It is appalling that the members of the RWC choirs have not been given the seats they were promised. At one ground at least they were offered a TV set in a changing room!! Some have travelled many miles for rehearsals. No pay but the understanding they would see the games they sang for. The choirs have been one of the real success stories of the RWC. How mean spirited can you get.
RWC can spin this however they like, its disgusting behaviour! Mr Sneddon do you think NZ will not care? You and your friends can make the story travel and watch the RWC ‘discover’ some tickets for the final four matches. Maybe a few of the hundreds of free VIP troughers will donate their tickets. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10753746
Yes there are bigger problems out there, but this is NZ. This is not how we do things here. Remember NZ is a Nation that cares, supposedly, about more than the mighty dollar. The Herald has comments turned off and Stuff has not even posted the article. It is up to Kiwis to show this sucks. Hassle everybody you know with this story until the Choirs get tickets
I would like to help organise an event to express outrage: a ‘flag-burning’ or ‘logo’ burning event at a city centre, with many others in attendance, preferably preceded by a march.
Can someone suggest what should be burnt? Can there be others holding similar events at the same time, eg tomorrow or Sunday lunchtime, in other city centres around the country?
Can someone suggest the social or community groups that would join in?
Media should be invited to cover the event and also we should organise our own videotaping to be Youtubed. There would be lots of international media around at the moment and some should be encouraged to cover the event.
RWC bunting seems the obvious choice. There is enough of it around.
May i offer a word of caution:
NOT NZ FLAGS ! NOT AB’s FLAGS !
this is a RWC decision NOT an All Blacks decision.
You will notice there are no comments from any players, that said, there are also no comments from Sneddon and the other the chief troughers either. Care to comment Mr Key ??? Care to stick your hand into your very deep pockets and pay for the tickets yourself. ???
Your donation would be a sure winner đ
The choir has been a huge success and the NZRFU has again shown itself to be totally incompetent from a PR viewpoint.
Certainly justifies a protest but flag burning goes too far. There must be something appropriate – a good bit or sarcastic humour would go a long way here. NZRFU have less sense of humour than the Labour Party (and that’s saying something)
@Jim Nald
Saturday Sept 24th is set aside as Moving Planet Day so let the IRB protest go, they have turned rugby into a gladiatorial game, spectacle, money-maker, business cash cow ( they want – I read that they aren’t happy with the dosh they’ve got from us) so suck it up.
Moving Planet events are all around the country such as Nelson where advert says there will be a mini festival at the Cathedral Steps 11am – 2pm.
I clicked the map on below link and found that red and black circles would bloom and fade, so can’t say just how and where all events are but sounds a good start. And a good follow up to the Polly Higgins thinking. http://www.moving-planet.org/
I still think that the fact that the lions share of the games are on pay TV, with us plebs having to put up with ad ridden delayed coverage for the most of the games, is a scandal in itself. The sgmes should have been live on free-to-air TV.
Sad day for music and those that like a tipple.
REM calling it a day, faded commercially but still put out great work over 30 years with no dip in quality.
SAB Millers final capture of Fosters will be interesting and much like Lion Nathan a national Icon goes to foreign ownership and the quality of the product IMO will decline further as the brands are made everywhere……taste imported Stella/Becks alongside the local brewed stuff.
Friday and the weather is good for the week end….the thought occurs to de mothball the bicycle as the weather warms. The joyous dream of meandering through the back blocks away from the noise and life threatening rush of trucks and cars, to hear the bird song as leisurely progress is made. Time passing slowly enough to behold in passing the ripple of grass on the breeze, to hear the rush of the stream as you float by on the bike.
Hey Jokey, where the f*** is the promised cycleway????????????????
Bloody hell, with Jokeys level and speed of investment that means the median line will fade out of existence …wont even be able to relabel that as cycleway.
Good to see the Hamilton City Council has its piroites right. Slashing and burning funding for community services, talking about selling assets (behind closed doors too!), and proabably cutting funding for community assets like libraries and parks, etc. All while sparing elderly homeowners rate increases (who benefited from councils who built up services, not tore them down).
The Tea Party wannabes who infest our councils need to be reined in before there are no parks, no libaries, no nothing.
Aye Millsy. Unfortunately at Local Government level you get tories who are just as doctrinaire and their central equivalents but lack the ability to even understand at a base level what damage these sorts of cuts cause.
The People’s republic of Auckland stands out as a beacon of hope and sanity in the wilderness that it Local Government! Â Now if only we could get the Government to agree to the inner city loop …
Yet they have no problem saddling their ratepayers with the cost of the new velodrome. A building that come hell-or-higth-water SPARC was going to build as close to Auckland as possible, even though areas like Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu had fully funded options on the table. Its a bloody disgrace.
Cycling is the future, roaring petrol racers are not. People who argue against
the vello should be fined if they don’t add to the list the V8 and the rugby
stadium to their ire.
personally, the problem isn’t the infrastructure spend, its the perplexing
lack of connecting up the facilities. why have we never had a
train bringing supporters from Auckland to the conference
center, or students to the the university, or any of the other
big build up.
The best thing that could happen to Hamilton is for the V8 to end.
A velodrome being built on the grounds of a very expensive private school no less. I too am a cyclist and was involved in the early discussions around the centre of excellence – making this a Waikato BOP initiative was and still is a joke!
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BTW it was Waikato REGIONAL council who voted this through.
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The fact that Rotorua had everything that was on the criteria (Mountian Biking, BMX track, experience of hosting international events, an academy of sport, extensive road network) – the only thing it didn’t have was a covered velodrome – seems to be have been lost in the fact that it isn’t Tauranga (God’s waiting room) or Hamilton (Bogun central).
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Money talks, RDC don’t have any, but Waikato does – game over.
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If only they DID have the money though, Ian. How the fuck do you bid for, and win a contract like that where evidence of funding in place was a requirement, and then go bleating to the councils for funding later?
This whole velodrome decision by WRC has been a complete farce and is a sad day for democracy. The decision to proceed was made despite the fact that it is not core business and 60% of 7000 submitters were against and 40% for. (Incidentally, children were also submitters even although they are not ratepayers nor have voting rights). There were also three independent reports commissioned by WRC from professionals which had red flags all over them. They advised this facility should not be expected to make a profit. This has been touted as a NATIONAL facility and is no place for ratepayer funds. The question still remains as to who is going to pay the ongoing costs of maintenance and upgrading in the future. Guess who – the bottomless pit called the ratepayer!
I have to say that Brownlee came across well last night when questioned on Red Zoning. He put the case clearly and firmly together with points here and there in support.
But what he didn’t offer, and what wasn’t questioned, was the issue not of whether any land is rightly zoned red, but why the people have been turfed out with nowhere to go. Why they have been thrown to the lion’s den of the “marketplace”. Why a land swap or similar was not put up. Why the govt doesn’t care about the elderly and the pensioners and the incapacitated being thrown onto the street.
“Why the govt doesn’t care about the elderly and the pensioners and the incapacitated being thrown onto the street.”
You just have to look at the new HNZ policy effective since 1 July to be alarmed at how serious housing in NZ has become. Incapacitated people and pensioners are not even qualifying for HNZ assistance in spite of Heatley claiming that vulnerable people will be looked after. I consider this to be the biggest lie from the current government.
Council housing lists are growing longer as people on NZ super or the invalid benefit do not quailfy for housing due to the formula HNZ use. Basically the main benefit rate is taken into consideration and the accommodation supplement which a person would be entitled to, then the bottom end of the scale of housing in your area is calculated. If there is a shortfall between total applicant outgoings and applicant total income you are given a 3 or 4.
An example of a single person on the invalids benefit who lives in a provincial city.
Main invalid benefit $251.00 (cents not included).
One bedroom flat $150.00
Accommodation supplement entitlement $61.00. (Max AS is $65.00 for the area).
Other ongoing costs are included, basically a person has to have a shortfall and I am not sure by how much. I think the main benefit for a person on NZ super is $309.00. Someone on the unemployment or on sickness gets a little over $200.00 on a main benefit and their chance of scoring a 3 or 4 is higher than a person on NZ super or the invalid benefit. (I will repost with the correct main benefit figures).
There is a health section like the income section. A person on NZ super or the invalid benefit has a greater chance of scoring a 3 or 4 compared to a person on the unemployment benefit or the sickness benefit.
I am not sure how many 3s or 4s a person has to have, it would not surprise me if the minimum was at least two because I just scrape in with two 3s (income and health).
Being homeless or having to vacate in 60 days or less is also taken into consideration and a person also has to look at alternative accommodation e.g. private rental.
Millsy is bang on when she says that ghettos are being created in NZ.
To remedy the housing problem there needs to be a MASSIVE government building programme and/or the accommodation supplement to be increased so that no one pays more than 25% of their income on housing each week.
Weekly main benefit rates for a single person:
Unemployment or sickness age over 25 $201.40
Invalid age 18+ $251.73
NZ super single living alone $339.92
I am not sure how many 3s or 4s a person has to have, it would not surprise me if the minimum was at least two because I just scrape in with two 3s (income and health).
I am therefore incredibly lucky to have got this dump 15 years or so back, when I was on DPB with a 6 year old, and were in the having to vacate in 60 days category. By the looks, with DPB + 1, we would not qualify now. This is making me wonder actually, because apparently, having applied for a transfer means I am considered a new applicant… or am I wrong?
They’ll probably turf you out soon Vicky, being a single woman with no dependants and all.
I’d watch out for that eviction notice due when National win the election. I have it from good sources that a whole bunch are being printed up and will be served the Monday after the election..
Theyâll probably turf you out soon Vicky, being a single woman with no dependants and all.
Wow, I really find your joyous tone about that a bit unseemly… I am on an unemployment benefit, so they might give me a pass, but even if they do kick me out, I find it difficult to care! Why are you so certain that NACT will win the election? I suppose you think that because of my being a “god-botherer”, that I voted or will vote for them… but that’s simply you jumping to an unwarranted conclusion. I would rather die than vote for the Right. Noto bene – I have not always been a single woman (either by the previous definiton of single = not married) or the current one (not currently shagging anyone. Given your bitchy remarks on the other post, I feel the need to point that out.)
My tone is most certainly not joyous. Please dont accuse me of such. In fact, if I had my way, you would be in your house for the rest of your days. Along with every other state house tenant. In fact, I would quadruple the number of state housing and push the slumlords out of the market.
And I don’t assume that you would vote for NACT. I am aware of your left credentials.
I just know what NACT are capable of, thats all. And from what I see, they are going to carry out some serious carnage. No one is going to be safe. And I am convinced, that after the election, they will begin the biggest state house eviction program in this country’s history.
Vicky in 5.2 I gave an example of the formula HNZ use. A person on the unemployment or sickness benefit is better off than a person on the invalids benefit when it comes to scoring at least a 3 because of the level of main benefit. Please do not draw conclusions from what I have said about the minimum of two 3s even though this applies to me.
Please also note that I state that a massive housing programme is required and/or that the accommodation supplement needs to be topped up so that no one pays more than 25% of their income in rent.
The new HNZ rental criteria is brutal and the community housing will also shrink the stock. Their needs to be an independent advocate available for current HNZ tenants and a appeal process other than the tenancy tribunal. A friend of mine is faced with being turfed out of a HNZ home even though market rental is paid for the home they live in. HNZ are hypocrits as they also must look at a person requiring housing in 60 days.
The government is heartless when it comes to housing the most vulnerable. The government cannot even address rheumatic fever in this country (a third world disease) brought on by over crowding and no doubt the lack of a nutrious diet.
Maybe all the people on NZ super not making the HNZ criteria need to be wheeled up to parliament as the numbers will grow by the week as single not sharing NZ super main benefit rate is $339.92 and single NZ super sharing is $313.00 (cents not included). Heatley is a non visionary as far as I am concerned because it is homes that people need and not the competitive divisive situation which he has thrust apon the most vulnerable.
The new HNZ rental criteria is brutal and the community housing will also shrink the stock. Their needs to be an independent advocate available for current HNZ tenants and a appeal process other than the tenancy tribunal. A friend of mine is faced with being turfed out of a HNZ home even though market rental is paid for the home they live in. HNZ are hypocrits as they also must look at a person requiring housing in 60 days.
Maybe all the people on NZ super not making the HNZ criteria need to be wheeled up to parliament as the numbers will grow by the week as single not sharing NZ super main benefit rate is $339.92 and single NZ super sharing is $313.00 (cents not included). Heatley is a non visionary as far as I am concerned because it is homes that people need and not the competitive divisive situation which he has thrust apon the most vulnerable.
He doesn’t seem to like any political party though, which isn’t very helpful to those who still hope that voting will make a difference, or simply believe that we must try to engage with the political system even as we work on other solutions such as permaculture and sustainable communities.
Perhaps AFKTT should start his own party, or maybe he has already – I certainly feel that there would be a place for his views on our political spectrum.
Where is the astonishing personal attack? Mallard’s post seemed pretty reasonable to me and it comes as a hell of a surprise that it turns out that Edwards is on David Farrar’s payroll. No wonder Edwards is constantly sniping at Labour, eh.
HS you, and the supposedly ‘outraged’ others have consistently chosen to ignore the point I was raising – the inappropriateness of of the butchers electioneering on taxpayer funded tv ‘news’ Now he is joined by Richardhead of the year contender Matthew Ridge who I hope drowns in his carwash for breaching election rules – LOL –
There – now you have something new to be ‘outraged’ about.
Notice: to all celebraties planning to use their ‘fame’ in an underhand manner to promote the corruption that is the National government – you will not be spared my disdain.
Personally I am a great believer in the value of the Darwin awards where people remove themselves from the gene pool. I am usually not hesitant in suggesting it as a career enhancing objective to worthy recipients when I comment.
Of course the countervailing viewpoint is that eventually people like jcw (whom the comment was made in response to) will eventually examine the actual process of civil court rather than simply relying on theoretical codswallop. Unfortunately I suspect from their writing that they gather their opinions by examining their navel from the inside (by shoving their head up their arse) and will do almost anything to avoid examining the real world. My comment was not about their opinion. My comment was about their experience and their apparent inability to understand that reality and theory are frequently different.
You have a similar problem because you are comparing a robust comment with an actual argument attached compared to the outright denigration without any argument that characterizes the sewer. In other words you don’t see actual discussion at the sewer from what I have seen. When an opposing opinion is voiced there, the usual response is to have a straight personal attacks without bothering to argue about the topic – basically what you see is schoolyard bullying. That is the reason that people outside the in-group there from the left tend not to waste time there.
Here you tend to get responses that are argument served with sarcasm. There are a few over the top comments without arguments. But as a moderator I tend to only get irritated when there is a pattern of behavior that I have to exert effort to correct.
And my suggestion is that you try a similar solution to that suggested for jcw. It appears to me that you lack the observational skills required to learn. Of course I could be wrong?
AAAwww whats wrong you spinning and spitting tacks because you got the arse from Red Alert??? Give them a real E-Mail address and they will let you in, if only just to laugh at your pathetic attempts to make mountains out of molehills.
The NZ Herald ran an article about Fonterra today that was particularly interesting. In conjunction with other recent media releases, it showed the dairy industry is getting a free ride at the taxpayer and environments expense…
When the Government can pull out all stops to ensure the success of a waterfront party you would think that they could do the same to save our most significant and internationally recognized wetland. $11.5 million is being spent to resuscitate the already dead Lake Ellesmere, why can’t they concentrate on the Waituna Lagoon while it is still living, though only just. http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/09/emergency-team-argue-while-waituna-dies.html
Dave, could not agree more. The whole thing is criminal and tragic. The mental dislocation between our personal desires and our environment is exactly as you highlight, we head for a Darwin Award as a species.
New owners of the Phoenix football team to be announced shortly!!
A few more tears at the Pike River hearings, the police and now Peter Whittel. And we have no doubt cried at some of the crap we have been hearing – report assessed unsatisfactory because of a spelling mistake etc. It seems like the police want to operate like USA drone operators – sitting behind a desk in Wellington or away from the scene of the tragedy directing the action or non-action whichever seems the safest to the distant generals directing the war.
I was getting very pissed off with people praising Sereipesos for spending on the Phoenix, saving their commercial bacon, being the dude whilst all the while the tax he owed was not paid. Then I thought perhaps I should say fuck it to my fellow taxpayer, you losers pay taxes whilst I buy a soccer team and live the dream. Terry, with revelatory poser, me too me too…..
For some reason it wouldn’t let me delete those two test posts above. I was trying to test Strikethrough, which doesn’t seem to work.
Anyway, looks like Key is spilling the beans on his private talk with Obama?
”But if you think about the global financial crisis that has taken place, that has been a very significant event and remains a very significant event in Europe and the United States. Just to give you a bit of perspective of what that means in the US – their numbers are just dire. Their unemployment rate is 9.2 per cent officially but even the president told me their unofficial unemployment rate is about 14 or 15 per cent. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5674399/New-Zealand-will-survive-with-Asias-helpÂ
[lprent: Removed. I’ll have a look at the trasher. Strikethrough is meant to be useable – could be an wordpress update has broken my patch. ]
Kiwis First! (except if your industry is the arts, film or tv)
“Immigration changes support screen and entertainment industries” (bahahahahaha)
Press Release by New Zealand Government at 2:50 pm, 22 Sep 2011
Changes announced today to visa processes for screen, entertainment and music industry workers will support the sector’s growth, says Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman.
The changes provide a simpler, more streamlined system for the entry of temporary entertainment industry workers into New Zealand.
”The existing policy is out-dated. It’s been in place for 20 years and the entertainment industry has grown hugely over that time,” says Dr Coleman.
Today’s changes mean workers here for 14 days or less, or workers on an international co-production, face a greatly simplified process. For longer periods of employment, such as during the making of feature films, the policy places more trust in employers who have proven their bona fides and have a track record of bringing in workers for legitimate purposes.
”The screen industry employs around 6,700 people and is worth over $2.8 billion dollars a year, with great potential for further growth. To realise that growth, we need immigration policies that ensure key workers can get here with minimal fuss so that New Zealand remains an attractive destination for productions,” says Dr Coleman.
Under current rules for screen, entertainment and music workers, all work visa applications are referred to the industry guilds and unions under a ‘silent approval’ process. This means that the guilds or unions have the right to object to an application.
”In some cases, issues with existing processes were putting offshore investment in the New Zealand screen industry at risk,” says Dr Coleman.
”Another feature of the changes is that performers here for significant music, arts or cultural festivals can come into the country on a visitor visa.
”In the past two and a half years there have been 14 applications disputed by unions or guilds out of 4800 applications for screen industry work, and the Government has ultimately granted visas in all those cases.
”In short, we are removing a redundant, bureaucratic process which only served to make New Zealand a less attractive place for the screen and entertainment industry to do business.”
The new policy will be operational from March 2012.
About two months ago I posted saying that work and income did not consider home contents as being a cost which they included in an application for a food grant. When you go to HNZ for housing assistance a green form called “Finding a private rental property” and a form called the Department of Building and Housing is given to you. The Department of Building and Housing form states “Before you move in: Purchase contents insurance that includes tenant liability.”
Interesting when it comes to one government department saying that contents insurance is essential and another government department saing the cost is not essential. I expect there are repercussions for people in Christchurch when it comes to contents and liability insurance.
SPADA used to make a mint from this process…wonder what deal their CE Borland (good friends with Arts Minister Finlayson) did to ensure they wouldn’t be hit in the pocket…
The latest edition of the Listener has an article entitled Cold Comfort, which is all about New Zealandâs high electricity prices and how they contribute to ill health. It makes for sober reading, especially when considering that the continuing trend of high electricity prices and low incomes is going to make things a lot worseâŠ
Is it any wonder with profit taking built in at all 4 deconstructed layers of the old NZEC and local power boards, with NZEC and local power boards at least that was only 2 levels and the NZEC could take a holistic view of generation and distribution up to where local distribution boards took over.
If ever there was an industry screaming to be nationalized it’s this essential service and give business certainty over supply.
The god-bothers have been let out of their cave yet again and are bursting blood vessels with the thought of dirty grubby SEX being taught in our schools.
The debate over sex education has pretty much proved that there are still a lot of Victorian-era prudes who think sex is unclean and disgusting and should only be had to make babies. Not something exciting and enjoyable that can take place in so many different forms.
And yes, it is OK as long as its consensual, those who take part are over 16, and a condom is used.
The god-bothers have been let out of their cave yet again and are bursting blood vessels with the thought of dirty grubby SEX being taught in our schools.
All I will say (all I dare say) is that if you’re referring to recent stories in the Herald, you’ve very badly missed the point! I have nothing against sex ed if it’s about teaching kids what they need to know to be safe. But from what I have read, what the “god-botherers” (us? đ ) are against, is teaching 6 year olds the mechanics. They don’t need to know – the squick factor will be enough at that age anyway.
So, Millsy, get a grip – or rather loosen your grip! You’re throttling something…
I’m not advocating teaching sex to to 6 year olds, Vicky32, but I am feeling rather uneasy at the neo-Victorian prudish backlash being conducted right now, who, as I said before want to drill it into our kids heads that sex is dirty and grubby (but not when its being paid for by a middle aged white businessman of course).
The same people want abortion and homosexuality recriminalised and divorce laws tightened. Effectively rolling back the social freedoms that people fought very hard to win against an older generation riddled with double standards – the generation of the 40’s, and 50’s were at it like rabbits.
And the NZH puts enough spin and beat up into the article to make it look like an issue when it isn’t. These days I wouldn’t read the NZH if you paid me.
Iâm not advocating teaching sex to to 6 year olds, Vicky32, but I am feeling rather uneasy at the neo-Victorian prudish backlash being conducted right now, who, as I said before want to drill it into our kids heads that sex is dirty and grubby (but not when its being paid for by a middle aged white businessman of course).
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No, not that I have read! (I am going by the stories in the Herald that I read the other day.) Apparently there’s been some spewing on talkback, but I avoid talkback.
Effectively rolling back the social freedoms that people fought very hard to win against an older generation riddled with double standards â the generation of the 40âČs, and 50âČs were at it like rabbits.
That people in the 40s and 50s were at it like wabbits is a myth… That was my parents’ generation, and no, they weren’t – at least not anywhere near what people do now! Your “social freedoms” are simply licence.
What’s the bloody big deal about young people having sex? Christ, as long as they are enjoying it who cares?
Social freedoms being a licence? WTF? I dont know about you, but I really dont think that we should be putting regulations on people having sex, just because a bunch of party poopers who read some 2000 year old translation (from Aramaic to Greek to Latin to Middle English to English) of some cruddy old scrolls written by some scribe in the scorching desert dont like people enjoying intamite relations with each other.
BTW, I used to be an anti sex prude. Then I started getting some and changed my position 100%.
Whatâs the bloody big deal about young people having sex? Christ, as long as they are enjoying it who cares?
You’re having a laugh, right? I’ll ignore your offensive language, simply because you said it in hopes of upsetting me… and simply point out some of the consequences… Teen pregnancy, STDs, broken hearts, sterility caused by abortion or the previously mentioned STDs – sterility which then leads to $$$$$ invested in (usually futile) IVF, and oh, did I mention the broken hearts? I suspect that you’re an old man (45-59), as older men often love the thought of teens banging like bunnies, and spend all their time obsessing about the “right” to f*** like rattlesnakes. Young men and women just get on with it – but crucially, they are looking for love and commitment – it takes the middle-aged and cynical to want sex without commitment for its own sake!
I know about all of these consequences – I have witnessed them in my own life and the lives of family members.Â
This is my last word on the subject – and you can blaspheme and get as offensive as you like, I am not getting sucked in – or it won’t be long before I get called “f***ing retard”, “notjob” and all the rest all over again – and it’s always about sex! Men do get very het up and abusive about sex, and I can never understand why.
Men do get very het up and abusive about sex, and I can never understand why.
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Possibly because you assume that people didn’t shag in the 40s and 50s just because nobody in your social group did, so therefore anyone with a different perspective is just acting out of depraved wishful thinking. That gets really irritating really quickly.
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Possibly because you assume that people didnât shag in the 40s and 50s just because nobody in your social group did, so therefore anyone with a different perspective is just acting out of depraved wishful thinking. That gets really irritating really quickly.
I never said people didn’t shag in the 40s and 50s, I know they did – I said that what people did then wasn’t 1/10th as much shagging as people, even teens, do now! It’s not nothing to do with my social group – which BTW was not middle or upper class… but a teensy bit of logic will tell you that people back then couldn’t shag their brains out with 10-20 ‘partners’ a year back then. There was no reliable method of contraception, and even if there had been, everyone knew everyone else’s business…
Anyone who thinks I am puritanical has a very strange definition of the word! It just seriously makes me very off-piste to see kids encouraged by older people to exploit themselves and each other.
I dont encourage kids to have sex. I just think that we need to cut them a little bit of slack and stop trying to convince them that sex is dirty and grubby, that’s all.
Not really correct Vicky. I remember reading research that said. The rate of sexual activity by young people, and the rate of teenage pregnancies, was higher in the 40’s than now.
It is us who were teenagers in the 60’s and 70’s who should really be blushing. We were like rabbits compared with today’s youth. And had higher teen pregnancy rates. Despite adults not being allowed to tell us, sex even existed, until we were 16. Probably something to do with ideas like “Coke is a contraceptive”.
I am looking for the references for you now, but no longer at Uni so no longer have free access to journals. I know some of the evidence quoted was from the NZ longitudal study.
Kids should be told that sex is best left to when they are with someone that they want to stay friends with for life, but they also need to learn how to protect themselves. And the emotional and physical pro-s and con’s.
We all make mistakes. I cringe, when I remember some of mine as a teenager.
As for sex education do you want it left to parents who believe that their 13 year old daughters should be available to the guru of their nutty religion.
Or contraceptive education to people who believe their daughters should not use it because it prevents gods punishment, of pregnancy for sexually active women.
People who were taught abstinence only have higher teen pregnancy rates, than those who have quality, age appropriate sex education.
Talking of age appropriate. I consented to my, then, 6 year old son going to religious education classes. I thought they would be pretty harmless. Only to find they were being taught about classical period methods of execution. He had night terrors about nails through his hands.
Religion has a lot to answer for!
It is us who were teenagers in the 60âČs and 70âČs who should really be blushing. We were like rabbits compared with todayâs youth. And had higher teen pregnancy rates. Despite adults not being allowed to tell us, sex even existed, until we were 16.
I have to say ‘speak for yourself!’ đ I was a teenager in the 60s/70s, and had parents who very realistic, telling us (3 girls and a boy) all about sex right from the start. Other girls I know might have gone at it like rabbits (I can’t speak for any boys) but there were few of these girls. My nerd peer group was much more interested in academic pursuits! I am not at all aware of adults not being allowed to tell is about sex – I remember sex ed at school, when I was in the 4th form (circa 13 years old)
Kids should be told that sex is best left to when they are with someone that they want to stay friends with for life, but they also need to learn how to protect themselves.
Of course, I agree.
People who were taught abstinence only have higher teen pregnancy rates, than those who have quality, age appropriate sex education.
So people say, but I have yet to see any objective proof – all the ‘studies’ I have seen have have been pubbed by such ‘neutral, unbiased’ groups as Planned Parenthood USA.
Talking of age appropriate. I consented to my, then, 6 year old son going to religious education classes. I thought they would be pretty harmless. Only to find they were being taught about classical period methods of execution. He had night terrors about nails through his hands.
Religion has a lot to answer for!
Irrelevant bigotry, and most unlikely! What RE are you talking about? There’s no such thing in state schools, and in a church school, I can assure you, RE would actually be much more nuanced – therefore, I beg leave to doubt you…
Stats NZ infoshare has tables for live births by maternal age for every calendar year since1962 (sadly not the 40s and 50s, or not that I’ve found). In raw numbers, <15 and 15-19 y.o. mother age groups has been constant if not falling. The rates, if you put them against the census population tables, would be decreasing significantly.
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The numbers across the different agegroups are quite interesting, from a general level – e.g. the 40-44 agegroup had a dramatic decline in the 70s and 80s (probably down to the pill), and is now quite high again (as women delay having children).
A rather interesting study came out a while back. It’s findings were that those people who were more liberal about sex had better and longer lasting relationships that those who were puritanical.
I’m 31, Vicky, and I dont “love the thought of teens banging like bunnies, and spend all their time obsessing about the ârightâ to f*** like rattlesnakes.”. I just think that sex is awesome, and that people should be encouraged to partake in it, without being made to feel guilty and dirty about enjoying it, and that, is what is currently happening in the Herald. People want a society where people, especially women are made to feel dirty and ashamed for enjoying sex. Plain and simple.
People go on about social engineering, but the god-botherers are the biggest social engineers out there.
The Queens’ granddaughter and the non-story in the headlines.
I suppose the whole thing could be put to rest if the blond at the centre of the story, who just happened to be an old friend, was to be seen socialising with them both in the next few days …
So over that. So what if a rugby player buried his head in a women’s chest?
This reminds of me of the frenzy over Tiger Woods because he decided to partake in the thousands of offers he got from women, which is par for the course for pro-golfers (no pun intended). Thanks to their hate, one of the greatest golfers in history has had his career destoryed.
Woods had a pattern of humiliating himself and when his wife found out about his sexual indiscretions this had consequences for her marriage. No point being married to someone who you cannot trust and who has the need to seek sexual pleasure else where or who cannot abstain when apart from you.
When it comes to sex ed class at school the class should be taped and then the parents would have a reference of what their child is being taught. I tend to ask myself what are children being sexually exposed to and what do they need to know to stay safe and who can help them when they need help?
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commissionâs 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the governmentâs official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:Â we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition  NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamarikiâs statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. âThere are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a âfirst strikeâ (that is, a âstage-1 convictionâ under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a âsecond strikeâ. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesnât normally happen in politics. Thatâs refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to âsaveâ the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Governmentâs official website – arrived in Point of Orderâs email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
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Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive  Melissa Lee â as may be discerned from the screenshot above â has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Governmentâs focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes –Â Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu â often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the governmentâs readiness to make urgent changes to âthe resource management systemâ through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes donât go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a âmedia summitâ to discuss âthe state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalismâ. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes –Â This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
 Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for âfast trackâ consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill â currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes-Â The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you arenât wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said âSince we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
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In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
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Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Te PÄti MÄori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veteransâ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veteransâ affairs spokesperson Greg OâConnor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxonâs management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonightâs court decision to overturn the summons of the Childrenâs Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about MÄori without evidence, says Te PÄti MÄori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. âThe judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last yearâs severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labourâs environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our countryâs most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a âget out of jail freeâ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te PÄti MÄori Justice Spokesperson, TÄkuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, MÄori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te PÄti MÄori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. âThis act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.â Said Te PÄti MÄori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for TÄmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te PÄti MÄori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mĆ TÄmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with MÄori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen â good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood â a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - Â It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Â Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Â Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. âOur Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealandâs hydrogen future, with the opening of the countryâs first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. âI want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealandâs own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealandâs energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. âThe report shows that New Zealandâs emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,â Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where heâll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Governmentâs work to restore law and order. âAttending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealandâs human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the worldâs largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. âThe reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealandâs wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin  NgÄ mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho  Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.  I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. âOur Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealandâs overseas missions.  âOur diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealandâs interests around the world,â Mr Peters says.  âI am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. Â âOver 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. âIt is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. âOur coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
âChina remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,â Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
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A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.  âThe Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
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The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĆ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĆ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĆ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
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The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealandâs latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. âOur Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. âNew Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Todayâs announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Governmentâs plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. âInflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sectorâs role in the export-led recovery of the economy. âI am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
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Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minuteâs silence to mark the âblood debtâ owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. âA promise to most people is a promise,â Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an âadministrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the countryâs major TV network of broadcasting âpropagandaâ backing Israelâs genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
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A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peaceâs new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a womanâs hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
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Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao MÄori and remove many specialist MÄori roles. ...
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The sector says itâs hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
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FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
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ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
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Amanda Thompson doesnât really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didnât really want to, because of a war they didnât ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
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It is appalling that the members of the RWC choirs have not been given the seats they were promised. At one ground at least they were offered a TV set in a changing room!! Some have travelled many miles for rehearsals. No pay but the understanding they would see the games they sang for. The choirs have been one of the real success stories of the RWC. How mean spirited can you get.
Workers used and abused, usual story under a corporatocracy like international rugby is now.
(shows the strength of big “unions”, doesn’t it?)
RWC can spin this however they like, its disgusting behaviour! Mr Sneddon do you think NZ will not care? You and your friends can make the story travel and watch the RWC ‘discover’ some tickets for the final four matches. Maybe a few of the hundreds of free VIP troughers will donate their tickets.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10753746
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/top/85915/rugby-world-cup-final-tickets-up-for-grabs
Hundreds of tickets to the Rugby World Cup final have been returned by Corporate and Hospitality groups
So give them to the Choirs seems obvious really!
Yes there are bigger problems out there, but this is NZ. This is not how we do things here. Remember NZ is a Nation that cares, supposedly, about more than the mighty dollar. The Herald has comments turned off and Stuff has not even posted the article. It is up to Kiwis to show this sucks. Hassle everybody you know with this story until the Choirs get tickets
I would like to help organise an event to express outrage: a ‘flag-burning’ or ‘logo’ burning event at a city centre, with many others in attendance, preferably preceded by a march.
Can someone suggest what should be burnt? Can there be others holding similar events at the same time, eg tomorrow or Sunday lunchtime, in other city centres around the country?
Can someone suggest the social or community groups that would join in?
Media should be invited to cover the event and also we should organise our own videotaping to be Youtubed. There would be lots of international media around at the moment and some should be encouraged to cover the event.
RWC bunting seems the obvious choice. There is enough of it around.
May i offer a word of caution:
NOT NZ FLAGS ! NOT AB’s FLAGS !
this is a RWC decision NOT an All Blacks decision.
You will notice there are no comments from any players, that said, there are also no comments from Sneddon and the other the chief troughers either. Care to comment Mr Key ??? Care to stick your hand into your very deep pockets and pay for the tickets yourself. ???
Your donation would be a sure winner đ
The choir has been a huge success and the NZRFU has again shown itself to be totally incompetent from a PR viewpoint.
Certainly justifies a protest but flag burning goes too far. There must be something appropriate – a good bit or sarcastic humour would go a long way here. NZRFU have less sense of humour than the Labour Party (and that’s saying something)
@Jim Nald
Saturday Sept 24th is set aside as Moving Planet Day so let the IRB protest go, they have turned rugby into a gladiatorial game, spectacle, money-maker, business cash cow ( they want – I read that they aren’t happy with the dosh they’ve got from us) so suck it up.
Moving Planet events are all around the country such as Nelson where advert says there will be a mini festival at the Cathedral Steps 11am – 2pm.
I clicked the map on below link and found that red and black circles would bloom and fade, so can’t say just how and where all events are but sounds a good start. And a good follow up to the Polly Higgins thinking.
http://www.moving-planet.org/
I still think that the fact that the lions share of the games are on pay TV, with us plebs having to put up with ad ridden delayed coverage for the most of the games, is a scandal in itself. The sgmes should have been live on free-to-air TV.
Sad day for music and those that like a tipple.
REM calling it a day, faded commercially but still put out great work over 30 years with no dip in quality.
SAB Millers final capture of Fosters will be interesting and much like Lion Nathan a national Icon goes to foreign ownership and the quality of the product IMO will decline further as the brands are made everywhere……taste imported Stella/Becks alongside the local brewed stuff.
Friday and the weather is good for the week end….the thought occurs to de mothball the bicycle as the weather warms. The joyous dream of meandering through the back blocks away from the noise and life threatening rush of trucks and cars, to hear the bird song as leisurely progress is made. Time passing slowly enough to behold in passing the ripple of grass on the breeze, to hear the rush of the stream as you float by on the bike.
Hey Jokey, where the f*** is the promised cycleway????????????????
I think its that painted white line down the middle of SH1………………………
Bloody hell, with Jokeys level and speed of investment that means the median line will fade out of existence …wont even be able to relabel that as cycleway.
Good to see the Hamilton City Council has its piroites right. Slashing and burning funding for community services, talking about selling assets (behind closed doors too!), and proabably cutting funding for community assets like libraries and parks, etc. All while sparing elderly homeowners rate increases (who benefited from councils who built up services, not tore them down).
The Tea Party wannabes who infest our councils need to be reined in before there are no parks, no libaries, no nothing.
Aye Millsy. Unfortunately at Local Government level you get tories who are just as doctrinaire and their central equivalents but lack the ability to even understand at a base level what damage these sorts of cuts cause.
The People’s republic of Auckland stands out as a beacon of hope and sanity in the wilderness that it Local Government! Â Now if only we could get the Government to agree to the inner city loop …
I think you’ll find the Whanganui District Council has entered the light after a long period in the darkness, too.
“Auckland a beacon of hope and sanity” are you mainlining heroin ?
Auckland council/mayor/councillors are just as mendacious, self serving and troughaphilic as any other council.
Not as bad as the membership of the Executive Council, by any stretch of the imagination.Â
Yet they have no problem saddling their ratepayers with the cost of the new velodrome. A building that come hell-or-higth-water SPARC was going to build as close to Auckland as possible, even though areas like Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu had fully funded options on the table. Its a bloody disgrace.
Cycling is the future, roaring petrol racers are not. People who argue against
the vello should be fined if they don’t add to the list the V8 and the rugby
stadium to their ire.
personally, the problem isn’t the infrastructure spend, its the perplexing
lack of connecting up the facilities. why have we never had a
train bringing supporters from Auckland to the conference
center, or students to the the university, or any of the other
big build up.
The best thing that could happen to Hamilton is for the V8 to end.
A velodrome being built on the grounds of a very expensive private school no less. I too am a cyclist and was involved in the early discussions around the centre of excellence – making this a Waikato BOP initiative was and still is a joke!
Â
BTW it was Waikato REGIONAL council who voted this through.
Â
The fact that Rotorua had everything that was on the criteria (Mountian Biking, BMX track, experience of hosting international events, an academy of sport, extensive road network) – the only thing it didn’t have was a covered velodrome – seems to be have been lost in the fact that it isn’t Tauranga (God’s waiting room) or Hamilton (Bogun central).
Â
Money talks, RDC don’t have any, but Waikato does – game over.
Â
If only they DID have the money though, Ian. How the fuck do you bid for, and win a contract like that where evidence of funding in place was a requirement, and then go bleating to the councils for funding later?
This whole velodrome decision by WRC has been a complete farce and is a sad day for democracy. The decision to proceed was made despite the fact that it is not core business and 60% of 7000 submitters were against and 40% for. (Incidentally, children were also submitters even although they are not ratepayers nor have voting rights). There were also three independent reports commissioned by WRC from professionals which had red flags all over them. They advised this facility should not be expected to make a profit. This has been touted as a NATIONAL facility and is no place for ratepayer funds. The question still remains as to who is going to pay the ongoing costs of maintenance and upgrading in the future. Guess who – the bottomless pit called the ratepayer!
I have to say that Brownlee came across well last night when questioned on Red Zoning. He put the case clearly and firmly together with points here and there in support.
But what he didn’t offer, and what wasn’t questioned, was the issue not of whether any land is rightly zoned red, but why the people have been turfed out with nowhere to go. Why they have been thrown to the lion’s den of the “marketplace”. Why a land swap or similar was not put up. Why the govt doesn’t care about the elderly and the pensioners and the incapacitated being thrown onto the street.
Because that would cost money which they’ve got earmarked for themselves and their rich mates either as further tax cuts and/or subsidies.
“Why the govt doesn’t care about the elderly and the pensioners and the incapacitated being thrown onto the street.”
You just have to look at the new HNZ policy effective since 1 July to be alarmed at how serious housing in NZ has become. Incapacitated people and pensioners are not even qualifying for HNZ assistance in spite of Heatley claiming that vulnerable people will be looked after. I consider this to be the biggest lie from the current government.
Council housing lists are growing longer as people on NZ super or the invalid benefit do not quailfy for housing due to the formula HNZ use. Basically the main benefit rate is taken into consideration and the accommodation supplement which a person would be entitled to, then the bottom end of the scale of housing in your area is calculated. If there is a shortfall between total applicant outgoings and applicant total income you are given a 3 or 4.
An example of a single person on the invalids benefit who lives in a provincial city.
Main invalid benefit $251.00 (cents not included).
One bedroom flat $150.00
Accommodation supplement entitlement $61.00. (Max AS is $65.00 for the area).
Other ongoing costs are included, basically a person has to have a shortfall and I am not sure by how much. I think the main benefit for a person on NZ super is $309.00. Someone on the unemployment or on sickness gets a little over $200.00 on a main benefit and their chance of scoring a 3 or 4 is higher than a person on NZ super or the invalid benefit. (I will repost with the correct main benefit figures).
There is a health section like the income section. A person on NZ super or the invalid benefit has a greater chance of scoring a 3 or 4 compared to a person on the unemployment benefit or the sickness benefit.
I am not sure how many 3s or 4s a person has to have, it would not surprise me if the minimum was at least two because I just scrape in with two 3s (income and health).
Being homeless or having to vacate in 60 days or less is also taken into consideration and a person also has to look at alternative accommodation e.g. private rental.
Millsy is bang on when she says that ghettos are being created in NZ.
To remedy the housing problem there needs to be a MASSIVE government building programme and/or the accommodation supplement to be increased so that no one pays more than 25% of their income on housing each week.
Weekly main benefit rates for a single person:
Unemployment or sickness age over 25 $201.40
Invalid age 18+ $251.73
NZ super single living alone $339.92
Ummmm I’m actually a he.
But everything else, I agree with you.
I honestly belive that this policy was implement so that private landlords could raise their rents to inflation busting levels.
I am therefore incredibly lucky to have got this dump 15 years or so back, when I was on DPB with a 6 year old, and were in the having to vacate in 60 days category. By the looks, with DPB + 1, we would not qualify now. This is making me wonder actually, because apparently, having applied for a transfer means I am considered a new applicant… or am I wrong?
They’ll probably turf you out soon Vicky, being a single woman with no dependants and all.
I’d watch out for that eviction notice due when National win the election. I have it from good sources that a whole bunch are being printed up and will be served the Monday after the election..
Wow, I really find your joyous tone about that a bit unseemly… I am on an unemployment benefit, so they might give me a pass, but even if they do kick me out, I find it difficult to care! Why are you so certain that NACT will win the election? I suppose you think that because of my being a “god-botherer”, that I voted or will vote for them… but that’s simply you jumping to an unwarranted conclusion. I would rather die than vote for the Right. Noto bene – I have not always been a single woman (either by the previous definiton of single = not married) or the current one (not currently shagging anyone. Given your bitchy remarks on the other post, I feel the need to point that out.)
My tone is most certainly not joyous. Please dont accuse me of such. In fact, if I had my way, you would be in your house for the rest of your days. Along with every other state house tenant. In fact, I would quadruple the number of state housing and push the slumlords out of the market.
And I don’t assume that you would vote for NACT. I am aware of your left credentials.
I just know what NACT are capable of, thats all. And from what I see, they are going to carry out some serious carnage. No one is going to be safe. And I am convinced, that after the election, they will begin the biggest state house eviction program in this country’s history.
And BTW, I dont care about your relationship status. ’tis none of my business đ
I just note that HNZ dont really see themselves as catering for single people, thats all..
Vicky in 5.2 I gave an example of the formula HNZ use. A person on the unemployment or sickness benefit is better off than a person on the invalids benefit when it comes to scoring at least a 3 because of the level of main benefit. Please do not draw conclusions from what I have said about the minimum of two 3s even though this applies to me.
Please also note that I state that a massive housing programme is required and/or that the accommodation supplement needs to be topped up so that no one pays more than 25% of their income in rent.
The new HNZ rental criteria is brutal and the community housing will also shrink the stock. Their needs to be an independent advocate available for current HNZ tenants and a appeal process other than the tenancy tribunal. A friend of mine is faced with being turfed out of a HNZ home even though market rental is paid for the home they live in. HNZ are hypocrits as they also must look at a person requiring housing in 60 days.
The government is heartless when it comes to housing the most vulnerable. The government cannot even address rheumatic fever in this country (a third world disease) brought on by over crowding and no doubt the lack of a nutrious diet.
Maybe all the people on NZ super not making the HNZ criteria need to be wheeled up to parliament as the numbers will grow by the week as single not sharing NZ super main benefit rate is $339.92 and single NZ super sharing is $313.00 (cents not included). Heatley is a non visionary as far as I am concerned because it is homes that people need and not the competitive divisive situation which he has thrust apon the most vulnerable.
Agreed! Heatley is an idiot…
Just thought I should point out……
AFKTT got his timing pretty much bang.
He doesn’t seem to like any political party though, which isn’t very helpful to those who still hope that voting will make a difference, or simply believe that we must try to engage with the political system even as we work on other solutions such as permaculture and sustainable communities.
Perhaps AFKTT should start his own party, or maybe he has already – I certainly feel that there would be a place for his views on our political spectrum.
The only political party worth voting for, IMO, is the Greens and even they don’t seem to grok the necessary paradigm shift.
He said there was going to be financial meltdown in October.
1. It isn’t October yet.
2. Nothing has actually melted down yet, it just “fear”, mostly around Greece.
What an astonishing personal attack on Bryce Edwards from Trevor Mallard this morning. http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2011/09/23/bill-english-funds-bryce-edwards/
Where is the astonishing personal attack? Mallard’s post seemed pretty reasonable to me and it comes as a hell of a surprise that it turns out that Edwards is on David Farrar’s payroll. No wonder Edwards is constantly sniping at Labour, eh.
You are a repeater for the slithery one. This was an amused comment. If you want to see real personal attacks go over to the sewer.
“If you want to see real personal attacks go over to the sewer.”
What like this sewer ?
Start from this comment and work down Mickeymouse
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19092011/#comment-376448
“I wish the mad butcher would hurry up and die.
Fuck Close Up for giving this National party cheerleader a free slot in primetime.”
That comment sparked a whole day of outrage and argument here.
At the Sewer it would be unremarkable among dozens of similar comments posted every day.
HS you, and the supposedly ‘outraged’ others have consistently chosen to ignore the point I was raising – the inappropriateness of of the butchers electioneering on taxpayer funded tv ‘news’ Now he is joined by Richardhead of the year contender Matthew Ridge who I hope drowns in his carwash for breaching election rules – LOL –
There – now you have something new to be ‘outraged’ about.
Notice: to all celebraties planning to use their ‘fame’ in an underhand manner to promote the corruption that is the National government – you will not be spared my disdain.
Reading HS acting morally outraged brings to mind the image of Kenny Everetts character “Angry of Mayfair”….
http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?q=angry+of+mayfair&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=WYc&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1187&bih=580&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=uNfU_oNZJwvJeM:&imgrefurl=http://www.tammytingles.com/%3Fp%3D1851&docid=SeeMWxntCorX2M&w=684&h=566&ei=tPl7TsbgHomkmQX328zGAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=87&vpy=135&dur=3441&hovh=204&hovw=247&tx=121&ty=132&page=1&tbnh=116&tbnw=140&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0
the sewer, where someone once made this comment to someone who had a different opinion to him:
“Why donât you just find a weapon and kill yourself. It will markedly improve the intellect of those of us who remain.”
Blogosphere is the sewer. Stop pretending that one side is cleaner than the other.
http://thestandard.org.nz/key-is-weak/#comment-169420
Personally I am a great believer in the value of the Darwin awards where people remove themselves from the gene pool. I am usually not hesitant in suggesting it as a career enhancing objective to worthy recipients when I comment.
Of course the countervailing viewpoint is that eventually people like jcw (whom the comment was made in response to) will eventually examine the actual process of civil court rather than simply relying on theoretical codswallop. Unfortunately I suspect from their writing that they gather their opinions by examining their navel from the inside (by shoving their head up their arse) and will do almost anything to avoid examining the real world. My comment was not about their opinion. My comment was about their experience and their apparent inability to understand that reality and theory are frequently different.
You have a similar problem because you are comparing a robust comment with an actual argument attached compared to the outright denigration without any argument that characterizes the sewer. In other words you don’t see actual discussion at the sewer from what I have seen. When an opposing opinion is voiced there, the usual response is to have a straight personal attacks without bothering to argue about the topic – basically what you see is schoolyard bullying. That is the reason that people outside the in-group there from the left tend not to waste time there.
Here you tend to get responses that are argument served with sarcasm. There are a few over the top comments without arguments. But as a moderator I tend to only get irritated when there is a pattern of behavior that I have to exert effort to correct.
And my suggestion is that you try a similar solution to that suggested for jcw. It appears to me that you lack the observational skills required to learn. Of course I could be wrong?
To quote Vic Reeves
BWS has the pip because he/she/it has been banned from Red Alert until he/she/it produces a real email address.
AAAwww whats wrong you spinning and spitting tacks because you got the arse from Red Alert??? Give them a real E-Mail address and they will let you in, if only just to laugh at your pathetic attempts to make mountains out of molehills.
Peter Verschaffelt is the PR man for the Mana Party???? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
What a bunch of idiots Mana are.
If that turn-coat son of a bit*h Verschaffelt was involved with the Jesus Party I would consider the Devil before not bothering to vote at all.
Why?
Free Ride for Farmers
The NZ Herald ran an article about Fonterra today that was particularly interesting. In conjunction with other recent media releases, it showed the dairy industry is getting a free ride at the taxpayer and environments expense…
When the Government can pull out all stops to ensure the success of a waterfront party you would think that they could do the same to save our most significant and internationally recognized wetland. $11.5 million is being spent to resuscitate the already dead Lake Ellesmere, why can’t they concentrate on the Waituna Lagoon while it is still living, though only just.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/09/emergency-team-argue-while-waituna-dies.html
Dave, could not agree more. The whole thing is criminal and tragic. The mental dislocation between our personal desires and our environment is exactly as you highlight, we head for a Darwin Award as a species.
New owners of the Phoenix football team to be announced shortly!!
A few more tears at the Pike River hearings, the police and now Peter Whittel. And we have no doubt cried at some of the crap we have been hearing – report assessed unsatisfactory because of a spelling mistake etc. It seems like the police want to operate like USA drone operators – sitting behind a desk in Wellington or away from the scene of the tragedy directing the action or non-action whichever seems the safest to the distant generals directing the war.
I was getting very pissed off with people praising Sereipesos for spending on the Phoenix, saving their commercial bacon, being the dude whilst all the while the tax he owed was not paid. Then I thought perhaps I should say fuck it to my fellow taxpayer, you losers pay taxes whilst I buy a soccer team and live the dream. Terry, with revelatory poser, me too me too…..
For some reason it wouldn’t let me delete those two test posts above. I was trying to test Strikethrough, which doesn’t seem to work.
Anyway, looks like Key is spilling the beans on his private talk with Obama?
”But if you think about the global financial crisis that has taken place, that has been a very significant event and remains a very significant event in Europe and the United States. Just to give you a bit of perspective of what that means in the US – their numbers are just dire. Their unemployment rate is 9.2 per cent officially but even the president told me their unofficial unemployment rate is about 14 or 15 per cent.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5674399/New-Zealand-will-survive-with-Asias-helpÂ
[lprent: Removed. I’ll have a look at the trasher. Strikethrough is meant to be useable – could be an wordpress update has broken my patch. ]
I’ve had the same issue and gave up on it.
“Their unemployment rate is 9.2 per cent officially but even the president told me their unofficial unemployment rate is about 14 or 15 per cent.”
If you add those two figures together
you probably have the actual number of people without work in the USA
Kiwis First! (except if your industry is the arts, film or tv)
“Immigration changes support screen and entertainment industries” (bahahahahaha)
Press Release by New Zealand Government at 2:50 pm, 22 Sep 2011
Changes announced today to visa processes for screen, entertainment and music industry workers will support the sector’s growth, says Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman.
The changes provide a simpler, more streamlined system for the entry of temporary entertainment industry workers into New Zealand.
”The existing policy is out-dated. It’s been in place for 20 years and the entertainment industry has grown hugely over that time,” says Dr Coleman.
Today’s changes mean workers here for 14 days or less, or workers on an international co-production, face a greatly simplified process. For longer periods of employment, such as during the making of feature films, the policy places more trust in employers who have proven their bona fides and have a track record of bringing in workers for legitimate purposes.
”The screen industry employs around 6,700 people and is worth over $2.8 billion dollars a year, with great potential for further growth. To realise that growth, we need immigration policies that ensure key workers can get here with minimal fuss so that New Zealand remains an attractive destination for productions,” says Dr Coleman.
Under current rules for screen, entertainment and music workers, all work visa applications are referred to the industry guilds and unions under a ‘silent approval’ process. This means that the guilds or unions have the right to object to an application.
”In some cases, issues with existing processes were putting offshore investment in the New Zealand screen industry at risk,” says Dr Coleman.
”Another feature of the changes is that performers here for significant music, arts or cultural festivals can come into the country on a visitor visa.
”In the past two and a half years there have been 14 applications disputed by unions or guilds out of 4800 applications for screen industry work, and the Government has ultimately granted visas in all those cases.
”In short, we are removing a redundant, bureaucratic process which only served to make New Zealand a less attractive place for the screen and entertainment industry to do business.”
The new policy will be operational from March 2012.
http://www.actorsequity.org.nz/component/content/article/44-in-the-news/140-nz-equity-condemns-changes-to-the-immigration-procedures
About two months ago I posted saying that work and income did not consider home contents as being a cost which they included in an application for a food grant. When you go to HNZ for housing assistance a green form called “Finding a private rental property” and a form called the Department of Building and Housing is given to you. The Department of Building and Housing form states “Before you move in: Purchase contents insurance that includes tenant liability.”
Interesting when it comes to one government department saying that contents insurance is essential and another government department saing the cost is not essential. I expect there are repercussions for people in Christchurch when it comes to contents and liability insurance.
I have had to let mine lapse for the time being…
Sorry to hear this. I switched to FMG from State and saved a lot.
When it comes to HNZ assessment say food is at least $10 a day and $10 extra for other.
Had the government brought the HNZ policy in a year ago it would cost them more votes. Sneaky and dishonest.
SPADA used to make a mint from this process…wonder what deal their CE Borland (good friends with Arts Minister Finlayson) did to ensure they wouldn’t be hit in the pocket…
By the way, this is punishment for Actor’s Equity and the Hobbit mess. Directors have also come out against this move.
Power Corrupts
The latest edition of the Listener has an article entitled Cold Comfort, which is all about New Zealandâs high electricity prices and how they contribute to ill health. It makes for sober reading, especially when considering that the continuing trend of high electricity prices and low incomes is going to make things a lot worseâŠ
Is it any wonder with profit taking built in at all 4 deconstructed layers of the old NZEC and local power boards, with NZEC and local power boards at least that was only 2 levels and the NZEC could take a holistic view of generation and distribution up to where local distribution boards took over.
If ever there was an industry screaming to be nationalized it’s this essential service and give business certainty over supply.
The god-bothers have been let out of their cave yet again and are bursting blood vessels with the thought of dirty grubby SEX being taught in our schools.
The debate over sex education has pretty much proved that there are still a lot of Victorian-era prudes who think sex is unclean and disgusting and should only be had to make babies. Not something exciting and enjoyable that can take place in so many different forms.
And yes, it is OK as long as its consensual, those who take part are over 16, and a condom is used.
All I will say (all I dare say) is that if you’re referring to recent stories in the Herald, you’ve very badly missed the point! I have nothing against sex ed if it’s about teaching kids what they need to know to be safe. But from what I have read, what the “god-botherers” (us? đ ) are against, is teaching 6 year olds the mechanics. They don’t need to know – the squick factor will be enough at that age anyway.
So, Millsy, get a grip – or rather loosen your grip! You’re throttling something…
I’m not advocating teaching sex to to 6 year olds, Vicky32, but I am feeling rather uneasy at the neo-Victorian prudish backlash being conducted right now, who, as I said before want to drill it into our kids heads that sex is dirty and grubby (but not when its being paid for by a middle aged white businessman of course).
The same people want abortion and homosexuality recriminalised and divorce laws tightened. Effectively rolling back the social freedoms that people fought very hard to win against an older generation riddled with double standards – the generation of the 40’s, and 50’s were at it like rabbits.
And the NZH puts enough spin and beat up into the article to make it look like an issue when it isn’t. These days I wouldn’t read the NZH if you paid me.
No, not that I have read! (I am going by the stories in the Herald that I read the other day.) Apparently there’s been some spewing on talkback, but I avoid talkback.
That people in the 40s and 50s were at it like wabbits is a myth… That was my parents’ generation, and no, they weren’t – at least not anywhere near what people do now! Your “social freedoms” are simply licence.
What’s the bloody big deal about young people having sex? Christ, as long as they are enjoying it who cares?
Social freedoms being a licence? WTF? I dont know about you, but I really dont think that we should be putting regulations on people having sex, just because a bunch of party poopers who read some 2000 year old translation (from Aramaic to Greek to Latin to Middle English to English) of some cruddy old scrolls written by some scribe in the scorching desert dont like people enjoying intamite relations with each other.
BTW, I used to be an anti sex prude. Then I started getting some and changed my position 100%.
You’re having a laugh, right? I’ll ignore your offensive language, simply because you said it in hopes of upsetting me… and simply point out some of the consequences… Teen pregnancy, STDs, broken hearts, sterility caused by abortion or the previously mentioned STDs – sterility which then leads to $$$$$ invested in (usually futile) IVF, and oh, did I mention the broken hearts? I suspect that you’re an old man (45-59), as older men often love the thought of teens banging like bunnies, and spend all their time obsessing about the “right” to f*** like rattlesnakes. Young men and women just get on with it – but crucially, they are looking for love and commitment – it takes the middle-aged and cynical to want sex without commitment for its own sake!
I know about all of these consequences – I have witnessed them in my own life and the lives of family members.Â
This is my last word on the subject – and you can blaspheme and get as offensive as you like, I am not getting sucked in – or it won’t be long before I get called “f***ing retard”, “notjob” and all the rest all over again – and it’s always about sex! Men do get very het up and abusive about sex, and I can never understand why.
Possibly because you assume that people didn’t shag in the 40s and 50s just because nobody in your social group did, so therefore anyone with a different perspective is just acting out of depraved wishful thinking. That gets really irritating really quickly.
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I never said people didn’t shag in the 40s and 50s, I know they did – I said that what people did then wasn’t 1/10th as much shagging as people, even teens, do now! It’s not nothing to do with my social group – which BTW was not middle or upper class… but a teensy bit of logic will tell you that people back then couldn’t shag their brains out with 10-20 ‘partners’ a year back then. There was no reliable method of contraception, and even if there had been, everyone knew everyone else’s business…
Anyone who thinks I am puritanical has a very strange definition of the word! It just seriously makes me very off-piste to see kids encouraged by older people to exploit themselves and each other.
I dont encourage kids to have sex. I just think that we need to cut them a little bit of slack and stop trying to convince them that sex is dirty and grubby, that’s all.
If your assertion about sexual practices over the decades is based on something other than anecdotal assumption, feel free to share.
Not really correct Vicky. I remember reading research that said. The rate of sexual activity by young people, and the rate of teenage pregnancies, was higher in the 40’s than now.
It is us who were teenagers in the 60’s and 70’s who should really be blushing. We were like rabbits compared with today’s youth. And had higher teen pregnancy rates. Despite adults not being allowed to tell us, sex even existed, until we were 16. Probably something to do with ideas like “Coke is a contraceptive”.
I am looking for the references for you now, but no longer at Uni so no longer have free access to journals. I know some of the evidence quoted was from the NZ longitudal study.
Kids should be told that sex is best left to when they are with someone that they want to stay friends with for life, but they also need to learn how to protect themselves. And the emotional and physical pro-s and con’s.
We all make mistakes. I cringe, when I remember some of mine as a teenager.
As for sex education do you want it left to parents who believe that their 13 year old daughters should be available to the guru of their nutty religion.
Or contraceptive education to people who believe their daughters should not use it because it prevents gods punishment, of pregnancy for sexually active women.
People who were taught abstinence only have higher teen pregnancy rates, than those who have quality, age appropriate sex education.
Talking of age appropriate. I consented to my, then, 6 year old son going to religious education classes. I thought they would be pretty harmless. Only to find they were being taught about classical period methods of execution. He had night terrors about nails through his hands.
Religion has a lot to answer for!
I have to say ‘speak for yourself!’ đ I was a teenager in the 60s/70s, and had parents who very realistic, telling us (3 girls and a boy) all about sex right from the start. Other girls I know might have gone at it like rabbits (I can’t speak for any boys) but there were few of these girls. My nerd peer group was much more interested in academic pursuits! I am not at all aware of adults not being allowed to tell is about sex – I remember sex ed at school, when I was in the 4th form (circa 13 years old)
Of course, I agree.
So people say, but I have yet to see any objective proof – all the ‘studies’ I have seen have have been pubbed by such ‘neutral, unbiased’ groups as Planned Parenthood USA.
Irrelevant bigotry, and most unlikely! What RE are you talking about? There’s no such thing in state schools, and in a church school, I can assure you, RE would actually be much more nuanced – therefore, I beg leave to doubt you…
Stats NZ infoshare has tables for live births by maternal age for every calendar year since1962 (sadly not the 40s and 50s, or not that I’ve found). In raw numbers, <15 and 15-19 y.o. mother age groups has been constant if not falling. The rates, if you put them against the census population tables, would be decreasing significantly.
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The numbers across the different agegroups are quite interesting, from a general level – e.g. the 40-44 agegroup had a dramatic decline in the 70s and 80s (probably down to the pill), and is now quite high again (as women delay having children).
A rather interesting study came out a while back. It’s findings were that those people who were more liberal about sex had better and longer lasting relationships that those who were puritanical.
I’m 31, Vicky, and I dont “love the thought of teens banging like bunnies, and spend all their time obsessing about the ârightâ to f*** like rattlesnakes.”. I just think that sex is awesome, and that people should be encouraged to partake in it, without being made to feel guilty and dirty about enjoying it, and that, is what is currently happening in the Herald. People want a society where people, especially women are made to feel dirty and ashamed for enjoying sex. Plain and simple.
People go on about social engineering, but the god-botherers are the biggest social engineers out there.
The Queens’ granddaughter and the non-story in the headlines.
I suppose the whole thing could be put to rest if the blond at the centre of the story, who just happened to be an old friend, was to be seen socialising with them both in the next few days …
So over that. So what if a rugby player buried his head in a women’s chest?
This reminds of me of the frenzy over Tiger Woods because he decided to partake in the thousands of offers he got from women, which is par for the course for pro-golfers (no pun intended). Thanks to their hate, one of the greatest golfers in history has had his career destoryed.
Woods had a pattern of humiliating himself and when his wife found out about his sexual indiscretions this had consequences for her marriage. No point being married to someone who you cannot trust and who has the need to seek sexual pleasure else where or who cannot abstain when apart from you.
When it comes to sex ed class at school the class should be taped and then the parents would have a reference of what their child is being taught. I tend to ask myself what are children being sexually exposed to and what do they need to know to stay safe and who can help them when they need help?