Open mike 24/06/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 24th, 2016 - 146 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

openmikeOpen mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

146 comments on “Open mike 24/06/2016 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Paul 1
    24 June 2016 at 6:09 am

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
    Uncaring.
    New Zealand’s housing.

    ‘Baby gets sick in crowded house
    A baby has contracted potentially deadly meningococcal meningitis – and a senior hospital doctor says overcrowded housing is a factor in the development of his condition.
    The 3-month-old boy lives at a Tauranga property with 10 other people sharing two bedrooms, a lounge and a caravan. He is one of eight people – including a 16-month toddler and three teenagers – living in the two-bedroom state house in Gate Pa. Another three people, including two children aged 5 and 13, live in a caravan outside.
    Doctors confirmed on Sunday that the baby had meningococcal meningitis. Tauranga Hospital specialist paediatrician Dr Hugh Lees this week wrote to Housing New Zealand (HNZ) on behalf of the family, stating that baby Hamish’s diagnosis was “meningococcal meningitis”, which he said was “known to be associated with overcrowding”.
    Dr Lees asked the case be given urgent attention and he supported an application for “appropriate housing”.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662280

    • I Feel Love 1.1
      24 June 2016 at 6:34 am

      One of the people living at the house is a manager & cannot afford a rental, must be in retail or a McJob or something because their wages are utter shite. But it’s OK, the state will will top up employers pathetic pay & the state will top up your wage for the greedy landlords, she will be alllllllllll right in godzone.

      • s y d 1.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 8:44 am

        We peons have had a visitation from our glorious leader whereupon he delivered these words unto my child…”Nothing lifts people out of poverty faster if they can work and earn money”.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1
          24 June 2016 at 10:28 am

          Which would be correct – if he and all the governments for the last thirty years hadn’t set it up so that working no longer provided enough income.

  2. Paul 2
    24 June 2016 at 6:12 am

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Cruel
    Housing New Zealand

    ‘Queenstown social housing questioned
    A memo from Housing New Zealand details an exit strategy for its presence in Queenstown.

    The memo, released under the Official Information Act, relates to the sale last month of one of the agency’s 10 homes in the resort town.
    It said the town was a “high profile resort/lifestyle environment” with “reasonable work opportunities”, which could be seen as “incompatible” with a social housing presence.
    The comments have angered social housing providers in the town, including the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.
    Its executive officer, Julie Scott, said it had a waiting list of 350 people struggling to find affordable accommodation.
    “I just met with a family this morning and she was in tears. They’ve been in Queenstown since 1992, they’ve got three kids and they’ve got until 22 August and then they’ve got to be out of their property.
    “They just can’t find anywhere to go and it’s just heartbreaking.”

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/307127/queenstown-social-housing-questioned

    • b waghorn 2.1
      24 June 2016 at 6:33 am

      “which could be seen as “incompatible” with a social housing presence.”
      Financial cleansing plain and simple.

      • Graeme 2.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 9:30 am

        Queenstown has been “incompatible” with just about all social services for the last 40 years at least. It’s been almost impossible to access the dole, a state house or most other benefits, so accomodation subsidies don’t kick in. Even sickness benefit is difficult. About the only beneficiaries are on the pension, and there’s a lot of them, some of quite modest means but they do own their home. The senior citizens is a very active bunch down here.

        I’m not that worried about HNZ selling out here, they got very good prices for the properties they sold and PROVIDED that money’s going to more housing in needier areas. That we’ll see. Their presence here is sort of a hangover from the days of government departments and an age when large employers had staff housing. The staff housing got sold off in the 90’s but HNZ endured. One story was that they couldn’t get their shit together in time to catch each cycle, so by the time they were ready to sell the market had gone.

        These problems are old hat for Queenstown, we have always had hordes of “immigrants” flocking into town when times are good to partake of our perceived lifestyle, so the place goes crazy. What’s different this cycle, and under this government is that this business model has been scaled up and transferred to Auckland.

  3. Paul 3
    24 June 2016 at 6:17 am

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Cruel
    Housing, prisons.

    ‘I reported from South Sudan and Sierra Leone. What I’ve returned to in New Zealand still shocks me…..

    To not be able to swim in our rivers because they are so dirty would’ve been unthinkable to me 10 years ago. In March, the Waikato River Authority said it could take up to 100 years for the Waikato and Waipa rivers to be restored to clean and healthy levels. I’ve seen first-hand waterways that run off the Waikato River blanketed in a creeping toxic algae, festering like a black drain, lifeless. Meanwhile, what remains of our pristine water is being sold by the likes of the Ashburton District Council, to be extracted, bottled up and sent overseas.

    Above ground, New Zealand’s reported rate of intimate partner violence is the highest in the developed world. Our incarceration rate is also one of the highest in the developed world and more than half of the men behind bars are Māori. According to Corrections Minister Judith Collins, our prison population topped 9,000 for the first time last year: “Since 2014, the prison population has increased… leading to record highs throughout 2015 and early 2016.” In part, she said the booming prison population was due to locking up family violence offenders for longer.

    Then there’s housing and homelessness. New Zealand has one of the fastest growing rates of income inequality in the OECD and it’s on show in our biggest city. In Auckland, families with at least one working parent are living in vans and cars, with marae and charitable trusts stepping in to fill the breach left by social services. How galling it must be for those parents trying to find a warm place for their children to sleep to then see the Prime Minister’s son in all his privileged glory, posing with a Lambourghini and helicopter in his music video.

    http://thespinoff.co.nz/media/21-06-2016/i-reported-from-south-sudan-and-sierra-leone-what-ive-returned-to-in-new-zealand-still-shocks-me/

  4. Paul 4
    24 June 2016 at 6:33 am

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Selfish, greedy.
    Max Key.

    ‘Then there’s housing and homelessness. New Zealand has one of the fastest growing rates of income inequality in the OECD and it’s on show in our biggest city. In Auckland, families with at least one working parent are living in vans and cars, with marae and charitable trusts stepping in to fill the breach left by social services. How galling it must be for those parents trying to find a warm place for their children to sleep to then see the Prime Minister’s son in all his privileged glory, posing with a Lambourghini and helicopter in his music video.’

    http://thespinoff.co.nz/media/21-06-2016/i-reported-from-south-sudan-and-sierra-leone-what-ive-returned-to-in-new-zealand-still-shocks-me/

    ‘Can’t wait to share paradise with you’……. says Max Key.
    Key, Mike Hosking and Paul Henry all call New Zealand paradise.
    And they are all rich.
    And don’t have the compassion or empathy to see how tough it it for many New Zealanders.
    For many New Zealanders it’s a neo-liberal nightmare.

    • tc 4.1
      24 June 2016 at 6:47 am

      All part of the grand plan to attract criticism to max then the ‘cyber bullying’ and ‘class war’ cards will be played as well as all the msm shills who get to play their sympathy violins for hard done by max.

      • I Feel Love 4.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 6:53 am

        It is a shame they have hijacked ‘cyber bullying’ to mean people taking the piss out of the powerful & famous. Since when has hassling politicians & musicians been ‘cyber bullying’, since it suited the powers that be, who think themselves above criticism.

        “All hail plankton, all hail plankton”.

        • TC 4.1.1.1
          24 June 2016 at 12:15 pm

          Thats why they put it out there with granny trying to garner sympathy for pullya benefit. Its all about subtle messaging and the framing.

      • Paul 4.1.2
        24 June 2016 at 7:23 am

        The class war is being waged already.
        By the rich.

        • TC 4.1.2.1
          24 June 2016 at 12:09 pm

          Yes and passed off as the politics of envy

        • Greg 4.1.2.2
          24 June 2016 at 12:48 pm

          The class war has been won. The left collapsed with thew end of the Soviet Union. And see how the New Prime Minister of Canada, son of a left marxist has been assimilated by Feminism. He wont improve workers economy.

    • srylands 4.2
      24 June 2016 at 10:38 am

      Oh for fucks sake. It is not neoliberal. New Zealand has a left government. New Zealanders never ever will elect a neoliberal government. You must be tripping.

      • I Feel Love 4.2.1
        24 June 2016 at 11:27 am

        Don’t blame the ‘left’ for this horrible Govt thank you very much, it’s all yours & your fellow ‘right’ travelers.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.2.2
        24 June 2016 at 12:12 pm

        NZ has been a neo-liberal place since the 1980s as you well know. All governments since then have been either right-wing or hard right-wing. The present government is hard right-wing while pretending to be centrist – and you know that as well.

      • framu 4.2.3
        24 June 2016 at 12:13 pm

        ” New Zealanders never ever will elect a neoliberal government”

        well that explains the lies, dead rats, massive $ spent on PR and the secret smear machine doesnt it

        another day, another load of cobblers from sly hands

    • Graeme 4.3
      24 June 2016 at 10:59 am

      So at what point do they cross the Marie Antoinette threshold and it’s perceived as arrogance and bites them on the arse.

      The casualties will be mounting of their aspirational economy, Max’s escapade would be hard watching for a young Dairy couple in their first farm with the big mortgage and deficits for the foreseeable. And probably soon to be followed by a lot in tourism and beekeeping.

      We’re seeing a lot of really grumpy and jealous New Zealanders over our counter in Queenstown. People quite annoyed that someone else is perceived as doing better than them or their town.

      Makes me wonder who the Keys are trying to reach with this caper?

  5. North 5
    24 June 2016 at 7:17 am

    How much was Rebstock paid for that rubbish report ?

  6. RTM 6
    24 June 2016 at 7:30 am

    Did a communist theorist predict Auckland’s housing crisis 70 years ago?
    http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/bill-mcara-on-aucklands-housing-crisis_23.html

  7. One Anonymous Bloke 7
    24 June 2016 at 7:40 am

    No pandas for Wellington. Perhaps they should have got someone who isn’t a low-life to make the request for them.

  8. Paul 8
    24 June 2016 at 7:41 am

    New Zealand men.
    Alcohol.
    Rugby.

    A formula for domestic violence..
    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11662434

    • Greg 8.1
      24 June 2016 at 7:50 am

      Women make all the choices to be in a relationship, men have very little options but to settle for one that says yes. And their is some people that just shouldnt be in a relationship.

      The question should be is how can we educate women to make better choices in men, because the problem isnt going to be fixed by doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome each time.
      And prohibition sure worked wonderfully in America circa early last century, the social outcomes was a huge success.
      Rugby is pretty boring with the All Blacks winning all the time.

      • Lanthanide 8.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 8:35 am

        You’re acting like women enter into a relationship with full knowledge about what the future holds.

        I suspect very few men are abusive at the start of a relationship, it’s only once the woman has no other choice that the abuse starts, trapping the woman and making it very difficult to escape.

        • Richardrawshark 8.1.1.1
          24 June 2016 at 9:22 am

          I thought he was meaning, Men are such desperate creatures, we sniff around women all day long until we find one who will say yes.

          Where as women get to exersize choice in their mate much more, in a primal base sort of way.

          IDNK it’s early I just woke up. The bloody standard requires, a fully comprehending mind of extraordinary intellect almost 24/7 where as right wing blogs expect you more to grunt at there bigotry, a far easier task.

          • Sabine 8.1.1.1.1
            24 June 2016 at 9:40 am

            and if he really thinks this about men in general, he is a pretty sad human being.

            Men, generally speaking are not animals that can’t control their urges and desires.
            Most man are not abusers, some are, and many of those that are would be repeat offenders, especially if they get away with their behavior. However, i firmly believe that the vast majority of men does not behave like a grunting degenerate around women and girls.
            I would also really hope that men will stand up to that type of bullshit peddling.

            It is time that we put the blame where the blame belongs, to those that abuse and hurt others, irrespective of gender, age and all the other stuff.

            • Richardrawshark 8.1.1.1.1.1
              24 June 2016 at 9:45 am

              Hi Sabine I think you took it , too far to the literal, as the coffee enters my system I may be able to say it better,

              In the gender search for a partner, perhaps he meant the male moves from rejection to rejection as he tries to impress each prospective mate, where as the female of the species is the one who sits and selects from her prospective mates as they vie for her affections.

              typically.

              • Sabine …
                24 June 2016 at 9:54 am

                as per my comment below, i have absolutly no idea what he meant, but i can read what he typed.
                And what he typed is usally called Victim blaming and putting the onus on the Victim to protect herself form future harm, i guess whith the help of a glass ball or some tarot cards. I mean its not that man or women run around with a tattoo on their heads that say ‘beware, abuser’.

                IF he was being sarcastic he failed utterly. The two articles linked by me below are from todays herald. Other headlines today, a. another ‘sex’ attack in Wellington http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81407411/police-investigating-early-morning-sex-attack-on-wellingtons-taranaki-street and an arrest was made in the case of the 65 year old women who was raped in her home this week
                http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81384392/arrest-made-in-porirua-rape-case
                then there is the article about a murderer being released from prison, but the body of his victim is still not found http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81363039/former-detective-holds-out-hope-neithes-body-will-be-uncovered
                and of course lets not forget the schoolsgirls with their defrauding knees defrauding and distracting male school teachers to the point of where their naked knees could be considered ‘sexual harrasment’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/81365804/christchurch-schoolgirls-told-their-skirt-length-distracted-male-teachers , maybe trousers should be the standard school uniform, or maybe teachers need to learn that if the knees of a 16 year old are so ‘defrauding and distracting’ that maybe they should only teach at a boys school….but then i hear there are boys that wear shorts to school…..oh those naked knees of children.

                And this is just one morning over coffee. So maybe you know, he just meant what he said?

                • Richardrawshark …
                  24 June 2016 at 11:18 am

                  I was just focused on that particular sentence of his, the rest of it made little sense, I just got his reference to the mating ritual.

                  His one weakness of argument I immediately noticed, was his simplification of the issue, which due to the diversity of human behaviour he fails to acknowledge, as in the fact, Sociopaths, psychopathic people. I won’t go into their behavioural expertise area’s if you understand me, because he should realize it and incorporate it into his argument but fails to see it at all. Why should I enlighten his narrow perceptions of how things are.

                  When he learns to challenge his beliefs he’ll adopt a more rational view point.

                  • Greg …
                    24 June 2016 at 1:08 pm

                    Dating is a numbers game, and for a yes answer, some guys dont stop when they do get a yes, in marry.

                    I simplified the issue for the reason its not an easy one answer fix,
                    and it wont be solved because of human nature. And that desire of sexual attraction overrides any red flags.

                    I mentioned police proposing allowing women access to mens criminal records, privacy grounds aside, would it have worked,
                    has warning a female that a guy is no good ever.

                    Men Going There Own Way is a utube thing.

                    Relationships are a choice.

                • Gabby …
                  24 June 2016 at 11:23 am

                  Those poor male teachers can’t have been educated at coed schools, or they wouldn’t have made it to university.

                • Greg …
                  24 June 2016 at 1:17 pm

                  These are crimes are of certain types of men who are psychotic, mentally ill, or just opportunists, it in no way relates to being in a relationship with a guy who drinks and watches Rugby.

                  And I cant stop them.
                  And Im not victim blaming, your projecting that onto me.

        • Rosie 8.1.1.2
          24 June 2016 at 11:21 am

          Thank you Lanthanide. I am just NOT getting into the theme of Graeme’s comment today. If there’s a few sentences that can sum up a response to Graeme, you’ve done it. Again, thank you.

      • reason 8.1.2
        24 June 2016 at 8:39 am

        The modern New Zealand way is not prohibition of Alcohol ………… just attacks and smears on those wanting to lower alcohol ABUSE …..

        While passing laws that are a confused expensive mess that work in favor of the booze industry.

        Steinlager All blacks ……… Drug All blacks

        • Greg 8.1.2.1
          24 June 2016 at 11:18 am

          So how can we fix rampant sexual abuse in religious communities etc, where booze isnt involved.
          And for that matter where government agencies replace children back with their abusers.

      • Sabine 8.1.3
        24 June 2016 at 8:40 am

        and this dead women here also could have done a better job at ‘choosing’ that man in her life.

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662452

        but hey, it must be her fault and he gets an interview in which he can all tell us what a good boy he is and he meant nothing he did.

      • Sabine 8.1.4
        24 June 2016 at 8:41 am

        Yes, if this girl/women would have just have the good sense to ‘choose’ a different Dad. And i am sure the wifes and children of the other men mentioned in this article are also trying very hard in the future to ‘choose’ better men and dads.

        If your comment was an attempt at sarcasm it failed.

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11662214

        “A man who raped his own daughter, forced her to wear bondage and pimped her to six other men told police it was fun while it lasted.

        The father, who cannot be named, has been jailed for more than 22 years in what a judge described as one of the worst cases of its kind.

        He pleaded guilty to 61 offences committed between 2013 and 2015 when the girl was aged between 11 and 13.”

        “Benjamin Simon Clarke was previously sentenced to three years in jail for his involvement, which included photographing the girl in lingerie and nude.

        Former pastor and father-of-two, Dawid Volmer, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years after he admitted molesting and raping the blindfolded girl while her dad was present.

        Four other men also face charges.”

        • Greg 8.1.4.1
          24 June 2016 at 10:54 am

          Its why there are prisons.

          • Sabine 8.1.4.1.1
            24 June 2016 at 10:56 am

            but how do you propose she could have ‘saved’ herself, by ‘choosing’ a better man in her life, and not ‘ignoring’ the pointers and hints that her father is a degenerate, that a priest is a degenerate that up to 6 man had no issue raping a girl of 11 – 13 years old.

            that is what you stated above. that women should choose ‘better men’. so how does a child choose her father? Please explain. Thanks.

          • Sabine 8.1.4.1.2
            24 June 2016 at 11:00 am

            what about this girls and one boy? in care of CYF and a foster family?

            Could they not just have choosen a better foster father? Or maybe the violene is really the fault of the one meeting out violence and not the fault of the one receiving the violence.

            good grief, you really are a sad excuse for a human being aren’t you 🙂

            http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/79441329/walmsley-trial-the-evidence-that-simply-couldnt-be-invented

            • Greg 8.1.4.1.2.1
              24 June 2016 at 11:26 am

              Systemic failures in government agencies and various institutions are something I can not fix, and that political parties in government duck any responsibility if fixing problems they could.

              Just blaming it all on booze and rugby is getting tiring to hear.

              Meanwhile its an election next year, maybe a new anti domestic violence campaign will fix deeply embedded social problems that just seem to get worse.
              Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result each time sure seems to be working.

      • Pasupial 8.1.5
        24 June 2016 at 9:42 am

        Greg

        Are you really that repulsive that you’ll settle for the first person who doesn’t run away screaming? If so, I think you’d be better advised to look at improving your own self rather than blaming all woman.

        “The question should be”; why should anyone pay heed to one who can type; “their is some people” (not the only error, just the most concentrated), and then post it on a public thread? If they give their reasoning as little thought as they do their composition, then why am I wasting my time responding to this gibberish…

        Fuck that and fuck you too!

    • vto 8.2
      24 June 2016 at 10:12 am

      New Zealand men + alcohol + rugby = domestic violence ???

      bullshit on the toilet front

      • Greg 8.2.1
        24 June 2016 at 11:01 am

        Plenty of violence happens in religious communities, where their isnt any booze or rugby. And then theirs gang culture, which does.

  9. Wonderpup 9
    24 June 2016 at 9:13 am

    This a good, silly game.

    http://w3w.co/humans.skill.rats

  10. weka 10
    24 June 2016 at 9:27 am

    Mexit petition nears 20,000

    https://www.change.org/p/tvnz-get-rid-of-hosking-1347aa6d-8044-4a33-ba59-7fe0a5dba42b

    Interview with petition starter,

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/81370038/mike-hosking-why-i-want-to-get-rid-of-him

    I wish the focus was less on offender and more on the critical role of journalism/media and the need to not use that position for expressions of personal opinion.

    • Puckish Rogue 10.1
      24 June 2016 at 9:36 am

      One could argue that this will make more people watch the show thus consolidating Mike Hoskings position

      • Sabine 10.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 9:42 am

        one could argue that not watching this geezer is good for the mental and spiritual well being of one.

      • Greg 10.1.2
        24 June 2016 at 11:07 am

        Not me, havnt watched TV since Netflix started up.
        And he is too predictable.

        • Puckish Rogue 10.1.2.1
          24 June 2016 at 11:15 am

          I prefer kodi… 🙂

          • Greg 10.1.2.1.1
            24 June 2016 at 11:32 am

            I just stick with a few beers, work enough hours to pay rent , food etc.
            Minimizing stress and chaos,
            and avoiding the unrealistic expectations of others.

      • weka 10.1.3
        24 June 2016 at 11:11 am

        One could argue that the moon is made of blue cheese too PR. Go on, make your argument then.

        • Puckish Rogue 10.1.3.1
          24 June 2016 at 12:02 pm

          Well ok then Campbell Live was losing viewing and only picked up when TV3 announced its axing, to the best of my knowledge Mike Hosking isn’t losing viewers yet if people think it may get axed then more people may watch it, if for nothing else then curiosity to see what the fuss is about

          Or not

          • weka 10.1.3.1.1
            24 June 2016 at 1:48 pm

            That would only make sense if there were a whole lot of people who love Hosking in the way that others love Campbell. I just don’t think that’s true. There will be some, but mostly people watch Hosking because it’s on and because it’s sensational.

            A lot of Campbell’s audience had stopped watching TV or were getting their current affairs on the internet. It’s really a different situation than Hosking.

            • Puckish Rogue 10.1.3.1.1.1
              24 June 2016 at 2:33 pm

              Agreed, its quite different. Campbell Live getting axed was a commercial decision because he was losing viewers, Hosking isn’t losing viewers and is popular but people want him axed because they don’t like his views

        • Greg 10.1.3.2
          24 June 2016 at 1:21 pm

          Actually on that topic, where’s our moon base.
          Nasa wants to go to Mars, yet we havnt got a moon base yet.

          • McFlock 10.1.3.2.1
            24 June 2016 at 4:33 pm

            glad I’m not the only one pissed off about that

            • Greg 10.1.3.2.1.1
              24 June 2016 at 5:22 pm

              And ,so many promises of a great future,
              4 day working week, or working from home, living wage, paperless office,

              They has just managed to implement E invoices in the last 6 months.

    • Richardrawshark 10.2
      24 June 2016 at 9:51 am

      Have faith Weka, one of the morons will slip up and mention that which they promised never to mention.

      On a side note, I really find it absurdly ridiculous we have a PM, who is so arrogant he’s come out defending keeping Rebstock, and without even saying he dismisses the Ombudsman as irrelevant to his agenda, he just did by ignoring him. Iain moves on he knew and got a free pass, helped onto his next train wreck.

      I trust a full investigation into the actions of National will be forthcoming regarding abuses of power, upon a change of government.

  11. Anne 11
    24 June 2016 at 10:05 am

    Paula Rebstock’s influence on NZers:

    Rebstock is an Auckland based economist and company director. She is Chair of the ACC Board, Chair of the Work and Income Board, Deputy Chair of KiwiRail, and Chair of the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman Commission. Paula is also a member of the University of Auckland Business School Advisory Board, a member of the Synergia Limited advisory board and a director of Auckland Transport. She is also a lead reviewer for the Performance Improvement Framework for the State Services Commission. Paula has been chair of the New Zealand Commerce Commission (2003-2009) and a member of the Commission for 11 years.
    Other past roles include director of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, and Health Benefits Limited, general manager with the Department of Labour, as well as economic adviser positions with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the New Zealand Treasury. Paula has also worked in the private sector in the United States in the 1980s.

    It beggars belief!!

    This hard-wired American neoliberal junkie with a vindictive bent is practically running the show. I wonder how many NZ lives she has destroyed thus far… not to mention those she has slandered or defamed.

    I sincerely hope the next Lab/Green/NZ First(?) govt. ensures she never gets another position of influence in this country ever again!

    http://www.beaccessible.org.nz/the-movement/fab-50-network/paula-rebstock

    • Draco T Bastard 11.1
      24 June 2016 at 2:05 pm

      I wonder how many NZ lives she has destroyed thus far…

      Probably in the thousands so far at least.

      I sincerely hope the next Lab/Green/NZ First(?) govt. ensures she never gets another position of influence in this country ever again!

      And what law would they do that under?

      Although, falsifying the report seems like good grounds.

      • Anne 11.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 3:16 pm

        Well, they got rid of Christine Rankin. I was referring to the public sector roles in which she is involved.

  12. Bearded Git 12
    24 June 2016 at 10:20 am

    With Rebstock in charge no wonder the railways are being closed down and no wonder this government has fought sensible public transport options in Auckland (only to do the usual u-turn on the rail loop when their ridiculous position became untenable) and no wonder ACC has become much harder to obtain.

    Her refusal to front up today to answer questions when disastrously wrong with the Foreign Affairs report , or earlier answer a civil question on ACC investment of public money (listen to Morning Report this morning) speaks volumes for the way this government operates.

    • Greg 12.1
      24 June 2016 at 11:09 am

      And she will be getting a heafty stipend for every one, how would her PAYE would work out,

      • Draco T Bastard 12.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 2:07 pm

        Probably contracts rather than PAYE and she has offshore trusts?

        I’d be surprised to find that she paid tax.

  13. Penny Bright 13
    24 June 2016 at 11:08 am

    Auckland Mayoral candidate Phil Goff supports road tolls for Auckland.

    Labour Party Leader Andrew Little is calling for Labour Party supporters to support Phil Goff for Auckland Mayor.

    Does that mean that the Labour Party supports road tolls for Auckland?

    Statement by Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright
    “Road Tolls? NO WAY!”

    “Let’s get it right – there is NO SUCH THING as ‘public transport’ in Auckland,” says Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright.

    “There are 10 private bus companies, 4 private ferries and a French multi-national operating and managing Auckland trains.”

    “What is ‘public’ – is the subsidies these private passenger transport operators are receiving – but there is no transparency or accountability regarding how much is being received by whom.”

    “I know – because I have asked.”

    “Here is the LGOIMA (Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act) reply from Auckland Transport, dated 7 July 2015:

    http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51SCLGE_EVI_51DBHOH_PET66634_1_A494427/9aa813e65f89372033c648c285010dec9ff0b40f

    “Here is the evidence in the form of an extensive Privacy Act reply from Auckland Transport, dated 29 October 2015, which confirms that these private passenger transport operators did NOT want to reveal how much public monies they were receiving in the form of SUBSIDIES:

    http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51SCLGE_EVI_51DBHOH_PET66634_1_A494428/9b31a5acc867353077952bd23648be429134bbf6

    “Here’s a wild idea – how about ‘opening the books’ and ‘cutting out the contractors’, and making ‘public’ transport truly PUBLIC – by bringing ownership, management and operation back ‘in house’, under the not-for-profit, public service model?”

    “Why should the public subsidise that which we no longer own, operate or manage?”

    “If the private sector are SO ‘efficient’ – why do they need public subsidies?”

    “‘Activists – get things done.

    As well as carrying out this pivotal investigative research, I have also petitioned Parliament, where I have raised my concerns about Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) – directly, and successfully, with the law-makers.”

    http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51DBSCH_SCR69296_1/924613ec7fb831c4e74bd062f73287ac2ceb5081

    “Accountability and transparency of Auckland’s council-controlled organisations

    The petitioner told us of her concern that the public was unable to have a say on the model of Auckland’s CCOs after the 2009 Auckland “super city” merger.

    She stressed that the public is also unable to have a say about the directorship of CCOs or to have any direct say in CCO statements of intent.

    She believes that this is because CCOs are not classified as local authorities for the purposes of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.

    The petitioner strongly believes that CCOs need to be more accountable to Auckland ratepayers because a percentage of rates goes towards the operations of CCOs.

    She told us that she is defending her “lawful right as a citizen to know where my money is being spent”.

    The petitioner questions how the efficiencies and cost-effectiveness of Auckland CCOs is monitored.

    She is particularly concerned that information about the financial transactions of CCOs is unclear and difficult for the public to access.

    For example, she would prefer that contractor transactions were easily available in a written format for public scrutiny.

    The petitioner also asked why Auckland Transport does not provide open access to information about transport subsidies, given that much transport in Auckland is privately operated.

    We were also told that Auckland rates have increased to pay for a transport levy.
    …”

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    • The Chairman 13.1
      24 June 2016 at 12:32 pm

      Indeed, Penny.

      National’s brighter future seems to be one where the poor are priced off the roads.

      What is Labour’s vision?

      • Greg 13.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 1:26 pm

        Priced out of apartments as well, forcing inner city workers to the suburbs.
        It sure is wonderful sitting n a bus with virus filled passengers, or relying on the trains to be on time.
        Auckland’s wage increases by its major employers have been lucky to be inflationary.

        • The Chairman 13.1.1.1
          24 June 2016 at 4:21 pm

          Dead right, Greg.

        • Draco T Bastard 13.1.1.2
          24 June 2016 at 4:35 pm

          It sure is wonderful sitting n a bus with virus filled passengers, or relying on the trains to be on time.

          The ‘virus filled’ buses cause less death per year than the cars (probably the lack of viruses due to good coverage of vaccines) and the trains are almost always on time.

          • McFlock 13.1.1.2.1
            24 June 2016 at 4:42 pm

            the trains are probably a shitload more reliable than a car.

            That’s why people get pissed off if they’re more than a few minutes late on any particular run, whereas even if traffic runs okay there’s always “sorry, I couldn’t find a park”.

      • s y d 13.1.2
        24 June 2016 at 4:29 pm

        Labour will instigate a funding mechanism whereby a portion of your toll (sorry congestion pricing incentive) invoice will be topped up, dependent on the extent to which your trip was related to your work. This won’t be available to anyone not working, or with more than 2.45 children under the age of 12.
        There will also be a secondary method whereby you can estimate your likely toll bill for the next year and be paid the top up amount by NZTA. However penalty charges (150%) will be incurred should your estimate prove to be incorrect by more than 0.637%.
        A partial compensation refund fund will also be available on a contestable, first in first served basis, with a sliding scale reduction for multiples of 12 public transport trips. Keep your tickets.
        Further these charges will not apply to any vehicle less than 14 months old or with a market value greater than 48000 or with a WOF less than 2 weeks old.

  14. Richardrawshark 14
    24 June 2016 at 11:24 am

    Epiphany moment.

    I finally figured out why John keys flag referendum failed. The proper flag option he wanted didn’t get picked.

    It would have been a black flag, with the word in bold white “democracy” written across it, and to finish it off, a nice blue slash going from bottom left corner, to the top right.

    I am a fkn genius!

    /sarc.

  15. Rosie 15
    24 June 2016 at 11:25 am

    “I feel love”

    Which do you prefer, the original Donna Summer disco sounds or Bronski Beat?

    I love both but for today it will be Bronski Beat, featuring Marc Almond

    • Gangnam Style 15.1
      24 June 2016 at 12:04 pm

      Patrick Cowley did the original mega 12″ version of I Feel Love, he was one of the first casualties of HIV/Aids back in the early 80s. The guy was pure genius, alongside Moroder he pretty much invented Disco/Hi-NRG/Electro whatever. Not heard the Bronski Beat version, it’s all right, they def wear their influences on their sleeves, love ’em.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Cowley

    • Gabby 15.2
      24 June 2016 at 12:23 pm

      The Rollo/Sister Bliss Monster Mix.

  16. Richardrawshark 16
    24 June 2016 at 11:28 am

    I grew up with both as they came during different era’s I too agree both were good as each other, have to go for the former Donna summer for me. by a creative first way.

    • Rosie 16.1
      24 June 2016 at 12:11 pm

      Georgio Moroder produced a lot of hits for Donna Summer. He was a very influential pioneer of electronic beats

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Moroder

      And of course you can hear Moroders “tears” famously sampled in DJ Shadow’s Organ Donor:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4E60Ffa9yQ

      Now I’ve gotta get outta here because this isn’t politics, this more like The Standard Weekend Social. I’ve gotta go catch up with Brexit, check the house for ducks and work out how to use facebook. I’ve finally given in after all these year!

      • Richardrawshark 16.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 12:42 pm

        Half of my house is riveted, Heard of multitasking? Split screens etc. 🙂

        We are in the, please leave already camp.

        • Rosie 16.1.1.1
          24 June 2016 at 2:46 pm

          You’re in the leave camp?………………

          • Richardrawshark 16.1.1.1.1
            24 June 2016 at 5:43 pm

            The celebrations are resounding here, and i’m proud to say Sunderland voted to leave to, as well as Durham. Represent North east!

            Proud to be British might mean something again, so will “Made in Briton”.

            • Peter Swift 16.1.1.1.1.1
              24 June 2016 at 6:07 pm

              “The celebrations are resounding here, and i’m proud to say Sunderland voted to leave to, as well as Durham. Represent North east!

              Proud to be British might mean something again, so will “Made in Briton”.”

              Even if you’re not and it’s spelled Britain. lol

              http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21062016/#comment-1192171

              “i’m also Albanian”

              • Richardrawshark …
                24 June 2016 at 6:53 pm

                I was born in NZ to a UK mother and an Albanian father, I’ve seen it spelled Briton, and it’s a distraction to the point I make.

                Oh BTW Trying to belittle someone you don’t know is just a reflection of your own insecurities, and how I spelled it , unless this is a spelling contest is my business.

                • Peter Swift …
                  24 June 2016 at 7:04 pm

                  It’s no distraction, just a bit of a fun fact to go with your third party rhetoric.
                  For informational purposes only, if you’ve ever seen ‘made in Briton’ then whoever wrote it got it really wrong. In the context given it’s always going to be Britain, unless of course it’s an archaeological relic from the relevant time period.

                  “The Britons were an ancient Celtic people who lived in Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Roman and Sub-Roman periods. They spoke a language that is now known as Common Brittonic.”

                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Britons

                  • Richardrawshark …
                    24 June 2016 at 7:12 pm

                    I never been there, rrreally, what would I know about the UK 🙂

                    come on dude I lived there ten years, mum came back 2 weeks ago from ten years there, we may have had a good catch up you know?. My sister works for the Council in Sunderland, she’s kiwi born, but like me has right of abode?

                • In Vino …
                  24 June 2016 at 7:20 pm

                  Britain is the country. Briton is a person from Britain. They sound the same, but our illogical spelling system means that one sound can have a number of spellings in English..

  17. Rosie 17
    24 June 2016 at 11:28 am

    Dunedin, what are you doing? 20 degrees yesterday – are you serious? Are you trying for the 2016 climate change challenge to be the most unlikely southern city to have the highest winter temperature?

    • weka 17.1
      24 June 2016 at 11:39 am

      The degree of cognitive dissonance in South Dunedin must be peaking too (they had a meeting earlier in the week where some residents thought the council talking about the flooding in the context of climate change was greenie nonsense).

      • Rosie 17.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 12:02 pm

        A face palm meeting by the sounds of it. It’s difficult when a council actually acknowledges their geographical area has a problem with CC and the residents deny it. A similar thing happened a few years ago when the Kapiti District council projected sea level rises along the coastline where housing would be affected.

        Residents said it was nonsense and scaremongering. Now the $million + homes on beachfront land are sitting there unsold while houses elsewhere in that range, especially in town, in Wgtn, are selling no problem. I wonder if there will be an issue with potential buyers talking their insurance agents and the agents letting them know they will high premiums living in such a setting.

        Even when I was a kid in the 70’s growing up across the road from the sea we had massive spring storms that would bring dunes down. It’s going to be nuts as we move further into the anthropocene.

        • Gangnam Style 17.1.1.1
          24 June 2016 at 12:09 pm

          I live in South Dunedin, we are not all morons.

          Dunedin hasn’t had a winter, I work outside & have def noticed it, this time last year I think we had 2 dumps of snow! & the floods a year ago too (yes we were surrounded by water, came right to the door, 2 hours in this street were pulled down because of damage), been living in this suburb for 10 or so years, & def noticed the beach is nearer than it used to be, its a bit scary when you can hear it so close. Also a few years ago I had to dig a grave for the dog & the water table is only maybe 1-2 feet below us! So good on Cull for talking about it, though he’s back-tracking a bit because of the South Dunedin morons.

          Side note, South Dunedin is one of the poorest suburbs in the country, with shocking rates of teen pregnancies, over crowding, unemployment etc…but it is connected to the richest suburbs of the city with old beautiful Victorian mansions & brand new mega flash cars, so I think its the rich end of town complaining, I doubt the poor have too much invested in this suburb.

          • Rosie 17.1.1.1.1
            24 June 2016 at 12:30 pm

            Thanks for the local report. It’s always good to hear from residents and get their viewpoint. It’s often the case the wealthy have louder voices, or quite often more influence with the council.

            • Gangnam Style 17.1.1.1.1.1
              24 June 2016 at 12:41 pm

              Farry lives around the corner from me in the biggest house in the street,I would imagine he has a direct line to council/Govt. He was responsible for the stadium & got some kinda ‘honour’ from the Nat Govt for his effort in lying to us about it’s benefits. Some stunning old mansions in this ‘hood, a lot of ‘old money’ swishing around. Pity it’s all gonna be underwater in a few years.

              http://www.odt.co.nz/files/featured_gallery/2015/06/aerial_07_03062015_jpg_556eb86932.jpg

              http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/5/4/y/f/3/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.154ri4.png/1433445323485.jpg

              http://www.odt.co.nz/files/featured_gallery/2015/06/aerial_01_03062015_jpg_556eb86911.jpg

              http://www.odt.co.nz/files/user21583/aerial_05_03062015.jpg

              The area used to be sand dunes & wetlands, the ducks still walk around thinking it is, but then maybe they have long genetic memories & know it will be theirs again one day.

              • Pasupial …
                24 June 2016 at 1:26 pm

                Gangnam Style

                No mention of Farry in the ODT, mainly; Ray MacLeod, spokesman of the South Dunedin Action Group (SDAG). Haven’t heard of him before, do you have any local knowledge? It seems a weird bit of delusion to be; blaming those attempting to formulate a response to climate change, for the property damage caused by sealevel rises.

                SDAG spokesman Ray MacLeod finished the meeting by praising some of the council’s short-term measures, but had harsh words when it came to what he perceived as a “green” agenda on the council.

                This agenda had resulted in a council policy of “strategic withdrawal” from South Dunedin “by stealth”, Mr MacLeod said.

                Council chief executive Sue Bidrose earlier said there was no such plan, but both she and Mayor Dave Cull, whose speech was read out by Acting Mayor Andrew Noone, said such an option could not be counted out, given the serious threat posed by climate change.

                http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/387568/anger-about-south-dunedins-future

                This seems to me to be another bit of prepositioning for the anti-Green vote in this year’s local body elections. Similar to the antiwindfarm movement that sprangup out of nowhere earlier in Warrington.

                In slamming “green” councillors, Mr MacLeod pointed to a proposal in the second generation plan being consulted on which would require “sensitive activities”, which included emergency services and other key infrastructure, in South Dunedin, to be relocatable.

                He called on South Dunedin residents to vote out “green” councillors and Mr Cull, who he said were willing to “sacrifice” South Dunedin people in favour of their ideology.

                • Gangnam Style …
                  24 June 2016 at 1:34 pm

                  No sorry, I just mentioned Farry because he’s around the corner, he’s more a behind the scenes type of guy, just my opinion. I don’t know of Mr MacLeod, but read about his anti ‘green’ type rant, maybe he should make use of the internet & google Canute. Not heard of the South Dunedin Action Group before this article sorry.

                  Just read the group was started after last years flood, maybe I should try & get involved, I love this ‘burb!

                • weka …
                  24 June 2016 at 4:09 pm

                  bugger all coverage in the ODT, what’s that about?

                • Colonial Viper …
                  24 June 2016 at 4:37 pm

                  ” It seems a weird bit of delusion to be; blaming those attempting to formulate a response to climate change, for the property damage caused by sealevel rises.”

                  Disagree.

                  Last year 90%+ of the damage was caused by DCC neglect. And all of the sub par post flood response.

                  Did climate change add a couple of cm to the flood height? Sure. So what.

                  • Gabby …
                    24 June 2016 at 8:58 pm

                    You’d think the council could ponder deeply the issues of climate change AND keep the drains clear, really.

              • Rosie …
                24 June 2016 at 3:00 pm

                Blimey.

                I don’t know of this Farry character but there always seems to a local body self promoting/self interest type that is also in league with the nat party.

                Hope you’ve got some strong contenders to look at voting for this year, ones that are aligned to environmental/restoration/cc issues/resilience. (Just reading Pasupial’s comment below).

                Re ducks. I think they have long family memories, just my observation. I’ve really noticed that the more of the farmland disapears on the development where I live (especially the boggy bits) the more ducks we get in the garden, that won’t leave.
                Because I live in their territory I feel I have a duty to care for them. I give them fresh water everyday as their water source has dried up. We had a drought over summer and they had nothing to eat so hung out here. I’ve also got orphaned ducklings who grew up in our garden and they come here every day, some are pets. They have a double risk with ongoing development too. The more roads that go in, the more stormwater drains there are for ducklings to fall into. I had SPCA in to help me rescue 3 babies that went down a drain. The SPCA person said that in the developing northern areas they had double the callouts, up to 500 call outs for ducklings alone. It’s a waste of their time. We just need smaller gap grates.
                As humans we may expect them move somewhere else but they don’t seem to. They stay in their turf. Hope the ducks in your area have enough grass and insects to eat and enough water.

          • marty mars 17.1.1.1.2
            24 June 2016 at 2:17 pm

            mum lived in Atkinson st – like going back in time going there

            • Gangnam Style 17.1.1.1.2.1
              24 June 2016 at 3:23 pm

              Michael Woodhouse is from that part of South Dunedin too marty, he mentions it now & again like Key & his state house upbringing.

              • marty mars …
                24 June 2016 at 4:02 pm

                lol – street cred is hard to buy

                • Colonial Viper …
                  24 June 2016 at 5:12 pm

                  Still wondering why Woodhouse hasn’t stood against Curran. He has more connections to the Dunedin South electorate than she does. I figure it is because he can’t be bothered being an electorate MP.

                  • te reo putake …
                    24 June 2016 at 7:33 pm

                    Possibly because Curran is too popular. Nobody seems to have been able to roll her, no matter how much they’d like to take her place.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      24 June 2016 at 10:35 pm

                      Curran is too popular? Have you even looked at her plummeting electorate majority?

                    • Robertina …
                      25 June 2016 at 11:17 am

                      There was a time when Curran was perceived as a bit of an embarrassment who spent too much time on twitter, but for what it’s worth, I think that’s changed.
                      She has grown into the role. She works hard. Yes she can be a bit impulsive and makes some mistakes, but has a lot of heart.
                      Her approach to the June flood was spot on from the day one; she held council to account for its dissembling and appeared to do a huge amount of work on that issue (for individual cases as well as the infrastructure issue).
                      It will be interesting to see if her efforts translate into more votes next time around.

          • swordfish 17.1.1.1.3
            24 June 2016 at 8:42 pm

            I was about to say: It’s amazing how many Dunedinites are on this site.

            But, come to think of it, Dunedin is still the most Left-leaning City in the Country* (Wellington’s the only other centre where the Left continue to beat the Right Bloc) … so maybe not all that surprising after all.

            * Indeed, it’s been argued that Pete George is the only Dunedinite to have Party-Voted National at the last Election. Isn’t that right, Pete ?

  18. ianmac 18
    24 June 2016 at 11:56 am

    Those who have followed the hatchet job on Peggy Burrows Principal of Rangiora High School, might care to visit the Givealittle page at
    https://explore.givealittle.co.nz/search?q=Peggy+Burrows
    This time Peggy’s Rangiora case is in the Herald.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662583
    Bev Moore, the Commissioner has also done a hatchet job on an Invercargill Principal in a similar fashion because that Principal contested National Standards. That Principal took her case to Court won and was vindicated.
    Nasty unfair stuff.

  19. Gangnam Style 19
    24 June 2016 at 12:20 pm

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/387979/homeless-installation-causes-stir

    My mate has this installation at the moment, some people find it shocking, some are angry, but most are talking about homelessness which is kinda the point. Well done Toki!

    • weka 19.1
      24 June 2016 at 1:17 pm

      Good for them! interesting piece of interactive art with people leaving donations of food and cash.

      • Gangnam Style 19.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 1:27 pm

        Got a few lovely notes offering help, blankets, couches to sleep on etc…The All Blacks walked past without even glancing down, it’s been quite fascinating watching peoples reactions, I thought it was real when I first saw it. Apparently Dunedins homeless sleep in the greenbelt, too cold on the streets. And he’s left it outside over night a few times & each time in the morning the sleeping bag has been removed so we assume people are checking ‘he/she’ is OK. No sign of any Bennett ‘flying squad’ of monkeys as yet, still time!

        Rest of the exhibition is good too if anyone is walking past, have a look!

    • marty mars 19.2
      24 June 2016 at 2:21 pm

      + 1 Awesome art and contemporary commentary – love it and the things people have left.

  20. marty mars 20
    24 June 2016 at 3:10 pm

    tipping point?

    “The British pound is in freefall as the Brexit vote looks set to win the EU Referendum. In the last five minutes it has fallen 8 per cent against the US dollar.

    The crash is now the largest in modern history and has exceeded the fall known as Black Wednesday in 1992 when the UK was forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11662600

    • McFlock 20.1
      24 June 2016 at 3:20 pm

      beginning of the transition. A lot of it will be speculative shorting

      • logie97 20.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 4:34 pm

        I wonder what instructions those trustees who are managing blind trusts/investments in foreign exchanges are receiving from those who have major interests in those blind trusts …

  21. Gangnam Style 21
    24 June 2016 at 3:17 pm

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662642

    All credit to Amy Adams for reading out the apology to Teina Pora, apparently she didn’t have to. It was the least she could do, now it’s the polices turn.

    • Colonial Viper 21.1
      24 June 2016 at 5:11 pm

      I have to be slightly impressed by that.

      • North 21.1.1
        24 June 2016 at 11:25 pm

        I don’t have to be but I acknowledge a good measure of belief. Politics fucks up belief unfortunately but it is admirable as far as it goes.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 27

    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    17 mins ago
  • Ticket To Anywhere

    You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    59 mins ago
  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    18 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    24 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-07-27T00:44:03+00:00