This is what happens when you offer a socialist alternative to neoliberalism…..
Will NZ Labour learn from this?
I doubt it. Too many members of the cargo cult in the party.
Similar dynamic but different circumstances. We don’t have a Corbyn here. It’s not just about policy and kaupapa, it’s about who has the strength to deal with the neoliberals in the party and then in the media. Corbyn did it his way, Little is doing it another way.
Reuters reports British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives will suspend campaigning for the national election on June 8.
“A Tory (Conservative) source speaking to the Press Association (news agency) said that the Prime Minister’s general election campaign was being suspended,” Sky News said.
The panic in the UK establishment and the right wing media is real, the IRA smear of Corbyn is designed to get the conversation off policy and back onto knee jerk hysteria.
This blatant smear operation should be formally responded to because it is such a great opportunity. Rather than attacking the media on this, the smart response is along the lines of, “More of this please. If the establishment media want to indulge in shredding what little remains of their credibility, damage shareholder value, and expose senior executives to personal liability …. bring it on. This election is about the people, and we trust them to see this for what it is.”
Roman Lord (Labour candidate for East Coast Bays) who’s thrown a hissy fit about his position on the list and claims his position at 72 was at least in part because he’s a white, middle class male, needs to do quite a bit of growing up. The list selection process gives any interested member an input into ranking their local candidates and presumably he wasn’t highly rated. Hey, it’s a competitive process – not everyone can win.
I thought Little did a good job responding to questions about this on Morning Report, but Lord shouldn’t have put him in this position in the first place. He shouldn’t have put himself forward if he was going to be so fragile and damage the party because his pride got damaged.
I have never met him and I doubt he has been a member for long. I saw him at the list conference and he gave only an OK speech. His comments suggest he has no idea how the Labour Party works.
Very good candidates have worked for years to get into a position where they could become MPs.
Exactly. You do your time in the blue areas in the arse end of the list, avoid major fuckups or tantys like this, and then you build a political skillset.
Me, I’m far too unelectable personally (yeah I like to call fuckers “fucko” in real life, too), but I’ve had a couple of friends/acquaintances walk down that path.
If Roman really had his heart in, he should have just dismissed his ranking on a list and worked hard to become the MP for East Coast Bays. It wouldn’t have been easy, but it would have been worth it.
Maybe he’ll have another crack at it next election?
The next PM of NZ and Leader of the Labour Party is handling this small hiccup beautifully.
The outgoing governments list is still to come, eleven of their current MP’s are not seeking re-election. Are they having trouble finding candidates?
Didnt Helen Clark contest a safe National seat in her first election. Instead of throwing her toys, it looked like she knuckled down and campaigned instead, learning the ropes. Her hard work would be rewarded in the next election when she got, and won, Mt Albert.
I think Rohan expected to be parachuted into a safe seat and a high list placing on his first go, presumably because he was a sporting personality.
She sure did Millsy – Piako in the Waikato, one of the bluest of seats. I was part of her support team based in Morrinsville in 1975. We had a great time even though we knew it would not be successful
Wait, he was fortunate enough to get both an electorate to run in and raise his personal profile, and he got a position on the list? Isn’t that a vote of confidence that your party considers you a suitable person to be an MP and they want to give you a chance to get experience so you can be an MP in future?
I guess he failed that opportunity in spectacular fashion and his unsuitability for any sort of public office has been clearly shown.
…either Bill English was lying to Susie Ferguson on the radio, or his advisors lied to him about what TPP11 will require, or the Crown’s lawyers are lying to the Waitangi Tribunal. I report, you decide.
After all, it isn’t like Double Dipton has ever been caught lying now, eh. No, wait…
Thoroughly enjoyed this Israeli military view of Trump’s determination to completely wipe out ISIS:
Their ideal strategy is to sit back and let Al Qaeda and ISIS duke it out—and work to contain the conflict rather than trying to end it with military force. As the IDF intelligence officer put it, “the battle for deterrence is easier than the battle for influence.”
Quite so McFlock. It stands out like dogs balls that Israel is benefitting from all this sunni/shia conflict. What’s the bet that they are involved up to their eyeballs in keeping it this way? No doubt about it.
The USA- Israel- Saudi Arabia cabal are all ” working ” in the interest of Zionism.
They just have to keep fomenting conflict upon conflict to keep things going in their direction.
I’d go one further. For Israel, a long war of attrition in Syria, combined with a mass exodus of refugees, will make it very easy for them to annex a little more territory on the Syrian side of the Golan heights under the pretext of ensuring ‘stability’ and ‘security’ due to ‘threats’ from Hezbollah. Should Assad survive, he’ll be too weak to take them on; should he fall, they have the ideal pretext for an expanded security buffer.
Al-Qaeda and ISIS: innit funny that they’ve both focused so heavily in taking on Israel’s enemies in the region, while never quite seeming to get around to any actions of significance against the nation they supposedly hate so much. Almost as if…
Not really.
Israel has been doing domestic security in a high threat environment for 70 years. They make the TSA look like buffoons. It’s a hard target.
But your competition for recruits, on the other hand… right next to you, competing for the same resources. You’re gonna fight them.
Israeli security is legendary – the Brits found in the late 40s that they couldn’t keep a step ahead of them or keep anything from them – I suspect the experiences of the previous decade shaped that aspect. But, that doesn’t quite explain why the most fetishized of Israel’s enemies are the target of two organisations which ostensibly formed to fight them. After all, Palestinians have been smuggling weapons past them just as successfully for every one of those 70 years. It’s not like AQ or IS couldn’t have gotten in there. Additionally, the IAF has flown numerous illegal sorties attacking the SAA, Hezbollah and other Shiite militias at will despite them being exclusively engaged in regime defence. But not so with AQ or IS. I mean, I’ve experienced and observed coincidences in my time, but…
Yup. No dead except the bomber.
1 in 2015, 1 fatality other than the bomber.
And then nothing until 2008.
And these are the folks with experience “for every one of those 70 years”.
Oh, sure, I suspect AQ/ISIS would love a big statement in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, but they would have extreme difficulty getting it set up and they know it’s be followed by a large can of Israeli whoop-ass, and the Israelis are really good at targeting essential personnel.
Actually, for AQ and IS, destroying Israel is part of what they claim their objective is – which brings us back to where we started – how strange it is that they seem to prefer attacking enemies of Israel to proving that they themselves are enemies of Israel.
Clinton’s emails on the subject make interesting reading.
Israel has a “thing” about Iran (I know, who doesn’t these days 🙄 ) and absolutely wants the support for Hezbollah in the Lebanon ended. That means bye-bye Syria (it being the conduit between Iran and the Lebanon).
________
Then there’s – ISIS and Al Qaeda also want Iran gone (obviously)
Israel is still technically at war with Syria.
Israel has been treating ISIS terrorists and has even publicly apologised for killing some of their number.
______________
Fast forward to the potential of Syria ‘gone’. That’s a huge number of refugees fleeing every which way to get away from head-choppers. Then (say the remaining regional powers) the head-choppers must go…so, Turkey cleans out and occupies swathes across its current Syrian border. Israel does likewise. Hell, Iraq or even Iraqi Kurdistan might be given a wee slice of pie.
And the Saudi’s? What do the Saudi’s do? Do they let the whole Syria thing be carved up with nothing in it for them in return for Iran being placed on tender-hooks? Maybe.
I’ve heard it the other way around: that ISIS attacked some Israeli units, were soundly retaliated against, and apologised for kicking the tiger. But I’d really like a link for Israel apologising for killing ISIS fighters.
The first hard hitting interview I have seen with Theresa May, definitely worth a watch….if the media had actually been asking her indepth questions like this from the beginning, the Tories would been slipping even worse in the polls than they are now,
Andrew Neil Interviews Theresa May. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9weOAp7RmA
Looking at Theresa May the question of why females still have to go through the ritual of painting on, wearing make-up, spending the time enhancing eyelashes, defining eyebrows, eyeshadow, lipstick etc. Just simple light powder over the nose and forehead when on screen is all that is needed for image.
Why not spend 10 minutes in the morning reading something about philosophy and how it is interwoven with economics. That would be the most fruitful piece of thinking of her or any other pollies day.
“Looking at Theresa May the question of why females still have to go through the ritual of painting on, wearing make-up, spending the time enhancing eyelashes, defining eyebrows, eyeshadow, lipstick etc. Just simple light powder over the nose and forehead when on screen is all that is needed for image.”
Who are you to say how she should do her make up or what is “needed”. Do you want ot tell her how to dress as well?
If she wants to put on makeup and feels good for it – good for her.
Greywarshark, so far as I can tell, is not speaking to Teresa May, he’s posing a question to us about make up use and offering his view, “Just simple light powder over the nose and forehead when on screen is all that is needed for image”. He doesn’t have to pass your, “who are you?” test to offer his opinion, does he, James?
No s/he is making comment about Theresa Mays makeup – thus the “looking at Theresa May” bit.
She should be able to put on as much makeup as she likes, for whatever reason she likes or feels without having people comment on it and others deciding “what is needed”.
Or do you think its appropriate that men can comment on what a woman should wear (makeup or clothes).
Theresa Mary May, British politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, should expect people, even anonymous posters on a foreign blog, not to comment about how much makeup she uses???
Are you completely off the planet? A famous person should expect to go un-commented upon???
Laws, regulations, statutes, decrees, edicts, rules, rulings, measures, dictums, commands, orders, stipulations, commandments, directives, pronouncements, proclamations, dictates, demands…
have I built a fair profile of you, James? You sound like that ACT bloke, Semour.
James
Who are you to tell me what my opinion should be. If I want to say that she would be a better politician if she put in the time reading some publication that expresses new thoughts that’s my right.
And further I express the opinion that you should do some reading and learning which might benefit TS instead of your kneejerk conformist reactions which you seem to think indicates you are a fair and free thinker. That might make you feel good and it would be something to congratulate you for.
“There are places that welcome men who tell women how to dress and what to wear.”
Fashion Houses?: Gavinchy’s? Christian Dior’s? Alexander Wang’s? Balenciaga’s, McQueen’s, Aquazzura’s; can you see yourself in any of these, Greywarshark, as James sees you, seemingly?
Greywarshark, fashionista!
Breathtaking!
Tipping good says Poorer Benefit.
After all, she thinks, we Nat pollies get tipped all the time for giving good service to those we work to serve, so hey go for it.
Interesting interview on tipping with academic from USA. He says that it becomes mandatory because of social pressure and norms, and the waiter gets more if they interact with the customer, smile, crouch down to get to eye level etc. And with that in mind, he points out that big-breasted blonde women get more than other women, and interestingly blacks get less than whites. It gives customers a feel of control which they like in the USA.
Personally I would hate feeling pressured by some hovering waiter. I start to feel that everyone out there is after something from me and my money, by fair means or foul. (Paranoid or a reaction to the reality I encounter?) It is a double pressure as I would then have to tip him to make him or her go away.
RadioNZ
To tip or not to tip…
From Nine To Noon, 20 minutes ago
Listen duration 7′ :03″
The Deputy Prime Minister, Paula Bennett has suggested New Zealand should embrace tipping to improve the quality of service for tourists. Ms Bennett, who is also the Tourism Minister, made the comments in a letter to the New Zealand Herald and has been backed up by the Restaurant Association and the Hospitality Association. Kathryn Ryan speaks to Professor Michael Lynn,from Cornell University who’s published more than 50 academic papers on the subject of tipping.
As far as I am concerned tipping a service worker is just another way, we the stupid public are sucked into subsidising the employer of that worker and aiding and abetting him keeping the employee’s wages supressed.
If a service industry has to rely on tips to their workers to keep their business surviving then the business owner shouldn’t be operating in the first place, Why on earth should a service worker need to rely on tips if the company is paying a decent living wage. Keep tipping out of NZ – bosses are bad enough as it is paying a decent wage, don’t subsidise them.
I always got tips as a tour guide – i did come to expect them and it really made a difference financially. Waiters and service people not so sure it’s good for them unless it is on top of a good hourly rate.
marty mars
Yes I agree. A good hourly rate. But going on what NZ legislation and practice has been for the last 30 years, the mean attitude that is prevalent in this country, and the inefficient way that business run which can’t survive without stretching wages thin like rubber bands, I doubt that there would be money other than tips enough to pay transport to and from work.
Quote from someone who came here after WW2 when he was six and thought NZ was a great place, though opportunity in Europe came up and he returned there. He was here 1948-1963 and visited in the 1990s. He states:
The almost classless society I remembered had disappeared….On one hand extravagant houses perched on cliffs or set in extensive gardens , on the other, families living in caravans or shacks on cheap campsites or no man’s land.
In the city centres I saw queues at soup kitchens, people rummaging in litter baskets, and begging in the street. Symbolic of this destitution were the opportunity shops not just in the cities but even in the smallest towns throughout the country.
His summary – New Zealand society between 1948-1963 didn’t need opportunity shops. New Zealand itself was a real opportunity shop.
(The Opportunity Shop – Growing up in New Zealand 1948-1963.
Author Michael Mence)
i waitressed in France and Germany
fixed minimum wage (FF 5.600 around 1700 NZD per month at the time), tips (up to a full wage if one was light on the feet – a good waitress can manage two lunch services in her corner of table 🙂 ) , accom (ski stations) and food (on full meal per shift plus free non alcoholic beverages/coffee/tea)- no better way to make good money, travel the world a bit all the while working and manage to hold on to your money for the most part.
the US tipped wage, a lower then usual taxed min wage currently hovering around 2.60 – 2.70 $ per hour plus tips, is a different beast. That is not even substance level, and often these women – and the majority of tipped wage earners are women – are supplemented with Food stamps, Medicaid, and such.
I am quite certain that Paula Benet is not talking about the first scenario.
Sabine
Agree. We haven’t had a positive attitude to working people receiving fair wages and being able to work hard and get ahead for decades. We are in a society that screws people down just like every third world one. If we don’t change we will be end up among the lowest corrupt dictatorship.
Interesting research about how Metservice due to it’s government obligation to make money rather than solely provide a public service has a 49% stake in MetOcean, which provides special oceanic weather forecasts for the deep sea oil and gas industry…
Is the National government obsessed with trying to get NZ into the stone age? While other countries are divesting in oil and gas knowing that it’s a dying industry, our government is forcing government services into this industry with public money that should be going for public good!
Good question saveNZ. Why don’t you send an email to all the Gnashional MPs and Pm just to place the question within their purview, as they will never have confronted such thoughts before.
I agree Sad (some sort of time warp of policy) but the alternative of 3 more years of Natz is even worse.
I’m just hoping for a 3 way, with Labour, Greens and NZ First with Mana for Maori and hopefully between the lot of them some sort of change and sense prevails. At least the opposition are not corrupt like the Natz.
We know society will get worse under the Natz – like Theresa May (God help the UK if she gets in), there is an ideology of just disgusting policy and gross stupidity that just emulates from Natz, they have been in power too long.
It would be interesting to know if the vast majority of Labour supporters oppose PPPs? And if so, why would Labour position themselves against their own support?
Unfortunately their policies reek of trying to follow what they guess public opinion might be, rather than actually showing some leadership and inspiring people to better things.
It was the IRA when I was a kid – but they didn’t like killing children, or even killing people generally, and with the exception of a few splinter groups tended to tip off the authorities before their bombs went off so that it would cause disruption and property damage, but not death. Can’t recall them ever suicide bombing though, that one’s unique to just a couple groups I can think of. Come to think of it, I can’t recall the IRA repeatedly driving trucks into people, either.
As for not being able to prevent it ….if they keep it up at the rate they’re going, things are going to change very quickly. Frau Merkel and Monsieur Macron have their European project to protect, after all. And for Britain, May will soon have the kind of super-majority which will allow all kinds of responses. Things are very Weimar right now.
ahh, the years of the IRA / Red Army Faction i remember them well.
Mogadishou Lufthansa_Flight_181, the First Intifada, the Olympic Games of 1972 in Munich,
Makes me feel old Sabine, I was on my OE in London when the IRA was playing havoc with the London utilities. Many a time we had to divert from different methods of transport to get our weary bones home at night after work because of bomb scares in the tube stations. It wore my parents ragged worrying about me over there. And the passing a hot potato in a pub joke which went around the drinking classes!!!! It seems radical groups have been doing their damage for years on end.
are random children killed more offensive to you then a random dead women or a random dead man if all had been killed by some random person with a gun or a bomb?
They’re more offensive to me if someone did it because of ideology rather than mental illness or other factors beyond their control, if that’s what you mean? All the more so if it’s the ideology of a pervy sky wizard.
Hi cj,
The US were indiscriminate about children with both the bombs they dropped on Japan in 1945.
The carnage from that ideology carries on for generations.
Why is “terrorism” always the first port of call for western authorities these days?
It couldn’t have been some terrible accident involving a commercial gas canister or some such – a contained reticulated gas explosion even – given it was in the foyer area?
I suppose because gas canisters don’t explode in crowds of innocent people very often and people blowing themselves up or causing attempted megadeath do occur much more frequently.
I’d guess (just a guess mind) that more gas cannisters blow up than people blowing themselves up in England.
Tend not to hear about the gas cannisters though, unless there’s significant damage or loss of life, whereas a suicide bomber inadvertently ‘kabooming’ their own flat would be major news.
If I had to choose the likelihood of this incident being between just those two possibilities (and I’m not saying there aren’t others), then I’d pick someone accidentally leaving gas running and it being sparked by someone leaving, lighting up or some such, before I’d pick someone going to a concert, waiting until it finishes and then blowing themselves up on the way out.
But hell, I don’t even know if a source of gas was in the building…
And on the reaction of authorities (which is what I was referring to), the police issued statements saying terrorism unless proved otherwise – and apart from Jeremy Corbyn and Andy Burnham (Manchester Mayor), as far as I’ve seen, all politicians are going with some form of terrorism/attack
Same for this morning’s front pages in the UK.
edit – just seen that police are reporting confirmation of a dead person and an IED. So…ID and motive of said person…?
yes, I’m in agreement with you generally on the PR and media handling.
The thing that interests me is that if the intent of terrorists is to terrorise, why the countries being attacked don’t develop strategies for lessening terror in their people, *whatever the event that’s just taken place. I can only surmise that people in charge are stupid enough to believe they can win and so aren’t too worried about upping the ante.
We’re just the meat in the sandwich to be chewed up. Do “our betters” think they can win? Or are they content to have never ending tension they can use in ways that bolsters their own position?
A frightened population is a population that’s easier to contain and control.
I think they’re evil too. I also think governments like the US that bomb civilians are likewise evil. It’s not rocket science to figure out what is going on.
We’re talking about the same death cult which had one of it’s sex-starved useful idiots drive a truck down a street full of civvies in Stockholm killing kids and even managing to pancake someone’s pet dog which was with them at the time. Just which vast swathes of the middle east or other Islamic lands did Sweden ever bomb, colonise, or otherwise victimise to deserve such activity?
I’m not exactly Jack W Parsons, so my rocket science is not good, but to suggest that civilians killed during American bombings are adequate cause to inspire someone to suicide bomb kids in Manchester or run children and pets over in Stockholm sounds to me not to be rocket science, but the beginnings of Dhimmitude.
They’re building a global fucking Caliphate – they’ve said as much. Why not just take them at their word? Mohammed began his first war of conquest centuries before the USA was a nation-state, and these guys believe that they are just finishing what he started. They’ve said as much many a time, so why not believe them? I would assert that this is what a rocket scientist would probably do.
You treat people like shit long enough and bad enough they will act like shit or use it as an excuse to act like shit. It’s not saying it’s a valid excuse or ‘adequate’ cause. But then bombing kids for oil isn’t adequate cause either.
I also think that there is a mix of pretty repugnant ideology mixed in with treating people badly mixed in with poverty and disenfranchisement. Drop bombs on them and see what happens. I’m not talking what’s right, I’m talking how violence dynamics play out.
Ok, that’s …. so wrong I’m kind of stunned. I cited the example of Sweden, for instance. If your comment accurately represents ‘how the violence dynamics play out’, then how did Sweden, which is not a member of NATO, has never colonised any part of the Islamic world, and has welcomed an unbelievable amount of refugees & treated them excellently, end up with children and animals, not to mention civilian adults – run down by a jihadist in a truck? This appears to be in contrast to these violence dynamics and then some. Let’s add Denmark while we’re at it. Again, not a former colonial power, very benign foreign policy traditions and very generous in its welcoming of refugees from the middle east. How did this ‘violence dynamic’ come to see terrorism and extremism on their streets?
I seem increasingly offside with other leftists for saying this is nonsese. Ascribing this kind of childish moral simplicity to grown adults. For this ‘violence dynamic’ to be true, we’d have to believe that these people have incredibly poor critical thinking skills or moral depth. Do you believe that? That they aren’t capable of forming complex moral judgments? I think my explanation makes far more sense, because it conforms to the historical and cultural record.
Their beliefs stem from an historic sense of mission. It is a response to religious texts, not other people’s actions. Their prophet took a small band of outcasts and brigands to war and created a vast empire. He died having impressed upon them that this empire should one day rule the world, and it was their duty to see that done. And so these extremists take that to be their duty. Their propaganda and pronouncements make this clear, so why invent theories about ‘violence dynamics’ instead of just believing what they say?
It’s plain from their own clearly expressed views that how ‘the west’ chooses to act or has done in the past has the square root of fuck all to do with it – they have a very clearly articulated objective, and they think you and I are filth which needs to be cleansed for the world regardless of how we act towards them. We’re dhimmi, or we’re dead. Those are the only options they have for us.
All that happened was that I said something very briefly. You reacted as if I said something I didn’t. I pointed that out. I haven’t read the rest of your comments because you appear to be arguing with someone who isn’t me. When you get off your high horse I’ll be happy to tell you what I think and you can argue with that if you like. For all I know, you have just as valid a view as me. But if you want to keep arguing with yourself, can you please stop using the reply button to me, thanks.
I welcome anything you have to say which may make clear what I had wrong about your statement, and welcome further debate. But I find the apparent victimhood narrative at odds with the history of political Islam and the extremists who promote it. I will always strongly assert that American bombing, as counter productive as it may be towards the objective which can only be accomplished by ground forces, has not one iota to do with the motivations or objectives of Salafism and its adherents.
I think the reason those movements have gained the momentum they have is because of the sympathy they have gained from people who are sick of Western interventions in the Middle East. It’s not that US bombing civilians causes Islamic fundamentalism, it’s that it throws fuel on that fire.
I don’t see Islamic fundamentalists as victims, if that’s what you meant. I really think you are misconstruing my view.
I also think you are being too reductionist with my point. I’m not talking cause and effect in the way you appear to be. Nor fairness or validity of action. But I see Bush, Tr*mp, Bannon, all that lot, as fundamentalists too, just with bigger guns. That was my original point. Two sides at war, both doing evil things. The West likes to pretend that it’s got the moral high ground, but it really doesn’t.
American bombing…has not one iota to do with the motivations or objectives of Salafism and its adherents.
Whereas captured Iraqi daesh report that their motivation was the chaos of civil war, and the GCHQ says that British jihadis are motivated by the racism they experience.
When people are looking for a hateful ideology to justify their vengeance fantasies, they will find one, or how else do you explain the Sensible Sentencing Trust?
The point being that they have to be motivated to hate to put on the ideology in the first place. Losing family members to war can do that.
“I think the reason those movements have gained the momentum they have is because of the sympathy they have gained from people who are sick of Western interventions in the Middle East”
And that is very effective propaganda for them to utilise towards westerners, I agree – but is it really all that true? It caters to our leftist sense of justice, and adds that sense of victimhood which plays on our rightly held belief in justice for the underdog. But are they really any kind of underdog? They believe in fulfilling prophecy. And the prophecy which was bequeathed to them has nothing good in store for you or I.
Even the most dull witted, jingoistic American conservative who wants the rest of the world to bend the knee to the USA and marvel at its power doesn’t want to actually physically rule it – they just want that unchallenged hegemony. I don’t like it, and I look forward to a multipolar world where the USA and the EU can get in among the BRICS and play nice. And a few trillion more debt will probably see that day come. Take the ‘oil war’ thesis; I believed it once myself, and who knows it may have been the objective. Personally I think the Saudis played them for suckers. You know that US oil companies did not end up winning the contracts in Iraq?
In the meantime, political Islam will only ever stop for a breather, to weigh its options and assess the field of combat. Their prophecy will always be there, and will always be the lens through which they view the world. Nobody else can conduct themselves in a way which will make them any more agreeable, or any less of a target for occupation and the choice of dhimmitude or conversion.
You lost me at that bit. Sorry, but references to a whole geographical region of people believing the same thing strikes me as far more ideology than can be debated.
You lost me at that bit. Sorry, but references to a whole geographical region of people believing the same thing strikes me as far more ideology than can be debated.’
You deny that ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups (and those motivated by their propaganda) cite prophecy to justify and inspire their activities?
Suicide bombings (assuming that is what it is) are political. We’re well past the point of being polite about it. If this had happened in NZ, I would agree we would need more tact. But it’s now routine and I’m sick of the whole white people getting bombed by black people needs special treatment when we don’t do that the other way round. All of it is political including your original comment.
There are White fascists deliberately massacring the largest number of innocent Black people they can manage? I guess there was Dylann Roof, but his crime was a multi-day media festival just like the various Muslim fascist ones, so the “special treatment” isn’t obvious.
Who is killing children? It is not just the ‘terrorists’.
We know approximately how many people our bombs etc are killing, many of who are children.
I doubt that ‘our side’ loses more than one in a thousand of the numbers we kill, and laugh off as collateral damage.
We are not innocent, in fact we are depraved simply by the condoning of drone warfare, let all alone all the cluster bombs and depleted uranium etc. being used, and the ever mounting weapon sales to both sides.
As much as it is tragic and shocking we should not be surprised at what lengths people will go to for revenge against us.
…we are depraved simply by the condoning of drone warfare…
…and if the use of drones turns out, as some say, to reduce the number of civilian casualties? Which would certainly fit with Pinker’s findings – cf: The Better Angels Of Our Nature.
What you and Weka are saying about the dynamics of violence is absolutely right, and obviously the best outcome is that all live in peace.
How’s that going to work with eg: Vladimir Putin or the People’s Central Committee, and their ambitions, or a criminal centre-right dictator like Pinochet? Or areas ruled by the equivalent of the Westboro Baptist Death Cult?
The USA and their proxies are a long way off Sun Tzu’s humanitarian ethics; that doesn’t mean that democracy isn’t worth defending.
Quite. But itt’s not like the rest of the West is actually more moral than the US. If it were, then we’d have a UN that did the right things, including standing up to the US. As far as I can tell everyone still wants to hold onto their privilege, including economically. I’m probably basically pacifist, but also pragmatic. If we do have to kill people can we at least be honest about our reasons instead of pretending we are the Good Guys. That doesn’t mean we are devoid of goodness, on the contrary, it’s our belief that our good acts make us the good guys that is the problem.
I suppose what I am saying is that I can’t do much about what people in the Middle East are doing. But I can challenge hypocrisy and warmongering on my own side of the world. I’m not saying we should do nothing.
By contrast, Labour and the Greens have a policy of sticking to UN resolutions. So NZ’s record is patchy, because the National Party drags us down as usual. Even so, we have a better record than the US.
I like to think that’s in part because people do something.
National Party guaranteed to bring us down every time. And the people that vote for them. We’d do so much better if we got rid of half the country 😉
“I like to think that’s in part because people do something.”
Yes, but do you think that we are better than other places e.g. the US, or that we just have a different set of circumstances that allows us to do better? It’s hard to imagine any US president that wouldn’t bomb other countries or enable the a fucked up foreign policy.
James I don’t find your type of comments compassionate, more inflammatory and reactionary. They lead to bullshit like Bush invading Afghanistan or our troops shooting up a village in the Tiguran valley.
Reuters reports British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives will suspend campaigning for the national election on June 8.
“A Tory (Conservative) source speaking to the Press Association (news agency) said that the Prime Minister’s general election campaign was being suspended,” Sky News said.
Suspended, not cancelled. Lib Dems have pulled some scheduled Malta visit too.
Wonder if May could be stupid enough to try rolling the suspension out for a bit and claim that any campaigning by others was insensitive and what not.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Cosby’s ‘focus grouping’ that one as we speak. 👿
Well, if it’s an intentional attack (which seems most likely), the perpetrator(s) might well be irrational. That doesn’t mean they didn’t have a plan. Two or three weeks out from an election? Chances are that’s more than just coincidence.
Why does it have to be anyone trying to skew anything? Why (for the time being) isn’t it being treated as an unexplained explosion that’s being investigated? Why this immediate jumping to “terrorist” conclusions, as though there are no other feasible explanations?
Nothing ruled out and nothing ruled in would be an appropriate position for authorities to be adopting right now instead of this “terrorism until we know different” approach by police.
If it turns out to have been a gas main that went “bang” just as a concert was emptying out, I’ll stand corrected.
And the reason police go “terrorism until we know different” is because gas mains and suchlike don’t have a habit of attacking several locations at the same time, and yet terrorists do – e.g. the November 2015 Paris attacks.
Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I meant that if they treated it as a gas main and it turned out to be a coordinated attack, more people would die than if they initially treat it as an attack, correctly or incorrectly as it turns out.
If there’s a plan to hit (say) a football match and a concert, then a suicide bomber at a football match is probably going to detonate themselves if an evacuation order is given due to an explosion at the concert, no?
On the other hand, promoting panic could lead to a stampede at the football match when there was no reason to evacuate.
Anyway. it’s been (how many hours now?) so I think we can discount the ‘co-ordinated attack’ theory. That doesn’t mean I’m saying that the incident at the concert definitely isn’t the result of a willful act – just to be clear.
I can’t see how the police and other authorities can do anything other than treat a lethal explosion that is obviously not a gas leak etc as terrorism, for the reasons that McFlock explains. The media on the other hand…
I have no idea what happened. What I meant was that the people actually there doing the investigating, when they understand prelimarily that it’s not a gas leak etc it makes sense for them to err on the side of caution and think terrorism. Can’t think of too many other options. I guess old WW2 bomb, something like that. If you think that the police on the ground are making inaccurate assessments I’d be interested to hear that (I’m sure it’s possible).
I think what the media do is a different thing. Probably what the police tell the media too.
e.g. I seem to remember last time (the guy driving the car into people), there was a really stupid senior police person saying a whole lot of daft stuff in public.
Ok, so assuming they don’t do an OJ-style evacuation, an orderly evacuation would be much safer than a chaotic one.
But even without an evacuation, responding to it as a possible coordinated attack mobilises more cops to public areas, arms them, and could create different casualty handling or fire-fighter logistics. As opposed to assuming that it’s one event and more places are undefended and less emergency services are prepared.
So even if it wasn’t a coordinated attack this time, it was still right to respond to it as such.
It was easy to immediately identify the probable cause of the explosion as terrorism. As is often the case, the charge was loaded with items of hardware. The floor, walls and victims around the explosion would of been peppered with nails etc.
Correction: A lot of people are selectively upset. The likes of James have said little or nothing about the far more numerous daily killings in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria.
Im sorry – I have personal ties to Manchester and it does upset me – I will never applogise for that.
If you find that insincere because Im not upset by the daily carnage in places I have never been, know nobody, and have no linkage to – then, well, to hell with you.
I guess it’s that, “They’re killers! Kill them!” thing that gets me. Even worse, “They’re insane! Punish them for eternity!” that leaves me flabbergasted.
Robert – You follow me around this blog like a smell.
Normally I do not mind. You amuse me.
But even for you – running around trying to ‘score points’ on a subject like this when, kids are targeted to be killed in in the name of “who knows what” is pathetic.
I hope this kind of tragedy never impacts on your or your families life. But of it ever does I hope that pathetic little men dont go running around trying to get some personal satisfaction from it.
James, what have you got to say about the killing of kids by New Zealand troops in Afghanistan? I can’t find your expressions of outrage; maybe you were busy at the time of the release of Nicky Hager and John Stephenson’s book?
James’ll never vote Left – he’s hard-boiled ACT, in my estimation, but just in case you’re correct, I’ll give him some more rope room to express himself.
Gotta keep those coffers full! Gotta pay the Bill’s. God, Key’s leaving must have burned! What a scamperer he turned out to be! In any case, Bill’s National’s a good choice for you; Bill doesn’t care about the Afghan villagers either.
Here is what the coverage will not say: targeting an Arianna Grande concert is targeting young women. This is a violent act of misogyny.— ❄️Jaclyn Friedman❄️ (@jaclynf) May 23, 2017
With the discovery of seven Earth-sized planets around the TRAPPIST-1 star 40 light years away, astronomers are looking to the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope to help us find out if any of these planets could possibly support life.
And three of them appear to be in the liquid water zone so this is a pretty good candidate to try and detect life on exo-planets.
heh – now who was I listening to the other day pointing out that this planet, if it didn’t have the moon, would rotate at such a rate that there would be two hours of daylight…
And adding that if Jupiter(?) didn’t have the type of orbit it does, we’d be flung into outer space or into the sun…
Then there was the bit about a possible land/water ratio being required to set up necessary initial conditions for life…
now who was I listening to the other day pointing out that this planet, if it didn’t have the moon, would rotate at such a rate that there would be two hours of daylight
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 ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from 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 public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
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:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
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. ...
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 ...
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. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
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 Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
Corbyn is scaring the British establishment.
https://www.thecanary.co/2017/05/22/labour-surges-polls-establishment-media-enters-full-panic-mode-images/
This is what happens when you offer a socialist alternative to neoliberalism…..
Will NZ Labour learn from this?
I doubt it. Too many members of the cargo cult in the party.
Similar dynamic but different circumstances. We don’t have a Corbyn here. It’s not just about policy and kaupapa, it’s about who has the strength to deal with the neoliberals in the party and then in the media. Corbyn did it his way, Little is doing it another way.
Reuters reports British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives will suspend campaigning for the national election on June 8.
“A Tory (Conservative) source speaking to the Press Association (news agency) said that the Prime Minister’s general election campaign was being suspended,” Sky News said.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/331368/live-blog-19-dead-50-injured-in-manchester-explosion
UK Labour goes from six points behind to ten points ahead in Wales.
https://yougov.co.uk/news/2017/05/22/voting-intention-wales-labour-44-conservatives/
The panic in the UK establishment and the right wing media is real, the IRA smear of Corbyn is designed to get the conversation off policy and back onto knee jerk hysteria.
Please New Zealand Labour Party.
Pay attention.
People want a real socialist alternative to neoliberalism,
100% agree. Alas, our NZ Labour still just wants a slightly different shade of neoliberalism…
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/331349/labour-open-to-private-partnerships-or-overseas-investors
Steve Cowan compares UK Labour with socialist ideals
http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.co.nz/2017/05/labours-rising-fortunes.html?m=1
to New Zealand Labour still under the spell of Friedrich Hayek. Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman. Hostage to a cargo cult.
http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.co.nz/2017/05/beyond-farce.html?m=1
This blatant smear operation should be formally responded to because it is such a great opportunity. Rather than attacking the media on this, the smart response is along the lines of, “More of this please. If the establishment media want to indulge in shredding what little remains of their credibility, damage shareholder value, and expose senior executives to personal liability …. bring it on. This election is about the people, and we trust them to see this for what it is.”
yep. Matches Labour’s messages of ‘for the many’, and ‘this is about you’
Roman Lord (Labour candidate for East Coast Bays) who’s thrown a hissy fit about his position on the list and claims his position at 72 was at least in part because he’s a white, middle class male, needs to do quite a bit of growing up. The list selection process gives any interested member an input into ranking their local candidates and presumably he wasn’t highly rated. Hey, it’s a competitive process – not everyone can win.
I thought Little did a good job responding to questions about this on Morning Report, but Lord shouldn’t have put him in this position in the first place. He shouldn’t have put himself forward if he was going to be so fragile and damage the party because his pride got damaged.
He’s acting like a … Roman Lord!
I have never met him and I doubt he has been a member for long. I saw him at the list conference and he gave only an OK speech. His comments suggest he has no idea how the Labour Party works.
Very good candidates have worked for years to get into a position where they could become MPs.
Exactly. You do your time in the blue areas in the arse end of the list, avoid major fuckups or tantys like this, and then you build a political skillset.
Me, I’m far too unelectable personally (yeah I like to call fuckers “fucko” in real life, too), but I’ve had a couple of friends/acquaintances walk down that path.
Rohan Lord.
If Roman really had his heart in, he should have just dismissed his ranking on a list and worked hard to become the MP for East Coast Bays. It wouldn’t have been easy, but it would have been worth it.
Maybe he’ll have another crack at it next election?
The next PM of NZ and Leader of the Labour Party is handling this small hiccup beautifully.
The outgoing governments list is still to come, eleven of their current MP’s are not seeking re-election. Are they having trouble finding candidates?
Why should he be accepted as a candidate next time? I would have no hesitation in telling him to shove off.
Didnt Helen Clark contest a safe National seat in her first election. Instead of throwing her toys, it looked like she knuckled down and campaigned instead, learning the ropes. Her hard work would be rewarded in the next election when she got, and won, Mt Albert.
I think Rohan expected to be parachuted into a safe seat and a high list placing on his first go, presumably because he was a sporting personality.
She sure did Millsy – Piako in the Waikato, one of the bluest of seats. I was part of her support team based in Morrinsville in 1975. We had a great time even though we knew it would not be successful
Wait, he was fortunate enough to get both an electorate to run in and raise his personal profile, and he got a position on the list? Isn’t that a vote of confidence that your party considers you a suitable person to be an MP and they want to give you a chance to get experience so you can be an MP in future?
I guess he failed that opportunity in spectacular fashion and his unsuitability for any sort of public office has been clearly shown.
Labour should be pleased he’s gone after he spoke this morning.
Prof. Geddis doesn’t sound very impressed:
After all, it isn’t like Double Dipton has ever been caught lying now, eh. No, wait…
Labour should be capitalizing off of this.
It’s a shame Labour aren’t not more vocal on the matter.
Yet to see anything on Labour’s website regarding the resurrection of the TPP.
Thoroughly enjoyed this Israeli military view of Trump’s determination to completely wipe out ISIS:
Their ideal strategy is to sit back and let Al Qaeda and ISIS duke it out—and work to contain the conflict rather than trying to end it with military force. As the IDF intelligence officer put it, “the battle for deterrence is easier than the battle for influence.”
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/05/22/israeli-officers-to-trump-youre-doing-isis-wrong-215172?lo=ap_d1
Well, yeah, but the Israelis have had that policy for decades: encourage their enemies to fight each other.
Not that Trump is right, but the Israeli “answer” is perpetual war in the Middle East, just not in Israel.
Quite so McFlock. It stands out like dogs balls that Israel is benefitting from all this sunni/shia conflict. What’s the bet that they are involved up to their eyeballs in keeping it this way? No doubt about it.
The USA- Israel- Saudi Arabia cabal are all ” working ” in the interest of Zionism.
They just have to keep fomenting conflict upon conflict to keep things going in their direction.
I’d go one further. For Israel, a long war of attrition in Syria, combined with a mass exodus of refugees, will make it very easy for them to annex a little more territory on the Syrian side of the Golan heights under the pretext of ensuring ‘stability’ and ‘security’ due to ‘threats’ from Hezbollah. Should Assad survive, he’ll be too weak to take them on; should he fall, they have the ideal pretext for an expanded security buffer.
Al-Qaeda and ISIS: innit funny that they’ve both focused so heavily in taking on Israel’s enemies in the region, while never quite seeming to get around to any actions of significance against the nation they supposedly hate so much. Almost as if…
Well, maybe, but I suspect that the Israelis took exactly as much of the Golan Heights as they strategically wanted, given the lay of the land.
As for your AQ/ISIS theory… yeah, whatever.
Oh totally, I mean, it would be like if the Soviet Union went to war against everyone except capitalists. Probably totally legit.
Not really.
Israel has been doing domestic security in a high threat environment for 70 years. They make the TSA look like buffoons. It’s a hard target.
But your competition for recruits, on the other hand… right next to you, competing for the same resources. You’re gonna fight them.
Israeli security is legendary – the Brits found in the late 40s that they couldn’t keep a step ahead of them or keep anything from them – I suspect the experiences of the previous decade shaped that aspect. But, that doesn’t quite explain why the most fetishized of Israel’s enemies are the target of two organisations which ostensibly formed to fight them. After all, Palestinians have been smuggling weapons past them just as successfully for every one of those 70 years. It’s not like AQ or IS couldn’t have gotten in there. Additionally, the IAF has flown numerous illegal sorties attacking the SAA, Hezbollah and other Shiite militias at will despite them being exclusively engaged in regime defence. But not so with AQ or IS. I mean, I’ve experienced and observed coincidences in my time, but…
When was the last Palestinian bombing in Israel?
According to Google, a bus in Tel Aviv, April last year.
Yup. No dead except the bomber.
1 in 2015, 1 fatality other than the bomber.
And then nothing until 2008.
And these are the folks with experience “for every one of those 70 years”.
Oh, sure, I suspect AQ/ISIS would love a big statement in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, but they would have extreme difficulty getting it set up and they know it’s be followed by a large can of Israeli whoop-ass, and the Israelis are really good at targeting essential personnel.
That’s ok, we’re talking about Jihadists who look forward to death, aren’t we? Why would jihadists fear death?
Well, you might as well ask why don’t they just shoot themselves instead of mounting suicide attacks?
They have a clear objective they wish to bring about. Fucking off the Israelis is contrary to achieving that objective.
There’s irrational, and then there’s incoherent, lol
Actually, for AQ and IS, destroying Israel is part of what they claim their objective is – which brings us back to where we started – how strange it is that they seem to prefer attacking enemies of Israel to proving that they themselves are enemies of Israel.
Not really strange if you look at their situation and locations.
Israel’s on the “to do” list, definitely. But first things first.
Clinton’s emails on the subject make interesting reading.
Israel has a “thing” about Iran (I know, who doesn’t these days 🙄 ) and absolutely wants the support for Hezbollah in the Lebanon ended. That means bye-bye Syria (it being the conduit between Iran and the Lebanon).
________
Then there’s – ISIS and Al Qaeda also want Iran gone (obviously)
Israel is still technically at war with Syria.
Israel has been treating ISIS terrorists and has even publicly apologised for killing some of their number.
______________
Fast forward to the potential of Syria ‘gone’. That’s a huge number of refugees fleeing every which way to get away from head-choppers. Then (say the remaining regional powers) the head-choppers must go…so, Turkey cleans out and occupies swathes across its current Syrian border. Israel does likewise. Hell, Iraq or even Iraqi Kurdistan might be given a wee slice of pie.
And the Saudi’s? What do the Saudi’s do? Do they let the whole Syria thing be carved up with nothing in it for them in return for Iran being placed on tender-hooks? Maybe.
Idlib will be the Saudi slice of the action if it goes that way.
Israel apologised for an attack on ISIS? Really?
I’ve heard it the other way around: that ISIS attacked some Israeli units, were soundly retaliated against, and apologised for kicking the tiger. But I’d really like a link for Israel apologising for killing ISIS fighters.
Oops. They medically treat, but you’re right on the apology incident – t’was the other way around! My bad 😉
The first hard hitting interview I have seen with Theresa May, definitely worth a watch….if the media had actually been asking her indepth questions like this from the beginning, the Tories would been slipping even worse in the polls than they are now,
Andrew Neil Interviews Theresa May.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9weOAp7RmA
Looking at Theresa May the question of why females still have to go through the ritual of painting on, wearing make-up, spending the time enhancing eyelashes, defining eyebrows, eyeshadow, lipstick etc. Just simple light powder over the nose and forehead when on screen is all that is needed for image.
Why not spend 10 minutes in the morning reading something about philosophy and how it is interwoven with economics. That would be the most fruitful piece of thinking of her or any other pollies day.
“Looking at Theresa May the question of why females still have to go through the ritual of painting on, wearing make-up, spending the time enhancing eyelashes, defining eyebrows, eyeshadow, lipstick etc. Just simple light powder over the nose and forehead when on screen is all that is needed for image.”
Who are you to say how she should do her make up or what is “needed”. Do you want ot tell her how to dress as well?
If she wants to put on makeup and feels good for it – good for her.
Greywarshark, so far as I can tell, is not speaking to Teresa May, he’s posing a question to us about make up use and offering his view, “Just simple light powder over the nose and forehead when on screen is all that is needed for image”. He doesn’t have to pass your, “who are you?” test to offer his opinion, does he, James?
No s/he is making comment about Theresa Mays makeup – thus the “looking at Theresa May” bit.
She should be able to put on as much makeup as she likes, for whatever reason she likes or feels without having people comment on it and others deciding “what is needed”.
Or do you think its appropriate that men can comment on what a woman should wear (makeup or clothes).
Theresa Mary May, British politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, should expect people, even anonymous posters on a foreign blog, not to comment about how much makeup she uses???
Are you completely off the planet? A famous person should expect to go un-commented upon???
Dizzying thinking there, James.
James.Would it be ok for her to appear nude in public “
But still wearing makeup, please!
There are laws about that I believe.
Laws, regulations, statutes, decrees, edicts, rules, rulings, measures, dictums, commands, orders, stipulations, commandments, directives, pronouncements, proclamations, dictates, demands…
have I built a fair profile of you, James? You sound like that ACT bloke, Semour.
You forgot smart and extremely good looking.
And makeup-free (I’m guessing/hoping).
James
Who are you to tell me what my opinion should be. If I want to say that she would be a better politician if she put in the time reading some publication that expresses new thoughts that’s my right.
And further I express the opinion that you should do some reading and learning which might benefit TS instead of your kneejerk conformist reactions which you seem to think indicates you are a fair and free thinker. That might make you feel good and it would be something to congratulate you for.
There are places that welcome men who tell women how to dress and what to wear.
Its my opinion that you may fit in there.
The fact you ignore all the bits about her makeup and just go to the reading comment is a shallow attempt to justify your comment.
“There are places that welcome men who tell women how to dress and what to wear.”
Fashion Houses?: Gavinchy’s? Christian Dior’s? Alexander Wang’s? Balenciaga’s, McQueen’s, Aquazzura’s; can you see yourself in any of these, Greywarshark, as James sees you, seemingly?
Greywarshark, fashionista!
Breathtaking!
Very clunky edit at about 6min 48sec. Wonder what that was about?
Anyway. The woman’s a fucking idiot. No wonder she’s insisted on pre-prepared questions, avoiding the public and bailing from any TV leaders debate.
Forget the makeup. I’d just like to say that that is a strong and stable necklace May is wearing.
Tipping good says Poorer Benefit.
After all, she thinks, we Nat pollies get tipped all the time for giving good service to those we work to serve, so hey go for it.
Interesting interview on tipping with academic from USA. He says that it becomes mandatory because of social pressure and norms, and the waiter gets more if they interact with the customer, smile, crouch down to get to eye level etc. And with that in mind, he points out that big-breasted blonde women get more than other women, and interestingly blacks get less than whites. It gives customers a feel of control which they like in the USA.
Personally I would hate feeling pressured by some hovering waiter. I start to feel that everyone out there is after something from me and my money, by fair means or foul. (Paranoid or a reaction to the reality I encounter?) It is a double pressure as I would then have to tip him to make him or her go away.
RadioNZ
To tip or not to tip…
From Nine To Noon, 20 minutes ago
Listen duration 7′ :03″
The Deputy Prime Minister, Paula Bennett has suggested New Zealand should embrace tipping to improve the quality of service for tourists. Ms Bennett, who is also the Tourism Minister, made the comments in a letter to the New Zealand Herald and has been backed up by the Restaurant Association and the Hospitality Association. Kathryn Ryan speaks to Professor Michael Lynn,from Cornell University who’s published more than 50 academic papers on the subject of tipping.
Yes, pay pollies a basic wage, then distribute the saving. So we can then tip the pollies for good service.
AND there is nothing to stop tourists tipping anyway.
As far as I am concerned tipping a service worker is just another way, we the stupid public are sucked into subsidising the employer of that worker and aiding and abetting him keeping the employee’s wages supressed.
If a service industry has to rely on tips to their workers to keep their business surviving then the business owner shouldn’t be operating in the first place, Why on earth should a service worker need to rely on tips if the company is paying a decent living wage. Keep tipping out of NZ – bosses are bad enough as it is paying a decent wage, don’t subsidise them.
WK you get100% for that.
So long as she can include the tips in the the minimum wage calculation, Paula will be happy.
…And transfer the balance to the business owner, should the tips exceed the minimum wage.
Strong and Stable Brighter Future!!
I meant to put the radio link re tipping.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201844808/to-tip-or-not-to-tip
I always got tips as a tour guide – i did come to expect them and it really made a difference financially. Waiters and service people not so sure it’s good for them unless it is on top of a good hourly rate.
marty mars
Yes I agree. A good hourly rate. But going on what NZ legislation and practice has been for the last 30 years, the mean attitude that is prevalent in this country, and the inefficient way that business run which can’t survive without stretching wages thin like rubber bands, I doubt that there would be money other than tips enough to pay transport to and from work.
Quote from someone who came here after WW2 when he was six and thought NZ was a great place, though opportunity in Europe came up and he returned there. He was here 1948-1963 and visited in the 1990s. He states:
His summary – New Zealand society between 1948-1963 didn’t need opportunity shops. New Zealand itself was a real opportunity shop.
(The Opportunity Shop – Growing up in New Zealand 1948-1963.
Author Michael Mence)
i waitressed in France and Germany
fixed minimum wage (FF 5.600 around 1700 NZD per month at the time), tips (up to a full wage if one was light on the feet – a good waitress can manage two lunch services in her corner of table 🙂 ) , accom (ski stations) and food (on full meal per shift plus free non alcoholic beverages/coffee/tea)- no better way to make good money, travel the world a bit all the while working and manage to hold on to your money for the most part.
the US tipped wage, a lower then usual taxed min wage currently hovering around 2.60 – 2.70 $ per hour plus tips, is a different beast. That is not even substance level, and often these women – and the majority of tipped wage earners are women – are supplemented with Food stamps, Medicaid, and such.
I am quite certain that Paula Benet is not talking about the first scenario.
Sabine
Agree. We haven’t had a positive attitude to working people receiving fair wages and being able to work hard and get ahead for decades. We are in a society that screws people down just like every third world one. If we don’t change we will be end up among the lowest corrupt dictatorship.
Interesting research about how Metservice due to it’s government obligation to make money rather than solely provide a public service has a 49% stake in MetOcean, which provides special oceanic weather forecasts for the deep sea oil and gas industry…
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/05/21/so-who-funds-metservice-the-weird-madness-behind-the-20-meter-wave-story/
Is the National government obsessed with trying to get NZ into the stone age? While other countries are divesting in oil and gas knowing that it’s a dying industry, our government is forcing government services into this industry with public money that should be going for public good!
Good question saveNZ. Why don’t you send an email to all the Gnashional MPs and Pm just to place the question within their purview, as they will never have confronted such thoughts before.
NZ Labour is going full Brighter Future, planning to use public infrastructure projects to transfer public wealth to rich private owners of capital:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/331349/labour-open-to-private-partnerships-or-overseas-investors
They have tied themselves in irrational “fiscal responsibility” knots, so they are only left with National’s lame and failed ideas. SAD.
I agree Sad (some sort of time warp of policy) but the alternative of 3 more years of Natz is even worse.
I’m just hoping for a 3 way, with Labour, Greens and NZ First with Mana for Maori and hopefully between the lot of them some sort of change and sense prevails. At least the opposition are not corrupt like the Natz.
We know society will get worse under the Natz – like Theresa May (God help the UK if she gets in), there is an ideology of just disgusting policy and gross stupidity that just emulates from Natz, they have been in power too long.
” but the alternative of 3 more years of Natz is even worse. ”
I do agree, I’d much prefer the lesser evil of labour. But so disappointing Labour is not offering anything other than TINA.
“Natz, they have been in power too long”
Personally I’m not buying the third term fatigue bit…I thought they were awful from the get-go!
It would be interesting to know if the vast majority of Labour supporters oppose PPPs? And if so, why would Labour position themselves against their own support?
Unfortunately their policies reek of trying to follow what they guess public opinion might be, rather than actually showing some leadership and inspiring people to better things.
This explosion – they just said 19 dead – getting a bad vibe from this one. RIP and thinking about all those who have lost…
Ariana Grande is an ex Disney Star and her viewers are generally young teens with parents.
Sadness everywhere.
What kind of ideology would drive someone to do such a thing…
it appears to be a suicide bomber in an outside area.
It also appears that most of the death came about by trying to leave the venue. essentially a stampede..
sadness,
and you can’t prevent it, and its all kind of ideologies or lack there of that has driven people since eons to do such things.
It was the IRA when I was a kid – but they didn’t like killing children, or even killing people generally, and with the exception of a few splinter groups tended to tip off the authorities before their bombs went off so that it would cause disruption and property damage, but not death. Can’t recall them ever suicide bombing though, that one’s unique to just a couple groups I can think of. Come to think of it, I can’t recall the IRA repeatedly driving trucks into people, either.
As for not being able to prevent it ….if they keep it up at the rate they’re going, things are going to change very quickly. Frau Merkel and Monsieur Macron have their European project to protect, after all. And for Britain, May will soon have the kind of super-majority which will allow all kinds of responses. Things are very Weimar right now.
ahh, the years of the IRA / Red Army Faction i remember them well.
Mogadishou Lufthansa_Flight_181, the First Intifada, the Olympic Games of 1972 in Munich,
just a few that i can remember.
Must’ave been the good old times.
.
Makes me feel old Sabine, I was on my OE in London when the IRA was playing havoc with the London utilities. Many a time we had to divert from different methods of transport to get our weary bones home at night after work because of bomb scares in the tube stations. It wore my parents ragged worrying about me over there. And the passing a hot potato in a pub joke which went around the drinking classes!!!! It seems radical groups have been doing their damage for years on end.
How often did they kill children?
are random children killed more offensive to you then a random dead women or a random dead man if all had been killed by some random person with a gun or a bomb?
They’re more offensive to me if someone did it because of ideology rather than mental illness or other factors beyond their control, if that’s what you mean? All the more so if it’s the ideology of a pervy sky wizard.
Hi cj,
The US were indiscriminate about children with both the bombs they dropped on Japan in 1945.
The carnage from that ideology carries on for generations.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/92875770/live-loud-bangs-heard-at-ariana-grande-gig-in-manchester
yeah. Fuck.
Tossers.
Why is “terrorism” always the first port of call for western authorities these days?
It couldn’t have been some terrible accident involving a commercial gas canister or some such – a contained reticulated gas explosion even – given it was in the foyer area?
I suppose because gas canisters don’t explode in crowds of innocent people very often and people blowing themselves up or causing attempted megadeath do occur much more frequently.
I’d guess (just a guess mind) that more gas cannisters blow up than people blowing themselves up in England.
Tend not to hear about the gas cannisters though, unless there’s significant damage or loss of life, whereas a suicide bomber inadvertently ‘kabooming’ their own flat would be major news.
If I had to choose the likelihood of this incident being between just those two possibilities (and I’m not saying there aren’t others), then I’d pick someone accidentally leaving gas running and it being sparked by someone leaving, lighting up or some such, before I’d pick someone going to a concert, waiting until it finishes and then blowing themselves up on the way out.
But hell, I don’t even know if a source of gas was in the building…
So many regs around gas bottles all trying to keep them safe and it isn’t a Hollywood movie.
..it isn’t a Hollywood movie
This we agree on. And even though they usually aren’t up to the hype that accompanies them, at least the hype makes sense in terms of marketing.
The first media reports I saw said explosion not terrorism.
And on the reaction of authorities (which is what I was referring to), the police issued statements saying terrorism unless proved otherwise – and apart from Jeremy Corbyn and Andy Burnham (Manchester Mayor), as far as I’ve seen, all politicians are going with some form of terrorism/attack
Same for this morning’s front pages in the UK.
edit – just seen that police are reporting confirmation of a dead person and an IED. So…ID and motive of said person…?
yes, I’m in agreement with you generally on the PR and media handling.
The thing that interests me is that if the intent of terrorists is to terrorise, why the countries being attacked don’t develop strategies for lessening terror in their people, *whatever the event that’s just taken place. I can only surmise that people in charge are stupid enough to believe they can win and so aren’t too worried about upping the ante.
Way I look at it, it serves both sides.
We’re just the meat in the sandwich to be chewed up. Do “our betters” think they can win? Or are they content to have never ending tension they can use in ways that bolsters their own position?
A frightened population is a population that’s easier to contain and control.
A frightened population is a population that’s easier for populists to manipulate and control. FIFY
Hardly a recipe for containment or stability, as the current situation in the USA surely demonstrates.
People that do things like this – there are no words I can think of to describe the evil.
May they rot in hell.
I think they’re evil too. I also think governments like the US that bomb civilians are likewise evil. It’s not rocket science to figure out what is going on.
WOW.
We’re talking about the same death cult which had one of it’s sex-starved useful idiots drive a truck down a street full of civvies in Stockholm killing kids and even managing to pancake someone’s pet dog which was with them at the time. Just which vast swathes of the middle east or other Islamic lands did Sweden ever bomb, colonise, or otherwise victimise to deserve such activity?
I’m not exactly Jack W Parsons, so my rocket science is not good, but to suggest that civilians killed during American bombings are adequate cause to inspire someone to suicide bomb kids in Manchester or run children and pets over in Stockholm sounds to me not to be rocket science, but the beginnings of Dhimmitude.
They’re building a global fucking Caliphate – they’ve said as much. Why not just take them at their word? Mohammed began his first war of conquest centuries before the USA was a nation-state, and these guys believe that they are just finishing what he started. They’ve said as much many a time, so why not believe them? I would assert that this is what a rocket scientist would probably do.
“but to suggest that civilians killed during American bombings are adequate cause to inspire someone to suicide bomb kids”
I didn’t say that. Those are your ideas not mine.
Alright, I’ll take you at your word. What did you mean when you said, “It’s not rocket science to figure out what is going on.”?
You treat people like shit long enough and bad enough they will act like shit or use it as an excuse to act like shit. It’s not saying it’s a valid excuse or ‘adequate’ cause. But then bombing kids for oil isn’t adequate cause either.
I also think that there is a mix of pretty repugnant ideology mixed in with treating people badly mixed in with poverty and disenfranchisement. Drop bombs on them and see what happens. I’m not talking what’s right, I’m talking how violence dynamics play out.
Ok, that’s …. so wrong I’m kind of stunned. I cited the example of Sweden, for instance. If your comment accurately represents ‘how the violence dynamics play out’, then how did Sweden, which is not a member of NATO, has never colonised any part of the Islamic world, and has welcomed an unbelievable amount of refugees & treated them excellently, end up with children and animals, not to mention civilian adults – run down by a jihadist in a truck? This appears to be in contrast to these violence dynamics and then some. Let’s add Denmark while we’re at it. Again, not a former colonial power, very benign foreign policy traditions and very generous in its welcoming of refugees from the middle east. How did this ‘violence dynamic’ come to see terrorism and extremism on their streets?
I seem increasingly offside with other leftists for saying this is nonsese. Ascribing this kind of childish moral simplicity to grown adults. For this ‘violence dynamic’ to be true, we’d have to believe that these people have incredibly poor critical thinking skills or moral depth. Do you believe that? That they aren’t capable of forming complex moral judgments? I think my explanation makes far more sense, because it conforms to the historical and cultural record.
Their beliefs stem from an historic sense of mission. It is a response to religious texts, not other people’s actions. Their prophet took a small band of outcasts and brigands to war and created a vast empire. He died having impressed upon them that this empire should one day rule the world, and it was their duty to see that done. And so these extremists take that to be their duty. Their propaganda and pronouncements make this clear, so why invent theories about ‘violence dynamics’ instead of just believing what they say?
It’s plain from their own clearly expressed views that how ‘the west’ chooses to act or has done in the past has the square root of fuck all to do with it – they have a very clearly articulated objective, and they think you and I are filth which needs to be cleansed for the world regardless of how we act towards them. We’re dhimmi, or we’re dead. Those are the only options they have for us.
All that happened was that I said something very briefly. You reacted as if I said something I didn’t. I pointed that out. I haven’t read the rest of your comments because you appear to be arguing with someone who isn’t me. When you get off your high horse I’ll be happy to tell you what I think and you can argue with that if you like. For all I know, you have just as valid a view as me. But if you want to keep arguing with yourself, can you please stop using the reply button to me, thanks.
I welcome anything you have to say which may make clear what I had wrong about your statement, and welcome further debate. But I find the apparent victimhood narrative at odds with the history of political Islam and the extremists who promote it. I will always strongly assert that American bombing, as counter productive as it may be towards the objective which can only be accomplished by ground forces, has not one iota to do with the motivations or objectives of Salafism and its adherents.
I think the reason those movements have gained the momentum they have is because of the sympathy they have gained from people who are sick of Western interventions in the Middle East. It’s not that US bombing civilians causes Islamic fundamentalism, it’s that it throws fuel on that fire.
I don’t see Islamic fundamentalists as victims, if that’s what you meant. I really think you are misconstruing my view.
I also think you are being too reductionist with my point. I’m not talking cause and effect in the way you appear to be. Nor fairness or validity of action. But I see Bush, Tr*mp, Bannon, all that lot, as fundamentalists too, just with bigger guns. That was my original point. Two sides at war, both doing evil things. The West likes to pretend that it’s got the moral high ground, but it really doesn’t.
Whereas captured Iraqi daesh report that their motivation was the chaos of civil war, and the GCHQ says that British jihadis are motivated by the racism they experience.
When people are looking for a hateful ideology to justify their vengeance fantasies, they will find one, or how else do you explain the Sensible Sentencing Trust?
The point being that they have to be motivated to hate to put on the ideology in the first place. Losing family members to war can do that.
“I think the reason those movements have gained the momentum they have is because of the sympathy they have gained from people who are sick of Western interventions in the Middle East”
And that is very effective propaganda for them to utilise towards westerners, I agree – but is it really all that true? It caters to our leftist sense of justice, and adds that sense of victimhood which plays on our rightly held belief in justice for the underdog. But are they really any kind of underdog? They believe in fulfilling prophecy. And the prophecy which was bequeathed to them has nothing good in store for you or I.
Even the most dull witted, jingoistic American conservative who wants the rest of the world to bend the knee to the USA and marvel at its power doesn’t want to actually physically rule it – they just want that unchallenged hegemony. I don’t like it, and I look forward to a multipolar world where the USA and the EU can get in among the BRICS and play nice. And a few trillion more debt will probably see that day come. Take the ‘oil war’ thesis; I believed it once myself, and who knows it may have been the objective. Personally I think the Saudis played them for suckers. You know that US oil companies did not end up winning the contracts in Iraq?
In the meantime, political Islam will only ever stop for a breather, to weigh its options and assess the field of combat. Their prophecy will always be there, and will always be the lens through which they view the world. Nobody else can conduct themselves in a way which will make them any more agreeable, or any less of a target for occupation and the choice of dhimmitude or conversion.
“They believe in fulfilling prophecy”
You lost me at that bit. Sorry, but references to a whole geographical region of people believing the same thing strikes me as far more ideology than can be debated.
‘“They believe in fulfilling prophecy”
You lost me at that bit. Sorry, but references to a whole geographical region of people believing the same thing strikes me as far more ideology than can be debated.’
You deny that ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups (and those motivated by their propaganda) cite prophecy to justify and inspire their activities?
Im not even going to get into this with you.
They are still pulling bodies out – Lets just agree that this is done by the lowest of people and leave politics out of it for the meantime.
Suicide bombings (assuming that is what it is) are political. We’re well past the point of being polite about it. If this had happened in NZ, I would agree we would need more tact. But it’s now routine and I’m sick of the whole white people getting bombed by black people needs special treatment when we don’t do that the other way round. All of it is political including your original comment.
There are White fascists deliberately massacring the largest number of innocent Black people they can manage? I guess there was Dylann Roof, but his crime was a multi-day media festival just like the various Muslim fascist ones, so the “special treatment” isn’t obvious.
Breivik was pissed about multiculturalism, wasn’t he?
Yeah, but he also got massive media coverage. And it was Whitey shooting Whitey, so possibly doesn’t fit weka’s “special treatment” description.
I already said upthread. I think al Qaeda or whoever are evil and so is the US govt or whoever.
Who is killing children? It is not just the ‘terrorists’.
We know approximately how many people our bombs etc are killing, many of who are children.
I doubt that ‘our side’ loses more than one in a thousand of the numbers we kill, and laugh off as collateral damage.
We are not innocent, in fact we are depraved simply by the condoning of drone warfare, let all alone all the cluster bombs and depleted uranium etc. being used, and the ever mounting weapon sales to both sides.
As much as it is tragic and shocking we should not be surprised at what lengths people will go to for revenge against us.
This.
Thanks garibaldi.
…we are depraved simply by the condoning of drone warfare…
…and if the use of drones turns out, as some say, to reduce the number of civilian casualties? Which would certainly fit with Pinker’s findings – cf: The Better Angels Of Our Nature.
What you and Weka are saying about the dynamics of violence is absolutely right, and obviously the best outcome is that all live in peace.
How’s that going to work with eg: Vladimir Putin or the People’s Central Committee, and their ambitions, or a criminal centre-right dictator like Pinochet? Or areas ruled by the equivalent of the Westboro Baptist Death Cult?
The USA and their proxies are a long way off Sun Tzu’s humanitarian ethics; that doesn’t mean that democracy isn’t worth defending.
Quite. But itt’s not like the rest of the West is actually more moral than the US. If it were, then we’d have a UN that did the right things, including standing up to the US. As far as I can tell everyone still wants to hold onto their privilege, including economically. I’m probably basically pacifist, but also pragmatic. If we do have to kill people can we at least be honest about our reasons instead of pretending we are the Good Guys. That doesn’t mean we are devoid of goodness, on the contrary, it’s our belief that our good acts make us the good guys that is the problem.
I suppose what I am saying is that I can’t do much about what people in the Middle East are doing. But I can challenge hypocrisy and warmongering on my own side of the world. I’m not saying we should do nothing.
…we’d have a UN that did the right things…
The USA and Russia/USSR are the worst offenders by a considerable margin.
By contrast, Labour and the Greens have a policy of sticking to UN resolutions. So NZ’s record is patchy, because the National Party drags us down as usual. Even so, we have a better record than the US.
I like to think that’s in part because people do something.
National Party guaranteed to bring us down every time. And the people that vote for them. We’d do so much better if we got rid of half the country 😉
“I like to think that’s in part because people do something.”
Yes, but do you think that we are better than other places e.g. the US, or that we just have a different set of circumstances that allows us to do better? It’s hard to imagine any US president that wouldn’t bomb other countries or enable the a fucked up foreign policy.
James I don’t find your type of comments compassionate, more inflammatory and reactionary. They lead to bullshit like Bush invading Afghanistan or our troops shooting up a village in the Tiguran valley.
The Manchester bombing will no doubt be very bad for Labour, maybe even the end of their steady rise in the polls?
Reuters reports British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives will suspend campaigning for the national election on June 8.
“A Tory (Conservative) source speaking to the Press Association (news agency) said that the Prime Minister’s general election campaign was being suspended,” Sky News said.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/331368/live-blog-19-dead-50-injured-in-manchester-explosion
Suspended, not cancelled. Lib Dems have pulled some scheduled Malta visit too.
Wonder if May could be stupid enough to try rolling the suspension out for a bit and claim that any campaigning by others was insensitive and what not.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Cosby’s ‘focus grouping’ that one as we speak. 👿
Yes. What’s the appropriate length of time to suspend campaigning and how can we best use it to our advantage.
Unbelievably bad timing.
A bit like tha Madrid train bombings. Definitely wanting to skew the election, but who knows which way…
“Definitely wanting to skew the election, but who knows which way…”
I dont think we can say what they definitely wanted. Anybody who would do this in unhinged – God knows what goes thru their mind.
Well, if it’s an intentional attack (which seems most likely), the perpetrator(s) might well be irrational. That doesn’t mean they didn’t have a plan. Two or three weeks out from an election? Chances are that’s more than just coincidence.
And the ones that carried it out aren’t necessarily the planners either.
Why does it have to be anyone trying to skew anything? Why (for the time being) isn’t it being treated as an unexplained explosion that’s being investigated? Why this immediate jumping to “terrorist” conclusions, as though there are no other feasible explanations?
Nothing ruled out and nothing ruled in would be an appropriate position for authorities to be adopting right now instead of this “terrorism until we know different” approach by police.
If it turns out to have been a gas main that went “bang” just as a concert was emptying out, I’ll stand corrected.
And the reason police go “terrorism until we know different” is because gas mains and suchlike don’t have a habit of attacking several locations at the same time, and yet terrorists do – e.g. the November 2015 Paris attacks.
And another example: the July 2014 terror unleashed on Gaza….
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/08/israel-attacks-gaza-town-war-crime-20148109292997298.html
an example of what? Your desire to rant about Israel at the most random moments?
So to criticize Israeli terror is to “rant”, is it? What do we call your hyperventilation about the far less lethal Manchester bombing?
And, just tell us will you: how is it “random” to mention Israel when terror is a topic under discussion?
DNFTT.
“Timely”.
“Relevant to current events”.
Hopefully “respectful”.
Maybe even, on a good day, “erudite”.
Thanks for asking.
But I would be disappointed if any of these terms applied to my comments:
“delusional”
“monomaniacal”
“irrelevant”
“idiotic”
“callous”
You’re trying to be clever again. Not a good move, my friend.
I ain’t your friend.
There was or has been more than one explosion?
Don’t believe so in this instance.
Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I meant that if they treated it as a gas main and it turned out to be a coordinated attack, more people would die than if they initially treat it as an attack, correctly or incorrectly as it turns out.
Not quite sure of the logic there McFlock.
If there’s a plan to hit (say) a football match and a concert, then a suicide bomber at a football match is probably going to detonate themselves if an evacuation order is given due to an explosion at the concert, no?
On the other hand, promoting panic could lead to a stampede at the football match when there was no reason to evacuate.
Anyway. it’s been (how many hours now?) so I think we can discount the ‘co-ordinated attack’ theory. That doesn’t mean I’m saying that the incident at the concert definitely isn’t the result of a willful act – just to be clear.
I can’t see how the police and other authorities can do anything other than treat a lethal explosion that is obviously not a gas leak etc as terrorism, for the reasons that McFlock explains. The media on the other hand…
Obviously? Why is it obviously not a gas leak or etc?
I have no idea what happened. What I meant was that the people actually there doing the investigating, when they understand prelimarily that it’s not a gas leak etc it makes sense for them to err on the side of caution and think terrorism. Can’t think of too many other options. I guess old WW2 bomb, something like that. If you think that the police on the ground are making inaccurate assessments I’d be interested to hear that (I’m sure it’s possible).
I think what the media do is a different thing. Probably what the police tell the media too.
e.g. I seem to remember last time (the guy driving the car into people), there was a really stupid senior police person saying a whole lot of daft stuff in public.
Ok, so assuming they don’t do an OJ-style evacuation, an orderly evacuation would be much safer than a chaotic one.
But even without an evacuation, responding to it as a possible coordinated attack mobilises more cops to public areas, arms them, and could create different casualty handling or fire-fighter logistics. As opposed to assuming that it’s one event and more places are undefended and less emergency services are prepared.
So even if it wasn’t a coordinated attack this time, it was still right to respond to it as such.
Now that I’d go with (if I’m picking you up right). Discreet preparedness.
So no arm wavy bullshit about terrorism setting off media and the population in general.
It was easy to immediately identify the probable cause of the explosion as terrorism. As is often the case, the charge was loaded with items of hardware. The floor, walls and victims around the explosion would of been peppered with nails etc.
Presumably having a less liberal society is an ideal.
A commenter said:
“Anybody who would do this in unhinged” – (unhinged means insane?)
“May they rot in hell.” – May they (insane person) rot in hell.
Hmmm… Is that what was meant?
A lot of people are justifiably upset Robert – not surprising they’d write daft things on a blog.
A lot of people are justifiably upset…
Correction: A lot of people are selectively upset. The likes of James have said little or nothing about the far more numerous daily killings in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria.
DNFTT
Im sorry – I have personal ties to Manchester and it does upset me – I will never applogise for that.
If you find that insincere because Im not upset by the daily carnage in places I have never been, know nobody, and have no linkage to – then, well, to hell with you.
I have close personal ties to Manchester too. That doesn’t mean I lose all perspective though.
I guess it’s that, “They’re killers! Kill them!” thing that gets me. Even worse,
“They’re insane! Punish them for eternity!” that leaves me flabbergasted.
Robert – You follow me around this blog like a smell.
Normally I do not mind. You amuse me.
But even for you – running around trying to ‘score points’ on a subject like this when, kids are targeted to be killed in in the name of “who knows what” is pathetic.
I hope this kind of tragedy never impacts on your or your families life. But of it ever does I hope that pathetic little men dont go running around trying to get some personal satisfaction from it.
James, what have you got to say about the killing of kids by New Zealand troops in Afghanistan? I can’t find your expressions of outrage; maybe you were busy at the time of the release of Nicky Hager and John Stephenson’s book?
Go back and read my comments in there if you are so interested.
He said he doesn’t care.
james is hot and cold.- A swinging voter. Better on my side, than over there, we need all the votes we can get.
James’ll never vote Left – he’s hard-boiled ACT, in my estimation, but just in case you’re correct, I’ll give him some more
roperoom to express himself.Robert. 16 weeks to go. Every vote counts. james = 2 votes, not just one. One for Vs one against= two.
James? Can you give us some commitment, some assurance?
Vote national. And donate regularly.
Gotta keep those coffers full! Gotta pay the Bill’s. God, Key’s leaving must have burned! What a scamperer he turned out to be! In any case, Bill’s National’s a good choice for you; Bill doesn’t care about the Afghan villagers either.
Go back and read my comments in there if you are so interested.
Aw, I was hoping you’d go with “Fuck off with your false equivalence, Morrissey…”
Hypocrisy Watch: Samantha Power
http://normanfinkelstein.com/2017/05/21/obama-would-never-do-something-like-that/
DNFTT.
Fool, you haven’t got the chops to argue coherently. Why are you here?
This, so many times.
gotta let them know their place in life.
yep, this one was somewhat gendered terrorism.
Probing seven promising worlds with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
And three of them appear to be in the liquid water zone so this is a pretty good candidate to try and detect life on exo-planets.
heh – now who was I listening to the other day pointing out that this planet, if it didn’t have the moon, would rotate at such a rate that there would be two hours of daylight…
And adding that if Jupiter(?) didn’t have the type of orbit it does, we’d be flung into outer space or into the sun…
Then there was the bit about a possible land/water ratio being required to set up necessary initial conditions for life…
Wonder where they get that idea from.
You think it’s not the case?
I guess they get the idea from astro-physics which would claim to show that the moon acts as a ‘brake’ on the earths rate of rotation.
edit – seems the precise size of the Pacific Basin has quite an impact 😉 …
http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/physics/37-our-solar-system/the-moon/the-moon-and-the-earth/147-the-moon-slows-the-earth-s-rotation-but-how-fast-was-it-spinning-billions-of-years-ago-intermediate
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/review/dr-marc-earth/earth-rotation.html
There is No Planet B…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_B
Views for and against privatising Auckland’s port: https://thespinoff.co.nz/tag/storm-in-the-port/
Quite different tone and credibility there.