(There is a nagging little voice though that thinks Cloe as leader could awaken the slack youth vote, just should have been dolittle Davidson that went)
Yes, just run Auckland Central like a by-election every time with activists from as far away as Invercargill, and pile on the emotional blackmail to Labour voters in that seat that if they don't vote for the Green candidate they won't be in Government, and you don't have to bother with that pesky 5%.
I can see the Greens being back to 6% – 7% by next election. The faction seems to have been quite a self-destructive element for the party. However, I do feel that the bulk of those lost votes will go Labour's way. I can't really see them going anywhere else.
Delahunty, Bradford and the other fools should fuck off and generate a little splinter party. Join up with Bishop Brian Tamaki and do a decent protest for once. Maybe they could scrape 3% between them.
Agreed. The problem with democracy is it gives the nutters too much of a voice. The Greens have shown this with their 25% vote in no confidence in the leader.
Sounds like you’d rather cancel nutters people with different opinions and who dare to speak up when and where it is not only their right to do so but also their duty. Have you heard of group-think?
No threshold at all; any party that can obtain 1/120th of the total vote has earned the right (aka a seat) to represent that vote in Parliament. Any other (higher) threshold is deliberately manipulative and distortive.
I'm perfectly happy to say that people who vote for anti-science parties (eg, COVID deniers) are nutters. You might call them dissenters, that's your right, but I disagree.
I also don't think it's a good idea to try and form governments with such unstable coalitions. Just look at what happens in Israel. Nor do I think that giving such fringe groups the respectability of the platform afforded by being an MP is the best thing for society as a whole – again just look at the echo chambers on Facebook, general opinion is that these echo chambers are toxic for society at large, and I don’t think giving them more legitimacy is a good thing.
Huh? The Greens are now anti-science and/or Covid-deniers?? I thought we were talking about a dissenting faction within the Green Party, but obviously you have much bigger axe to grind.
You’ll have to explain with the Green Party NZ and Israel and echo chambers on Facebook because other than you arguing that the Greens are nutters I don’t see the connection, but this could be my lack of imagination.
Or are you, in fact, arguing that a lower electoral threshold would result in unstable coalitions and giving fringe groups respectability that they don’t deserve? If so, please provide some real-life examples, thanks, if you can, which I doubt.
It's a lot more than that. I'm not even going to attempt to distill it down any further than this tweet thread does, the concept is too new to me to be able to do that yet: https://twitter.com/RobbSmith/status/1224023377020477440
In a statement, police condemned the "reckless behaviour" and said protest organisers refused to tell police they were planning to march on the motorway.
"I respect our relationship and your leadership and do appreciate the opportunity to talk through issues together," Haumaha wrote to Tamaki on September 23, in the lead-up to their virtual meeting.
After the meeting Haumaha wrote to Tamaki: "Kia Ora Bishop thank you that was a great korero and an opportunity for Andy to get to know you and the context behind what you are doing… Awesome anything you need just let me know."
Tamaki responded: "Yes i will thank you too Wally… i will keep in touch… thank you both…"
At the conclusion of his speech, members of the crowd performed the Ka Mate haka – despite condemnation last week from Ngāti Toa, who insisted protesters stop using their taonga.
“We do not support their position and we do not want our tupuna or our iwi associated with their messages,” Pou Tikanga Dr Taku Parai said in a statement.
Well they got a bunch more media coverage and discussion than the Greens did even though it's the Green Party national conference. That is a deliberate and effective spike.
Well…..its an Alternate World "The Marching Morons" (sadly, our reality right now)…and The Pastor of Muppets and the other (notso) shadowy figures manipulating aforesaid morons…are definitely no dumb fucks. As ever…
Notwithstanding…I dont think (“most” ? ) Green Party members/Supporters would be TOO sad about the distraction effect !
That is a little unfair – the Greens are legitimate political party, which Tamaki's wannabe insurgency is not. Behaving in such a lawless manner that Aucklanders spontaneously subject you to a hail of extemporised missiles isn't how you win power, although Tamaki (who I thought was subject to bail conditions that prevented him reprising his strutting martinet show for the crowd) apparently has some sort of plan to do a "Sri Lanka" next month in Wellington – which I would have thought already has him sailing perilously close to committing treason under sections 73 (e) and 73 (f) of the crimes act:
Treason and other crimes against the Sovereign and the State
73 Treason
Every one owing allegiance to the Sovereign in right of New Zealand commits treason who, within or outside New Zealand,—
(a) kills or wounds or does grievous bodily harm to the Sovereign, or imprisons or restrains her or him; or
(b) levies war against New Zealand; or
(c) assists an enemy at war with New Zealand, or any armed forces against which New Zealand forces are engaged in hostilities, whether or not a state of war exists between New Zealand and any other country; or
(d) incites or assists any person with force to invade New Zealand; or
(e) uses force for the purpose of overthrowing the Government of New Zealand; or
(f) conspires with any person to do anything mentioned in this section.
I dunno, maybe Tamaki thinks he is a sovereogn citizen who doesn't owe allegiance to the sovereign so that'll save him from a life sentence, but as a certain Mr. G. Fawkes found out when he was torn into four pieces after begun half hung and disembowelled that argument hasn’t worked out so well since the 17th century.
No one was injured, no one took anything, no one was abused, no one was kidnapped, no one called for the overthrow of the state.
We don't have to like what they stand for but they are protesting just like the 1975 Land March, the 1981 anti-apartheid marches, the pro-cylists of 2019, the COVID marchers of 2021, and the many more to come. Plenty on there with criminal records. Except nah Tamaki isn't a liberal so he shouldn't.
Just imagine if the Green Party had dome something useful this weekend instead of kill each other, and generated a decent protest across the motorway system. Actually done proper serious activism again. Nah.
In a reasonable world the Minister of Transport would have done something useful and permanently opened up the Harbour Bridge for at least one walking and cycling lane. But nah.
So did I manage to misread: 'GOVERNMENT MUST GO!' flaring forth on last night's news from Wellington's version of impromptu street theatre?
In the second clip:
Around 300 protesters were seen marching through central Wellington chanting for the Government to go.
"We want freedom because our children are suffering, our youth are suffering because of the decisions this Government has made," one protest leader said via loudspeaker.
"We're fighting for freedom from mental health stats, we're fighting for freedom from high cost of living, we're fighting for freedom from everything this Government has put in place that is making us struggle."
Another leader of the Wellington protest compared their movement to that of Indian revolutionary Mahatma Gandhi, whose peaceful protests helped India gain independence from British rule in the 1940s.
"It's amazing what one man could do, to lead peaceful protests right throughout the country and bring about change and that's what we're doing here today," he said.
Agreed, our Government isn't God-King Tamaki's chief beef. His main ‘concern’ is that a woman is in charge – doesn't she know her place?
‘Basically innocent’: Tamaki’s sermon on the police station steps [23 November 2021]
But after ‘National Compassion Day’ on Saturday, where Tamaki made a surprise appearance at the Domain alongside his wife, and accused Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of “criminal acts” in front of an enraptured crowd, police have once more issued a summons for the controversial preacher.
”Chris Patten, Norman Lamont and Malcolm Rifkind all said that the former Tory leader would not have supported the tax-cutting plans. Patten said: “Margaret Thatcher was a fiscal Conservative who did not cut tax until we had reduced inflation. She was honest and did not believe in nonsense.”
Thanks, Tony- indeed a clear exposition of the two approaches and the delineation between Labour and National. The article sets out the economic and social aspects in terms available to the economically illiterate to understand.
There is a difference between National and Labour and that difference would make a hugely adverse change to the lives of many, many New Zealanders should National get into power and go down the path of tax cuts, less government, increased corporate greed and restrictions on wages growth, reliance on foreign capital and imported workers.
Since Foot and Mouth Disease can come in on everything from skin to clothing, maybe it's time for a ban on importing Indonesian Palm Corn Expeller here?
Way past time to ban palm kernel from anywhere. Vile stuff. And if farmers cannot maintain their herds/flocks without it, then they are way overstocked.
A good proportion of salmon feed comes from Indonesia as well. High likelihood the fish base is bulked out with as much land sourced portion as they can get away with.
Was talking to the farm manager the other day about monkey dust, (it's called that because the response to bits of monkey turning up in it was to just grind it really fine), and there's some doubt around National's, especially Luxon's, willingness to take any firm action to prevent FMD arriving here. Banning PKE, or in the case of an outbreak in Australia, closing / restricting the border, not really seen as likely with National, but possible with Labour. Any restrictions would be seen as a kick in the balls to farmers though, and very loudly.
There's serious investment in PKE right now, at $9.75 dairy farmers want every kg they can get this season and those extra kgs come out the back of the palm kernel truck. PKE has become integral to NZ dairy farming, and deer as it has high copper content to promote velvet growth, so a sudden restriction would be very disruptive to stocking rates and cashflow. Big money involved in the trade too, with undoubtedly considerable donations to National Party.
Farming’s likely response is going to be to try and manage the risk with testing and surveillance. But everything would change if FMD got into Australia. If it got into NZ first then we can just sit down and watch the NZ economy implode as Australia closes it's border to us.
Yours is a very interesting take on the situation, Graeme – thanks for making that. I've shared it with my fellow ES councillors, many of whom are users (I suspect 🙂
One of those 'here and disappeared' headlines in the Herald that I missed yesterday, and had to go searching for this morning after I couldn't access it on my tablet. Login to Herald account only on the laptop.
[Unlinked copy & pasta deleted]
Two issues here that need highlighting.
Her husband refusing to be her carer because they are "entitled" to funded care through ACC.
I was speaking with a chap yesterday whose 20 year old moko has a significant disability and is covered by ACC. As hard as I tried, he simply could not get his head around the fact that Peter is not under ACC and has no entitlement to care. At all.
I just want to draw attention to the fact that there are two very distinct classes of disabled people in New Zealand. Still. After nearly fifty years of empty promises by successive governments to address the disparity.
Labour…pretending to be the Party for the Common Folk…has had ample opportunity over the past five fucking decades to fix this. They haven't. Why?
Kathryn Harland has lost three…three…"highly qualified" carers due to the vaccine mandates who would "come back tomorrow if they could."
She does not say…and I'm damned sure the Herald would have quoted her if she had… "If only these carers would get the shot and come back to work all would be fine…"
Just drop the mandates.
The system cannot afford to be short three highly qualified carers (and believe me those with high spinal injuries need carers who know which end is up) . Just like the system cannot afford to be short of nurses and midwives and other trained health professionals that chose not to take the Pfizer product.
Most of us have had Covid in the past six months…Pfizered or not. And unless we were already knocking on the Door…the vast majority of us have survived. And only a small number have ongoing issues.
[now we have a link, here’s the restored copy & pasta – Incognito]
Tauranga paraplegic left without care due to ‘severe’ support worker shortage
A healthcare provider has apologised after a 71-year-old paraplegic was left alone “in a wet bed with blood in it” because her support worker did not show up.
Tauranga woman Kathryn Harland is paralysed from the sternum and requires 24/7 care.
But a HealthCare New Zealand support worker has failed to turn up “multiple” times because, in Harland’s view, there is a “severe” staffing shortage.
Harland lives with her husband, but says, however, “I need to have someone that is trained to look after me 24 hours”.
She was also concerned for her support workers – one of whom she believed worked 130 hours in one week.
“She came to work here … absolutely shattered and in tears because she was so exhausted.”
Harland became a paraplegic in 2017 after surgery.
“In the prime of our retirement years, looking forward to doing things, and now there’s nothing except bed and a wheelchair,” she told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend.
A few weeks ago, Harland’s husband was out, and she was home alone from 3pm to 6pm because her support worker called in sick and there was no one to cover them.
“This particular time … I was left in a wet bed with blood in it.”
On morning shifts, Harland has two support workers due to it being the “heaviest time” with “transferring, toileting, bathing, showering,” but sometimes only has one.
“It’s making me very irritable and angry and frustrated, and sad for my carers whom I love dearly – they’re pushed to the limit and they can only do so much.”
Harland said her husband was the “unpaid helper” but did not want to be a caregiver.
“He refuses because we’re entitled to care through ACC, and it’s very hard in your marriage, somebody having to do their care.”
Harland had lost three “highly qualified” support workers due to the vaccine mandate who would “come back tomorrow if they could”.
Originally, HealthCare New Zealand was “very good”. Harland’s family has laid a complaint with HealthCare New Zealand, the country’s largest healthcare provider.
These highly skilled workers can come back – tomorrow if they really want to.
All they have to do is get the jab!
This is not the fault of mandates. It is entirely on the workers themselves. Unless of course they have exemptions, and I bow to that possibility. Many more times these people are simply over cautious or just bloody-mindedly anti.
LOL! The irony of you linking to something written by Dr Siouxsie Wiles to support your comment.
I trust you to find any non-peer reviewed article to suit your narrative and confirmation bias that the Covid-19 vaccine is ineffective (and unsafe). A number of concerns have already been raised with the study (see the comments), but even if the paper had been accepted your conclusion is incorrect and an over-reach; one cannot draw such far-reaching categorical conclusions from just one limited study and extrapolate these to each and all and state that vaccines do “sweet f/a”. Your thinking is way too B&W.
If you had read the article I linked to you’d have seen the same study being mentioned:
Another (very controversial) US study looked at a much older group, with a median age of 60, a lot of whom were quite unhealthy. Now this study did not seek to determine if the second infection was worse, but only if those who suffered a second infection had worse health outcomes than those who did not.
So, in this case at least, re-infections were not ‘mild,” Australian based professor Michael Fuhrer tells me, “but again, this was a group in which initial infections were also not ‘mild’; 20% were hospitalised.”
When I saw your link to one of Master Lynch's efforts I too guffawed with unrestrained derision. I dubbed him 'Lynch the Self Linker' some time ago now as pretty much all the references in his writings (if that's not too kind a description) had links to either his other writings or other Stuff Whole Truth writings.
I wrote to him and had him on about it…haven't taken much notice of what he has written since. If he has started to link to actual research papers…well done him.
Why wouldn't I link to something that Wiles wrote?
one cannot draw such far-reaching categorical conclusions from just one limited study and extrapolate these to each and all and state that vaccines do “sweet f/a”.
That was said in relation to the study into sequelae of reinfections.
They also found that the more infections a veteran had, the more the risk increased. In other words, the risks are cumulative. Having two infections was riskier than one, and three were riskier than two. Interestingly, the risks were the same regardless of whether the veterans had been vaccinated or not.
In other words…being vaccinated made sweet f/a difference.
But the mandates were not about the severity of illness Anne…and I understand you don't want to admit this.
No one is saying you have to have your personal cares done by an unvaccinated carer. Surely it should be the choice of the person needing the care?
Or do you not think disabled people have the right to choose?
I bet Kathryn would love her three carers back../vaxxed or unvaxxed. Especially since she has already had to have obviously ill carers come to her home to do the necessary.
I'm not sure if you're aware, but the health and disability sector are under enormous strain with high levels of staff absenteeism due to illness. Despite the entire workforce being 'fully' vaxxed.
Actually Rosemary conceded this point the other day. She was explaining how symptoms were reduced by the vaccine and (incorrectly) inferring that this had exacerbated the pandemic.
"There, the ‘teal candidates’ were independents who ran on a strong climate platform in formerly safe Liberal seats. They represented a voting base with conservative fiscal politics combined with green views on climate. (Teal comes from the blend of Liberal blue and green.)"
"
“But the ones that made the difference were in these new Teal Seats. You have to be in particular social strata – you can't necessarily be feeling the pinch of groceries going three times the original price – for integrity in Canberra to be your number one issue.
“A lot of these people don't necessarily care if they're taxed a little bit more to pay for the things they are concerned about. They are happy to pay for more welfare or healthcare because they believe it's a good thing for society.”
This is the ‘luxury belief class’. Once physical needs are met people become more preoccupied with social status. We used to display our social status with luxury goods. Today, there is an emerging trend towards flaunting ‘luxury beliefs’."
"Affluent and well-educated, this class can prioritise issues like the environment, equality or a decline in faith and trust in democracy over their wallets.
Currently, voters must enter a big political tent with other clans in order to achieve some form of representation. But that leads to tensions over competing priorities. The research suggests political parties must work harder to identify and accommodate these clans, to build better coalitions within their support."
Funny that the only way Vance has to describe altruistic political beliefs is to rationalise them as ultimately self serving social ladder climbing.
Was there ever a time, to which Vance is harking back to when the only really important thing was how politics effected ones wallet? Was this a high point in politics?
It's a categorisation that helps explain the strength of support for the Greens in the richest city seats like Auckland Central and Wellington Central.
Not expecting anything but a Labour result in such a stronghold seat (usually around an 18K majority). But, if there was significant appeal from the Green policy platform, I'd expect to see a higher Green Party vote total (it's usually lower than the individual vote for the Green candidate).
I think that many people living a hand-to-mouth existence, simply feel that the GP policies are not affordable.
And, 'it's the economy, stupid' is a pretty safe mantra to predict electoral outcomes most of the time (2020 was an outlier of an exception). Many, many people do vote for policies and/or parties which they feel will make them and/or their families better off.
Also a factor is that the Green policies are complex and interlocking. Even some people interested enough in politics, like TS commenters, often don't read the GP policies or understand them before writing them off. People not following that closely are left with the MSM interpretation.
Not disagreeing with you. But a real challenge for the GP to effectively communicate the policy impacts.
How will you (voter on minimum wage in Mangere) benefit? What does it mean in increased taxes? What does it mean in terms of increased prices or charges? Will you be better or worse off?
I think that many of the GP voters in the wealthy suburbs don't necessarily understand the GP policies either – but are voting with their hearts (and can afford to do so).
I think that many people living a hand-to-mouth existence, simply feel that the GP policies are not affordable.
Which is ironic given that arguably, the Green Party is the strongest most genuine advocate for those people, who have nothing to lose and much (everything?) to gain from more progressive policies such as from the Green Party.
But it's an irony that's been around for a long time. And doesn't seem to be diminishing.
Practically, the hypothetical Mangere voter sees the GP electric vehicle subsidy as assistance for the rich (or at least the upper middle class) – who can afford an EV. And zero benefit to them – who are likely to be driving a clunker – 20 years old, and in poor repair, with relatively low fuel economy.
The half-price PT subsidy has very effectively been marketed as a Labour policy rather than a GP one. [Yes, the GP were calling for 100% subsidy, but Labour delivered on a 50% one. Bird in the hand…. And, I know it isn't 'fair' – the government are in a position to enact policy, while the GP are not – but perception….]
Policy announcements tend to be heavy on the benefits, and light on the funding mechanisms. TANSTAAFL – 'free' means 'paid for by another method'. The assumption by the public is that taxes go up to fund 'free' services.
I’m sorry but your comments are full of contradictions and misunderstandings.
If voters, particularly lower class voters, don’t understand GP policies why would they conclude that these policies are not affordable? Based on what they read in the MSM, SM, or hear on talk-back?
If an EV policy, for example, has no direct benefit to a particular group of voters why would they conclude that the policy is not affordable?
I’d think that people living a hand-to-mouth existence would be rather agnostic if not ignorant of many if not most GP policies or of any other party for that matter.
Not reaching the hypothetical Mangere voter doesn’t mean this voter would be against GP policies per se; I think you’re projecting.
The Government PT subsidy was a temporary measure, which has now been extended. It was and is not Labour policy AFAIK from this: https://www.labour.org.nz/transport. By implementing this subsidy they have given the GP policy a lot more weight & traction.
The Government PT subsidy was a temporary measure, which has now been extended. It was and is not Labour policy AFAIK from this: https://www.labour.org.nz/transport. By implementing this subsidy they have given the GP policy a lot more weight & traction.
All of the conversations I've had around this policy – and all of the media commentary I've read has been in the context of a Govt roll out (regardless of whether it's in the Labour manifesto or no – which most people TBH would have no idea over). It's not been in the context of a GP policy. And the GP haven't explicitly made this point (which ACT are really good at – regardless of your opinion of their policies, they're pretty effective media operators).
Something along the lines of: "The GP welcomes Labour's belated move towards implementing the GP policy on free PT, and encourages them to continue towards the GP policy 100% free PT. This gives an immediate cash-in-hand benefit to lower income and marginalized groups – as well as being an environmental win – especially in the current cost of living crisis. Check out how to make it work, here…."
Instead of :
The Prime Minister's cost of living announcement this week showed us just how easy it is to make public transport more affordable.
I'm no PR expert (clearly), but the emphasis needs to be on differentiating themselves from Labour – otherwise why would people vote for them? And part of that has to be attacking Labour for tardy implementation of GP policy – not giving them the kudos for stealing GP policy.
If voters, particularly lower class voters, don’t understand GP policies why would they conclude that these policies are not affordable? Based on what they read in the MSM, SM, or hear on talk-back?
Yep. More talk-back than newspapers – but even more the smoko conversations.
Most people don't read policy. Most people don't understand policy (even if they've read it). It needs to be interpreted – and part of doing that is provocative press-releases – outlining exactly what the voter-in-Mangere (or any other suburb) will gain from voting Green (and how those policies will be paid for). Getting the discussion on talk-back and through the unions into the workplace. Getting people talking about what's in it for them.
i hardly think regressive policies from the Greens,are the foremost issue on most minds at present,where the economy,inflation,and poor government leadership seem to be at the front of polling.
All the issues you mention are primarily economic issues that exhibit ups & downs all the time. Not all policies have reflexive aims & objectives. Your poor government leadership is a secondary outcome of and correlate with the aforementioned short-term issues; it’s no better or worse than in other times except in the public perception and media representation (which is neither able to look through short-term events nor impartial). This misconception of what Government can and does control is at the basis of much misinformed media commentary.
Progressive and transformative vision and policies take necessarily a longer-term view than most people and media are willing to consider and contemplate. That’s the Green Party problem in a nutshell, at least one of them.
Progressive and transformative vision and policies take necessarily a longer-term view than most people and media are willing to consider and contemplate.
In 2000 Schroder done a deal with the The Greens to remove baseline nuclear power for Gas and intermittent energy such as solar and wind to remove coal generation,and here we are 22 years later.
At no point in the cumulative statements from progressives,have we seen alternative economic initiatives that will over time substitute for our present export mix.
We cannot pay our way now (512b$ gross debt) and the interest bill is rising,the alternative in the opposition benches is very ugly,but a very real risk ( sell everything to the receivers)
Importantly the Teal candidates also ran on an anti-corruption ticket as well as CC, and given that they were all women, they also ran on the gender issue.
These two factors may well have gained them as many votes as CC
Someone the other day was tweeting about MPx being worse than covid but over a longer period of time. It was too much at the time to take in and follow up.
I'm now wanting to remember what the scale is that the WHO uses for increasing seriousness of transmittable disease.
Lots of spin in the Great turbine debate,which if unresolved will see Germany cold,hungry and in the dark,or with a little excess rhetoric (quickly pulled back) the German (green) FM said.
“And we said, ‘we can understand that, but if we don’t get the gas turbine, then we won’t get any more gas, and then we won’t be able to provide any support for Ukraine at all, because we’ll be busy with popular uprisings,’” Baerbock said, before immediately backtracking to say this version of events was "perhaps a bit exaggerated."
That’s the message leaders from Maskwacis have for members of the Freedom Convoy who may plan to protest during Pope Francis’ apology at the central Alberta First Nation community next week.
Pope Francis is set to travel to Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut from July 24 to 29. The papal visit is to include public and private events with an emphasis on Indigenous participation.
So the virus makes it's way along microscopic pathways to infect brain cells. But hey, let's continue allowing ourselves and our kids to be infected time and time again.
Thanks Joe90, the medical response will be interesting – time to up our vaccine game.
SARS-CoV-2: A Master of Immune Evasion [June 2022]
SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that is causing the current COVID-19 pandemic, has shown a remarkable ability to escape antibody neutralization, putting vaccine efficacy at risk.
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 19 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/129364876/if-james-shaw-walks-so-does-the-greens-biggest-political-asset
25% is all it takes to destabilize the party.!!
What damn fool thinks that's a good idea.
(There is a nagging little voice though that thinks Cloe as leader could awaken the slack youth vote, just should have been dolittle Davidson that went)
At least they're not doing it 6 weeks out from an election like last time.
Maybe most Greens prefer to fuck it up again, and just rely on Chloe's seat.
Do the Greens really want to change the country through Parliament?
Yes, just run Auckland Central like a by-election every time with activists from as far away as Invercargill, and pile on the emotional blackmail to Labour voters in that seat that if they don't vote for the Green candidate they won't be in Government, and you don't have to bother with that pesky 5%.
Well unless Greens get a full 10% we're not going to get Labour back in anyway.
2023 is looking such a tactical election I may just have to hold my nose on the Party vote.
I can see the Greens being back to 6% – 7% by next election. The faction seems to have been quite a self-destructive element for the party. However, I do feel that the bulk of those lost votes will go Labour's way. I can't really see them going anywhere else.
Delahunty, Bradford and the other fools should fuck off and generate a little splinter party. Join up with Bishop Brian Tamaki and do a decent protest for once. Maybe they could scrape 3% between them.
Agreed. The problem with democracy is it gives the nutters too much of a voice. The Greens have shown this with their 25% vote in no confidence in the leader.
4% party vote threshold, no lower.
Dissenter ≠ nutter
Sounds like you’d rather cancel
nutterspeople with different opinions and who dare to speak up when and where it is not only their right to do so but also their duty. Have you heard of group-think?No threshold at all; any party that can obtain 1/120th of the total vote has earned the right (aka a seat) to represent that vote in Parliament. Any other (higher) threshold is deliberately manipulative and distortive.
I'm perfectly happy to say that people who vote for anti-science parties (eg, COVID deniers) are nutters. You might call them dissenters, that's your right, but I disagree.
I also don't think it's a good idea to try and form governments with such unstable coalitions. Just look at what happens in Israel. Nor do I think that giving such fringe groups the respectability of the platform afforded by being an MP is the best thing for society as a whole – again just look at the echo chambers on Facebook, general opinion is that these echo chambers are toxic for society at large, and I don’t think giving them more legitimacy is a good thing.
Huh? The Greens are now anti-science and/or Covid-deniers?? I thought we were talking about a dissenting faction within the Green Party, but obviously you have much bigger axe to grind.
You’ll have to explain with the Green Party NZ and Israel and echo chambers on Facebook because other than you arguing that the Greens are nutters I don’t see the connection, but this could be my lack of imagination.
Or are you, in fact, arguing that a lower electoral threshold would result in unstable coalitions and giving fringe groups respectability that they don’t deserve? If so, please provide some real-life examples, thanks, if you can, which I doubt.
Yesterday I linked to an important Twitter thread and said I thought Jacinda was a Teal leader of an Amber party.
James Shaw is a Teal leader of a Green party.
This century needs Teal leadership and thinking.
Maori Party are Green-Teal.
TOP is Teal but need a rebranding if they are to get into parliament.
Less stress just to lower your expectations.
Outside Norway Sweden and Finland, this is the most left-green democratic country in the world.
Thank you for your reply. I need people to challenge my thoughts (I'm being sincere, just to be clear).
Nice to see one of the leading minds back here , (hers looking at you lanthanide)
Hadn't heard of teal till yesterday, so correct me if I'm wrong please
Teal= evidence based consensus leadership.
It's a lot more than that. I'm not even going to attempt to distill it down any further than this tweet thread does, the concept is too new to me to be able to do that yet: https://twitter.com/RobbSmith/status/1224023377020477440
The Marching Morons? Fuck Wits….
Well they got a bunch more media coverage and discussion than the Greens did even though it's the Green Party national conference. That is a deliberate and effective spike.
Not as dumb as they look.
Well…..its an Alternate World "The Marching Morons" (sadly, our reality right now)…and The Pastor of Muppets and the other (notso) shadowy figures manipulating aforesaid morons…are definitely no dumb fucks. As ever…
Notwithstanding…I dont think (“most” ? ) Green Party members/Supporters would be TOO sad about the distraction effect !
Word for word that's how our rightist Twitter talks of the Greens now.
Peters just needs to find a way to accommodate them inside, and it's all on.
That is a little unfair – the Greens are legitimate political party, which Tamaki's wannabe insurgency is not. Behaving in such a lawless manner that Aucklanders spontaneously subject you to a hail of extemporised missiles isn't how you win power, although Tamaki (who I thought was subject to bail conditions that prevented him reprising his strutting martinet show for the crowd) apparently has some sort of plan to do a "Sri Lanka" next month in Wellington – which I would have thought already has him sailing perilously close to committing treason under sections 73 (e) and 73 (f) of the crimes act:
Treason and other crimes against the Sovereign and the State
73 Treason
Every one owing allegiance to the Sovereign in right of New Zealand commits treason who, within or outside New Zealand,—
(a) kills or wounds or does grievous bodily harm to the Sovereign, or imprisons or restrains her or him; or
(b) levies war against New Zealand; or
(c) assists an enemy at war with New Zealand, or any armed forces against which New Zealand forces are engaged in hostilities, whether or not a state of war exists between New Zealand and any other country; or
(d) incites or assists any person with force to invade New Zealand; or
(e) uses force for the purpose of overthrowing the Government of New Zealand; or
(f) conspires with any person to do anything mentioned in this section.
I dunno, maybe Tamaki thinks he is a sovereogn citizen who doesn't owe allegiance to the sovereign so that'll save him from a life sentence, but as a certain Mr. G. Fawkes found out when he was torn into four pieces after begun half hung and disembowelled that argument hasn’t worked out so well since the 17th century.
No one was injured, no one took anything, no one was abused, no one was kidnapped, no one called for the overthrow of the state.
We don't have to like what they stand for but they are protesting just like the 1975 Land March, the 1981 anti-apartheid marches, the pro-cylists of 2019, the COVID marchers of 2021, and the many more to come. Plenty on there with criminal records. Except nah Tamaki isn't a liberal so he shouldn't.
Just imagine if the Green Party had dome something useful this weekend instead of kill each other, and generated a decent protest across the motorway system. Actually done proper serious activism again. Nah.
In a reasonable world the Minister of Transport would have done something useful and permanently opened up the Harbour Bridge for at least one walking and cycling lane. But nah.
no one called for the overthrow of the state.
So did I manage to misread: 'GOVERNMENT MUST GO!' flaring forth on last night's news from Wellington's version of impromptu street theatre?
In the second clip:
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/07/23/brian-tamaki-led-protesters-stop-traffic-on-auckland-motorway/
Around 300 protesters were seen marching through central Wellington chanting for the Government to go.
"We want freedom because our children are suffering, our youth are suffering because of the decisions this Government has made," one protest leader said via loudspeaker.
"We're fighting for freedom from mental health stats, we're fighting for freedom from high cost of living, we're fighting for freedom from everything this Government has put in place that is making us struggle."
Another leader of the Wellington protest compared their movement to that of Indian revolutionary Mahatma Gandhi, whose peaceful protests helped India gain independence from British rule in the 1940s.
"It's amazing what one man could do, to lead peaceful protests right throughout the country and bring about change and that's what we're doing here today," he said.
You did mange to misread it.
But that's not surprising.
Agreed, our Government isn't God-King Tamaki's chief beef. His main ‘concern’ is that a woman is in charge – doesn't she know her place?
Not even real Tories believe in tax cuts.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/23/thatcher-ministers-liz-truss-tax-cut-plans-patten-lamont-rifkind?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
How long before Luxon flip flops again?
”Chris Patten, Norman Lamont and Malcolm Rifkind all said that the former Tory leader would not have supported the tax-cutting plans. Patten said: “Margaret Thatcher was a fiscal Conservative who did not cut tax until we had reduced inflation. She was honest and did not believe in nonsense.”
How Truss has any support amazes me.Seems to lack any real substance and be gaffe prone.
Although in retrospect they are qualities evident in Bojo,Scomo,Biden….and Luxon.
Good, well reasoned refutation of Luxon's tax cuts to the rich to curb inflation in NZ!
SSDD from the Natz
https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2022/jul/23/nationals-plan-for-new-zealands-inflation-crisis-is-merely-tax-cuts-for-the-wealthy?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Thanks, Tony- indeed a clear exposition of the two approaches and the delineation between Labour and National. The article sets out the economic and social aspects in terms available to the economically illiterate to understand.
There is a difference between National and Labour and that difference would make a hugely adverse change to the lives of many, many New Zealanders should National get into power and go down the path of tax cuts, less government, increased corporate greed and restrictions on wages growth, reliance on foreign capital and imported workers.
The divide would widen to chasmic proportions.
Since Foot and Mouth Disease can come in on everything from skin to clothing, maybe it's time for a ban on importing Indonesian Palm Corn Expeller here?
Foot and Mouth Disease strikes Indonesia – Dairy Global
That would be just another supply-chain disruption dairy would need to replace.
Seaweed additive perhaps?
Way past time to ban palm kernel from anywhere. Vile stuff. And if farmers cannot maintain their herds/flocks without it, then they are way overstocked.
Systems thinking.
A good proportion of salmon feed comes from Indonesia as well. High likelihood the fish base is bulked out with as much land sourced portion as they can get away with.
Was talking to the farm manager the other day about monkey dust, (it's called that because the response to bits of monkey turning up in it was to just grind it really fine), and there's some doubt around National's, especially Luxon's, willingness to take any firm action to prevent FMD arriving here. Banning PKE, or in the case of an outbreak in Australia, closing / restricting the border, not really seen as likely with National, but possible with Labour. Any restrictions would be seen as a kick in the balls to farmers though, and very loudly.
There's serious investment in PKE right now, at $9.75 dairy farmers want every kg they can get this season and those extra kgs come out the back of the palm kernel truck. PKE has become integral to NZ dairy farming, and deer as it has high copper content to promote velvet growth, so a sudden restriction would be very disruptive to stocking rates and cashflow. Big money involved in the trade too, with undoubtedly considerable donations to National Party.
Farming’s likely response is going to be to try and manage the risk with testing and surveillance. But everything would change if FMD got into Australia. If it got into NZ first then we can just sit down and watch the NZ economy implode as Australia closes it's border to us.
"Monkey", or orangutan?
Yours is a very interesting take on the situation, Graeme – thanks for making that. I've shared it with my fellow ES councillors, many of whom are users (I suspect 🙂
One of those 'here and disappeared' headlines in the Herald that I missed yesterday, and had to go searching for this morning after I couldn't access it on my tablet. Login to Herald account only on the laptop.
[Unlinked copy & pasta deleted]
Two issues here that need highlighting.
I was speaking with a chap yesterday whose 20 year old moko has a significant disability and is covered by ACC. As hard as I tried, he simply could not get his head around the fact that Peter is not under ACC and has no entitlement to care. At all.
I just want to draw attention to the fact that there are two very distinct classes of disabled people in New Zealand. Still. After nearly fifty years of empty promises by successive governments to address the disparity.
Labour…pretending to be the Party for the Common Folk…has had ample opportunity over the past five fucking decades to fix this. They haven't. Why?
She does not say…and I'm damned sure the Herald would have quoted her if she had… "If only these carers would get the shot and come back to work all would be fine…"
Just drop the mandates.
The system cannot afford to be short three highly qualified carers (and believe me those with high spinal injuries need carers who know which end is up) . Just like the system cannot afford to be short of nurses and midwives and other trained health professionals that chose not to take the Pfizer product.
Most of us have had Covid in the past six months…Pfizered or not. And unless we were already knocking on the Door…the vast majority of us have survived. And only a small number have ongoing issues.
A significant percentage of two shot 'fully vaccinated' are choosing not to get the first booster and an increasing number of eligible people are not getting the second booster. https://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-vaccine-data#total-vaccinations
Because the shots are not preventing infection or symptoms. https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/07/23/white-house-gives-joe-biden-covid-update/
It's way past time. Drop all mandates.
I’ve deleted the unlinked copy & pasta and I may restore it if you provide a link with an indication whether it is behind the f-ing pay-wall or not.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/tauranga-paraplegic-left-without-care-due-to-severe-support-worker-shortage/KW35J6AXB7R6WXTNICPAIR7OEU/ [behind pay-wall]
[now we have a link, here’s the restored copy & pasta – Incognito]
Tauranga paraplegic left without care due to ‘severe’ support worker shortage
A healthcare provider has apologised after a 71-year-old paraplegic was left alone “in a wet bed with blood in it” because her support worker did not show up.
Tauranga woman Kathryn Harland is paralysed from the sternum and requires 24/7 care.
But a HealthCare New Zealand support worker has failed to turn up “multiple” times because, in Harland’s view, there is a “severe” staffing shortage.
Harland lives with her husband, but says, however, “I need to have someone that is trained to look after me 24 hours”.
She was also concerned for her support workers – one of whom she believed worked 130 hours in one week.
“She came to work here … absolutely shattered and in tears because she was so exhausted.”
Harland became a paraplegic in 2017 after surgery.
“In the prime of our retirement years, looking forward to doing things, and now there’s nothing except bed and a wheelchair,” she told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend.
A few weeks ago, Harland’s husband was out, and she was home alone from 3pm to 6pm because her support worker called in sick and there was no one to cover them.
“This particular time … I was left in a wet bed with blood in it.”
On morning shifts, Harland has two support workers due to it being the “heaviest time” with “transferring, toileting, bathing, showering,” but sometimes only has one.
“It’s making me very irritable and angry and frustrated, and sad for my carers whom I love dearly – they’re pushed to the limit and they can only do so much.”
Harland said her husband was the “unpaid helper” but did not want to be a caregiver.
“He refuses because we’re entitled to care through ACC, and it’s very hard in your marriage, somebody having to do their care.”
Harland had lost three “highly qualified” support workers due to the vaccine mandate who would “come back tomorrow if they could”.
Originally, HealthCare New Zealand was “very good”. Harland’s family has laid a complaint with HealthCare New Zealand, the country’s largest healthcare provider.
These highly skilled workers can come back – tomorrow if they really want to.
All they have to do is get the jab!
This is not the fault of mandates. It is entirely on the workers themselves. Unless of course they have exemptions, and I bow to that possibility. Many more times these people are simply over cautious or just bloody-mindedly anti.
Are you claiming that the Pfizer product prevents infection and transmission of Te Virus?
NO!
But it reduces severity and saves lives. But you know that. You just don’t have the guts to concede it.
And vaccines provide a level of protection against long Covid.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/129326525/covid19-nz-the-coronavirus-pandemic-will-never-really-be-over-but-it-is-changing
And vaccines provide a level of protection against long Covid.
But sweet f/a against nasty outcomes from repeated reinfections.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300637799/heres-why-you-dont-want-to-get-covid-again
LOL! The irony of you linking to something written by Dr Siouxsie Wiles to support your comment.
I trust you to find any non-peer reviewed article to suit your narrative and confirmation bias that the Covid-19 vaccine is ineffective (and unsafe). A number of concerns have already been raised with the study (see the comments), but even if the paper had been accepted your conclusion is incorrect and an over-reach; one cannot draw such far-reaching categorical conclusions from just one limited study and extrapolate these to each and all and state that vaccines do “sweet f/a”. Your thinking is way too B&W.
If you had read the article I linked to you’d have seen the same study being mentioned:
When I saw your link to one of Master Lynch's efforts I too guffawed with unrestrained derision. I dubbed him 'Lynch the Self Linker' some time ago now as pretty much all the references in his writings (if that's not too kind a description) had links to either his other writings or other Stuff Whole Truth writings.
I wrote to him and had him on about it…haven't taken much notice of what he has written since. If he has started to link to actual research papers…well done him.
Why wouldn't I link to something that Wiles wrote?
one cannot draw such far-reaching categorical conclusions from just one limited study and extrapolate these to each and all and state that vaccines do “sweet f/a”.
That was said in relation to the study into sequelae of reinfections.
They also found that the more infections a veteran had, the more the risk increased. In other words, the risks are cumulative. Having two infections was riskier than one, and three were riskier than two. Interestingly, the risks were the same regardless of whether the veterans had been vaccinated or not.
In other words…being vaccinated made sweet f/a difference.
But the mandates were not about the severity of illness Anne…and I understand you don't want to admit this.
No one is saying you have to have your personal cares done by an unvaccinated carer. Surely it should be the choice of the person needing the care?
Or do you not think disabled people have the right to choose?
I bet Kathryn would love her three carers back../vaxxed or unvaxxed. Especially since she has already had to have obviously ill carers come to her home to do the necessary.
I'm not sure if you're aware, but the health and disability sector are under enormous strain with high levels of staff absenteeism due to illness. Despite the entire workforce being 'fully' vaxxed.
Actually Rosemary conceded this point the other day. She was explaining how symptoms were reduced by the vaccine and (incorrectly) inferring that this had exacerbated the pandemic.
https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-19-07-2022/#comment-1901067
I modified your link to direct to the actual comment.
If the vaccine doesn't reduce transmission or prevent infection, why is the mandate necessary?
I'm not playing silly games with you weka.
"People who are active on social media about politics are already wedded to their views, he says."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129306045/values-vs-policy-how-a-new-luxury-belief-class-is-changing-politics
Worth the read thankyou Pat.
The Teals (from Andrea Vance's article on Values vs policy: How a new 'luxury belief class' is changing politics
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129306045/values-vs-policy-how-a-new-luxury-belief-class-is-changing-politics
"There, the ‘teal candidates’ were independents who ran on a strong climate platform in formerly safe Liberal seats. They represented a voting base with conservative fiscal politics combined with green views on climate. (Teal comes from the blend of Liberal blue and green.)"
"
“But the ones that made the difference were in these new Teal Seats. You have to be in particular social strata – you can't necessarily be feeling the pinch of groceries going three times the original price – for integrity in Canberra to be your number one issue.
“A lot of these people don't necessarily care if they're taxed a little bit more to pay for the things they are concerned about. They are happy to pay for more welfare or healthcare because they believe it's a good thing for society.”
This is the ‘luxury belief class’. Once physical needs are met people become more preoccupied with social status. We used to display our social status with luxury goods. Today, there is an emerging trend towards flaunting ‘luxury beliefs’."
"Affluent and well-educated, this class can prioritise issues like the environment, equality or a decline in faith and trust in democracy over their wallets.
Currently, voters must enter a big political tent with other clans in order to achieve some form of representation. But that leads to tensions over competing priorities. The research suggests political parties must work harder to identify and accommodate these clans, to build better coalitions within their support."
Funny that the only way Vance has to describe altruistic political beliefs is to rationalise them as ultimately self serving social ladder climbing.
Was there ever a time, to which Vance is harking back to when the only really important thing was how politics effected ones wallet? Was this a high point in politics?
It's a categorisation that helps explain the strength of support for the Greens in the richest city seats like Auckland Central and Wellington Central.
And so poorly in electorates like Mangere – where National get double the vote of the Greens.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ngere_(New_Zealand_electorate)#2020_election
Not expecting anything but a Labour result in such a stronghold seat (usually around an 18K majority). But, if there was significant appeal from the Green policy platform, I'd expect to see a higher Green Party vote total (it's usually lower than the individual vote for the Green candidate).
I think that many people living a hand-to-mouth existence, simply feel that the GP policies are not affordable.
And, 'it's the economy, stupid' is a pretty safe mantra to predict electoral outcomes most of the time (2020 was an outlier of an exception). Many, many people do vote for policies and/or parties which they feel will make them and/or their families better off.
Also a factor is that the Green policies are complex and interlocking. Even some people interested enough in politics, like TS commenters, often don't read the GP policies or understand them before writing them off. People not following that closely are left with the MSM interpretation.
Not disagreeing with you. But a real challenge for the GP to effectively communicate the policy impacts.
How will you (voter on minimum wage in Mangere) benefit? What does it mean in increased taxes? What does it mean in terms of increased prices or charges? Will you be better or worse off?
I think that many of the GP voters in the wealthy suburbs don't necessarily understand the GP policies either – but are voting with their hearts (and can afford to do so).
agree with that.
The Greens have limited people/hours in the day, so prioritise accordingly and my guess is they have their own sense of where best to put energy.
Marama Davidson was doing a lot of that kind of work in Auckland, don't know which electorates or if she is still doing that.
Sorry for the typo. An 18K majority (not 80!)
Fixed it 👍
Which is ironic given that arguably, the Green Party is the strongest most genuine advocate for those people, who have nothing to lose and much (everything?) to gain from more progressive policies such as from the Green Party.
But it's an irony that's been around for a long time. And doesn't seem to be diminishing.
Practically, the hypothetical Mangere voter sees the GP electric vehicle subsidy as assistance for the rich (or at least the upper middle class) – who can afford an EV. And zero benefit to them – who are likely to be driving a clunker – 20 years old, and in poor repair, with relatively low fuel economy.
The half-price PT subsidy has very effectively been marketed as a Labour policy rather than a GP one. [Yes, the GP were calling for 100% subsidy, but Labour delivered on a 50% one. Bird in the hand…. And, I know it isn't 'fair' – the government are in a position to enact policy, while the GP are not – but perception….]
Policy announcements tend to be heavy on the benefits, and light on the funding mechanisms. TANSTAAFL – 'free' means 'paid for by another method'. The assumption by the public is that taxes go up to fund 'free' services.
https://action.greens.org.nz/free_public_transport
It's a big marketing challenge for the GP.
GP policies are paid for by taking the wealthy and the big polluters. They tend to also give money back to lower income people in that process.
I’m sorry but your comments are full of contradictions and misunderstandings.
If voters, particularly lower class voters, don’t understand GP policies why would they conclude that these policies are not affordable? Based on what they read in the MSM, SM, or hear on talk-back?
If an EV policy, for example, has no direct benefit to a particular group of voters why would they conclude that the policy is not affordable?
I’d think that people living a hand-to-mouth existence would be rather agnostic if not ignorant of many if not most GP policies or of any other party for that matter.
Not reaching the hypothetical Mangere voter doesn’t mean this voter would be against GP policies per se; I think you’re projecting.
The Government PT subsidy was a temporary measure, which has now been extended. It was and is not Labour policy AFAIK from this: https://www.labour.org.nz/transport. By implementing this subsidy they have given the GP policy a lot more weight & traction.
The Green Party has proposed many different novel ways of funding their policies by a progressive and redistributive tax system: https://www.greens.org.nz/progressive_tax_reform.
All of the conversations I've had around this policy – and all of the media commentary I've read has been in the context of a Govt roll out (regardless of whether it's in the Labour manifesto or no – which most people TBH would have no idea over). It's not been in the context of a GP policy. And the GP haven't explicitly made this point (which ACT are really good at – regardless of your opinion of their policies, they're pretty effective media operators).
Something along the lines of: "The GP welcomes Labour's belated move towards implementing the GP policy on free PT, and encourages them to continue towards the GP policy 100% free PT. This gives an immediate cash-in-hand benefit to lower income and marginalized groups – as well as being an environmental win – especially in the current cost of living crisis. Check out how to make it work, here…."
Instead of :
https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_launch_petition_free_public_transport
Which gave away all of the credit!
I'm no PR expert (clearly), but the emphasis needs to be on differentiating themselves from Labour – otherwise why would people vote for them? And part of that has to be attacking Labour for tardy implementation of GP policy – not giving them the kudos for stealing GP policy.
Yep. More talk-back than newspapers – but even more the smoko conversations.
Most people don't read policy. Most people don't understand policy (even if they've read it). It needs to be interpreted – and part of doing that is provocative press-releases – outlining exactly what the voter-in-Mangere (or any other suburb) will gain from voting Green (and how those policies will be paid for). Getting the discussion on talk-back and through the unions into the workplace. Getting people talking about what's in it for them.
i hardly think regressive policies from the Greens,are the foremost issue on most minds at present,where the economy,inflation,and poor government leadership seem to be at the front of polling.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/1675/most-important-problem.aspx
I see what you did there.
Please use relevant data when discussing national politics such as the Green Party of NZ, e.g. https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/07-06-2022/why-national-is-winning.
All the issues you mention are primarily economic issues that exhibit ups & downs all the time. Not all policies have reflexive aims & objectives. Your poor government leadership is a secondary outcome of and correlate with the aforementioned short-term issues; it’s no better or worse than in other times except in the public perception and media representation (which is neither able to look through short-term events nor impartial). This misconception of what Government can and does control is at the basis of much misinformed media commentary.
Progressive and transformative vision and policies take necessarily a longer-term view than most people and media are willing to consider and contemplate. That’s the Green Party problem in a nutshell, at least one of them.
Here let me put it another way.(remember Robs mob)
https://twitter.com/crampell/status/1511711122784768008?cxt=HHwWkMC-ybfQ1vopAAAA
In 2000 Schroder done a deal with the The Greens to remove baseline nuclear power for Gas and intermittent energy such as solar and wind to remove coal generation,and here we are 22 years later.
At no point in the cumulative statements from progressives,have we seen alternative economic initiatives that will over time substitute for our present export mix.
We cannot pay our way now (512b$ gross debt) and the interest bill is rising,the alternative in the opposition benches is very ugly,but a very real risk ( sell everything to the receivers)
Yep….the birth of neoliberalism can largely be attributed to high inflation.
As Kalecki foresaw…
https://delong.typepad.com/kalecki43.pdf
yep pretty much sizes it up (with the same arguments we hear today)
Importantly the Teal candidates also ran on an anti-corruption ticket as well as CC, and given that they were all women, they also ran on the gender issue.
These two factors may well have gained them as many votes as CC
anyone else keeping an eye on this?
Someone the other day was tweeting about MPx being worse than covid but over a longer period of time. It was too much at the time to take in and follow up.
I'm now wanting to remember what the scale is that the WHO uses for increasing seriousness of transmittable disease.
https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1550955160230236160
I did laugh (dark humour)
https://twitter.com/RealLadyJanelle/status/1550962456054435842
Lots of spin in the Great turbine debate,which if unresolved will see Germany cold,hungry and in the dark,or with a little excess rhetoric (quickly pulled back) the German (green) FM said.
https://www.politico.eu/article/great-gas-turbine-blame-game/
his version of events is perhaps a bit understated, but i can understand him not wanting to upset the colonisers of germany, the us.
Arseholes.
https://twitter.com/MeanwhileinCana/status/1550993113321275392
Stay away, you are not welcome.
That’s the message leaders from Maskwacis have for members of the Freedom Convoy who may plan to protest during Pope Francis’ apology at the central Alberta First Nation community next week.
Pope Francis is set to travel to Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut from July 24 to 29. The papal visit is to include public and private events with an emphasis on Indigenous participation.
https://globalnews.ca/news/9010631/pope-francis-maskwacis-freedom-convoy/
So the virus makes it's way along microscopic pathways to infect brain cells. But hey, let's continue allowing ourselves and our kids to be infected time and time again.
/
https://twitter.com/edsuom/status/1550542953914855425
https://twitter.com/edsuom/status/1550550508183506944
Thanks Joe90, the medical response will be interesting – time to up our vaccine game.