In one breath they talk about investing but most of the article talks about them tendering for contracts. Unless they plan on bidding $3billion more than everyone else I can’t see where the gains are, if it’s just tenders ChCh will get the money whether this mob is involved or not.
“….if it’s just tenders ChCh will get the money whether this mob is involved or not.”
that is theproblem…..they arnt and wont….the appetite for investment in the ChCh rebuild has evaporated for a multitude of reasons, number one of which is the disastrous leadership(?) provided by Brownlee and his cabinet mates.
That was partly my point. Read down the article, ie;
“Rahme, a Guoxin founding partner, said several Christchurch projects had already been identified, but he would not name them.
Once projects went out for tender, Guoxin would submit bids for them.”
and…..
“Because of the company’s size, it could source materials from China and across the world at a cheaper cost, which could make projects more viable, Rahme said”
They’re talking there about projects which are going to be built whether this mob is in it or not. So where is the $3billion of investment?
the point is without the financing they may not be built, or at least not for some considerable time….you can say they are tendering for work that will happen anyway, but whether any of those tenders are accepted will depend on many factors….not least of which will be cost. The cost of construction currently does not allow a return in most instances from projected revenues and the Insurance monies are coming to an end and much is being redirected or sat on waiting for the inevitable fire sales
maybe we are going to try design build projects like used on the beautiful Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (Cooper River bridge) in South Carolina. In some ways I am a fan of such projects it puts all the responsibility to design and build on the firm doing the construction. If they get it wrong they carry the can.
And that “sourcing of materials” is going to impact on NZ steel manufacturers and building material providers (and resulting job losses) and trade workers.
These decisions are going to have more impact than the most immediate consideration of who can provide for the least cost – NZ company or overseas.
Tim Groser in Parliament yesterday delivered a totally mindless, utterly absurd speech following on from question time. Among other inanely rambling topics he discussed several examples of “why he thinks the number 7 is important”.
In keeping the spirit of mindless absurdity initiated by Groser (“if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em”), I’d like to add to his examples seven reasons why the people of NZ voted for a panda as PM of New Zealand in the last election:
1. Pandas believe that they do enough for their country merely by sitting around eating or by lying around on their backs all day. They don’t need to do any useful work nor have a long-term strategy or a vision for the the future of their country. They merely exist to be adored by the public and fed by the taxpayer. However they are expensive for the taxpayer to keep and maintain.
2. They are shorter in stature than a full-grown man when standing on their hind legs. However they have rather strong arms and can deliver an awesome side-swipe to anyone who gets too close and is foolish enough to say something they don’t like.
3. They have quite unnecessarily big heads, given their short stature.
4. They also have a big mouth – bigger than is required for their bland diet of Green fodder. And pandas have quite sharp teeth that can inflict serious damage on their opponents at close range. However they do have a leerish grin that some members of the public find attractive.
5. They have rather small beady eyes that stare unblinkingly whenever a camera is aimed in their general direction.
6. They have a characteristically quite large, long nose.
7. Pandas can be good money-spinners in the short term. However the voting public soon become bored with them as zoo exhibits, due in part to their gross inactivity.
In short, we couldn’t have done worse for the future of this country if we’d voted for a snake instead of a panda.
If Key wants a panda badly enough he can afford one and charge what he likes for people to see it. He can also stick a flag of his preference at the entrance of the panda enclosure.
and
A panda and a flag are priorities for Key, while state housing is in ruins and supported housing is desperately needed for those with complex housing needs.
Where is the logic in making someone homeless, (selling off state homes) then housing a homeless person, (social housing)?
Nothing has been done in 4 years, because Key’s grand social housing plan is RIDDLED with holes because it relies on stripping state housing of assets.
I think its a warning shot from the Greens to Labour, the flag probably won’t change so supporting Red Peak means nothing but it does tell Labour that the Greens don’t want to be seen as Labours doormat anymore and if Labour want the Greens support they (Labour) will have to negotiate with them
quite frankly we did not need another choice to make this ‘shambles’ ‘flag debacle’ ‘rubbish designs’ etc etc more palatable or to give the PM more leg to stand on his vanity project.
the greens could have just simply sat that one out. Oh well, i guess they will be known hence forward as the ‘Aquamarine’ brigade….to the rescue of the national party when ever they need help. Not that that would feed the kids, or help the envirnoment, but it sure does feel good.
the greens, the labour party should have both done nothing else but lean back and watch the trainwreck that is the “Flag Change”.
no, the GP are mediating a solution to the clusterfuck that is the flag change process, and they’re doing so in a way that will probably pick up votes for them.
let people vote on the choices presented to them by dear leader, and frankly if the feathers win, than it is becasue people voted for it.
if the old flag stays, its because people voted for it.
for once, sorry Weka, but the greens fucked up big time here.
I find the whole thing stupid and dumb. Key talking about Labour failing to get Red Peak on the ballot, then breathless admiration for the Greens who “came through the middle”…WHO CARES??? IT IS A SIDESHOW. Nothing happened.
A question for all those eagle eyed economics whizzes that visit TS. (With apologies for the boring nature of the question).
Apparently economists anticipate there will be another cut in the OCR before the end of the year. Anyone have ideas as to exactly when another cut would be announced?
I want to refix my mortgage if the OCR goes down again and banks respond by lowering their lending rates. Currently the best offers are 4.35% for one year fixed. Am hoping they will drop further so I can take advantage.
It’s unlikely that it will drop any more than it has (2.75% is getting down to quite low), but this is dependent on economic indicators. Eg; if business confidence decreases more than expected, then the OCR will be likely to decrease too. If you want to get a general indication of whether the OCR will be set higher or lower, the main indicators to watch are inflation rates, business & consumer confidence levels, and employment trends.
Thanks odot. I got the feeling that those three indicators you mention were flat, at the moment, but then it’s not my area of knowledge.
Despite the unknown I’m going to hang out till 29th October with my current fixed rate.
After all, dear Leader showed his lack of faith in his governments ability to lift the economy by saying that “we could see mortgage rates with a 3 in front of them”. Not that he is to be believed on any topic.
After all, dear Leader showed his lack of faith in his governments ability to lift the economy by saying that “we could see mortgage rates with a 3 in front of them”.
Generally speaking, bank mortgage rates are usually around 1.5 to 2% higher than the OCR. To get mortgage rates with a 3 in front you’d have to have the OCR drop to 2.25% at the minimum and even then it would take the banks a few weeks to drop their interest rates. Hell, they may not even drop them.
Got that thanks Drac, re the mortgage rates to OCR ratio.
I think last time the OCR dropped the banks did drop quickly, within a few days. I guess they’re thinking there has to be some semblance of competitiveness. They never lose though, they get people on their obscenely huge break fee’s, which you have to fight them to avoid paying.
It is unlikely that business confidence will have any reason to head north in the foreseeable future. There will be an increase in unemployment numbers and inflation will likely remain less than .05%.
The dairy giant said its net profit after tax came to $506 million in the year to July 31, up 183 per cent from the previous year’s profit, and raised its forecast payout for the current season.
Yep, it’s called neoliberalism, maximising short term profits to give applause and profits payouts to the CEO and management team, while leaving the workers with less jobs and more work and the company weaker in the long term. The farmers themselves have had less payouts for milk but ‘supported’ by the co-operative instead of giving them the money for milk they used to get. Make it complicated too, like the Natz, take with one hand, and then give a little with the other their own money and keep the rest for yourself.
What has Jacinda Ardern done to warrant replacing Annette King apart from losing to Nikki Kaye twice and putting on makeup and apperaring in some womans magazines?
Annette King is one of the (very few) mps the Labour party has that can match it with National
If National could swop some of their mps for Labours they’d probably pick Annette King, Kelvin Davis, Stuart Nash and thats about it, thats how bare the cupboard is for Labour
Why Labour would want to demote one of thier best, most experienced mps for someone that can’t even win an electorate seat is beyond me
If you can’t convince an electorate to vote for you how can you convice a country? It was a strange (to me anyway) decision to make Andrew Little the leader of Labour but i guess when you scrambling for purchase you’ll grab onto anything
Kelvin Davis comes across very well, competent man-of the-people type and hes even managed to avoid any fallout from his hits on Serco ref: deaths in corrections run prisons so hes doing something right
Which goes to show that the voters of New Plymouth were blind to the likelihood of having the countries next Prime Minister as their local MP.
Oh well New Plymouths loss, the countries gain.
Actually, Little didn’t do too badly in a decidedly Right-leaning Provincial City seat like New Plymouth.
Particularly so in 2011.
2011 Split Vote
(CV = Candidate Vote)
(GE = General Electorates as a whole)
Party Vote……CV for Lab candidate (GE)…..CV for Little in New Plymouth
Labour……………………….83%…………………………………91%
National………………………5%…………………………………..9%
NZF…………………………….43%…………………………………65%
Green…………………………45%…………………………………61%
Cons…………………………..12%…………………………………27%
ACT……………………………..7%………………………………….14%
UF………………………………18%…………………………………34%
In other words, Little was able to attract far greater support from the voters of rival parties (and, indeed, from Labour voters) compared to your average Labour candidate. Remember, this was the first time he’d ever stood so it was a remarkable performance for a newbie candidate. Only the long-time MPs in the Labour leadership (Goff, King, Mallard) (as well as Helen Clark in previous elections) had the same ability to pull in the voters of other parties.
True, 2014 wasn’t quite such a good performance, but Little was still attracting more voters of other parties than the average Labour candidate, even if not to the same extent as his debut in 2011.
But the fact is: he was on a hiding to nothing in such a conservative,
right-leaning seat. Meanwhile, your favourite PM makes sure he initially gets selected for one of the safest and Bluest seats in he Country.
Nah, generally been a Tory seat since the advent of the modern Party system. And the 2011 and 2014 Elections took place during a particularly Blue period (in more ways than one) in the electoral cycle.
The only reason Labour’s Duynhoven held on for as long as he did was that he was basically a political freak. He was winning support from National voters (ie National Party-voters) massively – and I mean massively – out of proportion to other Labour candidates, including the popular leadership old-timers like Clark, Goff, King, Mallard.
The fact that a newbie candidate like Little was able to emulate Duynhoven’s pulling power (albeit to a lesser degree) remains impressive. Little might not have quite been the political freak Duynhoven was, but he was still up there with the Clarks and Goffs when it came to his ability to attract rival parties’ voters.
Thats your view of the world but it’s not mine and many others I speak with. There is plenty of time for Little to further his popularity with voters and I have huge confidence in his abilities to present himself as a Prime Minister in waiting over the next 18 months two years.
Little’s charisma bypass works hugely against him. He comes across as passionless and humourless. Contrast that with all the other party leaders and he’s uniquely boring.
I’d agree with much of that Grindle But please lay off the scorched earth approach to Labour and Little. Give them a chance to grow without cutting down those tall poppies. Find something to praise, however little!
Yup. But there were differences. Goff wasn’t really given a chance and blew it with the stunt on a motorbike that looked too big for him. Shearer was a ditherer and used to seem as surprised as everyone else to hear what he had to say once he’d said it. Cunliffe just didn’t look or sound genuine. Little’s just bland and boring.
“There is plenty of time for Little to further his popularity with voters and I have huge confidence in his abilities to present himself as a Prime Minister in waiting over the next 18 months two years.”
Which basically sounds like the old he just needs more time refrain
No. It’s the reality highlighted by the polls. Little has failed to significantly shine thus far. How that gives you confidence he will improve going forward is unclear.
Andrew Little is concentrating on creating cohesion between all the different strands of the Labour Party (a big job given it’s diversity) and moving around the country getting a sense of what is really going on out there in voter-land. He’s playing the long game and ensuring the building blocks are in place before he starts the job of winning over voters.
Why do you think the blowhard Key and his cohorts have upped the ‘dirty political’ rhetoric on Andrew Little T.C.? Because they know that when the time comes, he’s going to be a much harder opponent to beat that’s why.
Josie Pagani says Labour needs to upset some people (I’m taking that means people on the left) and take some risk.
She’s right about that, but I doubt she recognises that it is she (and others of similar ilk) who are going to be upset. Both Paganis are way out of the Labour loop and have been for a long time. Josie reminds me of that third way Blairite who stood for the UK Labour leadership. Forgotten her name already but she only managed 4.5% of the vote. In a similar situation here I doubt Josie would get 0.5% of the vote.
I think he was “happy” with her starting up an independent Think Tank but be assured she and her mates were given the thumbs down about involving the Labour Party. It seems to have died a natural death because there’s been no mention of it since.
She probably does have the ear of a few within Labour but that is all. She’s highly unpopular because of the way she has sniped at – and run down – Labour at every opportunity. She’s been doing it for a long time under various leaders and my sense is: it’s a revenge thing because she and her husband have not been afforded the reverence and appreciation of the party hierarchy she thinks they deserve.
The fact the Party hasn’t publicly disowned her suggests she may have more support within than we both believe.
Don’t agree. She’s a publicity seeking type and they don’t intend to accommodate her… is the more likely reason they don’t publicly disown her. Best to ignore her.
She is very outspoken and given her media status, her input is far reaching.
Therefore, if she was going against the Party’s wishes (potentially harming their public image) surely they would distance themselves from her, setting the media and public right.
The fact that they haven’t speaks volumes, IMO.
Ignoring someone so outspoken, potentially damaging and with such public reach is an inconceivable strategy.
She seeks publicity – and money – through her engagements with RNZ “The Panel” and other similar programmes on TV, but she doesn’t get news coverage as such. Since the audience for the above is limited then I guess they think she’s best ignored. I know of no-one who bothers to read her occasional written diatribes – confused and irrational as they so often seem.
RNZ, “The Panel” and other similar programmes on TV are generally related to news or political coverage, thus her public reach is rather wide. Not to mention potentially damaging.
Moreover, allowing her to hog the limelight robs Labour from getting their genuine message out. Hence, when all is considered, the ignoring her strategy being put forward just doesn’t wash, IMO.
Of course, that won’t be clear until Little makes his move, then we’ll see which way he decides to go and how well that resonates with voters/supporters.
We’ve come to an agreement – sort of. I don’t think Labour has a lot of choice at present because the MSM are going to use her no matter what. But yeah, she’s damaging – dare I say it – the party brand, and I’d like to see her sent packing. Indeed I’ve considered writing to the Labour Council about her but as yet haven’t had the time to do so.
Publicly distancing themselves from her (while putting forward their own genuine spokesperson) would severely knee cap her current status as an associated Labour spokesperson or commentator of the left. Turning the media off seeking comment from her as it would largely be considered irrelevant.
Labour has this choice, but to date, have decided against it. Leaving me and others questioning why?
Joise Pagani is not and never has been a recognised spokesperson for Labour. What point is there in putting forward a genuine spokesperson when the MSM will simply ignore them. They wouldn’t want Labour’s choice whoever it might be. Madame J suits their agenda well enough. She puts the boot into Labour and that’s how they like it.
Not for the first time, I heard her on Mora’s panel a few days ago talking a load of confused and irrational bullshit. Mora and co. must know it’s bullshit yet they continue to invite her. There’s your problem – not Labour.
i think youre right anne i think hes more of a man than anyone else in the pack and personaly id prefer someone that wasnt always doing that grimacing thing somepeople call smiling anyway ! Timing is everything hopefully he will come through
By praising Annette King? Its not sexist to point out that Jacinda acts (via the medium of print media) like a pretty face but when it comes to the business of politics shes lost against Nikki Kaye and got smacked down by Paula Bennet
When people try and slag off Jacinda Ardern they always bring up the fact that she lost to Kaye, but the reality is she lost by 600 votes last year, and 700 the election before that. In an electorate with between 27-33k voters that is an incredibly slim margin both times…
That’s not quite true – they’d pick all of the ABCs who should be in National anyway.
Also, this is MMP, electorate seats are not as important as popularity nation-wide
They’d only pick the ABCs that were any good (which doesn’t leave alot to choose) and yes electorate seats arn’t as important as they used to be but as I said before how can you expect a country to vote for you if you can’t convice an electorate to vote for you
Because people are tired of old Third Way Labour. They want fresh ideas and young faces. They only reason Ardern lost Central Auckland is because some Green Party voters can’t figure out how to vote strategically, and the party can’t seem to figure this out either. And I know, I’m a party member. Maybe I’ll light a fire under it… Also, I think by the end of this term Ardern will have served 3 terms. That’s 9 years. Is that enough experience? Key became Prime Minister with only 6 years in parliament.
“They ALWAYS give them Maori names.”
Paul Henry channeled the late Paul Holmes this morning. PAUL HENRY, TV3, Thursday 24 September 2015
shallow /ˈʃaləʊ/ adj.1. of little depth; 2. not exhibiting, requiring, or capable of serious thought.
This program gets worse every day. I tuned in this morning just as the 8 o’clock news was finishing….
HILLARY BARRY: ….And the new Cook Strait ferry the Kaiarahi has arrived in Wellington. It has been blessed by iwi, and will start services next month.
Now for most people that would have been an uncontroversial, even boring, little news item. But for Paul Henry, like it was for another hateful multi-media pontificator, Paul Holmes, Māori culture is intolerable, an affront, its very existence a provocation. So, in the mind of Paul Henry, naming a ferry the Kaiarahi was “political correctness” gone mad.
Intolerable!
After a short silence, he made his assault…..
PAUL HENRY: Would it be so hard for them to give the ferry an ENGLISH name? They ALWAYS give them Maori names.
HILLARY BARRY: I think it’s LOVELY!
PAUL HENRY: Do you? It must be all right then, if Hillary likes it. But honestly….
Henry’s slave Jim Kayes looked troubled, but kept his own counsel….
Shortly after that, it was time for the daily “Panel”. Today it featured a particularly gruesome twosome: Christine (Spankin’) Rankin, the self-described “children’s advocate” who believes in hitting children, and Bill Ralston’s ghastly wife Janet Wilson. I had better things to do than listen to three vicious and vacuous people chuntering on at the intellectual level you’d expect at a golf club booze-up, but I did catch the tail-end of it just before 8:30….
JANET WILSON: See, here’s the thing: Len still thinks he’s going to win. Quelle horreur! He’s got a hide like an elephant. PAUL HENRY: Yeah, he has. JANET WILSON: The problem for Phil Goff is that he comes from the same end of the political spectrum as Len Brown. The thing is: who would want to run for mayor, when you get paid two and six for it? CHRISTINE SPANKIN’ RANKIN:[speaking slowly to emphasize how serious she is] He failed as the leader of the Labour Party, and he will fail as mayor of Auckland. JANET WILSON: Christine Rankin and Janet Wilson, thank you very much for coming on the Panel this morning. SPANKIN’ RANKIN: Best Panel ever! JANET WILSON: Ha ha ha ha! Yeah!
+1 – as I’m assuming most people on this site, can’t bear to watch this crap, (and from the falling ratings more and more of the public) great to have the opportunity to have it dissected.
That “two and six” the mayor gets paid is many times the average wage. Methinks Janet Wilson needs to live on the average wage for a while to get some perspective.
funnily enough as far as morning ‘news’ goes there are some segments of Henrys show I dont mind…his interview with Ruby Wax for example and I must begrudgingly admit his SOH is not without appeal.I expect this show to be a winner.
I must begrudgingly admit his SOH is not without appeal.
Yes, Henry can be very funny. I heard him on radio in December 2013 telling Dom and J.J. and Mike Puru about the passive-aggressive glares he gets from people whenever he goes out in public; he was simply hilarious. Some of his antics on his present television show are also quite amusing.
However, the funny bits are less and less apparent now. What might have seemed like irreverance has hardened into the most extreme intolerance and hatefulness, whether directed at refugees, or at the victims of bombs and bullets, or (as it was this morning) at Māori.
I expect this show to be a winner.
It’s not. The ratings are in free fall, as they were when he had a breakfast show in Melbourne three years ago….
By the way apparently Saudi Arabia are planning a crucifixion and execution of a man they arrested as a child.
Saudi are one of our hopeful trading partners that we fly sheep bribes to. Hard to believe this can be happening in the modern world with a country our government loves to suck up to.
Don’t worry our government will be ‘comfortable’ with that.
You say “apparently Saudi Arabia are planning a crucifixion”
Where do you get the bit about a crucifixion from?
I don’t see anything about it in the item you link to.
Here alwyn. Google the name of the young man the daily blog item mentions and you’ll get plenty of sites detailing his sentence to be executed by beheading, then crucifixion.
“Overall, six out of every ten children in care are Maori children.”
“Horrifying” statistics show children under the care of Child Youth and Family are struggling to break free from a cycle of continued abuse and re-victimisation, a major report has found.
IMO this has been a disgraceful situation through a number of governments – now rebstock has written her review and the ‘business case’ is/has been put. What will emerge from this ‘modernisation’, this righting of wrongs, this fucking clusterfuck of a way to help children, especially Māori children – what will happen???
a big nothing apart from more misery and more cutting – I thank the gnats, labour and greens for their contributions to this misery – well done – red reek that one!!!
What will emerge from this ‘modernisation’, this righting of wrongs, this fucking clusterfuck of a way to help children, especially Māori children – what will happen???
National will make things worse by putting in ideological BS as policy and then cut the budget.
I stomached Tolley on the radio for a few minutes and she seemed to me to be saying the government removes these children too late from abusive situations. The implication I assume is that they are too damaged at that point for any of these so called foster homes to provide any sort of stable environment.
She then went on to say that New Zealanders offered their homes to Syrian refugees, then asked why can’t they offer their homes to our own (child) refugees?
This is the sort of thinking which should be confined to some sort of bizarre brainstorming session to then be discarded as ludicrous, not the sort of thing a Minister should be voicing to the public.
These two “Tolley-thoughts” linked make you wonder whether her plan is to remove (Maori) children from disadvantaged and strained families at an ever decreasing age in order to make the children more palatable to ordinary NZ families who might happen to give a fuck.
Here she seems to want to not only shift the responsibility from the government to the private sector, but she goes further – she wants to shift the responsibility to the private individual!
I would have thought any major overhaul would focus on making the homes these children go to better, more stable, and capable of giving the kids an environment which ensured they maximised their learning at school.
I would have thought any major overhaul would focus on making the homes these children go to better, more stable, and capable of giving the kids an environment which ensured they maximised their learning at school.
You would have thought that but that would require taxes on the rich to up rather than down and so there’s no way that National would do that.
i bet theres a lot of people would like to wave their magic wand and make your last paragraph come true mutonbird but it would truely take a miracle .violence like when you wack your kids repeatedly begets violence makes you when you become an adolt wack youre kids too .I think its so deeply ingrained in some cultures it,le take generations to sort out .sue bradfords bill is a good start but theres not a few would like to repeal it an drag us back to the good ole days where a little tap did noone any harm !!
Of course the right has all the answers to these problems which is just to ignore it and say these people need to be individually responsible for their actions. That means no one has to do anything, no surprise then when they don’t offer any solutions to these complex problems and the situation gets gradually worse. Truly inspiring…
absolute racket in Sth Auck and Mangere…30% interest and penalties on over priced goods…non disclosure is rife as is doorstop selling.Seen $500 items =total contract $3700 on rent to own.Creating debt and then enforcing attachment orders on the unfortunate .
Media Alert! ” If National don’t walk away from the TPPA – petitioners will campaign for voters to ‘walk away’ from National!”
This morning, the following petition was presented at the Electoral Office of Nikki Kaye – the National MP for Auckland Central:
Petition wording:
“To the MP for Auckland Central – Nikki Kaye
We, the undersigned state:
That if this John Key led National Government does not ‘walk away’ from the secretive, undemocratic, pro-corporate ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), then we pledge to campaign vigorously amongst our friends, families, neighbours and workmates, for the voting public to ‘walk away’ from National.”.
Nikki Kaye is a National Government Cabinet Minister – currently sitting on a 600 vote majority over Labour’s Jacinda Adern.
“AUCKLAND CENTRAL
Candidates Votes Received
ARDERN, Jacinda 11894
KAYE, Nikki 12494 ”
On the afternoons of Tuesday 22 September, and Wednesday 23 September, a tiny handful of determined ‘TPPA – WALK AWAY’ activists collected over 800 signatures for the above-mentioned petition, outside Auckland University (Symonds Street, Grafton Rd intersection), and on Ponsonby Rd.
Nikki Kaye is the Minister of Youth.
Most of whom signed this petition, were ‘youth’.
We look forward to citizens from all over New Zealand, who want to STOP this John Key led New Zealand National Government from signing the TPPA, to consider giving National Party MPs (particularly Cabinet Ministers) – this message which cannot be ignored.
Politicians understand ONE thing.
Votes.
We urge people to make your own version of this petition, address it to YOUR local National MP / Minister, and start collecting signatures!
This is a petition with sharp, pointy political teeth, which will help focus the minds of those to whom it is addressed, directly on the TPPA.
Thursday, 17 September 2015, 11:55 am
Press Release: Professor Jane Kelsey
” Last ditch TPPA Ministerial in 10 days – is Groser preparing to swallow the rat?
Canadian officials have confirmed rumours that the trade ministers from the twelve countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) plan to meet in Atlanta, US at the end of the month in a last ditch attempt to conclude the deal. The chief negotiators are set to meet on 26 September to try to clear the ground for the politicians. ….”
This petition will help to ‘hold the feet’ of National Party MPs ‘to the fire’ – regarding the potential political repercussions of signing the TPPA.
A beheading/crucifixion in the year of 2015, cause we are learned, and civilised and grown up and stuff.
I know, I know, some beheadings (inclusive post beheading crucifixation – a must have for shits n giggles or something) are just more equal and lawful then other beheadings.
“His punishment is a brutal one, even by Saudi Arabia’s standards. Not only was Mr Nimr, now 21, handed a death sentence, but the method of punishment was determined to be crucifixion, which rights groups say means he will be beheaded and then have his mutilated body displayed publicly.”
I was about to post this. Good to see Campbell hitting up the really important stories that actually matter. TV3’s loss is actually New Zealand’s loss.
“No apologies to you mate. And no apologies
for the fact your show has so few viewers.”
In 2012, on Channel 10’s doomed breakfast show, the disastrously unsuccessful host unwisely tried to bully a Melbourne trade union guy….
PAUL HENRY: Do you want to apologise to the taxpayers and the people of Melbourne who’d like to use that street and the taxpayers who’re funding the police activity there. Do you want to apologise to those people now?
DAVID NOONAN: Well you know Paul I think you’ve got a particular political view of the world. You were bought over in the last few months from New Zealand. Mate, construction workers in New Zealand earn a lot less than they do in Australia and the sort of right wing shock jock stuff you want to go on with really isn’t going to faze me. We have a right a right to peaceful protest. We’ve got an important issue here and cheap shots like that really aren’t going to impress anybody.
PAUL HENRY: Right, so no apologies. Thanks for joining us this morning, David.
DAVID NOONAN: So no apologies to you mate. And no apologies for the fact your show has so few viewers.
[An awkward pause follows, then the camera cuts away to a news headline update before Henry comes back onscreen]
PAUL HENRY: Alrighty. I disagree with almost everything he said with the exception of the too few viewers thing. That is a shame.
such a damned shame she didnt end up in parliment i know lprent gave us some of the reasons that didnt happen but its still a damn shame In a perfect world it ud be ALL HANDS ON DECK !!
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). 2024 has been a series of bad news for climate change. From scorching global temperatures leading to devastating ...
Ríu Ríu ChíuRíu Ríu Chíu is a Spanish Christmas song from the 16th Century. The traditional carol would likely have passed unnoticed by the English-speaking world had the made-for-television American band The Monkees not performed the song as part of their special Christmas show back in 1967. The show's ...
Dunedin’s summer thus far has been warm and humid… and it looks like we’re in for a grey Christmas. But it is now officially Christmas Day in this time zone, so never mind. This year, I’ve stumbled across an Old English version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: It has a population of just under 3.5 million inhabitants, produces nearly 550,000 tons of beef per year, and boasts a glorious soccer reputation with two World ...
Morena all,In my paywalled newsletter yesterday, I signed off for Christmas and wished readers well, but I thought I’d send everyone a quick note this morning.This hasn’t been a good year for our small country. The divisions caused by the Treaty Principles Bill, the cuts to our public sector, increased ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30 am include:Kāinga Ora is quietly planning to sell over $1 billion worth of state-owned land under 300 state homes in Auckland’s wealthiest suburbs, including around Bastion Point, to give the Government more fiscal room to pay for tax cuts and reduce borrowing.A ...
Hi,It’s my birthday on Christmas Day, and I have a favour to ask.A birthday wish.I would love you to share one Webworm story you’ve liked this year.The simple fact is: apart from paying for a Webworm membership (thank you!), sharing and telling others about this place is the most important ...
The last few days have been a bit too much of a whirl for me to manage a fresh edition each day. It's been that kind of year. Hope you don't mind.I’ve been coming around to thinking that it doesn't really matter if you don't have something to say every ...
The worms will live in every hostIt's hard to pick which one they eat the mostThe horrible people, the horrible peopleIt's as anatomic as the size of your steepleCapitalism has made it this wayOld-fashioned fascism will take it awaySongwriter: Twiggy Ramirez Read more ...
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are we heading ...
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...
Over on Kikorangi Newsroom's Marc Daalder has published his annual OIA stats. So I thought I'd do mine: 82 OIA requests sent in 2024 7 posts based on those requests 20 average working days to receive a response Ministry of Justice was my most-requested entity, ...
Welcome to the December 2024 Economic Bulletin. We have two monthly features in this edition. In the first, we discuss what the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury and the Budget Policy Statement from the Minister of Finance tell us about the fiscal position and what to ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...
Twas the Friday before Christmas and all through the week we’ve been collecting stories for our final roundup of the year. As we start to wind down for the year we hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year. If you’re travelling please be safe on ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the year’s news with: on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. ...
The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment:Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...
“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...
One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...
Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...
It is difficult to make sense of the Luxon Coalition Government’s economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management – the state of the economy was last week – is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...
This morning I awoke to the lovely news that we are firmly back on track, that is if the scale was reversed.NZ ranks low in global economic comparisonsNew Zealand's economy has been ranked 33rd out of 37 in an international comparison of which have done best in 2024.Economies were ranked ...
Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...
Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...
String-Pulling in the Dark: For the democratic process to be meaningful it must also be public. WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE in New Zealand’s politicians and journalists steadily declining, restoring those virtues poses a daunting challenge. Just how daunting is made clear by comparing the way politicians and journalists treated New Zealanders ...
Dear Nicola Willis, thank you for letting us know in so many words that the swingeing austerity hasn't worked.By in so many words I mean the bit where you said, Here is a sea of red ink in which we are drowning after twelve months of savage cost cutting and ...
The Open Government Partnership is a multilateral organisation committed to advancing open government. Countries which join are supposed to co-create regular action plans with civil society, committing to making verifiable improvements in transparency, accountability, participation, or technology and innovation for the above. And they're held to account through an Independent ...
Today I tuned into something strange: a press conference that didn’t make my stomach churn or the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Which was strange, because it was about the torture of children. It was the announcement by Erica Stanford — on her own, unusually ...
This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...
The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...
Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...
We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Summer reissue: I watched all 46 of Tom Cruise’s films over the past 12 months. The question on everyone’s lips: why?The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be ...
Summer reissue: In recent years, checking online for a green tick has become a necessary habit for Aucklanders heading to the beach. Shanti Mathias tags along with the team tasked with testing the water for pollution – and figuring out how to stop it. The Spinoff needs to double the ...
Summer reissue: After two decades of promised redevelopment, Johnsonville Shopping Centre remains neglected and half empty. Joel MacManus searches for answers in the decaying suburban mall. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter ...
Comment: I’ve been digging up dirt over the past few weekends. I plan to dig up more over summer.As global geo-politics heats up, I’ve impulsively turned to tending my wee patch of the world. The world is complex and messy. But I’m determined my quarter acre won’t be. Apparently, this is ...
Winston Peters was 47 when he founded NZ First. David Seymour is 41. “It’s probably unlikely I’ll still be in Parliament when I’m 47,” he tells Newsroom.“I always said, I have no intention of being a Member of Parliament when I’m 70-something.”In saying that, Seymour has already exceeded his own ...
Asia Pacific ReportSilent Night is a well-known Christmas carol that tells of a peaceful and silent night in Bethlehem, referring to the first Christmas more than 2000 years ago. It is now 2024, and it was again a silent night in Bethlehem last night, reports Al Jazeera’s Nisa Ibrahim. ...
Summer resissue: Has the country changed all that much in three decades? Loveni Enari compares his two New Zealands. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member ...
Summer reissue: Alex Casey goes on a killer journey aboard the Tormore Express.The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.It was a dark and ...
Summer reissue: Speed puzzling is like a marathon for the mind – intense, demanding, surprisingly exhausting. But does turning it into a sport destroy it as a relaxing pastime? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read ...
Summer reissue: In October, we counted down the top 100 New Zealand TV shows of the 21st century so far (read more about the process here). Here’s the list in full, for your holiday reading pleasure. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue ...
Summer reissue: Told in one crucial moment from every year, by The Spinoff’s founder Duncan Greive. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.2014: An ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 25 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Mike Smith’s “ambitious” climate claim against Attorney-General Judith Collins.Smith, a Māori climate activist, and Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahu elder, appealed a High Court decision that found his claims against the Crown – that its action on climate change was inadequate – untenable.The Appeal Court’s ...
Trish McKelvey is listed 139 times in the index of the New Zealand women’s cricket tome The Warm Sun On My Face, authored by Trevor Auger and Adrienne Simpson.She wrote the foreword for the book and headlines two chapters addressing crucial events in the evolution of the sport.McKelvey’s appointment as New Zealand ...
Summer reissue: The New Zealand comedy legend takes us through her life in television, including the time she hugged Elton John and the unshakeable legacy of a girl named Lyn. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please ...
Summer reissue: You really won’t guess how it ends. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. First published October 4, 2024. Parliament’s Economic Development, Science ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary-Rose McLaren, Professor of Teaching and Learning and Head of Program, Early Childhood Education, Victoria University Collin Quinn Lomax/ Shutterstock Some years ago, my daughter was set a maths problem: how much does it cost to drive a family of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine E. Wood, Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of Technology Asier Romero/ Shutterstock Christmas is coming, and with it many challenges for parents of young children. You likely have one festive event after another, late nights, party ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Nicole Driessen, Postdoctoral Researcher in Radio Astronomy, University of Sydney Tayla Walsh/Pexels With billions of children around the world anxiously waiting for their presents, Father Christmas (or Santa) and his reindeer must be travelling at breakneck speeds to deliver them ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Higgins, Professor & Director, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University Feeling unsure about your child going to a sleepover is completely normal. You might be worried about how well you know the host family, how they manage supervision or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney Exactly 50 years ago, on Christmas Eve 1974, Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin and left a trail of devastation. It remains one of the most destructive natural events in Australia’s history. Wind ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Irmine Keta Rotimi, Doctoral Candidate, Marketing and International Business department, Auckland University of Technology Videos of children opening boxes of toys and playing with them have become a feature of online marketing – making stars out of children as young as two. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Nicholas, Lecturer in Dance and Performance Science, Edith Cowan University Tatyana Vyc/Shutterstock Once the end-of-year dance concert and term wrap up for the year it is important to take a break. Both physical and mental rest are important and taking ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kit MacFarlane, Lecturer, Creative Writing and Literature, University of South Australia Capitol Records For those looking to introduce some musical conflict into the holidays, Bob Dylan’s Christmas in the Heart remains a great choice in its 15th anniversary – like it ...
Opinion: It was February 2024 when my friends started getting in touch with me to suggest I run for the Tauranga City Council mayoralty. At the time, the council was governed by four Government-appointed commissioners, who had been in their roles since 2021. Their terms were coming to an end ...
Opinion: As the year winds down and we pause for some reflection, I find myself, as chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, contemplating the unprecedented hatred aimed at Jewish New Zealanders. Antisemitism – the prejudice, discrimination or hostility directed at Jews – has snowballed to record levels, so much ...
Summer reissue: Joy Cowley reveals her enthralling life story, from a difficult childhood, to getting drunk with Roald Dahl, to encountering an Arctic polar bear. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and ...
Summer reissue: Alex Casey chats to Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie about the challenges of life on a 1,200-acre farm in Central Otago, and why they continue to share it with the nation in Nadia’s Farm. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue ...
Summer reissue: Dominion Road has made a name for itself as a destination for authentic, regionally-specific Chinese food. How did it get here?The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 24 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...
By Emma Andrews, Henare te Ua Māori journalism intern at RNZ News From being the headline to creating them, Moana Maniapoto has walked a rather rocky road of swinging between both sides of the media. Known for her award-winning current affairs show Te Ao with Moana on Whakaata Māori, and ...
Kick Back has growing concerns about the impact that denying young people access to shelter is having on the mental health and physical safety of the young people we serve. ...
Can anyone make sense of this….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/72324474/chinese-investors-plan-3-billion-fund-to-help-city-rebuild
In one breath they talk about investing but most of the article talks about them tendering for contracts. Unless they plan on bidding $3billion more than everyone else I can’t see where the gains are, if it’s just tenders ChCh will get the money whether this mob is involved or not.
“….if it’s just tenders ChCh will get the money whether this mob is involved or not.”
that is theproblem…..they arnt and wont….the appetite for investment in the ChCh rebuild has evaporated for a multitude of reasons, number one of which is the disastrous leadership(?) provided by Brownlee and his cabinet mates.
That was partly my point. Read down the article, ie;
“Rahme, a Guoxin founding partner, said several Christchurch projects had already been identified, but he would not name them.
Once projects went out for tender, Guoxin would submit bids for them.”
and…..
“Because of the company’s size, it could source materials from China and across the world at a cheaper cost, which could make projects more viable, Rahme said”
They’re talking there about projects which are going to be built whether this mob is in it or not. So where is the $3billion of investment?
the point is without the financing they may not be built, or at least not for some considerable time….you can say they are tendering for work that will happen anyway, but whether any of those tenders are accepted will depend on many factors….not least of which will be cost. The cost of construction currently does not allow a return in most instances from projected revenues and the Insurance monies are coming to an end and much is being redirected or sat on waiting for the inevitable fire sales
maybe we are going to try design build projects like used on the beautiful Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (Cooper River bridge) in South Carolina. In some ways I am a fan of such projects it puts all the responsibility to design and build on the firm doing the construction. If they get it wrong they carry the can.
And that “sourcing of materials” is going to impact on NZ steel manufacturers and building material providers (and resulting job losses) and trade workers.
These decisions are going to have more impact than the most immediate consideration of who can provide for the least cost – NZ company or overseas.
Tim Groser in Parliament yesterday delivered a totally mindless, utterly absurd speech following on from question time. Among other inanely rambling topics he discussed several examples of “why he thinks the number 7 is important”.
In keeping the spirit of mindless absurdity initiated by Groser (“if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em”), I’d like to add to his examples seven reasons why the people of NZ voted for a panda as PM of New Zealand in the last election:
1. Pandas believe that they do enough for their country merely by sitting around eating or by lying around on their backs all day. They don’t need to do any useful work nor have a long-term strategy or a vision for the the future of their country. They merely exist to be adored by the public and fed by the taxpayer. However they are expensive for the taxpayer to keep and maintain.
2. They are shorter in stature than a full-grown man when standing on their hind legs. However they have rather strong arms and can deliver an awesome side-swipe to anyone who gets too close and is foolish enough to say something they don’t like.
3. They have quite unnecessarily big heads, given their short stature.
4. They also have a big mouth – bigger than is required for their bland diet of Green fodder. And pandas have quite sharp teeth that can inflict serious damage on their opponents at close range. However they do have a leerish grin that some members of the public find attractive.
5. They have rather small beady eyes that stare unblinkingly whenever a camera is aimed in their general direction.
6. They have a characteristically quite large, long nose.
7. Pandas can be good money-spinners in the short term. However the voting public soon become bored with them as zoo exhibits, due in part to their gross inactivity.
In short, we couldn’t have done worse for the future of this country if we’d voted for a snake instead of a panda.
😀
Seven ticks. 🙂
Christine Lagarde gave a speech in 2014 with opening references to ‘why the number 7 is important’
If Key wants a panda badly enough he can afford one and charge what he likes for people to see it. He can also stick a flag of his preference at the entrance of the panda enclosure.
and
A panda and a flag are priorities for Key, while state housing is in ruins and supported housing is desperately needed for those with complex housing needs.
Where is the logic in making someone homeless, (selling off state homes) then housing a homeless person, (social housing)?
Nothing has been done in 4 years, because Key’s grand social housing plan is RIDDLED with holes because it relies on stripping state housing of assets.
Key likes Pandas because the are nearly All Black.
Can anyone tell me why the Greens backed National for the Red Peak?
Because apparently it was popular and liked by many people.
Personally I think it’s ugly, but if that’ what people want as our flag so be it.
I think its a warning shot from the Greens to Labour, the flag probably won’t change so supporting Red Peak means nothing but it does tell Labour that the Greens don’t want to be seen as Labours doormat anymore and if Labour want the Greens support they (Labour) will have to negotiate with them
Maybe
@ Nick The Greens were giving us one more option to vote for that clearly has some public support. What is the problem there?
Little should give Clare Curran a bollockling for (according to Morning report) tweeting against the Greens. When will she ever learn?
quite frankly we did not need another choice to make this ‘shambles’ ‘flag debacle’ ‘rubbish designs’ etc etc more palatable or to give the PM more leg to stand on his vanity project.
the greens could have just simply sat that one out. Oh well, i guess they will be known hence forward as the ‘Aquamarine’ brigade….to the rescue of the national party when ever they need help. Not that that would feed the kids, or help the envirnoment, but it sure does feel good.
the greens, the labour party should have both done nothing else but lean back and watch the trainwreck that is the “Flag Change”.
absolutely but new leader rashly keen to make his mark wow hes a real big deal
Steve Keen: Simple Complex Model of Great Moderation & Recession (Video)
A very important presentation DtB.
I’ve been following the details of this for some years now. (I even donated to Keen’s Kickstart to assist development of the software package.)
There is a bit to absorb, but the underlying concept makes complete engineering sense.
Ahhhh… I see, the Greens are voting for Red Peak
no, the GP are mediating a solution to the clusterfuck that is the flag change process, and they’re doing so in a way that will probably pick up votes for them.
and you know what,
they
don’t
need
to
do
this
they have no reason whatsoever to ‘mediate’.
let people vote on the choices presented to them by dear leader, and frankly if the feathers win, than it is becasue people voted for it.
if the old flag stays, its because people voted for it.
for once, sorry Weka, but the greens fucked up big time here.
Reinforcing our status as international laughing stock: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/anger-over-nazi-swastika-new-zealand-flag-entry-10514224.html
I find the whole thing stupid and dumb. Key talking about Labour failing to get Red Peak on the ballot, then breathless admiration for the Greens who “came through the middle”…WHO CARES??? IT IS A SIDESHOW. Nothing happened.
+1 – meanwhile TPP goes ahead with nothing meaningful done by opposition.
Tried to read what Audrey Young had to say about the Flag thingy but it won’t open. Wonder why?
Flag backdown won’t harm PM
A question for all those eagle eyed economics whizzes that visit TS. (With apologies for the boring nature of the question).
Apparently economists anticipate there will be another cut in the OCR before the end of the year. Anyone have ideas as to exactly when another cut would be announced?
I want to refix my mortgage if the OCR goes down again and banks respond by lowering their lending rates. Currently the best offers are 4.35% for one year fixed. Am hoping they will drop further so I can take advantage.
They have a schedule for OCR announcements ( http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/monetary_policy/ocr/ – on the right) but no idea what the chances are of an actual cut on those days.
Excellent. Thank you Editractor. Learnt something new today.
It’s unlikely that it will drop any more than it has (2.75% is getting down to quite low), but this is dependent on economic indicators. Eg; if business confidence decreases more than expected, then the OCR will be likely to decrease too. If you want to get a general indication of whether the OCR will be set higher or lower, the main indicators to watch are inflation rates, business & consumer confidence levels, and employment trends.
Thanks odot. I got the feeling that those three indicators you mention were flat, at the moment, but then it’s not my area of knowledge.
Despite the unknown I’m going to hang out till 29th October with my current fixed rate.
After all, dear Leader showed his lack of faith in his governments ability to lift the economy by saying that “we could see mortgage rates with a 3 in front of them”. Not that he is to be believed on any topic.
Generally speaking, bank mortgage rates are usually around 1.5 to 2% higher than the OCR. To get mortgage rates with a 3 in front you’d have to have the OCR drop to 2.25% at the minimum and even then it would take the banks a few weeks to drop their interest rates. Hell, they may not even drop them.
Got that thanks Drac, re the mortgage rates to OCR ratio.
I think last time the OCR dropped the banks did drop quickly, within a few days. I guess they’re thinking there has to be some semblance of competitiveness. They never lose though, they get people on their obscenely huge break fee’s, which you have to fight them to avoid paying.
It is unlikely that business confidence will have any reason to head north in the foreseeable future. There will be an increase in unemployment numbers and inflation will likely remain less than .05%.
HUH
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11518089
And slashed the milk price forecast to $3.85 per kilogram of milk solids.
Yep, it’s called neoliberalism, maximising short term profits to give applause and profits payouts to the CEO and management team, while leaving the workers with less jobs and more work and the company weaker in the long term. The farmers themselves have had less payouts for milk but ‘supported’ by the co-operative instead of giving them the money for milk they used to get. Make it complicated too, like the Natz, take with one hand, and then give a little with the other their own money and keep the rest for yourself.
You really need to learn how business works.
That was the last financial year.
“So they sack 750!!!”
Yep and apparently another 200 will lose their jobs, There are a lot of worried people out there.
Latest political poll has Jacinda Ardern out in front for the position of the party’s deputy
Jacinda Ardern – 33 per cent support.
The option of “don’t know/don’t care” received 28 per cent.
King came in third at 25 per cent.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/72322764/jacinda-ardern-favourite-for-labour-deputy–poll
Thoughts?
What has Jacinda Ardern done to warrant replacing Annette King apart from losing to Nikki Kaye twice and putting on makeup and apperaring in some womans magazines?
Annette King is one of the (very few) mps the Labour party has that can match it with National
If National could swop some of their mps for Labours they’d probably pick Annette King, Kelvin Davis, Stuart Nash and thats about it, thats how bare the cupboard is for Labour
Why Labour would want to demote one of thier best, most experienced mps for someone that can’t even win an electorate seat is beyond me
Little failed to win his electoral seat – and now is the Party leader.
They say Jacinda Ardern gives the perception of a new face.
Kelvin Davis received 11 per cent.
The option of “don’t know/don’t care” receiving 28 per cent should be of concern.
If you can’t convince an electorate to vote for you how can you convice a country? It was a strange (to me anyway) decision to make Andrew Little the leader of Labour but i guess when you scrambling for purchase you’ll grab onto anything
Kelvin Davis comes across very well, competent man-of the-people type and hes even managed to avoid any fallout from his hits on Serco ref: deaths in corrections run prisons so hes doing something right
Which goes to show that the voters of New Plymouth were blind to the likelihood of having the countries next Prime Minister as their local MP.
Oh well New Plymouths loss, the countries gain.
He lost in New Plymouth twice so the electorate has had a good chance to see what he was all about and have voted accordingly
Actually, Little didn’t do too badly in a decidedly Right-leaning Provincial City seat like New Plymouth.
Particularly so in 2011.
2011 Split Vote
(CV = Candidate Vote)
(GE = General Electorates as a whole)
Party Vote……CV for Lab candidate (GE)…..CV for Little in New Plymouth
Labour……………………….83%…………………………………91%
National………………………5%…………………………………..9%
NZF…………………………….43%…………………………………65%
Green…………………………45%…………………………………61%
Cons…………………………..12%…………………………………27%
ACT……………………………..7%………………………………….14%
UF………………………………18%…………………………………34%
In other words, Little was able to attract far greater support from the voters of rival parties (and, indeed, from Labour voters) compared to your average Labour candidate. Remember, this was the first time he’d ever stood so it was a remarkable performance for a newbie candidate. Only the long-time MPs in the Labour leadership (Goff, King, Mallard) (as well as Helen Clark in previous elections) had the same ability to pull in the voters of other parties.
True, 2014 wasn’t quite such a good performance, but Little was still attracting more voters of other parties than the average Labour candidate, even if not to the same extent as his debut in 2011.
But the fact is: he was on a hiding to nothing in such a conservative,
right-leaning seat. Meanwhile, your favourite PM makes sure he initially gets selected for one of the safest and Bluest seats in he Country.
Good job at polishing a turd but New Plymouth has had its fair share of left wing mps representing it
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Plymouth_(New_Zealand_electorate)
The fact is hes tried, twice, to win the seat and failed to convince the voters to vote for him
Why do you think he’ll be able to convince the rest of the country to vote for him instead?
Nah, generally been a Tory seat since the advent of the modern Party system. And the 2011 and 2014 Elections took place during a particularly Blue period (in more ways than one) in the electoral cycle.
The only reason Labour’s Duynhoven held on for as long as he did was that he was basically a political freak. He was winning support from National voters (ie National Party-voters) massively – and I mean massively – out of proportion to other Labour candidates, including the popular leadership old-timers like Clark, Goff, King, Mallard.
The fact that a newbie candidate like Little was able to emulate Duynhoven’s pulling power (albeit to a lesser degree) remains impressive. Little might not have quite been the political freak Duynhoven was, but he was still up there with the Clarks and Goffs when it came to his ability to attract rival parties’ voters.
Little has failed to significantly shine thus far.
Depth is a problem the Party faces (IMO)
Kelvin Davis had the Government on the back foot over the Serco debacle.
Word is Little favours a female deputy.
Thats your view of the world but it’s not mine and many others I speak with. There is plenty of time for Little to further his popularity with voters and I have huge confidence in his abilities to present himself as a Prime Minister in waiting over the next 18 months two years.
Little’s charisma bypass works hugely against him. He comes across as passionless and humourless. Contrast that with all the other party leaders and he’s uniquely boring.
I’d agree with much of that Grindle But please lay off the scorched earth approach to Labour and Little. Give them a chance to grow without cutting down those tall poppies. Find something to praise, however little!
The same thing was said about the Cunliffe, Shearer and Goff
Yup. But there were differences. Goff wasn’t really given a chance and blew it with the stunt on a motorbike that looked too big for him. Shearer was a ditherer and used to seem as surprised as everyone else to hear what he had to say once he’d said it. Cunliffe just didn’t look or sound genuine. Little’s just bland and boring.
True but I was more referring to this:
“There is plenty of time for Little to further his popularity with voters and I have huge confidence in his abilities to present himself as a Prime Minister in waiting over the next 18 months two years.”
Which basically sounds like the old he just needs more time refrain
@ Atiawa
No. It’s the reality highlighted by the polls. Little has failed to significantly shine thus far. How that gives you confidence he will improve going forward is unclear.
Andrew Little is concentrating on creating cohesion between all the different strands of the Labour Party (a big job given it’s diversity) and moving around the country getting a sense of what is really going on out there in voter-land. He’s playing the long game and ensuring the building blocks are in place before he starts the job of winning over voters.
Why do you think the blowhard Key and his cohorts have upped the ‘dirty political’ rhetoric on Andrew Little T.C.? Because they know that when the time comes, he’s going to be a much harder opponent to beat that’s why.
Playing the long-game is what they say, Anne.
However, I haven’t seen anything from Little that would have National overly concerned.
At this stage, National merely have to maintain voter confidence and they’ll probably sail through.
Can’t wait to see how Little plans to shift it up a gear and start winning over voters.
Josie Pagani says Labour needs to upset some people (I’m taking that means people on the left) and take some risk.
It will be interesting to see what Little actually decides to do.
She’s right about that, but I doubt she recognises that it is she (and others of similar ilk) who are going to be upset. Both Paganis are way out of the Labour loop and have been for a long time. Josie reminds me of that third way Blairite who stood for the UK Labour leadership. Forgotten her name already but she only managed 4.5% of the vote. In a similar situation here I doubt Josie would get 0.5% of the vote.
Josie Pagani was involved with setting up that Think Tank – and Little said he was happy with it.
Clearly she still has the ear of a few within Labour.
Lets hope you’re right, Anne.
I think he was “happy” with her starting up an independent Think Tank but be assured she and her mates were given the thumbs down about involving the Labour Party. It seems to have died a natural death because there’s been no mention of it since.
She probably does have the ear of a few within Labour but that is all. She’s highly unpopular because of the way she has sniped at – and run down – Labour at every opportunity. She’s been doing it for a long time under various leaders and my sense is: it’s a revenge thing because she and her husband have not been afforded the reverence and appreciation of the party hierarchy she thinks they deserve.
Died a natural death? Or merely keeping it on the down low? The launching isn’t till the end of the year.
My understanding was it’s independence is to enable it to make it easier to reach out to businesses.
The fact the Party hasn’t publicly disowned her suggests she may have more support within than we both believe.
The fact the Party hasn’t publicly disowned her suggests she may have more support within than we both believe.
Don’t agree. She’s a publicity seeking type and they don’t intend to accommodate her… is the more likely reason they don’t publicly disown her. Best to ignore her.
She is very outspoken and given her media status, her input is far reaching.
Therefore, if she was going against the Party’s wishes (potentially harming their public image) surely they would distance themselves from her, setting the media and public right.
The fact that they haven’t speaks volumes, IMO.
Ignoring someone so outspoken, potentially damaging and with such public reach is an inconceivable strategy.
She seeks publicity – and money – through her engagements with RNZ “The Panel” and other similar programmes on TV, but she doesn’t get news coverage as such. Since the audience for the above is limited then I guess they think she’s best ignored. I know of no-one who bothers to read her occasional written diatribes – confused and irrational as they so often seem.
RNZ, “The Panel” and other similar programmes on TV are generally related to news or political coverage, thus her public reach is rather wide. Not to mention potentially damaging.
Moreover, allowing her to hog the limelight robs Labour from getting their genuine message out. Hence, when all is considered, the ignoring her strategy being put forward just doesn’t wash, IMO.
Of course, that won’t be clear until Little makes his move, then we’ll see which way he decides to go and how well that resonates with voters/supporters.
We’ve come to an agreement – sort of. I don’t think Labour has a lot of choice at present because the MSM are going to use her no matter what. But yeah, she’s damaging – dare I say it – the party brand, and I’d like to see her sent packing. Indeed I’ve considered writing to the Labour Council about her but as yet haven’t had the time to do so.
Publicly distancing themselves from her (while putting forward their own genuine spokesperson) would severely knee cap her current status as an associated Labour spokesperson or commentator of the left. Turning the media off seeking comment from her as it would largely be considered irrelevant.
Labour has this choice, but to date, have decided against it. Leaving me and others questioning why?
Joise Pagani is not and never has been a recognised spokesperson for Labour. What point is there in putting forward a genuine spokesperson when the MSM will simply ignore them. They wouldn’t want Labour’s choice whoever it might be. Madame J suits their agenda well enough. She puts the boot into Labour and that’s how they like it.
Not for the first time, I heard her on Mora’s panel a few days ago talking a load of confused and irrational bullshit. Mora and co. must know it’s bullshit yet they continue to invite her. There’s your problem – not Labour.
That’s my last reply to this discourse.
i think youre right anne i think hes more of a man than anyone else in the pack and personaly id prefer someone that wasnt always doing that grimacing thing somepeople call smiling anyway ! Timing is everything hopefully he will come through
I’m more concerned about the policy package he plans to push.
Labour will need better policies if they want to get over the line.
effectively theyed have to promise to turn water into wine
Now now PR, your sexism is showing.
By praising Annette King? Its not sexist to point out that Jacinda acts (via the medium of print media) like a pretty face but when it comes to the business of politics shes lost against Nikki Kaye and got smacked down by Paula Bennet
maybe your troling was showing as well.
Disagreeing with something doesn’t make it trolling you know
I wasn’t commenting on your disagreement.
I can assure you that what I wrote isn’t trolling but my genuine thoughts on the matter
laugh of the day.
So genuine they have the stamp of approval from John Key himself.
Did Benefit sit on her?
When people try and slag off Jacinda Ardern they always bring up the fact that she lost to Kaye, but the reality is she lost by 600 votes last year, and 700 the election before that. In an electorate with between 27-33k voters that is an incredibly slim margin both times…
In the 2014 election, she lost by 600, but after the electorate was massively changed. The whole of Grey Lynn was excised and put into Mt Albert.
That’s not quite true – they’d pick all of the ABCs who should be in National anyway.
Also, this is MMP, electorate seats are not as important as popularity nation-wide
They’d only pick the ABCs that were any good (which doesn’t leave alot to choose) and yes electorate seats arn’t as important as they used to be but as I said before how can you expect a country to vote for you if you can’t convice an electorate to vote for you
Because people are tired of old Third Way Labour. They want fresh ideas and young faces. They only reason Ardern lost Central Auckland is because some Green Party voters can’t figure out how to vote strategically, and the party can’t seem to figure this out either. And I know, I’m a party member. Maybe I’ll light a fire under it… Also, I think by the end of this term Ardern will have served 3 terms. That’s 9 years. Is that enough experience? Key became Prime Minister with only 6 years in parliament.
‘Thoughts’
All polls can be rigged
People should consider what else they believe in also probably rigged
Politics
Economics / finance
Sport
etc
etc
etc
“They ALWAYS give them Maori names.”
Paul Henry channeled the late Paul Holmes this morning.
PAUL HENRY, TV3, Thursday 24 September 2015
shallow /ˈʃaləʊ/ adj. 1. of little depth; 2. not exhibiting, requiring, or capable of serious thought.
This program gets worse every day. I tuned in this morning just as the 8 o’clock news was finishing….
HILLARY BARRY: ….And the new Cook Strait ferry the Kaiarahi has arrived in Wellington. It has been blessed by iwi, and will start services next month.
Now for most people that would have been an uncontroversial, even boring, little news item. But for Paul Henry, like it was for another hateful multi-media pontificator, Paul Holmes, Māori culture is intolerable, an affront, its very existence a provocation. So, in the mind of Paul Henry, naming a ferry the Kaiarahi was “political correctness” gone mad.
Intolerable!
After a short silence, he made his assault…..
PAUL HENRY: Would it be so hard for them to give the ferry an ENGLISH name? They ALWAYS give them Maori names.
HILLARY BARRY: I think it’s LOVELY!
PAUL HENRY: Do you? It must be all right then, if Hillary likes it. But honestly….
Henry’s slave Jim Kayes looked troubled, but kept his own counsel….
Shortly after that, it was time for the daily “Panel”. Today it featured a particularly gruesome twosome: Christine (Spankin’) Rankin, the self-described “children’s advocate” who believes in hitting children, and Bill Ralston’s ghastly wife Janet Wilson. I had better things to do than listen to three vicious and vacuous people chuntering on at the intellectual level you’d expect at a golf club booze-up, but I did catch the tail-end of it just before 8:30….
JANET WILSON: See, here’s the thing: Len still thinks he’s going to win. Quelle horreur! He’s got a hide like an elephant.
PAUL HENRY: Yeah, he has.
JANET WILSON: The problem for Phil Goff is that he comes from the same end of the political spectrum as Len Brown. The thing is: who would want to run for mayor, when you get paid two and six for it?
CHRISTINE SPANKIN’ RANKIN: [speaking slowly to emphasize how serious she is] He failed as the leader of the Labour Party, and he will fail as mayor of Auckland.
JANET WILSON: Christine Rankin and Janet Wilson, thank you very much for coming on the Panel this morning.
SPANKIN’ RANKIN: Best Panel ever!
JANET WILSON: Ha ha ha ha! Yeah!
More on Janet Wilson….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-22032013/#comment-607420
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17072013/#comment-664190
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03082014/#comment-859688
More on Christine Spankin’ Rankin….
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00213.htm
+1 – as I’m assuming most people on this site, can’t bear to watch this crap, (and from the falling ratings more and more of the public) great to have the opportunity to have it dissected.
That “two and six” the mayor gets paid is many times the average wage. Methinks Janet Wilson needs to live on the average wage for a while to get some perspective.
funnily enough as far as morning ‘news’ goes there are some segments of Henrys show I dont mind…his interview with Ruby Wax for example and I must begrudgingly admit his SOH is not without appeal.I expect this show to be a winner.
I must begrudgingly admit his SOH is not without appeal.
Yes, Henry can be very funny. I heard him on radio in December 2013 telling Dom and J.J. and Mike Puru about the passive-aggressive glares he gets from people whenever he goes out in public; he was simply hilarious. Some of his antics on his present television show are also quite amusing.
However, the funny bits are less and less apparent now. What might have seemed like irreverance has hardened into the most extreme intolerance and hatefulness, whether directed at refugees, or at the victims of bombs and bullets, or (as it was this morning) at Māori.
I expect this show to be a winner.
It’s not. The ratings are in free fall, as they were when he had a breakfast show in Melbourne three years ago….
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/ten-farewells-paul-henry-hamster-wheel-highlight-video-ck-133297
You know Paul hates Len and bags him pretty much daily. Nothing new here.
That fuckwit hates anybody that’s not a National supporter.
“That fuckwit hates anybody that’s not a National supporter.”
That is the most honest bit of wisdom I have read for ages. Cant make up my mind which bit is the most honest, so I settle for fuckwit.
Why would we give it an English name when we’re not English?
“Why would we give it an English name when we’re not English?”
How True
By the way apparently Saudi Arabia are planning a crucifixion and execution of a man they arrested as a child.
Saudi are one of our hopeful trading partners that we fly sheep bribes to. Hard to believe this can be happening in the modern world with a country our government loves to suck up to.
Don’t worry our government will be ‘comfortable’ with that.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/09/24/execution-in-saudi-arabia/
You say “apparently Saudi Arabia are planning a crucifixion”
Where do you get the bit about a crucifixion from?
I don’t see anything about it in the item you link to.
Here alwyn. Google the name of the young man the daily blog item mentions and you’ll get plenty of sites detailing his sentence to be executed by beheading, then crucifixion.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/middle-east/72392125/young-saudi-man-ali-mohammed-alnimr-faces-crucifixion
Saudi Arabia, the country that does the most beheadings every year, has just been re appointed to the UN Human Rights panel. The US is ecstatic about this fundamental injustice.
Yeah, our world truly is that sick.
LORDS OF THE DANCE
No. 1: Rodney Hide
http://img.scoop.co.nz/stories/images/0605/bd0ebc1e64cf1a740e13.jpeg
Lords of the Dance is curated by Morrissey Breen, for Daisycutter Sports Inc.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/72363207/horrifying-outcomes-for-cyf-kids-warrant-a-whole-new-model–tolley
IMO this has been a disgraceful situation through a number of governments – now rebstock has written her review and the ‘business case’ is/has been put. What will emerge from this ‘modernisation’, this righting of wrongs, this fucking clusterfuck of a way to help children, especially Māori children – what will happen???
a big nothing apart from more misery and more cutting – I thank the gnats, labour and greens for their contributions to this misery – well done – red reek that one!!!
National will make things worse by putting in ideological BS as policy and then cut the budget.
I stomached Tolley on the radio for a few minutes and she seemed to me to be saying the government removes these children too late from abusive situations. The implication I assume is that they are too damaged at that point for any of these so called foster homes to provide any sort of stable environment.
She then went on to say that New Zealanders offered their homes to Syrian refugees, then asked why can’t they offer their homes to our own (child) refugees?
This is the sort of thinking which should be confined to some sort of bizarre brainstorming session to then be discarded as ludicrous, not the sort of thing a Minister should be voicing to the public.
These two “Tolley-thoughts” linked make you wonder whether her plan is to remove (Maori) children from disadvantaged and strained families at an ever decreasing age in order to make the children more palatable to ordinary NZ families who might happen to give a fuck.
Here she seems to want to not only shift the responsibility from the government to the private sector, but she goes further – she wants to shift the responsibility to the private individual!
I would have thought any major overhaul would focus on making the homes these children go to better, more stable, and capable of giving the kids an environment which ensured they maximised their learning at school.
You would have thought that but that would require taxes on the rich to up rather than down and so there’s no way that National would do that.
i bet theres a lot of people would like to wave their magic wand and make your last paragraph come true mutonbird but it would truely take a miracle .violence like when you wack your kids repeatedly begets violence makes you when you become an adolt wack youre kids too .I think its so deeply ingrained in some cultures it,le take generations to sort out .sue bradfords bill is a good start but theres not a few would like to repeal it an drag us back to the good ole days where a little tap did noone any harm !!
Of course the right has all the answers to these problems which is just to ignore it and say these people need to be individually responsible for their actions. That means no one has to do anything, no surprise then when they don’t offer any solutions to these complex problems and the situation gets gradually worse. Truly inspiring…
Massive spike in court-ordered debtor wage deductions
The number of people having money docked from their wage or benefits to repay debts has increased five-fold in the past year.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/72358546/massive-spike-in-courtordered-debtor-wage-deductions–commerce-commission
absolute racket in Sth Auck and Mangere…30% interest and penalties on over priced goods…non disclosure is rife as is doorstop selling.Seen $500 items =total contract $3700 on rent to own.Creating debt and then enforcing attachment orders on the unfortunate .
Vultures preying on the vulnerable, Les.
Seen this?
Media Alert! ” If National don’t walk away from the TPPA – petitioners will campaign for voters to ‘walk away’ from National!”
This morning, the following petition was presented at the Electoral Office of Nikki Kaye – the National MP for Auckland Central:
Petition wording:
“To the MP for Auckland Central – Nikki Kaye
We, the undersigned state:
That if this John Key led National Government does not ‘walk away’ from the secretive, undemocratic, pro-corporate ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), then we pledge to campaign vigorously amongst our friends, families, neighbours and workmates, for the voting public to ‘walk away’ from National.”.
Nikki Kaye is a National Government Cabinet Minister – currently sitting on a 600 vote majority over Labour’s Jacinda Adern.
https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2014-au6200
“AUCKLAND CENTRAL
Candidates Votes Received
ARDERN, Jacinda 11894
KAYE, Nikki 12494 ”
On the afternoons of Tuesday 22 September, and Wednesday 23 September, a tiny handful of determined ‘TPPA – WALK AWAY’ activists collected over 800 signatures for the above-mentioned petition, outside Auckland University (Symonds Street, Grafton Rd intersection), and on Ponsonby Rd.
Nikki Kaye is the Minister of Youth.
Most of whom signed this petition, were ‘youth’.
We look forward to citizens from all over New Zealand, who want to STOP this John Key led New Zealand National Government from signing the TPPA, to consider giving National Party MPs (particularly Cabinet Ministers) – this message which cannot be ignored.
Politicians understand ONE thing.
Votes.
We urge people to make your own version of this petition, address it to YOUR local National MP / Minister, and start collecting signatures!
This is a petition with sharp, pointy political teeth, which will help focus the minds of those to whom it is addressed, directly on the TPPA.
Time is short.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1509/S00215/last-ditch-tppa-ministerial-in-10-days.htm
Last ditch TPPA Ministerial in 10 days
Thursday, 17 September 2015, 11:55 am
Press Release: Professor Jane Kelsey
” Last ditch TPPA Ministerial in 10 days – is Groser preparing to swallow the rat?
Canadian officials have confirmed rumours that the trade ministers from the twelve countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) plan to meet in Atlanta, US at the end of the month in a last ditch attempt to conclude the deal. The chief negotiators are set to meet on 26 September to try to clear the ground for the politicians. ….”
This petition will help to ‘hold the feet’ of National Party MPs ‘to the fire’ – regarding the potential political repercussions of signing the TPPA.
Contact details for MPs are available here:
http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/00InknoMPsContact1/97a7145b141fd9d6c62adcf0ec68ea22c7163ce2
_________________________________________________________
‘TPPA – WALK AWAY’ signature collectors, who delivered the petition forms to Nikki Kaye’s Electorate Office:
Penny Bright
….
Jacquelyne Taylor
……
A beheading/crucifixion in the year of 2015, cause we are learned, and civilised and grown up and stuff.
I know, I know, some beheadings (inclusive post beheading crucifixation – a must have for shits n giggles or something) are just more equal and lawful then other beheadings.
“His punishment is a brutal one, even by Saudi Arabia’s standards. Not only was Mr Nimr, now 21, handed a death sentence, but the method of punishment was determined to be crucifixion, which rights groups say means he will be beheaded and then have his mutilated body displayed publicly.”
http://www.smh.com.au/world/looming-crucifixion-sparks-global-calls-to-spare-life-of-young-saudi-ali-mohammed-alnimr-20150923-gjtlhk.html
John Campbell has a new podcast with Radio NZ. This is his first episode, which looks at the working struggle in Auckland.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/radionz/programmes/first-person/audio/201771768/first-person-with-john-campbell-'pay-day-is-broke-day‘
I was about to post this. Good to see Campbell hitting up the really important stories that actually matter. TV3’s loss is actually New Zealand’s loss.
“No apologies to you mate. And no apologies
for the fact your show has so few viewers.”
In 2012, on Channel 10’s doomed breakfast show, the disastrously unsuccessful host unwisely tried to bully a Melbourne trade union guy….
PAUL HENRY: Do you want to apologise to the taxpayers and the people of Melbourne who’d like to use that street and the taxpayers who’re funding the police activity there. Do you want to apologise to those people now?
DAVID NOONAN: Well you know Paul I think you’ve got a particular political view of the world. You were bought over in the last few months from New Zealand. Mate, construction workers in New Zealand earn a lot less than they do in Australia and the sort of right wing shock jock stuff you want to go on with really isn’t going to faze me. We have a right a right to peaceful protest. We’ve got an important issue here and cheap shots like that really aren’t going to impress anybody.
PAUL HENRY: Right, so no apologies. Thanks for joining us this morning, David.
DAVID NOONAN: So no apologies to you mate. And no apologies for the fact your show has so few viewers.
[An awkward pause follows, then the camera cuts away to a news headline update before Henry comes back onscreen]
PAUL HENRY: Alrighty. I disagree with almost everything he said with the exception of the too few viewers thing. That is a shame.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/ten-farewells-paul-henry-hamster-wheel-highlight-video-ck-133297
Fucking shit hot. It is a pity no one would or could tackle this prat on television like that in NZ.
Actually, Laila Harré did last year, on a couple of occasions.
such a damned shame she didnt end up in parliment i know lprent gave us some of the reasons that didnt happen but its still a damn shame In a perfect world it ud be ALL HANDS ON DECK !!
Ok. Had a 15 minute power cut. Anyone notice?
Both UPS worked well.
Didn’t notice it go down but the server seems to have picked up another hamster or two. The site is faster now than it has been for some time.