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What an outdated piece of legislation, it is like asking students to do a 10 km sponsored walk each day.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.
I ran across a recent essay from The Brothers Krynn, which attempts to map common horror monsters onto the Seven Deadly Sins: https://canadianculturecorner.substack.com/p/horror-monsters-and-vice My interest, however, is not in the meat of the piece, but rather the opening paragraph: It is an interesting fact that in recent decades, Vampires have ...
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
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This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
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Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
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There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
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This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
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 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
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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?