yes, its criminal that media get economist who got everything wrong last year to come back and make more guesses. its criminal that too many people continue to listen to these snake oil merchants, and think they are above mistakes. its criminal to have people expect a time of super low interest rates, and rapid intake of cashed up kiwis returning to NZ to have any affect BUT rising house prices. ask your local taxi driver or hairdresser and they would tell you the same thing. if fact, ask your local criminals, they would agree.
Yes I always take economists predictions with a grain of salt after Shamubeel Eaqub wrote that article several years back on how it was better to rent in Auckland than to buy a property.
Secondary students need to live 4.8 km from the college to be eligible to board the bus. The weather would be changeable, students could be approached and a traffic accident could occur.
What an outdated piece of legislation, it is like asking students to do a 10 km sponsored walk each day.
That's a moot point, weka. For a long time I've felt the same way about the Olympics as 90 per cent of the Japanese population does: I want them cancelled. Forever.
For that small group of us with an interest in actual comprehensive human rights, decency and the rule of law….disturbing news from the UK…where…with Boris in charge…and Starmer being a "good boy" , are about to pass a law that will have a myriad of terrible consequences…I've taken this from the Jacobin…I know the Guardian would seem a more credible source of information…but they seem to have very little to say about the bill…beyond small scale reporting of "peers debating' and crimes that may or may not have been committed…The Guardian who are also being "Good Boys and Girls" and not actually interested in upsetting the apple cart of power..
"……Covert Human Intelligence Sources bill (CHIS) will “authorise conduct by officials and agents of the security and intelligence services, law enforcement, and certain other public authorities, which would otherwise constitute criminality.”
In essence, the law would allow officials in a myriad of government departments and agencies to approve officers, agents, and assets to commit criminal offenses without any risk of being sued or prosecuted. The particular offenses that could be authorized are not listed in the bill. However, repeated amendments that sought to ensure at least some constraints — such as prohibiting the authorization of rape, torture or murder, or restricting the use of children and the vulnerable as assets authorized to commit crimes — have all been defeated."
Labour Leader Keir Starmer supported the bill, despite being critical of certain aspects of it. Starmer, a former human rights barrister turned chief prosecutor, “whipped” his MPs into abstaining on the bill even when amendments that they supported failed to garner enough votes. Seven members of his Shadow Cabinet stepped down from their positions last October so as to defy the whip. In the end, a small core of Labour MPs, such as former leader Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott, and John McDonnell, defied Starmer and voted against the bill before it headed to the Lords. These rebels were accompanied by forty-six Scottish National Party MPs and one Tory.
But most Labour parliamentarians (166) abstained, along with forty-six Tories, the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas, and a few independents."
I apologise for the massive quotes…but I believe that this is a terrible bill with broad, and ultimately international consequences…and yet another example of Labour and the Greens, world wide, compromising our future in the name of appearing "reasonable", benignly Centrist (no such thing) and "broad church"…as if thats a good thing…and as if that will save us all…
Good comment except for your very last words, which lack any sense of perspective on reality and are a broad-brush fidget of fantasy:
…and yet another example of Labour and the Greens, world wide, compromising our future in the name of appearing “reasonable”, benignly Centrist (no such thing) and “broad church”…as if thats a good thing…and as if that will save us all…
No need to repeat my quote…but thank you anyway Incognito.
If you have some words of your own as to in what way this is a "broad-brush fidget of fantasy" given the actual reality of what is happening in regards to laws and policy…and the reality of how the Greens and Labour (UK…and NZ) sell themselves at Election time…I'll be more than happy to read them.
No surprises with Starmer. He is the human rights lawyer who embraces Shafting Assange and supporting his wife's Zionism, Regarding the latter, he seems quite content to stand back with his hands in his pockets while Palestinians suffer the outrageous abuses of the Israeli government. To him, people labelled antisemites for opposing Israel's human rights abuses commit greater sins than 'settlers' and the IDF murdering Palestinians – and the odd Iranian scientist of course.
Ah, but you talk about one specific single individual only with a little reference to his spouse. Very different comment. That said, I know nothing about the Sir in question and his reasoning re. Israel and Palestine but you’re undoubtedly correct and accurate in your characterisation of the fine Sir.
Thanks for reminding us of this seemingly innocuous piece of legislation Siobahn, and it is time well spent reading at least the UK Government Factsheet.
It's a bit of a worry that it is being marketed as merely '..making legal that which is already being done in order to keep us all safe from The Bad People'.
Participation in criminal conduct is an essential and inescapable feature of CHIS use, otherwise they will not be credible or gain the trust of those under investigation. This enables them to work their way into the heart of groups that would cause us harm, finding information and intelligence which other investigative measures may never detect.
The number of public authorities able to authorise this conduct has been restricted from those who can authorise the use and conduct of CHIS generally. Only the intelligence agencies, NCA, police, HMRC, HM Forces and ten other public authorities will be able to authorise criminal conduct.
No real surprise that so-called left wing/progressive parties are failing to adequately challenge this Bill. Trust in Governments generally has been declining for some time and it is clear from our own government's performance that keeping the Middle and the Business classes on side is of greater importance than properly and transformatively addressing the issues that often lead to "crime" and "disorder".
My first year at intermediate I used to run home for lunch nearly a block away every school day. It included a moderate hilly street in Wellington. It took me 5 minutes. I used to be a good middle distance runner. I do have a regret that I was over looked as I did not know what to do to see if I was good enough to run competitively.
Running to school has a dual purpose if you could be a competitive runner.
Actually I agree with her views on that narcissist predator wiyh a messiah complex Assange. Having 'leftists' views, as I consider myself to have, does not mean one should automatically worship at the feet of someone like that loathsome person
"Loathsome" because he's a "narcissist predator wiyh a messiah complex" – intriguing opinion. Yet he's done some good too – "A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its own reward."
True, after all Mussonini did make the trains run on time; Hitler solved Germanys inflation and unemployment problems; Mao did wonders for literacy by introducing Simplified Chinese.
Guess we could worship them as well for their very real achievements. Would not recommend it though.
Intriguing that the suggestion Assange is not all bad would cause you to reach for Musssonini [sic], Hitler and Mao…. any others spring to mind?
I'm sure you’d agree that we're each entitled to our opinions, but why my effort to counterbalance your demonisation of Assange caused you to go so far off the reservation is a mystery to me.
Guess one can Sabine – "good" and "arsehole" unquestionably apply to us all; where we might differ is in the use of "little" and "major".
For example, I would suggest that Hitler did little good and was a major arsehole, whereas neo-Nazis might argue Hitler was a major good and not that much of an arsehole at all.
I would suggest that Assange did a lot of good (for which he was both recognised and punished) and is a bit of an arsehole.
One thing we can agree on; Assange (like Hitler) polarises opinion.
ah, you see there also comes in personal preference to what is minor and or major. Some have a capacity to overlook a lot of manure in order to see the turd blossom, others will never see the turd blossom for all the crap they leave behind.
You're not wrong there Sabine, as the numerous awards that Assange has received attest. But I wouldn't worry too much – we can all rest easy as long as Assange remains locked up.
Yes, i know, people getting awards and such, what glory!
We have this guy here in NZ who is a Sir………..and an ass, his name is John Key. Again, as i said, one can be a ass and still get awards. And these awards may point to a good deed or two, but they say very little of character. And this is the last i have to say on that.
You have made a fair point, Gabby. There are some apologists for state crimes who are funny at most times—but not when they're making light of state crimes. For example, David Letterman was funny and sharp most of the time—but not when he kept saying, in 2004, "Where do you think you are—Fal-LU-jah?" His asinine studio audience dutifully laughed, but I doubt many others did.
Sasha Baron Cohen can be funny too—but he wasn't when he labeled a Christian peace activist in the Occupied West Bank as an Islamic terrorist and thus put his life in danger. That wasn't funny, although a certain mentality thought it was.
DAVID LETTERMAN: You interviewed a terrorist. SACHA BARON COHEN: Yeah, I interviewed a terrorist. LETTERMAN: How’d you do that? It can’t be EASY to find a terrorist! BARON COHEN: Well it’s not easy to get in touch with a terrorist. Your government has been trying to find one for the past nine years! [turns and mugs to audience, repeatedly raising eyebrows Groucho Marx-style] AUDIENCE: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! LETTERMAN: Ha ha ha ha ha! You’re right! AUDIENCE: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! BARON COHEN: To get in touch with the terrorist, I used a CIA contact. LEITERMANN:[spluttering with laughter] Bruno has a CIA contact!?!?!? AUDIENCE: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! BARON COHEN: Yes. These were really nasty terrorists, from the Al Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade, the world’s leading suicide bombers. AUDIENCE: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! LEITERMANN: Ha ha ha ha ha! Okay, now, what’s this clip we’re going to see from the movie? BARON COHEN: Here’s where I talk to the terrorist, and insult him, and he hasn’t got a CLUE what I was saying! AUDIENCE: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
[Cue clip from show] BRUNO: Here’s a tip, you guys should lose the beards. Your King Osama looks like a dirty Santa Claus! CONTEMPTIBLE ARAB FALL-GUY:[to interpreter] What’s he saying? [End of clip]
AUDIENCE: Ha ha ha ha ha!
[Hearty, sustained applause, general mirthfulness]
LETTERMAN: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! So funny, and so brave! Bruno opens this Thursday. Sacha Baron Cohen!
—The Late Show, CBS, August 2009
Marina Hyde is simply not in the same league as either Letterman or Baron Cohen. She should stop trying to be funny, pronto.
Let’s see, you commented here @ 9:29 AM to inform us all that a certain Marina Hyde had offended your sense of funny.
@ 4:53 PM you have come a long way and conclude that said Marina Hyde is not funny and “simply not in the same league as either Letterman or Baron Cohen”.
Wow! You need a hobby; maybe join Alwyn who also seems bored.
"Only half of the “new” public housing places sourced by the Government in its bid to stem a burgeoning waitlist are additional, newly-built homes."
"The rest of the “places” will have been leased, bought in the private market, or sourced from councils and community providers and reclassified – a move called a “redirect”
Exactly! From now on, when referencing to property porn, use Capital Gains Sex or Wealth Sex. Sex sells, Tax does not, we all know that. A well-designed PR campaign should inform and advise first-home buyers AKA property virgins and aspiring investors AKA insells about the risks of unprotected property sex with scantily clad or even unpainted properties. For the more risky promiscuous or polygamous folk who like to play with multiple properties simultaneously, there will be gang banks and auction orgies.
I tried to dress it up and didn’t want to open the kimono too much but it may need a robust Freudian analysis to get to the bare-naked truth. Don’t get too excited or you might be in for an anti-climactic experience.
Too late, Alwyn came with a pre-emptive stroke, what a downer
The emergency/transitional housing rort needs to be investigated, too. MSD contracting with community groups stacked full of incompetent, officious, bullying monkeys, half of them with weet-bix packet so-called social work qualifications gifted to them from a bums-on-seats provincial polytech pretending to be a university. These clowns spend their days policing transitional housing complexes to see if residents are complying with more-than-over-officious restrictions which if there's less than a sniff of the problem the person or their family are out on the street, forced back again to apply to MSD for emergency housing to be thrown through the same fucked up process that they've just gone through and which nobody appears responsible for apart from the thugs contracted by MSD operating under the guise of transitional housing providers. This government stripped the skerrick of protection people had by removing emergency and transitional housing from the RTA. If people complain to MSD they say "don't talk to us, go see the transitional housing provider – they decide who stays and who goes". Next minute it's back at MSD applying for emergency accommodation which, in many parts of the country, there's none. So, where those people go who knows. Back to family in already over-priced overcrowded flats, houses and garages run by scum landlords people without homes are either reliant upon or escaping from. What a complete and utter fuck up this has become.
Yes, and in this case I'd describe what you say are fish hooks as a total abrogation of responsibility by setting up a framework of responsibility that's either non-existent, invisible or run by incompetents. It's likely, in fact, to be all of those things because that's what happens when government shoves core responsibilities over to the community sector. There are tasks that should and are appropriately delivered by the community sector, but emergency and transitional housing as a response to the housing crisis isn't one of them. What it means is that these monkeys have control over whether someone has a roof over their heads and government is allowed to not care. So when one of these idiot providers decides they want to kick someone out they're in effect creating further homelessness from within a system designed to address homelessness. Don't expect this government to do anything about this, though. Just like previous governments, they have enough trouble understanding the problem.
From the desk of the Editorial Board of the Financial Times (20/04/20), presented without comment:
The Black Death is often credited with transforming labour relations in Europe. Peasants, now scarce, could bargain for better terms and conditions; wages started to rise as feudal lords competed for workers. A thankfully much lower mortality rate means such a transformation is unlikely to follow coronavirus.
Populations in mainland Europe recovered fairly quickly – but for England it took over a century – setting the stage for a better relationship between the gentry and the workers than prevailed elsewhere.
Asked whether it was fair to expect Goldsmith to know when he was standing, Mallard said Goldsmith was supposed to be addressing the Speaker at the time, not the House itself.
The Speaker also said he believed Goldsmith turned away, strategically, so as not to be able to see the Speaker. I expect he made a correct observation and drew an accurate conclusion.
Or should it be Marx, as in Groucho Marx? I thought that Gilmore was pretty bad but this guy is vastly worse in the "Look at me. Aren't I important" category. Gilmore was completely innocent in comparison with this fellow. Surely the Green Party is not going to put up with the behavior of Ricardo Menendez March for any longer?
Are you really asking the question or doing a Gerry Brownlee "just asking the question" type question. I suspect if they had asked for his resignation it likely would have been reported on. While we are asking questions "Have the National Party Leadership requested the resignation of their MP Bridges yet" From supporting Conversion Therapy of citizens to attacking the countries Top Cop with childish Far Right slurs to throwing his toys outta the cot in parliament, I'm not sure we've seen a bigger case of "Look at moi, Look at moi, Look at moi" for a long time (Kath and Kim reference, not Simons speech impediment reference, that would be too un-PC or un-woke)
It seems a bit suspicious to me that not one, but two places (him and the partner) just happened to open up in MIQ when many people have been trying to get a spot for a lot longer.
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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 ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
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 ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
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 Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori 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 Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s 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 Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori 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 Tāmaki 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 Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori 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 Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s 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 that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s 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 country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ 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 member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s 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 – 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 – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - 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. 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. 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. “Our 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 Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I 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 Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s 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. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s 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 Ngā 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. “Our 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 Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I 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. “Over 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. “It 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. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” 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. “Recently 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 ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
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. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
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. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
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. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s 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 Zealand’s 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. “Our 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. “New 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 Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s 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 Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation 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 sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I 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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
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 Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s 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 ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
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. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
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 ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
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 Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s 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 Spinoff’s 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. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. 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 doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
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What happened to the concept of walking—or even jogging—to school?
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/children-barred-from-school-bus-by-117-year-old-law/
Not safe, as no footpaths and traffic including trucks on a narrow country road.- so the parents take a car
It is odd cause the school bus goes past their gate, and an extra stop would not be difficult.
did you not even read your own link Morrissey?
Can he read??
Yes I did. I wasn't endorsing it—particularly as it came from the site of the world's most egregious radio station.
I was using it as a springboard for discussion.
Your most compelling argument by far here on TS.
Holy S#$t! The Westpac economist on One ZB saying he thinks house prices will increase more this year than they did last year!
is this a surprise?
no, its criminal.
yes, its criminal that media get economist who got everything wrong last year to come back and make more guesses. its criminal that too many people continue to listen to these snake oil merchants, and think they are above mistakes. its criminal to have people expect a time of super low interest rates, and rapid intake of cashed up kiwis returning to NZ to have any affect BUT rising house prices. ask your local taxi driver or hairdresser and they would tell you the same thing. if fact, ask your local criminals, they would agree.
Yes I always take economists predictions with a grain of salt after Shamubeel Eaqub wrote that article several years back on how it was better to rent in Auckland than to buy a property.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rent-dont-buy-says-economist/MP2TXZUW4XY75NXXR7ADLDM7FI/
This is possibly what earned him the nickname “Shambles” in some circles.
Ironically he did buy a few years later when he saw the light!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/94966044/shamubeel-eaqub-ive-bought-a-house-at-last
Please I really hope his forecast is wrong and that house prices stabilise.
Secondary students need to live 4.8 km from the college to be eligible to board the bus. The weather would be changeable, students could be approached and a traffic accident could occur.
What an outdated piece of legislation, it is like asking students to do a 10 km sponsored walk each day.
How long would it take to a walk 3.8 km distance?
on a road with no separated foot path? Probably an hour either way?
I did reread the article and the time it takes to walk 3.8 km is nearly an hour.
Thanks.
No wonder Kenya is killing us when it comes to middle and long distance running.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j22am2ooCY
It's not about fitness it's about safety
Yeah, right. Tui.
So…. Kenya is not leaving us in the dust (metaphorically) in track and road running?
The school curriculum offers PE before, during and after school in NZ.
No wonder some students hate PE during school hours.
assuming they are, what's your point? We should have more death/disability so we can participate at the Olympics?
That's a moot point, weka. For a long time I've felt the same way about the Olympics as 90 per cent of the Japanese population does: I want them cancelled. Forever.
I don't see a ute screaming down that road at 100kph, or tanker and stock trucks also using it.
an hour. Read the link.
I later saw that as I was distracted by listening to the latest Covid news when I first read the link.
Remember Filbert Bayi? As a school boy he ran from home some 12 km to school, and then back, – a 120 km week, minimum.
At 5000 feet above sea level aiding blood oxygen carriage and running on surfaces that also helped develop leg strength.
Bayi is still the fastest Commonwealth Games 1500m runner.
"Snappy dresser, snappy runner!"—Keith Quinn re Filbert Bayi, 2/2/1974
For that small group of us with an interest in actual comprehensive human rights, decency and the rule of law….disturbing news from the UK…where…with Boris in charge…and Starmer being a "good boy" , are about to pass a law that will have a myriad of terrible consequences…I've taken this from the Jacobin…I know the Guardian would seem a more credible source of information…but they seem to have very little to say about the bill…beyond small scale reporting of "peers debating' and crimes that may or may not have been committed…The Guardian who are also being "Good Boys and Girls" and not actually interested in upsetting the apple cart of power..
The article goes on to say…
I apologise for the massive quotes…but I believe that this is a terrible bill with broad, and ultimately international consequences…and yet another example of Labour and the Greens, world wide, compromising our future in the name of appearing "reasonable", benignly Centrist (no such thing) and "broad church"…as if thats a good thing…and as if that will save us all…
Good comment except for your very last words, which lack any sense of perspective on reality and are a broad-brush fidget of fantasy:
No need to repeat my quote…but thank you anyway Incognito.
If you have some words of your own as to in what way this is a "broad-brush fidget of fantasy" given the actual reality of what is happening in regards to laws and policy…and the reality of how the Greens and Labour (UK…and NZ) sell themselves at Election time…I'll be more than happy to read them.
I never fancied myself as an online entertainer.
laid-back
No surprises with Starmer. He is the human rights lawyer who embraces Shafting Assange and supporting his wife's Zionism, Regarding the latter, he seems quite content to stand back with his hands in his pockets while Palestinians suffer the outrageous abuses of the Israeli government. To him, people labelled antisemites for opposing Israel's human rights abuses commit greater sins than 'settlers' and the IDF murdering Palestinians – and the odd Iranian scientist of course.
Ah, but you talk about one specific single individual only with a little reference to his spouse. Very different comment. That said, I know nothing about the Sir in question and his reasoning re. Israel and Palestine but you’re undoubtedly correct and accurate in your characterisation of the fine Sir.
The Labour Party continues its slide to the grave….
https://twitter.com/Socialist_Chris/status/1364205245270753280
the quote length you used along with your own commentary is how to do it
Thanks for reminding us of this seemingly innocuous piece of legislation Siobahn, and it is time well spent reading at least the UK Government Factsheet.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covert-human-intelligence-sources-draft-code-of-practice/covert-human-intelligence-sources-bill-factsheet-accessible-version
It's a bit of a worry that it is being marketed as merely '..making legal that which is already being done in order to keep us all safe from The Bad People'.
Participation in criminal conduct is an essential and inescapable feature of CHIS use, otherwise they will not be credible or gain the trust of those under investigation. This enables them to work their way into the heart of groups that would cause us harm, finding information and intelligence which other investigative measures may never detect.
The number of public authorities able to authorise this conduct has been restricted from those who can authorise the use and conduct of CHIS generally. Only the intelligence agencies, NCA, police, HMRC, HM Forces and ten other public authorities will be able to authorise criminal conduct.
No real surprise that so-called left wing/progressive parties are failing to adequately challenge this Bill. Trust in Governments generally has been declining for some time and it is clear from our own government's performance that keeping the Middle and the Business classes on side is of greater importance than properly and transformatively addressing the issues that often lead to "crime" and "disorder".
Is Sturmer a plant?
My first year at intermediate I used to run home for lunch nearly a block away every school day. It included a moderate hilly street in Wellington. It took me 5 minutes. I used to be a good middle distance runner. I do have a regret that I was over looked as I did not know what to do to see if I was good enough to run competitively.
Running to school has a dual purpose if you could be a competitive runner.
Didn't John Walker run everywhere as a kid? Miles to school, tennis practice etc. Kept him fit!
If so, it was the making of him when it came to being an Olympic gold medalist.
This is brilliantly funny (just waffly at first but sums up Boris towards the end).
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/23/boris-johnson-dog-dilyn-prime-minister-spad-no-10
This is brilliantly funny….
????
Marina Hyde is about as funny as mass murder.
https://www.medialens.org/2019/mirthless-laugh-the-persecution-and-torture-of-julian-assange/
Actually I agree with her views on that narcissist predator wiyh a messiah complex Assange. Having 'leftists' views, as I consider myself to have, does not mean one should automatically worship at the feet of someone like that loathsome person
"Loathsome" because he's a "narcissist predator wiyh a messiah complex" – intriguing opinion. Yet he's done some good too – "A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its own reward."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange#Honours_and_awards
Recently:
[2019] Julian Assange wins EU journalism award
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6065261/julian-assange-wins-eu-journalism-award/
[2019] On Saturday, Mr Shipton will accept the Gavin MacFadyen Award outside Belmarsh prison on behalf of his son.
The awarding body, which recognises and supports whistleblowers, describes Mr Assange as a “courageous truth teller”.
https://inews.co.uk/news/julian-assange-solitary-confinement-human-rights-gavin-macfayden-award-344528
[2020] Julian Assange, Australian investigative journalist, political activist and founder and spokesperson of WikiLeaks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuttgart_Peace_Prize
True, after all Mussonini did make the trains run on time; Hitler solved Germanys inflation and unemployment problems; Mao did wonders for literacy by introducing Simplified Chinese.
Guess we could worship them as well for their very real achievements. Would not recommend it though.
Intriguing that the suggestion Assange is not all bad would cause you to reach for Musssonini [sic], Hitler and Mao…. any others spring to mind?
I'm sure you’d agree that we're each entitled to our opinions, but why my effort to counterbalance your demonisation of Assange caused you to go so far off the reservation is a mystery to me.
I guess one can agree to the notion that someone can do a little good despite being a major asshole.
And one can also agree that the little good that one did may not outweigh all the other times that one was a major asshole.
Guess one can Sabine – "good" and "arsehole" unquestionably apply to us all; where we might differ is in the use of "little" and "major".
For example, I would suggest that Hitler did little good and was a major arsehole, whereas neo-Nazis might argue Hitler was a major good and not that much of an arsehole at all.
I would suggest that Assange did a lot of good (for which he was both recognised and punished) and is a bit of an arsehole.
One thing we can agree on; Assange (like Hitler) polarises opinion.
ah, you see there also comes in personal preference to what is minor and or major. Some have a capacity to overlook a lot of manure in order to see the turd blossom, others will never see the turd blossom for all the crap they leave behind.
You're not wrong there Sabine, as the numerous awards that Assange has received attest. But I wouldn't worry too much – we can all rest easy as long as Assange remains locked up.
Yes, i know, people getting awards and such, what glory!
We have this guy here in NZ who is a Sir………..and an ass, his name is John Key. Again, as i said, one can be a ass and still get awards. And these awards may point to a good deed or two, but they say very little of character. And this is the last i have to say on that.
And yet that arse Sir John remains at large – no justice for some, eh?
What has that to do with being funny?
People who sneer at the suffering of the victims of the state ain't funny. They ain't got no rhythm, neither.
Sez yew.
You have made a fair point, Gabby. There are some apologists for state crimes who are funny at most times—but not when they're making light of state crimes. For example, David Letterman was funny and sharp most of the time—but not when he kept saying, in 2004, "Where do you think you are—Fal-LU-jah?" His asinine studio audience dutifully laughed, but I doubt many others did.
Sasha Baron Cohen can be funny too—but he wasn't when he labeled a Christian peace activist in the Occupied West Bank as an Islamic terrorist and thus put his life in danger. That wasn't funny, although a certain mentality thought it was.
Marina Hyde is simply not in the same league as either Letterman or Baron Cohen. She should stop trying to be funny, pronto.
Let’s see, you commented here @ 9:29 AM to inform us all that a certain Marina Hyde had offended your sense of funny.
@ 4:53 PM you have come a long way and conclude that said Marina Hyde is not funny and “simply not in the same league as either Letterman or Baron Cohen”.
Wow! You need a hobby; maybe join Alwyn who also seems bored.
Devolving into fake transcriptery is never a good development.
The transcript of that ugly, unfunny conversation is verbatim.
You just knew that it would come in handy one day and today, that day had come.
one transcribes for relaxation [nervous titter]
ha ha ha
Thanks for the social tip, Incognito.
MEMO ALWYN:
Feel free to drop round to Chez Breen one of these days.
I guess we all have different sense of humour. Or in the case of many self righteous left wingers, absolutely none.
What do you find so funny about the suffering of those targeted for destruction by the state?
"Only half of the “new” public housing places sourced by the Government in its bid to stem a burgeoning waitlist are additional, newly-built homes."
"The rest of the “places” will have been leased, bought in the private market, or sourced from councils and community providers and reclassified – a move called a “redirect”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/124306169/half-of-new-public-houses-not-actually-new-stock
So the inadequate response is even more inadequate than presented.
This is the sort of exposure that public housing needs. The same can be said with rent increases creating homelessness.
A public housing levy is required so more homes can be funded. Outrageous to some.
Start with a "ghost house " tax
Barfly you can't use the word tax, it scares the home investor.
Mmm "ghost house levy?"
Exactly! From now on, when referencing to property porn, use Capital Gains Sex or Wealth Sex. Sex sells, Tax does not, we all know that. A well-designed PR campaign should inform and advise first-home buyers AKA property virgins and aspiring investors AKA insells about the risks of unprotected property sex with scantily clad or even unpainted properties. For the more risky promiscuous or polygamous folk who like to play with multiple properties simultaneously, there will be gang banks and auction orgies.
I think I’d better stop here and cool off …
sex evasion
There is a lot in your comment, I am trying to unpack it.
"I am trying to unpack it".
Don't even think about. I suspect that incognito is simply a pseudonym for Pandora and we all know what opening Pandora's box entailed.
Leave it severely alone.
I tried to dress it up and didn’t want to open the kimono too much but it may need a robust Freudian analysis to get to the bare-naked truth. Don’t get too excited or you might be in for an anti-climactic experience.
Too late, Alwyn came with a pre-emptive stroke, what a downer
"what a downer".
Now you make me feel bad. I'm very sorry if I rained on your parade.
When you rain, you pour.
A public housing levy is required so more homes can be funded.
Outrageous to some.
The emergency/transitional housing rort needs to be investigated, too. MSD contracting with community groups stacked full of incompetent, officious, bullying monkeys, half of them with weet-bix packet so-called social work qualifications gifted to them from a bums-on-seats provincial polytech pretending to be a university. These clowns spend their days policing transitional housing complexes to see if residents are complying with more-than-over-officious restrictions which if there's less than a sniff of the problem the person or their family are out on the street, forced back again to apply to MSD for emergency housing to be thrown through the same fucked up process that they've just gone through and which nobody appears responsible for apart from the thugs contracted by MSD operating under the guise of transitional housing providers. This government stripped the skerrick of protection people had by removing emergency and transitional housing from the RTA. If people complain to MSD they say "don't talk to us, go see the transitional housing provider – they decide who stays and who goes". Next minute it's back at MSD applying for emergency accommodation which, in many parts of the country, there's none. So, where those people go who knows. Back to family in already over-priced overcrowded flats, houses and garages run by scum landlords people without homes are either reliant upon or escaping from. What a complete and utter fuck up this has become.
I looked up emergency housing the other day. After 7 days there is a charge of 25% of your income.
To pay 25% of your income you need to be on a benefit or recieve other income, have a bank account and to get a bank account you need Photo ID.
Documents are required to be attached to a benefit application. Work and Income will help with costs for documents and ID.
It is not an easy process to get emergency housing.
I did say a day or 2 ago that emergency housing needs to be for 28 days at a time. 7 days at a time is to disruptive.
Some homeless people could prefer a night shelter. The choice of one needs to be there until the right housing is available.
"It is not an easy process to get emergency housing."
And once you've got it it's not easy to keep it, even if you still need it.
I agree. You cannot have a draining and irritating system when people are already drained and are not feeling that great.
I forgot to mention that you need to get a quote for the cost of the emergency housing.
I also forgot to mention that nobody gives a fuck about this because everybody knows that if someone's homeless it's their own fault.
Your point of view is valid and you are not alone in what you say.
Labour need to rethink how they deliver emergency and public housing. Not some Bennett solution which is full of fish hooks.
Yes, and in this case I'd describe what you say are fish hooks as a total abrogation of responsibility by setting up a framework of responsibility that's either non-existent, invisible or run by incompetents. It's likely, in fact, to be all of those things because that's what happens when government shoves core responsibilities over to the community sector. There are tasks that should and are appropriately delivered by the community sector, but emergency and transitional housing as a response to the housing crisis isn't one of them. What it means is that these monkeys have control over whether someone has a roof over their heads and government is allowed to not care. So when one of these idiot providers decides they want to kick someone out they're in effect creating further homelessness from within a system designed to address homelessness. Don't expect this government to do anything about this, though. Just like previous governments, they have enough trouble understanding the problem.
From the desk of the Editorial Board of the Financial Times (20/04/20), presented without comment:
https://www.ft.com/content/bc7b919c-80a5-11ea-8fdb-7ec06edeef84
Populations in mainland Europe recovered fairly quickly – but for England it took over a century – setting the stage for a better relationship between the gentry and the workers than prevailed elsewhere.
Sounds like fun and games in Parliament this afternoon.
Simon Bridges and Paul Goldsmith storm out of Parliament after stoush with Speaker Trevor Mallard | Stuff.co.nz
Fair call.
The Speaker also said he believed Goldsmith turned away, strategically, so as not to be able to see the Speaker. I expect he made a correct observation and drew an accurate conclusion.
Ah, the old "if I can't see you, you can't hurt me" technique.
What's the smarmy little gobshite gone and said now.
I'm not sure what Mallard said, I think he took away a question or something.
Have the Green Party leadership requested the resignation of their MP Mr March yet?
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/written-questions/document/WQ_02607_2021/2607-2021-chris-bishop-to-the-minister-for-covid-19
Or should it be Marx, as in Groucho Marx? I thought that Gilmore was pretty bad but this guy is vastly worse in the "Look at me. Aren't I important" category. Gilmore was completely innocent in comparison with this fellow. Surely the Green Party is not going to put up with the behavior of Ricardo Menendez March for any longer?
Are you really asking the question or doing a Gerry Brownlee "just asking the question" type question. I suspect if they had asked for his resignation it likely would have been reported on. While we are asking questions "Have the National Party Leadership requested the resignation of their MP Bridges yet" From supporting Conversion Therapy of citizens to attacking the countries Top Cop with childish Far Right slurs to throwing his toys outta the cot in parliament, I'm not sure we've seen a bigger case of "Look at moi, Look at moi, Look at moi" for a long time (Kath and Kim reference, not Simons speech impediment reference, that would be too un-PC or un-woke)
He applied through the official channels, not via the backdoor, twice. He got declined, twice.
You seem bored.
He lied – twice.
It seems a bit suspicious to me that not one, but two places (him and the partner) just happened to open up in MIQ when many people have been trying to get a spot for a lot longer.
What are you implying?