I thought it was a good performance given the role of both parties. Remember the interviewers job is to ask all the stupid questions to allow the interviewee to explain the topic in more depth. That and the general public has little idea what the terms even mean.
I would like to compliment all the commentators on The Standard for their patience in dealing with Paddington's pedantic and nit-picking yesterday. Even LPrent, whose caustic comments have raised a smile in the past, was subdued.
If this is indicative of the PM's call for kindness, well done. We will all need to be patient and understanding in the difficult times that lie ahead.
I’ve left a moderation note asking for it to be dropped, thanks. Now, if we could all move on and focus on what really matters right here, right now, that would be great and might even safe lives.
"Now, if we could all move on and focus on what really matters right here"
We can, and have ……….. or maybe not – but it's six days later, and fromwhat I've seen as an interloper, Paddy Bear seems to have tucked up his tail and scarpered (possibly to re-appear under another guise)
Well said Tony. Paddington was being an irritating house fly buzzing around, but people had bigger things to think about than his/her silliness.
Jacinda’s instinctive qualities as a leader and communicator were again things we should be so grateful for at this time. Talking to a friend (on the phone) yesterday after her announcement, was interesting. He was so complimentary about how she has handled all this massive situation.
Does anyone in your household suffer from anxiety?
My youngest does, so I made up some info sheets for her last night and a list of her responsibilities before we officially go into lock down. Put official logos etc on it thanks to the covid-19 website.
This has helped sooooo much, as she now knows what to expect and can check her info sheets if she is unsure.
For example…. today my girls need to decide on any projects they wish to complete over the next month and any supplies they may need for that project, because the warehouse, mitre 10, $2 shop etc won't be open for a month come Thursday.
Saw that Warehouse will be open. Perhaps because they have many household basics at excellent prices, veg and flower plants and warmer clothing as well. They are also big and allow for space. Cheers You are such a good Mum.
Here is a little something from one of my on-line friends in the US. He offers his experiences from a similar situation he faced last year, with a cartoon that your daughters might identify with:
When I was in isolation during cancer treatments last year, some days I just played Red Dead Redemption Online because the stress of the situation made being actually productive too emotionally difficult. We all deal with stress in different ways. It ok to freak out a bit, this is a novel flu pandemic, life has changed, it’s ok to acknowledge how this is affecting you. We are all under duress, don’t beat you’re self up if your productivity is not as high as it was before or your not excited about doing stuff, this is a high stress situation. Remember to give yourself permission to feel anything right now. Feelings and random thoughts are not who you are as a person. You can only control your actions.
Well done, try and make some games out of it with mini prizes, those parents who did this in the Chch aftershocks, i.e. quessing strength of aftershocks etc, had children emerge in good health .
Would anyone know if owner operator lawn mowing business would be eligible for subsidy if the operator is a superannuitant getting pension. Which,as most people know is barely subsistence level. We have payments to make for van and motor mowers and other debts that go along with business ownership such as taxes and accountants etc.
Without this business we wouldnt survive so we have to keep it going.
I cant find mention of beneficiaries who are business owners being eligible. Help!!
There is a lot to read on this site Ffloyd. Bit about cashflow and such and lists of links. Hope this helps. It looks like the place to go if you need to do some gentle harassing.
Thought of the moment: is Tiwai Point an essential business? If it has to shut down for four weeks, have the odds suddenly shifted towards it never starting back up again? Would the various parties to the assorted contractual obligations around shutdown timeframes be more flexible right now around amending those timeframes?
I believe it takes some time to shut down and longer to start. . If they do shut now is not a good time to kill them off when we are allowed out again a 1000 jobs in the south will be a big thing.
The problems you hear about around shutting down potlines are mostly around the damage that happens when the power supply is unexpectedly lost. While planned shutdowns are still expensive, they are less expensive than unplanned forced shutdowns. Given the financial pain being caused across the rest of New Zealand, it amounts to special pleading for Tiwai Point to claim their financial pain from shutdown is somehow unique or should entitle them to special privileges.
Very little of Tiwai Point's output is used in New Zealand. It is of generally very high purity (because of the way they choose to operate the smelter, not anything special about New Zealand) and it mostly goes to Japan for specialist electronic uses. I've had occasion to look into the supply chain for the aluminium used in some engineering projects I've been involved in, and every time it has been imported.
thanks Andre. I don't care very much about Comalco's profit, other than how that might affect NZ (and we could definitely do with freeing up Manapouri power). Job losses and our international obligations to essential production matter. Do we buy specialist electronics from Japan?
The other big issue is how safe is it re covid for workers? Can good protocols be put in place?
I'd see closure generally in the context of the Powerdown and creating sustainable tech industries esp in relation to CC. Don't know if now or later is better for that, but we're not having the necessary conversation yet.
No it's not something in the news, it really was just a random thought for the morning. Given that the review decision was supposed to be complete sometime in this first quarter, I'm a little surprised at the silence.
I've never visited Tiwai Point, so this is just speculation, but here goes anyway …
As far as worker protection from COVID-19 goes, the production area of smelter type operations tends to have very low worker density, so keeping distance is unlikely to be a problem. It's a huge facility and if there's only 1000 or so there covering 24/7 shifts, they can't be very close together. Except maybe in smoko rooms.
I'd guess the higher risk would be for professional and lab staff. It's unlikely they've resisted the general execrable management trend of jamming as many people as possible into crowded open-plan areas. So they're more likely to spend all day in close proximity.
As Andre says, an orderly shutdown isn't that much of a problem.
Quite expensive in power and especially when you look at what it does to the refractories (I used to do tech sales at Kamo Green refractories during Think Big).
I wouldn't expect that it is defined as 'essential'. They may get some grace from just arguing the economic impact to the economy. We're going to be scratching for export income for a while.
I had a quick look for up to date news specific to Tiwai Point and didn't find any. But there was a lot about how chinese smelters have kept running and there's now an oversupply with reduced demand. Plus stories of how the big companies are putting the squeeze on other countries such as Icelasnd threatening to shut down if they don't get lower electricity prices.
So I suspect we're in for another disaster capitalism play from Rio Tinto for more hidden and overt subsidies that the rest of us pay for. Leveraging off of ideas like scarcity of export income and preserving jobs etc.
A thing about exotic trees and native trees in Australia and how flammable Oz trees are. We don't have a lot of Eucs here but the principle is the same and discussions here along the same lines are important.
For decades, Peter has planted a mosaic of trees including his truffle bearing hazelnuts and oaks, but also poplars and willows, and up to 30 bamboo varieties. His aim is to restore the property’s capacity to retain water at all levels, moving it gently through the soil profile rather than streaming off degraded, heavily compacted land…
Peter’s reasoning is that even a fire roaring uphill with a good draft will pause when it hits green trees. He estimates that a mature poplar, for example, is carrying 100 to 200 kg of water. As the fire and the trees interact, there’s a burst of flash evaporation from the greenery that absorbs heat. Peter says updraft wind will drop almost instantly under those conditions.
The wind controlling effect of banked deciduous foliage also worked to dramatically slow the fire’s spread and, three rows in, the blaze became controllable with groundwork and shovels.
Thanks Robert. Hope everything is going well in green land and family.
And while you have a minutes I wondered if you could tell me if I'm hurting my cherry plum tree draining rinse water towards which has a touch of detergent in it still. The leaves on a weaker side are dullish and hanging. Might just have been too dry from weeks of little water.
(I keep thinking about panic and hoping people aren't hurting themselves and having more accidents that end up needing treatment. It's going to be really interesting to see what happens with that over the next month).
I'm an essential worker apparently, but what I'm seeing today is panic driving, looking forward to some quiet roads during lockdown while I go about my essential business. Also today, 15-20 car long queues for McDonalds.
I noticed Henry Cooke being snide again. According to him, Jacinda has us "Under House Arrest"
We can go for a walk, shop for food, get our medications, Make up our own activities, use the internet, talk to friends and neighbours over the fence or on the "phone/skype
What is stuck in his craw?
Sorry, I could not locate the article again. Herald.
Be kind Henry, the PM is working hard to save lives…. get with the goal and write some helpful pieces.
Wait for Stuff regular columnist Steve Elers if you're looking for snide in attacking the PM. He had the sense to say in a column most recently, "As a commentator of everything and a master of nothing" of himself. That should be added to the descriptive blurb at the bottom of his 'work.'
Steve Elers tag line at the bottom of his opinion pieces on stuff currently say he is " a senior lecturer at Massey University and writes a weekly article on cultural and political matters' or something similar. It should read "he is an ill-informed senior lecturer at Massey who writes a weekly diatribe abusing the Prime Minister." Massey must be so proud.
I suspect they have, and tho' it's nice to be able to walk down the street (keeping me 2 mtr separation and watching the stupidity with a degree of amusement at [predominantly] male ego insecurities), shifting the problem into the private domain will probably mean a whole lot of it goes unreported.
Already, I've noticed an increase in decibels from some of the neighbouring properties in the early hours, then later the littering of RTD cans and empty bottles of piss.
I'm actually hoping Women's Refuge and various other agencies begin to report they are being overwhelmed.
We spoke of this last night, in the context of the children who go to school as they can get food. Also school can be a violence free refuge, as opposed to home. Home that now has an even higher stressed adult(s) dishing out the family harm.
Well if the stories about queues at bottle stores and panic buying are true, then probably not, it may just be spilling out on to driveways instead of the high street.
A little something to while away the long hours to be spent at home:
Yep. It's Pippa. The albatross chick /live cam. Poor little mite is being buffeted by strong winds and rain at the moment.
They also produce a video of the highlights at the end of each day which consists of Mum and Dad returning to feed her and a bunch of teenage Albatross brats who like to tease and harass her especially around feed time. Mum knows how to handle them.
Christ. Have such landlords got no shame? Name and shame – or even report to authorities. Where are they meant to go once the lock down deadline arrives?
It would seem that the powers that be at our local hospital may have missed a trick in respect to uniforms. This, to me, is a potentially serious health and safety issue.
Almost all front-line health staff (nurses) wear their uniform to and from work.
There is push-back from management against the wearing of scrubs. Scrubs are an ideal solution to keeping staff families and homes free of the virus that can be bought home on clothing. The hospitals still launder scrubs so any potential contamination stays in house.
Particularly ironic as our local hospital has just changed the colour of the surgical scrubs in January, so there must be a surplus of this clothing somewhere.
It will be interesting to see how Covid-19 affects the next Australian election. Their infection rates are much higher than ours. There could be a backlash against a last minute Cambridge Analytica campaign.
Public transport and domestic air travel can only be used for medical reasons, to get to the supermarket, for people working in essential services and for freight.
and
taxis and ride share services like Uber will continue operating.
Chris Martenson praising NZ saying PM "just doing a great job". Yep, she is. Just prior to this time segment a letter from Annie, who closed her restaurant a couple of days before officials ordered it.
Early in this piece we learn that New York is over 20,000 cases – that was quick. Other surprises are Switzerland who have more cases per person than other countries.
I have just found out the WINZ offices are closing down for fear of staff getting infected by the virus. Why isn't this classified as an essential department for citizens when they are allowing The Warehouse to remain open for business. When has the Warehouse ever been considered an essential industry/business. Have I just fallen down the rabbit hole here. What it he hell is going on. Also All the courts are closing with the exception of the District courts – how does this equate as well. People are people no matter what court they have to attend and will catch this virus no matter what the sin is.
I am increasingly becoming confused about how these decisions are agreed upon. What about all the thousands of people who are now without jobs. How do they get any support if they can't get to their local WINZ Office. Not everybody has a computer or even able to afford to get online. Somebody clarify to me – am I missing something here. I have a loved one who is fragile and involved in these two departments and its hard enough with the enormity of the environment right now without pulling up the drawbridge on one department – WINZ and allowing the other District Courts to remain open to the milling crowds of people who go in their bldgs each day.
Phones are not much use when the system crashes through overload. Its a futile exercise even trying to get through. People who are needing WINZ right now are out of jobs, scared shitless, and vulnerable and the powers that be should have been better prepared for the influx of numbers and laid on more staff and perspex screens for them to protect from this virus if they are so worried over them. I am definitely down the rabbit hole over this.
The Warehouse helped stop the peasants revolting when we entered the fire economy – they are essential to the survival of liberalism as the dominate ideology.
I went to a supermarket in central Auckland this morning and it was remarkably calm and relatively uncrowded. No busier than a typical pre-Christmas day. Queue at checkout no longer than usual. Some shelves were sparsely stocked but there was nothing on my list I couldn't get if I changed brands. Posh pasta instead of budget pasta, no biggie.
I realize many people are not as conveniently close to supermarkets and dairies as I am. But in the last 48 hours I have had no problem buying both essentials and treats (and no I'm not hoarding).
I too wonder why the warehouse remains open. Yes it does sell some food but it's not a main offering IIRC a lot of it is imported and we need to do without the shopping fix that people may want to access for other goods. Why have they not got the stay at home message.
WINZ I would have thought was essential. – Okay they would want internet & phone first and they need to call back the pay as you use people – maybe they should stuff some form of access around the supermarkets – dedicated phone line or a credit that goes only to WINZ.
"Self-isolation" allows for a walk outside, carefully avoiding contact, but based on my (obviously random) sample of seeing people on the street on this last day before lockdown, I'd say at least a quarter still don't "get it". Plenty of proximity and touching.
It takes time for the message to sink in, so we can expect an extension after one month, as community transfer continues. If we can't be trusted to do this right, then it's going to be a full curfew.
Yes. I can't believe the queues outside some supermarkets (and gun shops) where people are not doing the 2 meter distancing from each other. I hope this gets controlled in future.
I certainly won't be venturing out til that is sorted.
I'm fortunate that I was able to book a supermarket home delivery for Sunday, and I have a nephew on standby who will deliver more more food (mostly fresh fruit & veges) when I need them.
Micro businesses – NZrs who make their own work since various governments made it so hard for small business which collapsed unable to compete with the world.
And here we see how the gummint agencies are just not concerned about helping these great innovative entrepreneurs in their small businesses.
<i>Only about $200 went through the till yesterday – down from about $1500 on a good day…. "Honestly I'm freaking out. I don't know if I can sustain it because how am I going to pay my rent even?
"I haven't even paid this month's rent yet, you know what I mean? "How do I pay the rent? How do I pay the wages, the power bill, the phone bill, my mortgage?"
Boyd said as a sole trader she did not yet have the 13-digit business number required to access government relief funds. "I really don't understand that either because I've been trying to get my New Zealand business number."
I even went to my accountant and he went online with me and it wouldn't get through. It kept saying 'error' but it won't tell me what the error is."
Boyd said she was worried about her staff, one of whom was expecting a baby.</i>
This leaves landlords able to bank renters' money with interest while having no outgoings at all.
A far as I am aware though all the other fixed costs like rates, insurance and property management fees will likely remain. You would be surprised at what a large fraction of your rent these consume. Including other smaller sundries we allow 50% of the rent to go in fixed costs. After that comes the variable costs like mortgage interest and annual company tax.
If a tenant stops paying their rent, a mortgage holiday will be very welcome, but it goes nowhere near covering all our costs.
The government should look at dole plus half rent paid for those losing their income/employment. Half rent would cover such utility costs for the landlord.
Tenants are going to be shafted; either owing massive amounts in rent or kicked out after the lockdown period is over.
A comment elsewhere on the subject with respect to the fraught idea of the random negotiating of rent reductions between tenant (powerless) and landlord (the clue is in the name).
Do you know what. I wouldn't have an issue if we were all in this together but today the preferential treatment for the comparatively wealthy beggars belief.
The reasoning for the mortgage holiday is apparently so people don't 'lose their homes'.
What if they did 'lose their homes', what would they be then?
i hardly believe that a company with 80 million annual turnover would have a owner who would 'loose' the house.
nah, these guys are making sure that some survive – whom ever they consider 'solvent' – and the rest so far can get fucked. Essentially this is a very national bail out, it is what i would have expected from teh National Party.
I am honestly out of wits when it comes to the 'hand outs' of this government.
funnily enough i was interviewed today by some 'regional NZ herald' guy and i essentially said that the government needs to either offer interest free loans or offer a rent/mortgage/lease/bill holiday to all of us. Its not ok to tell us to take a bank loan on the eve of Financial Crisis 2.0. So far my loyal customers have come through. I have discounted everything, and tomorrow last day – morning only – hopefully will see me make enough money for the Landlord.
I already advised my chocolate supplier that next month bill will be the first that i will miss in 8 years.
I don't wish the Labour Party and the coalition any ill, but i will never ever support them – not with money, not with time, and most certainly not with a vote. I just don't have any reason to do so.
The scheme will include a limit of $500,000 per loan and will apply to firms with a turnover of between $250,000 and $80 million per annum. The loans will be for a maximum of three years and expected to be provided by the banks at competitive, transparent rates.
well these businesses are very deserving, and need a bail out as where all those below 250.000 turnover per annum can get fucked.
Contrary to rumours, misinformation etc here and elsewhere, WINZ has NOT closed down completely.
MSD/WINZ has been designated an essential service. Like many other Goverment departments also classed as essential services, it has closed its service centres for face to face appointments, advice etc – BUT will continue to provide advice, help etc via its internet site and by phome.
Some other changes mentioned in that article of interest:
MSD is also making a number of other changes, coming into effect on 30 March, for a six-month period:
Removing the need to provide subsequent medical certificates for clients already getting Jobseeker Support or Sole Parent Support
Deferring any Disability Allowance reviews
Delaying Annual Reviews (including all annual reviews of income, confirming your circumstances (CYC) and annual circumstances letters (ACL), social housing reviews, and life certificates
NOTE that the section on Service Centre states that:
We've closed our service centres to keep people safe and stop the spread of COVID-19. If you need to contact us urgently you can use MyMSD or contact us.
FYI here is the URL for that "Contact Us' link – contact numbers are under each of the main headings. Press the + sign.
Note the wording in this particular section which I have underlined:
Left your job voluntarily or fired for misconduct
If you've left your job without a good reason or have been fired for misconduct, you may still need to wait up to 13 weeks before your payments start.
This 13 week period is a non-entitlement period, not a stand-down.
The wording "you may still need to wait up to 13 weeks", implies that this is not a compulsory set period; rather a period of time to a maximum of 13 weeks which is open to a decision by WINZ based on the circumstances of each case where someone has left a job voluntarily or has been fired for misconduct.
Hope the above helps.
PS – Just heard the PM, in her press conference currently underway, confirm that The Warehouse will not be open and is not an essential service.
At the press conference on Friday announcing the New York shutdown, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, “I want to be able to say to the people of New York—I did everything we could do. And if everything we do saves just one life, I’ll be happy.”
This statement reflects a disastrous sentimentalism. Everything for the sake of physical life? What about justice, beauty, and honor? There are many things more precious than life. And yet we have been whipped into such a frenzy in New York that most family members will forgo visiting sick parents. Clergy won’t visit the sick or console those who mourn. The Eucharist itself is now subordinated to the false god of “saving lives.”
[…]
A number of my friends disagree with me. They support the current measures, insisting that Christians must defend life. But the pro-life cause concerns the battle against killing, not an ill-conceived crusade against human finitude and the dolorous reality of death.
Yes that is a huge kick in the guts for renters. Why is the mortgage holiday for people who are renting out their properties. Sounds more like "a be kind to banks week."
Right up there with all the high income employees and directors not taking a haircut while they spend their time laying people off.
As for Winz – tone deaf as usual – just pushing the everyone can go online agenda – despite benefits being insufficent to support being able to afford these services or for that matter a phone. Oh and guess what the library has been closed so even if there is one the internet can't be used there either.
A six-month mortgage holiday for people whose incomes have been affected by Covid-19 will mean people won't lose their homes as a result of the economic disruption caused by this virus
Still a massive imbalance in the way two sections of society are being treated. And it still applies to the landlord who claims the holiday on their own home.
One section is being offered massive relief around the biggest household cost of all at this very stressful and critical time, while another section is offered nothing in the same area.
This needs to be sorted or there will be massive unrest.
The scheme will include a limit of $500,000 per loan and will apply to firms with a turnover of between $250,000 and $80 million per annum. The loans will be for a maximum of three years and expected to be provided by the banks at competitive, transparent rates.
i really don't see why a business owner with 80 million turn over needs a mortgage holiday, while the dude on 70.000 does not. But then maybe the dude with the 80 million dollar business needs to buy some more cheap houses when the dudes on regular wages default. After all we can't have socialism for the poor, no we only have it for the well to do, and the very rich. Besides, when the Labour critters quit parliament they would like to have some lucrative jobs on boards and such, so consider it a 'prepayment' for services to be rendered in the future.
Now somebody understands what my thread was about. A lot of people on benefits do not own a computer and if they do own one they cannot afford to go online. Libraries were open with computers and wifi and were available to these beneficeries and now they have closed down too. Owning a computer and being online is a luxury to many people and I find it quite extraordinary to plead the safety of their staff the reason for closing down. What about all the staff in supermarkets, pharmacies, they are having to run the gauntlet of being in harm's way. I just don't buy it at all their excuse for shutting down.
Even the District Court is staying open for the poor felons going before the judges. Obviously they want to punish the felons and punish the poor bastards who are out of work, mentally unwell, physically disabled etc. as well.
Yes, I definitely have gone down the rabbit hole on this one.
If people use the month to outdoor exercise, on foot or bike and get plenty of sleep then our public health (stronger immune systems) will be stronger for it. It is a good time of year for it.
If you've got elderly neighbours don't forget to make sure they are ok, because they may be scared or have no family close by.
We've contacted ours to let them know (via a note slipped under their door) if we go to the supermarket etc we will contact them know in advance should they need anything.
Mention was made in the comment at 18 that prompted my one at 25 re WINZ, that all Courtrs except District Courts were being closed down.
The Court situation is actually a lot more complex than what was stated at 18 and is still being sorted out. Advice about what is happening with the Courts is being promulgated on an ongoing basis on the following link and also on the Courts of New Zealand Twitter account @CourtsofNZ.
"Courts are an essential service. It is essential that New Zealand courts continue to uphold the rule of law and to ensure that fair trial rights, the right to natural justice and rights under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act are upheld"
"However, the move to level 4 will be extremely disruptive to everyday court practices. It will affect the ability of all who support the operations of the courts, and those who appear before them, to prepare for or attend at court."
For the remainder of this week it is expected that courts will operate only in the priority areas of:proceedings that affect: liberty of the individual, personal safety and wellbeing, and matters in which resolution is time-critical.
Proceedings in the following courts will not go ahead this week: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Employment Court, Environment Court (with one exception), Māori Land Court, Waitangi Tribunal, and Coroners Court.
To the maximum extent possible, and to avoid the need for people to attend court in person, the courts will use remote participation eg AVL where that is possible, telephone or email.
“However, in the District Court in-person attendances may be required in some cases. Where court attendance is unavoidable, the safety of the public, court staff and members of the legal profession is paramount. Measures have been taken to achieve physical distance and to improve courthouse hygiene.”
In summary (rough mix of quotes and shortened wording):
From today, the following proceedings take priorityin the District Court (all full quotes):
Criminal when the defendant is in custody: Public order offenders; Bail applications (including breaches); Sentencing those already in custody; Deportation warrants; CP(MIP); Breach of PSOs.
Civil: Injunctions, Harassment orders; Harmful digital communications; Tenancy Tribunal appeals against evictions.
Youth: Arrests (first appearances); Secure care applications, Bail applications; Review of custody, CP (MIP), Early release hearing (see separate letter from Principal Youth Court Judge Walker.)
Family: Public Health Order applications; Without notice applications: Care and protection (s 67 and s 78 immediate uplift); Protection and related Orders (Family Violence Act); Care of Children applications (family violence related); Mental Health (applications for compulsory treatment orders); Other without notice applications: PPPR, PRA, Hague Convention; Substance Addiction (Compulsory Treatment); s 67 Care and Protection.
Other proceedings will be administratively adjourned to the next available date except in the case of Youth Court which will be adjourned for four weeks. (shortened)
"If AVL facilities are not available, the Duty Solicitor (or Duty Youth Advocate or Assigned Youth Advocate in Youth Court) must attend in person.
If facilities for the defendant to appear by AVL are not available, the defendant will appear in person.
In the Family Court, counsel are to appear by telephone or AVL, and if facilities are not available, in person.
In Civil cases, counsel can appear by telephone."
Again, I hope that clarifies things a bit at least.
Methinks Macro is getting bored out of his brain with this lock-down before its even officially started. Didn't you manage to get into town for a bout of panic buying this afto?
OMG! that s serious price gouging. Mine was $10 a kilo, mind you I brought my own container. From here on in, I'll ring up and order, and she will pack and either drop off or I can pick up from the store.
i buy all my meat from the local butcher. The guy and his wife know what they do, they have five kids and the mad butcher's meat is just rubbish. But yeah, what a rip of.
Macro – the sprout-with-toothpicks image is one I saw a few days back and sent to friends, most of whom didn't get it at all! I was amazed but learned the lesson about niche-knowledge and the ease with which one can assume that what to you is obvious (and in this case, funny) is neither of those to people who haven't tried growing an avocado this way.
Ahh a sad commentary on our society. There is not a vegetable seedling to be had in the whole of town right now. I fear for those tender young things in inexpert hands. I wonder how and where they will be placed in the expectation that within a week or two they will be harvested.
I wonder if these sis sandflys are going to try and arrest me when I go to the supermarket today.??? They will be drooling to do that with there new powers
Some of the symptoms of the virus is loss of smell and taste
Its better that we do it hard and correct now and minimise the virus spread than not to isolation properly now and the virus spread rapidly causing chaos to our love one's and our hospital system.
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
Flag-bearing duties were shared between boxer David Nyika and Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini in Tokyo three years ago. Triple Olympic medallist in boardsailing, Barbara Kendall was the first female flag bearer in Atlanta in 1996. Since 2004, the flagbearers have worn a kākahu (cloak) as they led ...
Adrian Orr taking apart Corin Dann's economic ignorance on RNZ as I speak.
I thought it was a good performance given the role of both parties. Remember the interviewers job is to ask all the stupid questions to allow the interviewee to explain the topic in more depth. That and the general public has little idea what the terms even mean.
Fair point. Dann made wild assumptions and Orr jumped on them very firmly
I would like to compliment all the commentators on The Standard for their patience in dealing with Paddington's pedantic and nit-picking yesterday. Even LPrent, whose caustic comments have raised a smile in the past, was subdued.
If this is indicative of the PM's call for kindness, well done. We will all need to be patient and understanding in the difficult times that lie ahead.
Agreed,TV
Paddington Needs to be Self isolated
Just ignore.
Maybe we were all out panic buying.![blush blush](https://cdn.ckeditor.com/4.11.3/full-all/plugins/smiley/images/embarrassed_smile.png)
Yep! It was bloody hard not to chip in – which would have simply added to the pedantry.
Pushing the barriers at all costs – in order to be right. Twas so; Twas not; Twas so; Twas not.
Hopefully the Bear is of a mood to be feeling particularly cuddly
I’ve left a moderation note asking for it to be dropped, thanks. Now, if we could all move on and focus on what really matters right here, right now, that would be great and might even safe lives.
"Now, if we could all move on and focus on what really matters right here"
We can, and have ……….. or maybe not – but it's six days later, and fromwhat I've seen as an interloper, Paddy Bear seems to have tucked up his tail and scarpered (possibly to re-appear under another guise)
Next
Well said Tony. Paddington was being an irritating house fly buzzing around, but people had bigger things to think about than his/her silliness.
Jacinda’s instinctive qualities as a leader and communicator were again things we should be so grateful for at this time. Talking to a friend (on the phone) yesterday after her announcement, was interesting. He was so complimentary about how she has handled all this massive situation.
Does anyone in your household suffer from anxiety?
My youngest does, so I made up some info sheets for her last night and a list of her responsibilities before we officially go into lock down. Put official logos etc on it thanks to the covid-19 website.
This has helped sooooo much, as she now knows what to expect and can check her info sheets if she is unsure.
For example…. today my girls need to decide on any projects they wish to complete over the next month and any supplies they may need for that project, because the warehouse, mitre 10, $2 shop etc won't be open for a month come Thursday.
Saw that Warehouse will be open. Perhaps because they have many household basics at excellent prices, veg and flower plants and warmer clothing as well. They are also big and allow for space. Cheers You are such a good Mum.
Cheers 🙂
Ironically I chickened out, way too many people up town today Lmao!!!
The Plan B projects are…. De-cluttering with Marie Kondo…. and… how to be resourceful!!! ROFL 🙂
Here is a little something from one of my on-line friends in the US. He offers his experiences from a similar situation he faced last year, with a cartoon that your daughters might identify with:
[lprent; Changed image width to 520. ]
Well done, try and make some games out of it with mini prizes, those parents who did this in the Chch aftershocks, i.e. quessing strength of aftershocks etc, had children emerge in good health .
Would anyone know if owner operator lawn mowing business would be eligible for subsidy if the operator is a superannuitant getting pension. Which,as most people know is barely subsistence level. We have payments to make for van and motor mowers and other debts that go along with business ownership such as taxes and accountants etc.
Without this business we wouldnt survive so we have to keep it going.
I cant find mention of beneficiaries who are business owners being eligible. Help!!
There is a lot to read on this site Ffloyd. Bit about cashflow and such and lists of links. Hope this helps. It looks like the place to go if you need to do some gentle harassing.
https://www.business.govt.nz/news/coronavirus-information-for-businesses/
Thank you greywarshark. I will look into that site.
Thought of the moment: is Tiwai Point an essential business? If it has to shut down for four weeks, have the odds suddenly shifted towards it never starting back up again? Would the various parties to the assorted contractual obligations around shutdown timeframes be more flexible right now around amending those timeframes?
I believe it takes some time to shut down and longer to start. . If they do shut now is not a good time to kill them off when we are allowed out again a 1000 jobs in the south will be a big thing.
also my understanding that you can't just shut it down temporarily (technical reasons).
I would guess that it's essential. We're not going to stop using aluminium this year.
The problems you hear about around shutting down potlines are mostly around the damage that happens when the power supply is unexpectedly lost. While planned shutdowns are still expensive, they are less expensive than unplanned forced shutdowns. Given the financial pain being caused across the rest of New Zealand, it amounts to special pleading for Tiwai Point to claim their financial pain from shutdown is somehow unique or should entitle them to special privileges.
Very little of Tiwai Point's output is used in New Zealand. It is of generally very high purity (because of the way they choose to operate the smelter, not anything special about New Zealand) and it mostly goes to Japan for specialist electronic uses. I've had occasion to look into the supply chain for the aluminium used in some engineering projects I've been involved in, and every time it has been imported.
thanks Andre. I don't care very much about Comalco's profit, other than how that might affect NZ (and we could definitely do with freeing up Manapouri power). Job losses and our international obligations to essential production matter. Do we buy specialist electronics from Japan?
The other big issue is how safe is it re covid for workers? Can good protocols be put in place?
I'd see closure generally in the context of the Powerdown and creating sustainable tech industries esp in relation to CC. Don't know if now or later is better for that, but we're not having the necessary conversation yet.
(btw if this is something in the news, a link can help for those of us not up to speed).
No it's not something in the news, it really was just a random thought for the morning. Given that the review decision was supposed to be complete sometime in this first quarter, I'm a little surprised at the silence.
I've never visited Tiwai Point, so this is just speculation, but here goes anyway …
As far as worker protection from COVID-19 goes, the production area of smelter type operations tends to have very low worker density, so keeping distance is unlikely to be a problem. It's a huge facility and if there's only 1000 or so there covering 24/7 shifts, they can't be very close together. Except maybe in smoko rooms.
I'd guess the higher risk would be for professional and lab staff. It's unlikely they've resisted the general execrable management trend of jamming as many people as possible into crowded open-plan areas. So they're more likely to spend all day in close proximity.
As Andre says, an orderly shutdown isn't that much of a problem.
Quite expensive in power and especially when you look at what it does to the refractories (I used to do tech sales at Kamo Green refractories during Think Big).
I wouldn't expect that it is defined as 'essential'. They may get some grace from just arguing the economic impact to the economy. We're going to be scratching for export income for a while.
I had a quick look for up to date news specific to Tiwai Point and didn't find any. But there was a lot about how chinese smelters have kept running and there's now an oversupply with reduced demand. Plus stories of how the big companies are putting the squeeze on other countries such as Icelasnd threatening to shut down if they don't get lower electricity prices.
So I suspect we're in for another disaster capitalism play from Rio Tinto for more hidden and overt subsidies that the rest of us pay for. Leveraging off of ideas like scarcity of export income and preserving jobs etc.
Hmmmm. Good thought!
A thing about exotic trees and native trees in Australia and how flammable Oz trees are. We don't have a lot of Eucs here but the principle is the same and discussions here along the same lines are important.
https://the-riotact.com/the-exotic-weeds-that-saved-a-braidwood-truffle-forest-from-destruction/360629
For decades, Peter has planted a mosaic of trees including his truffle bearing hazelnuts and oaks, but also poplars and willows, and up to 30 bamboo varieties. His aim is to restore the property’s capacity to retain water at all levels, moving it gently through the soil profile rather than streaming off degraded, heavily compacted land…
Peter’s reasoning is that even a fire roaring uphill with a good draft will pause when it hits green trees. He estimates that a mature poplar, for example, is carrying 100 to 200 kg of water. As the fire and the trees interact, there’s a burst of flash evaporation from the greenery that absorbs heat. Peter says updraft wind will drop almost instantly under those conditions.
The wind controlling effect of banked deciduous foliage also worked to dramatically slow the fire’s spread and, three rows in, the blaze became controllable with groundwork and shovels.
That's a great article, grey.
Thanks Robert. Hope everything is going well in green land and family.
And while you have a minutes I wondered if you could tell me if I'm hurting my cherry plum tree draining rinse water towards which has a touch of detergent in it still. The leaves on a weaker side are dullish and hanging. Might just have been too dry from weeks of little water.
Short term no, long term quite likely… some detergents are much worse than others for that matter. Cold Water laundry detergent is pretty nasty.
Having reactive skin, I stick to liquid woolwash.
Thought I might just kick around home today.
Maybe a little trip into town this afto to do a bit of panic buying?
Exciting times!
Take care out there Macro!
(I keep thinking about panic and hoping people aren't hurting themselves and having more accidents that end up needing treatment. It's going to be really interesting to see what happens with that over the next month).
I'm an essential worker apparently, but what I'm seeing today is panic driving, looking forward to some quiet roads during lockdown while I go about my essential business. Also today, 15-20 car long queues for McDonalds.
I noticed Henry Cooke being snide again. According to him, Jacinda has us "Under House Arrest"
We can go for a walk, shop for food, get our medications, Make up our own activities, use the internet, talk to friends and neighbours over the fence or on the "phone/skype
What is stuck in his craw?
Sorry, I could not locate the article again. Herald.
Be kind Henry, the PM is working hard to save lives…. get with the goal and write some helpful pieces.
It was on Stuff. Did Cooke write the headline? Or the expert Chief Sensational Headline Writer?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120501534/coronavirus-jacinda-ardern-just-made-the-most-consequential-decision-of-her-career-putting-nz-on-house-arrest
Wait for Stuff regular columnist Steve Elers if you're looking for snide in attacking the PM. He had the sense to say in a column most recently, "As a commentator of everything and a master of nothing" of himself. That should be added to the descriptive blurb at the bottom of his 'work.'
Steve Elers tag line at the bottom of his opinion pieces on stuff currently say he is " a senior lecturer at Massey University and writes a weekly article on cultural and political matters' or something similar. It should read "he is an ill-informed senior lecturer at Massey who writes a weekly diatribe abusing the Prime Minister." Massey must be so proud.
Alcohol. The Police have always said that over 70% of their work is dealing with alcohol related incidents.
Does the shutdown mean that the Police get a respite from dealing with drunks spilling out onto the street? That would be great wouldn't it?
Maybe. But not if the reduction in problems on the street is matched or exceeded by an increase in alcohol-related domestic problems.
True but at least those punch-ups outside pubs should diminish. Would domestic drink related problems increase? Hope not.
I suspect they have, and tho' it's nice to be able to walk down the street (keeping me 2 mtr separation and watching the stupidity with a degree of amusement at [predominantly] male ego insecurities), shifting the problem into the private domain will probably mean a whole lot of it goes unreported.
Already, I've noticed an increase in decibels from some of the neighbouring properties in the early hours, then later the littering of RTD cans and empty bottles of piss.
I'm actually hoping Women's Refuge and various other agencies begin to report they are being overwhelmed.
Yes. And overseas there are reports of increased domestic violence, largely against women, during Covid-19 lock downs. It can keep the abused trapped in homes with their abusers.
We spoke of this last night, in the context of the children who go to school as they can get food. Also school can be a violence free refuge, as opposed to home. Home that now has an even higher stressed adult(s) dishing out the family harm.
Yes. I think they may be a reason for keeping schools open as long as possible.
And for re-opening them as soon as it is wise and safe to do so.
Well if the stories about queues at bottle stores and panic buying are true, then probably not, it may just be spilling out on to driveways instead of the high street.
A little something to while away the long hours to be spent at home:
Yep. It's Pippa. The albatross chick /live cam. Poor little mite is being buffeted by strong winds and rain at the moment.
They also produce a video of the highlights at the end of each day which consists of Mum and Dad returning to feed her and a bunch of teenage Albatross brats who like to tease and harass her especially around feed time. Mum knows how to handle them.
Have just received info of an eviction going ahead today. Mother and seven year old is the info I have to hand atm.
Christ. Have such landlords got no shame? Name and shame – or even report to authorities. Where are they meant to go once the lock down deadline arrives?
or even report to authorities
Apparently Tenancy Services were contacted. No joy. Eviction gets actioned.
Nice to each other, wins again.
It would seem that the powers that be at our local hospital may have missed a trick in respect to uniforms. This, to me, is a potentially serious health and safety issue.
Almost all front-line health staff (nurses) wear their uniform to and from work.
There is push-back from management against the wearing of scrubs. Scrubs are an ideal solution to keeping staff families and homes free of the virus that can be bought home on clothing. The hospitals still launder scrubs so any potential contamination stays in house.
Particularly ironic as our local hospital has just changed the colour of the surgical scrubs in January, so there must be a surplus of this clothing somewhere.
Have seen this at my local. Still with stethescopes etc round their neck.
It will be interesting to see how Covid-19 affects the next Australian election. Their infection rates are much higher than ours. There could be a backlash against a last minute Cambridge Analytica campaign.
RNZ has an article with services that will to operate during the lock down.
This is good to see:
and
Looks like something is broken in the right hand feeds.
I will have a look at it when I finish work today.
My belated breakfast fixed it. Should see the feed improving.
Whoa! A big backlog with loads of interesting feeds form the past little while.
Many thanks for fixing it.
Looks like an updated version of the plugin wanted to use an updated version of the curl libraries.
Chris Martenson praising NZ saying PM "just doing a great job". Yep, she is. Just prior to this time segment a letter from Annie, who closed her restaurant a couple of days before officials ordered it.
Early in this piece we learn that New York is over 20,000 cases – that was quick. Other surprises are Switzerland who have more cases per person than other countries.
https://youtu.be/EzaHBM7PP8A?t=1263
I have just found out the WINZ offices are closing down for fear of staff getting infected by the virus. Why isn't this classified as an essential department for citizens when they are allowing The Warehouse to remain open for business. When has the Warehouse ever been considered an essential industry/business. Have I just fallen down the rabbit hole here. What it he hell is going on. Also All the courts are closing with the exception of the District courts – how does this equate as well. People are people no matter what court they have to attend and will catch this virus no matter what the sin is.
I am increasingly becoming confused about how these decisions are agreed upon. What about all the thousands of people who are now without jobs. How do they get any support if they can't get to their local WINZ Office. Not everybody has a computer or even able to afford to get online. Somebody clarify to me – am I missing something here. I have a loved one who is fragile and involved in these two departments and its hard enough with the enormity of the environment right now without pulling up the drawbridge on one department – WINZ and allowing the other District Courts to remain open to the milling crowds of people who go in their bldgs each day.
Our Winz Office closed months ago. Now communications are by phone or email.
Phones are not much use when the system crashes through overload. Its a futile exercise even trying to get through. People who are needing WINZ right now are out of jobs, scared shitless, and vulnerable and the powers that be should have been better prepared for the influx of numbers and laid on more staff and perspex screens for them to protect from this virus if they are so worried over them. I am definitely down the rabbit hole over this.
The Warehouse helped stop the peasants revolting when we entered the fire economy – they are essential to the survival of liberalism as the dominate ideology.
I went to a supermarket in central Auckland this morning and it was remarkably calm and relatively uncrowded. No busier than a typical pre-Christmas day. Queue at checkout no longer than usual. Some shelves were sparsely stocked but there was nothing on my list I couldn't get if I changed brands. Posh pasta instead of budget pasta, no biggie.
I realize many people are not as conveniently close to supermarkets and dairies as I am. But in the last 48 hours I have had no problem buying both essentials and treats (and no I'm not hoarding).
In Auckland at least, panic is pointless.
I too wonder why the warehouse remains open. Yes it does sell some food but it's not a main offering IIRC a lot of it is imported and we need to do without the shopping fix that people may want to access for other goods. Why have they not got the stay at home message.
WINZ I would have thought was essential. – Okay they would want internet & phone first and they need to call back the pay as you use people – maybe they should stuff some form of access around the supermarkets – dedicated phone line or a credit that goes only to WINZ.
Update from Ministry, etc today says it has not been decided that the Warehouse will stay open. I think it means it's still being assessed.
Maybe someone from Warehouse was premature. He also said if anyone is unsure if their business was an "essential service" it probably isn't.
It should be closed, let's hope sense prevails.
"Self-isolation" allows for a walk outside, carefully avoiding contact, but based on my (obviously random) sample of seeing people on the street on this last day before lockdown, I'd say at least a quarter still don't "get it". Plenty of proximity and touching.
It takes time for the message to sink in, so we can expect an extension after one month, as community transfer continues. If we can't be trusted to do this right, then it's going to be a full curfew.
Yes. I can't believe the queues outside some supermarkets (and gun shops) where people are not doing the 2 meter distancing from each other. I hope this gets controlled in future.
I certainly won't be venturing out til that is sorted.
I'm fortunate that I was able to book a supermarket home delivery for Sunday, and I have a nephew on standby who will deliver more more food (mostly fresh fruit & veges) when I need them.
Love the reply.
https://twitter.com/damiengleeson/status/1241883851783147521
Nothing to see here – move along
cool, I'll skip it then.
Do you want me to delete it?
Humour from incognito – will I'll be knocked over by a peacock feather…
Micro businesses – NZrs who make their own work since various governments made it so hard for small business which collapsed unable to compete with the world.
And here we see how the gummint agencies are just not concerned about helping these great innovative entrepreneurs in their small businesses.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412485/hospitality-business-owners-fear-for-their-future-after-lockdown-announced
<i>Only about $200 went through the till yesterday – down from about $1500 on a good day…. "Honestly I'm freaking out. I don't know if I can sustain it because how am I going to pay my rent even?
"I haven't even paid this month's rent yet, you know what I mean? "How do I pay the rent? How do I pay the wages, the power bill, the phone bill, my mortgage?"
Boyd said as a sole trader she did not yet have the 13-digit business number required to access government relief funds. "I really don't understand that either because I've been trying to get my New Zealand business number."
I even went to my accountant and he went online with me and it wouldn't get through. It kept saying 'error' but it won't tell me what the error is."
Boyd said she was worried about her staff, one of whom was expecting a baby.</i>
The next government action will cover business and residential expense payments whose incomes have been impacted.
you keep saying that…… we don't see it tho however.
A stunning kick in the guts for renters who continue to have to pay rent while homeowners, including their own landlords get a mortgage holiday!
This is a massively unfair playing field – the haves once again getting special treatment at the expense of the have-nots.
This leaves landlords able to bank renters' money with interest while having no outgoings at all.
Tell me I'm missing something here…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12319343
It also means that the landlord with a mortgage can claim this where their tenant’s income is affected – instead of hassling the tenant.
There is so little interest on bank accounts its not going to tempt anyone.
This leaves landlords able to bank renters' money with interest while having no outgoings at all.
A far as I am aware though all the other fixed costs like rates, insurance and property management fees will likely remain. You would be surprised at what a large fraction of your rent these consume. Including other smaller sundries we allow 50% of the rent to go in fixed costs. After that comes the variable costs like mortgage interest and annual company tax.
If a tenant stops paying their rent, a mortgage holiday will be very welcome, but it goes nowhere near covering all our costs.
The government should look at dole plus half rent paid for those losing their income/employment. Half rent would cover such utility costs for the landlord.
A comment elsewhere on the subject with respect to the fraught idea of the random negotiating of rent reductions between tenant (powerless) and landlord (the clue is in the name).
My landlord requires his pound of flesh on the seventh.
I am debating if i shall cut it from the ribs or the hind?
Do you know what. I wouldn't have an issue if we were all in this together but today the preferential treatment for the comparatively wealthy beggars belief.
The reasoning for the mortgage holiday is apparently so people don't 'lose their homes'.
What if they did 'lose their homes', what would they be then?
I'll tell you what they'd be…
…renters.
i hardly believe that a company with 80 million annual turnover would have a owner who would 'loose' the house.
nah, these guys are making sure that some survive – whom ever they consider 'solvent' – and the rest so far can get fucked. Essentially this is a very national bail out, it is what i would have expected from teh National Party.
I am honestly out of wits when it comes to the 'hand outs' of this government.
funnily enough i was interviewed today by some 'regional NZ herald' guy and i essentially said that the government needs to either offer interest free loans or offer a rent/mortgage/lease/bill holiday to all of us. Its not ok to tell us to take a bank loan on the eve of Financial Crisis 2.0. So far my loyal customers have come through. I have discounted everything, and tomorrow last day – morning only – hopefully will see me make enough money for the Landlord.
I already advised my chocolate supplier that next month bill will be the first that i will miss in 8 years.
I don't wish the Labour Party and the coalition any ill, but i will never ever support them – not with money, not with time, and most certainly not with a vote. I just don't have any reason to do so.
well these businesses are very deserving, and need a bail out as where all those below 250.000 turnover per annum can get fucked.
WINZ Ongoing Services
Contrary to rumours, misinformation etc here and elsewhere, WINZ has NOT closed down completely.
MSD/WINZ has been designated an essential service. Like many other Goverment departments also classed as essential services, it has closed its service centres for face to face appointments, advice etc – BUT will continue to provide advice, help etc via its internet site and by phome.
More here in the last hour or so:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/covid-19/412487/winz-moves-to-online-and-phone-services
Some other changes mentioned in that article of interest:
There is more on MSD's website here: – https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/emergencies/2020/coronavirus.html
NOTE that the section on Service Centre states that:
FYI here is the URL for that "Contact Us' link – contact numbers are under each of the main headings. Press the + sign.
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/about-work-and-income/contact-us/phone-numbers.html#null
Standdown periods were discussed at length over the last few days. These have been suspended for the six months from 23 March 2020 – 23 November 2020.
More detail and further links here – https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/online-services/apply/what-is-a-stand-down.html
Note the wording in this particular section which I have underlined:
The wording "you may still need to wait up to 13 weeks", implies that this is not a compulsory set period; rather a period of time to a maximum of 13 weeks which is open to a decision by WINZ based on the circumstances of each case where someone has left a job voluntarily or has been fired for misconduct.
Hope the above helps.
PS – Just heard the PM, in her press conference currently underway, confirm that The Warehouse will not be open and is not an essential service.
Thanks for the info veutoviper.
Xtian writer's pro-life
maskhood slips.At the press conference on Friday announcing the New York shutdown, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, “I want to be able to say to the people of New York—I did everything we could do. And if everything we do saves just one life, I’ll be happy.”
This statement reflects a disastrous sentimentalism. Everything for the sake of physical life? What about justice, beauty, and honor? There are many things more precious than life. And yet we have been whipped into such a frenzy in New York that most family members will forgo visiting sick parents. Clergy won’t visit the sick or console those who mourn. The Eucharist itself is now subordinated to the false god of “saving lives.”
[…]
A number of my friends disagree with me. They support the current measures, insisting that Christians must defend life. But the pro-life cause concerns the battle against killing, not an ill-conceived crusade against human finitude and the dolorous reality of death.
https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2020/03/say-no-to-deaths-dominion
Yes that is a huge kick in the guts for renters. Why is the mortgage holiday for people who are renting out their properties. Sounds more like "a be kind to banks week."
Right up there with all the high income employees and directors not taking a haircut while they spend their time laying people off.
As for Winz – tone deaf as usual – just pushing the everyone can go online agenda – despite benefits being insufficent to support being able to afford these services or for that matter a phone. Oh and guess what the library has been closed so even if there is one the internet can't be used there either.
What i read was
A six-month mortgage holiday for people whose incomes have been affected by Covid-19 will mean people won't lose their homes as a result of the economic disruption caused by this virus
A key word was home , not property.
Still a massive imbalance in the way two sections of society are being treated. And it still applies to the landlord who claims the holiday on their own home.
One section is being offered massive relief around the biggest household cost of all at this very stressful and critical time, while another section is offered nothing in the same area.
This needs to be sorted or there will be massive unrest.
It also means that the landlord with a mortgage can claim this where their tenant’s income is affected – instead of hassling the tenant.
They'll be hassling the tenant alright, as soon as they think it's safe to do so
I'd say a few days after the lockdown finishes…
this is from the article linked above.
The scheme will include a limit of $500,000 per loan and will apply to firms with a turnover of between $250,000 and $80 million per annum. The loans will be for a maximum of three years and expected to be provided by the banks at competitive, transparent rates.
i really don't see why a business owner with 80 million turn over needs a mortgage holiday, while the dude on 70.000 does not. But then maybe the dude with the 80 million dollar business needs to buy some more cheap houses when the dudes on regular wages default. After all we can't have socialism for the poor, no we only have it for the well to do, and the very rich. Besides, when the Labour critters quit parliament they would like to have some lucrative jobs on boards and such, so consider it a 'prepayment' for services to be rendered in the future.
Now somebody understands what my thread was about. A lot of people on benefits do not own a computer and if they do own one they cannot afford to go online. Libraries were open with computers and wifi and were available to these beneficeries and now they have closed down too. Owning a computer and being online is a luxury to many people and I find it quite extraordinary to plead the safety of their staff the reason for closing down. What about all the staff in supermarkets, pharmacies, they are having to run the gauntlet of being in harm's way. I just don't buy it at all their excuse for shutting down.
Even the District Court is staying open for the poor felons going before the judges. Obviously they want to punish the felons and punish the poor bastards who are out of work, mentally unwell, physically disabled etc. as well.
Yes, I definitely have gone down the rabbit hole on this one.
Screen shots from web cams around the world.
https://twitter.com/noahkalina/status/1242114225121693696
If people use the month to outdoor exercise, on foot or bike and get plenty of sleep then our public health (stronger immune systems) will be stronger for it. It is a good time of year for it.
Mix it up a bit for a giggle and wear fancy dress on a bike ride.
If you've got elderly neighbours don't forget to make sure they are ok, because they may be scared or have no family close by.
We've contacted ours to let them know (via a note slipped under their door) if we go to the supermarket etc we will contact them know in advance should they need anything.
Courts and COVID-19
Mention was made in the comment at 18 that prompted my one at 25 re WINZ, that all Courtrs except District Courts were being closed down.
The Court situation is actually a lot more complex than what was stated at 18 and is still being sorted out. Advice about what is happening with the Courts is being promulgated on an ongoing basis on the following link and also on the Courts of New Zealand Twitter account @CourtsofNZ.
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/publications/announcements/covid-19-coronavirus/court-protocols/
(quot; ") from of a note from Chief Justice Winkelmann on the link
Further advice re District Court hearings is also u=included in the above main link and inter alia includes this link https://www.districtcourts.govt.nz/media-information/information-for-legal-practitioners/for-the-profession-re-24-march-2020-23-march-2020
In summary (rough mix of quotes and shortened wording):
Again, I hope that clarifies things a bit at least.
Hmmm out of toilet paper..
Will this work?
If yer gonna try to wipe yer bum with that, I recommend you remove the spikes first.
No I want it to sprout like an avocado stone – then I can plant it in the garden and get lots of rolls for free!
Wellll, if growing lots of toilet rolls with spikes sticking out of them is your thing, I'm not gonna judge.
Methinks Macro is getting bored out of his brain with this lock-down before its even officially started. Didn't you manage to get into town for a bout of panic buying this afto?
Go Macro – we need positive, creative ideas like yours (but preferably ones that will work..) Anyway – just ignore all those unworthy put-downs.
[don’t think you meant to use your email as user name. Have changed it, but please check before your next comment – weka]
Mod note In Vino.
Yep! I managed to snare a bag of spuds! And 400 grams of mince from the butcher!
My nice lady butcher has been run off her feet today 🙁 She had to restock the shop at least twice; and care for her 8 year old and 1 year old.
saw a pack of mince – mad butcher – 2 kg – white fatty 'premium mince for
$ 40.
OMG! that s serious price gouging. Mine was $10 a kilo, mind you I brought my own container. From here on in, I'll ring up and order, and she will pack and either drop off or I can pick up from the store.
i buy all my meat from the local butcher. The guy and his wife know what they do, they have five kids and the mad butcher's meat is just rubbish. But yeah, what a rip of.
Macro – the sprout-with-toothpicks image is one I saw a few days back and sent to friends, most of whom didn't get it at all! I was amazed but learned the lesson about niche-knowledge and the ease with which one can assume that what to you is obvious (and in this case, funny) is neither of those to people who haven't tried growing an avocado this way.
Ahh a sad commentary on our society. There is not a vegetable seedling to be had in the whole of town right now. I fear for those tender young things in inexpert hands. I wonder how and where they will be placed in the expectation that within a week or two they will be harvested.
Clever folk who for-some-reason don't garden, brought seeds-for-sprouting and micro greens – fast, simple and healthy.
Yeah that's what we have done too.
In the garden the amaranth is particularly yummy right now – then we leave it to seed.
🙂
Almost looks as good as my lunch buddha bowl.
thats pretty funny
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says The Warehouse Group has not been granted an exemption to trade during the mandatory four-week lockdown.
5:20 PM · Mar 24, 2020
Son's happy. 4 weeks holiday with no visitors on 80% pay.
Kia Ora The Am Show.
Esport is one of the fastest growing sport in the world.
Time to pay horticultural workers more putea.
The Spanish flue affect Maori in higher rates than others.
Like to see you find a house to rent that cheap $350 a week.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Newshub. .
Coincidence ya right.
Kia Kaha everyone.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
We do need to give the tangata with out a voice a voice.
The free Kai being delivered to the needy is good.
Kia Kaha tangata whenua o Aotearoa.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
People won't get board with all the gadgets we have these day's.
Ka kite Ano
Some Eco Maori Music For The Minute.
https://youtu.be/cEXhZ8PwM-Y
I wonder if these sis sandflys are going to try and arrest me when I go to the supermarket today.??? They will be drooling to do that with there new powers
Kia Ora Newshub.
Its good that our government caught the dubble dipping business trying to cheat in these times is low.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Some of the symptoms of the virus is loss of smell and taste
Its better that we do it hard and correct now and minimise the virus spread than not to isolation properly now and the virus spread rapidly causing chaos to our love one's and our hospital system.
Ka kite Ano