beliefs, being Jewish was in no way possible to escape growing up. It was constantly reinforced at every holiday, every service, and every encounter with the rest of my relatives. I was forever reminded how intelligent my family was, how important it was to remember where we had come from, and to be proud of all the suffering our people had overcome in order to finally achieve their dream in the perfect society of Israel.
This last mandatory belief was one which I never fully understood, but I always kept the doubts I had about Israel’s spotless reputation to the back of my mind. “Our people” were fighting a war, one I did not fully comprehend, but I naturally assumed that it must be justified. We would never be so amoral as to fight an unjust war. Yet as I came to learn more about our so-called “conflict” with the Palestinians, I grew more concerned. I routinely heard about unexplained mass killings, attacks on medical bases, and other alarmingly violent actions for which I could see no possible reason. “Genocide” almost seemed the more appropriate term, yet no one I knew would have ever
dreamed of portraying the war in that manner; they always described the situation in shockingly neutral terms. Whenever I brought up the subject, I was always given the answer that there were faults on both sides, that no one was really to blame, or simply that it was a “difficult situation.” It was not until eighth grade that I fully understood what I was on the side of. One afternoon, after a fresh round of killings was announced on our bus ride home, I asked two of my friends who actively supported Israel what they thought. “We need to defend our race,” they told me. “It’s our right.”
“We need to defend our race.”
Where had I heard that before? Wasn’t it the same excuse our own country had used to justify its abuses of African-Americans sixty years ago? In that moment, I realized how similar the two struggles were—like the white radicals of that era, we controlled the lives of another people whom we abused daily, and no one could speak out against us. It was too politically incorrect to do so. We had suffered too much, endured too many hardships, and overcome too many losses to be criticized. I realized then that I was in no way part of a “conflict”—the term “Israeli/Palestinian Conflict” was no more accurate than calling the Civil Rights Movement the “Caucasian/
African-American Conflict.” In both cases, the expression was a blatant euphemism: it gave the impression that this was a dispute among equals and that both held an equal share of the blame. However, in both, there was clearly an oppressor and an oppressed, and I felt horrified at the realization that I was by nature on the side of the oppressors. I was grouped with the racial supremacists. I was part of a group that killed while praising its own intelligence and reason. I was part of a delusion.
I thought of the leader of the other oppressed side of years ago, Martin Luther King. He too had been part of a struggle that had been hidden and glossed over for the convenience of those against whom he fought. What would his reaction have been? As it turned out, it was precisely the same as mine. As he wrote in his letter from Birmingham Jail, he believed the greatest enemy of his cause to be “Not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who…lives by a mythical concept of time…. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” When I first read those words, I felt as if I were staring at myself in a mirror. All my life I had been conditioned to simply treat the so-called conflict with the same apathywhich King had so forcefully condemned. I, too, held the role of an accepting moderate. I, too, “lived by a mythical concept of time,” shrouded in my own surreal world and the set of beliefs that had been assigned to me. I had never before felt so trapped.
I decided to make one last appeal to my religion. If it could not answer my misgivings, no one could. The next time I attended a service, there was an open question-and-answer session about any point of our religion. I wanted to place my dilemma in as clear and simple terms as I knew how. I thought out my exact question over the course of the seventeen-minute cello solo that was routinely played during service. Previously, I had always accepted this solo as just another part of the program, yet now it seemed to capture the whole essence of our religion: intelligent and well-crafted on paper, yet completely oblivious to the outside world (the soloist did not have the faintest
idea of how masterfully he was putting us all to sleep). When I was finally given the chance to ask a question, I asked, “I want to support Israel. But how can I when it lets its army commit so many
killings?” I was met with a few angry glares from some of the older men, but the rabbi answered me. “It is a terrible thing, isn’t it?” he said. “But there’s nothing we can do. It’s just a fact of life.” I knew, of course, that the war was no simple matter and that we did not by any means commit murder for its own sake, but to portray our thousands of killings as a “fact of life” was simply too much for me to accept. I thanked him and walked out shortly afterward. I never went back. I thought about what I could do. If nothing else, I could at least try to free myself from the burden of being saddled with a belief I could not hold with a clear conscience. I could not live the rest of my life as one of the pathetic moderates whom King had rightfully portrayed as the worst part of the problem. I did not intend to go on being one of the Self-Chosen People, identifying myself as part of a group to which I did not belong.
It was different not being the ideal nice Jewish boy. The difference was subtle, yet by no means unaffecting. Whenever it came to the attention of any of our more religious family friends that I did not share their beliefs, I was met with either a disapproving stare and a quick change of the subject or an alarmed cry of, “What? Doesn’t Israel matter to you?” Relatives talked down to me more afterward, but eventually I stopped noticing the way adults around me perceived me. It was worth it to no longer feel as though I were just another apathetic part of the machine.
I can obviously never know what it must have been like to be an African-American in the 1950s. I do feel, however, as though I know exactly what it must have been like to be white during that time, to live under an aura of moral invincibility, to hold unchallengeable beliefs, and to contrive illusions of superiority to avoid having to face simple everyday truths. That illusion was nice while it lasted, but I decided to pass it up. I have never been happier.>>
Morrisey, without wanting to detract from the various salient points raised in that essay, this piece caught my attention, especially given my question this morning (above) re what “race” the jewish / israeli people are…
“One afternoon, after a fresh round of killings was announced on our bus ride home, I asked two of my friends who actively supported Israel what they thought. “We need to defend our race,” they told me. “It’s our right.” ”
One of the reasons for questioning what race they are is that there seems to be a belief that they are a race apart from the arabs with whom they fight. But they aren’t are they. There is no jewish race. The jewish people are part of the arab race. (using “race” in the wider biological grouping sense).
That fact kind of reinforces the total incoherence of the jewish / israeli situation expressed in the essay.
Not sure I agree entirely.
The concept of “race” is artificial, but Judaism is a cultural heritage as well as a religion, and is shared by people around the world, not just “arabs” – Europeans, Africans, and Asians. As far as it looks to me, a significant issue in Israel is the blending of this cultural identity and state machinery. Israeli citizenship is extended to all Jews if wanted, regardless of geographic origin/residence. The blending of cultural origin and state power is a problem, because the culture is not shared by all of the people within the geographic domains of the state (this is true for the pre-1967 lines, forget about the current problems).
I agree with the concept that the state of Isreal should exist, and for good reasons, but the cause of its genesis does not justify the extreme policies applied today. Although it does go some way to explaining them.
I think you mean that Arabs, Jews, (and the ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians and Babylonians) are Semitic, itself a rather archaic term relating to the belief that after the Deluge they descended from Noah’s son Shem. Anyway, they’re not – by and large most modern Jews are of European extraction.
Thanks mr luxe, I see your post further up too. Your points however further reinforce the point made about this ridiculous notion that, as I believe, the jewish people regard`themselves as a distinct “people” or “race”, when in fact they are anything but. If anything, from what you have explained, they are perhaps more mongrel than anyone. Like most all kiwis.
The whole entire thing is ridiculous. Bullshit. Notions and bigotry based on nothing but old ancient and wrong-headed ideas of separateness from others and fairies in the sky.
I’m not really seeing your point – Jewish people don’t fit into the definition of race, even though “race” is a bullshit contrived definition?
Jews have a shared cultural history that is slightly more than magic books. If anything it demonstrates that culture and nationality are more complex than pinning labels on different baskets of geographic, physical or genetic characteristics.
People identifying themselves by different labels is fine. I do have an issue with defining a state around those labels, though.
Much of the problem is that the Knesset is dominated by the rabid hard right neo-con Likudniks and hard core fundamentalist ultra-orthodox. The moderate and largely conciliatory left doesn’t get a look in. Your ordinary urbane non-Zionist Israeli is either a hard-boiled sarcastic cynic or a total hippie.
In my dealings with Muslims, I notice they have trouble seeing Christianity as being a religious affiliation rather than a culture. Also, they find it difficult to get their heads around Christianity being a bunch of different and often antithetical sects just like Sunni, Shia, Wahabi etc.
This is the wording of the above-mentioned petition to which I was referring:
“To the House of Representatives
The petition of Penelope Mary Bright (….) and others:
“Respectfully requests:
That the House conduct an urgent inquiry into the decisions regarding prosecutions relating the Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009.”
Funny how a decision to try to forcibly evict Occupy Auckland protestors is happening TODAY – the day after our General Assembly endorsed and supported this petition?
I look forward to being advised by the Police that they are going to apply ACT’s ‘ONE FOR ALL’ and charge former fellow Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd, John Banks and Don Brash for signing the above-mentioned Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009, which contained untrue statements?
Given that ACT MP for Epsom, John Banks arguably a yet-to-be charged or convicted ‘white collar’ criminal is helping to hold the balance of power in NZ – ‘perceived to be the ‘least corrupt country in the world’ according to the 2011 Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’?
Which is obviously not worth the paper upon which it is written?
So!
Hope to see you at Aotea Square – in opposition to the takeover of the Auckland region by the unelected corporate 1% and those who serve their interests and their actions in trying to close down some of those who have been at the leading edge of the fightback against them?
The Occupy Auckland peaceful protestors?
Penny Bright
Named Respondent
Auckland Council v Occupy Auckland
After the SOPA protest last week that blacked out much of the worlds internet, international raids initiated by the United States government took down one of the worlds largest cyberlocker sharing websites, clearly showing that copyright law enforcement is already too powerful…
And yet here (john-key-and-poal/#comment-427767) today at the same time you say Shearer is doing the smart thing. You’re not trolling both sides of the argument, Chris?
It is the smart thing to do because he’d lose more votes then he’d gain by stepping into the dispute but he’d get a downgrade by doing nothing but hes obviously decided that the lesser of two evils is doing nothing
Why are we wasting tax payer money on behalf of the FBI?
Did we become the 51st state while I was sleeping or are we really such a weak country we just do as we’re told?
Funny how people can call the police after being burgled and the police don’t even send out 1 officer, but at the request of the f.b.i. they can send out 75 cops and a helicopter.
Um, because it’s part of an international cooperative agreement that helps us catch fleeing criminals and especially paedophiles. I don’t suggest that this is a particularly good use of those resources, but it’s there for a reason.
And taking down megaupload.com was done because of which reason, fleeing criminals or paedophiles?
Because it seems to me that we helped the US use a shotgun to terminate the company, its business activities and the legitimate activities (and personal non-copyright property – e.g. family photos, back ups of CDs and DVDs which had been legally bought etc) of many clients.
All without bothering to go through the courts and worrying about niceties like due process.
Are legitimate clients of megaupload.com going to get all their personal files and data back.
Are legitimate clients going to have their data privacy and personal details respected by investigators.
This could easily turn into a fuck up so all these matters better be handled very very carefully by NZ.
Oh yes, I think so. The indictment describes a successful business model. It shows that people are prepared to pay for downloads. There is no reason why the entertainment industry couldn’t have used the same model and gone into competition against Megaupload. They’ve had years to do it but they haven’t.
Instead, they spent millions of dollars lobbying to cripple the internet.
The indictment itself can be used to present the case that the entertainment industry’s anti-competitive use of copyright.
I think that US law favours copyright over anti-trust at the moment – but there will be a push back if the indictment is upheld and Dotcom et al go down.
The collapse of SOFA last week has left the entertainment industry vulnerable as the legislation is re-drafted.
What about the question and opinion that Winston Peters came up with – why did the country’s bureaucrats allow this guy in when they know he has a serious criminal conviction? He thinks it is merely because he could invest the required amount of cash in NZ.
From the Herald – The native German was granted residency in 2010 under the “high-investment category”, after putting $10 million into government bonds and making a large donation to the Christchurch earthquake fund.
However Mr Peters said it is hard to understand how Mr Dotcom passed the “good character” requirements for New Zealand residency, given he had previous convictions.
Mr Dotcom told the Herald on Sunday last year he was convicted for “hacking” under juvenile law and for insider trading because of ignorance about a share-trading law. Both convictions were more than 10 years ago and had been wiped by Germany’s clean-slate law, he said.
Saw a segment in one of the TV news which had a German lawyer talking about it. Apparently the offences were in 2k3/4 and have a time before being dropped from the record of 15 years. There definitely needs to be an investigation into why this person is in NZ.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In 2023, Anthony Albanese was shooting for the moon, his eyes on the Voice referendum. On one view, he looked like the idealist reflecting his left-wing roots. In 2024, we’re seeing a pragmatic, determined, ...
The House - The principle that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word has been tested multiple times this week in Parliament. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Dickinson, Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW Sydney Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Since the review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) released its recommendations in December, there has been a series of Town Hall events to discuss them around the country ...
As part of their legally required consultation with the union, the Ports of Auckland Ltd have released their rationale and their timeline for contracting out the Ports.
Disclosure:
The full document is quite long, so the following is an abridged version of this document. Missing are several tables, and other data on port operations.
But not the costs of maintaining those people to be available to work.
So, where do these contractors who have neither a port to operate or the people to work it get the skills and experience to work one?
That is actually physically impossible as the contractors will be charging out workers at rates greater than what the workers are being paid now. The difference will be that the workers get less while costing more.
I suggest firing the present directors and CEO and getting the union to operate the port. That should save several million dollars per year.
If workers could only apply this sort of flexibility to their land lord, mortgagor, grocer or other fixed costs. So that they only have to pay them when they get work.
Or conversely only have to pay rent for the hours they are at home. Unfortunately all these bills are totally inflexible.
The document makes a big play of consulting staff and the unions before the final decision is made to contract out. But gives the game away somewhat, when in the final paragraph they put the legal duty to receive feedback into brackets, a sort of typographical way of laughing up your sleeve.
Another notable quirk, is that during most of the document the words unions and contractors are all spelt with lower case first letter. However near the end of the document the word contractors gets promoted to Contractors, unfortunately the same sign of respect is not paid to the word unions.
It is with such small slips that the management of the Ports reveal their pathology and antipathy.
I see the Labour Party is making people redundant after a poor election result ,and a 20% drop in funding. I trust that those people will be well looked after, and have a good redundancy package
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6276062/Labour-cuts-staff-numbers
Um James for an ex labour supporter working class joe former members of the Seamans union you sure sound like a CT troll.
And the Greens will get an increase in funding and significantly ramp up their parliamentary presence. NZ First will have to hire an entirely new set of staff.
Meanwhile National will be unchanged, reflecting their mostly unchanged election result. ACT is decimated and MP will likely see their funding trimmed.
What was your point, again?
Do you think the Greens will hire any of the Labour People made redundant or are they not quite in line with their more modern approach?
Why are you so concerned about Labour staffers?
James is the Mario Balotelli of political commentary. Minus the talent, looks and bank balance of course.
Do you think James can come up with a comment designed to debate an issue rather than continuously troll?
His hasty retreat from the peak oil discussion gives a clear answer to that, I think.
I wonder if Roger Douglas will go back to pig farming.
It worked for Tina Turner in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.
There was big dong dong yesterday between various posters on here and Brett Dale about Isarealis being discriminated against.
One thing which interested me (and I don’t want to start the whole ding dong again) is a question which a couple asked Mr Dale, one which I have asked a few people recently. And that is, what “race” are Israelis, in this context… In Africa there are the negros and the arabs. In the Americas there are the indians and the polynesians etc inhabit the pacific. The euros in europe. Asia has various forms from the indian type from about Pakistan to Bangladesh and then through to the chinese in the far east. Please excuse my somewhat crude descriptions. But, what are the Israelis? It seems to me they are part of the arab race.
Touchy subject and all that …
“Israeli” isn’t a ‘race’, it’s a nationality. Most Israelis, as far as I am aware, are Jewish. Jews are part of the semitic language group that includes Arabic people. This language group roughly aligns with people who largely share a similar DNA/biological heritage, although this is not a clear-cut category.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semitic#Semitic_peoples
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semitic#Ethnicity_and_race
But basically, ‘race’ is not a scientific concept, but a human construct based on a belief that people from certain ethnic (cultural) groups share the same biological characteristics.
But Israeli isn’t an ethnic group, Jewish is.
Thanks Carol. So, if there are only caucasians, asians, arabs, africans and indians as the major human types across the planet then the israelis / jews are part of the arab grouping…
Which makes sense – they look the same, they live there and claim to always have done so, and as you say their language slots them in there too.
I think that “race”, which is a horribly vague term, is a quite unhelpful concept in the context of the point Brett was attempting to make yesterday. As I understand it the people whose ancestors came from a Europe, the middle east across to at least modern day Pakistan and down to northern and a fair bit of eastern Africa would have been included in the definition of “Caucasian”, so people who identify today as Israeli or Arab would most likely be included in the definition.
My understanding was that two people were refused service at a cafe because they were from a country that is governed by a political party that implements policies that the cafe owner found particularly objectionable. That’s not racist. It’s bad business, it’s unreasonable, and not constructive, but it’s not illegal.
I’d like to know if Brett believes that every business should be compelled (by legislation, for example) to serve all-comers, without exception.
I’m tempted to have a search for Brett’s outrage at cafes who ask breast-feeding mothers to leave, which has always been a bigger problem IMO. Perhaps Brett can confirm.
Finally, I’d like to know why Brett was demanding “the left” express their outrage when he’s demanded nothing of the sort from his team. At best I expect bluster in response.
Hi Armchair critic, I wasn’t going to come here again but got word that someone asked me some questions.
A Cafe owner living and working in NewZealand should not be allowed to kick out anyone who isnt creating a disturbance.
This is New Zealand, I dont care what someones race is, what country they are from, what their political views are, this is NewZealand if you own a business you should serve one and all, white/black/gay/straight/American/Israeli/English/Iranian/Iraqi, if your from Turkey, Canada, Qatar, if your a Christian/Muslim/Hindu or no religion at all.
Oh I dont think breastfeeding woman are a problem at all in cafes or restaurants.
You want to do a google search to see if Im bigoted, go head, your going fine a ton of stuff i have written in support of gay marriage and against the homophobic’s. Your going to find a lot of pro Obama posts.
If any business in this country refuses to serve someone because of the country they are from or their race, then that is disgusting.
Now I dont want to come here again, so any further questions to me, come to my blog. Cheers.
Now I dont want to come here again, so any further questions to me, come to my blog. Cheers.
If I believed that was true then there wouldn’t be any point in replying. So:
Thanks for the invite. I’d follow your blog, but it seems to be about American TV a lot, and I’m not that interested in TV. Or America. Or country music. I do like cupcakes, so it was good to see a post on them.
And I think you have expressed your opinion both extensively and to your full capability, so at this stage I won’t be asking any further questions. If any do spring to mind I’ll post them and link to your blog.
Hi Brett. What about these questions: http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21012012/#comment-427590
ps please don’t go forever, I find you oddly fascinating. And you have good taste in stand-up comics which I think says something about a person’s character. Although in your case your taste in music might cancel it out, but still, I hope you stick around anyway.
Your friend,
Felix
Brett Dale’s faux accusation would have sounded much weaker if he’d used “anti-Israeli” (which was more accurate) instead of “racist” (which was less accurate). And he knew it.
In terms of religious affiliation about 80% are Jewish, 15% Sunni Muslim, and 2% Druze. The ethnic breakdown is even more diverse.
The Druze ….usually completely overlooked in any discussion around this topic…actually have the best claim to having lived in the area of Palestine continuously. A point that is of academic interest only; the Druze are by and large content to mind their own business as best they can.
No, actually “Jewish” is a religion, not a race. There are Hasidim from Central and Eastern Europe, Sephardi from the Iberian peninsula, black African Jews from Ethiopia, and even Arab Jews in the Middle East. The Jews of Western Europe were more or less assimilated and secular, identifying more with whatever country they lived in – as a category they were more-or-less reinvented by Hitler during the Holocaust. Actually, a huge number of people exterminated as Jews under the evil of the Nuremberg Race Laws probably wouldn’t have been considered Jewish in the traditional sense because they were only connected through the paternal line, or belonged to one of the many Jewish families that had converted to Christianity. The Jews in Israel are predominantly Western European, American and Hasidic, and the way they regard the minority Sephardi and Arab Jews in Israel is pretty appalling. You can convert to Judaism, or you can be born Jewish through the maternal line – hence the Israeli newspapers at the time of the last spy debacle were correct by their terms in saying John Key is Jewish, even though I have no idea whether he identifies as such (I doubt it) and that’s entirely his business.
When a house is not your home
It’s worth noting that over reliance on the free market system, something the Act party often promotes, is what got us into the mess in the first place.
Bryan Gould makes an excellent summary over the risk of Government interfering with the Freedom of the Press. Insidious it is:
“But threats to press freedom can come in much more insidious forms – and two recent instances make the point clearly……..
…… the Prime Minister’s conversation over a cup of tea with John Banks during the election campaign. The Prime Minister was clearly very keen that the contents of that conversation should not be made public………
…..He did not go to court to seek an injunction and assert his right to privacy. Instead, he laid a complaint with the police and asked them to investigate what he maintained might be a criminal offence…….
…..The police investigation, while so far inconclusive on the issue of criminality, has nevertheless been successful in another respect; it has fully met the Prime Minister’s requirements by keeping the conversation secret till beyond – well beyond – the election.
……that a programme on child poverty it had funded was broadcast in the days leading up to the election….It has announced that it may seek legal advice on obtaining a law change that would give it the power to delay until after an election a broadcast that might embarrass politicians.
…..What is worrying about this episode is that an expression of concern from the Prime Minister (in this case, through his electorate chairman who is a board member of NZ On Air) about a perfectly lawful broadcast was enough to induce the body that has a public duty to fund such programmes to seek to limit the freedom of the broadcasters.
……..Again, it is not any direct threat or interference that is of concern; rather, it is the threat that the executive is ready to act against anything that displeases the Prime Minister……
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10780431
National slimed their way back to power by wasting the election with shuting down tactics.
And once over they wonder why so many people are totally turned off by Brand Key.
So they’ve got it into their thick heads it must have been the poverty doco.
They’re worried that Key now tired and hollow that he will not get another Rugby world
cup shadow, and with the poor quality of his MPs, and their marginal government block,
that Key may be forced to the polls at any moment.
What’s clear is Key’s spinmasters are desperate, desperate to hide the tape, desperate to
give us all some reason why hie re-election wasn’t so great (doco poverty).
When in fact its just National were tired and bored when they first won power in 2008,
and their only victory seems to be the product of disasters, ChCh, Mine, Rena, and their
ability to look marginal in the face of these disasters.
History will likely favor the next government who will have to deal to the world
risks of climate change, peak pil, resources limits etc. Key will be noted only for
his unnoteworthiness in the histoy of NZ, you could say our John Howard.
Good point aero. Scapegoat the Poverty doco and teacups and lay down preventatives for next time. Control the media and control the people. Like Fiji?
Pretty much the same as every other dictatorship (including early Western Democracy) throughout history. NAct really are trying to take us back to the time where a few rich people (rich through exploitation of everyone else) ruled and everyone else kissed their feet.
which won’t happen since there are too many sociopaths today, too many people living too closely together, to much information to scan, too many are able to create a new sub lingo…etc, etc. This is not pre-revolutionary France we heading for. And no I don’t believe that there is a consprisy of the rich. I think its just natural inertia in the face of radical change, those wtih most to lose are betting that it’ll all work out and so hang on in there.
Key is basically feeding that monster, and its always come out bad, since either they inertia-ists are wrong and lose even worse, or they are right and so create the culture of dismissal and denial that will inevitable deblitate them when a crisis does hit (which they always do).
Sure its going to get bad even if the governments are clued up and just silent about what their planning is. But we are the free market and we are choosing to go low carbon early and often.
23 January 2012
URGENT!!! URGENT!!
“Is this what democracy looks like”?
URGENT!! URGENT!!! AUCKLAND COUNCIL-HIRED PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS ARE TRYING TO CLOSE DOWN OCCUPY AUCKLAND PEACEFUL PROTESTORS BY SEIZING TENTS AND PROPERTY! PROTESTORS ARE REFUSING TO MOVE!!
I have just spoken to Occupy Auckland protestor Chris Glen (10.20am), and asked ‘on what lawful authority’ is this action allegedly happening?
“Land Reclaim Act” replied Chris Glen.
IS THIS MAYOR LEN BROWN’S ‘VISION’ TO HELP MAKE AUCKLAND THE MOST LIVEABLE CITY IN THE WORLD?
COUNCIL BY LAWS CANNOT AND MUST NOT ‘TRUMP’ OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS TO PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION – THIS IS WHAT IS NOW BEFORE THE COURTS!
Judge Wilson’s decision – effectively ignored the LAW and the intention of Parliament on this matter and is being appealed:
(Local Government Act 2002 s 155 (3)
155 Determination whether bylaw made under this Act is appropriate
(1AA) This section applies to a bylaw only if it is made under this Act.
(1) A local authority must, before commencing the process for making a bylaw, determine whether a bylaw is the most appropriate way of addressing the perceived problem.
(2) If a local authority has determined that a bylaw is the most appropriate way of addressing the perceived problem, it must, before making the bylaw, determine whether the proposed bylaw—
(a) is the most appropriate form of bylaw; and
(b) gives rise to any implications under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
(3) No bylaw may be made which is inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, notwithstanding section 4 of that Act.
HOW PRECIPITIOUS IS THIS ACTION?
WHO FROM AUCKLAND COUNCIL HAS AUTHORISED THIS ACTION?
THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL CEO?
THE GOVERNING BODY OF AUCKLAND COUNCIL – THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES?
THIS MATTER IS BEFORE THE COURTS!
OCCUPY AUCKLAND PEACEFUL PROTESTORS ARE DEFENDING OUR LAWFUL RIGHTS TO PEACEFUL PROTEST AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION!
COME AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT NOW AT AOTEA SQUARE!
“WHEN PEOPLE’S RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK – STAND UP – FIGHT BACK!”
Penny Bright
Named Respondent
Auckland Council v Occupy Auckland
021 211 4 127
Dirty hippies, hopefully they release the hounds.
[Permanently banned for being an offensive dick. ..RL]
I am not sure how they will defend the “P” substance found there.
It’s not like they found a shipping container full of class A drugs. Apparently, out of all the people who had been staying or visiting the occupation, at least one had been in position of drugs. This is not too different from the general population.
Maybe that container has already fallen off the Rena….
Actually for the general population of downtown Ak that’d be on the very, very low side.
The truth about SOPA:
http://www.oilfreefun.com/2012/01/stop-sopa-and-save-internet-same.html?utm_source=BP_recent
Richard Heinberg, JHK, Dimitri Orlov, Nicole Foss and Noam Chomsky panel discussion – Chomsky does ramble a bit and JHK takes him to task re Daniel Yergin:
http://www.postcarbon.org/audio/657788-heinberg-kunstler-foss-orlov-chomsky
Richard speaks of how peak oil will impact Hawai’i plus the financial corruption in the markets and limits to growth
http://www.postcarbon.org/person/36200-richard-heinberg
Peak oil is not on the agenda. Take something as simple as the private car, supermarkets target private car consumers with petrol vouchers, and the low carbon consumer who walks, or cycles, or buses to the super market gets this voucher for fuel they are unlikely to use. So here we have a private car subsidy by non-car owners to car owners. Carbon credits will not stop supermarkets taxing the low carbon citizens and supporting the high carbon abusers since the high carbon abuses have the spare cash from over paying jobs and too much access to the ‘activity’ wealth.
I never have! (Got a cheap fuel voucher), but if I did, I wouldn’t know what to do with it… none of the family has a car, I walk to my local supermarket, which is fine by me! I hadn’t actually thought about it that way, but those of us who walk are subsidising the car people! (It amuses me that the checkout people always assume I am driving and pack stuff accordingly, which can be awkward..
According to Shlomo Sand, Professor of History at Tel Aviv University and author of, The Invention of the Jewish People, most of the Jews living in Israel are Europeans who are the descendants of converts to Judaism and the Palestinians are the most likely descendants of the original Jews, but who converted to Islam during the Arab conquest (6th century AD?) .
True, but largely irrelevant.
John Michael Greer nails it, yet again.
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2012/01/waking-up-walking-away.html
‘Among its other benefits, that’s a good way to see the limits on the alleged freedom of choice that the consumer economy provides its inmates.’
‘The second advantage is one I’ve mentioned here before. If you’re going to be poor in the future, and you are, you might as well learn how to do it competently. It’s entirely possible to lead a life that’s poor in terms of money, material goods, and energy consumption, and profoundly rich—far richer than most contemporary lifestyles—in human values. If you’re going to do that, though, you’re going to have to learn how it’s done, and the only school where you can study that is that ancient institution, the school of hard knocks. If you start cutting your energy use and your material wants now, before you’re forced to do so, you can get past the hard part of the learning curve while you still have other options.’
Absolute gold CV – been a while since I’ve visited this site. The inmates line – LOL.
well they have made monkeys of us all over the port issue.
according to both mike williams and tootin hooton on rnz this am they want to close th eport for exports and that is that.
so I suppose we all had a bit of fun while THEY laughed their tits off at us.
This mornings radionz session with Mike Williams and Matthew Hooten was very lively. With strong comments being made and a lot of stats flying around. I thought they both did very well though Hooten doesn’t cut off quickly enough. Well worth a listen.
And on Bryan Crump’s nighttime session on radionz site, there have been a couple of interesting books written which have been been reviewed on Windows on the World – International public radio features and documentaries. Produced by Nicky Chapman.
(Note the rider – Copyright restrictions prevent us from making these programmes available as audio on demand or podcasts.
Monday 23 January: Two Authors
Peter Day talks to two authors of recent books about the way the world is developing. Borderless Economics – Chinese Sea Turtles, Indian Fridges and the New Fruits of Global Capitalism by Robert Guest, Published by Palgrave.
The Coming Jobs War, by Jim Clifton , Published by Gallup Press.
One comment from Jim Clifton was that in Gallup polls, which they take one thousand of each day, a common goal is to get a good job. And as there are less good jobs than those looking for them, this is the basis for a very unhappy society, or no society at all.
and nightmare on elm street tonight.
brian krump interviews (kisses his ass) rodney hide telling us all about his hero the nasty little weasel karl popper.
what the fuck did new zealanders do to get this sort of crap served up to us.
People love superficially charming sociopaths
“WHEN OUR RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK – STAND UP – FIGHT BACK!!”
JOIN US – AS SOON AS YOU CAN!
IF YOU CAN’T STAY IN A TENT – AT LEAST STAND WITH US IN SOLIDARITY!
These are YOUR rights that we are trying to protect!
I for one will be back at Aotea Square IN MY TENT tonight, and I encourage all those who believe that Council By Laws SHOULD NOT and DO NOT ‘trump’ our lawful rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression to join us.
Just who is running Auckland Council?
Unelected businesspeople and unelected Council Officers – or ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES?
Some of us did try to warn you!
Remember?
http://www.stopthesupercity.org.nz
I find it VERY interesting that this arguably MOST precipitious action, is taking place the day after our Occupy Auckland General Assembly, (yesterday Sunday 22 January 2012) where a petition I have initiated , stating ….. was unanimously endorsed.
COPIES OF THIS PETITION WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SIGN AT AOTEA SQUARE AFTER 3PM TODAY.
For more background information – check out http://www.pennybright4epsom,org.nz
Penny Bright
Named Respondent
Auckland Council v Occupy Auckland
A Jewish American high school student wins MLK Jr. writing award for
this brave essay:
http://www.hss.cmu.edu/pressreleases/pressreleases/jesselieberfeld.html
2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Awards Prose: High School First Place
Fighting a Forbidden Battle: How I Stopped Covering Up for a Hidden Wrong
by JESSE LIEBERFELD 11th grade, Winchester Thurston
I once belonged to a wonderful religion. I belonged to a religion that allows those of us who believe in it to feel that we are the greatest people in the world—and feel sorry for ourselves at the same time. Once, I thought that I truly belonged in this world of security, self-pity, self-proclaimed intelligence, and perfect moral aesthetic. I thought myself to be somewhat privileged early on. It was soon revealed to me, however, that my fellow believers and I were not part of anything so flattering.
Although I was fortunate enough to have parents who did not try to force me into any one set of beliefs, being Jewish was in no way possible to escape growing up. It was constantly reinforced at every holiday, every service, and every encounter with the rest of my relatives. I was forever reminded how intelligent my family was, how important it was to remember where we had come from, and to be proud of all the suffering our people had overcome in order to finally achieve their dream in the perfect society of Israel.
This last mandatory belief was one which I never fully understood, but I always kept the doubts I had about Israel’s spotless reputation to the back of my mind. “Our people” were fighting a war, one I did not fully comprehend, but I naturally assumed that it must be justified. We would never be so amoral as to fight an unjust war. Yet as I came to learn more about our so-called “conflict” with the Palestinians, I grew more concerned. I routinely heard about unexplained mass killings, attacks on medical bases, and other alarmingly violent actions for which I could see no possible reason. “Genocide” almost seemed the more appropriate term, yet no one I knew would have ever
dreamed of portraying the war in that manner; they always described the situation in shockingly neutral terms. Whenever I brought up the subject, I was always given the answer that there were faults on both sides, that no one was really to blame, or simply that it was a “difficult situation.” It was not until eighth grade that I fully understood what I was on the side of. One afternoon, after a fresh round of killings was announced on our bus ride home, I asked two of my friends who actively supported Israel what they thought. “We need to defend our race,” they told me. “It’s our right.”
“We need to defend our race.”
Where had I heard that before? Wasn’t it the same excuse our own country had used to justify its abuses of African-Americans sixty years ago? In that moment, I realized how similar the two struggles were—like the white radicals of that era, we controlled the lives of another people whom we abused daily, and no one could speak out against us. It was too politically incorrect to do so. We had suffered too much, endured too many hardships, and overcome too many losses to be criticized. I realized then that I was in no way part of a “conflict”—the term “Israeli/Palestinian Conflict” was no more accurate than calling the Civil Rights Movement the “Caucasian/
African-American Conflict.” In both cases, the expression was a blatant euphemism: it gave the impression that this was a dispute among equals and that both held an equal share of the blame. However, in both, there was clearly an oppressor and an oppressed, and I felt horrified at the realization that I was by nature on the side of the oppressors. I was grouped with the racial supremacists. I was part of a group that killed while praising its own intelligence and reason. I was part of a delusion.
I thought of the leader of the other oppressed side of years ago, Martin Luther King. He too had been part of a struggle that had been hidden and glossed over for the convenience of those against whom he fought. What would his reaction have been? As it turned out, it was precisely the same as mine. As he wrote in his letter from Birmingham Jail, he believed the greatest enemy of his cause to be “Not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who…lives by a mythical concept of time…. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” When I first read those words, I felt as if I were staring at myself in a mirror. All my life I had been conditioned to simply treat the so-called conflict with the same apathywhich King had so forcefully condemned. I, too, held the role of an accepting moderate. I, too, “lived by a mythical concept of time,” shrouded in my own surreal world and the set of beliefs that had been assigned to me. I had never before felt so trapped.
I decided to make one last appeal to my religion. If it could not answer my misgivings, no one could. The next time I attended a service, there was an open question-and-answer session about any point of our religion. I wanted to place my dilemma in as clear and simple terms as I knew how. I thought out my exact question over the course of the seventeen-minute cello solo that was routinely played during service. Previously, I had always accepted this solo as just another part of the program, yet now it seemed to capture the whole essence of our religion: intelligent and well-crafted on paper, yet completely oblivious to the outside world (the soloist did not have the faintest
idea of how masterfully he was putting us all to sleep). When I was finally given the chance to ask a question, I asked, “I want to support Israel. But how can I when it lets its army commit so many
killings?” I was met with a few angry glares from some of the older men, but the rabbi answered me. “It is a terrible thing, isn’t it?” he said. “But there’s nothing we can do. It’s just a fact of life.” I knew, of course, that the war was no simple matter and that we did not by any means commit murder for its own sake, but to portray our thousands of killings as a “fact of life” was simply too much for me to accept. I thanked him and walked out shortly afterward. I never went back. I thought about what I could do. If nothing else, I could at least try to free myself from the burden of being saddled with a belief I could not hold with a clear conscience. I could not live the rest of my life as one of the pathetic moderates whom King had rightfully portrayed as the worst part of the problem. I did not intend to go on being one of the Self-Chosen People, identifying myself as part of a group to which I did not belong.
It was different not being the ideal nice Jewish boy. The difference was subtle, yet by no means unaffecting. Whenever it came to the attention of any of our more religious family friends that I did not share their beliefs, I was met with either a disapproving stare and a quick change of the subject or an alarmed cry of, “What? Doesn’t Israel matter to you?” Relatives talked down to me more afterward, but eventually I stopped noticing the way adults around me perceived me. It was worth it to no longer feel as though I were just another apathetic part of the machine.
I can obviously never know what it must have been like to be an African-American in the 1950s. I do feel, however, as though I know exactly what it must have been like to be white during that time, to live under an aura of moral invincibility, to hold unchallengeable beliefs, and to contrive illusions of superiority to avoid having to face simple everyday truths. That illusion was nice while it lasted, but I decided to pass it up. I have never been happier.>>
http://www.hss.cmu.edu/pressreleases/pressreleases/jesselieberfeld.html
When a radical solution is required then moderation is the brake that prevents that solution being implemented.
Morrisey, without wanting to detract from the various salient points raised in that essay, this piece caught my attention, especially given my question this morning (above) re what “race” the jewish / israeli people are…
“One afternoon, after a fresh round of killings was announced on our bus ride home, I asked two of my friends who actively supported Israel what they thought. “We need to defend our race,” they told me. “It’s our right.” ”
One of the reasons for questioning what race they are is that there seems to be a belief that they are a race apart from the arabs with whom they fight. But they aren’t are they. There is no jewish race. The jewish people are part of the arab race. (using “race” in the wider biological grouping sense).
That fact kind of reinforces the total incoherence of the jewish / israeli situation expressed in the essay.
Not sure I agree entirely.
The concept of “race” is artificial, but Judaism is a cultural heritage as well as a religion, and is shared by people around the world, not just “arabs” – Europeans, Africans, and Asians. As far as it looks to me, a significant issue in Israel is the blending of this cultural identity and state machinery. Israeli citizenship is extended to all Jews if wanted, regardless of geographic origin/residence. The blending of cultural origin and state power is a problem, because the culture is not shared by all of the people within the geographic domains of the state (this is true for the pre-1967 lines, forget about the current problems).
I agree with the concept that the state of Isreal should exist, and for good reasons, but the cause of its genesis does not justify the extreme policies applied today. Although it does go some way to explaining them.
I think you mean that Arabs, Jews, (and the ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians and Babylonians) are Semitic, itself a rather archaic term relating to the belief that after the Deluge they descended from Noah’s son Shem. Anyway, they’re not – by and large most modern Jews are of European extraction.
Thanks mr luxe, I see your post further up too. Your points however further reinforce the point made about this ridiculous notion that, as I believe, the jewish people regard`themselves as a distinct “people” or “race”, when in fact they are anything but. If anything, from what you have explained, they are perhaps more mongrel than anyone. Like most all kiwis.
The whole entire thing is ridiculous. Bullshit. Notions and bigotry based on nothing but old ancient and wrong-headed ideas of separateness from others and fairies in the sky.
Religion.
The bane of our world.
I’m not really seeing your point – Jewish people don’t fit into the definition of race, even though “race” is a
bullshitcontrived definition?Jews have a shared cultural history that is slightly more than magic books. If anything it demonstrates that culture and nationality are more complex than pinning labels on different baskets of geographic, physical or genetic characteristics.
People identifying themselves by different labels is fine. I do have an issue with defining a state around those labels, though.
Much of the problem is that the Knesset is dominated by the rabid hard right neo-con Likudniks and hard core fundamentalist ultra-orthodox. The moderate and largely conciliatory left doesn’t get a look in. Your ordinary urbane non-Zionist Israeli is either a hard-boiled sarcastic cynic or a total hippie.
In my dealings with Muslims, I notice they have trouble seeing Christianity as being a religious affiliation rather than a culture. Also, they find it difficult to get their heads around Christianity being a bunch of different and often antithetical sects just like Sunni, Shia, Wahabi etc.
Ooops!
This is the wording of the above-mentioned petition to which I was referring:
“To the House of Representatives
The petition of Penelope Mary Bright (….) and others:
“Respectfully requests:
That the House conduct an urgent inquiry into the decisions regarding prosecutions relating the Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009.”
Funny how a decision to try to forcibly evict Occupy Auckland protestors is happening TODAY – the day after our General Assembly endorsed and supported this petition?
I look forward to being advised by the Police that they are going to apply ACT’s ‘ONE FOR ALL’ and charge former fellow Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd, John Banks and Don Brash for signing the above-mentioned Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009, which contained untrue statements?
Given that ACT MP for Epsom, John Banks arguably a yet-to-be charged or convicted ‘white collar’ criminal is helping to hold the balance of power in NZ – ‘perceived to be the ‘least corrupt country in the world’ according to the 2011 Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’?
Which is obviously not worth the paper upon which it is written?
So!
Hope to see you at Aotea Square – in opposition to the takeover of the Auckland region by the unelected corporate 1% and those who serve their interests and their actions in trying to close down some of those who have been at the leading edge of the fightback against them?
The Occupy Auckland peaceful protestors?
Penny Bright
Named Respondent
Auckland Council v Occupy Auckland
FBI calls the shots
After the SOPA protest last week that blacked out much of the worlds internet, international raids initiated by the United States government took down one of the worlds largest cyberlocker sharing websites, clearly showing that copyright law enforcement is already too powerful…
newsflash.
standard and poores downgrade john key from bad to awful.
Really? Wanker & Looters already has him at “ab-fucking-ysmal”
Hate to think what they’d give Shearer then (no wait you can’t judge someone untill they actually do something)
Shearer hasn’t been in the job 3 years.
And yet here (john-key-and-poal/#comment-427767) today at the same time you say Shearer is doing the smart thing. You’re not trolling both sides of the argument, Chris?
No and heres why:
It is the smart thing to do because he’d lose more votes then he’d gain by stepping into the dispute but he’d get a downgrade by doing nothing but hes obviously decided that the lesser of two evils is doing nothing
So politicians should not be honest and never stand for anything because it might offend some people.
I’d hazard a guess that you think politicians are all lying, self-serving bastards. No?
Not a bad guess at all
Why are we wasting tax payer money on behalf of the FBI?
Did we become the 51st state while I was sleeping or are we really such a weak country we just do as we’re told?
Funny how people can call the police after being burgled and the police don’t even send out 1 officer, but at the request of the f.b.i. they can send out 75 cops and a helicopter.
Um, because it’s part of an international cooperative agreement that helps us catch fleeing criminals and especially paedophiles. I don’t suggest that this is a particularly good use of those resources, but it’s there for a reason.
And taking down megaupload.com was done because of which reason, fleeing criminals or paedophiles?
Because it seems to me that we helped the US use a shotgun to terminate the company, its business activities and the legitimate activities (and personal non-copyright property – e.g. family photos, back ups of CDs and DVDs which had been legally bought etc) of many clients.
All without bothering to go through the courts and worrying about niceties like due process.
Are legitimate clients of megaupload.com going to get all their personal files and data back.
Are legitimate clients going to have their data privacy and personal details respected by investigators.
This could easily turn into a fuck up so all these matters better be handled very very carefully by NZ.
Which part of “I don’t suggest that this is a particularly good use of those resources” are you deliberately ignoring?
“not particularly good use” =! “shit use”
I would go with the latter, but its quite possible I underestimated your use of sarcasm. If so I apologise.
Appreciated. I forget my penchant for sarcasm doesn’t carry well in this medium.
This could easily turn into a fuck up?
Oh yes, I think so. The indictment describes a successful business model. It shows that people are prepared to pay for downloads. There is no reason why the entertainment industry couldn’t have used the same model and gone into competition against Megaupload. They’ve had years to do it but they haven’t.
Instead, they spent millions of dollars lobbying to cripple the internet.
The indictment itself can be used to present the case that the entertainment industry’s anti-competitive use of copyright.
I think that US law favours copyright over anti-trust at the moment – but there will be a push back if the indictment is upheld and Dotcom et al go down.
The collapse of SOFA last week has left the entertainment industry vulnerable as the legislation is re-drafted.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/78786408/Mega-Indictment.
Police impersonation
Reproducing identification numbers in an attempt to not be identified is a clear breach of the law…
^THIS^ +1
WTFingF????????
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6301469/Auckland-police-probe-after-Occupy-arrests
What about the question and opinion that Winston Peters came up with – why did the country’s bureaucrats allow this guy in when they know he has a serious criminal conviction? He thinks it is merely because he could invest the required amount of cash in NZ.
From the Herald –
The native German was granted residency in 2010 under the “high-investment category”, after putting $10 million into government bonds and making a large donation to the Christchurch earthquake fund.
However Mr Peters said it is hard to understand how Mr Dotcom passed the “good character” requirements for New Zealand residency, given he had previous convictions.
Mr Dotcom told the Herald on Sunday last year he was convicted for “hacking” under juvenile law and for insider trading because of ignorance about a share-trading law. Both convictions were more than 10 years ago and had been wiped by Germany’s clean-slate law, he said.
Saw a segment in one of the TV news which had a German lawyer talking about it. Apparently the offences were in 2k3/4 and have a time before being dropped from the record of 15 years. There definitely needs to be an investigation into why this person is in NZ.
He’s here because, as Robert Winter points out, he’s exactly the kind of Atlas-like super-hero National want as an immigrant.
http://robertwinter.blogspot.com/2012/01/kim-dotcom-national-icon.html
oops, was meant as a reply to DTB at 20.1