So RNZ has another "crime is out of control" story from, specifically, Puketapu. Quoting a person "RNZ has agreed not to name" we get little more than a sotto voce racist white crime panic. This anonymous source says they saw some people poking about, they were challenged, they left and the police were called and the cops arrived smartly. This level of "crime" is, apparently, enough for the local aspirational squatocracy to think about cos-playing Massey's Cossacks to deliver a bit of vigilante justice.
Now, places like Puketapu are deepest blue right wing country and you'll find a generous helping of groundswell type unreconstructed racists and bigots of all ages who are more than happy to be an agent provocateur if it suits them, so a little less credulity in assessing some of the claims coming out of the regions from our credulous MSM would be nice (although in a era where to paint yourself the victim is to exonerate yourself from any scrutiny in the media that might be a bit to much to expect).
But this little vignette of largely social media inspired (although the MSM is ever keen on amplifying the slightest hint of a verified heaving bosom and/or torn bodice) fear and loathing shows just how deep cooker culture has penetrated into our low information provinces, which no longer have much by the way of local MSM journalism and instead rely on an unrelieved diet of FB groups, rumour, and talkback troll farms for news. To me it is just wild that many people are now so inculcated with bad information sources they more likely to believe cookers on a FB group than they are the police commissioner when discussing crime.
One screamingly obvious learning from the pandemic and these sorts of disasters is there are huge consequences in the death of reliable and well resourced local media in New Zealand. In my youth in Hawkes Bay the region had two well functioning local newspapers with numerous reporters, the generally august and reliable Napier Daily Telegraph and that useless rag from across the way, the Hastings based Hawkes Bay Herald Tribune. Both papers reflected the political traditions of their city, and the whole media eco system was buttressed by the local ZC radio station, which featured frequent interviews with local politicians and reports on the proceedings of the council. All that has vanished. The result has been the flourishing of crony politics and sharp practice, the death of local democracy and the rise of online disinformation, misinformation and downright black propaganda.
Driving past, one of their neighbours had seen the group, who "obviously didn't look like they belonged in our house," she said. When he pulled over and asked what they were doing, they told her neighbour they "were just looking to go for a swim".
The neighbour "politely asked them to leave, which obviously is a pretty common story out there".
Oh well…..but then this?
Rebecca then rang police and a patrol car was there "relatively quickly, and the Eagle helicopter" but with a lack of details, including a number plate, there "wasn't a hell of a lot that they could do," she told RNZ.
So they got Police,Patrol car..and Eagle helicopter. But the so helpful neighbour neglected to get the number plate…or descriptions.
plus if reading it right, stupid Rebecca left a key out if "they managed to get their hands on a key". Certainly an entitled bullhorn of a woman. Having said that, break-ins at this time is even more scummy than at any other time.
The whole story was a heaving unspoken cypher for a whole lot of other issues, including the unspoken informal apartheid that exists in Napier/Hastings, the studiously ignored and well hidden abject poverty, marginalisation and "othering" of poor urban Maori that exists alongside the well heeled white colonies of ex-Aucklanders we large see in our MSM when talking about Hawkes Bay, it's crony class politics, and a post-Douglas era social order than can only be described in many cases as semi-feudal.
Agree, I perceived an unspoken malice in the woman’s allegations. Similar to the US cases where a woman phones the Police because there is a Black Man in the park…
A friend lives in Wairoa and he has two Mobsters as neighbours, while all shovelling silt together he said they laughed at the moral panic stories.
Personally, if people are without communication, petrol, water, sanitation, a usable roading bridge network, health care, access to medicine, cash, banking services, food supply etc. it is ok to help yourself to essentials from businesses–but opportunist thefts from individuals are another matter and reprehensible.
The numbers will hopefully emerge eventually as to whether there has been a crime wave or not.
There is an undercurrent of if you are the right sort of person "borrowing" the water tank from your neighbour's abandoned and wrecked place so you can gather rain water to clean your property is smart, but if you are the wrong sort poking about a red stickered property to claim a half buried bike then you are a looter and a suitable target for vigilante justice.
The bottom line is a lot of people on the right are pre-disposed to believe rumours of looting and social breakdown because their world view is formed by a belief that the “perfect” state of nature is fundamentally Hobbesian, and thus a disaster creates the perfect conditions for uncivilised competition. That, in turn, leads them to logically (for them) conclude they are living in a Hobbesian nightmare and therefore a shoot first, ask questions later mindset prevails.
Luxon and Seymour put out the call that crime is rampant. So we the obedient ones answer the call. We are scared. Crime is everywhere. The police are hopeless. This Government is hopeless. Call in the Army. Careless media repeat the feelings.
Actually I think that the politics of stoking up fear is disgusting. Shame on you Luxon, Seymour and the Mayor of Nappier.
Prime Minister rejects claims he is not taking post cyclone lawlessness seriously [23 February 2023]
“As I [PM Hipkins] have said all week, I acknowledge that when the power is out and the communications are out, there is a heightened degree of anxiety and any criminal offending in that time is going to be of extra concern to a local community. That’s the reason why we have an extra 145 police from outside the district here at the moment helping on the ground.”
…
After the media conference at the Distribution Centre in Hastings, Hipkins was set to fly to Wairoa by helicopter, but this was cancelled due to bad weather.
Cyclone Gabrielle: Govt slams 'climate of hysteria' over crime[22 February 2023] Where crime occurs, police are on the ground to support communities, but, as I [Minister Michael Wood, responding on behalf of the police minister] have also said in the primary answer to this question, police report that levels of crime are within a normal range. No crime is acceptable, and this – this time it is more stressful for communities, so we will continue to work to provide that reassurance.
And I would just urge all members of the house, ah – to support police in doing that job, and not to create a climate of hysteria that will add further to the distress of people in an already difficult situation.
Amen – imho, cynically whipping up a climate of hysteria about a supposed ‘crime wave’ ['They’re' stealing our stuff!] is unhelpful at best – more than enough ‘climate’ to worry about as is.
"“As I [PM Hipkins] have said all week, I acknowledge that when the power is out and the communications are out, there is a heightened degree of anxiety and any criminal offending in that time is going to be of extra concern to a local community."
IOW – the crime you think is happening is not really happening, it's just a 'heightened degree of anxiety'.
Really? Meanwhile, those nice people the government 'requested' pull their heads in just didn't listen.
Imho, cynically whipping up a climate of hysteria about a supposed ‘crime spike’ at this time will pay political dividends, but not in the way you might think.
Reports of looting and a post-cyclone crime spike in the Eastern District have been greatly exaggerated, and are being used as a “political football”, say police officers on the ground.
Incredible how petty the political right of New Zealand are, holding up a single, murky, roadside incident for purposes of distracting away from the huge amount of good work authorities are doing.
Why do the political right of New Zealand always concentrate on the negative?
Nice try, but no cigar. Hipkins called them “unsubstantiated rumours”, i.e., they may or may not have been true. You failed to make your point though because it wasn’t about the PM being ‘slippery’ but about “crime is rampant” in the area as alleged by Luxon and Seymour who are turning this into a political football. They are the slippery ones because they take every single incident reported in the media and blow out of proportion into Armageddon for political gain. Noted.
"Hipkins called them “unsubstantiated rumours”, i.e., they may or may not have been true. "
Hipkin's meaning was very clear. The roadworker knew what he was saying. And Newshub knew when they wrote the headline "Chris Hipkins climbs down from criticised crime claims as roadworker says politicians are 'covering backside'"
And there you have it, the PM should have jumped on the bandwagon of fear mongers and sing from the same sheet as Luxon and Seymour. This is not about the victims at all, it is about playing political football. The Opposition knew exactly what they were doing and so do the media. And since when are headlines accurate reports of the news? Seriously, you’re spinning and you’ve missed your calling as headline-writing chatbot.
Oh the Herald says it, well goodo, it must be true and tell me it isn't so, the fiercely loyal to the Labour Government Rural Community is turning against them. Shocked I say, shocked.
And yesterday, Tairāwhiti Police Area Commander Sam Aberahama – in charge of the region covering Poverty Bay and East Coast – said there had been “instances of people who have exploited this disaster to commit dishonesty offences”…..
“This is disgusting behaviour and we have zero tolerance for it. Our patrols and staff on the ground are ensuring that our community is not seeing a marked increase in criminal activity,” Aberahama said.
“But the facts are that we have had fewer reports of dishonesty offences than in the weeks before this disaster – from seven per day prior to February 14 down to four per day over the past 10 days.
The good folk of the east coast and HB are right in the middle of this. Right now. They won't be on the phone to plod. They are taking their own measures.
Yeah, right! They are too busy looking for that one silver ute with 5 people in it. And the cell towers are not working, are they? Plenty of ‘wet bus tickets’ around there, I guess, but that’s just more slash coming down the barren slopes of your biased brain. You’re on a roll, rolling out the BS.
Adam Pearse didn’t mention anything about the good folk not reporting crime in his latest piece. Quite the opposite rather, Police are coming to meet with concerned and fearful residents to discuss roadblocks etc. Looks like your non-reporting allegations is silt eroding from your barren biased imagination. Get off the grass or better yet, go back to YouTube and watch those many video’s posted by people from the left with which you have a beef.
I know it must be tough being this weeks NACT lickspittle but are you saying the good folk are too busy to call the Police but all the time in the world to talk to the Herald?
Sure, and with the roadblocks they get more traction with the Police, obviously. Unfortunately, the same roadblocks will prevent Police and other emergency services getting through, which could put lives at risk. This is a risky ‘PR strategy’ but it seems to make sense to you. Go figure.
No, exactly, and that’s why I assumed it originated from your imagination. Of course, you can support your BS assertions, but you haven’t done so. So … QED.
So you took one article and dreamed up an entire comment about something the author didn't say. I think you're losing your touch.
[You have made several claims about people not reporting crime now. You have not provided any evidence for this yet other than your own reckons, and now you claim that they are my reckons aka “dreamed up”.
Back up your claims about people not reporting crime now and inferences won’t suffice. And seeing ‘suspicious’ silver utes in the area is not seeing a crime either – Incognito]
Yes, as long as it doesn’t “impede emergency responders” and a few other provisos mentioned in the link, which you left out of your comments, for some reason … They would be supportive if it does indeed deter criminals and looters – prevention is better than cure.
"Yes, as long as it doesn’t “impede emergency responders” and a few other provisos mentioned in the link, "
So what did you base your comment above that "Unfortunately, the same roadblocks will prevent Police and other emergency services getting through," on?
My mistake; I left out a qualifier such as easily or quickly and made clear what risk this could pose to people’s lives. You don’t seem to share this concern with the Police, which was mentioned in the article you linked to. In fact, all you’re interested in is confirming your biased narrative.
"You have made several claims about people not reporting crime now. "
No, I haven't. I have suggested that is a likely scenario given what they are dealing with.
"and now you claim that they are my reckons aka “dreamed up”."
Huh? I think you're losing it.
"Back up your claims about people not reporting crime now "
You want me to prove that people aren't doing something? You're trolling now, inco. Have a strong coffee.
[Nope. You have stated numerous times that people are not reporting crimes. Don’t be dishonest about this.
I didn’t write your claims in your comments nor your ‘scenarios’. Is this some kind of game or film script to you?
Crime stats/numbers are lower, not higher. This doesn’t fit your narrative. Too bad for you. You were (t)asked to provide evidence that people were not reporting and why. You failed on both counts and have wasted a lot of my time.
I’m not trolling, I’m engaging with your BS while you’re being moderated and are in Pre-Mod. Frankly, I’ve seen enough of your BS and it is déjà vu all over again. Take three weeks off – Incognito]
"This is a risky ‘PR strategy’ but it seems to make sense to you. Go figure."
It would appear to be better than waiting for the Minister of Police.
"The Police Minister had no idea how bad it was until Newshub told him this afternoon."
""Whatever the District Commander needs to keep law and order, all she's got to do is ask but I need to get to the bottom of this. It's the first time I've heard it," he said."
If you think this is the reason why people were setting up roadblocks, to get the attention of the Minister of Police, then it was unnecessary and misguided, to say the least. You sound like Luxon and Seymour turning this into a political football at the highest level and you’re certainly playing along with them.
In the NZH article of 19 Feb that you linked to it clearly states that already “[m]ore than 100 additional officers had been brought into the district” and that more would be deployed, “[t]he Police Eagle helicopter will also be flying above the district”, and that the Eastern District commander Superintendent Jeanette Park was on the ball. In fact, as I already said, the article states that Police were talking directly with the people wanting to set up the roadblocks. You’re spinning!
Nope. You claimed that people were too busy setting up roadblocks, talking to the media, and talking to Police in the ground to report crime. It had nothing to do with the Minister being out of touch and people allegedly waiting for him – the PM had visited the area, so why would they wait for the Police Minister? It makes no sense and you are spinning, just like Luxon, Seymour and Mitchell.
You still haven’t provided anything else other than your reckons for your claims about the non-reporting. The Minister and PM are simply red herrings.
You are being moderated, not vetoed. You’re also in Pre-Mod, and your comments are pending until being released by a Mod, usually with a reply associated. This is to control the brown water flow here on this forum. If this takes too long for your liking, I’d suggest you complain to the SYSOP. You’ll find his contact details here: https://thestandard.org.nz/contact-us/.
There were "a lot of people and a lot of cars around out there that we know for sure aren't locals, and they aren't the volunteers that are doing a great job," Rebecca said. "There are people that are out there trying to take advantage of people like us that are already devastated."
Of course there’s people around. – rubber-neckers and people looking at what has been tossed out. One person's rubbish is another's treasure.
In the days when we had inorganic collections in Auckland, it was normal to see cars and vans cruising the streets looking for stuff they could restore either for themselves or to sell on. I was more then happy for them to take what they wanted. Its' called 'private enterprise' which the blue-ribboned among us are supposed to support.
But of course they are the wrong sort of entrepreneurs. They're the poor ones who usually come from the wrong side of the railway tracks.
Another output shock…25% of world beef exports set to be removed from the market.
"- Brazil's beef exports to China will be halted starting Thursday after a case of mad cow disease was confirmed in the northern state of Para, the country's agriculture and livestock ministry said on Wednesday."
The enquiry's findings will be interesting considering the conflict with the likes of Pan Pac, which is owned by Oji Group, a leader in the pulp and paper industry in Japan.
I understand we signed the 'son of TPPA' which largely neuters the state's ability to take measures that may impact on the balance sheet of foreign owned companies.
Listening to people in communities like Tolaga bay can hear they are really cautious in their wording of crfiticism of logging companies, even after all the slash and debris has visited ruin upon their transport networks.
Put simply, these companies are the only jobs in town and no one want to lose that.
Same in the Far North, few like the rats and mice forestry operators, a number of peoples health and lives have suffered for years because of their exploitation.
Helen Kelly NZCTU ran a great campaign to try and sort them out. It is in the mists of time now that before Rogernomics there was a Govt. Forestry dept. that significantly existed to employ people on reasonable conditions!
I see ZB and others are moaning like their life is under threat, when we want to Tax excess greed.
As a Christian, the removal of tax on excess greed has been the most vial aspect of the last 40 odd years of liberal economics. That and flat taxes like GST.
Time to help these people, because greed is a condition that can't be curbed without help.
And talking about mmmmmm ('number needs to be blank') Waters here is an link to a piece on Neighbourly about Christchurch City Council introducing water fees.
'The Christchurch City Council's new water billing system went live on Sunday night and the first invoices for ratepayers using excess water are due to be sent out over the coming days.
The council introduced an excess water charge in October after making the decision to push ahead with the scheme in 2021.
It is not yet known how many people will get a bill, but the average charge is likely to be $83 and the maximum about $400.
Under the new rules, people will be charged a fixed rate of $1.35 for every 1000 litres they use over the 700-litre limit, which is the equivalent of 100 toilet flushes.'
Part of our discussion revolved around the inherent unfairness of this. KCDC charges for every drop used. There has been no attempt to mitigate these charges so the homeowner futilely trying to change nature by growing bowling green type grass on sand pays the same as someone looking after a family member who needs care involving the use of lots of water.
The phrase about 'treating unequal people equally does not mean you are treating them fairly' seems to apply.
Regular readers of this blog would know that I have no love for ACT, and I constantly point out their many hypocrisies on matters, their blatant populist pandering and their general disinterest in the economically disadvantaged.
My latest example of the latter was an article by Richard Prebble in yesterdays Wairarapa Times Age. I am unable to provide a link for it because I don't think it is on-line in any case. In this article he argues that government should back off and leave the cyclone recovery to local government and organisations.
In Prebble's finance-obssessed world he doesn't seem to realize that the scale of damage is way way beyond local government being able to fix it and government intervention is essential. ACT's idea of government is apparently non-government.
Just another example of why people in Hawkes Bay should be thankful that, for all the damage caused, at least the government is getting involved and helping to repair the damage. If ACT was government they would probably be told to raise the money through hangis and gala days.
If someone could find and post a link to this article I would be grateful.
If ACT was government they would probably be told to raise the money through hangis and gala days.
Well I for one am happy that ACT have moved on from the cake stalls idea.
My concern really is that ACT has been missing in action during both Cyclones. While I have no truck with disaster tourism, politicians need to see things in person, be seen being present at official briefings or even pass on straight empathy, when it is needed and relevant. I wouldn't even mind Seymour saying he had donated or supports the Red Cross & Stuff fundraiser.
Yes Let the motor mouth leader of act get a bloody shovel and help move the shite rather than flinging it about. He is a first class dork. He grinds my gears with his petty posturing.
Unfortunately, for many autogynephiliac men – those who are sexually aroused by the thought of themselves as women – the ultimate validation of their claimed identity as a woman and as a "lesbian" – (because they are the same straight boy they were before they put on a frock) – is to bully, bamboozle or blackmail some actual lesbian into a sexual relationship. The validation is just not there with another "transbian" because they actually do know what a woman is – and what one is not.
What you describe Visubversa is in my eyes is rape. Probably not a legal definition, but every lesbian I've known, do not like men in any way sexually. To "bully, bamboozle or blackmail" is coercion, meaning, ultimately it not consensual at a really core level.
So Lesbians are left once again cleaning up the mess. In this case the psychology, spiritual, and emotional damage from people who are suppose to be in the Rainbow community. Maybe their not, maybe they are just misogynistic little curs.
Unfortunately it is rainbow support organisations that say that lesbians should consider sex with males – if they claim they have a women's gender identity.
The pernicious homophobia shaming taking place is unconscionable.
The definitions of lesbian and gay have been redefined to suit a certain perspective, and the impact of this – ignored. (Sound familiar?)
As apparent with previous Standard discussions on this very topic, and this link sent to me by a NZ psychologist when I asked what support he would give to a young lesbian who was coming to terms with her sexuality and finding pressure to sleep with men:
In addition to what Molly said, even for TW that have had genital removal and reconstruction, they've still male. For many women, sex is a whole body event. Lesbians have the right to say no to sex, dating, and sharing female spaces with male bodied people irrespective of what body modifications that person has done.
The Hugo award-winning Science Fiction-focused Clarkesworld Magazine can receive over 12,000 submissions in just one year. Of course, that was before the proliferation of free online AI models that can write a dull, monotonous, though technically legible piece of fiction.
On Monday, Clarkesworld Magazine editor Neil Clarke tweeted that the company had closed all submissions, writing “It shouldn’t be hard to guess why.” Looking back over the past few weeks, it’s clear that fake spam submissions made using AI-based large language models has inundated the magazine’s editors with nearly 35 times the number of fake submissions as the same time last year. Clarke wrote that his magazine received 50 of these AI-generated submissions before noon on Presidents’ Day.
[…]
On Tuesday, Clarke said they do plan to eventually open up submissions again, but he elaborated that “We don’t have a solution for the problem. We have some ideas for minimizing it, but the problem isn’t going away.”
Something admirably humorous about this woman designer's posting of her stolen clothes and jewellery items being displayed by Sam Brinton on his social media posts without any shred of conscience:
Sam Brinton, was hired by Biden – as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition in the Office of Nuclear Energy for the Department of Energy.
Critiques regarding Brinton's public posts regarding his fetishes were defended and considered immaterial to his employment. Which I agree with to an extent, but depending on the role, character does play a part and ability to maintain control over those aspects – whether it be alcohol or kink play are relevant. As well as the credibility of the organisation in regards to their role. I would suggest that his enthusiastic public posting of his pup-play and active membership of the Order of Perpetual Indulgence would have indicated that the necessary discipline was not going to be maintained to the level required.
The only comment I can find on this man, is one from Sabine in 2022. But many of us will know that he was first investigated for the theft of a women's bag from an airline carousel a couple of months after being appointed, and no public statement or censure was made.
It was only when he was caught – again – and prosecution was undertaken – that he was deemed unsuitable for the position.
It would be also good, if we can have a serious discussion about his targeted theft of women's clothes.
Where do Standardista's fall here in regards to possible motivations for this larceny?
Despite his financial situation, he stole women's clothes because that was his only method of getting women's clothes?
He stole luggage that he knew belonged to women – and part of his fetish was wearing clothes that had been worn by women?
Something else?
And an analysis of the likelihood of such public displays of kinks, – which suggest to me that further sexual kinks will be present and less likely to be able to be controlled?
Hmmm, Im guessing he stole luggage belonging to women because he wanted to wear their used clothes. He did that because it excited him. Those are my quick reckons.
I have no interest, to be honest, in his motivations. ( apart from regarding him as a tosser)
He is a simply a thief of other peoples property and hopefully is fined/punished for the crime. Lipstick or suit wearing or being a tosser is beside the point. Just another tedious thief.
ohh now theres a thought and difficult question Molly
Some random thoughts: Some of my best contributions have been through a slightly gin impaired haze. A reread the following day usually confirms that.
Ive worked for a number of CEO's , mainly female, who were certifiable nutters, or at the very least sociopaths. Notwithstanding that they were very effective and exactly the sort of CEO to deliver the results needed.
I was actually in the room when the US state department informed Clark via Cullen what their legislation would be re patent protection laws ( think Pfizer) and saw the clarity of thought of the various sociopaths on both sides in action. As for character , on both sides total excreble slimeball misfits that you certainly wouldnt want to have anything to do with socially. But no denying their effectiveness.
So, what role should character play? Well theres the sort of character we probably all respect and admire. However if you want things done for the good of all, perhaps other attributes are more worthy. And yes i realise thats probably rather unpalatable.
Actually agree with you – as far as I think I understand what you've written – with or without gin haze.
I've read a lot about the personality types of surgeons, and remember reading an article years ago outlining where sociopathic traits in cetain roles and occupations benefitted society. I think it may have been this person, interviewed recently on Triggernometry:
Some of the most honorable people I know, are/were relied on by the rest of society to do the things that most of us are uncomfortable or incapable of doing. However their self-discipline was also exceptional.
I think in this particular role, a cursory look at Sam Brinton's social media could have indicated an obvious problem with impulse control. It should have eliminated him from consideration.
Sam Brinton certainly had the means to buy women's clothes for himself. However, that is obviously not the way his fetish works. He gets off on the thrill of stealing women's clothes because they are part of his fantasy of becoming the woman who owned and wore the clothing. The fact that he does it so obviously by wearing stolen clothing where it will be likely to be photographed is also part of the thrill. We are seeing fetishised behaviour here, and with much fetishised behaviour (like drug use) more and more stimulation is required to get the same effect. The word is "autogynephilia" and that is what drives most of the gender identity movement today.
Public displays of kink can be a live sexual act that doesn't have the consent of people who see it. This is one of the concerns about AGP males. There's plenty of evidence of AGP males doing their kink in obvious ways in public, so I think it's reasonable to assume that there are more subtle forms going on as well. It's not going to be a surprise of both the theft of women's clothes and the later wearing in public at high profile events are part of the fetish.
I agree about the character and employment issue. The problem isn't that he wears women's clothes to work. It's how he does that. I suspect far more men than women can see there's a problem, but we're not allowed to talk about it because liberals increasingly think there should be no boundaries and women who talk about boundaries are prudes.
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Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
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So RNZ has another "crime is out of control" story from, specifically, Puketapu. Quoting a person "RNZ has agreed not to name" we get little more than a sotto voce racist white crime panic. This anonymous source says they saw some people poking about, they were challenged, they left and the police were called and the cops arrived smartly. This level of "crime" is, apparently, enough for the local aspirational squatocracy to think about cos-playing Massey's Cossacks to deliver a bit of vigilante justice.
Now, places like Puketapu are deepest blue right wing country and you'll find a generous helping of groundswell type unreconstructed racists and bigots of all ages who are more than happy to be an agent provocateur if it suits them, so a little less credulity in assessing some of the claims coming out of the regions from our credulous MSM would be nice (although in a era where to paint yourself the victim is to exonerate yourself from any scrutiny in the media that might be a bit to much to expect).
But this little vignette of largely social media inspired (although the MSM is ever keen on amplifying the slightest hint of a verified heaving bosom and/or torn bodice) fear and loathing shows just how deep cooker culture has penetrated into our low information provinces, which no longer have much by the way of local MSM journalism and instead rely on an unrelieved diet of FB groups, rumour, and talkback troll farms for news. To me it is just wild that many people are now so inculcated with bad information sources they more likely to believe cookers on a FB group than they are the police commissioner when discussing crime.
One screamingly obvious learning from the pandemic and these sorts of disasters is there are huge consequences in the death of reliable and well resourced local media in New Zealand. In my youth in Hawkes Bay the region had two well functioning local newspapers with numerous reporters, the generally august and reliable Napier Daily Telegraph and that useless rag from across the way, the Hastings based Hawkes Bay Herald Tribune. Both papers reflected the political traditions of their city, and the whole media eco system was buttressed by the local ZC radio station, which featured frequent interviews with local politicians and reports on the proceedings of the council. All that has vanished. The result has been the flourishing of crony politics and sharp practice, the death of local democracy and the rise of online disinformation, misinformation and downright black propaganda.
Was this ?
Oh well…..but then this?
So they got Police,Patrol car..and Eagle helicopter. But the so helpful neighbour neglected to get the number plate…or descriptions.
Huh?
That is the one!
plus if reading it right, stupid Rebecca left a key out if "they managed to get their hands on a key". Certainly an entitled bullhorn of a woman. Having said that, break-ins at this time is even more scummy than at any other time.
That was meant for Airbnb guests only
I agree indeed. Just this story is so ..random. AND she got an Eagle Helicopter to boot.
What more is on her want list?…Martial law? Open season on people "Rebecca" (and similar) dont like the..look of? A real Clean Up as it were…
A worry….
agree, they should have called her "Judith" as in …
Judith Collins
https://youtu.be/NxcjE8iI4Cc
The whole story was a heaving unspoken cypher for a whole lot of other issues, including the unspoken informal apartheid that exists in Napier/Hastings, the studiously ignored and well hidden abject poverty, marginalisation and "othering" of poor urban Maori that exists alongside the well heeled white colonies of ex-Aucklanders we large see in our MSM when talking about Hawkes Bay, it's crony class politics, and a post-Douglas era social order than can only be described in many cases as semi-feudal.
Agree, I perceived an unspoken malice in the woman’s allegations. Similar to the US cases where a woman phones the Police because there is a Black Man in the park…
A friend lives in Wairoa and he has two Mobsters as neighbours, while all shovelling silt together he said they laughed at the moral panic stories.
Personally, if people are without communication, petrol, water, sanitation, a usable roading bridge network, health care, access to medicine, cash, banking services, food supply etc. it is ok to help yourself to essentials from businesses–but opportunist thefts from individuals are another matter and reprehensible.
The numbers will hopefully emerge eventually as to whether there has been a crime wave or not.
There is an undercurrent of if you are the right sort of person "borrowing" the water tank from your neighbour's abandoned and wrecked place so you can gather rain water to clean your property is smart, but if you are the wrong sort poking about a red stickered property to claim a half buried bike then you are a looter and a suitable target for vigilante justice.
The bottom line is a lot of people on the right are pre-disposed to believe rumours of looting and social breakdown because their world view is formed by a belief that the “perfect” state of nature is fundamentally Hobbesian, and thus a disaster creates the perfect conditions for uncivilised competition. That, in turn, leads them to logically (for them) conclude they are living in a Hobbesian nightmare and therefore a shoot first, ask questions later mindset prevails.
The truth – and all the evidence of disasters backs this up – is that humans pull together in a catastrophe and looting is actually rare.
pearl clutchers
Luxon and Seymour put out the call that crime is rampant. So we the obedient ones answer the call. We are scared. Crime is everywhere. The police are hopeless. This Government is hopeless. Call in the Army. Careless media repeat the feelings.
Actually I think that the politics of stoking up fear is disgusting. Shame on you Luxon, Seymour and the Mayor of Nappier.
Aye, yes. The Fear mongers…they are the real "lovers of disaster politics". Truly despicable….
Listening to locals (like the mayor of the actual city itself) is always going to create more light than politicians.
Hipkins 'out of touch' on security risks in flood zone (newsroom.co.nz)
Roadworkers who had guns pulled on them in Hawkes Bay dispute Prime Minister’s ‘third-hand’ information claim – NZ Herald
Cyclone Gabrielle: Chris Hipkins climbs down from criticised crime claims as roadworker says politicians are 'covering backside' | Newshub
Looting, becoming common in town, is spreading into rural areas, putting already traumatised residents further on edge.
Puketapu was among the first of these areas to install roadblocks or checkpoints at access points into their village, and others appear to be following suit.
Those quotes are taken from https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/opinion-the-government-risks-losing-rural-new-zealand-who-were-left-to-fight-cyclone-gabrielle-on-their-own/WGWO6VWYJVEOZEHEIMFRGMSOUA/, which is behind a paywall.
I watched news hubs hit pieces on Hipkins last night,
Blatant misrepresenting of what he said backed up by the reckons of a thcko rd worker.
It's either that or the reporter failed basic comprehension
Well if the reporter misunderstood what Hipkins said, so did a load of people on the ground in the regions.
There’s so much misunderstanding around, it’s almost like some are deliberately spreading misinformation, but fortunately you cleared it all up.
Sarcasm is mostly wasted on the braindead.
Amen – imho, cynically whipping up a climate of hysteria about a supposed ‘crime wave’ ['They’re' stealing our stuff!] is unhelpful at best – more than enough ‘climate’ to worry about as is.
"“As I [PM Hipkins] have said all week, I acknowledge that when the power is out and the communications are out, there is a heightened degree of anxiety and any criminal offending in that time is going to be of extra concern to a local community."
IOW – the crime you think is happening is not really happening, it's just a 'heightened degree of anxiety'.
Really? Meanwhile, those nice people the government 'requested' pull their heads in just didn't listen.
Cash, guns and drugs seized after gang incident in cyclone-affected Napier | Stuff.co.nz
Really Liberty Belle? "IOW", or in your words?
Imho, cynically whipping up a climate of hysteria about a supposed ‘crime spike’ at this time will pay political dividends, but not in the way you might think.
Carry on
No, Liberty is not being cynical, they are being satirical 😉
I'll believe the people actually being affected. Like the workers who had guns pulled on them, although not according to the PM, eh.
[Provide evidence that the PM denied that workers had pulled guns on them.
What is your argument with citing this incident?
You’re in Pre-Mod because I’m fed up with your BS reckons and knowing you, you will simply continue with it – Incognito]
Mod note
Incredible how petty the political right of New Zealand are, holding up a single, murky, roadside incident for purposes of distracting away from the huge amount of good work authorities are doing.
Why do the political right of New Zealand always concentrate on the negative?
People certainly are being affected. Mind you, we're still in a state of National Emergency. Best Kiwis pull together for now, don't you think?
https://www.hbemergency.govt.nz/
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/02/24/live-images-shows-rising-floodwaters-in-west-auckland/
"[Provide evidence that the PM denied that workers had pulled guns on them."
Happily.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said earlier this week that there was no first-hand account of the incident. “The reports of guns pulled at checkpoints, so far there have only third or fourth-hand accounts of it,” Hipkins said during a press conference.
and
"After earlier this week calling some reports of crime in cyclone-hit regions "unsubstantiated rumours", the Prime Minister has climbed down from those claims. Newshub's spoken to a roadworker whose crews were held at gunpoint and said Chris Hipkins doesn't know what's happening on the ground."
"The very next day, the Prime Minister addressed the nation, saying he wanted to be "careful on the issues around law and order that we're not just responding to unsubstantiated rumours". Not that he'd admit it on Thursday. When it was put to him that he dismissed crime on the ground as unsubstantiated rumour, Hipkins said "that's not true" and "that isn't actually what I said". At that Monday press conference, Hipkins said he was aware of one instance of someone being threatened with a firearm. Newshub's spoken to a roadworker whose crews were held up twice in one night. "The first staff member had a firearm pointed at him, then everything seemed alright. So then they carried on going through putting out road cones and that. And that's when the second firearm was then pointed at a second staff member." Both were reported to police in the weekend."
"But the roadworker said Hipkins' "unsubstantiated rumours" comment stung. "I was thinking it's quite a dag though because in a politician's point of view, it's all about them covering their backside. They're not here, they're not amongst it, they're not here firsthand.""
He's slippery, and he was caught out.
Nice try, but no cigar. Hipkins called them “unsubstantiated rumours”, i.e., they may or may not have been true. You failed to make your point though because it wasn’t about the PM being ‘slippery’ but about “crime is rampant” in the area as alleged by Luxon and Seymour who are turning this into a political football. They are the slippery ones because they take every single incident reported in the media and blow out of proportion into Armageddon for political gain. Noted.
"Hipkins called them “unsubstantiated rumours”, i.e., they may or may not have been true. "
Hipkin's meaning was very clear. The roadworker knew what he was saying. And Newshub knew when they wrote the headline "Chris Hipkins climbs down from criticised crime claims as roadworker says politicians are 'covering backside'"
In fact, Newshub nailed it when they said "The Prime Minister sprung too quickly into defensive politician mode on Monday with his "unsubstantiated rumours" comment. Hipkins was talking to the Opposition and went on the attack when he should have been responding to real fears in the community."
And there you have it, the PM should have jumped on the bandwagon of fear mongers and sing from the same sheet as Luxon and Seymour. This is not about the victims at all, it is about playing political football. The Opposition knew exactly what they were doing and so do the media. And since when are headlines accurate reports of the news? Seriously, you’re spinning and you’ve missed your calling as headline-writing chatbot.
She must be as bright as you then
Oh the Herald says it, well goodo, it must be true and tell me it isn't so, the fiercely loyal to the Labour Government Rural Community is turning against them. Shocked I say, shocked.
Must not let facts get in the way:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cyclone-gabrielle-looting-mayor-says-lowlifes-should-be-jailed-forever/YQ76I3SBXRD47MXFRMYVYB5LTQ/
Do you seriously think, for one moment, that people fighting for everything they own are reporting crime right now?
Get off the grass! It’s BAU, mostly.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/131325133/claims-of-cyclone-crime-spike-a-political-football-cops-at-coalface-say
You’ve found one of National’s old tricks when crime stats/numbers are down: the reporting is down, so the real numbers must be up!
What were you saying again about confirmation bias this morning? I think you’re missing a pearl.
The good folk of the east coast and HB are right in the middle of this. Right now. They won't be on the phone to plod. They are taking their own measures.
Right now as in 5 days ago according to your link.
How do the good folk of the east coast and HB expect to see justice if they can't even be bothered reporting crime?
"Right now as in 5 days ago according to your link."
That's when they started taking measures. The crime hasn't stopped.
"How do the good folk of the east coast and HB expect to see justice if they can't even be bothered reporting crime?"
The good people of the HM and Easy Coast are rather preoccupied. And frankly, given the 'wet bus ticket' treatment criminals get, I don't blame them.
Yeah, right! They are too busy looking for that one silver ute with 5 people in it. And the cell towers are not working, are they? Plenty of ‘wet bus tickets’ around there, I guess, but that’s just more slash coming down the barren slopes of your biased brain. You’re on a roll, rolling out the BS.
You must be Right and missing a few pearls.
Adam Pearse didn’t mention anything about the good folk not reporting crime in his latest piece. Quite the opposite rather, Police are coming to meet with concerned and fearful residents to discuss roadblocks etc. Looks like your non-reporting allegations is silt eroding from your barren biased imagination. Get off the grass or better yet, go back to YouTube and watch those many video’s posted by people from the left with which you have a beef.
I know it must be tough being this weeks NACT lickspittle but are you saying the good folk are too busy to call the Police but all the time in the world to talk to the Herald?
Rebecca has the Eagle helicopter on speed-dial.
"are you saying the good folk are too busy to call the Police but all the time in the world to talk to the Herald?"
The media are pro-actively providing an opportunity. And right now, the locals likely feel they'll get more traction through the media.
Sure, and with the roadblocks they get more traction with the Police, obviously. Unfortunately, the same roadblocks will prevent Police and other emergency services getting through, which could put lives at risk. This is a risky ‘PR strategy’ but it seems to make sense to you. Go figure.
Potential Puketapu FB page:
Has a Maori stolen your washing machine?
Don’t call the police, call The Herald!
"Adam Pearse didn’t mention anything about the good folk not reporting crime in his latest piece. "
I didn't claim he did.
No, exactly, and that’s why I assumed it originated from your imagination. Of course, you can support your BS assertions, but you haven’t done so. So … QED.
"No, exactly,"
So you took one article and dreamed up an entire comment about something the author didn't say. I think you're losing your touch.
[You have made several claims about people not reporting crime now. You have not provided any evidence for this yet other than your own reckons, and now you claim that they are my reckons aka “dreamed up”.
Back up your claims about people not reporting crime now and inferences won’t suffice. And seeing ‘suspicious’ silver utes in the area is not seeing a crime either – Incognito]
Mod note
"Unfortunately, the same roadblocks will prevent Police and other emergency services getting through, which could put lives at risk. "
The police seemed quite supportive of the roadblocks.
Yes, as long as it doesn’t “impede emergency responders” and a few other provisos mentioned in the link, which you left out of your comments, for some reason … They would be supportive if it does indeed deter criminals and looters – prevention is better than cure.
"Yes, as long as it doesn’t “impede emergency responders” and a few other provisos mentioned in the link, "
So what did you base your comment above that "Unfortunately, the same roadblocks will prevent Police and other emergency services getting through," on?
My mistake; I left out a qualifier such as easily or quickly and made clear what risk this could pose to people’s lives. You don’t seem to share this concern with the Police, which was mentioned in the article you linked to. In fact, all you’re interested in is confirming your biased narrative.
"You have made several claims about people not reporting crime now. "
No, I haven't. I have suggested that is a likely scenario given what they are dealing with.
"and now you claim that they are my reckons aka “dreamed up”."
Huh? I think you're losing it.
"Back up your claims about people not reporting crime now "
You want me to prove that people aren't doing something? You're trolling now, inco. Have a strong coffee.
[Nope. You have stated numerous times that people are not reporting crimes. Don’t be dishonest about this.
I didn’t write your claims in your comments nor your ‘scenarios’. Is this some kind of game or film script to you?
Crime stats/numbers are lower, not higher. This doesn’t fit your narrative. Too bad for you. You were (t)asked to provide evidence that people were not reporting and why. You failed on both counts and have wasted a lot of my time.
I’m not trolling, I’m engaging with your BS while you’re being moderated and are in Pre-Mod. Frankly, I’ve seen enough of your BS and it is déjà vu all over again. Take three weeks off – Incognito]
Mod note
"This is a risky ‘PR strategy’ but it seems to make sense to you. Go figure."
It would appear to be better than waiting for the Minister of Police.
"The Police Minister had no idea how bad it was until Newshub told him this afternoon."
""Whatever the District Commander needs to keep law and order, all she's got to do is ask but I need to get to the bottom of this. It's the first time I've heard it," he said."
Cyclone Gabrielle: Tensions escalate in Hawke's Bay as thieves and looters target vulnerable | Newshub
Fighting a few fires today, Libertarian Smell?
If you think this is the reason why people were setting up roadblocks, to get the attention of the Minister of Police, then it was unnecessary and misguided, to say the least. You sound like Luxon and Seymour turning this into a political football at the highest level and you’re certainly playing along with them.
In the NZH article of 19 Feb that you linked to it clearly states that already “[m]ore than 100 additional officers had been brought into the district” and that more would be deployed, “[t]he Police Eagle helicopter will also be flying above the district”, and that the Eastern District commander Superintendent Jeanette Park was on the ball. In fact, as I already said, the article states that Police were talking directly with the people wanting to set up the roadblocks. You’re spinning!
"If you think this is the reason why people were setting up roadblocks, to get the attention of the Minister of Police,"
No, never claimed that. I pointed out how out of touch the Minister was, and the people on the ground would be better not waiting for him.
"You’re spinning!"
You're clearly having cognitive issues tonight. Take more time to read the comments.
BTW – if you’re going to reply to my comments, or ask for a response by way of the moderators veto, at least be honest enough to publish my reply.
Nope. You claimed that people were too busy setting up roadblocks, talking to the media, and talking to Police in the ground to report crime. It had nothing to do with the Minister being out of touch and people allegedly waiting for him – the PM had visited the area, so why would they wait for the Police Minister? It makes no sense and you are spinning, just like Luxon, Seymour and Mitchell.
You still haven’t provided anything else other than your reckons for your claims about the non-reporting. The Minister and PM are simply red herrings.
You are being moderated, not vetoed. You’re also in Pre-Mod, and your comments are pending until being released by a Mod, usually with a reply associated. This is to control the brown water flow here on this forum. If this takes too long for your liking, I’d suggest you complain to the SYSOP. You’ll find his contact details here: https://thestandard.org.nz/contact-us/.
From Pl.A's link@1.1
Of course there’s people around. – rubber-neckers and people looking at what has been tossed out. One person's rubbish is another's treasure.
In the days when we had inorganic collections in Auckland, it was normal to see cars and vans cruising the streets looking for stuff they could restore either for themselves or to sell on. I was more then happy for them to take what they wanted. Its' called 'private enterprise' which the blue-ribboned among us are supposed to support.
But of course they are the wrong sort of entrepreneurs. They're the poor ones who usually come from the wrong side of the railway tracks.
Another output shock…25% of world beef exports set to be removed from the market.
"- Brazil's beef exports to China will be halted starting Thursday after a case of mad cow disease was confirmed in the northern state of Para, the country's agriculture and livestock ministry said on Wednesday."
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazils-para-state-confirms-mad-cow-disease-case-2023-02-22/
Luckily, I own a soon to be ex-cow.
Boggles at "ex-cow." Eat it or have a sex change?
I steer away from that debate.
Look in this time of gender/sex etc politics I am not going to heifer myself into this debate
Look OK I'll laugh for everyone, it's no problem…..I always get my own jokes!
Is Luxon using Judith Collins as a stopbank to keep Willis away from withering his whimsical leadership position?
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/luxons-puzzling-brainfade
In the words of the old blues song, "W stands for woman, woman keeps worrying me." Bald Lemon Luxon preachin' the Blues.
Old political adage: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer!
Liability Luxon hopes to stave off the inevitable coup by rewarding one of the undeserving unworthies!
I caught the end of this interview:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018879241/eastland-wood-council-supports-inquiry-into-forestry-slash
The enquiry's findings will be interesting considering the conflict with the likes of Pan Pac, which is owned by Oji Group, a leader in the pulp and paper industry in Japan.
https://www.panpac.co.nz/about/
I understand we signed the 'son of TPPA' which largely neuters the state's ability to take measures that may impact on the balance sheet of foreign owned companies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Pacific_Partnership
Who would be a politician?
Listening to people in communities like Tolaga bay can hear they are really cautious in their wording of crfiticism of logging companies, even after all the slash and debris has visited ruin upon their transport networks.
Put simply, these companies are the only jobs in town and no one want to lose that.
Same in the Far North, few like the rats and mice forestry operators, a number of peoples health and lives have suffered for years because of their exploitation.
Helen Kelly NZCTU ran a great campaign to try and sort them out. It is in the mists of time now that before Rogernomics there was a Govt. Forestry dept. that significantly existed to employ people on reasonable conditions!
True that and had an expertise at managing forests planted for soilcon purposes.
This expertise seems to have been washed away by thoughts of the mighty $$$$$$$$
Toby Morris at the Spinoff has a piece about Frogs and Sandbags:
… worth reading the whole thing but the takeaway is important:
I see ZB and others are moaning like their life is under threat, when we want to Tax excess greed.
As a Christian, the removal of tax on excess greed has been the most vial aspect of the last 40 odd years of liberal economics. That and flat taxes like GST.
Time to help these people, because greed is a condition that can't be curbed without help.
Help them to do better. Good one Adam.
Perhaps stronger than I would express Sanctuary but I agree.
And in addition these 'incomers' often call it 'the Hawkes Bay' which 'grinds my gears'.
I yell at Stuff links 'it's not the HB, its Hawkes Bay'
"I am going up to HB this weekend", I last said in 2019.
Actually it was called Hawke Bay. Not sure when/if it was officially renamed Hawkes Bay.
I understood from ages ago that it was the Bay, the geographical ocean feature that was called Hawke Bay and the province was Hawkes Bay.
Could have got that the wrong way round but there was one called Hawke and one called Hawkes (I wonder was that originally Hawke's bay?)
And talking about mmmmmm ('number needs to be blank') Waters here is an link to a piece on Neighbourly about Christchurch City Council introducing water fees.
https://www.neighbourly.co.nz/publication/the-press
'The Christchurch City Council's new water billing system went live on Sunday night and the first invoices for ratepayers using excess water are due to be sent out over the coming days.
The council introduced an excess water charge in October after making the decision to push ahead with the scheme in 2021.
It is not yet known how many people will get a bill, but the average charge is likely to be $83 and the maximum about $400.
Under the new rules, people will be charged a fixed rate of $1.35 for every 1000 litres they use over the 700-litre limit, which is the equivalent of 100 toilet flushes.'
Part of our discussion revolved around the inherent unfairness of this. KCDC charges for every drop used. There has been no attempt to mitigate these charges so the homeowner futilely trying to change nature by growing bowling green type grass on sand pays the same as someone looking after a family member who needs care involving the use of lots of water.
The phrase about 'treating unequal people equally does not mean you are treating them fairly' seems to apply.
Regular readers of this blog would know that I have no love for ACT, and I constantly point out their many hypocrisies on matters, their blatant populist pandering and their general disinterest in the economically disadvantaged.
My latest example of the latter was an article by Richard Prebble in yesterdays Wairarapa Times Age. I am unable to provide a link for it because I don't think it is on-line in any case. In this article he argues that government should back off and leave the cyclone recovery to local government and organisations.
In Prebble's finance-obssessed world he doesn't seem to realize that the scale of damage is way way beyond local government being able to fix it and government intervention is essential. ACT's idea of government is apparently non-government.
Just another example of why people in Hawkes Bay should be thankful that, for all the damage caused, at least the government is getting involved and helping to repair the damage. If ACT was government they would probably be told to raise the money through hangis and gala days.
If someone could find and post a link to this article I would be grateful.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/richard-prebble-government-must-stand-back-and-let-locals-guide-recovery-from-cyclone-gabrielle/F3WAERFNINERBKFDBC7ZKZ7G2U/ [behind pay-wall]
Thanks.
Well I for one am happy that ACT have moved on from the cake stalls idea.
My concern really is that ACT has been missing in action during both Cyclones. While I have no truck with disaster tourism, politicians need to see things in person, be seen being present at official briefings or even pass on straight empathy, when it is needed and relevant. I wouldn't even mind Seymour saying he had donated or supports the Red Cross & Stuff fundraiser.
PS No charge for this political advice David!
Yes Let the motor mouth leader of act get a bloody shovel and help move the shite rather than flinging it about. He is a first class dork. He grinds my gears with his petty posturing.
Test post
Lipstick and a skirt makes you a woman? I don't think so – and neither do most lesbians.
Just nonsense – and homophobic with it.
This is what young people are being encouraged to believe these days.
so many things wrong with that. Including the use of child-esque imagery for adults.
Those transwomen who say they
are lesbians can have lesbian sex with other transwomen .If not why not?
The fact is they seem to prefer biological women
Did anyone ask lesbians (in the true sense of same sex attraction)whether they wanted to have sex with a penis haver?
No amount of bullying and attempted conversion is going to swing it .
Unfortunately, for many autogynephiliac men – those who are sexually aroused by the thought of themselves as women – the ultimate validation of their claimed identity as a woman and as a "lesbian" – (because they are the same straight boy they were before they put on a frock) – is to bully, bamboozle or blackmail some actual lesbian into a sexual relationship. The validation is just not there with another "transbian" because they actually do know what a woman is – and what one is not.
what's wrong with bisexual women?
What you describe Visubversa is in my eyes is rape. Probably not a legal definition, but every lesbian I've known, do not like men in any way sexually. To "bully, bamboozle or blackmail" is coercion, meaning, ultimately it not consensual at a really core level.
So Lesbians are left once again cleaning up the mess. In this case the psychology, spiritual, and emotional damage from people who are suppose to be in the Rainbow community. Maybe their not, maybe they are just misogynistic little curs.
Re the damage, cue apology from a young lesbian for being taken in by a TERF:
https://twitter.com/terfalicious/status/1290087860675072002?s=20
Unfortunately it is rainbow support organisations that say that lesbians should consider sex with males – if they claim they have a women's gender identity.
The pernicious homophobia shaming taking place is unconscionable.
Rainbow Youth
Inside Out
The definitions of lesbian and gay have been redefined to suit a certain perspective, and the impact of this – ignored. (Sound familiar?)
As apparent with previous Standard discussions on this very topic, and this link sent to me by a NZ psychologist when I asked what support he would give to a young lesbian who was coming to terms with her sexuality and finding pressure to sleep with men:
https://eveywinters.com/genital-preferences-or-bigotry/
I consider this to be a politically sanctioned return of homophobia and a form of gay conversion.
An excerpt from Hannah Barnes "Time to Think" – Guardian review
https://twitter.com/jessesingal/status/1628854693022830592?s=20
Yes, I was a foundation member of Rainbow Labour and I am desolated at what has happened to it today.
Not all transgender women …many have had bottom half surgery (esp those transitioning before self ID).
Data is not easy to come by in NZ, but overseas studies place your "many" at 5 – 13%.
Demographic and temporal trends in transgender identities and gender confirming surgery – 2019:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6626314/
Link to table: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6626314/table/t1/?report=objectonly
Now, I'd consider that *a few" or "a small percentage" but I am aware that clear definitions are difficult for some at the moment.
However, we can probably agree that Self-ID will reduce your "many" to an even smaller percentage.
… and besides…
https://twitter.com/salltweets/status/1627098582154350592?s=20
In addition to what Molly said, even for TW that have had genital removal and reconstruction, they've still male. For many women, sex is a whole body event. Lesbians have the right to say no to sex, dating, and sharing female spaces with male bodied people irrespective of what body modifications that person has done.
Thanks Weka.
This is it in a nutshell.
Nice and simple.
Perhaps we are going back to that stereotype of male bodied people focussing on appearances more than female bodied people do.
Perhaps it is not a stereotype but true.
But I couldn't possibly comment.
The spammers win.
https://twitter.com/clarkesworld/status/1628059492486115328
The Hugo award-winning Science Fiction-focused Clarkesworld Magazine can receive over 12,000 submissions in just one year. Of course, that was before the proliferation of free online AI models that can write a dull, monotonous, though technically legible piece of fiction.
On Monday, Clarkesworld Magazine editor Neil Clarke tweeted that the company had closed all submissions, writing “It shouldn’t be hard to guess why.” Looking back over the past few weeks, it’s clear that fake spam submissions made using AI-based large language models has inundated the magazine’s editors with nearly 35 times the number of fake submissions as the same time last year. Clarke wrote that his magazine received 50 of these AI-generated submissions before noon on Presidents’ Day.
[…]
On Tuesday, Clarke said they do plan to eventually open up submissions again, but he elaborated that “We don’t have a solution for the problem. We have some ideas for minimizing it, but the problem isn’t going away.”
https://gizmodo.com/ai-chatgpt-sci-fi-clarkesworld-magazine-fiction-1850140486
Something admirably humorous about this woman designer's posting of her stolen clothes and jewellery items being displayed by Sam Brinton on his social media posts without any shred of conscience:
https://twitter.com/asyakhamsin1/status/1627541483245936642?s=20
Sam Brinton, was hired by Biden – as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition in the Office of Nuclear Energy for the Department of Energy.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10523529/Bidens-pick-nuclear-waste-job-Southern-Baptists-son-turned-drag-queen-Sister-Ray-Dee-OActive.html
Critiques regarding Brinton's public posts regarding his fetishes were defended and considered immaterial to his employment. Which I agree with to an extent, but depending on the role, character does play a part and ability to maintain control over those aspects – whether it be alcohol or kink play are relevant. As well as the credibility of the organisation in regards to their role. I would suggest that his enthusiastic public posting of his pup-play and active membership of the Order of Perpetual Indulgence would have indicated that the necessary discipline was not going to be maintained to the level required.
https://www.exchangemonitor.com/sam-brintons-credibility-is-not-an-issue-desire-to-serve-commendable/?printmode=1
The only comment I can find on this man, is one from Sabine in 2022. But many of us will know that he was first investigated for the theft of a women's bag from an airline carousel a couple of months after being appointed, and no public statement or censure was made.
It was only when he was caught – again – and prosecution was undertaken – that he was deemed unsuitable for the position.
https://nypost.com/2022/12/12/non-binary-biden-nuclear-official-sam-brinton-fired-after-multiple-luggage-theft-charges-reports/
It is notable that he attended court soberly dressed in a suit – (perhaps no women were on his previous flight…)
https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/sam-brinton-released-without-bail-on-luggage-theft-charges/video/5f7784d5898006e4f19362b0c72a32e7
It would be also good, if we can have a serious discussion about his targeted theft of women's clothes.
Where do Standardista's fall here in regards to possible motivations for this larceny?
And an analysis of the likelihood of such public displays of kinks, – which suggest to me that further sexual kinks will be present and less likely to be able to be controlled?
Hmmm, Im guessing he stole luggage belonging to women because he wanted to wear their used clothes. He did that because it excited him. Those are my quick reckons.
I have no interest, to be honest, in his motivations. ( apart from regarding him as a tosser)
He is a simply a thief of other peoples property and hopefully is fined/punished for the crime. Lipstick or suit wearing or being a tosser is beside the point. Just another tedious thief.
Thanks, hetzer.
What considerations do you think character should play in roles of significant authority and responsibility?
ie. talking about the likelihood of impairment, or reducing public confidence. As a parallel, high alcohol consumption posts on social media.
Um, it's America. Considerations of character in roles of significant authority and responsibility?
Donald J Trump, President #45. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Etc.
ohh now theres a thought and difficult question Molly
Some random thoughts: Some of my best contributions have been through a slightly gin impaired haze. A reread the following day usually confirms that.
Ive worked for a number of CEO's , mainly female, who were certifiable nutters, or at the very least sociopaths. Notwithstanding that they were very effective and exactly the sort of CEO to deliver the results needed.
I was actually in the room when the US state department informed Clark via Cullen what their legislation would be re patent protection laws ( think Pfizer) and saw the clarity of thought of the various sociopaths on both sides in action. As for character , on both sides total excreble slimeball misfits that you certainly wouldnt want to have anything to do with socially. But no denying their effectiveness.
So, what role should character play? Well theres the sort of character we probably all respect and admire. However if you want things done for the good of all, perhaps other attributes are more worthy. And yes i realise thats probably rather unpalatable.
Actually agree with you – as far as I think I understand what you've written – with or without gin haze.
I've read a lot about the personality types of surgeons, and remember reading an article years ago outlining where sociopathic traits in cetain roles and occupations benefitted society. I think it may have been this person, interviewed recently on Triggernometry:
https://youtu.be/GL4PyLEi8jY
Some of the most honorable people I know, are/were relied on by the rest of society to do the things that most of us are uncomfortable or incapable of doing. However their self-discipline was also exceptional.
I think in this particular role, a cursory look at Sam Brinton's social media could have indicated an obvious problem with impulse control. It should have eliminated him from consideration.
Sam Brinton certainly had the means to buy women's clothes for himself. However, that is obviously not the way his fetish works. He gets off on the thrill of stealing women's clothes because they are part of his fantasy of becoming the woman who owned and wore the clothing. The fact that he does it so obviously by wearing stolen clothing where it will be likely to be photographed is also part of the thrill. We are seeing fetishised behaviour here, and with much fetishised behaviour (like drug use) more and more stimulation is required to get the same effect. The word is "autogynephilia" and that is what drives most of the gender identity movement today.
Interesting insight….however speaking of personality types the following (mis?) quote may be worth consideration
"It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so."
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazils-para-state-confirms-mad-cow-disease-case-2023-02-22/
haha yes indeed!
Public displays of kink can be a live sexual act that doesn't have the consent of people who see it. This is one of the concerns about AGP males. There's plenty of evidence of AGP males doing their kink in obvious ways in public, so I think it's reasonable to assume that there are more subtle forms going on as well. It's not going to be a surprise of both the theft of women's clothes and the later wearing in public at high profile events are part of the fetish.
I agree about the character and employment issue. The problem isn't that he wears women's clothes to work. It's how he does that. I suspect far more men than women can see there's a problem, but we're not allowed to talk about it because liberals increasingly think there should be no boundaries and women who talk about boundaries are prudes.