I see Lawrence Yule has got the nod for the Nats in TukiTuki. What an crazy choice!
Yule has Tony Blair levels of delusion as to his effectiveness and popularity. He might be able to win the mayoralty on the back of a low turnout of mainly dedicated Tories, but is deeply unpopular with practically everyone else (Napier people can’t stand him). He is heavily tainted with the water contamination scandal of last year and is blamed in many quarters for Hasting’s huge debt problem. If Labour has a good a good candidate and puts in the effort he’ll struggle to win I reckon.
Anyone know anything about Anna Lorck’s capabilities?
it occured to me the new ‘water standards’ announced by the ptb, have fonterra management thinking all over it.
the watering down of standards is akin to the idea of getting contractors to wait an extra 2 months for payment and to force a 10% discount on them.
potentially the state can solve homelessness, poverty, gaol stats etc.. just change the figures.. you know, make stuff up!
True weka. But when talking about the test of mettle, it is how we manage to contain ourselves and control our punches if there are going to be some (verbal), that counts.
The writers I alluded to are letting their tongues and their minds run free like emotional drunks, and their often wild language reflects that. Our world is disappearing I think, and I want to hold onto elements of respect, kindness, honesty, in our dealings with one another like life buoys as the social climate deteriorates. And I won’t give us swearing or insults, and not calling on anybody else to go cold turkey, but there should not be combined attacks on people putting forward interesting ideas, and language needs to be chosen. A single WTF is very effective.
This is when the nobility of people is needed. Not just nasty vengeful, angry self-oriented snipers drunk with their own importance and taking pot shots at anyone who comes within their range. The end doesn’t justify the means, until when managing near the end, there is no alternative to use such a stark decision maker.
TENANCY TRIBUNAL ADJUDICATOR HAS MADE DECISION – BUT WE DON’T KNOW YET WHAT IT IS!
Friends and supporters of Niki Rauti in her brave fight to help stop the privatisation of State housing, and defending the rights of the poor, sick, elderly and vulnerable against gentrification and the destruction of working class communities!
Gather at 14 Taniwha St
Glen Innes!
WHEN: 24 February 2017
TIME: From 9am.
For those of you who are able to make it – see you there!
Meanwhile life goes on for better off people and a nicely done up old house down the road has been sold for the second time, the first being three months ago. I was thinking that with everything paid for the first buyer could still have made a cool $5000. The agent says that ‘all the buyers who enquired were fresh to the market since our campaign late last year’ – for the original buyer. So people continue to pour into the country.
Technology replacing jobs.
If a company introduces technology to increase “efficiency” and it replaces employees as a result then that technology needs to be taxed at the rate of the lost PAYE.
It’s time industry started paying for the pool of great unwashed it is creating.
Thatcher once hailed the likes of Sinclair (ZX81…) as creators of greater leisure time for us all.
Austria’s Chancellor has been getting a bit of attention for saying much the same thing over the last few months. Even getting noticed in English-language media.
Some hilarity for the morning: Stephen Colbert on Alex Jones (who more than one person here thinks is a reliable news source).
Don’t drink juice out of a box, it’ll make you into a woman – unless you already are one (maybe then it’ll turn you into a hat stand). Also, EVERYONE was behind 9/11 (I knew it!)
Remember when the trumpette said Trump was going to deliver a peace dividend.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wants to ensure the U.S. nuclear arsenal is at the “top of the pack,” saying the United States has fallen behind in its atomic weapons capacity.
Anyway, it seems like one faded empire is seeking new life by inviting a declining empire to join its special club. And the declining empire gets official access to the room when CHOGM happens.
I never did understand why Britain seemingly just threw the whole Commonwealth thing under the bus in favour of the EU. If they could have positioned themselves as the hinge or conduit between the two, they’d have had quite significant influence in the world. I think.
warning for anyone following McFlock’s link, it’s got a photo of Farage wearing one of his best “world’s much punchable faces”. I’m lucky I didn’t crack my screen.
Good article. Hopefully it will be in this weeks edition. I may even have time to read it after it arrives on my phone.
Arguably the Wellington vs Auckland already does this. Imagine how awful NZ would be if the capital had stayed up here. As it is the rest of the country have the politicians, most of their flunkies, and the mandarins corralled and quarantined in a pokey city constrained by geography.
Even better they are on the most destructive fault line in the country which brings the enticing prospect of exiling the survivors further south at some point in the future. I would suggest Omaru
“CETA To Cost Average Working Canadian $2,460 In Lost Income:
As Canada and the European Union reach the home stretch to an historic free trade deal, a new research report says the agreement was made on the basis of flawed, unrealistically optimistic economic models.
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), negotiated by the previous Conservative government and now championed by the Liberal government, will reduce employment throughout the trade area, depressing wages in Canada and Europe, the report warns.”
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), negotiated by the previous Conservative government and now championed by the Liberal government, will reduce employment throughout the trade area, depressing wages in Canada and Europe, the report warns.”
Higher profits, lower wages – exactly as designed then.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer suggested Thursday the federal government could crack down on recreational marijuana use across the country, even in states that have legalized the drug.
So Bill English has not only has refused to have an inquiry into the abuse of children in state care he won’t even agree to have a meeting with Susan Devoy to discuss the
matter.
The problem in New Zealand today is as stark as it is urgent. The rate of Māori youth suicides is more than double that for non-Māori youth. Across all ages, it is male Māori who dominate the statistics, but the disparity is in fact greater for Māori women, and that rate has been steadily increasing: in 2015 it was the highest for 11 years. It is part of a wider pattern, too: in 2013 the intentional self-harm rates for Māori female youth had risen 77 per cent since 2004.
This is a very big and interesting article – a good but hard read.
There is no one solution and cultural connection, awareness and conceptualization are important. “How do I fit within this space? Where is my place within this space? Who am I within this space?”
Mental health is seriously under resourced in this country, particularly outside the main centres. There needs to be a helluva lot money put into mental health and into Māori led community programmes to try and turn these stats around.
Not quite finished reading the link marty, but this has just jumped out because I’m constantly hearing the same or similar from friends and just people I come across who work in what we might broadly term the ‘social sector’ – ie, housing, violence, addiction, education etc
She rejects the Five Ways to Wellbeing, a model adopted from the United Kingdom, based on 2008 research, as a “total farce”.
“Translating the slogan into te reo as a tokenised ploy to appear diverse for funding is a disgusting strategy employed by almost every mental health and community development organisation in New Zealand.”
It is no secret in community circles, she says, that the Ministry of Social Development has been draining the funding pool, pitting organisations which were once happy to collaborate against each other to streamline services.
“Your CEO or clinical director will sink their teeth into Anne Tolley or Paula Bennett over morning tea and then pose for a photo for the community newsletter with them because no one dares criticise the hand that feeds them.”
And practice gets subverted by those doing the actual work in order to do real stuff while energies get dissipated for the sake of ticking boxes to secure (inadequate) funding…it’s all a crock of shit squatted over by out of touch government bureaucracies and (often) incompetent managers…or so I’m constantly being told.
It is no secret in community circles, she says, that the Ministry of Social Development has been draining the funding pool, pitting organisations which were once happy to collaborate against each other to streamline services.
Competition is destructive. We see the destruction that it causes all around us but tell ourselves that its good instead.
The problem, in my opinion, lies with the social service organisations who have allowed themselves to fall into the position of selling themselves, and by virtue their client base to the lowest bidder. These organisations will not collaborate with each other to effect decent outcomes for clients because they are too busy vying for each pittance of funding, where ticking their boxes and meeting their KPIs over-ride the needs of the people they are supposed to serve. I have witnessed this time and time again.
Most of these organisations pay lip service to operating in a culturally appropriate way, hell even hiring the odd token ‘brown’ face to tick some of their contractual boxes. They even do the whole Maori language week once a year to prove how culturally aware they are. And as long as they can rote learn the three P’s, and use words like tikanga and manaakitanga, and spiel off a poorly pronounced mihi, they deem themselves culturally competent to work with Maori. The problem with a western understanding of intervention is it does not account for a holistic approach to well-being. And when you see communities coming together to address a problem, in this case suicide, they struggle to get off the ground to support people because they cannot tick the contractual boxes and are up against the big players (think the dominant NGOs), all of whom not only have the structure and expertise to win the lousy contracts but are willing to sell their souls and make it unsafe for families to seek help (think compulsory data sharing).
Meanwhile said organisations who claim some sort of expertise to address this or that social problem, including suicide, cannot even keep their own house in order. They spout off, using the right buzz words in their mission statements, their values and their aims, whilst treating their work force like crap. In my experience across a range of agencies and my many networks within the social service sector the stories are the same. Workers are bullied, under-paid, over-worked and burnt out by inept box tickers, whose only purpose is to meet funder demand, even if it involves faking outcomes, manipulating KPIs and essentially screwing over workers and clients.
In my opinion these big players are too dysfunctional to be allowed near clients, particularly those vulnerable to suicide. If these organisations cannot even practice what they preach, they should not be allowed within a hairs breadth of vulnerable people. I suggest the community can and should take back control of supporting those who deem themselves in need of support. The current social service sector, is in most cases, driven by the government’s agenda, not necessarily what the community needs or wants. I am sure these communities can do far better than the current dominant players.
This morning, a video of Siberian tigers playfully hunting (and disemboweling) a drone was everywhere on the internet. A tweet from ITV News, a British television network, quickly made an appearance in dozens of stories.
[…]
The tiger farm, according to Big Cat Rescue, has operated under the guise of an animal rescue for some time. Busloads of tourists are given the rare opportunity to gawk at fearsome felines that would otherwise rip your face off.
But Harbin Siberian Tiger Park also specializes in contraband like tiger bone, meat, pelts, and a speciality called “bone wine.” A visit by McClatchy investigative reporters “found animals in deplorable conditions… merchants openly sold bone wine, despite a 1993 ban by China on bone products sourced from both domesticated and wild tiger
So a cricketer in a hesaid/shesaid rape trial is found not guilty, even after making the “she was dressed like she was up for it” defense. Oh, and although he was “persistent” in pressuring her for sex that’s okay because she eventually said yes, according to him.
Frankly, my immediate impulse is that anyone who runs that package of defense arguments should be immediately charged with some equivalent of recklessness/negligence as to whether they’re committing rape or not.
Frankly, my immediate impulse is to think that you apparently consider it acceptable, and not rape, to pressure a drunk woman into sex with you until they relent, and then try to get away with it by stating that the woman was dressed sluttily so she was asking for it.
My second impulse is to wonder why you support such an obvious example of rape culture in action.
I saw the case referred to as a “she said/he said” case. That means it was always going to be complicated. That probably means the people in the best position to make assessments about what happened or didn’t were the people in the courtroom.
Of course not a perfect position, there is none, because they like all juries they had to rely on all sorts of stuff affected by all sorts of factors. That includes a range of emotions and motivations.
You have made a judgement on what you know about the case. The jury made one on what on they heard and saw and presumably according to the law. On my observations about the way the system works you say I support a rape culture.
Do you say that defence lawyer Phillip Morgan, QC also supports a rape culture?
Do you say that all legislators who do not actively move to instigate law changes to make the accused in rape allegations deemed automatically to be guilty, support a rape culture?
If you’re out on the piss, hook up with someone who’s drunk, and then nag them for sex, that’s about as reckless and driving around at night with no headlights.
And you know the nice thing – I don’t have to be in court for something so obvious. If the guy had thought at all about consent, news reports like this would have been so biased as to have immediate complaints to the press council and general outrage from the Waitakere Men.
Yeah, the content of that news story is like an intro 101 for rape culture. She was dressed “provocatively,” her general demeanour persuaded him she was gagging for it, he was sure she wanted it to happen, the fact she was too drunk to resist = consent. He’s an object lesson in how feminism’s still relevant.
The other nice thing is we don’t have a system where someone makes summary comments as you and DoublePlusGood have done and guilt is automatic.
The way to achieve that outcome is not to wait for societal change which see such awful incidents as this one is not happening but to instigate changes in the law.
Actually, I haven’t made any summary judgement on whether he committed the rape. I’m not re-opening the debate as to whether the burden of proof in sexual assault cases should be shifted at all, or whether some arguments should be barred as a defense, or even whether it should be juries vs judges for such cases.
But even the circumstances as he and the defense described point to a lack of awareness about consent and an absolute recklessness as to whether he was having consensual sex with someone or causing harm.
At the moment we have a situation where the accused is either a rapist or not, and if the issue is so complicated, maybe having a binary solution is not really a solution at all.
we’ve had innocent till proven guilty for over 1000 years; there’s a good reason for that, and there needs to be an even better one to change it.
It’s very difficult to bring in a new process that doesn’t breach rights that are considered fundamental in most other circumstances. A relative has been involved in a number of rape trials and has seen innocent men go to prison and guilty predators walk free. It does seem a lottery but changing the burden of proof doesn’t look the answer to me. just having an accusation that goes public can screw up people’s lives, and the accused has rights too.
Until we learn to read minds reliably, education, empathy and encouragement to report may be the best justice weapons we have when the only evidence is balancing he said/she said.
It’s lucky that I didn’t discuss shifting the burden of proof then isn’t it.
Mind you, the jury system is buggered from the get-go: twelve independent people make their determinations, then all get together and let group dynamics swerve the weakest decisionmakers.
But without changing the burden of proof or the jury system, what about an intermediate trial where someone might have been careless as to whether the other party was genuinely consenting?
I don’t think anything can change within the current structure. It likely needs something new, which could be what you’ve suggested. There will still be people sitting in judgment and that is never perfect
The difference between lawful sex and rape relies on a 3 step legal consideration relating to consent.
Step 1: What was the complainant (victim) thinking – did they give consent to the act?
Step 2: What was the defendant thinking – did they believe that the victim was consenting?
Step 3: If the defendant believed that the victim was consenting – was this belief reasonable? Would a reasonable person in the defendant’s shoes believed that the victim was consenting?
Its quite a hard process to work through. Not an issue where it is a stranger rape but can be tricky to work through when it relates to people who know each other and where it is one person’s word against another.
There are of course a number of statutory situations where acquiescence to sex does not amount to true consent sex:
This includes:
– The use/fear of the use of force
– Where the victim is asleep or unconscious
– Where the victim is so affected by drugs/alcohol that they are unable to give consent
– Where the victim is mistaken as to the identity of the defendant or is mistaken as to the nature of the sex to occur.
The drunken situation is tricky. You can be drunk and give consent however there is a stage of intoxication beyond which you cannot give consent even though you tell the other person you want to have sex.
I suspect that in a lot of he said/she said situations Jurys side with the defendant simply because the consequences of a rape convictions are so severe that they are reluctant to convict unless they are absolutely sure that the defendant is guilty.
True to a certain degree (although in such cases the other party is often significantly more drunk than the accused), althoug a little victim blaming doesn’t go astray.
But I’m actually beginning to like my original idea of a separate charge of something like “culpable recklessness as to consent” in the case of sexual assault, a bit like how murder can be bumped down down to manslaughter
This is a really good idea. I’d love to know what’s been done in this and whether the problem with doing that is that it’s tricky to define in law, or whether there are still too many men (lawyers, politicians etc) realising that what they considered sex is actually a problem for the woman they were with. It would also mean a substantial change in the drinking culture in NZ.
I mean, the Land Transport Act talks about people driving carelessly and recklessly, and recklessly causing injury or death, so it’s not like the law can’t deal with the concept of someone being careless.
True, but with cars it’s not like anyone is looking at the victims and seeing them a culpable for the behaviour of the reckless driver. And by anyone one I mean the police, the prosecutor, the judge, the jury, the lawyers, the lawmakers.
That’s quite a big one to get over in the case of sexual assault or culpable recklessness. You’d have to not only change the law, but change the culture within the legal profession. Given that point above about being allowed to run a defence based on ‘she was wearing a short skirt’, I think we have some way to go on that.
What would the judge be directing juries on for instance, and would they all have to be trained in what rape culture is? This is certainly what should be happening.
that reckless offence sounds similar to what Julian Assange is facing in Sweden. A lot of people scoffed at the concept when the charge was laid.
In these difficult cases it’s not usually debated that sex took place but that consent wasn’t given. If you reduce that to an assault charge then you’re saying intercourse can’t have taken place and you are widening the definition of sexual assault quite significantly.
it would also imply that there is a victim, but she’s only a half victim (because if she were a real victim then it would be a rape charge). I’m not sure that is a concept that would appeal to many feminists – if she’s only a half victim does that mean she half deserved it? What If the guy was more drunk than the girl? Surely it’s only fair that she be charged….
No, it’s not what assange was about to be arrested for.
What a wider charge (not assault, but recklessness) would do is make the surrounding circumstances of the intercourse part of the consideration. In this case, the “he said she said” was whether she said “no” in bed. But the alcohol they’d drunk, the comments he’d made about her to other guys, they’d be indicative of whether he was actively considering consent at the time.
It doesn’t even imply that there is a “victim”, any more than careless driving implies there was an accident. Just that the party was careless about an issue they should have cared about. Not “half a victim”, otherwise the jury would have determined that rape had been committed. Just that the person complained against had been careless about confirming consent.
And you know what, if both parties make a complaint then yes, that’s something for courts to figure out. Hell, you might end up with them accusing each other of rape. I suspect the one gloating to their mates beforehand that the other person ‘obviously likes to fuck’ has a higher chance of being found guilty than the other person.
I suspect that in a lot of he said/she said situations Jurys side with the defendant simply because the consequences of rape convictions are so severe that they are reluctant to convict unless they are absolutely sure that the defendant is guilty.
That’s the key point, you can’t hand out a rape conviction unless it’s beyond reasonable doubt.
Once convicted that individual life is stuffed, you’ve got to get it right.
I suspect that in a lot of he said/she said situations Jurys side with the defendant simply because the consequences of a rape convictions are so severe that they are reluctant to convict unless they are absolutely sure that the defendant is guilty.
^This.
And that is the irrationality of ‘lock ’em up’ politics. McFlock’s suggestion of “culpable recklessness as to consent” is worth considering for cases like this. With a different sentencing range, a conviction is possibly more likely and the victim not re-traumatised all over again by going through a thoroughly negative trial.
Also, people who have been sexually violated may be more likely to make a complaint if the sentences did not seem disproportionate.
But really, it’s way beyond time that education about rape culture was compulsory for teens and young men, and older men supported that. Because this kind of sexual violation, fuelled by alcohol, bravado, entitlement and ignorance, will continue until they realise that in the moment, only ‘yes’ means ‘yes’.
Another issue is that the accused had been representing his province for the last few months at least (seen him on tv), and I think he was playing for them last season after the initial trial. Why the hell he wasn’t stood down from all representative cricket while this was going on I do not know. That alone really pisses me off.
I detect a hardness a nastiness entering the site. I noted the term softcockery coming from Ad yesterday. I note aerobubble’s vigour in argument and hostility against whoever is in his sights. I note Leftie trying to take over the site as the leftish decision maker. I note OAB and co having a go at Colonial Viper whenever he makes an assertion different from their strongly held opinions. Colonial Viper seems no longer to guard his tongue.
Weka is trying to maintain authority and receive respect in keeping the site under reasonable control, but is questioned and under attack. Is this the extreme version of the attitudes that have caused some of our thoughtful TS regulars to drop away? I had to defend myself from aerobubble’s attack yesterday.
t is getting very unpleasant. And what is more unpleasant is to wonder what sort of government these people I refer to would welcome? I feel it isn’t one that I would.
So what do the left want, for others, in a government, or is it just a national sporting match and winning numbers are what counts, with not too many fouls or broken necks or other bits?
It is getting to the virtual fistifcuff stage and it’s only February.
[I’ve moved this to Open Mike, it looks like an important conversation and it was just off topic in the other thread – weka]
We get periodic surges of this. Especially in the “phony war” period of the election campaigns. As boring as it appears to me, it just seems to be something we periodically have to live through.
This one appears to be unusually sustained, probably in this case due to the nature of the US elections leading into our elections. I suspect that we get a bit of a resonance effect due to the different election cycles. I noticed the same thing with the UK elections, and to a lesser extent with the Aussie elections.
I’m not sure what it is, but my own thinking is that the world is a pretty hard place now because of CC and what has happened/is happening in the US and the challenged in NZ from natural disasters and our vulnerability to CC becoming more apparent. The ground under our feet has shifted again, and we’re still adjusting. Add to that the election year and the very real fear of a 4th term NACT govt and what that will mean long term for NZ.
It makes sense that those paying the most attention to the political spheres would be more affected.
The test of our mettle is what we adjust to, and what we do to next to create something better.
Had a gutsful of liars, personally. They are destroying the world, quite literally. You want to play nice? Yeah, we tried that, and got ECAN, Charter Schools, climate fraud, and a tax haven.
I’d like a government that prosecutes fraud, rather than defunding the SFO.
It is actually desperate times. Cc is here. Trump lies and gets in, our rivers are shirty, more kill themselves every year, race relations keep resetting to zero, women earn less for no good reason.
I am guilty of being not nice and you have told me so. My kids are 2 and 9 in fighting for their future and some on here and out there don’t give a damn. I give a damn and they will know how I feel if that get in the way of me trying to make the world a fairer, cleaner and more equal place.
I’m sorry you have been spoken to harshly, I try not to do that to you.
You know leftie I have formed 3 or 4 replys to your comment and started again each time. I’m not going to rip into you for your insenstivity or insults – you have shown your mettle. You imo lack.
“I note Leftie trying to take over the site as the leftish decision maker.”
Really? that’s news to me Greywarshark, so you are another one who has gotten the pip, because I dare to have an opinion that doesn’t line up with yours etc. Incredulously, I have also been accused of making too many comments on TS.
I don’t necessarily agree with your views leftie, but as far as I’m aware it’s not the quantity or comments that are of concern to the moderators. So keep talking.
I don’t have a problem with people that comment a lot, but I think it’s worth paying attention if people start saying things about it, just for social cohesions sake. Maybe be more discerning. (it’s not a moderation issue, that’s just my personal thoughts).
Grey has a sharp tongue at times, as do many of us.
Lol so ok if that’s what people think. I have been commenting on here for a number of years now, and to me, this election is crucial for the left in kicking out National, so I thought I would make more of an effort to spend more time on here. I will back off.
No – don’t do that, Leftie. Your contributions are helpful – to me, at any rate.
And I’d contribute more, and say much more, if I had the time, the app (whatever that is) and had done the research (which takes time too).
Nah you’re not the biggest jerk on the site yet by any means 🙂
As a fellow habitual commenter, I tend to get a little embarrassed when I scroll through a thread on occasion and my avatar is suddenly all over the place, especially in tit-for-tat arguments against a single other commenter. A few comments by each party and we’re at the depth of subcomments and going all the way down lol
What I try and do these days (especially if it’s a slow day at work and a big day politically) is if I find I’m making a lot of comments, I think twice about the pithy one-line comments that that are satisfying but not really productive to a conversation, especially if it’s a tense issue.
For me it’s very easy to start commenting like it’s a pub chat, rather than forming a coherent point, ensuring it’s clear and maybe has a supporting link thrown in, and that any abuse is directed at a tory and is pretty reasonable.
Some people think I’m a jerk and wouldn’t miss me, others I hope get the occasional chuckle or thought, but at least it moves the discussion on so I might learn something from the next commenter 🙂
You are an interesting commentor mcflock who i enjoy reading. Plus that is good advice.
Leftie you drive me up the wall sometimes and I like that you comment. I think your heart is in the right place – I’ll try to not get worked up when bouncing comments with you and I’ll withdraw early.
” I think it’s worth paying attention if people start saying things about it, just for social cohesions sake. Maybe be more discerning.”
An interesting perspective weka, from several aspects.
The first being, yes, commenters do need to be aware of the way their comments are seen – the blog is for discussion and communication, not meant as a space for talking to yourself – although, hey, if you don’t attract the moderators and it fills a need…
A second aspect – are you saying it is ok for telling someone to shut-up on an relatively open forum is ok? Especially telling a woman (you, that is, I’ve no idea about Leftie) that she talks too much? Have you done any analysis of the comments that offended grey so much that they felt the need to tell you to keep quiet? I’m very interested to know what those might be.
A third, as a (it seems to me) tireless fighter for the rights of the marginalised, you’re suggesting it’s ok for you to shut up for social cohesion sake? Really? Certainly I have no problem with taking on board criticism and adjust accordingly if it is valid… but to quieten yourself, when the quality of your comment is usually outstanding, (and not out to start flamewars or troll) for social cohesion? That seems contradictory to me.
From what I remember it wasn’t the content so much as the quantity. I didn’t take it as being about shutting up so much as toning it down a bit. So is the issue whether that can ever be too much (the amount someone comments). If other people end up feeling like they can’t get a word in, then yes, I think that’s a problem. But the solution isn’t to shut up (and I hope Leftie doesn’t take it that way). I seem to remember I just dropped the number of my comments a bit, not taking up so much space. It’s not a hardship for someone that comments a lot.
It’s like this in RL too. It’s easy for me to say what I think, but I am aware that often people who are not so strong voiced don’t get heard. That’s not helpful to the cause IMO.
A third, as a (it seems to me) tireless fighter for the rights of the marginalised, you’re suggesting it’s ok for you to shut up for social cohesion sake? Really?
Well the irony there is that I have a fair amount of freedom as a commenter, but not as an author. A significant part of the current conflict is over who has speaking rights. I’m not talking about formal rights, I’m talking about what the culture will allow. That’s on TS, but much wider too, the whole backlash against solidarity politics and whose voices are considered valuable and whose aren’t.
Back to the third point, I am thinking through the whole don’t bash Labour, it’s election year thing, and that conversation will certainly affect what I write. Not because I feel that I have to shut up, but because I think that there are more important things at stake than my personal desire to speak or be heard. So not shutting up, but taking note of the people in my community and where the meeting points are. If it was just about me, I’d say what I want 😉 But if it’s about us all and how we can get along and change the govt, then I want to hear and understand what others are saying. This fits in with your point about taking on board criticism and adjusting I think.
Thanks for expanding on your comment. Obviously there is a balance to around taking up conversational space on a blog and in real life. My concern, with everything going on lately, was that you felt pressured to change your commenting style. I’m reassured that someone who produce the quality comments you do, is making a considered choice about commenting style, rather than feeling pressured to do so.
I agree that sometimes that shared causes take are more urgent than being heard on other matters. Although that requires a degree of compromise from everyone in terms of tone and subject matter, rather than suspending personal beliefs and values. As for authoring, I guess a cooperative decision for people other than me to make! I very much appreciate the content that is posted.
Yeah – me, too. I’d quite gone “off” Chris Trotter – couldn’t be bothered reading him. But it seems he’s had an epiphany – goodness knows, what’s caused it but long may it last !
What I like about Chris is that he explores an idea, he will run with it, tease it out, what if etc. Is there good in Trump, hidden, what will his chaotic practices lead to, good or bad. He may explore the good possibilities when everyone only sees the bad. Then he might pick up on some of the latest outrages and try and analyse the mind behind them.
It could be that good Labour and Green followers are busy keeping their minds honed and eyes on the road to the preferred election outcome. There isn’t time in their minds to go racketing around looking at the back doors of policies, and who goes in and what comes out. Trotter can and does act as devil’s advocate and whatever he says, someone will be thinking it. so for a week he holds a mirror up to that sector, and we understand them a bit better.
This is well put from Guerilla Surgeon in I think the 2nd to latest post, and I think touches on aspects of freedom we should hold sacred, and when, and what freedom becomes licence, and eventually may destroy.
And:
“If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.” Worth repeating.
So intolerance of intolerance is still intolerance? But still necessary for a free and open society.
Sure. But I am unlikely to be bothered remembering them. My ‘local’ is on the other side of Newton Gully from home. I often stop there on the way home from work because it is also a brewery and the beer is particularly good.
Mostly on Fridays. Same for a number of other left of centre people. Good place to argue when I have the time.
Very interesting blog by Trotter. Has he had an epiphany of sorts?
Whatever, some of what he says is little different to what some of us have been saying these past few weeks. We had our butts kicked by all and sundry in the process, but glad to have our reflections annointed by Chris Trotter. 😛
Andrew Little is not Waitakere man, miravox – nor Waitakere bloke which might be a better description of the rough-speaking brute you seem to think resides within West Auckland.
And yes, you need a sarc with such a comment, because I, for one, am getting sick and tired of the attacks (even sarcastic, or funny ones) on Andrew Little and what he is doing.
As far as I can see, with limited knowledge – just from the media (or lack of it) – he’s doing a bloddy good job as being Leader of the Labour Party and guess what – he might even lead us all to victory …… if you would all let him do it without the constant carping at him. (And by you, I mean all the posters here who think its a great sport to have a go at Andrew Little when in reality your enemy is the National Party).
We are seeing more vitriol in comments etc due to increased frustration with the status quo. I grew up in the punk years – favourite saying – eat the rich. Why did people vote brexit, trump? Frustration with the norm and the possibility/promise of change.
NZ in 2017, what are our options? More of the same or desperate rhetoric to try and shake the tree and create options.
[lprent: It took you 3 tries, but you (as a newbie) finally managed to write a comment that actually said something (anything) that I could in all conscience let through. Well done. Not that I agree with it.
Please read the about and the policy. Because of your first comment slackness you are on probation until we see a commenting pattern that doesn’t sound like it came from a pre-programmed app and instead sounds like something human. ]
Yeah, but the thing about NZ is that it’s not in the situation of the UK or the US. The enemy doesn’t look the same here. What would people be voting against? What’s the protest, fuck you vote?
That’s the problem. Heaps of so-called “middle-class” (especially in Auckland) will be feeling rich and wealthy because their fairly ordinary homes have become millionaire status, and suddenly – they don’t have to care about anyone else but themselves – just like the real rich do.
So – are all those homeless people going to vote? They won’t be able to, because they don’t have an address for their voting confirmation to be sent to……
oh, its a very clever system we have ….. need a proper address to allow real people to vote, not those who are homeless, living in a tent, or a car and who really need to be able to vote in a government which cares about them.
The f u protest I guess is Winnie at the moment. Scary.
As a green voter since they became an option, I will prob not this year, as same as labour I do not see a cohesive, strong alternative to the current status quo. Where is the leadership who will bring in say all new builds must have solar panels so help the national grid. Bring in lunches so the students we teach can focus on their futures rather than just survival?
As a newbie, after reading about and policy, I do have to ask is iprent always so rude and condescending? reminds me of an old thesis advisor keeping the academic tower ivory coloured.
Dragonz – yes he is, and you are not allowed to comment on authors or moderators, so you might not see this comment !
[we are allowed to comment on authors and moderators so long as it’s not an attack or telling us what to do.
I like how Lynn put it earlier “Trying to tell us how we should write posts or to moderate isn’t something that you are permitted to do (polite whining is accepted)”.
If you watch the moderations over time, and the conversations about them, you will see what works and what doesn’t. There are harsher moderations now because of election year – weka]
Do you mean you won’t vote? For me not voting is the same as voting for National.
Lynn isn’t always that rude. But he’s been online since the internets began and he’s got little patience for things that make running the site harder. At the moment there’s too much need for moderation, which is making us grumpy. It’s more an issue of the regulars IMO, but Lynn likes to get newbies on board fast (or they leave).
It’s worth taking the time to learn how the culture of the place works, you can do some of that by reading the moderator notes on other people’s comments, and listening to what the regulars are saying about what is going on. It does take time though, and not everyone has that. The biggies are don’t attack authors, don’t tell us what to do, and don’t talk about TS as if it’s a person or as if it belongs to Labour. If you make big claims be prepared to back them up, and if not, then express opinions rather than state facts. And if Lynn gets bolshy with you just try and look past the rudeness to see what he is saying, because it will be important.
I didn’t see your first few comments so am not sure why Lynn said what he did to you. On the face of it it looks like a bold comment in the context of a whole range of stuff going on a the moment. e.g. there are more spambots around at the moment, and it’s Lynn’s job to clean them up. And often mod notes are there for everyone to see and take notice of. I really think that people on the front end have no idea how much work is involved in running TS (or mostly they just don’t think about it).
“It is getting very unpleasant. And what is more unpleasant is to wonder what sort of government these people I refer to would welcome? I feel it isn’t one that I would.”
That’s what I was thinking earlier on. I guess I want it all, I want a change of government to a left-style government, I want NZs to receive a proper concern from government to our needs, and a proper plan and considered action to see needs met which prepares us for our harsh future. I want some tolerance for each other but lines in the sand that mean we are firm to some principles, and try to respect those who do.
The people who come here on the left seem to want this, but I still see the start of individualistic identity politics, ie thinking that what the individual wants and considers top priority is all and others can get to the back of the queue. We are going into hard times, we have to be strong ourselves yet consider others and be prepared to see they aren’t ignored or met with automatic hostility, unless they bloody well deserve it. Sentimentality won’t help us prepare for our future, problem solving will.
Trying to problem solve, and deal to the really bad, nasty, vicious in our society but give everyone a bit of the pie is what I want. No-one will ever get all they want in this present shrinking world. So understanding and resigning oneself to this new normal is essential when getting angry about distribution, allocation and unfairness of the past. We have to keep trying to be kind people, not too much because we have to be strong not sentimental, but refrain from ‘red’ anger and the hasty words that pop out. I’m being thoughtful about what we will need to impose on ourselves and on others, just to survive and conserve resources. And people won’t agree with me, be strongly against one thing I have thought. I think we will have to bring the death penalty back for people like firelighters. That particular obsession is so destructive to so many people, food and tree crops, houses and other built structures, tools and machines, that it has a worse effect than a murder.
There are so many problems around and looming, that keeping cool and kind to those who are attempting supportive, practical communities where all have a voice and a place until they are too destructive or mean to include is going to be essential.
Take for instance, Dotcom. Analyse what he did to see whether he was destructive of life for us, well no. Mean, he was making money from others’ work which is bad, so that needed rectifying. A new way of making judgments and expecting atonement, rather than administering punishment will be needed. But punishments may have to result in ensuring there is no recurrence of destructive behaviour.
A lot of people are not thinking about this century. They are still hankering for a return to the late 20th. But climate change is changing our ways for us and we have to change our thinking, holding onto what good we can, and the thinking must be concentrated. Not on political personalities, they are really distractions with their place in last century. Get with it, or we’ll be without so much we won’t know which way to turn. Think of me as crazy, in actual fact I am uncomfortably sane,
and I only let these thoughts into part of my day so I can still enjoy my life, but every now and then I hear a scientist bravely telling it like it is, perhaps weeping.
I am tucking this away in yesterday’s thread but for those who were thinking about it,
I thought I would explain myself a bit more then you can understand what is at the back of my mind when I talk about not being too hard, not being too soft, and respecting each other to a certain extent, respecting our moderators and our tech builder and facilitator Lynn. We are just entering the zone of understanding of our plight, which is being greeted with fervent denial by many, and are burdened with a political and limited-ethic system that was bad when it was introduced 30 years ago, and which is in no way ready to abandon its comfy chair. TS will help us and we must help each other, and then let what must go, we will do what we can, and then move on to a higher ground literally and figuratively.
There is an article in The Conversation, written by Jeremy P. Shapiro (Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University), about what he sees as the psychologically-based underpinnings of three main matters that seem to vex people all around the planet. The article is titled “The Thinking ...
. . Blogger Martyn Bradbury has won his case against unreasonable search and surveillance against the NZ Police; and subsequent Police attempts to produce evidence in secrecy, in a closed Court. His case highlights a disturbing growing trend in Aotearoa New Zealand for State power to be used against ...
The Committee of Disobedient Women has intercepted an email from Dr Emma Eejut, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Massey University to the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Jan Thomas. Dear Jan, Thank you for your courageous move. I think 10 pages of blether** should tie any of the students game enough to try holding ...
That's the only response to the findings of the Ombudsman's investigation into LGOIMA practices at the Christchurch City Council:My investigation identified serious concerns about the Council’s leadership and culture, and its commitment to openness and transparency. In particular, Council staff raised concerns with me about various methods employed by some ...
NZ First seems to be nakedly trying to enrich itself from public office:A powerful New Zealand First figure helped establish a forestry company that then pushed for money from two key funding streams controlled by a New Zealand First Minister. An RNZ investigation has found Brian Henry, lawyer for Winston ...
Behrouz Boochani is an award winning author and journalist. He is also a refugee, who for the past six years has been detained in Australia's offshore gulag on Manus Island, and in Papua New Guinea. But last night, with the cooperation of the WORD Christchurch festival and Amnesty International, he ...
Different Strokes: If a multicultural immigration policy imposes no obligation on immigrant communities to acknowledge and ultimately embrace their host nation’s most cherished traditions and values, then how is that nation to prevent itself from being reduced to a collection of inward-looking and self-replicating ethnic and cultural enclaves?THE COALITION GOVERNMENT’S ...
Protective Zone: Reading the rules and guidelines released by Massey University, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that its governing body considers the whole concept of free speech a disruptive threat to the orderly imparting of orthodox academic knowledge.IN TRUE ORWELLIAN fashion, Massey University has announced its commitment to ...
Farmers held a hate-march on Parliament today, complete with MAGA hats, gun-nut signs, and gendered insults. While supposedly about a grab-bag of issues - including, weirdly, mental health - it was clear that the protest was about one thing, and one thing only: climate change. And specifically, forestry "destroying" rural ...
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security released their annual report today, and I've been busy reading through it. In amongst the usual review of what they've been doing all year, there's a few interesting bits. For example, a discussion on "agency retention and disposal of information", which points out that ...
Recently more than 150 post-graduate students and young scientists presented an open letter to the Green Party via The Spinoff, encouraging them to reconsider their position on genetic modification. Their target is tackling climate change issues.[1] Can any party continue to be dismissive about genetic modification (GM) contributing to ...
by Deirdre O’Neill Under Thatcher and then Blair and continuing up until our contemporary moment, the working class has seen its culture slowly and progressively destroyed. The change from an industrial society to a service society produced a marked shift in focus from the working class as the backbone of ...
Since 2013, the Australian government has detained refugees without trial in Pacific gulags, where they are abused, tortured, and driven to suicide. The policy is not just an abuse of human rights and possible crime against humanity; it has also had a corrosive effect on the states Australia uses as ...
It seems fair to say that we currently live in a problematic political moment in world history. Democracies are in decline and dictatorships are on the rise. Primordial, sectarian and post-modern divisions have re-emerged, are on the rise or have been accentuated by political evolutions of the moment such as ...
Last month, Greenpeace head Russel Norman surrendered his speaking slot at an EPA conference to student climate activist Sorcha Carr, who told the EPA exactly what she thought of them. It was a bold move, which confronted both regulators and polluters (or, as the EPA calls them, "stakeholders") with the ...
The core principle supposedly underlying New Zealand's electoral finance regime is transparency: parties can accept large donations from rich people wanting to buy policy, but only if they tell the public they've been bought. Most parties abide by this, so we know that TOP was wholly-owned by Gareth Morgan, and ...
Today is a Member's Day, probably the second-to-last one of the year, and its a big one, with the Third Reading of David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill. last Member's Day it was reported back from committee, after MPs voted narrowly to make it subject to a (rules TBA) ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzThe growth of the human population over the last 70 ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women In her excellent oral submission to the Abortion reform select committee on 31st October on behalf of Otago University’s Department of Public Health, historian and public health researcher Hera Cook stated: “We would ask that the committee not use the term ‘pregnant persons’ and ...
by Don Franks In 1957, E M Forster wrote, of his greatest work: “The India described in ‘A Passage to India’ no longer exists either politically or socially. Change had begun even at the time the book was published ( 1924) and during the following quarter of a century it ...
The Referendums Framework Bill was due back from select committee today. But there's no report on it. Instead, the bill has been bounced back to the House under Standing order 29593) because the Committee didn't bother to produce one. They probably tried. But given the membership of the committee (which ...
Two years into New Zealand’s Labour-led government, the long-delayed Zero Carbon Bill became law on 7 November. Passed essentially unanimously, the lengthy public debates and political manoeuvring faded away until the final passage was even anticlimactic: Flipping through the @nzstuff@DomPost I was starting to wonder if I’d dreamt ...
Now the Zero Carbon Bill is law, what's next? Obviously, the ETS changes currently before select committee are going to be the next battleground. But we're also going to get a good idea of where we're going, and if the progress the Zero Carbon Act promises is good enough, during ...
Grant PearceThe effects of the current Australian bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland (and also again in California) are devastating and far-reaching. To date, the fires have resulted in several lives being lost and many homes and properties destroyed. Here in New Zealand, the impacts have been only ...
A passing comment in a post the other day about the labour force participation rates of older people prompted me to pull down the fuller data and see what we could see about various participation rates over the decades since the HLFS began in 1986. As it happens, the ...
Distract And Divert: The rise of what we have come to call “Identity Politics” represents the ideological manifestation of the ruling class’s objective need to destroy class politics, and of the middle-class’s subjective need to justify their participation in the process.THE RELIEF of the ruling class can only be imagined. ...
"I saw a newspaper picture,From the political campaignA woman was kissing a child,Who was obviously in pain.She spills with compassion,As that young child'sFace in her hands she gripsCan you imagine all that greed and avariceComing down on that child's lips?" ...
Dr Matt Boyd, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick WilsonThe Global Health Security Index which considers pandemic threats has just been published. Unfortunately, NZ scores approximately half marks (54/100), coming in 35th in the world rankings – far behind Australia. This poor result suggests that the NZ Government needs to ...
The Zero Carbon Act is inadequate, with a weak methane target designed to give farmers a free ride. But it turns out it could have been worse: Climate Change Minister James Shaw was so desperate to get National on board, he wanted to gut that target, and leave it in ...
The Herald reprints an Australian story on a couple of tragic deaths in Bali from drinking cocktails that had methanol in them. The story argues that methanol is likely the result of home distillation. But what the young tourists were experiencing was far from a hangover. They’d consumed a toxic cocktail ...
Last month, the police announced a trial of specialist roaming armed units, which would drive round (poor, brown) areas in armoured SUVs, armed to the teeth. When they announced the trial, they told us it was about having armed police "ready to attend major incidents at any time if needed". ...
Spain went to the polls today in the second elections this year, after the Socialists (who had come to power in a confidence vote, then gone to the polls in April) rejected the offer of a coalition with the left-wing PoDemos, and instead decided to gamble n a better outcome ...
A couple of days ago I attended (and spoke at) the University of Waikato’s “LearnFest” event. There were lots of talks and sessions on very diverse aspects of teaching, mostly at tertiary level. One was by Myra Williamson from Te Piringa Faculty of Law here at Waikato, on Contract Cheating ...
There will be a transit of Mercury – the planet Mercury will pass across the face of the Sun – taking place at sunrise in New Zealand on Tuesday, 12th November. It was by observing such an event 250 years ago that James Cook and his scientist colleagues were able ...
Since becoming the world’s first openly transexual mayor and member of parliament, Georgina Beyer has been recognised as a trailblazer for trans rights. Daphna Whitmore talks with her about where she sees the current trans movement We start out talking about legislation the government put on hold that would have ...
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ...
National Messiah? Chris Luxon identifies himself as an evangelical Christian. If he is genuine in this self-characterisation, then he will take every opportunity his public office provides to proselytise on behalf of his faith. He will also feel obliged to bear witness against beliefs and practices he believes to be ...
I'm going to make a Reckless Prediction™ that the Tories have 'topped out' in the 'poll of polls' / Britain Elects multipoll tracker at about 38%, and in the next week we will start to see Labour creep up on them.In fact, we might just be seeing the start of ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Lizzie Marvelly: “I may have missed this… has @afterellen gone all terf-y? Or am I reading something incorrectly? “ https://twitter.com/LizzieMarvelly/status/1191840059105742849 After Ellen is a lesbian website that is unashamedly pro-lesbian, as you’d expect. So why is Ms Marvelly so bothered about lesbians having their ...
Did you know there once was a time when it was illegal to be a gypsy (aka Romani) in Britain?That was between 1530, when the Egyptians Act was passed, and 1856, when it was repealed.Amongst other things, the act forbade the entry of 'Egyptians' into England, ordered those already there ...
Some days I sit and think, “what will I write…?” What do you say when you get to 1000 posts? Maybe you just start where you are, diverge to where this all began, then offer a collection of reader’s favourite posts, and a few of your own? (And throw in ...
Counter-Puncher: The “activists” and “radicals” (his own words) from the Indian community who took such strong exception to Shane Jones’ remarks about Immigration NZ’s treatment of arranged marriages, may end up bitterly regretting their intervention. Jones is not the sort of person who turns the other cheek to his critics.SHANE ...
In the spirit of Remember, remember the fifth of November, let's keep this in mind FOREVER.
Oh dear. Extraordinary interview on PM with Andrew Bridgen and @EvanHD just now. Bridgen was defending Jacob Rees Mogg’s Grenfell comments. Evan asked him if JRM had meant to say he would have left ...
Collision Course? In conditions of ideological white-out, the international bankers’ “Woop-Woop! Pull Up!” warning may have come too late to save global capitalism.WHAT DOES IT MEAN when international bankers are more willing to embrace radical solutions than our politicians and their electors? At both the International Monetary Fund and the ...
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a conundrum. It is a disease that was described hundreds of years ago and the bacteria that causes it (Bordetella pertussis) isolated in 1906. We have had vaccines for about 80 years but this disease is defiant in the face of human immunity. I wanted to ...
The Zero Carbon Bill has just passed its third reading, uanimously. In the end, National supported it - but we all know they'll turn around and gut it the moment they regain power. Meanwhile, I guess ACT's David Seymour didn't even bother to show up. I am on record as ...
Dr Lindsay Robertson, Dr Jerram Bateman, Professor Janet HoekMembers of the public health community hold divergent views on how access to vaping products or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products should be arranged. Some believe ENDS should be as widely available as smoked tobacco and argue for liberal ...
When the Police were trying to cover up for the National Party over Dirty Politics, they went all-in with their abuses of power. They illegally search Nicky Hager's house, violating his journalistic privilege and invading his privacy. They unlawfully acquired Hager's bank records. They did the same to left-wing blogger ...
Last month, in response to a wave of protests by Extinction Rebellion, the British government purported to ban their protests from the whole of London. It was a significant interference with the freedoms of expression and assembly, and another sign of the country's decline into tyranny. But now, a court ...
Last year, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security reported on significant problems with the intelligence warrant system. While they were unwilling to declare any warrant "irregular" (meaning unlawful) due to the recent law change, they were also not willing to give the system a clean bill of health. Now, they've ...
The National Party has come out in support of encouraging greater vaccination uptake. But it sure isn’t the way I’d do it. National’s suggested docking the benefits of those on benefit whose kids aren’t keeping up with their vaccinations. Some in National have suggested extending that to payments under Working ...
Feeding The Flames: It is simply not enough to demand an end to “corruption”, or “inequality”, or the overbearing influence of the authorities in Beijing. These are just “lowest common denominator” demands: the sort of slogans that pull people onto the streets. They are not a plan.WHERE’S THE PLAN? Across ...
The labour market statistics have been released, and unemployment has risen to 4.2%. There are 115,000 unemployed - 11,000 fewer than when Labour took office. In that time the minimum wage has gone up by $2 an hour, which shows that the right's fears about increases causing unemployment are simply ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has called for submissions on Andrew Little's tyrannicalTerrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill. Normally I encourage participation in the democratic process. I am not doing so in this case. Instead, I encourage all of you to boycott this submissions process, and to post ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzIf tiny concentrations of carbon dioxide can hold enough heat ...
Aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and within it, one of the fastest sources is elite travel: billionaires flitting around the world in their private jets, spewing excessive pollution into the atmosphere just so they can avoid mixing with us dirty peasants. But in ...
That's what we face if we don't stop climate change, according to a warning from 11,000 scientists:The world’s people face “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless there are major transformations to global society, according to a stark warning from more than 11,000 scientists. “We declare clearly and unequivocally ...
by Phil Duncan Here’s just a few of the kind of threats issued day in and day out against gender-critical women – feminists, marxists, etc – overwhelmingly by MEN (albeit men identifying as women). “Kill all Terfs”. “Shoot a Terf today”. “All terfs deserve to be shot in the head”. ...
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Tom MooreTraditionally a food source and cutting tool, freshwater mussels/kākahi are now widely valued as water filters that help clean our waterbodies and maintain ecosystem health throughout Aotearoa. The improvement they provide in water quality can make it easier for other animals to live in streams and rivers, as ...
And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…Installation complete: this was nothing ...
The Zero Carbon Bill is back in the House today for its second reading. While this isn't the final stage, its still effectively D-Day for the bill. Because today, at around 5pm, is when we're going to find out if it has a majority, whether National will support it or ...
Winston Peters is in court today, suing a bunch of former Minister and civil servants over their pre-election leak of his superannuation repayment. He's characterised the leak as malicious, and said that it is repugnant that his information was passed on to Ministers to use for political advantage. And he's ...
Murray CoxDo I have to finish my favourite genome? That’s an often-asked question. Geneticists generally strive to produce high-quality genomes that sequence every last gene, making full use of the state-of-the-art technologies coming on stream. Sequencing DNA means determining the order of the four chemical building blocks – called ...
Transformative Politics: The idea is to turn each recipient into an unwitting accomplice in their own transformation. From interested observer to hyped-up activist, sharing our messages promiscuously with ‘friends’. You’ll be part of an ever-expanding circulatory system, Jennifer, for the ideas that will win us the election.”JENNIFER SKITTERED her chair ...
The boycott is a fundamental tool of protest. By choosing who we buy from, we can send a message, and hopefully change corporate behaviour. Historically, boycotts have been effective, for example over apartheid in South Africa and Israel, in forcing divestment from Myanmar, and in ending bus segregation in the ...
Jan Rivers spoke at the Abortion Legislation Select Committee in favour of the bill, but in opposition to calls from other submitters to exchange the word ‘woman’ for ‘person’ throughout the bill. Jan is a supporter of the feminist group Speak Up For Women and has recently written an excellent ...
I checked my traffic stats:I was intrigued by 'monica29' - who was this very dedicated individual? I clicked on the link, to be greeted with ...Ho, hum.Spreadin' the word, spreadin' the word. Doesn't matter who hears it, as long as it gets out there. ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First backs the public to decide on the End of Life Choice Bill via a referendum at the 2020 General Election. The Bill, with New Zealand First’s referendum provision incorporated, passed its final reading in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Justice New Zealand First is proud that a key Coalition Agreement commitment which will provide for a more transparent and effective criminal justice system has been realised. Legislation to establish the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body focused on identifying and responding to possible miscarriages of ...
"Today we have made a choice that will leave a legacy... I hope that means that future generations will see that we, in New Zealand, were on the right side of history." - Jacinda Ardern, Third Reading of the Zero Carbon Bill ...
Darroch Ball, New Zealand First List MP A Member’s bill has been proposed that would provide income tax exemptions for all New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel while on operational deployment overseas. The Income Tax (Exemption for Salary or Wages of NZDF Members on Active Deployment) Amendment Bill proposed by New Zealand First ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have brought common sense to the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill, which passed its final reading in Parliament today. Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says months of hard work went into negotiating a balanced ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First has listened to calls to recognise paramedics as registered health professionals under the Health Practitioners’ Competence Assurance Act (the Act).Today, the Coalition Government announced plans for paramedics to be registered as health practitioners under the Act, and the establishment of a ...
We began the week by commemorating the New Zealand Wars and celebrating a major increase in the number of teachers. Then, we were busy supporting offenders into work and getting our rail back on track after years of underinvestment. And that's just the start! ...
In October I was sworn in as the Mayor of Lower Hutt.It’s the privilege of my life to serve Hutt people as their Mayor. There is something really special to be able to serve the community where I was raised, and where I live. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters met with Korea Racing Authority Chairperson Nak Soon Kim in Seoul today to discuss closer cooperation between the New Zealand and Korean horse racing industries. As part of the visit to the Seoul Racecourse, Mr Peters witnessed ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10 million to establish Otago as the centre of New Zealand’s creative digital industry over the next ten years, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “The initiative will bring us closer to the vision of ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)’s skills and employment programme will help young Otago people into long-term forestry careers, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Te Ara Mahi will invest $63,000 in the 2020 school year to support eight 17 and 18 ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will support local plans to revitalise and stimulate economic development opportunities in Otago, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The four Regional Economic Development Ministers have approved an in-principle investment of $19.9 million towards the region’s ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is pleased to have received the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report on the Coalition Government’s Mycoplasma bovis eradication efforts, which shows significant progress in the fight against the disease. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, says the report’s findings ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon David Parker, Minister for Trade and Export Growth The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing to support economic growth opportunities for Otago’s engineering and manufacturing sectors, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Trade and Export Minister David Parker announced today. Almost $20 million ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, discussed in Seoul today opportunities to work more closely in the Pacific and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Mr Peters and Minister Kang confirmed New Zealand and the ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Māori Development The three marae in the historic Parihaka Pa complex in Taranaki have been upgraded to high speed broadband with the support of the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Connecting the ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence Minister of Defence Ron Mark will today launch the Advancing Pacific Partnerships 2019 Defence Assessment during a speech at Te Papa. The Assessment outlines how Defence will partner with our Pacific Island neighbours and invest in Pacific regional security architecture. The Plan aligns with the Coalition ...
A new Provincial Growth Fund investment could create about 80 new jobs in Gisborne over the next two years, turning a local small business into a “beacon of employment” in the process. Regional Economic Development Parliamentary Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau said the PGF’s Te Ara Mahi funding stream would provide $1.6m ...
The Government is asking the food industry to step up work to tackle obesity including reducing sugar, fat and salt in their products, better information for consumers, and tighter restrictions on advertising to children. Health Minister David Clark and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor have responded to a ...
ew, modern emergency department and outpatient facilities at Queenstown’s Lakes District Hospital mean better emergency care for the growing tourist mecca’s visitors and locals, says Health Minister David Clark. Today Dr Clark officially opened the hospital’s redeveloped Emergency Department and Outpatient facilities. The new facilities include: • An extended Emergency Department ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter says today’s release of sexual and reproductive health data reinforces the significance of the Government’s commitment to providing free or very low-cost contraception. The Ministry of Health today published statistics from the Ministry of Health’s 2014/15 Health Survey. “It is important people can make ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced that at the request of the Samoan Government, New Zealand will be providing further support to Samoa as it faces a worsening measles outbreak. “In response to a request from the people of Samoa, New Zealand is providing 3000 measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) ...
“The new Disability Action Plan 2019–2023 moves us towards the inclusive and accessible New Zealand that this government has committed to,” Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni announced today. “The Action Plan was designed by disabled people, their family and supporters, the disability sector and government agencies. It will ensure ...
Third Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting 14 November 2019 Joint Statement 1. Defence Ministers Ron Mark and Dr Ng Eng Hen today conducted their third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore. 2. Building on the Enhanced Partnership signed between both countries in May this year, this annual meeting ...
A Bill to improve the court system’s response to sexual violence has passed its first reading in Parliament today. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Sexual Violence Legislation Bill will reduce the trauma sexual violence complainants experience in court, while maintaining defendants’ fundamental rights and making sure the trial process ...
Streamlined payment practices are a step closer for Kiwi businesses with the formal launch of New Zealand’s e-Invoicing framework. Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says the government has now established the structure to enable automated and direct data exchange between the accounting systems of buyers and sellers. “The move to ...
Another 51 quarantine officers and four new biosecurity detector dog teams will help protect New Zealand from invasive pests and diseases this summer, says Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. “The Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity system and support our valuable primary sector “New Zealand’s flora, fauna ...
A new report has found New Zealand’s space sector contributed $1.69 billion to the economy in the last financial year and employs 12,000 people, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. The report by Deloitte was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and shows New Zealand ...
Judge Coral Shaw has been appointed as the new Chair of the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. "Judge Shaw, who is currently one of the inquiry commissioners, is extremely well qualified for the ...
The Government has confirmed its third major mental health facility upgrade since the Budget, this time at Palmerston North Hospital. The Prime Minister and Health Minister today visited MidCentral DHB to announce that $30 million has been allocated to upgrade its acute mental health facility. It follows earlier announcements in ...
The roll out of the National Bowel Screening Programme has reached the halfway mark, with 10 out of 20 District Health Boards now part of the programme. MidCentral DHB, which covers Palmerston North, Manawatu and surrounding districts, this week became the latest to DHB to offer free bowel screening to ...
The Government welcomes PHARMAC’s decision to fund a vaccine to protect young people from meningococcal disease from 1 December this year. “Meningococcal disease is a serious threat which people at higher risk should be protected from,” says Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter. “The combined pharmaceutical budget was increased by ...
Groups involved with innovative fisheries research projects are encouraged to apply for government support in the latest funding round from the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures programme. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash says the SFF Futures funding is designed to be flexible enough to support small or large projects across a ...
The Government has fixed an issue affecting how Immigration New Zealand has processed visa applications for culturally arranged marriages, which will now see a consistent process applied which ensures people with legitimate arranged marriages can visit New Zealand while also preventing any rorting of the system. Earlier this year Immigration ...
The Royal Commission into the Attacks on Christchurch Mosques will report back on 30 April 2020 to give it more time to hear submissions and consider information, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Royal Commission was originally scheduled to report back to Government by 10 December 2019. “There has ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington DC today to attend a ministerial meeting focused on defeating ISIS, and to continue pursuing New Zealand’s trade opportunities. Mr Peters will participate in a meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers from key countries contributing to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. ...
The recently crowned Bird of the Year, the hoiho/yellow eyed penguin, is getting a much needed helping hand alongside more than 168 other community conservation projects announced Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage today. 168 community conservation projects throughout New Zealand are benefiting from $8 million in government grants, including $500,000 ...
Controls on assault rifles and semi-automatic firearms are to be broadened to include some types of pistols, under changes to a bill currently making its way through Parliament. Police Minister Stuart Nash has tabled a Supplementary Order Paper to the Arms Legislation Bill, which is currently before a Select Committee ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark will travel to Singapore today to conduct a counterpart visit and to co-chair the third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting with his counterpart, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. “Singapore is one of our most important defence partners in the region, and our ...
Nelson’s Salisbury School is to be rebuilt, creating a modern and suitable learning environment for students at the residential special school, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The school for girls aged 8-15, in Richmond, was earmarked for closure by National until the process ...
The panel undertaking a comprehensive review of the Resource Management Act has identified the main issues to be addressed and options for reform and is calling for feedback to inform its final report. In July the Government announced the comprehensive review of the resource management system, including the RMA - ...
An important safety valve has been added to New Zealand’s criminal justice system with the third reading of the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill today. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “We’ve seen how our justice system can very occasionally get things spectacularly wrong, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters welcomes the tabling of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) 2019 Annual Report in Parliament today. He says the 2019 Annual Report marks the point when New Zealand’s racing industry’s decline was arrested and a turnaround started. RITA’s 2019 Annual Report recorded an industry net profit ...
The New Zealand Government is today sending 21 firefighters to help fight the ongoing catastrophic Australian bushfires. “The fires in Australia are in some of the toughest, most challenging conditions ever,” says Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin. “As of yesterday morning, there were 100 active bushfire-related incidents across Queensland and ...
More frontline support for schools through a new education agency, as part of a redesigned Ministry of Education More support for principals and school boards including through a new centre of leadership and local leadership advisor roles New independent disputes panels for parents and students Management of school property ...
The Government’s reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system is a watershed moment in education and an opportunity to create meaningful change for ākonga Māori and their whānau, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said today. “Last year through Kōrero Mātauranga | Education Conversation, Māori teachers, parents, ākonga, whānau, hapū and iwi ...
Infrastructure Minister is welcoming the first of many updated project pipelines from the newly established New Zealand Infrastructure Commission today. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, has released an expanded pipeline of major capital projects – another crucial step towards delivering better infrastructure outcomes. “The first iteration of the ...
Tougher gun laws designed to improve public safety through firearms prohibition orders are proposed in a new document released for public input. Police Minister Stuart Nash says firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) would give new powers to Police to ensure high-risk individuals come nowhere near firearms. “We have already prohibited the ...
Andy Coupe has been confirmed as TVNZ’s new Board Chair. “Mr Coupe has strong commercial and capital markets experience and TVNZ has benefited from his technical knowledge of business and finance, as well as his extensive governance experience,” the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Kris Faafoi said. Andy ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today officially opened a separated pathway, following the completion of the Kaiwharawhara Stream bridge, which will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along Hutt Road. The $6.8m Hutt Road project provides a separated path for cycling and pedestrians, the replacement of informal parking ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of career diplomat Si’alei van Toor as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Russia. “I’m pleased to appoint Ms van Toor to this position. She brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously served as Senior Trade Adviser to the ...
The Treasury’s 2019 Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) will be released on Wednesday December 11, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Coalition Government will publish the 2020 Budget Policy Statement at the same time, outlining the priorities for Budget 2020. Further details on arrangements for the release will ...
A new initiative to better support small businesses through hands-on mentoring and advice has been launched by the Minister for Small Business. The first event in the Kiwi Business Boost series of regional workshops and online tools has been launched in Wairoa by Stuart Nash. “The Business Boost initiative combines ...
The latest Quarterly Connectivity Report shows that more and more New Zealanders are moving to Ultra-fast Broadband (UFB), with Rolleston having the highest uptake at 74 per cent, as at the end of September. “This means that nearly three quarters of Rolleston’s households and businesses have moved to ultra-fast services. ...
The passing of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill will help ensure a safe planet for our kids and grandkids, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw said today. The landmark legislation which provides a framework to support New Zealanders to prepare for, and adapt to, the effects ...
The review of Oranga Tamariki practice around the planned uplift of a Hastings baby in May shows significant failings by the Ministry and that the planned and funded changes to shift from a child crisis service to a proper care and protection service need to be accelerated, Children’s Minister Tracey ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins has wished students the best of luck for this year’s NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams which start tomorrow. Around 140,000 students will have participated in 119 NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams by the end of the exam period on 3 December. “I want to ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of Bede Corry as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. “The appointment of a senior diplomat to this important role underlines the significance New Zealand places on our relationship with the United Kingdom,” said Mr Peters. “The United ...
An easy, flavour-packed noodle recipe from Bounty – Cooking With Vegetables, the new cookbook from national food education charity the Garden to Table Trust.The fresh flavours of these noodles are less complex than many Thai dishes, as the simple spice paste uses just a few ingredients. If you’d rather not ...
Part 2: In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department explains what ministers should be told by public servants ...
In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department summarises our governing arrangements. ...
With the 2020 cannabis referendum fast approaching, New Zealanders have a unique opportunity to let the government know what they want from drug reform. It will then be up to our policy makers to decide whether drug reform will focus on changing outcomes for those struggling under historically racist policy.By ...
It breaks my heart to think of young queer and trans people seeing this sign, and thinking there are no spaces where they will ever belong, writes Hadassah Grace. The first time I ventured into a gay bar, I vowed never to go back.It was a vulnerable time in my life. ...
It breaks my heart to think of young queer and trans people seeing this sign, and thinking there are no spaces where they will ever belong, writes Hadassah Grace. The first time I ventured into a gay bar, I vowed never to go back.It was a vulnerable time in my life. ...
Hayden Donnell looks for inspiration and innovation on how to house the city’s future.Auckland Council’s Unitary Plan has enabled a building boom. More than 14,600 building consents were issued in the city in the year to September. Despite that, houses remain extremely expensive and out-of-reach for many first home buyers. ...
Simon Shepherd: David Seymour's euthanasia bill passed this week, and next week he will be putting the finishing touches on his next bill. Is he just a very hard-working politician or is this the longest one-person election campaign known to mankind? ...
Simon Shepherd: It's Transgender Awareness Week, the same week a feminist group, Speak Up For Women, has brought Megan Murphy from Canada to speak in New Zealand. Murphy is a radical feminist who believes trans women aren't women, views that have ...
As a follow-up to our post about police station office hours for the public and in the cause of balance, we bring positive news – or rather, we are passing on the positive news which the police delivered in a press statement, It’s all about the productivity gains achieved – it ...
Books editor Catherine Woulfe follows Wellington author Lawrence Patchett into his extraordinary story of heat and humanity and history repeating. The Burning River begins like the best kind of yarn. “Someone had been there. Someone strange. In the centre of his camp, a new circle of sooted rocks. A campfire, with ...
SPECIAL REPORT: By Philip Cass in BrisbaneMelanesian Media Freedom Forum – Day two –The second day of the Melanesian Media Freedom Forum began with praise for the work of young Pacific journalists by Professor David Robie and ended with a warning that threats to journalism in the ...
In this special episode of The Real Pod, brought to you by Nando’s, we chat to the champions of My Restaurant Rules NZ 2019.In the afterglow of Rustic Kitchen’s historic win on My Restaurant Rules NZ, Duncan and Alex got on the blower with Tyson and Denise. Then we forgot ...
Hannah Kronast attends a women’s empowerment panel focused on the huge disparities in training and employment within science and technology. In the far back left-hand corner of a women’s equality and empowerment event, a male stuck up his hand. “What can men do to help?” he asked.It was at a panel ...
Our recent Spinoff Art survey provided a snapshot on gender equality in the local art scene, but it wasn’t the full story. Anna Knox continues the conversation by asking some gallery owners and directors for their responses to our findings.The Spinoff’s survey of gender bias in visual arts found that ...
Based on their study of trans wellbeing Aotearoa, the research team at Counting Ourselves find six data points that highlight the strength of our trans and non-binary community.Last month the first comprehensive national survey on transgender health and wellbeing in Aotearoa was published by the academics and researchers at Counting ...
The SpinoffBy Dr Jaimie Veale, Jack Byrne and Ahi Wi-Hongi
Ten thousand years ago, roasted hares and figs were flat-layed on Levantine flax leaves. Now, we drape prosciutto over strawberries on computer desks. Josie Adams mourns the death of the platter.Three days ago I stumbled on an accidental recreation of a 1950s platter: a giant ham, a cake that was ...
India’s decision not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership promoted by China is politically significant. But its impact on trade and prosperity is more nuanced, as Bloomberg explains.It avoids some market opening on both sides (India to agriculture; others to services) that would have been economically beneficial. But ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]University of Canberra Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoff Crisp discusses the the week in politics the government’s response to the bush fires as well as the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action. They also talk about ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The proposed acquisition of infant formula producer Bellamy’s Australia Ltd by China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited has been given approval by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Strict, legally enforceable conditions, have been set by the treasurer, which ...
The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) is condemning the All Saints Day evening raid on 31 October. With the arrest of over 60 union organisers, human rights defenders and activists in the Philippines province of Negros. The 16th of November is an international ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Assistant professor, University of Canberra What’s happening? Suddenly, at the level of central banks, Australia is regarded as an investment risk. On Wednesday Martin Flodén, the deputy governor of Sweden’s central bank, announced that because Australia and Canada were “not ...
SPECIAL REPORT: By Philip Cass in Brisbane Opening session – Day OneThe problems of operating in the Pacific and the impact of online news and the emergence of ‘citizen journalists’ were common concerns for all delegates to this week’s Melanesian Media Freedom Forum.The forum, held at Griffith ...
Standoff between protesters and the police at Yeung Uk Road, Hong Kong. Image by Studio Incendo – 20190825 Tsuen Wan March. CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81751531.The recent surge in social protests world-wide is quantitatively and qualitatively different than in previous ages. The advent of individualised mass communications technologies and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is going to start asking internet service providers to block certain offshore gambling websites. The decision follows former New South Wales premier ...
The Zero Carbon Act (ZCA) is over a week old, but it’s still being heavily debated and analysed. After all, depending on who you listen to, it’s the most significant new law of the year, of this Government, or even of some people’s lifetime. And it deals with a giant ...
Green MP and refugee Golriz Ghahraman was there last night when the former Manus Island detainee and acclaimed writer arrived in New Zealand.Last night, quietly and without fanfare a small group made up of human rights activists, literary folk, and just two journalists, came together at Auckland Airport to welcome ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra D’urso, Researcher, The Australian Centre, University of Melbourne To perform an exit is not as simple as it sounds. In fact, exiting a situation can be almost impossible for some. Exit Strategies is a new production by indie performer and theatre ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niro Kandasamy, Tutor, University of Melbourne Sri Lanka’s presidential election on Saturday comes at a critical time for the country. The government has been in turmoil since President Maithripala Sirisena sacked the prime minister last year and replaced him with former strongman ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Hansen, Chief of Staff, The Conversation If you have kids, chances are you’ve worried about their presence on social media. Who are they talking to? What are they posting? Are they being bullied? Do they spend too much time on it? ...
New Zealand Police has won a prestigious World Class Policing Award for its ‘more street than station approach’ Mobility programme, which has saved millions of hours of officers’ time. ...
SEA-Unite SkyCity workers are expected to strike this weekend after 50 called in sick with symptoms linked to smoke inhalation from the convention centre fire. ...
In a powerful rebuff to critics who question whether the prime minister is willing to use her political capital, this morning she powerfully demonstrated her commitment to New Zealand culture.For two years, my professional life has been devoted to winning respect for the lowbrow, beaten-up, off-brand artefacts that truly define ...
MPs and staffers will likely begin moving out of their Bowen House offices over the next six months, so the building can undergo earthquake strengthening work. ...
The party that sold off the BNZ, NZ Rail, Petrocorp, Postbank, the Shipping Corporation, Air New Zealand, the State Insurance Office, the Tourist Hotel Corporation and a host of other New Zealand assets is at it again – with the assistance of its coalition ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trent Penman, Associate professor, University of Melbourne As sure as night follows day, this week’s bushfires prompted inevitable debate about whether fire authorities should have carried out more hazard reduction burning, and whether opposition from conservationists prevented this. There are two key ...
A new poem by writer and performer Freya Daly Sadgrove.TURDUCKEN I blow my body around like the huge clump of brown hairthat I once saw blowing up Cuba StreetI follow its movements with interestI put a video of it on the internet my favourite bragis that a groundskeeper ...
PHARMAC has backed down on a controversial drug brand switch affecting patients with epilepsy and mental health conditions after three people died following the change. ...
Tara Ward reviews Goodnight Kiwi, a new series that features well-known New Zealanders reading bedtime stories to kids. It’s strange to think that New Zealand television wasn’t always the 24-hour, infomercial-tastic extravangza that it is today. Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, our televisions used to go dark every night at ...
FIRST Union members at Countdown have ratified a new agreement that will set their supermarket team on a path towards a living wage, and significantly raise the pay of 15,000 workers across the country. ...
13 moments that prove the music awards are so much > than all other award showsBENEE cleaned up, every performance was somewhere between an eight and a ten, there was an unfeasible quantity of award presenter awkwardness and many nights ended very late. The music awards are over 50 and ...
While the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights Commission are examining whether New Zealand laws properly balance the issues of freedom of speech and hate speech (whatever that might be), taxpayers are helping to finance Chinese propaganda. Hateful propaganda, we suggest. The Screen Production Grant has handed a $243,000 subsidy to a ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Media Peter Thompson (Stuff): A new model for public media – but have the old ...
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 Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout (Viking Penguin $35)“Olive struggles to figure herself out, and has an urgent ...
After more than seven months of trying to end a tenancy to protect neighbours, a Rotorua property manager has finally received approval from the High Court to end the tenancy. ...
We agree with the Ombudsman Peter Boshier in his new report on councils QUOTE ; “leaders, officials lack of action to "ensure an approach is adopted that is consistent with openness and transparency" Un-quote. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1911/S00186/chief-ombudsman-new-report-wakeup-call-for-council-leaders.htm ...
Māori food systems are rich with potential, and whānau-based food producers across the country are looking to traditional ways to ensure their communities thrive in the future. Alice Neville reports from the Eat New Zealand Food Hui.In recent years there has been much talk – in food business, hospitality, tourism ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) commends the Government’s proposal to take school zoning responsibilities out of the hands of school boards and principals and instead have these taken up by a new Education Service Agency. ...
SINGAPORE, Nov 15, 2019 - (ACN Newswire) - Global BioLife Inc, the U.S. subsidiary of Singapore eDevelopment Ltd (SeD), will present its 3F Antimicrobial Fragrance as a new method to prevent and treat Tuberculosis at the ASM Biothreats Conference, ...
The National Party is calling for the Auditor General to investigate a bid for tax payer money made by a forestry company set up by a senior New Zealand First figure; and an award-winning author detained on Manus Island by Australia for six years has touched down in Auckland ...
Responding to news that the Screen Production Grant handed a $243,000 subsidy to a propaganda film produced by Chinese state-owned enterprises, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Louis Houlbrooke says: “Taxpayers have all been made complicit ...
The campaign to take more colour coded bins into the regions has been developed by The Packaging Forum which promotes recycling under the Government’s Love NZ brand and The Auckland Litter Prevention Steering Group which manages the Be a Tidy Kiwi ...
Shane Jones calls protesting farmers 'rednecks' following rowdy march on Parliament; and top council staff 'manipulated' reports to hide bad news from councillors and public. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodie Bradby, Professor of Physics, Australian National University There’s a lot of uncertainty in a research career. Most funding – and most jobs – are doled out by the project, or in chunks of a few years at a time. Recently, however, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wanning Sun, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of Technology Sydney The Australian government has indicated that “diaspora communities” are crucial to Australia’s public diplomacy mission to promote the country abroad. It has also identified online and social media as essential ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bright, Senior Lecturer of Addiction, Edith Cowan University For many parents whose teenage children are completing Year 12, this time of year means mixed emotions. Parents might feel proud, exhausted and excited. And as young people start heading to schoolies and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heiko Timmers, Associate Professor of Physics, School of Science, UNSW Canberra, UNSW Much is made of the “next generation” of nuclear reactors in the debate over nuclear power in Australia. They are touted as safer than older reactors, and suitable for helping ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fran Gale, Senior Lecturer, Social Work and Community Welfare, School of Social Science and Psychology, Western Sydney University Children are too rarely asked their perspectives on public spaces. Traditionally, adults make choices for children, particularly about how they live and play. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW What do a billionaire, a former vice president, and a US democratic socialist have to do with Australia’s nearly three-decade run of economic growth? More than you might think. The race for the Democratic Party’s 2020 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lydia Edwards, Fashion historian, Edith Cowan University Eyebrows can turn a smile into a leer, a grumpy pout into a come hither beckoning, and sad, downturned lips into a comedic grimace. So, it’s little wonder these communicative markers of facial punctuation have ...
The rules around use of parliamentary TV are set to be liberalised and MPs will no longer have to give permissions for clips of them to be used in political advertising. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When five former fire chiefs held a news conference on Thursday to urge the federal government to take more action on climate change, it was a challenging moment for Scott Morrison. Those who fronted the ...
A powerful New Zealand First figure helped establish a forestry company that then pushed for money from two key funding streams controlled by a New Zealand First Minister. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Farmers square off with Shane Jones at parliament, tax rebates for Chinese propaganda film criticised, and ructions over future shape of public media.Now first of all, I just want to make it clear rednecks isn’t the term I’d use. But it was ...
'Policing' is increasingly falling to private security and citizen-led initiatives. Yet the wages and the training don't match the responsibility. So what can we do? ...
Open Mike 24/02/2017 
There is an article in The Conversation, written by Jeremy P. Shapiro (Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University), about what he sees as the psychologically-based underpinnings of three main matters that seem to vex people all around the planet. The article is titled “The Thinking ...16 hours ago
. . Blogger Martyn Bradbury has won his case against unreasonable search and surveillance against the NZ Police; and subsequent Police attempts to produce evidence in secrecy, in a closed Court. His case highlights a disturbing growing trend in Aotearoa New Zealand for State power to be used against ...1 day ago
The Committee of Disobedient Women has intercepted an email from Dr Emma Eejut, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Massey University to the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Jan Thomas. Dear Jan, Thank you for your courageous move. I think 10 pages of blether** should tie any of the students game enough to try holding ...2 days ago
That's the only response to the findings of the Ombudsman's investigation into LGOIMA practices at the Christchurch City Council:My investigation identified serious concerns about the Council’s leadership and culture, and its commitment to openness and transparency. In particular, Council staff raised concerns with me about various methods employed by some ...2 days ago
Different Strokes: If a multicultural immigration policy imposes no obligation on immigrant communities to acknowledge and ultimately embrace their host nation’s most cherished traditions and values, then how is that nation to prevent itself from being reduced to a collection of inward-looking and self-replicating ethnic and cultural enclaves?THE COALITION GOVERNMENT’S ...2 days ago
Recently more than 150 post-graduate students and young scientists presented an open letter to the Green Party via The Spinoff, encouraging them to reconsider their position on genetic modification. Their target is tackling climate change issues.[1] Can any party continue to be dismissive about genetic modification (GM) contributing to ...3 days ago
It seems fair to say that we currently live in a problematic political moment in world history. Democracies are in decline and dictatorships are on the rise. Primordial, sectarian and post-modern divisions have re-emerged, are on the rise or have been accentuated by political evolutions of the moment such as ...4 days ago
by The Council of Disobedient Women In her excellent oral submission to the Abortion reform select committee on 31st October on behalf of Otago University’s Department of Public Health, historian and public health researcher Hera Cook stated: “We would ask that the committee not use the term ‘pregnant persons’ and ...5 days ago
5 days ago
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ... 7 days ago
And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…
Installation complete: this was nothing ... 2 weeks ago
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First backs the public to decide on the End of Life Choice Bill via a referendum at the 2020 General Election. The Bill, with New Zealand First’s referendum provision incorporated, passed its final reading in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for ...3 days ago
"Today we have made a choice that will leave a legacy... I hope that means that future generations will see that we, in New Zealand, were on the right side of history." - Jacinda Ardern, Third Reading of the Zero Carbon Bill ...1 week ago
The Government is asking the food industry to step up work to tackle obesity including reducing sugar, fat and salt in their products, better information for consumers, and tighter restrictions on advertising to children. Health Minister David Clark and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor have responded to a ...1 day ago
An easy, flavour-packed noodle recipe from Bounty – Cooking With Vegetables, the new cookbook from national food education charity the Garden to Table Trust.The fresh flavours of these noodles are less complex than many Thai dishes, as the simple spice paste uses just a few ingredients. If you’d rather not ...1 hour ago
Many fund managers are overconfident and the public buy the illusion. ...1 hour ago
Part 2: In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department explains what ministers should be told by public servants ...2 hours ago
In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department summarises our governing arrangements. ...2 hours ago
New Zealand's coroners learnt lessons of cultural competency and communication from March 15. ...3 hours ago
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I see Lawrence Yule has got the nod for the Nats in TukiTuki. What an crazy choice!
Yule has Tony Blair levels of delusion as to his effectiveness and popularity. He might be able to win the mayoralty on the back of a low turnout of mainly dedicated Tories, but is deeply unpopular with practically everyone else (Napier people can’t stand him). He is heavily tainted with the water contamination scandal of last year and is blamed in many quarters for Hasting’s huge debt problem. If Labour has a good a good candidate and puts in the effort he’ll struggle to win I reckon.
Anyone know anything about Anna Lorck’s capabilities?
Candidate selection _really_ doesn’t seem to be the Nats’ strong point these days
A.
From the stuff article today
it occured to me the new ‘water standards’ announced by the ptb, have fonterra management thinking all over it.
the watering down of standards is akin to the idea of getting contractors to wait an extra 2 months for payment and to force a 10% discount on them.
potentially the state can solve homelessness, poverty, gaol stats etc.. just change the figures.. you know, make stuff up!
True weka. But when talking about the test of mettle, it is how we manage to contain ourselves and control our punches if there are going to be some (verbal), that counts.
The writers I alluded to are letting their tongues and their minds run free like emotional drunks, and their often wild language reflects that. Our world is disappearing I think, and I want to hold onto elements of respect, kindness, honesty, in our dealings with one another like life buoys as the social climate deteriorates. And I won’t give us swearing or insults, and not calling on anybody else to go cold turkey, but there should not be combined attacks on people putting forward interesting ideas, and language needs to be chosen. A single WTF is very effective.
This is when the nobility of people is needed. Not just nasty vengeful, angry self-oriented snipers drunk with their own importance and taking pot shots at anyone who comes within their range. The end doesn’t justify the means, until when managing near the end, there is no alternative to use such a stark decision maker.
URGENT!
NIKI RAUTI UPDATE!
TENANCY TRIBUNAL ADJUDICATOR HAS MADE DECISION – BUT WE DON’T KNOW YET WHAT IT IS!
Friends and supporters of Niki Rauti in her brave fight to help stop the privatisation of State housing, and defending the rights of the poor, sick, elderly and vulnerable against gentrification and the destruction of working class communities!
Gather at 14 Taniwha St
Glen Innes!
WHEN: 24 February 2017
TIME: From 9am.
For those of you who are able to make it – see you there!
Penny Bright
‘Anti-privatisation / anti-corruption campaigner’.
2017 Mt Albert by-election candidate.
Meanwhile life goes on for better off people and a nicely done up old house down the road has been sold for the second time, the first being three months ago. I was thinking that with everything paid for the first buyer could still have made a cool $5000. The agent says that ‘all the buyers who enquired were fresh to the market since our campaign late last year’ – for the original buyer. So people continue to pour into the country.
Thanks penny, keep us updated please.
Technology replacing jobs.
If a company introduces technology to increase “efficiency” and it replaces employees as a result then that technology needs to be taxed at the rate of the lost PAYE.
It’s time industry started paying for the pool of great unwashed it is creating.
Thatcher once hailed the likes of Sinclair (ZX81…) as creators of greater leisure time for us all.
Tax the robots says Bill Gates
https://www.google.co.nz/amp/www.forbes.com/sites/ianmorris/2017/02/17/tax-the-robots-says-bill-gates/amp/
Good that the conversation is growing.
Austria’s Chancellor has been getting a bit of attention for saying much the same thing over the last few months. Even getting noticed in English-language media.
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-02-23/austria-s-kern-targets-rise-of-robots-to-blunt-populist-surge
It is time to admit that ownership should not produce income.
Jonolisms already seeing it as bezos’s washington post has had one autopublishing awhile now.
Its looking to up the ante via AI after successfully using structured election data and key phrases to give it a certain tone.
Some hilarity for the morning: Stephen Colbert on Alex Jones (who more than one person here thinks is a reliable news source).
Don’t drink juice out of a box, it’ll make you into a woman – unless you already are one (maybe then it’ll turn you into a hat stand). Also, EVERYONE was behind 9/11 (I knew it!)
…he’s just a wee bit excitable, that’s all…
Remember when the trumpette said Trump was going to deliver a peace dividend.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wants to ensure the U.S. nuclear arsenal is at the “top of the pack,” saying the United States has fallen behind in its atomic weapons capacity.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-idUSKBN1622IF
“America First” doesn’t mean some kind of neo-isolationism, it looks more like it’s intended as some kind of exploitative neo-colonialism.
http://www.salon.com/2017/02/23/will-trump-and-bannon-drag-us-into-another-big-ground-war-it-could-happen-sooner-than-we-think/
Well, even more exploitative than the US has been in the past…
Speaking of which, apparently England wants the US to join the Commonwealth. Doesn’t seem to be bullshitnews, but who knows.
Anyway, it seems like one faded empire is seeking new life by inviting a declining empire to join its special club. And the declining empire gets official access to the room when CHOGM happens.
The United Decrepits Club.
I never did understand why Britain seemingly just threw the whole Commonwealth thing under the bus in favour of the EU. If they could have positioned themselves as the hinge or conduit between the two, they’d have had quite significant influence in the world. I think.
Anyway…
warning for anyone following McFlock’s link, it’s got a photo of Farage wearing one of his best “world’s much punchable faces”. I’m lucky I didn’t crack my screen.
The Economist argues for moving the capital from London to Manchester, due to prohibitive costs of renovation.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/bagehot/2017/02/go-north
Good article. Hopefully it will be in this weeks edition. I may even have time to read it after it arrives on my phone.
Arguably the Wellington vs Auckland already does this. Imagine how awful NZ would be if the capital had stayed up here. As it is the rest of the country have the politicians, most of their flunkies, and the mandarins corralled and quarantined in a pokey city constrained by geography.
Even better they are on the most destructive fault line in the country which brings the enticing prospect of exiling the survivors further south at some point in the future. I would suggest Omaru
Just so long as they don’t come to Auckland 🙂
“CETA To Cost Average Working Canadian $2,460 In Lost Income:
As Canada and the European Union reach the home stretch to an historic free trade deal, a new research report says the agreement was made on the basis of flawed, unrealistically optimistic economic models.
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), negotiated by the previous Conservative government and now championed by the Liberal government, will reduce employment throughout the trade area, depressing wages in Canada and Europe, the report warns.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/02/21/ceta-cost-canadians-lost-income_n_14909238.html?utm_hp_ref=canada
Higher profits, lower wages – exactly as designed then.
So, the war’s on again.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer suggested Thursday the federal government could crack down on recreational marijuana use across the country, even in states that have legalized the drug.
https://mic.com/articles/169471/white-house-hints-at-coming-crackdown-on-recreational-marijuana#.n77UU94Zd
So Bill English has not only has refused to have an inquiry into the abuse of children in state care he won’t even agree to have a meeting with Susan Devoy to discuss the
matter.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325234/snubbed-devoy-says-english-won't-meet-her-about-abuse
Typical National – deny that there was ever a problem so that they don’t have to accept the responsibility.
Just rename the categories as OAB suggests:
Let’s rename ‘abuse’ ‘rudeness.’
+1000 Draco and Rhinocrates.
NZers farming in Australia are so not his problem Bingles can’t even bother saying it’s not his problem.
Suicide
http://www.mana.co.nz/magazine/issue-133/suicide.html
This is a very big and interesting article – a good but hard read.
There is no one solution and cultural connection, awareness and conceptualization are important. “How do I fit within this space? Where is my place within this space? Who am I within this space?”
Another article talking about how making a more accepting society helps reduce suicide rates.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/same-sex-marriage-laws-lgbt-teen-suicide-attempts_us_58ac934ae4b02eb3a982e288?section=us_queer-voices
Very tough read, but so important.
Mental health is seriously under resourced in this country, particularly outside the main centres. There needs to be a helluva lot money put into mental health and into Māori led community programmes to try and turn these stats around.
Not quite finished reading the link marty, but this has just jumped out because I’m constantly hearing the same or similar from friends and just people I come across who work in what we might broadly term the ‘social sector’ – ie, housing, violence, addiction, education etc
And practice gets subverted by those doing the actual work in order to do real stuff while energies get dissipated for the sake of ticking boxes to secure (inadequate) funding…it’s all a crock of shit squatted over by out of touch government bureaucracies and (often) incompetent managers…or so I’m constantly being told.
Competition is destructive. We see the destruction that it causes all around us but tell ourselves that its good instead.
The problem, in my opinion, lies with the social service organisations who have allowed themselves to fall into the position of selling themselves, and by virtue their client base to the lowest bidder. These organisations will not collaborate with each other to effect decent outcomes for clients because they are too busy vying for each pittance of funding, where ticking their boxes and meeting their KPIs over-ride the needs of the people they are supposed to serve. I have witnessed this time and time again.
Most of these organisations pay lip service to operating in a culturally appropriate way, hell even hiring the odd token ‘brown’ face to tick some of their contractual boxes. They even do the whole Maori language week once a year to prove how culturally aware they are. And as long as they can rote learn the three P’s, and use words like tikanga and manaakitanga, and spiel off a poorly pronounced mihi, they deem themselves culturally competent to work with Maori. The problem with a western understanding of intervention is it does not account for a holistic approach to well-being. And when you see communities coming together to address a problem, in this case suicide, they struggle to get off the ground to support people because they cannot tick the contractual boxes and are up against the big players (think the dominant NGOs), all of whom not only have the structure and expertise to win the lousy contracts but are willing to sell their souls and make it unsafe for families to seek help (think compulsory data sharing).
Meanwhile said organisations who claim some sort of expertise to address this or that social problem, including suicide, cannot even keep their own house in order. They spout off, using the right buzz words in their mission statements, their values and their aims, whilst treating their work force like crap. In my experience across a range of agencies and my many networks within the social service sector the stories are the same. Workers are bullied, under-paid, over-worked and burnt out by inept box tickers, whose only purpose is to meet funder demand, even if it involves faking outcomes, manipulating KPIs and essentially screwing over workers and clients.
In my opinion these big players are too dysfunctional to be allowed near clients, particularly those vulnerable to suicide. If these organisations cannot even practice what they preach, they should not be allowed within a hairs breadth of vulnerable people. I suggest the community can and should take back control of supporting those who deem themselves in need of support. The current social service sector, is in most cases, driven by the government’s agenda, not necessarily what the community needs or wants. I am sure these communities can do far better than the current dominant players.
Humans, huh.
/
This morning, a video of Siberian tigers playfully hunting (and disemboweling) a drone was everywhere on the internet. A tweet from ITV News, a British television network, quickly made an appearance in dozens of stories.
[…]
The tiger farm, according to Big Cat Rescue, has operated under the guise of an animal rescue for some time. Busloads of tourists are given the rare opportunity to gawk at fearsome felines that would otherwise rip your face off.
But Harbin Siberian Tiger Park also specializes in contraband like tiger bone, meat, pelts, and a speciality called “bone wine.” A visit by McClatchy investigative reporters “found animals in deplorable conditions… merchants openly sold bone wine, despite a 1993 ban by China on bone products sourced from both domesticated and wild tiger
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/that-viral-video-of-tigers-chasing-a-drone-is-from-a-slaughter-farm-folks?
nuke the fuckers
Agree with you there, Marty.
Joe90. Just shocking!!
So a cricketer in a hesaid/shesaid rape trial is found not guilty, even after making the “she was dressed like she was up for it” defense. Oh, and although he was “persistent” in pressuring her for sex that’s okay because she eventually said yes, according to him.
Frankly, my immediate impulse is that anyone who runs that package of defense arguments should be immediately charged with some equivalent of recklessness/negligence as to whether they’re committing rape or not.
Frankly, my immediate impulse to this is to ask if you were in the court to hear all that was said and also observe what happened there.
And to ask if you suggest that anyone who runs packages of defence arguments you don’t like be charged with some offence.
Frankly, my immediate impulse is to think that you apparently consider it acceptable, and not rape, to pressure a drunk woman into sex with you until they relent, and then try to get away with it by stating that the woman was dressed sluttily so she was asking for it.
My second impulse is to wonder why you support such an obvious example of rape culture in action.
I saw the case referred to as a “she said/he said” case. That means it was always going to be complicated. That probably means the people in the best position to make assessments about what happened or didn’t were the people in the courtroom.
Of course not a perfect position, there is none, because they like all juries they had to rely on all sorts of stuff affected by all sorts of factors. That includes a range of emotions and motivations.
You have made a judgement on what you know about the case. The jury made one on what on they heard and saw and presumably according to the law. On my observations about the way the system works you say I support a rape culture.
Do you say that defence lawyer Phillip Morgan, QC also supports a rape culture?
Do you say that all legislators who do not actively move to instigate law changes to make the accused in rape allegations deemed automatically to be guilty, support a rape culture?
“Some offense”.
If you’re out on the piss, hook up with someone who’s drunk, and then nag them for sex, that’s about as reckless and driving around at night with no headlights.
And you know the nice thing – I don’t have to be in court for something so obvious. If the guy had thought at all about consent, news reports like this would have been so biased as to have immediate complaints to the press council and general outrage from the Waitakere Men.
Yeah, the content of that news story is like an intro 101 for rape culture. She was dressed “provocatively,” her general demeanour persuaded him she was gagging for it, he was sure she wanted it to happen, the fact she was too drunk to resist = consent. He’s an object lesson in how feminism’s still relevant.
The other nice thing is we don’t have a system where someone makes summary comments as you and DoublePlusGood have done and guilt is automatic.
The way to achieve that outcome is not to wait for societal change which see such awful incidents as this one is not happening but to instigate changes in the law.
Actually, I haven’t made any summary judgement on whether he committed the rape. I’m not re-opening the debate as to whether the burden of proof in sexual assault cases should be shifted at all, or whether some arguments should be barred as a defense, or even whether it should be juries vs judges for such cases.
But even the circumstances as he and the defense described point to a lack of awareness about consent and an absolute recklessness as to whether he was having consensual sex with someone or causing harm.
At the moment we have a situation where the accused is either a rapist or not, and if the issue is so complicated, maybe having a binary solution is not really a solution at all.
we’ve had innocent till proven guilty for over 1000 years; there’s a good reason for that, and there needs to be an even better one to change it.
It’s very difficult to bring in a new process that doesn’t breach rights that are considered fundamental in most other circumstances. A relative has been involved in a number of rape trials and has seen innocent men go to prison and guilty predators walk free. It does seem a lottery but changing the burden of proof doesn’t look the answer to me. just having an accusation that goes public can screw up people’s lives, and the accused has rights too.
Until we learn to read minds reliably, education, empathy and encouragement to report may be the best justice weapons we have when the only evidence is balancing he said/she said.
It’s lucky that I didn’t discuss shifting the burden of proof then isn’t it.
Mind you, the jury system is buggered from the get-go: twelve independent people make their determinations, then all get together and let group dynamics swerve the weakest decisionmakers.
But without changing the burden of proof or the jury system, what about an intermediate trial where someone might have been careless as to whether the other party was genuinely consenting?
Yes sorry. Completely misread that paragraph…
I don’t think anything can change within the current structure. It likely needs something new, which could be what you’ve suggested. There will still be people sitting in judgment and that is never perfect
All good.
I suspect that the only real change that’ll happen is the swings and roundabouts of culture change. We can but hope.
The difference between lawful sex and rape relies on a 3 step legal consideration relating to consent.
Step 1: What was the complainant (victim) thinking – did they give consent to the act?
Step 2: What was the defendant thinking – did they believe that the victim was consenting?
Step 3: If the defendant believed that the victim was consenting – was this belief reasonable? Would a reasonable person in the defendant’s shoes believed that the victim was consenting?
Its quite a hard process to work through. Not an issue where it is a stranger rape but can be tricky to work through when it relates to people who know each other and where it is one person’s word against another.
There are of course a number of statutory situations where acquiescence to sex does not amount to true consent sex:
This includes:
– The use/fear of the use of force
– Where the victim is asleep or unconscious
– Where the victim is so affected by drugs/alcohol that they are unable to give consent
– Where the victim is mistaken as to the identity of the defendant or is mistaken as to the nature of the sex to occur.
The drunken situation is tricky. You can be drunk and give consent however there is a stage of intoxication beyond which you cannot give consent even though you tell the other person you want to have sex.
I suspect that in a lot of he said/she said situations Jurys side with the defendant simply because the consequences of a rape convictions are so severe that they are reluctant to convict unless they are absolutely sure that the defendant is guilty.
True to a certain degree (although in such cases the other party is often significantly more drunk than the accused), althoug a little victim blaming doesn’t go astray.
But I’m actually beginning to like my original idea of a separate charge of something like “culpable recklessness as to consent” in the case of sexual assault, a bit like how murder can be bumped down down to manslaughter
This is a really good idea. I’d love to know what’s been done in this and whether the problem with doing that is that it’s tricky to define in law, or whether there are still too many men (lawyers, politicians etc) realising that what they considered sex is actually a problem for the woman they were with. It would also mean a substantial change in the drinking culture in NZ.
Someone must have thought of it before, surely.
I mean, the Land Transport Act talks about people driving carelessly and recklessly, and recklessly causing injury or death, so it’s not like the law can’t deal with the concept of someone being careless.
True, but with cars it’s not like anyone is looking at the victims and seeing them a culpable for the behaviour of the reckless driver. And by anyone one I mean the police, the prosecutor, the judge, the jury, the lawyers, the lawmakers.
That’s quite a big one to get over in the case of sexual assault or culpable recklessness. You’d have to not only change the law, but change the culture within the legal profession. Given that point above about being allowed to run a defence based on ‘she was wearing a short skirt’, I think we have some way to go on that.
What would the judge be directing juries on for instance, and would they all have to be trained in what rape culture is? This is certainly what should be happening.
True. It seems to be an “all of the above” situation
that reckless offence sounds similar to what Julian Assange is facing in Sweden. A lot of people scoffed at the concept when the charge was laid.
In these difficult cases it’s not usually debated that sex took place but that consent wasn’t given. If you reduce that to an assault charge then you’re saying intercourse can’t have taken place and you are widening the definition of sexual assault quite significantly.
it would also imply that there is a victim, but she’s only a half victim (because if she were a real victim then it would be a rape charge). I’m not sure that is a concept that would appeal to many feminists – if she’s only a half victim does that mean she half deserved it? What If the guy was more drunk than the girl? Surely it’s only fair that she be charged….
No, it’s not what assange was about to be arrested for.
What a wider charge (not assault, but recklessness) would do is make the surrounding circumstances of the intercourse part of the consideration. In this case, the “he said she said” was whether she said “no” in bed. But the alcohol they’d drunk, the comments he’d made about her to other guys, they’d be indicative of whether he was actively considering consent at the time.
It doesn’t even imply that there is a “victim”, any more than careless driving implies there was an accident. Just that the party was careless about an issue they should have cared about. Not “half a victim”, otherwise the jury would have determined that rape had been committed. Just that the person complained against had been careless about confirming consent.
And you know what, if both parties make a complaint then yes, that’s something for courts to figure out. Hell, you might end up with them accusing each other of rape. I suspect the one gloating to their mates beforehand that the other person ‘obviously likes to fuck’ has a higher chance of being found guilty than the other person.
I suspect that in a lot of he said/she said situations Jurys side with the defendant simply because the consequences of rape convictions are so severe that they are reluctant to convict unless they are absolutely sure that the defendant is guilty.
That’s the key point, you can’t hand out a rape conviction unless it’s beyond reasonable doubt.
Once convicted that individual life is stuffed, you’ve got to get it right.
^This.
And that is the irrationality of ‘lock ’em up’ politics. McFlock’s suggestion of “culpable recklessness as to consent” is worth considering for cases like this. With a different sentencing range, a conviction is possibly more likely and the victim not re-traumatised all over again by going through a thoroughly negative trial.
Also, people who have been sexually violated may be more likely to make a complaint if the sentences did not seem disproportionate.
But really, it’s way beyond time that education about rape culture was compulsory for teens and young men, and older men supported that. Because this kind of sexual violation, fuelled by alcohol, bravado, entitlement and ignorance, will continue until they realise that in the moment, only ‘yes’ means ‘yes’.
The cricket and rugby fraternities seem to make a good pair. The CEO of his representative team appears relieved at the result:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/story/1084065.html
Another issue is that the accused had been representing his province for the last few months at least (seen him on tv), and I think he was playing for them last season after the initial trial. Why the hell he wasn’t stood down from all representative cricket while this was going on I do not know. That alone really pisses me off.
I detect a hardness a nastiness entering the site. I noted the term softcockery coming from Ad yesterday. I note aerobubble’s vigour in argument and hostility against whoever is in his sights. I note Leftie trying to take over the site as the leftish decision maker. I note OAB and co having a go at Colonial Viper whenever he makes an assertion different from their strongly held opinions. Colonial Viper seems no longer to guard his tongue.
Weka is trying to maintain authority and receive respect in keeping the site under reasonable control, but is questioned and under attack. Is this the extreme version of the attitudes that have caused some of our thoughtful TS regulars to drop away? I had to defend myself from aerobubble’s attack yesterday.
t is getting very unpleasant. And what is more unpleasant is to wonder what sort of government these people I refer to would welcome? I feel it isn’t one that I would.
So what do the left want, for others, in a government, or is it just a national sporting match and winning numbers are what counts, with not too many fouls or broken necks or other bits?
It is getting to the virtual fistifcuff stage and it’s only February.
[I’ve moved this to Open Mike, it looks like an important conversation and it was just off topic in the other thread – weka]
We get periodic surges of this. Especially in the “phony war” period of the election campaigns. As boring as it appears to me, it just seems to be something we periodically have to live through.
This one appears to be unusually sustained, probably in this case due to the nature of the US elections leading into our elections. I suspect that we get a bit of a resonance effect due to the different election cycles. I noticed the same thing with the UK elections, and to a lesser extent with the Aussie elections.
I’m not sure what it is, but my own thinking is that the world is a pretty hard place now because of CC and what has happened/is happening in the US and the challenged in NZ from natural disasters and our vulnerability to CC becoming more apparent. The ground under our feet has shifted again, and we’re still adjusting. Add to that the election year and the very real fear of a 4th term NACT govt and what that will mean long term for NZ.
It makes sense that those paying the most attention to the political spheres would be more affected.
The test of our mettle is what we adjust to, and what we do to next to create something better.
Had a gutsful of liars, personally. They are destroying the world, quite literally. You want to play nice? Yeah, we tried that, and got ECAN, Charter Schools, climate fraud, and a tax haven.
I’d like a government that prosecutes fraud, rather than defunding the SFO.
Calm down old fella, you’ll give yourself a stroke.
You might want to have a read of this
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/aug/05/were-grumpy-for-a-reason/
It is actually desperate times. Cc is here. Trump lies and gets in, our rivers are shirty, more kill themselves every year, race relations keep resetting to zero, women earn less for no good reason.
I am guilty of being not nice and you have told me so. My kids are 2 and 9 in fighting for their future and some on here and out there don’t give a damn. I give a damn and they will know how I feel if that get in the way of me trying to make the world a fairer, cleaner and more equal place.
I’m sorry you have been spoken to harshly, I try not to do that to you.
I give a damn Marty, that’s why I want the Gnats and their supporting co partners out.
You know leftie I have formed 3 or 4 replys to your comment and started again each time. I’m not going to rip into you for your insenstivity or insults – you have shown your mettle. You imo lack.
Wanting the gnats and those that support them out, is being insensitive and insulting?
“I note Leftie trying to take over the site as the leftish decision maker.”
Really? that’s news to me Greywarshark, so you are another one who has gotten the pip, because I dare to have an opinion that doesn’t line up with yours etc. Incredulously, I have also been accused of making too many comments on TS.
Technically, there’s always going to be one person who makes the most comments 😉 Grey told me off once for talking too much, it was a fair point.
Do you think it’s a fair point?
I don’t necessarily agree with your views leftie, but as far as I’m aware it’s not the quantity or comments that are of concern to the moderators. So keep talking.
*of
🙂 thanks Miravox.
I don’t have a problem with people that comment a lot, but I think it’s worth paying attention if people start saying things about it, just for social cohesions sake. Maybe be more discerning. (it’s not a moderation issue, that’s just my personal thoughts).
Grey has a sharp tongue at times, as do many of us.
Lol so ok if that’s what people think. I have been commenting on here for a number of years now, and to me, this election is crucial for the left in kicking out National, so I thought I would make more of an effort to spend more time on here. I will back off.
No – don’t do that, Leftie. Your contributions are helpful – to me, at any rate.
And I’d contribute more, and say much more, if I had the time, the app (whatever that is) and had done the research (which takes time too).
Nah you’re not the biggest jerk on the site yet by any means 🙂
As a fellow habitual commenter, I tend to get a little embarrassed when I scroll through a thread on occasion and my avatar is suddenly all over the place, especially in tit-for-tat arguments against a single other commenter. A few comments by each party and we’re at the depth of subcomments and going all the way down lol
What I try and do these days (especially if it’s a slow day at work and a big day politically) is if I find I’m making a lot of comments, I think twice about the pithy one-line comments that that are satisfying but not really productive to a conversation, especially if it’s a tense issue.
For me it’s very easy to start commenting like it’s a pub chat, rather than forming a coherent point, ensuring it’s clear and maybe has a supporting link thrown in, and that any abuse is directed at a tory and is pretty reasonable.
Some people think I’m a jerk and wouldn’t miss me, others I hope get the occasional chuckle or thought, but at least it moves the discussion on so I might learn something from the next commenter 🙂
+ 1
You are an interesting commentor mcflock who i enjoy reading. Plus that is good advice.
Leftie you drive me up the wall sometimes and I like that you comment. I think your heart is in the right place – I’ll try to not get worked up when bouncing comments with you and I’ll withdraw early.
Don’t you back off mate I thought you wanted to change this government. Come on mate all hands on deck, let’s get into the mahi.
+1.
” I think it’s worth paying attention if people start saying things about it, just for social cohesions sake. Maybe be more discerning.”
An interesting perspective weka, from several aspects.
The first being, yes, commenters do need to be aware of the way their comments are seen – the blog is for discussion and communication, not meant as a space for talking to yourself – although, hey, if you don’t attract the moderators and it fills a need…
A second aspect – are you saying it is ok for telling someone to shut-up on an relatively open forum is ok? Especially telling a woman (you, that is, I’ve no idea about Leftie) that she talks too much? Have you done any analysis of the comments that offended grey so much that they felt the need to tell you to keep quiet? I’m very interested to know what those might be.
A third, as a (it seems to me) tireless fighter for the rights of the marginalised, you’re suggesting it’s ok for you to shut up for social cohesion sake? Really? Certainly I have no problem with taking on board criticism and adjust accordingly if it is valid… but to quieten yourself, when the quality of your comment is usually outstanding, (and not out to start flamewars or troll) for social cohesion? That seems contradictory to me.
From what I remember it wasn’t the content so much as the quantity. I didn’t take it as being about shutting up so much as toning it down a bit. So is the issue whether that can ever be too much (the amount someone comments). If other people end up feeling like they can’t get a word in, then yes, I think that’s a problem. But the solution isn’t to shut up (and I hope Leftie doesn’t take it that way). I seem to remember I just dropped the number of my comments a bit, not taking up so much space. It’s not a hardship for someone that comments a lot.
It’s like this in RL too. It’s easy for me to say what I think, but I am aware that often people who are not so strong voiced don’t get heard. That’s not helpful to the cause IMO.
A third, as a (it seems to me) tireless fighter for the rights of the marginalised, you’re suggesting it’s ok for you to shut up for social cohesion sake? Really?
Well the irony there is that I have a fair amount of freedom as a commenter, but not as an author. A significant part of the current conflict is over who has speaking rights. I’m not talking about formal rights, I’m talking about what the culture will allow. That’s on TS, but much wider too, the whole backlash against solidarity politics and whose voices are considered valuable and whose aren’t.
Back to the third point, I am thinking through the whole don’t bash Labour, it’s election year thing, and that conversation will certainly affect what I write. Not because I feel that I have to shut up, but because I think that there are more important things at stake than my personal desire to speak or be heard. So not shutting up, but taking note of the people in my community and where the meeting points are. If it was just about me, I’d say what I want 😉 But if it’s about us all and how we can get along and change the govt, then I want to hear and understand what others are saying. This fits in with your point about taking on board criticism and adjusting I think.
Thanks for expanding on your comment. Obviously there is a balance to around taking up conversational space on a blog and in real life. My concern, with everything going on lately, was that you felt pressured to change your commenting style. I’m reassured that someone who produce the quality comments you do, is making a considered choice about commenting style, rather than feeling pressured to do so.
I agree that sometimes that shared causes take are more urgent than being heard on other matters. Although that requires a degree of compromise from everyone in terms of tone and subject matter, rather than suspending personal beliefs and values. As for authoring, I guess a cooperative decision for people other than me to make! I very much appreciate the content that is posted.
What’s happened to Chris Trotter?
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/02/23/labours-not-burning-crosses-its-gathering-votes/
I was just up at the pub with him. Should I have asked?
Lol I don’t know. I just got a bit of a shock when I read it. Guess I had gotten used to the more scathing CT.
Yeah – me, too. I’d quite gone “off” Chris Trotter – couldn’t be bothered reading him. But it seems he’s had an epiphany – goodness knows, what’s caused it but long may it last !
What I like about Chris is that he explores an idea, he will run with it, tease it out, what if etc. Is there good in Trump, hidden, what will his chaotic practices lead to, good or bad. He may explore the good possibilities when everyone only sees the bad. Then he might pick up on some of the latest outrages and try and analyse the mind behind them.
It could be that good Labour and Green followers are busy keeping their minds honed and eyes on the road to the preferred election outcome. There isn’t time in their minds to go racketing around looking at the back doors of policies, and who goes in and what comes out. Trotter can and does act as devil’s advocate and whatever he says, someone will be thinking it. so for a week he holds a mirror up to that sector, and we understand them a bit better.
This is well put from Guerilla Surgeon in I think the 2nd to latest post, and I think touches on aspects of freedom we should hold sacred, and when, and what freedom becomes licence, and eventually may destroy.
“I was just up at the pub with him. Should I have asked?”
Can we give you a list of questions for next time? 😈
Sure. But I am unlikely to be bothered remembering them. My ‘local’ is on the other side of Newton Gully from home. I often stop there on the way home from work because it is also a brewery and the beer is particularly good.
Mostly on Fridays. Same for a number of other left of centre people. Good place to argue when I have the time.
Besides. He reads here.
Very interesting blog by Trotter. Has he had an epiphany of sorts?
Whatever, some of what he says is little different to what some of us have been saying these past few weeks. We had our butts kicked by all and sundry in the process, but glad to have our reflections annointed by Chris Trotter. 😛
+ 100 % – just what I was thinking, Anne.
Probably he thought Andrew Little was finally paying attention to him.
And believes that now that Little has dealt to the Māori Party, we’ll see a resurgence in Waitakere Man and beneficiaries on the roof.
Do I need a /sarc with that?
Andrew Little is not Waitakere man, miravox – nor Waitakere bloke which might be a better description of the rough-speaking brute you seem to think resides within West Auckland.
And yes, you need a sarc with such a comment, because I, for one, am getting sick and tired of the attacks (even sarcastic, or funny ones) on Andrew Little and what he is doing.
As far as I can see, with limited knowledge – just from the media (or lack of it) – he’s doing a bloddy good job as being Leader of the Labour Party and guess what – he might even lead us all to victory …… if you would all let him do it without the constant carping at him. (And by you, I mean all the posters here who think its a great sport to have a go at Andrew Little when in reality your enemy is the National Party).
Sorry, Jenny that you mistook what I said as an attack on Andrew Little.
It was cynical about Chris Trotter. There is no way the worm has turned there, I believe.
We are seeing more vitriol in comments etc due to increased frustration with the status quo. I grew up in the punk years – favourite saying – eat the rich. Why did people vote brexit, trump? Frustration with the norm and the possibility/promise of change.
NZ in 2017, what are our options? More of the same or desperate rhetoric to try and shake the tree and create options.
[lprent: It took you 3 tries, but you (as a newbie) finally managed to write a comment that actually said something (anything) that I could in all conscience let through. Well done. Not that I agree with it.
Please read the about and the policy. Because of your first comment slackness you are on probation until we see a commenting pattern that doesn’t sound like it came from a pre-programmed app and instead sounds like something human. ]
Yeah, but the thing about NZ is that it’s not in the situation of the UK or the US. The enemy doesn’t look the same here. What would people be voting against? What’s the protest, fuck you vote?
That’s the problem. Heaps of so-called “middle-class” (especially in Auckland) will be feeling rich and wealthy because their fairly ordinary homes have become millionaire status, and suddenly – they don’t have to care about anyone else but themselves – just like the real rich do.
So – are all those homeless people going to vote? They won’t be able to, because they don’t have an address for their voting confirmation to be sent to……
oh, its a very clever system we have ….. need a proper address to allow real people to vote, not those who are homeless, living in a tent, or a car and who really need to be able to vote in a government which cares about them.
Sucks, eh ! ?
Yep, and while I can think of ways around that, they involve time and resources that we just don’t have enough of.
The f u protest I guess is Winnie at the moment. Scary.
As a green voter since they became an option, I will prob not this year, as same as labour I do not see a cohesive, strong alternative to the current status quo. Where is the leadership who will bring in say all new builds must have solar panels so help the national grid. Bring in lunches so the students we teach can focus on their futures rather than just survival?
As a newbie, after reading about and policy, I do have to ask is iprent always so rude and condescending? reminds me of an old thesis advisor keeping the academic tower ivory coloured.
Dragonz – yes he is, and you are not allowed to comment on authors or moderators, so you might not see this comment !
[we are allowed to comment on authors and moderators so long as it’s not an attack or telling us what to do.
I like how Lynn put it earlier “Trying to tell us how we should write posts or to moderate isn’t something that you are permitted to do (polite whining is accepted)”.
If you watch the moderations over time, and the conversations about them, you will see what works and what doesn’t. There are harsher moderations now because of election year – weka]
Do you mean you won’t vote? For me not voting is the same as voting for National.
Lynn isn’t always that rude. But he’s been online since the internets began and he’s got little patience for things that make running the site harder. At the moment there’s too much need for moderation, which is making us grumpy. It’s more an issue of the regulars IMO, but Lynn likes to get newbies on board fast (or they leave).
It’s worth taking the time to learn how the culture of the place works, you can do some of that by reading the moderator notes on other people’s comments, and listening to what the regulars are saying about what is going on. It does take time though, and not everyone has that. The biggies are don’t attack authors, don’t tell us what to do, and don’t talk about TS as if it’s a person or as if it belongs to Labour. If you make big claims be prepared to back them up, and if not, then express opinions rather than state facts. And if Lynn gets bolshy with you just try and look past the rudeness to see what he is saying, because it will be important.
I didn’t see your first few comments so am not sure why Lynn said what he did to you. On the face of it it looks like a bold comment in the context of a whole range of stuff going on a the moment. e.g. there are more spambots around at the moment, and it’s Lynn’s job to clean them up. And often mod notes are there for everyone to see and take notice of. I really think that people on the front end have no idea how much work is involved in running TS (or mostly they just don’t think about it).
“It is getting very unpleasant. And what is more unpleasant is to wonder what sort of government these people I refer to would welcome? I feel it isn’t one that I would.”
That’s what I was thinking earlier on. I guess I want it all, I want a change of government to a left-style government, I want NZs to receive a proper concern from government to our needs, and a proper plan and considered action to see needs met which prepares us for our harsh future. I want some tolerance for each other but lines in the sand that mean we are firm to some principles, and try to respect those who do.
The people who come here on the left seem to want this, but I still see the start of individualistic identity politics, ie thinking that what the individual wants and considers top priority is all and others can get to the back of the queue. We are going into hard times, we have to be strong ourselves yet consider others and be prepared to see they aren’t ignored or met with automatic hostility, unless they bloody well deserve it. Sentimentality won’t help us prepare for our future, problem solving will.
Trying to problem solve, and deal to the really bad, nasty, vicious in our society but give everyone a bit of the pie is what I want. No-one will ever get all they want in this present shrinking world. So understanding and resigning oneself to this new normal is essential when getting angry about distribution, allocation and unfairness of the past. We have to keep trying to be kind people, not too much because we have to be strong not sentimental, but refrain from ‘red’ anger and the hasty words that pop out. I’m being thoughtful about what we will need to impose on ourselves and on others, just to survive and conserve resources. And people won’t agree with me, be strongly against one thing I have thought. I think we will have to bring the death penalty back for people like firelighters. That particular obsession is so destructive to so many people, food and tree crops, houses and other built structures, tools and machines, that it has a worse effect than a murder.
There are so many problems around and looming, that keeping cool and kind to those who are attempting supportive, practical communities where all have a voice and a place until they are too destructive or mean to include is going to be essential.
Take for instance, Dotcom. Analyse what he did to see whether he was destructive of life for us, well no. Mean, he was making money from others’ work which is bad, so that needed rectifying. A new way of making judgments and expecting atonement, rather than administering punishment will be needed. But punishments may have to result in ensuring there is no recurrence of destructive behaviour.
A lot of people are not thinking about this century. They are still hankering for a return to the late 20th. But climate change is changing our ways for us and we have to change our thinking, holding onto what good we can, and the thinking must be concentrated. Not on political personalities, they are really distractions with their place in last century. Get with it, or we’ll be without so much we won’t know which way to turn. Think of me as crazy, in actual fact I am uncomfortably sane,
and I only let these thoughts into part of my day so I can still enjoy my life, but every now and then I hear a scientist bravely telling it like it is, perhaps weeping.
I am tucking this away in yesterday’s thread but for those who were thinking about it,
I thought I would explain myself a bit more then you can understand what is at the back of my mind when I talk about not being too hard, not being too soft, and respecting each other to a certain extent, respecting our moderators and our tech builder and facilitator Lynn. We are just entering the zone of understanding of our plight, which is being greeted with fervent denial by many, and are burdened with a political and limited-ethic system that was bad when it was introduced 30 years ago, and which is in no way ready to abandon its comfy chair. TS will help us and we must help each other, and then let what must go, we will do what we can, and then move on to a higher ground literally and figuratively.