the trouble with neoliberalism is that eventually you run out of the people's sufference and have to ether have to back off, or turn to the extremist politics of repression and division, exploiting sectarianism and fascist tendencies to force your neo-liberal vision on society.
Instead of giving his full backing to the violent insurrectionists and pardoning them, and then calling on the armed forces to not oppose them. As he could have done. (polls of military personal showed many military people supported them.) Trump backed down and retreated to his Mar-a-Lago golf resort.
Every neo-liberal leader faces a choice, turn to violence or retreat. Trump tried a little bit of both. But not every neo-liberal leader faced with this choice has backed down.
How Bashar al-Assad Became So Hated
The Western-educated ophthalmologist was never intended to be the Assad brother in charge. Did his inept policies contribute to the civil war?
When he assumed power, the lifestyle the West still occupied Assad's mind — In his inaugural speech he emphasized that it was time to begin modernizing Syria. But to modernize Syria and remake it in the "image" he desired, he needed to adopt neo-liberal and capitalist policies,…..
The gradual increase of neo-liberal policies and privatization exaggerated the inequality between the poor and the rich, which was especially felt in middle-class areas, and mid-sized and large cities. While a small portion of the crony capitalists and loyalists to Assad were able to benefit from these policies, the vast majority of the population was disenfranchised…..
Did Bashar's idealistic vision of creating a "Switzerland" Syria — but still consolidating power at the top — play a role in the uprising? Did his vast and sudden economic and neo-liberal reforms, which in the end only benefited his gilded circle, have an impact on the current civil war?
Perhaps the combination of all of these factors led to the rampant rebellion and mistrust of the people that Bashar had been chosen to lead.
I’m facing the death penalty here,” a trembling Protasevich reportedly told a fellow passenger from the plane before he was led away by Belarusian police. The mass unrest charges against him carry a sentence of up to 15 years. His current whereabouts are unknown.
From the link you pasted above.
Morales had breakfast with the Austrian President and then resumed his journey.
You will remember Macro, that the target wasn't Morales, he was just collateral damage, the target was Snowden, for his exposure of secret, mass surveillance by the NSA.
Who knows what would have happened to Snowden if he'd been on that plane.
The US is not known for it's tolerance of dissidents and whistleblowers
You will remember Macro, that the target wasn't Morales, he was just collateral damage, the target was Snowden, for his exposure of secret, mass surveillance by the NSA.
Yes I am well aware of that fact. But that was not the framing put on the "what about-ism" by aom. Furthermore, Morales plane was not escorted away from its flight plan by fighter jets, endangering the lives of innocent people. Morale's aircraft was obliged to land in Austria because the other European counties had at that time refused to allow the aircraft to overfly their countries. It was suspected that Morale (who had openly opined to allowing Snowden to asylum in his country) had Snowden on board. This would have created an international incident between the US and the EU for allowing a fugitive from the US to escape by overflying their countries. Once the fact that Snowden was not on board was ascertained, other European countries also apologised and allowed the plane to overfly their territories.
The US is not known for it's tolerance of dissidents and whistleblowers
That may be true but it is important to note that Snowden whilst we may applaud the actions of Snowden for revealing the abhorrent nature of the US PRISM surviellence programme, under US law he committed an offence, and does not have the defence of being a "whistleblower".
Snowden has been indicted in the United States on charges under the 1917 Espionage Act, including theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information, and willful communication of classified communications intelligence to an unauthorized person. If found guilty, he faces 30 years in jail and additional fines.
Given the broad nature of the 1917 Act, a public interest or whistleblower defence would not be permissible; the judge would only have to prove that the information had been stolen and shared. Other whistleblower laws would also provide no defence, and the American government is free to add on more charges at will.
…whilst we may applaud the actions of Snowden for revealing the abhorrent nature of the US PRISM surviellence [sic] programme, under US law he committed an offence,
The substantive illegality and offence in this shameful matter was committed by the U.S. government.
and does not have the defence of being a "whistleblower".
That is exactly what he is. He blew the whistle on an enormous and illegal U.S. government operation of spying on its own citizens.
The substantive illegality and offence in this shameful matter was committed by the U.S. government.
I'm not arguing that!
The fact of the matter is however that The US has the power to prosecute breaches of their Espionage Act (which Snowden's taking of files and giving it to others not entitled to that information clearly was), even if it was done with a highly moral intention. And I, having previously signed the Official Secrets Act of NZ, could expect to be similarly prosecuted were I to have taken, or copied, secret information to which I was privy, and published that. Snowden knew what to expect – that is why he went to Hong Kong and then subsequently to Russia. We must respect him for that, and his bravery. It does not reduce the fact that he broke a law and the US Govt has the right to pursue that offence.
Austrian officials boarded the aircraft and ascertained that everyone on board had Bolivian passports. The aircraft was grounded overnight and in the morning, Austrian president Heinz Fischer popped by for breakfast, presumably with an apology.
Well, well, well, the dogs are on their hind legs yapping over a blogger:….
Where were they in 2013 …
….or don't heads of state matter?
Hi aom, since your comment about 'yapping dogs up on their hind legs' was followed by a link from the Guardian.
I guess that you are suggesting the Guardian's objectivity is questionable and that the Guardian ignored the grounding of Morales' aircraft, that the Guardian cherry pick their journalist investigations and reports to favour the West over Russia.
I did a quick google search, which brought up two Guardian articles published at the time, highly critical of the grounding of Morales aircraft by the Western powers.
Au contraire Jenny, just the first report on the matter that attracted my attention. The issue was clearly highlighted by fransesca with the comment prior to yours.
That said, the Guardian can be disappointing with the bias often it displays.
Fair cop Jenny – old guys who are half attentive when wandering down blind alleys deserve to be mugged.
I hadn't realised until reviewing the comments, that you seem to have assumed the target of the original remark was the Guardian. Not so!
From the report, there is a veritable array of 'yapping dogs' including the Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the UK foreign affairs select committee who joined counterparts from the US, Ireland, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Surprisingly, Biden hasn’t jumped to the forefront with grand gestures.
It also seems Tom Tugendhat had forgotten about Assange when he said, “If aircraft can be forced to the ground … in order to punish the political opponents of tyrants, then journalists here in the UK, politicians anywhere in Europe will find it harder to speak out.” Of course, grounding aircraft is just one of many strategies but not as extreme as taking out a duly elected Government then having the Met move in to do the dirty work.
On the other count, I note on reflection that you specifically referred to the 3W's of reporting. The generalisation was more influenced by Guardian 'Opinion' contributions in which neutrality and objectivity should not be an expectation and don't necessarily reflect the editorial policies of the publication.
The generalisation was more influenced by Guardian 'Opinion' contributions…..
What 'Opinion' contributions are chosen for publication is always an editorial decision.
Accusations of being often biased of any media outlet are serious allegations to make, and need to be justified with at least one example.
Your allegation that The Guardian is 'often' 'biased' still needs to be proven.
The words 'often' and 'bias' you associate to Guardian, opinion pieces, should make it easy for you to give an example of a biased Guardian 'Opinion' contribution piece.
Even just one example of what you think is a biased Guardian 'Opinon' contribution would be good.
A Left Politics-101 by Dr Bryce Edwards that is thought-provoking and a good read. There are many bits to cherry-pick – better you read it yourself – but I cannot resist just one:
This leftwing elite approach is very compatible with a more censorious approach to politics. Whereas the traditional left has been the force in society that is most favourable to “free speech” and towards mass participation in politics, it’s now quite the opposite. Traditionally it was forces of the right and the Establishment that clamped down on political expression and activity. Historically, the left has championed the rights of the oppressed or marginalised to organise, to communicate politics, in order to win human rights and political gains. And this is why it’s somewhat surprising that increasingly the left want either the state or society to put limits on political debate and expression.
The Left of which he speaks still seeks to promote the voices of the oppressed and marginalised, the actual oppressed and marginalised, not the fake oppressed and marginalised, ie, outraged white conservatives who, for some reason, are convinced the European race is under threat.
I suspect any loss of privilege makes them and Dr Bryce feel oppressed and marginalised.
Any so called censorious approach is to ensure actual oppressed and marginalised voices are to be heard, free from the powerful elite drowning them out.
Firstly, asking a bunch of freshers the meaning of "left wing" might simply indicate the dominant messages in popular culture, rather than a genuine appraisal of the term with reference to political movements in New Zealand. But it's a handy anecdote to support one's own agenda, I guess.
Secondly, he's in part correct about "the left" ignoring economics. But that has nothing to do with "identity politics". The problem was that Keynesianism was the dominant centrist economic philosophy in many Northern,Western nations, so the economic training of young lefties atrophied a bit. Then came stagflation and the Chicago School providing a "solution" to the problem, which in NZ changed the dominant political-economic narrative.
But the rise of giving a shit about people in a non-homogeneous society "identity politics" happened alongside those developments, not one replacing the other.
Recognition of society's diversity and the power structures therein are not at the expense of recognising economic class and the power structures therein. But it might erode the status of established "left wing" personalities who prefer to ignore the realities of a diverse society.
Bryce Edwards chooses extracts from others which support his hypothesis truly examining another point of view is often touched lightly only, or framed in a disparaging manner. He has little belief in the views of Leftwing politics, and I personally lost all regard for him when he constantly held up the Herald's Armstrong as a source, seldom doing the same for Fallow, a far more balanced voice. However he is smart enough to know Jacinda will have a long tenure, and the changes being wrought cause him to be more circumspect. Just my opinion.
Incognito his othering bothers me. "Left wing elite" so if you are educated articulate and successful you can't be Left wing, because you are not sexually culturally or class challenged? "Right wing politics won the economic battle". So 1% owning 90% is an economic success? The man makes too many unsupported generalisations. IMO
Of course we do. People still talk about the 1% and capitalists. New unions are rising up to fight oppressive employers in industries established unions considered not unionisable.
But class warfare isn't the only conflict within society. We can hope an economic utopia solves all other conflicts, or we can fight those other conflicts now, as well as the economic one.
I am a retired teacher. I graduated from the then, Lincoln College in 1972 with a BagSci. My year four subjects; Microbiology, Dairy Science, Soil Science and Ecology. I have followed the unfolding disaster in Canterbury for years. It was exacerbated when John Key's government sacked the elected ECAN Councillors and put in"Commissioners."They were politically selected and commissioned to specifically consent conversion of dry land cropping and sheep farmland to dairy. It does not take a study of soil science to understand that shallow soil developed on alluvial shingle beds, will be very free draining. When you then irrigate it, add tens of thousands of cows and toss tens of thousands of tonnes of urea on top, guess what? Nitrates from cow urine and dissolved urea fertiliser get washed into the underground aquifers. I have been predicting toxic nitrate levels in shallow wells and surface waterways for any years. If dairy farming in Canterbury stopped tomorrow, it would take generations for the dissolved 'slug' of nitrates to be removed from the aquifers. Unless action is taken, places like Ashburton, Lincoln and Christchurch will all be drinking polluted water. Ashburton and Lincoln first. I hear that Fronterra obligingly, trucks water to farms with already polluted wells. This is emptied into water tanks before the milk is collected. One hand washes the other it seems and they ALL keep very quiet!
Patricia B I always read what you say. You are a 'cool' thinking head! And thanks for that thumbnail portrait of what has happened in Canterbury Nic 181. I wonder when Ashburton will wake up to its true history and feel regrets – I connect that place with blindfolded drive for personal advancement no matter what. But actually it is like a mascot for what has gone down, as they say, in Ca. They can't canter away from their toxic legacy, neither can they bury it (it just leaches away and spreads).
Question….if urea application and stocking type/rates returned to pre 2000s level how long do you estimate it would take for that nitrate loading to revert to last centuries levels?
I don’t think anyone can answer that. It is known that the flow rate of water through shingle is slow. Nitrates don’t change chemically in that environment. It is known the aquifers link with waterways. The lower Selwyn River and Lake Ellesmere show how nitrates can accumulate. To reduce the nitrate load, the farms above the aquifer need to de-stock and stop irrigating. It’s not going to happen until babies start to die unfortunately. That can be prevented by families drinking bottled water. It seems an insane solution to a greed induced problem to me!
One business opportunity begets another – it's a chance to sell water-purifiers to households with infants or women of childbearing age, or to open a private obstetrics clinic. If you conceive of society solely as a place where business occurs, it's all good.
Nitrates are very water soluble, so you can’t filter them out. Some Ion exchange resins have some success in fixing nitrate as it passes through. They are expensive and with a high nitrate load, would need fairly frequent replacement. The best option, I think, would be an old fashioned water distillation set up but they are quite large and not cheap to run. Who wants to have to distill your own drinking water and who wants you to? Frontera, Synlait and the farmers that supply them. We need another Erin Brockovitch.
"Blue baby syndrome" is a known side effect of high nitrate levels. NZ allowed levels are much higher than other countries such as the US.
Some of our rural areas are prone to high nitrate levels. The relationship to dairying is not conclusive but obviously the likelihood is that it does not help.
The ECAN board was fired because it was dysfunctional. Years of political restructuring had resulted in Canterbury's groundwater expertise being transferred to private sector consulting companies. ECAN lost several very important hearings before Commissioners purely over the science. They did not event have a decent water plan. Eventually the Government had enough with what was a rogue organisation and sacked them.
I think you are overegging the relationship between dairy farming and nitrate levels in the Lincoln and Ashburton areas. Nitrates have always been high in those areas and dairy farming is such a recent development that its impact is uncertain. Obviously adding Urea in bulk on already prone soils is not a great idea but there are high nitrates in areas that have no history of dairy farming and none further upstream either.
Some soils seem prone to nitrate buildup and when disturbed by roading, subdivision or well drilling release nitrates into the water supply.
Natural upper level of nitrates in water is around 3 mg/l ….think we can fairly attribute levels above that to the (fairly) local activities that are ocurring around areas with considerably higher levels….stocking rates and fert application has definitely increased with the growth of irrigation in Canterbury, most of it dairy related, but I wonder if there isnt a middle ground that sees the benefit of irrigation with lower stocking rates and reduced urea application in conjuction with riparian planting.
Canterbury without irrigation has a very uncertain future in terms of production given CC.
I did a nitrate test on a shallow bore at home and got 11mg/L, after pumping for 24 hours it came down to 7. (enough to get a building consent) So, I got a deeper well drilled well into the 3rd aquifer and got 17mg/L. The welldriller said that always happens in a new bore due to ground disturbance but to pump it for a few days. It came down to 3mg/L after 4 days continuous pumping.
My property has never been historically dairy farmed and nor have any between it and the Southern Alps.
Sorry, but allowing farmers to dump whatever crap they like into our rivers for profit, leads to poisoned rivers.
That is why we need clean water regulation. I encourage you to look at Somalia, where they have no clean water law. Unsuprisngly, their rivers are bascially open sewers.
Well that's new. Some soils seem prone to nitrate buildup and when disturbed by roading, subdivision or well drilling release nitrates into the water supply.
Often in music today, the same effects will be repeated again and again. When it comes to scientific findings that have found their way into mainstream, the same thing occurs. Scientists, activists say these things for years and then have people pontificating the facts back to them, or should i say regurgitating. We know already – now do something real about it now it has penetrated into your brains.
If dairy farming in Canterbury stopped tomorrow, it would take generations for the dissolved 'slug' of nitrates to be removed from the aquifers.
Goddess preserve us…how many times and in how many ways do we need to be told?
Remember this? From 2013…and you'll recall how the messenger was shot.
'There should be a block on further dairying until farmers can prove they can reduce nitrates'
''Lincoln University has shown in theory, on a model farm, you can completely remove the threat. There's nitrate inhibitors in the feed, different plantings, sheds, the fencing of streams, a whole range of mitigation measures.
''But the problem is it isn't happening. We are just barrelling on. The gap between theory and practice is too wide. So let's demonstrate we can get it right first, get our house in order, before we allow more intensification.''
"
"It's all very well to say babies will die. It's something you can never disprove. But it gives no timeframes or indication of what the actual risk is," says Rolleston.
"For a private citizen to get up and say that would be fine, because their credibility is what it is. But for an officer of health to get up and say it is a completely different thing. They have a responsibility to be far more objective than those comments appear to be."
50 or so years ago urea top dressing was very much frowned upon because if the pasture needed additional urea the sward was lacking. Growing a certain percentage of clover was the traditional method used to increase nitrogen in the soil. Of course high clover content meant more rigorous animal husbandry in preventing bloat – more work for the farmer.
hmm I have looked but cannot seem to find an online version of the listener to link to.
Anyway in the print version they now have an "editorial" on page two and labled "editorial" and yet there is no indication whatsoever who the author is. I think this is simply wrong. In content these pieces look like they belong on whaleoil. I am wondering where they came from and looking for any snippets of info that might help figure out what is going on with them
Can you please tell us what copy of the Listener you are referring to?
The current copy, May 29, has a Editorial on page 3 about the enormous number of SUVs on our roads. I can't see anything in it to complain about.
The previous copy, May 22, had an Editorial, also on page 3, commenting on the likely effect of the rather clumsy Public sector wage freeze. Considering that it would, as announced, have condemned many teachers and nurses to pay freezes it also seems pretty non-objectionable.
In both issues page 2, as is generally the case, was the Contents page.
I don't have any earlier copies still around so I can't look any further back. However if the one you are talking about is more than 2 weeks ago what week was it, and what did the Editorial have to say that you dislike.
In any case the Listener, like any other magazine that publishes unsigned editorials, is explicitly publishing the views of the Editor, in this case Pamela Stirling. Complain to her if you don't like what is said. She may not have written it but she takes full responsibility for it.
Once describing himself as the Anti-Trump candidate, Andrew Yang joins beltway( politicians, (on both sides of the aisle), that have traditionally sided with Israel and turned a blind eye to Israel's oppression of the Palestians.
Andrew Yang's long time message to voters is that robots are going to take over, and that mass unemployment and social dislocation will be the result.
Andrew Yang has Championed and popularised the idea of a Unversal Basic Income for all US citizens.
But Proving that futurists are not neccesarily humanists, Yang's stance on immigrants and now Palestinians is far from liberal.
From being a contender to a no-show, future catastrophist Andrew Yang, stumbled in his campaign to be mayor of New York City.
Giving one sided support to the bombing of Gaza by Isael, but staying silent on Israel's oppression and violence against Palestinians that led to the conflict, and finding himself unable to explain his position when challenged on it, alienated this famously liberal city. Leading to a precipitous drop in the polls.
Jewish Americans are at a turning point with Israel
Arielle Angel
I felt alone as a Jew attending a Palestine solidarity rally in 2014. I don’t feel alone any more…..
…..More Jews speaking up against Israeli apartheid weakens that justification, leaving politicians, lobbyists and others to account for what their support is really about.
Its the Guardian… wishful thinking from a columnist….hardly news that activists dont support Israel, even in israel there is a some opposition to what they do.
The polls says hes in the lead , the Guardian doesnt count the votes so it doesnt matter what they think some others are thinking.
Found this bit of nonsense by the purported new Leader of the Opposition. It really points out the need to have an opposition to the Opposition!
"Compulsory union contracts mean teachers who go the extra mile are paid the same as those who show up just to eat their lunch."
Mr and Mrs Mac1 both have one thing to say to David Seymour having both been teachers. "Teachers who show up just to eat their lunch get eaten by their students!"
This 'eating lunch' meme is just a silly use of an overused saying to criticise unmotivated students to in turn criticise teachers. It does not help the debate, being a gross exaggeration.
It is a dog whistle to all those former students who had a poor experience with a teacher (and who didn't?) and who also had not learned their lessons at school about critical thinking.
And students who don't turn up to get their lunch, is there one at home for them? Does the teacher get to eat it then? Will that become part of the perks of teaching which result in a drop in wage parity for them?
Ministry of Social Development (MSD) said checking people's compliance had become a "burdensome administrative process" – and it cannot offer people any meaningful help if they cannot comply.
And even though social obligations were not being enforced, the government has not said whether or not they will be scrapped as part of its review of the sanctions regime.
Social obligations, which came into effect in 2013 under the previous National government, require parents on the benefit to have their children enrolled with a primary health organisation and ensure under-fives are up-to-date with their Well Child checks.
Funny that government expects bennies who are struggling to fill social obligations when pollies and uncivil servants don't recognise any similar obligation. Perhaps MSD can't afford Thomson and Clark's services to monitor this draconian demand. There are just too many struggling bennies to spy on.
Not recommended because of poor nutrition, disease risk and who knows what, genetic manipulation, knowledge transfer.
But luckily, we have grammatical entities like apostrophes to occupy both teachers and students, that make for clearer meaning, as I now recognise you have used in your comment- teachers'! Much more nutritious than teachers………
Employment law requires everyone to have a contract.
Teachers arent on compulsory union collective contracts at all. They can sign an individual contract if they so wish, but the terms are dictated by the employer ( they use a standard one with the same pay scales as the collective contract)
If I found someone in my living room at 3:30am in the morning I would definitely be in fear of my life. Sorry, but no sympathy from me for the would be burglar and a big well done to the home owner. The burglar's next victim may be a 90 year old lady, so this home owner may have prevented a death of an innocent person.
Here's the thing: technically the homeowner should be charged regardless. Then fire off a self-defense to the charge of assault/aggravated assault/attempted murder (depending on how seriously the homeowner fucked up the intruder).
But money and court time being what they are, prosecutions are declined based on a probability of a successful prosecution against cost and likely sentence resulting from said prosecution.
You can't shoot anyone to defend your jewellery, but you can shoot them if they look like they're about to shoot you. That's basically the venue security game right there – someone needs to be ejected unwillingly, so one calmly takes hold of them and moves them towards the exit. They try to take a swing at venue security person, so that moves from "defending property" to "defending yourself". As long as one is careful to honestly indicate in the paperwork why force levels were escalated, you're golden.
You can do as much as reasonably necessary to stop someone hurting your partner, but after they're down, restrained, or otherwise no longer a threat you're not allowed to kick them in the nuts for good measure.
As Jimmy says, any intruder in their home in the wee small hours automatically gives someone a reasonable fear for their safety.
Probably be charged with wounding with intent or some such and then accept a plea deal with reckless discharge firearm etc. All really depends on wheter hes supposed to have a gun at all
Also: jury discretion and judge's directions can be a factor. The letter of the law is one thing, but people can be a backstop in some ways. Whether they're a backstop equally for everyone is another question, but sometimes they can be reasonable.
I thought that Sir Walter Raleigh was a sort of pirate, and flashy courtier. But changed when read this synopsis of book ' THAT GREAT LUCIFER: SIR WALTER RALEIGH' by Margaret Irwin. He is just amazing and would put most of our leading people into the shade.
"No lover of history can fail to recognize in the man who cast his cape gracefully across a puddle to protect the feet of his queen, the symbol of the Elizabethan Age. For Sir Walther Raleigh was more, much more than the courtier portrayed in the painting. He was truly the Elizabethan incarnate – soldier, sailor, captain of the Queen's guard, explorer and colonizer of the New World, poet, scientist, military engineer and literary patron. In an age both cruel and romantic, the figure of Sir Walter Raleigh stands high above the contemporaries who eventually cast him down.
He it was who devised the plan that brought about the destruction of the Armada, who sailed into Cadiz harbor to grapple with Philip of Spain's war fleet and who, before he laid his head on the block, called to the headsman to let him feel the edge of the axe. Margaret Irwin was a noted authority on the Elizabethan Age. In this biography she brings all her skills as a historian and novelist in telling the story of this most remarkable Englishman."
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Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
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The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period duringwhichwewaited, andwaited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party.When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a “gritty, wrenching and highly confronting” series. By ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iran’s leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
Claire Mabey reviews the haunting and sexy debut novel from Sinéad Gleeson, who is about to touch down in Aotearoa for a string of live events.When Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson was in Aotearoa in 2018 with her spectacular collection of essays, Constellations, she told me she was working on ...
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courier’s front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as “sensationalised” and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use “other avenues to gain its independence” should the PNG government “continue ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”Some think that’s ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
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Saw this very apt comment on a twitter thread:
Regretfully so true.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/25/politics/trump-environmental-rollbacks-list/index.html
the trouble with neoliberalism is that eventually you run out of the people's sufference and have to ether have to back off, or turn to the extremist politics of repression and division, exploiting sectarianism and fascist tendencies to force your neo-liberal vision on society.
Instead of giving his full backing to the violent insurrectionists and pardoning them, and then calling on the armed forces to not oppose them. As he could have done. (polls of military personal showed many military people supported them.) Trump backed down and retreated to his Mar-a-Lago golf resort.
Every neo-liberal leader faces a choice, turn to violence or retreat. Trump tried a little bit of both. But not every neo-liberal leader faced with this choice has backed down.
Well, well, well, the dogs are on their hind legs yapping over a blogger: (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/23/belarus-diverts-ryanair-plane-to-arrest-blogger-says-opposition).
Where were they in 2013 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evo_Morales_grounding_incident) or don't heads of state matter?
And Morales was arrested and "disappeared"?
Isn't it a bit too soon to rewrite history? So far there doesn’t seem to be evidence that anyone has been ‘disappeared.
It took about six years 'disappear' Evo Moralis politically and look how that turned out!
From the link you pasted above.
Morales had breakfast with the Austrian President and then resumed his journey.
You will remember Macro, that the target wasn't Morales, he was just collateral damage, the target was Snowden, for his exposure of secret, mass surveillance by the NSA.
Who knows what would have happened to Snowden if he'd been on that plane.
The US is not known for it's tolerance of dissidents and whistleblowers
"The US is not known for it's tolerance of dissidents and whistleblowers…"
The name Seth Rich springs to mind…..
Yes I am well aware of that fact. But that was not the framing put on the "what about-ism" by aom. Furthermore, Morales plane was not escorted away from its flight plan by fighter jets, endangering the lives of innocent people. Morale's aircraft was obliged to land in Austria because the other European counties had at that time refused to allow the aircraft to overfly their countries. It was suspected that Morale (who had openly opined to allowing Snowden to asylum in his country) had Snowden on board. This would have created an international incident between the US and the EU for allowing a fugitive from the US to escape by overflying their countries. Once the fact that Snowden was not on board was ascertained, other European countries also apologised and allowed the plane to overfly their territories.
That may be true but it is important to note that Snowden whilst we may applaud the actions of Snowden for revealing the abhorrent nature of the US PRISM surviellence programme, under US law he committed an offence, and does not have the defence of being a "whistleblower".
https://www.theregister.com/2016/09/12/edward_snowden_wikileaks_sarah_harrison/
The US is not alone in harbouring intolerance towards dissidents – the subject of this current thread springs to mind.
…whilst we may applaud the actions of Snowden for revealing the abhorrent nature of the US PRISM surviellence [sic] programme, under US law he committed an offence,
The substantive illegality and offence in this shameful matter was committed by the U.S. government.
and does not have the defence of being a "whistleblower".
That is exactly what he is. He blew the whistle on an enormous and illegal U.S. government operation of spying on its own citizens.
I'm not arguing that!
The fact of the matter is however that The US has the power to prosecute breaches of their Espionage Act (which Snowden's taking of files and giving it to others not entitled to that information clearly was), even if it was done with a highly moral intention. And I, having previously signed the Official Secrets Act of NZ, could expect to be similarly prosecuted were I to have taken, or copied, secret information to which I was privy, and published that. Snowden knew what to expect – that is why he went to Hong Kong and then subsequently to Russia. We must respect him for that, and his bravery. It does not reduce the fact that he broke a law and the US Govt has the right to pursue that offence.
Morales had breakfast with the Austrian President and then resumed his journey.
???? WTF?
Hard to decide which is more irritating in this fellow's comment: his ignorance or his complacency.
What I find irritating is commenters who spray & walk away
Why don’t you correct the record and set it straight instead of exhibiting your blokeish outrage?
Thomson, Iain (2016-09-12). "Edward Snowden's 40 days in a Russian airport – by the woman who helped him escape"
Whataboutism in defence of state sanctioned piracy. Really?
/
https://twitter.com/EgoEire/status/1396421106018529283
You say whataboutism I say hypocrisy
Pilger says it all
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/04/forcing-down-morales-plane-air-piracy
Hi aom, since your comment about 'yapping dogs up on their hind legs' was followed by a link from the Guardian.
I guess that you are suggesting the Guardian's objectivity is questionable and that the Guardian ignored the grounding of Morales' aircraft, that the Guardian cherry pick their journalist investigations and reports to favour the West over Russia.
I did a quick google search, which brought up two Guardian articles published at the time, highly critical of the grounding of Morales aircraft by the Western powers.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/04/forcing-down-morales-plane-air-piracy
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/03/edward-snowden-bolivia-plane-vienna
[some links have been removed to avoid auto-moderation]
Au contraire Jenny, just the first report on the matter that attracted my attention. The issue was clearly highlighted by fransesca with the comment prior to yours.
That said, the Guardian can be disappointing with the bias often it displays.
The first 3 Ws of good reporting; what, when, where.
'often it displays' implies that it would be very easy to find an example to prove an allegation of bias by the Guardian.
So's, hows-a-about-it, aom.
Please, if you could – just to help me out here.
Can you give us just one example that shows the Guardian 'often displays' bias.
Fair cop Jenny – old guys who are half attentive when wandering down blind alleys deserve to be mugged.
I hadn't realised until reviewing the comments, that you seem to have assumed the target of the original remark was the Guardian. Not so!
From the report, there is a veritable array of 'yapping dogs' including the Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the UK foreign affairs select committee who joined counterparts from the US, Ireland, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Surprisingly, Biden hasn’t jumped to the forefront with grand gestures.
It also seems Tom Tugendhat had forgotten about Assange when he said, “If aircraft can be forced to the ground … in order to punish the political opponents of tyrants, then journalists here in the UK, politicians anywhere in Europe will find it harder to speak out.” Of course, grounding aircraft is just one of many strategies but not as extreme as taking out a duly elected Government then having the Met move in to do the dirty work.
On the other count, I note on reflection that you specifically referred to the 3W's of reporting. The generalisation was more influenced by Guardian 'Opinion' contributions in which neutrality and objectivity should not be an expectation and don't necessarily reflect the editorial policies of the publication.
What 'Opinion' contributions are chosen for publication is always an editorial decision.
Accusations of being often biased of any media outlet are serious allegations to make, and need to be justified with at least one example.
Your allegation that The Guardian is 'often' 'biased' still needs to be proven.
The words 'often' and 'bias' you associate to Guardian, opinion pieces, should make it easy for you to give an example of a biased Guardian 'Opinion' contribution piece.
Even just one example of what you think is a biased Guardian 'Opinon' contribution would be good.
Thanks Jenny
https://www.bing.com/search?q=biased+meaning&PC=PI02&FORM=PISBRL
What a lovely narrative!
So, you're supporting the actions of Belarus in this, I gather.
Glacial change from enforcing to encouraging “social obligations” to making it easy and accessible for parents on a benefit.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/443215/no-beneficiaries-sanctioned-for-failing-social-obligations
A Left Politics-101 by Dr Bryce Edwards that is thought-provoking and a good read. There are many bits to cherry-pick – better you read it yourself – but I cannot resist just one:
https://democracyproject.nz/2021/05/23/bryce-edwards-the-state-of-the-political-left-in-the-age-of-outrage
It raises one question with me that some keyboard warriors may want to answer: is Dr Edwards cautiously re-nailing his colours to the mast?
He has been firmly rightwards for years now, and it biases everything he publishes.
What did you think of the article?
Agree. The discourse doesn't make sense.
The Left of which he speaks still seeks to promote the voices of the oppressed and marginalised, the actual oppressed and marginalised, not the fake oppressed and marginalised, ie, outraged white conservatives who, for some reason, are convinced the European race is under threat.
I suspect any loss of privilege makes them and Dr Bryce feel oppressed and marginalised.
Any so called censorious approach is to ensure actual oppressed and marginalised voices are to be heard, free from the powerful elite drowning them out.
meh.
Firstly, asking a bunch of freshers the meaning of "left wing" might simply indicate the dominant messages in popular culture, rather than a genuine appraisal of the term with reference to political movements in New Zealand. But it's a handy anecdote to support one's own agenda, I guess.
Secondly, he's in part correct about "the left" ignoring economics. But that has nothing to do with "identity politics". The problem was that Keynesianism was the dominant centrist economic philosophy in many Northern,Western nations, so the economic training of young lefties atrophied a bit. Then came stagflation and the Chicago School providing a "solution" to the problem, which in NZ changed the dominant political-economic narrative.
But the rise of
giving a shit about people in a non-homogeneous society"identity politics" happened alongside those developments, not one replacing the other.Recognition of society's diversity and the power structures therein are not at the expense of recognising economic class and the power structures therein. But it might erode the status of established "left wing" personalities who prefer to ignore the realities of a diverse society.
I read it and started writing something but then realised it wasn't worth my time.
It's a shame VUW has put its name to such bullshit.
Bryce Edwards chooses extracts from others which support his hypothesis truly examining another point of view is often touched lightly only, or framed in a disparaging manner. He has little belief in the views of Leftwing politics, and I personally lost all regard for him when he constantly held up the Herald's Armstrong as a source, seldom doing the same for Fallow, a far more balanced voice. However he is smart enough to know Jacinda will have a long tenure, and the changes being wrought cause him to be more circumspect. Just my opinion.
Thanks for sharing your opinion on Dr Edwards.
Do we still have class struggle or even class war? If not, are we missing or overlooking something crucial?
Incognito his othering bothers me. "Left wing elite" so if you are educated articulate and successful you can't be Left wing, because you are not sexually culturally or class challenged? "Right wing politics won the economic battle". So 1% owning 90% is an economic success? The man makes too many unsupported generalisations. IMO
Of course we do. People still talk about the 1% and capitalists. New unions are rising up to fight oppressive employers in industries established unions considered not unionisable.
But class warfare isn't the only conflict within society. We can hope an economic utopia solves all other conflicts, or we can fight those other conflicts now, as well as the economic one.
I am a retired teacher. I graduated from the then, Lincoln College in 1972 with a BagSci. My year four subjects; Microbiology, Dairy Science, Soil Science and Ecology. I have followed the unfolding disaster in Canterbury for years. It was exacerbated when John Key's government sacked the elected ECAN Councillors and put in"Commissioners."They were politically selected and commissioned to specifically consent conversion of dry land cropping and sheep farmland to dairy. It does not take a study of soil science to understand that shallow soil developed on alluvial shingle beds, will be very free draining. When you then irrigate it, add tens of thousands of cows and toss tens of thousands of tonnes of urea on top, guess what? Nitrates from cow urine and dissolved urea fertiliser get washed into the underground aquifers. I have been predicting toxic nitrate levels in shallow wells and surface waterways for any years. If dairy farming in Canterbury stopped tomorrow, it would take generations for the dissolved 'slug' of nitrates to be removed from the aquifers. Unless action is taken, places like Ashburton, Lincoln and Christchurch will all be drinking polluted water. Ashburton and Lincoln first. I hear that Fronterra obligingly, trucks water to farms with already polluted wells. This is emptied into water tanks before the milk is collected. One hand washes the other it seems and they ALL keep very quiet!
Nic 181, you would have been gutted watching all that unfold.
Patricia B I always read what you say. You are a 'cool' thinking head! And thanks for that thumbnail portrait of what has happened in Canterbury Nic 181. I wonder when Ashburton will wake up to its true history and feel regrets – I connect that place with blindfolded drive for personal advancement no matter what. But actually it is like a mascot for what has gone down, as they say, in Ca. They can't canter away from their toxic legacy, neither can they bury it (it just leaches away and spreads).
thanks.
Question….if urea application and stocking type/rates returned to pre 2000s level how long do you estimate it would take for that nitrate loading to revert to last centuries levels?
I don’t think anyone can answer that. It is known that the flow rate of water through shingle is slow. Nitrates don’t change chemically in that environment. It is known the aquifers link with waterways. The lower Selwyn River and Lake Ellesmere show how nitrates can accumulate. To reduce the nitrate load, the farms above the aquifer need to de-stock and stop irrigating. It’s not going to happen until babies start to die unfortunately. That can be prevented by families drinking bottled water. It seems an insane solution to a greed induced problem to me!
One business opportunity begets another – it's a chance to sell water-purifiers to households with infants or women of childbearing age, or to open a private obstetrics clinic. If you conceive of society solely as a place where business occurs, it's all good.
Nitrates are very water soluble, so you can’t filter them out. Some Ion exchange resins have some success in fixing nitrate as it passes through. They are expensive and with a high nitrate load, would need fairly frequent replacement. The best option, I think, would be an old fashioned water distillation set up but they are quite large and not cheap to run. Who wants to have to distill your own drinking water and who wants you to? Frontera, Synlait and the farmers that supply them. We need another Erin Brockovitch.
Reverse osmosis works.
We don't have Erin Brockovitch but we have you. And Mike Joy.
If you keep talking, if the rest of us keep repeating what you say, perhaps something will change.
The situation is absolutely bloody outrageous
You may find this interesting, it was on the radio this morning.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018796680/study-finds-strong-link-between-nitrate-levels-and-premature-births
Reinstating the ECAN board would appear to be a simple step the government could take.
"Blue baby syndrome" is a known side effect of high nitrate levels. NZ allowed levels are much higher than other countries such as the US.
Some of our rural areas are prone to high nitrate levels. The relationship to dairying is not conclusive but obviously the likelihood is that it does not help.
The ECAN board was fired because it was dysfunctional. Years of political restructuring had resulted in Canterbury's groundwater expertise being transferred to private sector consulting companies. ECAN lost several very important hearings before Commissioners purely over the science. They did not event have a decent water plan. Eventually the Government had enough with what was a rogue organisation and sacked them.
I think you are overegging the relationship between dairy farming and nitrate levels in the Lincoln and Ashburton areas. Nitrates have always been high in those areas and dairy farming is such a recent development that its impact is uncertain. Obviously adding Urea in bulk on already prone soils is not a great idea but there are high nitrates in areas that have no history of dairy farming and none further upstream either.
Some soils seem prone to nitrate buildup and when disturbed by roading, subdivision or well drilling release nitrates into the water supply.
Natural upper level of nitrates in water is around 3 mg/l ….think we can fairly attribute levels above that to the (fairly) local activities that are ocurring around areas with considerably higher levels….stocking rates and fert application has definitely increased with the growth of irrigation in Canterbury, most of it dairy related, but I wonder if there isnt a middle ground that sees the benefit of irrigation with lower stocking rates and reduced urea application in conjuction with riparian planting.
Canterbury without irrigation has a very uncertain future in terms of production given CC.
I did a nitrate test on a shallow bore at home and got 11mg/L, after pumping for 24 hours it came down to 7. (enough to get a building consent) So, I got a deeper well drilled well into the 3rd aquifer and got 17mg/L. The welldriller said that always happens in a new bore due to ground disturbance but to pump it for a few days. It came down to 3mg/L after 4 days continuous pumping.
My property has never been historically dairy farmed and nor have any between it and the Southern Alps.
[removed text from user name]
Thanks………
Sorry, but allowing farmers to dump whatever crap they like into our rivers for profit, leads to poisoned rivers.
That is why we need clean water regulation. I encourage you to look at Somalia, where they have no clean water law. Unsuprisngly, their rivers are bascially open sewers.
I can agree with you on this. Never been to Somalia but have been to many countries with similar environmental awareness.
Just don't believe Canterbury nitrate levels in water is that good a match…..
Well that's new. Some soils seem prone to nitrate buildup and when disturbed by roading, subdivision or well drilling release nitrates into the water supply.
Often in music today, the same effects will be repeated again and again. When it comes to scientific findings that have found their way into mainstream, the same thing occurs. Scientists, activists say these things for years and then have people pontificating the facts back to them, or should i say regurgitating. We know already – now do something real about it now it has penetrated into your brains.
If dairy farming in Canterbury stopped tomorrow, it would take generations for the dissolved 'slug' of nitrates to be removed from the aquifers.
Goddess preserve us…how many times and in how many ways do we need to be told?
Remember this? From 2013…and you'll recall how the messenger was shot.
'There should be a block on further dairying until farmers can prove they can reduce nitrates'
''Lincoln University has shown in theory, on a model farm, you can completely remove the threat. There's nitrate inhibitors in the feed, different plantings, sheds, the fencing of streams, a whole range of mitigation measures.
''But the problem is it isn't happening. We are just barrelling on. The gap between theory and practice is too wide. So let's demonstrate we can get it right first, get our house in order, before we allow more intensification.''
"
"It's all very well to say babies will die. It's something you can never disprove. But it gives no timeframes or indication of what the actual risk is," says Rolleston.
"For a private citizen to get up and say that would be fine, because their credibility is what it is. But for an officer of health to get up and say it is a completely different thing. They have a responsibility to be far more objective than those comments appear to be."
SSDD
Zactly
50 or so years ago urea top dressing was very much frowned upon because if the pasture needed additional urea the sward was lacking. Growing a certain percentage of clover was the traditional method used to increase nitrogen in the soil. Of course high clover content meant more rigorous animal husbandry in preventing bloat – more work for the farmer.
anyone else want to hazard a guess on these two points
1 who pays the listener to run unsigned dishonest propaganda as "editorials"
2 who authors these hit jobs.
here is my guess
1 the taxpayers union
2 mike horseshit
Second that Margaritte.
Perhaps you could enlighten non-readers of The Listener with what you’re referring to and what is making you flip your lid?
hmm I have looked but cannot seem to find an online version of the listener to link to.
Anyway in the print version they now have an "editorial" on page two and labled "editorial" and yet there is no indication whatsoever who the author is. I think this is simply wrong. In content these pieces look like they belong on whaleoil. I am wondering where they came from and looking for any snippets of info that might help figure out what is going on with them
Media editorials are almost never attributed to a writer…. because they are seen as a collective view .
Why even care about something no one has read about something (almost) nonone cares about
Can you please tell us what copy of the Listener you are referring to?
The current copy, May 29, has a Editorial on page 3 about the enormous number of SUVs on our roads. I can't see anything in it to complain about.
The previous copy, May 22, had an Editorial, also on page 3, commenting on the likely effect of the rather clumsy Public sector wage freeze. Considering that it would, as announced, have condemned many teachers and nurses to pay freezes it also seems pretty non-objectionable.
In both issues page 2, as is generally the case, was the Contents page.
I don't have any earlier copies still around so I can't look any further back. However if the one you are talking about is more than 2 weeks ago what week was it, and what did the Editorial have to say that you dislike.
In any case the Listener, like any other magazine that publishes unsigned editorials, is explicitly publishing the views of the Editor, in this case Pamela Stirling. Complain to her if you don't like what is said. She may not have written it but she takes full responsibility for it.
So
It's owned by a private equity crowd. The board says it all.
https://www.mercurycapital.com.au/team/
Andrew Yang has his Tony Abbot moment.
Is this the last we hear of Andrew Yang?
Once describing himself as the Anti-Trump candidate, Andrew Yang joins beltway( politicians, (on both sides of the aisle), that have traditionally sided with Israel and turned a blind eye to Israel's oppression of the Palestians.
Andrew Yang's long time message to voters is that robots are going to take over, and that mass unemployment and social dislocation will be the result.
Andrew Yang has Championed and popularised the idea of a Unversal Basic Income for all US citizens.
But Proving that futurists are not neccesarily humanists, Yang's stance on immigrants and now Palestinians is far from liberal.
From being a contender to a no-show, future catastrophist Andrew Yang, stumbled in his campaign to be mayor of New York City.
Giving one sided support to the bombing of Gaza by Isael, but staying silent on Israel's oppression and violence against Palestinians that led to the conflict, and finding himself unable to explain his position when challenged on it, alienated this famously liberal city. Leading to a precipitous drop in the polls.
Easy answer to that.
The Jewish vote matters in New York City democratic primary for the Mayoral election.
Last poll shows Yang to be leading on 20% , which is all he needs
Andrew and/or his advisors must have missed the memo.
Goes someway to explain, Andrew Yang’s wordless gawping.
Its the Guardian… wishful thinking from a columnist….hardly news that activists dont support Israel, even in israel there is a some opposition to what they do.
The polls says hes in the lead , the Guardian doesnt count the votes so it doesnt matter what they think some others are thinking.
Found this bit of nonsense by the purported new Leader of the Opposition. It really points out the need to have an opposition to the Opposition!
"Compulsory union contracts mean teachers who go the extra mile are paid the same as those who show up just to eat their lunch."
Mr and Mrs Mac1 both have one thing to say to David Seymour having both been teachers. "Teachers who show up just to eat their lunch get eaten by their students!"
This 'eating lunch' meme is just a silly use of an overused saying to criticise unmotivated students to in turn criticise teachers. It does not help the debate, being a gross exaggeration.
It is a dog whistle to all those former students who had a poor experience with a teacher (and who didn't?) and who also had not learned their lessons at school about critical thinking.
It is also a dig at the provided lunch IMO
Teachers turn up to eat their students' lunch? It gets worse……
And students who don't turn up to get their lunch, is there one at home for them? Does the teacher get to eat it then? Will that become part of the perks of teaching which result in a drop in wage parity for them?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/443215/no-beneficiaries-sanctioned-for-failing-social-obligations
Ministry of Social Development (MSD) said checking people's compliance had become a "burdensome administrative process" – and it cannot offer people any meaningful help if they cannot comply.
And even though social obligations were not being enforced, the government has not said whether or not they will be scrapped as part of its review of the sanctions regime.
Social obligations, which came into effect in 2013 under the previous National government, require parents on the benefit to have their children enrolled with a primary health organisation and ensure under-fives are up-to-date with their Well Child checks.
Funny that government expects bennies who are struggling to fill social obligations when pollies and uncivil servants don't recognise any similar obligation. Perhaps MSD can't afford Thomson and Clark's services to monitor this draconian demand. There are just too many struggling bennies to spy on.
"And students who don't turn up to get their lunch, is there one at home for them?"
A good school-provided lunch is another reason for turning up; it's also a way of a government providing targeted help to needy children.
Of course, good nutrition goes beyond the boundaries of family income when comfortable families still eat poor quality food.
I cannot help but notice that your comment helps to spread a divisive message; David Seymour will be grateful for your moral support
Students with no lunch eat their teachers' ?
Not recommended because of poor nutrition, disease risk and who knows what, genetic manipulation, knowledge transfer.
But luckily, we have grammatical entities like apostrophes to occupy both teachers and students, that make for clearer meaning, as I now recognise you have used in your comment- teachers'! Much more nutritious than teachers………
Employment law requires everyone to have a contract.
Teachers arent on compulsory union collective contracts at all. They can sign an individual contract if they so wish, but the terms are dictated by the employer ( they use a standard one with the same pay scales as the collective contract)
Is this the last we hear of Andrew Yang?
Let's hope so.
Seems like a this burglar got more than he bargained for and a bit of swift justice.
Would-be burglar seriously injured after being confronted by homeowner | Stuff.co.nz
If you break in to someone's house at 3:30am in the morning, what do you expect. Hopefully this is a lesson learnt and he will not do it again.
Unfortunately the home owner does not have that right, and could be charged unless "in fear of his life".
If I found someone in my living room at 3:30am in the morning I would definitely be in fear of my life. Sorry, but no sympathy from me for the would be burglar and a big well done to the home owner. The burglar's next victim may be a 90 year old lady, so this home owner may have prevented a death of an innocent person.
True Jimmy, my comment was about current law.
Here's the thing: technically the homeowner should be charged regardless. Then fire off a self-defense to the charge of assault/aggravated assault/attempted murder (depending on how seriously the homeowner fucked up the intruder).
But money and court time being what they are, prosecutions are declined based on a probability of a successful prosecution against cost and likely sentence resulting from said prosecution.
Current NZ law is pretty reasonable: you can use reasonable force to defend property as long as you don't strike or do bodily harm to the person.
You can use reasonable (according to your belief about the circumstances) force to defend yourself or another person.
You can't shoot anyone to defend your jewellery, but you can shoot them if they look like they're about to shoot you. That's basically the venue security game right there – someone needs to be ejected unwillingly, so one calmly takes hold of them and moves them towards the exit. They try to take a swing at venue security person, so that moves from "defending property" to "defending yourself". As long as one is careful to honestly indicate in the paperwork why force levels were escalated, you're golden.
You can do as much as reasonably necessary to stop someone hurting your partner, but after they're down, restrained, or otherwise no longer a threat you're not allowed to kick them in the nuts for good measure.
As Jimmy says, any intruder in their home in the wee small hours automatically gives someone a reasonable fear for their safety.
Probably be charged with wounding with intent or some such and then accept a plea deal with reckless discharge firearm etc. All really depends on wheter hes supposed to have a gun at all
Many ifs in any specific situation.
Also: jury discretion and judge's directions can be a factor. The letter of the law is one thing, but people can be a backstop in some ways. Whether they're a backstop equally for everyone is another question, but sometimes they can be reasonable.
The story I saw seems to relieve him of having to explain that. It wasn't his.
"It is understood he was shot during an altercation with the owner of the property, who had confronted him as he tried to leave in a vehicle." Then
"Police will allege the man had broken into the home and had brought the gun with him."
It isn't actually clear who was holding the weapon at the time.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/125227606/suspected-burglar-shot-during-confrontation-with-homeowner
Obscene wealth reported as Corbyn supporters want him reinstated as a Labour MP.
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2021/05/21/coronavirus-created-more-rich-list-billionaires-than-ever/
I thought that Sir Walter Raleigh was a sort of pirate, and flashy courtier. But changed when read this synopsis of book ' THAT GREAT LUCIFER: SIR WALTER RALEIGH' by Margaret Irwin. He is just amazing and would put most of our leading people into the shade.
"No lover of history can fail to recognize in the man who cast his cape gracefully across a puddle to protect the feet of his queen, the symbol of the Elizabethan Age. For Sir Walther Raleigh was more, much more than the courtier portrayed in the painting. He was truly the Elizabethan incarnate – soldier, sailor, captain of the Queen's guard, explorer and colonizer of the New World, poet, scientist, military engineer and literary patron. In an age both cruel and romantic, the figure of Sir Walter Raleigh stands high above the contemporaries who eventually cast him down.
He it was who devised the plan that brought about the destruction of the Armada, who sailed into Cadiz harbor to grapple with Philip of Spain's war fleet and who, before he laid his head on the block, called to the headsman to let him feel the edge of the axe. Margaret Irwin was a noted authority on the Elizabethan Age. In this biography she brings all her skills as a historian and novelist in telling the story of this most remarkable Englishman."
https://www.trademe.co.nz/books/nonfiction/history/britain/listing-3100169316
End of past history – Guy Fawkes etc. I am so pleased with The Warehouse making this responsible move.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2105/S00403/the-warehouse-calls-time-on-sale-of-fireworks.htm
Yes good on them. About time. Countdown stopped in 2019.