Will Obama stand up for the planet and people, or bow down to the demands of big business and the right?
As the effects of unadressed climate change start to devastate the planet, will Obama be remembered for taking a stand, or for betraying humanity?
In an echo of New Zealand Green Party policy on climate change, Obama’s policy of not making climate change “a singular priority” may become his undoing.
Obama, standing before hundreds of thousands of people on the National Mall on Monday, had vowed to ‘‘respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.’’
But in the White House briefing room a day later, Obama spokesman Jay Carney said he couldn’t speculate about future actions. He said that while climate change was a priority for the president, ‘‘it is not a singular priority’’……
For environmental groups, Obama’s next best chance to make good on his inaugural address is a looming decision on the Keystone XL pipeline running from Canada to the Gulf Coast……
‘‘If we are going to get serious about climate change, opening the spigot to a pipeline that will export up to 830,000 barrels of the dirtiest oil on the planet to foreign markets stands as a bad idea,’’ said Anthony Swift of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Just as Green Party advocacy for the disadvantaged and less well off will be forgotten if they refuse to stand up for the climate.Obama will earn the undying enmity of the environmental movement and lose informed liberal support, if he approves the XL pipeline, . Obama may try and recover this support by rightly standing up for equal rights in marriage, but this may not be enough to save his reputation, or the reputation of the Democratic Party ultimately costing them and us dearly.
McFlock, even with your blindsighted ignorance, I would give you credit for understanding that the POTUS, is a figurehead, who speaks/implements what the *influential/powerful*, direct him to!
In the matter of the XL pipeline that statement is actually factually wrong. Because the XL pipeline crosses State boundaries it requires the Presidential approval to proceed. You read it right. The president actually has to act, to allow this pipeline to proceed. In this case the POTUS most definitely calls the shots.
And that is not all. The POTUS does have powers to act against climate change if he chooses.
Policy experts from the environmental organization Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Tuesday unveiled what they are a calling a “groundbreaking proposal” designed to combat the threat of climate change by sharply reducing carbon pollution from America’s fleet of aging power plants.
The proposal, contained in a report titled Closing the Power Plant Carbon Pollution Loophole: Smart Ways the Clean Air Act Can Clean Up America’s Biggest Climate Polluters, promises to thwart the unwillingness (or inability) of Congress to rein in carbon pollution by advocating that the Obama Administration—by implementing regulatory authority already granted to the EPA—go after the country’s largest source of climate-changing pollution: emissions from hundreds of US coal and gas-fired plants.
“The President put climate change on the national agenda, and NRDC’s plan shows how the United States can make big reductions in carbon pollution that drive climate change, with a flexible approach that promotes clean energy investments and delivers big benefits for Americans’ health,” said Peter Lehner, NRDC’s Executive Director. “This year’s ravaging heat waves, drought, wildfires and Superstorm Sandy underscore why the nation must tackle head-on the biggest source of dangerous carbon pollution now.”
By calling the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to use its authority under the Clean Air Act to set standards for these existing plants—America’s largest source of carbon emissions that fuel climate change—NRDC says the move would “cut millions of tons of carbon pollution, save thousands of lives and create thousands of clean energy jobs.”
Frances Beinecke, president of NRDC, says the proposal is good news precisely because the authority for implementing it already exists. “The
Obama Administration already used the Clean Air Act to set carbon standards for cars and propose them for new power plants,” she said. “Now the same law can be used to address carbon pollution from existing plants.”
“The impact is huge,” said Dan Lashof, NRDC’s Director of Climate and Clean Air programs, and a principal author of the plan. “Our proposal would eliminate hundreds of millions of tons of carbon pollution, save thousands of lives and stimulate a surge in clean energy and energy efficiency investments, all at a lower cost than many would expect.”
David Roberts, policy writer at Grist.org, put emphasis on the fact that Obama could pick up this policy recommendation without any input from Congress, which has repeatedly stalled any and all climate-related legislation in recent years. “This chance to spur decarbonization in the power sector is Obama’s greatest second-term opportunity on climate change,” he said.
“The genius of NRDC’s proposal,” Roberts continues, “is that it solves the most difficult dilemma facing the agency when it comes to stationary-source regulations.”…….
……..Roberts concludes by asking if President Obama will seize the “extraordinary opportunity” of a simple and flexible plan that “is already in [his regulatory] toolbox; does not require any action by Congress; reduces U.S. emissions by 10 percent by 2020; and has the net effect of stimulating the economy through lower power bills and better health.”
Roberts contends: “Whether he does will determine whether he goes down in history as a climate champion or someone who, despite lofty rhetoric, fiddled at the margins while Rome burned.”
The Labour Party needs to get out of its current malaise, the pregnant silence between the Leadership team and the members is deafening.
National had a free run in the press this week with fluffy confectionary. We will be p*ssed if that is reflected in the next polls. The Trotter, Eddie, Cactus Kate, Mike Williams and the 2pts drop in polls stories were the only thing from the Left, all negative. And that was the opening week in the political year!
The bad policies of the government are not only a PR issue. Another 1,000 went to Australia this week. 250,000 kids went to bed hungry.
What game-changing strategy does Annette King, Grant Robertson,Trivor Mallerd and David Shearer have to win New Zealand’s support for a Labour Victory? Another rehearsed speech can only be a minor component in the necessary game changing strategy. The National Party cannot be allowed another term.
When will Gower ask Shane Jones if he will only hire DVDs of Shearer’s speeches next time he stays at a motel?
I cannot respect anyone who can attack Cunliffe while promoting Jones and that back pussy guy from the Waitaks.
PS I don’t get email notifications any more. How paranoid and accusatory should I be? 😛
Clean shaven – unlike the bearded version following his failed leadership bid last year – and wearing a beige cap, Cunliffe told media he supported Shearer.
“I’ve already stated a number of times he has my full support.
“I am not challenging David Shearer.”
And his support was not contingent on a decent spot in the party’s frontbench reshuffle due early next month.
“It’s a matter for the leader,” Cunliffe said.
Typical MSM. There was absolutely no fucking “leadership bid last year” at COnference. Nevertheless, I still believe that its crucial that the wider Labour membership be permitted to vote and confirm Shearer in Feb, for the sake of party unity and energy going into 2014.
I watched the TV3 news tonight and the quotes from Cunliffe were mighty different from Gower’s interpretation of them – or even on Stuff – same thing. Maybe just me, but I didn’t read what he said as an unequivocal rejection of him standing as leader. He seemed to be really careful in his words. The vote on 4 Feb is purely about whether the caucus (and hopefully the party) still have confidence in his leadership. It only has something to do with Cunliffe or Robertson or anyone else that chooses to chuck their hat in the ring if the he doesn’t get the support of caucus….or am I missing something? Oh, and just for the record….I’m not from the looney left either. I’m pure mainstream left (if there is such a thing)!
“What game-changing strategy does Annette King, Grant Robertson,Trivor Mallerd and David Shearer have to win New Zealand’s support for a Labour Victory?”
And stifle any dissent whilst sitting silent then take the reins (whenever that is) with no idea whatsoever of how to repair the damage or get our kid’s futures back.
What makes you think that Mallard, King, Robertson care about game changing strategy or winning the next election? Those oldies are just pissed they don’t get parliamentary super like Goff so they need to hang on in there to keep the fortnightly payroll coming. I hear Mallard is fairly down on net worth after a split or two. And the Wn mayoralty doesn’t pay as well as King currently gets.
As for Robertson, he’d have to own the failure of the 2011 election strategy where he was key before he could learn how to do better. But this team of three is not about learning and embracing but power plays at any cost.
What makes you think that Mallard, King, Robertson care about game changing strategy or winning the next election? Those oldies are just pissed they don’t get parliamentary super like Goff so they need to hang on in there to keep the fortnightly payroll coming. I hear Mallard is fairly down on net worth after a split or two. And the Wn mayoralty doesn’t pay as well as King currently gets.
As for Robertson, he’d have to own the failure of the 2011 election strategy where he had a key role before he could learn how to do better.
But this team of three is not about learning and embracing, but power plays at any cost.
A humble request for LPrent: if you have a moment, can you lose Feedburner please? I use the RSS feed as the simplest way to keep up with comments, and its particularly useful for continuity in the more popular posts.
Feedburner is always 20-40 minutes out of date, meaning constantly having to reload the main page, check the comments box, then click on each comment individually to see what’s being said. The previous RSS feed constantly updated itself, so keeping up with conversations was a breeze.
Doesn’t that render your inbox completely unmanageable TRP?
T’would be great if we could get answers to our own comments but not the whole thread.
It’s hard to keep track of my own sometime comments and questions, and any responses beyond the immediate.
No, js, I was meaning the ‘comments RSS’ button, top right hand side of the page, just above the rolling list of recent comments. When it works well, it gives you all the recent comments in chronological order, so in a minute or so, you can catch up with all recent postings, rather than have to click on each seperate comment. It’s really great if you are in an ongoing discussion, because it saves a lot of time.
If you click on it now, you will see what I mean (though it will be 20 minutes out of date, and this comment won’t come up). It’s really great tool, but only if its up to the minute.
Bill English pontificating upon the growing inability for ‘the market’ to address the growing issue of housing un-affordability,
”It takes the market 8 years before it has provided a house for a new immigrant” unquote, Bill English, Minister of Finance speaking to RadioNZ National,
Having said that Bill went on to point the finger at the Auckland City Council claiming that they are stifling new building activity by not bringing new areas of land into the home building equation,
Auckland City Council in reply point out that there are currently 13,000 sections available to build upon within the City, FAILURE of the argument put forward by the Finance Minister equates to further FAILURE of market driven policy in housing,
Again Bill puts His foot firmly in His mouth by claiming that the Auckland City Council should commit political suicide and dictate that developers build affordable (hence smaller) houses simply pointing out a further FAILURE of the market philosophy where any developer, as pointed out by someone else on the Standard a few days ago, would be stupid in terms of ‘markets’ to not build the biggest most expensive house on any particular piece of ground as to do otherwise would be to forgo a large tranche of profit,
Having stupidly claimed that His National Government has no mandate to legislate to ensure the building of low cost houses in the cities of greatest need Bill forgets that without that same MANDATE and on behalf of a small sliver of the electorate Bill’s National government has trashed whole democratically elected councils,
Having admitted that the housing market has FAILED Bill then retreats into the realms of MARKET IDIOCY, to have admitted such a market failure and then flatly refused to intervene with a measure to correct this FAILURE of the market Bill, the Minister of Finance no longer appears to be addressing the people of New Zealand from a position of market ideology but has retreated to the perceived safe haven of MARKET IDIOCY….
Kia Ora Te Pa O Ratana, Green Party Leader Metiria Turia has been invited to address the annual Hui at Ratana Pa, (one of very few woman to be given such Mana)…
It appears that the “Maori Party” is going to be a “dead” or “dying” party soon.
Founded by Tariana Turia upon leaving Labour, due to issues with their foreshore and seabed legislation, Sharples and others joined her to establish a party to seek redress from what Labour introduced into law, and a kind of “movement” was started.
The downfall of the Maori Party started by going into a support agreement with a National led government, and to agree to a range of policies, also to amend the law affecting foreshore and seabed matters. But Maori Party members – repeatedly told by their elected MPs, that the agreement with Key and his National led government is good, necessary and will bring more benefits than being in opposition, have increasingly felt hood-winked.
Harawira brought on the challenges that arose through working with National and its other support parties. An internal rift developed, and Harawira left, to form Mana.
Mana is supposed to be a new, inclusive “Left Party”, but most know, it is primarily led and organised by and through Harawira and his closest supporters. Yet he always wishes to emphasize, that Mana stands for the rights of Mana PLUS others, e.g. Pakeha, negatively affected by bad right wing policies.
Maori Party support has dropped and they will struggle to get voted back into Parliament, since Tariana has announced her retreat. Sharples is just too much of an old power loving hanger-on now, as one must seriously question his ability to influence the decisions of the government he supports, and is member of as a Minister. Flavell made a challenge, but Maori Party leaders are too scared now to see it through.
Harawira makes comments on National Radio this morning, basically admitting, that Mana is the other Maori Party. He talked about working together, some form of alliance, or something in that direction. He also presented his interest as a “leader” for Maori interests.
There was suddenly not much talk about inclusiveness and Mana being not just an “alternative Maori Party”.
It appears to be an “inclusive” party so far, through some images and presentation, but when looking closer, it becomes clearer to me, that Mana is primarily a party established by Harawira as “independent” MP for Tai Tokerau, who appears to have seen a need to try and boost membership and support by allowing in Minto, Bradford and a few others, to establish a wider set of leading members. Yet in polls it still struggles to get above the 1 per cent rate.
So I feel, Harawira now has to come CLEAN, on what is ultimate mission is, where he stands, whether he really wants to be primarily a Maori leader, or to keep working on a more inclusive leftist party.
My suspicions are, he wants to be the former, as that is what he feels more passionate about.
Hence again, my conclusion is that not just is Labour in a situation where it is struggling to find a “new way” as a “left” or at least “left of centre” party, Mana is also about to fall to pieces, given Harawira’s newly revived true aspirations.
Consequently, as the Greens are also not committed to be identified as “left” as such, or in principle, there is a TOTAL NEED and an ideal time now, to create and establish a NEW LEFT PARTY in NZ, that is truly left of centre and inclusive, not restircted to individual MPs or member’s interests and selected agendas.
Maori Party will soon be “dead”, I would expect, at least no more than a party in a similar situation as ACT is in now.
P.S.: I tried posting this under a thread on the state of the Maori Party today, but for some reason the comments appear to not register after I press the “submit comment” button.
Do i see the perfect storm forming for this abysmal failure of a Slippery lead Government,John(the already once convicted)Banks gets another couple of convictions to add to his rap sheet and is forced to resign from the Parliament,
And then,
The Supreme Court rules against the Government over Maori rights to water prompting Slippery the Prime Minister to introduce legislation to over-ride the Courts decision giving the Maori Party no option but to resign from it’s coalition,
I like Rod Oram’s reasoned comments on the state of our commerce.
I bought a book of reprints of his columns.
This is something that rings a bell.
…Australia is a very small economy in world terms. Having exhausted the domestic opportunities for scale and efficiency, businesses are turning to NZ. Their ownership of our banks was only a precursor to the wave of bids we’re seeing for our companies. We’re rapidly becoming an AUSTRALASIAN (my caps) economy….
We think our economies are outward-looking and internationally competitive, but they are not. NZ’s exports are only 30% of our GDP, we’re running prodigious trade and current account deficits, and we have built up high levels of private debt.
Australia IS ALMOST AS WEAK (mine). Its exports are a weedy 18% of GDP, its trade deficit is 2% of GDP, its current account deficit 5.5% of GDP, and its households the most indebted in the OECD, although NZs are right behind them….
AN AUSTRALASIAN ECONOMY LOOKS NO MORE ENCOURAGING IN TERMS OF SCALE OR GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS.
SO DO WE THROW OUR LOT IN WITH THE AUSTRALIANS OR TRY TO CHART A DIFFERENT COURSE????
Sunday Star-Times, 16 April 2006 in Reinventing Paradise
Will the figures have improved in the years to 2012?
And does Labour have any commitment to change our nation’s commercial health and encourage jobs with reasonable hours work and wages? Putting up numbers of homes will only be an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, and that is only if they are designed to be real homes with fences and yards for children to play safely etc.
“And does Labour have any commitment to change our nation’s commercial health and encourage jobs with reasonable hours work and wages? Putting up numbers of homes will only be an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, and that is only if they are designed to be real homes with fences and yards for children to play safely etc.”
From RadioNZ National news at 1.00, David Cunliffe has reportedly said that He will not challenge David Shearer for the Labour Party leadership in February,
Unless there is another challenger it looks like Labour Party members are stuck with Dave Shearer, suck it up people and let’s hammer Labour on policy direction rather than play ‘swap the leader’….
PS, i hope that Parliamentary Labour have been smart enough to see fit to give David Cunliffe a front bench position in any upcoming reshuffle where He is tasked with regularly taking Finance Minister Bill English to task on His many FAILURES…
Hur hur, the members voted for exactly this potential outcome, KV. This is the system they wanted, this is the system David Cunliffe wanted. IT HAS HAPPENED! Just not in the way DC (and you) thought.
Why do you keep making the claim It has happened. Just not in the way DC (and supporters) thought etc.
I’ve said it before and I say it again. Most (repeat most) delegates who voted for the constitutional changes did so without actually having specific individuals in mind – at least not in the forefront of their minds anyway. How do I know? Because I was there, and I spoke with a number of delegates whose views on the proposed changes were surprisingly similar. From what was said to me, the outcome clearly had as much to do with years of frustration by members etc. who (rightly) felt they were undervalued by many in the caucus.What happened following the leadership challenge in 2011 was merely the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I keep repeating it because it’s true, Anne. And like you, I was there, too. I’m pretty sure I saw DC’s hand point to the ceiling in favour of 60% during the vote, so he personally supported the change, as far as I can tell. The DC supporters thought this option was going to see their man get up in February. My feeling is that those that thought that way hadn’t thought it through. Not only does the trigger stay in caucus, which means that without an in-caucus challenge it’s a moot point, but it also ankle taps a potential leader who has support in the wider party, but minority support in caucus.
Or, to put it another way, the members and affiliates wanted more democracy, but they promoted and voted for a system that gave caucus a veto over that democracy.
It’s not Shearer’s fault that he won’t take it to the party. It would be madness for him to do so. He’s already won, the majority of members seem happy with the outcome*, and we now move on to winning the election. It’s over Anne. The next conference can look at it again, I suppose, but the opportunity to install someone other than Shearer has passed.
*There haven’t been mass resignations, for example, so political junkies like you and I and others here atTS discussing the issue does not apparently reflect the real feeling in the party. My summary of that feeling is that members remain unsure of Shearer, but are willing to give him a go. Lukewarm support, but support none the less.
I agree with most of what you say Anon except I don’t believe the majority of delegates who voted for the 40/60 regime did so with the sole expectation of having a vote for Cunliffe in February. It was an act of admonishment on the part of most of them… continue to ignore us ordinary members at your peril! The most oft heard phrase I picked up on were the words “we want our party back” or “it’s just as much our party as it is theirs”.
I agree with you that Cunliffe would have been a fool to challenge Shearer next month. Anyway he is far too intelligent to have even considered it.
It’s the caucus members who have to mend some fences with the membership, and that is probably one of Shearer’s biggest challenges. If he doesn’t face up to it (or not succeed for whatever reason) all the policy in the world won’t help much because he (they) could be without a solid base of ‘on the ground’ workers.
the members and affiliates wanted more democracy, but they promoted and voted for a system that gave caucus a veto over that democracy
Um are you sure TRP?
Previously only caucus had a say in who the leader was. Now if the leader does not get more than 60% support in caucus on various occasions then the members get a say.
So democracy is increased.
Stop trying to diss people by saying it was a Cunliffe Shearer thing. It was a membership caucus thing. And the members won.
I am devostated by this. I thought David Cunlife was going to make Labour more socialist again.
But I thort also that David Cunlife did say to that reporter lots of time last year that he was NOT trying to take over from David Shearer. I guess Cunlife was telling the truth.
Oh i would say that Cunliffe having said He will not challenge for the leadership in February definitely falls within the ‘here’ realm of reality,
We will all have to wait a couple of weeks befor we know the out-come of the Labour Caucus vote to see if the Party wide contesting of the leadership will take place,
My view is that other than Cunliffe, Grant Robinson is the only other member of Labour’s Caucus that has the Mana, the presence and the ability to project a serious Prime Ministerial demeanor via the much despised 5 second television sound-bite in that Caucus,
I hold the view of course that it should be the Labour annual Conference that holds the ‘trigger’ on the question of both who the leader will be and who will be the Cabinet under that leadership, that would make a truly democratic Labour Party and a truly democratically elected Labour Government who would adhere to Labour Party policy at the risk of losing their positions should they not,
Having said that, IF there is to be no leadership vote,(disappointing i know), it is far more positive for us lot commenting on the Standard to then accept what may or may not turn out to be a very poor set of cards dealt to us and to then debate policy(and you never know what gains might be made),
i have been banging away here ad nauseam on the issue of housing for months now and in a short space of time both Labour and the Green Party have produced housing policy which (in different ways than i would have expected) has answered most aspects of any concerns i hold over the provision of affordable housing for ALL New Zealander’s…
I hold the view of course that it should be the Labour annual Conference that holds the ‘trigger’
This is the UK Labour system which TRP pooh-poohs. A low 20% caucus threshold which if triggered, gives the membership a decision as to whether or not they want a full blown leadership competition.
The annual Labour Conference vote for leader needs to be deferred until August, (just after a Roy Morgan poll). Cunliffe then needs to challenge and in the mean time Shearer needs to RETURN Cunliffe to cabinet.
Hopefully commonsense will prevail as I cannot make sense of Labour’s current strategy re Shearer being the leader and Labour’s stuck in the mud poll ratings. As well the Labour caucus need to lose their arrogance re the Labour membership having a say re leader and direction/policy.
Labour MP David Cunliffe has given an assurance he will not challenge David Shearer for the leadership when it comes to a vote on 4 February….
But Mr Cunliffe, who was demoted after the conference for failing to rule out a challenge, said on Thursday Mr Shearer’s position is safe.
He said he wants to be a constructive member of the Labour team and help the party win next year’s election.
Wondering how long it takes for people to realise they’ve been played – The Cunliffe challenge beat up, was an act, to cement DS as leader and it looks like DC was in on it!
The media and politics working together, keeping the suspense alive, keeping people from seeing what is actually in front of their faces!
Cunliffe has been around too long to be the saviour, he is part of the system, who came through the “training” of Boston Interational!
These bastards sending nearly 4,000 people to an early grave need to be held responsible for manslaughter.
40 % success rate on review and it has cost 60 million.
When a person is not fit for work, to send them to work means that they have to work harder than a person fit for work. I do not think that a work contract states slave labour or forced labour.
Hey I still want to see a vote for members and affiliates. I want to see all other aspirants campaign: Robertson, Little etc. I want to hear all their ideas for how we work better, new potential policies etc. Then I want a vote. Either to confirm Shearer as the best or choose another. What I don’t want is no vote, and then the wait until Mallard/King decide Shearer is to be replaced by Robertson. Now is the time to bring all that into the open, deal with those plans honestly, and then we can all unite.
How amiguous is this Statement from Education Minister ….
“I think that I had a very successful range of visits to each of the 36 schools… We will talk to them about what we think our intentions going forward are.”
(My Bold)
Great communicator isn’t she, not sure what her intentions are, but she’s happy to talk about them M8’s!
Slippery the Prime Minister in His speech to the annual hui at Ratana Pa has given a sniveling display to those gathered there befitting of a 4 year old who having had the ice-cream snatched from His hand throws a horrendous tantrum,
National having first been upstaged by Labour over affordable housing and today being administered the coup de grace from a stunning release of Green Party housing policy totally trouncing Nationals dysmal record of ‘hands off’ and market driven housing policy FAILURE had Slippery haranguing Ratana over the standard of housing at the Pa itself,
Hah, Whakapahone to you Slippery, hope they have shown you the door with a fitting send-off,(spit)…
In a fitting welcome to Ratana, leaders of the Ratana Movement have openly welcomed the formation of a Labour/Green coalition in 2014,(no wonder Slippery the Prime Minister is throwing tantrums befitting a 4 year old)
May i humbly add to Ratana’s ‘take’ by adding that 2014 cannot but come soon enough…
So climate denialist crackpot Boscawen is going to be the president of ACT. He will be sworn in to the position next month at the home of the rich crackpot, Alan Gibbs. You know, the one who financed ACT into existence, and who spent millions on a useless amphibious car. What happened to that car?
Cast your mind back to the mid 1990s. MMP had arrived, and the Nats were looking for a coalition party. Along came Alan Gibbs and together with his sidekicks (Craig Heatley, Michael Fay, David Richwhite and Trevor Farmer to name the better known) he set up the ACT party. The sole purpose of the venture was to supply National with a support partner.
It all started with a hiss and a roar and several million dollars to back it up. All went well for a couple of parliamentary terms and then slowly it turned to dust. Alan Gibbs had shot off to greener pastures and his new pet project, the amphibious car. The dollar bags dried up.
Fast forward to 2013. The Maori Party is imploding. United Future is a barely visible joke. ACT is all but gone-burger. The Nats are once again looking for a coalition party. Into the valley of political chicanery rides Alan Gibbs. ACT rises from the ashes (perhaps with a new name) and with the help of a further coterie of wealthy sidekicks hey presto… National has a new support party in time for the 2014 election!
Plausible? Well he and his mates did it once, so they could do it again.
Yes Karol. It looks to me like ACT is about to be resurrected. If I’m right then Gibbs and co. will be throwing huge sums of money at it again – buying high profile people to front the party just as they did in the mid-1990s. Why would Simmons be interested in standing for a political party that is all but dead?
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,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, Friday 26 July appeared first on Newsroom. ...
‘
Crunch time for the Obama administration
Will Obama stand up for the planet and people, or bow down to the demands of big business and the right?
As the effects of unadressed climate change start to devastate the planet, will Obama be remembered for taking a stand, or for betraying humanity?
In an echo of New Zealand Green Party policy on climate change, Obama’s policy of not making climate change “a singular priority” may become his undoing.
Just as Green Party advocacy for the disadvantaged and less well off will be forgotten if they refuse to stand up for the climate.Obama will earn the undying enmity of the environmental movement and lose informed liberal support, if he approves the XL pipeline, . Obama may try and recover this support by rightly standing up for equal rights in marriage, but this may not be enough to save his reputation, or the reputation of the Democratic Party ultimately costing them and us dearly.
Jenny, I think you’re forgetting who runs the place, and calls the shots, hence your message is aimed at the wrong entity!
Note: It’s not the POTUS who calls the shots!
illuminati?
Or if you actually type their name, will they appear behind you?
McFlock, even with your blindsighted ignorance, I would give you credit for understanding that the POTUS, is a figurehead, who speaks/implements what the *influential/powerful*, direct him to!
Have I over-estimated you?
Even with your unprovoked first-use of angry punctuation, I gathered “influential/powerful”.
Do they issue orders via intermediaries? Is Bill Gates in the club?
Don’t be obtuse: everyone knows the Illuminatii use mind-control.
In the matter of the XL pipeline that statement is actually factually wrong. Because the XL pipeline crosses State boundaries it requires the Presidential approval to proceed. You read it right. The president actually has to act, to allow this pipeline to proceed. In this case the POTUS most definitely calls the shots.
And that is not all. The POTUS does have powers to act against climate change if he chooses.
No More Excuses
The Labour Party needs to get out of its current malaise, the pregnant silence between the Leadership team and the members is deafening.
National had a free run in the press this week with fluffy confectionary. We will be p*ssed if that is reflected in the next polls. The Trotter, Eddie, Cactus Kate, Mike Williams and the 2pts drop in polls stories were the only thing from the Left, all negative. And that was the opening week in the political year!
The bad policies of the government are not only a PR issue. Another 1,000 went to Australia this week. 250,000 kids went to bed hungry.
What game-changing strategy does Annette King, Grant Robertson,Trivor Mallerd and David Shearer have to win New Zealand’s support for a Labour Victory? Another rehearsed speech can only be a minor component in the necessary game changing strategy. The National Party cannot be allowed another term.
Hopefully all will be revealed in David Shearer’s game-changing speech on Sunday.
There have been two rumours doing the beltway track in recent times.
1. Shearer was going to put the leadership question to the members and affiliates.
2. Shane Jones was to be reinstated to the front bench.
Who started them? The same source as last year, and the year before? Mischief making again?
NB. No rumours concerning David Cunliffe – yet.
Now all we need is that moronic reporter (Gower) from TV3 making shit up again!
Coming soon on a TV screen near you!
When will Gower ask Shane Jones if he will only hire DVDs of Shearer’s speeches next time he stays at a motel?
I cannot respect anyone who can attack Cunliffe while promoting Jones and that back pussy guy from the Waitaks.
PS I don’t get email notifications any more. How paranoid and accusatory should I be? 😛
Cunliffe not challenging Shearer
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8218444/Cunliffe-not-challenging-Shearer
Typical MSM. There was absolutely no fucking “leadership bid last year” at COnference. Nevertheless, I still believe that its crucial that the wider Labour membership be permitted to vote and confirm Shearer in Feb, for the sake of party unity and energy going into 2014.
I’m still hoping he’ll break away and start a new left party.
Easy 5% and his seat, easy.
Cometh the time, etc
I watched the TV3 news tonight and the quotes from Cunliffe were mighty different from Gower’s interpretation of them – or even on Stuff – same thing. Maybe just me, but I didn’t read what he said as an unequivocal rejection of him standing as leader. He seemed to be really careful in his words. The vote on 4 Feb is purely about whether the caucus (and hopefully the party) still have confidence in his leadership. It only has something to do with Cunliffe or Robertson or anyone else that chooses to chuck their hat in the ring if the he doesn’t get the support of caucus….or am I missing something? Oh, and just for the record….I’m not from the looney left either. I’m pure mainstream left (if there is such a thing)!
“What game-changing strategy does Annette King, Grant Robertson,Trivor Mallerd and David Shearer have to win New Zealand’s support for a Labour Victory?”
From where I am standing, none.
Sit still and quiet and wait for National to politely hand over the reins.
And stifle any dissent whilst sitting silent then take the reins (whenever that is) with no idea whatsoever of how to repair the damage or get our kid’s futures back.
What makes you think that Mallard, King, Robertson care about game changing strategy or winning the next election? Those oldies are just pissed they don’t get parliamentary super like Goff so they need to hang on in there to keep the fortnightly payroll coming. I hear Mallard is fairly down on net worth after a split or two. And the Wn mayoralty doesn’t pay as well as King currently gets.
As for Robertson, he’d have to own the failure of the 2011 election strategy where he was key before he could learn how to do better. But this team of three is not about learning and embracing but power plays at any cost.
What makes you think that Mallard, King, Robertson care about game changing strategy or winning the next election? Those oldies are just pissed they don’t get parliamentary super like Goff so they need to hang on in there to keep the fortnightly payroll coming. I hear Mallard is fairly down on net worth after a split or two. And the Wn mayoralty doesn’t pay as well as King currently gets.
As for Robertson, he’d have to own the failure of the 2011 election strategy where he had a key role before he could learn how to do better.
But this team of three is not about learning and embracing, but power plays at any cost.
Benghazi
You can say that again!
A humble request for LPrent: if you have a moment, can you lose Feedburner please? I use the RSS feed as the simplest way to keep up with comments, and its particularly useful for continuity in the more popular posts.
Feedburner is always 20-40 minutes out of date, meaning constantly having to reload the main page, check the comments box, then click on each comment individually to see what’s being said. The previous RSS feed constantly updated itself, so keeping up with conversations was a breeze.
Cheers, TRP.
Doesn’t that render your inbox completely unmanageable TRP?
T’would be great if we could get answers to our own comments but not the whole thread.
It’s hard to keep track of my own sometime comments and questions, and any responses beyond the immediate.
No, js, I was meaning the ‘comments RSS’ button, top right hand side of the page, just above the rolling list of recent comments. When it works well, it gives you all the recent comments in chronological order, so in a minute or so, you can catch up with all recent postings, rather than have to click on each seperate comment. It’s really great if you are in an ongoing discussion, because it saves a lot of time.
If you click on it now, you will see what I mean (though it will be 20 minutes out of date, and this comment won’t come up). It’s really great tool, but only if its up to the minute.
Ahh….Ta TRP. A timesaver.
Does anyone know how many films Warner Bros has been involved in, in New Zealand, since the Hobbitt finished shooting about 3 years ago?
Ummm none, and only 2 look like Wingnut are going to be involved in them, one in 2013, and 2014
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Warner_Bros._films#2010s
This is a pretty good list.
”it is appropriate for the Government to take a bridging investment role to ensure the right projects can get underway”
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
David Carter mimicking Jim Anderton, his hero obviously, in picking winners
Bill English pontificating upon the growing inability for ‘the market’ to address the growing issue of housing un-affordability,
”It takes the market 8 years before it has provided a house for a new immigrant” unquote, Bill English, Minister of Finance speaking to RadioNZ National,
Having said that Bill went on to point the finger at the Auckland City Council claiming that they are stifling new building activity by not bringing new areas of land into the home building equation,
Auckland City Council in reply point out that there are currently 13,000 sections available to build upon within the City, FAILURE of the argument put forward by the Finance Minister equates to further FAILURE of market driven policy in housing,
Again Bill puts His foot firmly in His mouth by claiming that the Auckland City Council should commit political suicide and dictate that developers build affordable (hence smaller) houses simply pointing out a further FAILURE of the market philosophy where any developer, as pointed out by someone else on the Standard a few days ago, would be stupid in terms of ‘markets’ to not build the biggest most expensive house on any particular piece of ground as to do otherwise would be to forgo a large tranche of profit,
Having stupidly claimed that His National Government has no mandate to legislate to ensure the building of low cost houses in the cities of greatest need Bill forgets that without that same MANDATE and on behalf of a small sliver of the electorate Bill’s National government has trashed whole democratically elected councils,
Having admitted that the housing market has FAILED Bill then retreats into the realms of MARKET IDIOCY, to have admitted such a market failure and then flatly refused to intervene with a measure to correct this FAILURE of the market Bill, the Minister of Finance no longer appears to be addressing the people of New Zealand from a position of market ideology but has retreated to the perceived safe haven of MARKET IDIOCY….
Kia Ora Te Pa O Ratana, Green Party Leader Metiria Turia has been invited to address the annual Hui at Ratana Pa, (one of very few woman to be given such Mana)…
Kapai!!!!
It appears that the “Maori Party” is going to be a “dead” or “dying” party soon.
Founded by Tariana Turia upon leaving Labour, due to issues with their foreshore and seabed legislation, Sharples and others joined her to establish a party to seek redress from what Labour introduced into law, and a kind of “movement” was started.
The downfall of the Maori Party started by going into a support agreement with a National led government, and to agree to a range of policies, also to amend the law affecting foreshore and seabed matters. But Maori Party members – repeatedly told by their elected MPs, that the agreement with Key and his National led government is good, necessary and will bring more benefits than being in opposition, have increasingly felt hood-winked.
Harawira brought on the challenges that arose through working with National and its other support parties. An internal rift developed, and Harawira left, to form Mana.
Mana is supposed to be a new, inclusive “Left Party”, but most know, it is primarily led and organised by and through Harawira and his closest supporters. Yet he always wishes to emphasize, that Mana stands for the rights of Mana PLUS others, e.g. Pakeha, negatively affected by bad right wing policies.
Maori Party support has dropped and they will struggle to get voted back into Parliament, since Tariana has announced her retreat. Sharples is just too much of an old power loving hanger-on now, as one must seriously question his ability to influence the decisions of the government he supports, and is member of as a Minister. Flavell made a challenge, but Maori Party leaders are too scared now to see it through.
Harawira makes comments on National Radio this morning, basically admitting, that Mana is the other Maori Party. He talked about working together, some form of alliance, or something in that direction. He also presented his interest as a “leader” for Maori interests.
There was suddenly not much talk about inclusiveness and Mana being not just an “alternative Maori Party”.
Looking up their website tells you enough, how it is run and what the priority political emphasis and support base is:
http://mana.net.nz/
http://mana.net.nz/2013/01/is-mana-maori-a-possibility/
http://mana.net.nz/kaupapa-vision/
It appears to be an “inclusive” party so far, through some images and presentation, but when looking closer, it becomes clearer to me, that Mana is primarily a party established by Harawira as “independent” MP for Tai Tokerau, who appears to have seen a need to try and boost membership and support by allowing in Minto, Bradford and a few others, to establish a wider set of leading members. Yet in polls it still struggles to get above the 1 per cent rate.
See also this newspaper article from the Northern Advocate:
http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/news/harawira-id-lead-maori-mana-party/1724449/
See also this news and blog site:
http://yournz.org/tag/mana-party/
So I feel, Harawira now has to come CLEAN, on what is ultimate mission is, where he stands, whether he really wants to be primarily a Maori leader, or to keep working on a more inclusive leftist party.
My suspicions are, he wants to be the former, as that is what he feels more passionate about.
Hence again, my conclusion is that not just is Labour in a situation where it is struggling to find a “new way” as a “left” or at least “left of centre” party, Mana is also about to fall to pieces, given Harawira’s newly revived true aspirations.
Consequently, as the Greens are also not committed to be identified as “left” as such, or in principle, there is a TOTAL NEED and an ideal time now, to create and establish a NEW LEFT PARTY in NZ, that is truly left of centre and inclusive, not restircted to individual MPs or member’s interests and selected agendas.
Maori Party will soon be “dead”, I would expect, at least no more than a party in a similar situation as ACT is in now.
P.S.: I tried posting this under a thread on the state of the Maori Party today, but for some reason the comments appear to not register after I press the “submit comment” button.
I tried to post a comment on the state of the Maori Party, but for some reason, it does not appear to be accepted at all by the system!
Has there been a “block” placed on any comments for whatever reason?
Even when trying to put the post under “Open Mike”, it just does not appear.
This is disappointing, indeed, and raises some questions.
There was a glitch about 10 to 15mins. ago. I was told TS was ‘off air’.
Hi folks!
Seen this?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8212901/Further-charges-possible-for-John-Banks
How long will shonky John Key be able to defend the indefensible dodgy John Banks?
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
Do i see the perfect storm forming for this abysmal failure of a Slippery lead Government,John(the already once convicted)Banks gets another couple of convictions to add to his rap sheet and is forced to resign from the Parliament,
And then,
The Supreme Court rules against the Government over Maori rights to water prompting Slippery the Prime Minister to introduce legislation to over-ride the Courts decision giving the Maori Party no option but to resign from it’s coalition,
The fun it seems has only just begun…
heh.
Always nice to see someone making life difficult for a tory
I like Rod Oram’s reasoned comments on the state of our commerce.
I bought a book of reprints of his columns.
This is something that rings a bell.
…Australia is a very small economy in world terms. Having exhausted the domestic opportunities for scale and efficiency, businesses are turning to NZ. Their ownership of our banks was only a precursor to the wave of bids we’re seeing for our companies. We’re rapidly becoming an AUSTRALASIAN (my caps) economy….
We think our economies are outward-looking and internationally competitive, but they are not. NZ’s exports are only 30% of our GDP, we’re running prodigious trade and current account deficits, and we have built up high levels of private debt.
Australia IS ALMOST AS WEAK (mine). Its exports are a weedy 18% of GDP, its trade deficit is 2% of GDP, its current account deficit 5.5% of GDP, and its households the most indebted in the OECD, although NZs are right behind them….
AN AUSTRALASIAN ECONOMY LOOKS NO MORE ENCOURAGING IN TERMS OF SCALE OR GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS.
SO DO WE THROW OUR LOT IN WITH THE AUSTRALIANS OR TRY TO CHART A DIFFERENT COURSE????
Sunday Star-Times, 16 April 2006 in Reinventing Paradise
Will the figures have improved in the years to 2012?
And does Labour have any commitment to change our nation’s commercial health and encourage jobs with reasonable hours work and wages? Putting up numbers of homes will only be an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, and that is only if they are designed to be real homes with fences and yards for children to play safely etc.
“And does Labour have any commitment to change our nation’s commercial health and encourage jobs with reasonable hours work and wages? Putting up numbers of homes will only be an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, and that is only if they are designed to be real homes with fences and yards for children to play safely etc.”
NO
From RadioNZ National news at 1.00, David Cunliffe has reportedly said that He will not challenge David Shearer for the Labour Party leadership in February,
Unless there is another challenger it looks like Labour Party members are stuck with Dave Shearer, suck it up people and let’s hammer Labour on policy direction rather than play ‘swap the leader’….
PS, i hope that Parliamentary Labour have been smart enough to see fit to give David Cunliffe a front bench position in any upcoming reshuffle where He is tasked with regularly taking Finance Minister Bill English to task on His many FAILURES…
Whether Cunliffe says that is neither here nor there.
He cannot be expected to carry the burden of the party.
A non vote in February fixes NOTHING.
Te members vote for change in the Party’s approach and democracy.
THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.
A non vote only emphasises the dis-connection of the leadership.
Hur hur, the members voted for exactly this potential outcome, KV. This is the system they wanted, this is the system David Cunliffe wanted. IT HAS HAPPENED! Just not in the way DC (and you) thought.
Can we talk about policy now?
Anon? What is the weather like up in the Manawatu today?
Identity speculation is a no no, KV.
TRP, are you changing your handle?
Hi, CV. No, it’s just an IP adress issue at the server I’ve mostly been on for the last couple of days. Got it sussed now.
Anon
Why do you keep making the claim It has happened. Just not in the way DC (and supporters) thought etc.
I’ve said it before and I say it again. Most (repeat most) delegates who voted for the constitutional changes did so without actually having specific individuals in mind – at least not in the forefront of their minds anyway. How do I know? Because I was there, and I spoke with a number of delegates whose views on the proposed changes were surprisingly similar. From what was said to me, the outcome clearly had as much to do with years of frustration by members etc. who (rightly) felt they were undervalued by many in the caucus.What happened following the leadership challenge in 2011 was merely the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I keep repeating it because it’s true, Anne. And like you, I was there, too. I’m pretty sure I saw DC’s hand point to the ceiling in favour of 60% during the vote, so he personally supported the change, as far as I can tell. The DC supporters thought this option was going to see their man get up in February. My feeling is that those that thought that way hadn’t thought it through. Not only does the trigger stay in caucus, which means that without an in-caucus challenge it’s a moot point, but it also ankle taps a potential leader who has support in the wider party, but minority support in caucus.
Or, to put it another way, the members and affiliates wanted more democracy, but they promoted and voted for a system that gave caucus a veto over that democracy.
It’s not Shearer’s fault that he won’t take it to the party. It would be madness for him to do so. He’s already won, the majority of members seem happy with the outcome*, and we now move on to winning the election. It’s over Anne. The next conference can look at it again, I suppose, but the opportunity to install someone other than Shearer has passed.
*There haven’t been mass resignations, for example, so political junkies like you and I and others here atTS discussing the issue does not apparently reflect the real feeling in the party. My summary of that feeling is that members remain unsure of Shearer, but are willing to give him a go. Lukewarm support, but support none the less.
I agree with most of what you say Anon except I don’t believe the majority of delegates who voted for the 40/60 regime did so with the sole expectation of having a vote for Cunliffe in February. It was an act of admonishment on the part of most of them… continue to ignore us ordinary members at your peril! The most oft heard phrase I picked up on were the words “we want our party back” or “it’s just as much our party as it is theirs”.
I agree with you that Cunliffe would have been a fool to challenge Shearer next month. Anyway he is far too intelligent to have even considered it.
It’s the caucus members who have to mend some fences with the membership, and that is probably one of Shearer’s biggest challenges. If he doesn’t face up to it (or not succeed for whatever reason) all the policy in the world won’t help much because he (they) could be without a solid base of ‘on the ground’ workers.
the members and affiliates wanted more democracy, but they promoted and voted for a system that gave caucus a veto over that democracy
Um are you sure TRP?
Previously only caucus had a say in who the leader was. Now if the leader does not get more than 60% support in caucus on various occasions then the members get a say.
So democracy is increased.
Stop trying to diss people by saying it was a Cunliffe Shearer thing. It was a membership caucus thing. And the members won.
Long live democracy in the Labour Party.
I am devostated by this. I thought David Cunlife was going to make Labour more socialist again.
But I thort also that David Cunlife did say to that reporter lots of time last year that he was NOT trying to take over from David Shearer. I guess Cunlife was telling the truth.
I am also devistated for David Cunlife!
Oh i would say that Cunliffe having said He will not challenge for the leadership in February definitely falls within the ‘here’ realm of reality,
We will all have to wait a couple of weeks befor we know the out-come of the Labour Caucus vote to see if the Party wide contesting of the leadership will take place,
My view is that other than Cunliffe, Grant Robinson is the only other member of Labour’s Caucus that has the Mana, the presence and the ability to project a serious Prime Ministerial demeanor via the much despised 5 second television sound-bite in that Caucus,
I hold the view of course that it should be the Labour annual Conference that holds the ‘trigger’ on the question of both who the leader will be and who will be the Cabinet under that leadership, that would make a truly democratic Labour Party and a truly democratically elected Labour Government who would adhere to Labour Party policy at the risk of losing their positions should they not,
Having said that, IF there is to be no leadership vote,(disappointing i know), it is far more positive for us lot commenting on the Standard to then accept what may or may not turn out to be a very poor set of cards dealt to us and to then debate policy(and you never know what gains might be made),
i have been banging away here ad nauseam on the issue of housing for months now and in a short space of time both Labour and the Green Party have produced housing policy which (in different ways than i would have expected) has answered most aspects of any concerns i hold over the provision of affordable housing for ALL New Zealander’s…
This is the UK Labour system which TRP pooh-poohs. A low 20% caucus threshold which if triggered, gives the membership a decision as to whether or not they want a full blown leadership competition.
The annual Labour Conference vote for leader needs to be deferred until August, (just after a Roy Morgan poll). Cunliffe then needs to challenge and in the mean time Shearer needs to RETURN Cunliffe to cabinet.
Hopefully commonsense will prevail as I cannot make sense of Labour’s current strategy re Shearer being the leader and Labour’s stuck in the mud poll ratings. As well the Labour caucus need to lose their arrogance re the Labour membership having a say re leader and direction/policy.
And it is in print here:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/126374/cunliffe-says-he-won't-challenge-shearer-for-leadership
Karol
“We the People” are pissed with how a group in the Caucus has hi-jacked the Party in 2008.
And in Nov/Dec 2011
And in Nov 2012.
No change.
The Party needs a fundamental change.
The Membership does not have confidence in the Leadership Team.
“We the People” still have the objective of change the Leadership Team to one which can be endorsed by the majority of the membership and unions.
Nothing has changed since yesterday.
Indeed, KV. And I hope it’s successful. The idea of Shearer as PM is a complete turn-off for me. But at least I have the Greens or Mana to vote for.
Wondering how long it takes for people to realise they’ve been played – The Cunliffe challenge beat up, was an act, to cement DS as leader and it looks like DC was in on it!
The media and politics working together, keeping the suspense alive, keeping people from seeing what is actually in front of their faces!
Cunliffe has been around too long to be the saviour, he is part of the system, who came through the “training” of Boston Interational!
🙄
A foretaste of the Nats welfare ‘reforms’. I fear that the disabled and those with chronic illnesses won’t know what’s hit them after July.
http://www.newstatesman.com//politics/2013/01/shadow-state-atos-and-work-capability-assessment
These bastards sending nearly 4,000 people to an early grave need to be held responsible for manslaughter.
40 % success rate on review and it has cost 60 million.
When a person is not fit for work, to send them to work means that they have to work harder than a person fit for work. I do not think that a work contract states slave labour or forced labour.
Hey I still want to see a vote for members and affiliates. I want to see all other aspirants campaign: Robertson, Little etc. I want to hear all their ideas for how we work better, new potential policies etc. Then I want a vote. Either to confirm Shearer as the best or choose another. What I don’t want is no vote, and then the wait until Mallard/King decide Shearer is to be replaced by Robertson. Now is the time to bring all that into the open, deal with those plans honestly, and then we can all unite.
How amiguous is this Statement from Education Minister ….
“I think that I had a very successful range of visits to each of the 36 schools… We will talk to them about what we think our intentions going forward are.”
(My Bold)
Great communicator isn’t she, not sure what her intentions are, but she’s happy to talk about them M8’s!
I’m pretty sure she writes her media statements with the help of <a href='http://www.buzzwords4u.co.uk/'<this website.
href=’http://www.buzzwords4u.co.uk/’>this
dang it. can’t edit…
I couldn’t get the link code to work in my comment @4.40pm above. Gave up. We can copy and paste your url, mike.
Thanks karol, though it wasn’t exactly a link of vital national security hehe.
“Going forward”!
Argh!
http://endaguinan.com/2009/05/13/when-we-started-going-forward-thats-when-we-started-going-backwards/
you’re a damn patient fella in an argument, RV, far more so than me. Good on ya.
Slippery the Prime Minister in His speech to the annual hui at Ratana Pa has given a sniveling display to those gathered there befitting of a 4 year old who having had the ice-cream snatched from His hand throws a horrendous tantrum,
National having first been upstaged by Labour over affordable housing and today being administered the coup de grace from a stunning release of Green Party housing policy totally trouncing Nationals dysmal record of ‘hands off’ and market driven housing policy FAILURE had Slippery haranguing Ratana over the standard of housing at the Pa itself,
Hah, Whakapahone to you Slippery, hope they have shown you the door with a fitting send-off,(spit)…
In a fitting welcome to Ratana, leaders of the Ratana Movement have openly welcomed the formation of a Labour/Green coalition in 2014,(no wonder Slippery the Prime Minister is throwing tantrums befitting a 4 year old)
May i humbly add to Ratana’s ‘take’ by adding that 2014 cannot but come soon enough…
Oh dearie me, look at this:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10861201
So climate denialist crackpot Boscawen is going to be the president of ACT. He will be sworn in to the position next month at the home of the rich crackpot, Alan Gibbs. You know, the one who financed ACT into existence, and who spent millions on a useless amphibious car. What happened to that car?
“What happened to that car?”
It sunk the same way Act has.
Ooops a daisy:
A sleazy new deal maybe taking shape?
Cast your mind back to the mid 1990s. MMP had arrived, and the Nats were looking for a coalition party. Along came Alan Gibbs and together with his sidekicks (Craig Heatley, Michael Fay, David Richwhite and Trevor Farmer to name the better known) he set up the ACT party. The sole purpose of the venture was to supply National with a support partner.
It all started with a hiss and a roar and several million dollars to back it up. All went well for a couple of parliamentary terms and then slowly it turned to dust. Alan Gibbs had shot off to greener pastures and his new pet project, the amphibious car. The dollar bags dried up.
Fast forward to 2013. The Maori Party is imploding. United Future is a barely visible joke. ACT is all but gone-burger. The Nats are once again looking for a coalition party. Into the valley of political chicanery rides Alan Gibbs. ACT rises from the ashes (perhaps with a new name) and with the help of a further coterie of wealthy sidekicks hey presto… National has a new support party in time for the 2014 election!
Plausible? Well he and his mates did it once, so they could do it again.
Well, it seems Chris Simmons has stepped down as party prez & Boscowen has taken over. Simmons wants to be an Act candidate next election.
Yes Karol. It looks to me like ACT is about to be resurrected. If I’m right then Gibbs and co. will be throwing huge sums of money at it again – buying high profile people to front the party just as they did in the mid-1990s. Why would Simmons be interested in standing for a political party that is all but dead?
http://news.yahoo.com/ap-impact-recession-tech-kill-middle-class-jobs-051306434–finance.html