reading the comments on the daily review about the guy who 'only left his room to take the elevator to go to the smoking box' but he did as he told?
Question: how can one keep 2 meters distance in an elevator and in a smokers box?
And how can leaving your room be considered 'doing as i was told' or are we to believe that they were told that mingling in elevators and tiny rooms is akin to 'keeping two meters distance at all times'? (and as an ex smoker myself i spend my fair share in 'smokes cubicles' there is no way he could have maintained safe distance)
Maybe you know, its not the government so much as really it is entitled kiwis coming back not giving a shit?
Seriously, i am happy to complain about the government (irrespective of the party who runs it), but this to me is more an issue of people blatantly ingnoring the rules, behaving irresponsibly, and heck i am at this point where really can the government hand the handling and managing of returning kiwis and quarantine requirement over to the Military? They have the resources to build temporary housing (tent stylez i don't care), have cooks and mobile kitchens, have doctors and nurses at hand and so on and so forth and surely no one would manage to leave the premises, not even for a smoke. Granted it ain't the Ibis but it seems that so far they don't seem to be happy with that either?
I'm just amazed at this, during lockdown while shopping people were avoiding each other as best we could, there was no police or army telling us what to do, yet these new arrivals need their hands held. Maybe education needs to be ramped up?
Surely they were given advise on how to behave, they were told to 'self manage' as responsible adults / parents should/ would and they gave no shits, and now are complaining that the government did not lock them into their rooms with a guard on the outside.
Fuck, build the quarantine tents, put them up, and let the Military take care of them. Then they will have something to complain about.
But they actually endangered others to get a smoke, a drink or some outside action. Fuck em.
The way I see it, there are basically three categories of people of unequal size:
People who don’t like to be told asked what to do, who often feel patronised, e.g. by a young(er) woman person, and who will often do the opposite of the request even if it is to their own detriment and/or that of others.
People who need to be given clear guidance what to do and who will do their best to follow that guidance, especially when it comes from an authoritative source.
People who don’t need to be asked and who will use sound judgement and do the appropriate thing under the circumstances with proper consideration of others too.
People who have got their heads stuck somewhere in a deep and dark bubble with weird echoing sounds and a cone of silence and denial to keep out facts and inconvenient information.
I recall being taught in primary school that "four into three doesn't go". 😉 However your fourth category does seem remarkably like National supporters!
I like the notion that the public can be subdivided into behavioural categories for the purpose of policy implementation. It would make govt operations more sophisticated than the `one plan fits all approach' – if it works in practice.
Your forgetting absentminded fools who want to do the right thing but are capable of getting to fridge and have know idea why! So need nice big signs and lots of reminders on what behaviors are needed.
Too true bwaghorn about reverting to default. Ever meant to go somewhere and pick up/drop off something away from the usual route, and go right by the turnoff? What a turn-off. So allowing for reminders to be up and about all the time will be necessary. There is an aspect to my mind which will 'remember' things in a faulty fashion, that suits my preference – the appointment was at 9am not 9.30 etc.
No. 3 of ianmac needs to include good information and explanation provided then —people use their sound judgment (that is necessary as explained), and do the appropriate thing.
I like to know why myself, not just to be herded, in the normal way. Thinking about returning kiwis, they probably left with the belief that NZ was backward and they being bright, were leaving for better opportunities. They might want to kick up now they are back, and not at first realise that we have lots of good practices for which they need to be thankful. And then conform to requirements of the country and community where they have returned to seek sanctuary.
Theyactually need to humble themselves and be grateful and willing to fit into the community, these smart alises/aleks (the letter changed to avoid personal identification). And realise that the cutthroat economic system that they have been operating under overse they will experience here. Most of us will have lost part of our heritage of a decent life in a pleasant country with opportunities for social mobility for all, through the workings of the neolib/freemarket economy that has churned out wealth from its machine-minds at great cost to many.
It was never touted as a cure but as a preventative. I would stick to your daily dose of 300 G & Ts because you’re almost guaranteed to not catch the virus through encounters with others.
There are also the people who will mingle with other smokers for two weeks, knowing thatisolation cohorts are mixing in the smokers room even though the lifts are controlled, but not raise it with anyone that there's a hole in the system.
Stupidity needs to be accounted for – double-fence accessible exercise areas, with the separation distance between the fences.
Have a small smoking area for each cohort. Make it a room on each floor if you have to – covid is a far bigger hazard than passive smoking at this stage. No lifts, no excuse to leave the floor without a scheduled appointment or exercise session.
Smoking is known to affect brain function and is thought to play a role in cerebral atherosclerosis. There are also studies that have shown an inverse correlation between smoking and IQ although it is unclear whether this points to a causative relationship and, if so, in what direction.
lol if only "notice, and bitch about, obvious hazard, but never report it to anyone in a position to deal with that hazard" was restricted to smokers.
Had that in a security job – folks had to provide their own footwear (we were arguing this with bosses), chap stepped on a board and a nail went through his shoe (just missed his toes). Bitched about it a few days later, I asked "did you file a hazard?" Nope. Guy almost had a nail through his foot, but never told anyone in management or OSH or HR even though he bitched about it in the tearoom.
They got a bit better after a few months – someone slipped on ice, filed a report, everyone had company-bought yaktraks the next day.
But they actually endangered others to get a smoke, a drink or some outside action. Fuck em.
Absolutely.
Let's not lose perspective though. Thousands have gone through this process without crying to the National Party, the Media, or anyone else that would listen. So we are left with a relatively small number of complete plonkers who fall into the first and fourth category in Incognito's concise summary at 1.1.1.1
Some in the media are using the term 'hostility' when writing about kiwi's attitude to returning nationals. No, it's not that. It's "Kia ora and welcome home. Please do as you are told and follow instructions to the letter. Don't sweat the small stuff. Do your time and enjoy it. See you on the other side"
Shaw said it was ironic that a party that supposedly cared so much about contract law – a reference to NZ First pulling its support for a bill on corporate rent – was so happy to breach its agreement with Labour. "I do find it ironic that a party that has been using the cover of the sanctity of contract law to protect property investors from small businesses can't even uphold its coalition agreement."
Light rail is not included in the arrangement between Labour and NZ First, but there is a reference to NZ First working in good faith to honour the other agreement making up the Government – the confidence and supply agreement with the Greens. "New Zealand First and Labour agree that they will each act in good faith to allow any other agreements to be complied with," the coalition agreement between NZ First and Labour reads.
Light rail is mentioned in the agreement between the Greens and Labour, specifically a line stating that: "Work will begin on light rail from the city to the airport in Auckland."
NZ First leader Winston Peterssaid it was his reading of the clause that his party would act in good faith with the Greens, but did not actually bind his agreement to theirs. "It asks us to act in good faith using our best information to make judgements on matters," Peters said. Pushed on this point Peters asked that the reporter go to the Human Rights Commission to get an interpretation of the clause.
Weasel words, Winston! Claiming that a contract commitment says something different to what it actually says may be standard practice for a lawyer, but is unlikely to impress the average kiwi.
Shaw said he was pleased that light rail would be able to progress following the election, as the decision announced on Wednesday didn't change the fact that money had been allocated for light rail through the National Land Transport Fund – something NZ First had voted for. "NZ First themselves voted for the Auckland light rail – it's part of the Government Policy Statement 2018 that they voted for," Shaw said. "They might have forgotten that they voted for it, but they did."
This week Peters, who is also NZ First leader, seemed to cast the project's future into further doubt just hours after Transport Minister Phil Twyford said the Government was "highly motivated" to progress.
But asked about the project, Peters said there had been massive cost blowouts.
"It's not going to happen in the immediate term," he said.
"We've always been for heavy rail around this country. Our programme is on target, as you know, and light rail has been suspended in terms of planning for the immediate future."
But NZ Infra director Will Goodwin dismissed a costs blowout – though he wouldn't be drawn on specifics.
"We've seen speculation of costings blowing out to as much as $10b. While we cannot get into specifics about what the cost of our proposal will be, we've previously said this speculation is substantially wide of the mark.
"Costs incurred to date are commercially sensitive and confidential."
He would not say how much money NZ Infra had sunk into it so far, but he remained committed to the project and supported Twyford's view that Cabinet would look at the issue soon.
i mean, heck , a billion here a billion there and sure you are talking about shitloads of petty cash that the taxpayer has to come up with.
to boot a slow effn train to the airport? there are already trains going to Mangere so essentially we only needed to build an extention to the Airport from Mangere. Or is that too easy and not sexy enough.
Maybe the issue is not so much Winston Peters and the points that he raised for a while now, but rather that the government over promised on something not too many are keen other then the people who most likely will never use the 'slow train' aka the polititians.
Also in this current climate where tourists might not be coming anytime soon, and we have different more pressing needs for the money taxpayers can actually raise this is a pure vanity project that serves no one.
As for the greens, sorry dudes – lets hold a referendum about this – let the people of NZ vote if they want to provide the funds to build a Tram to the Airport at a cost of somewhere 6 – 10 billion plus. Without any added Gummibears.
added, if a heavy train station / stop at the airport were to be build that could then also service trains coming from Hamilton etc, or are we next gonna build a Tram to the airport from Hamilton? Or is that future thinking and that is also not something we want to discuss right now?
The issue is: No plan only vested interests. Clear to see if anyone wants to look.
I actually will vote for Winston this election if he stands as he is at the moment – very surprisingly – the only sane voice I hear.
Otherwise, a lot of molly cotton political correct BS, or stirring the proverbial is all that is on offer right now.
No plan, no idea how to get a frame work in place that gets businesses attracted and bound to rules, environmental issues considered, future proof (science, facts) for production, farming implemented and for once haunt this in the same way as remiss beneficiaries. Instead we have major issues such as Auckland running out of water – I am curious, is someone pumping the aquifer for exporting water? This would lower the table and in the end may rise salinity. Now there is a thought.
As for rail, get all the trucks off the road and onto rail, you will be surprised at the cost factor and environmental positive impact. This is a proven concept, but hay – did I mention vested interests?
the principle of ministerial responsibility does not magically exclude “operational matters”. A 2013 Labour Party press release from then shadow leader of the house and now speaker Trevor Mallard welcomed a speaker’s ruling on parliamentary questions with the headline, “Ministers are responsible for operational matters”.
Jeez, who knew?? We've had years of National/Labour ministers claiming the opposite. Okay, they'd all dismiss Mallard as just being Mallard, but what if he's right??
Individual ministerial responsibility is a constitutional convention. Members of cabinet are individually responsible in three main ways:
they are accountable for decisions that they take in relation to their portfolio responsibilities
they are responsible for their own professional and personal conduct
they are responsible for decisions and actions (and the consequences that follow) of individuals and organisations for which they have ministerial responsibility, whether or not they were party to or knew of those actions. This is known as vicarious ministerial responsibility. https://teara.govt.nz/en/cabinet-government/page-6
I suspect that, when he was supposed to attend the training session in which he was to be taught how to be vicarious, he was off mountain-biking.
So why has only one PM resigned (Lange) because they have lost confidence in their Ministers ability to do the right thing.
After all resigning because of vicarious responsibility is really because of loss of trust in those in the ministry to provide operational delivery.
In this instance Clark had confidence in Bloomfield to sort it (albeit it involving transfer of facility oversight to the Housing Minister – as in procurement of accommodation)
Perhaps Lange was honourable & the others not? But what the govt web-page neglects is an explanation how those responsibilities are enacted. Elsewhere? Or left to the discretion of the ministers themselves? I suspect the latter.
So it's just another left/right sham, probably. Traditional establishment collusion to hoodwink the public. Pretend to do the right thing, then evade the necessity…
I looked at Clark being interviewed and I think he didn't look to be in a good place. Yes he should have taken responsibility but his credit is very low at the moment and he probably fears calls for his head.
I was the first to denonce his actions when he breached lockdown. But I posted earlier that he has got a lot of gains for health. Cancer agency and new radiology machines, hospital site for Dunedin and project office (after god knows how many years of nothing). increasing budget for Pharmac. And billions of dollars for mental health. Also if he should be taking responsibility for the operational failing, then he must be due some credit for the success of our Covid response………it must work both ways. After I posted the above gains on an earlier postt Ad provided me with some links about health outcomes. Maybe its me but it didn't quite seem relevant. I then looked on the Dept of stats website and I couldnt't see health outcome material that would relate to the vast number of improvements this govt has made. The reality is improving health outcomes has a very, very long tail and things like mental health may not show much improvement at all in the context of Covid and mass unemployment.
I am sick of the beat up on Clark. He paid his penalty for the lockdown breach. I agree he should have taken responsibility for the stuff up at the border. But he looks to be a man under extraordinary pressure. And if he should take responsibility for the stuff up then he also deserves credit and high praise for how the Covid response has gone.
I think this govt is carrying a massive burden at the moment and the hysterical attempt by the National Party to wins votes only adds to the pressure. I hope NZders see through them
Yes. It is a part of the overall strategy of attack, attack, attack and no matter the consequences or even whether the claims are true. We're seeing it on a daily basis now and its hard to see them being able to keep it up for the next 90 days.
I watched live the segment of the inquiry where Clark responded to a question from Woodhouse, and I was not left with the impression he was… passing the buck to Bloomfield.
It could have been better expressed, but all he did was briefly reiterate what happened and pointed out Bloomfield had apologised. Which is true.
Newshub and O'Brien are doing their usual… playing gotcha politics.
You can't be responsible for things you can't control, otherwise any bloodyminded pisswit underling could force a resignation by acting like a perverse fukcknuckle.
I have never seen a politician appear on my twitter feed more than what I saw David Clark last night. The right were ripping into him, but the left were almost as equally outraged with his approach.
Regardless of the rights or wrongs about what he was saying regarding responsibility, the guy is fucking clueless with how his words were going to play out politically.
Clark has only been in the headlines during the covid crisis for the wrong reasons. Ashley has been the face that all kiwis tuned into on a daily basis because we all trusted him and his professional, non political, way of dealing with things. Clark humiliating Ashley was a disgrace
Clark is a political liability and Jacinda needs to remove him.
He was set up to answer those questions with Bloomfield alongside him.
Total set up.
Then the media use Twitter response to this set up to have another go.
It’s a lynch mob demonstrating their power to manipulate the public.
It's revenge for being unpopular when Ardern and Bloomfield were the go to people. Now they are leveraging support for Bloomfield to get people angry at Clark – a National target. To take the PM down a peg or two, and glorify themsleves as the new heroes of the peoples safety. Just as National is doing. Talk about a corrupt alliance of glee club with dirty tricks reboot.
It's going to be hard to mistake MSM pretentiousness for responsibility after this. Maybe the future of the media estate should be with new start ups.
PS The whole scandal/operational failure issue is that officials did not apply it to those arriving before June 9. So the whole story is about how the media and government became aware of this – and so it was ultimately applied from June 16th, rather than the June 23rd track officials were on.
The "scandal" is the despicable attempt by the Opposition to use the pandemic as a political football without a jot of consideration for the people caught in the middle. I refer to the health workers and all the other sectors in society doing their best to keep Covid 19 out of the community, as well as the vast bulk of citizens doing their best to follow the rules and keep themselves safe.
Those in the media who are aiding and abetting the Nats are equally as obnoxious.
Personally, I would like to see Jacinda Ardern and co. deliver blistering attacks on their modus operandi and expose them for the self seeking irresponsible assholes they are proving to be.
I saw it this morning: Trotter & Sherson in accord all the way through. So refreshing when politicos cut the crap & tell it like it is. Viewers will be seriously impressed I bet (partisans will go straight into denial).
Will the PM tolerate her dead albatross health minister much longer? Not if she knows what's good for her. The stink has probably reached critical threshold. He's now making the Minister of Non-Delivery (Twyford) look good by comparison.
The PM, and a handful of very competent senior Ministers (Robertson, Woods) is carrying the others (Clark, Twyford, Lees-Galloway). Something has to give.
The Herald's early story is about 1000 people leaving managed isolation after their 14 days without being tested. This between June 9 and June 16.
And they add from yestersays Radio with Mike the agreement of Gorman with the Husk's own agreement with Muller their might be community transmission.
Be afraid is the mantra, feel threatened because the officials on the ground essentially at first interpreted the change from June 9, to only to apply to those who arrived after June 9.
However around 1000 people also left isolation between June 1 and June9 – when no testing was required and in those days Muller was saying go to Level 1 now there is no community spread.
"She said the country was ready, now 40 days since the last recorded case of community transmission, 26 days after entering alert level 2, 17 days since a new case, and less than 24 hours since having zero active cases recorded.
Ardern said New Zealanders did something "remarkable" by uniting in the fight against Covid-19, and had achieved one of the lowest rates per capita in the world.
"Now under level 1 you can if you want go back to your place of work." "
On that basis, the last recorded case of community transmission was on 29 April, now 57 days ago.
Now as I understand it, the aim of our border controls is to ensure that we do not get any further cases of community transmission.
Given that, do I care if over-worked and stressed employees of the Ministry of Health cannot tell me within an hour the number of visa holders in different categories who have entered New Zealand in the last 10 days, do I care if the taxpayer Onion have published Mullers master plan for the National Party under the heading of a Covid plan?
57 days of success? Yes I do care about that, but it would be nice to know that is is a valid number.
Are there any other key measures of success we have forgotten to tell people about?
Ed 1 key measures of success. I think the real evidence re community transmission is no one popping up in hospital/ICU. Even more than testing in the community this is where Covid in the community would appear……..I did a bit of research and the figure given was 20% of people with Covid need hospital care. Of course this can't be a definitive figure, but a useful guide. If NZ has community transmission we should have seen or will be seeing very soon hospital admissions
anker, I see community infection as not being the same as someone arriving with an infection, or catching the infection from their "bubble" while in quarantine. Yes some will need to be hospitalised, but I believe a key goal is to make sure that no-one catches covid19 from a person out in the community. There is a clear danger for staff and guards at quarantine properties – Victoria in Australia has apparently suffered from that, but if we get community transmission we may well have to go back to Level 2 (as Melbourne has done). So no, someone being admitted to hospital is almost expected from the thousands arriving in New Zealand from countries with infections at a higher level that here.
My question is whether we can celebrate 57 days without community infection?
There is no community spread, we are two weeks into Level 1 if it was going to happen considering half the country went to the pub and a million went to sporting events and farmers markets and the movies victims would have presented by now.
I liked your comment last night Adrian, you are so right, NZ has (so far) successfully fought the spread of covid, people are scrambling to get back here because of this, the rest of us sucked it up for weeks, these newcomers should too.
Thanks IFL, but its just me reflecting the opinions of others I have spoken to recently from surprisingly, both sides of the political spectrum and as a long time arsehole it doesn't take much to arc me up when others arseholery becomes evident. I think it is going to quieten down pretty soon when the media realises they are on the wrong side of the Oh Woe Is Me faction.
The poll out tonight on TV1 will probably show a swing downwards for the Government but the Nat/media must take "credit" for any loss of confidence. Arseholery indeed.
I was just getting used to not dreading the next poll after about 11 years of depressing polls. I wonder how many people have forgotten over the last week what has been achieved and who by.
eg a friend, Southland farmer, retired, union-hating blue-blue-blue through and through, full of praise for govt response and will probably vote for Jacinda this time round. Scathing of the behaviour of some returnees and constant bagging of Bloomfield et al
What is interesting at present (from the people I've been talking to) is that it feels like voters are making their minds up a whole lot earlier this election cycle.
Lots of time to reflect during the lockdowns? More interest in what is going on. The example of Trump, Johnson and other leaders dithering and blundering badly when under load.
I suspect that the reality that covid-19 brought is going to do nasty things to some kinds of populists. Those poll figures in the US are brutal (looks them up)
Trump prophecy and statues to dead white people – and the reckons of white men who did not go to college. Too many of one and not enough of the other to save the Donald
Lots of time to reflect during the lockdowns? More interest in what is going on.
I've been saying for years that the biggest problem with our democracy is that most people just don't have enough time to engage in it as they're too busy/tired from going to work. So, perhaps you're right. The lockdown has given more people the time to engage, time to think.
With some people, no matter how much time they’re given, it never lifts the quality of their thinking, as Chris Penk demonstrated with exquisite clarity.
I agree regarding opinions of others, just listening in to others in the staffroom people are pissed off with the people breaking the rules and whining, not the Govt.
people are pissed off with the people breaking the rules and whining, not the Govt.
That's the feeling around these parts too, some tory work colleagues share the same sentiment.
One of mum's tory friends even told her they are with-holding their annual generous donation this election because of the lack of leadership in the national party. Mum almost fell off her seat, because her friend is blue to the core.
The Herald and Newshub are gunning for the Health Minister Clark for stating a fact they do not like.
He said that the head of the Health Ministry Bloomfield had accepted responsibility for the release of people from managed isolation without testing post June 9 (as he has as head of the ministry). Apparently saying this in front of Bloomfield was supposed to be brutal – Tova O’B and spineless according to some anonymous Herald headline writer (now that is cowardly).
Then the intellectual affront to the left Chris Trotter says the PM has 24 hours to rid herself of the Minister – why because we are in a post truth age?
It seems Trotter is the go to guy for backing up every media beat-up going round, Hooton will be loving his stooge brother in arms.
Instead, he’s shifted blame to director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield. On Wednesday, Clark continued to blame Bloomfield, even while Bloomfield was in the room.
How exactly, the head of the ministry had already taken repsonsibility for it himself (the accusation in the quote is unattributed – no name to the story).
Do we have a MSM or just National attack blogs?
Was any National Minister asked to resign for the P homes lying empty and the cost of mitigation that was totally unneccesary?
Instead, he’s shifted blame to director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield. On Wednesday, Clark continued to blame Bloomfield, even while Bloomfield was in the room.
This is what Trotter says. He is not into being kind to Labour Ministers who can help to lose the election. We do want Labour to get in don't we or are some of us not up to facing truthand hard political reality (how many days till the election?)?.
Left-wing leaning political commentator Chris Trotter told The AM Show that the border bungle had hurt the Government.
"The one thing they had, the one shining moment in three years, was their handling of the COVID crisis and the last week, I cannot see how that hasn't put a massive dent in their public standing," he said.
Trotter then hit out at Clark and said Ardern shouldn't simply stand by.
"I thought the behaviour of David Clark in relation to Ashley Bloomfield was just shameful, absolutely shameful. I am sorry Jacinda, but if you let that stand for the next 24 hours, then it's going to come back on you, because a person like that should not be in his job."
Chris is given the opportunity to appear on these shows because he will bag the left. Sure, he will try to nuance it in a way that suggests he wants Labour to do more and be more radical – but the the only thing that survives his flowery over-elaborations is the initial bagging. A truly left commentator with an uncompromising analysis of how money power actually works, won't get near these shows.
If you don’t get the whole of NZ is laughing and Clark and his gutless incompetence you and others here never will. Trotter is a realist not a blinkered fool. His political honesty is welcome after the politically blind comments as seen here.
Some of us are more easily manipulated than others.
Personally I regard Muller as auditioning for a role as a commentator on the Muppets – 4 weeks of people leaving their managed isolation without being tested under Level 2. His opinion then – there was no evidence of communty transmission so why are we not at Level 1 already.
One further week of people leaving without beign tested, and his belief is that there is community transmission.
He is no longer credible.
Pretending to believe there is suddently some sort of risk, to pander to crisis climate is not the service to the public but to himself and his party.
If he was a decent man, he is now Hooton's creature.
During the covid lockdown or other health emergency the Director of Health outranks even the Minister as he has more power at the behest of Government/Parliament not the minister directly. That is the understanding that I heard when he was elevated.
Dr Bloomfield and his team did a brilliant job.
As an aside, if you want to know who the arsehole is leaking bullshit and innuendo to the Opposition look no further than whoever it was who thought he/she was entitled to the job when Ashley was appointed DoH. Unfortunate acronym that.
In the 15th it looks like Ritchie Torres is going to take it, with Ruben Diaz Sr coming 3rd(who would fit better in the troglodyte faction of the Repugs). Sadly, this race yet again illustrates the far left's ability to abandon reason and attempt self-sabotage, but fortunately didn't succeed this time.
In Kentucky, Amy McGrath looks comfortably ahead of Charlie Booker in the race to take on Bitch the Mean-age Mutant MAGA Turtle. Sure Booker is definitely left and McGrath is moderate, but c'mon far lefties, this is Kentucky we're talking about here. McGrath is a long shot as it is, d'ya really think someone like Booker has even a fart's chance in a thunderstorm?
40 000 tested No community transmission. All those resources used and overloaded roads parking and laboratories. Thanks Muller and Woodhouse, yelling "Wolf" did that.
I wonder what the next "Urban Myth" from Woodhouse will be? "Baited breath!!" NOT!!
Someone could draw Muller’s attention to “We don’t know how lucky we are” by John Clarke.
Yes Patricia, and not a single word from the 2 main media outlets, stuff and The Herald who made the loudest noise over the homeless person, $100k spent on the investigation by the tax payer with no evidence of any homeless person being in the hotel, Woodhouse looked embarrassed on the TV when asked for some evidence to support the allegation and then Muller says he stands behind his minister, Woodhouse, so Muller disagrees with the outcome of the $100K investigation yet has zero evidence to discredit it.
This is a much bigger story than anything else circulating in the media today, yet, crickets.
With the TVNZ poll out tonight, let's look back at the last one, from May. Just for fun, here's a Quick Quiz:
10 people got 0.1% support (the lowest possible to be recorded in the poll) as preferred PM. Can you name any of these people (without looking them up)?
Clues: 4 of them are not in Parliament. 3 women, 7 men. Any guesses?
The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been charged in a superseding indictment for recruiting and conspiring with computer hackers, including those affiliated with the hacking groups LulzSec and "Anonymous."
Why it matters: The new indictment does not add new counts to the 18-count indictment filed against Assange under the Espionage Act last year, but it does "broaden the scope of the conspiracy surrounding alleged computer intrusions with which Assange was previously charged," according to the DOJ.
(Sounds as if they are trying to treat Assange as a nuisance, commercially motivated, hostile hacker against nation/s, rather than for revealing wrongs done – important difference.)
.
Assange didn’t appear via video link for his most recent court matter in London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court in early June.
His defence team had emailed court that their client had “had respiratory problems for some time”, the court heard.
WikiLeaks confirmed Assange had been advised against going to the video conferencing room in Belmarsh prison by his doctors and was at high risk of contracting COVID-19 due to an underlying lung condition.
Assange is next scheduled to appear in court on June 29 for a routine call over.
“He’s very unwell and I’m very concerned about his ability to survive this,” Ms Moris said.
He’s not a criminal. He’s not a dangerous person. He’s a gentle intellectual, a thinker.”
Ms Moris, 37, said Assange was being kept alone in a tiny room and was “very depressed.
I was hoping that those who have daily connections with a cross-section of people might be able to tell me what the feeling for Government's handling of the crisis is. I have read all the comments above thanks everyone. Any others?
My staffroom is always interesting, broad cross section of ages and backgrounds, I mentioned above, but I had a giggle listening in they were livid about Woodhouse (I'm in Dunedin) & someone mentioned how Hosking is all over the place, "he just says any old crap".
This angry Florida woman argued today against the mask mandate, while bringing up the devil, 5G, Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton, "the pedophiles" and the deep state.
These clowns are prepared to exploit one of the very few concessions an able world grants to those with disabilities.
Says it all, really.
The SLO County Public Health Department is warning residents that various cards claiming to exempt the holder from California’s face covering ordinance are fraudulent and not endorsed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a “rumor alert” posted to the department’s Facebook page on June 22, county staff linked to a recent press release posted by the U.S. Department of Justice, which says that various printouts of face covering exemption cards, many of which include the U.S. Department of Justice seal, are floating around the internet.
click to enlarge
SCREENSHOT FROM FACEBOOK
EXEMPT? Fraudulent cards claiming to exempt the holder from California’s face covering ordinance are floating around SLO County Facebook groups.
“These postings were not issued by the department and are not endorsed by the department,” the press release reads. “The department urges the public not to rely on the information contained in these postings and to visit ada.gov for ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] information issued by the Department.”
I support your emphasis on this important point because Nats & media aren't acknowledging it sufficiently. They need to get real asap. Valid to expose the quarantine shambles, but we're moving on from that. If they keep banging the drum regardless, it will piss everyone else off big-time.
Incidentally I am thinking we need a change in honorific/title treatment – and Doctor should be followed by two letter code ie MD. Well they do it elsewhere I think. I think of doctor as being medical doctor, so I would like to know what sort of professional I am listening to. Could have a Dr PR and that would be very useful to know.
Yeah I saw on the breakfast news a report that 26 US states are showing a sudden surge, and that up-swing is evident in your daily figures. Brazil's supreme court has ordered Balsonaro to wear a mask. Trump will be wondering how much longer he can do his King Canute act…
Scottsdale Council member Guy Phillips just addressed the crowd by saying, “I can’t breathe,” the last words of George Floyd before he died at the hands of Minneapolis police, before taking off his mask at this protest. @azcentralpic.twitter.com/jrxSUbHXi9
Dr custard aka nick smith was kicked out, for his usual problem… out of line interjecting.
Unfortunately for him he had a question to ask later on.
" Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister of Justice: Is his Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill, as passed through its third reading under urgency last night, good law? "
Then ole entitled gerry wanted Dr custard's question to be reinstated and asked by another MP. A bit of argey bargey later with Trevor; because, let's face it, ole entitled gerry won't back down even if he is wrong. Nek minute, ole entitled gerry was kicked out too.
The results of the Colmar Brunton Poll tonight will be a very good indicator of just how influential the media is.
With relentless attacks on the Coalition, everything from bungling incompetence to conflicts within the Coalition, none of which are supported by any substantiating evidence apart from media releases of which are headed with 'Opinion'.
A very large swing against the Govt will give everyone something to be concerned about.
Correct, but there's always an extent of influence, something that can be guaged, which is a good indicator of wether the public agree with the media sentiment or have personally chosen to disagree.
In the end the only poll that matters is in 88 days, a lot water to go under the bridge yet though.
The Poll result doesn't appear to have been influenced by the last few days of hyperbole, Muller was expected to get high support after his predecessor and the rusted on supporters, Nat voters showing their support, NZF though, are probably the biggest losers but we know that at election day they usually do much better.
Labour could govern alone on 50%, the Greens back at 5%, NZF on 2%
National on 36%, Act on 4%
Pretty much the result you would expect after the removal of Bridges, restoration of support from the party faithfull.
Just Is, A great deal depends on how people react to Woodhouse's "story".
I think everyone found that a "Stretch'
Muller will appeal to old time National more than Bridges did, but people won't thank him for playing on their fears. We live in interesting times.
As you say, the media have played this like a violin chorus, wailing in the pits, becoming a little too shrill…… waiting….. Just hope people recognise genuine mahi.
Many New Zealanders take a strong interest in US politics, with the death of Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg being the latest example. Liam Hehir wonders if it very wise for New Zealanders to get so worked about it.Many politically engaged New Zealanders are now furiously ...
After stamping the Coronavirus out via strict lockdown between March and May, New Zealand went through a good three months without any community cases. Then a local outbreak in Auckland rather buggered things up last month. Auckland’s been in level 3 and level 2.5 for the past six weeks. ...
Who's causing our skyrocketing emissions? As with most of our other problems, It's the rich: The wealthiest 1% of the world’s population were responsible for the emission of more than twice as much carbon dioxide as the poorer half of the world from 1990 to 2015, according to new ...
The border closure and resulting lack of foreign slave-workers is driving the fishing industry out of business: One fishing company is effectively out of business while others are bracing for large financial hits as the deepwater New Zealand industry, unable to get skilled foreign workers into the country, have ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... The tipping points at the heart of the climate crisisMany parts of the Earth’s climate system have been destabilised by ...
In the absence of national public opinion polls, we have had to make do in recent weeks with other guides to voter intentions. Those guides, such as the Auckland Central poll, the incidence of google enquiries and the responses to Vote Compass questions, have suggested, not unexpectedly, that Labour is ...
Crusher Collins - National Party leaderWe all know that the National Party is desperate to gain some traction during this election campaign and have been throwing pretty much everything at the Labour Party in order to try and undermine Jacinda Ardern and what the Coalition Government has achieved. But unfortunately ...
Much of the commentariat’s reporting of the most recent GDP figure was misleading and unhelpful. The prize for the stupidest remark about the GDP figure for second quarter 2020 (2020Q2) released on Thursday (17 Sept) goes to Judith Collins, whose response to Grant Robertson’s comments indicated she did not ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh goloing@gmail.com (19/09/2020) Che Guevara said that a true revolutionary is motivated by love i.e. love of the oppressed, the poor, the children dying from preventable illnesses. This phrase of his is true but has been used by reformists and their more hippy wing have taken advantage ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 13, 2020 through Sat, Sep 19, 2020Editor's ChoiceGet to Net-Zero by Mid-Century? Even Some Global Oil and Gas Giants Think it Can Be DoneA report by a ...
With the National Party this week announcing a new policy of tax cuts to spice up the election campagin. MyThinks went along to the launch and afterwards we spoke to the party’s finance spokesperson Paul “Golden Touch” Goldsmith. MT: Thanks for speaking to us Mr Goldsmith. PG: No. Thank you. ...
Always to islanders danger Is what comes over the seas ‘Landfall in Unknown Seas’ (Allen Curnow)Six economic issues external to New Zealand, which will greatly impact upon us. 1. The Diminishing Global Dominance of the US. Since 1941 America has dominated the world economically and politically. Probably it could ...
By Geoffrey Miller New Zealand should continue to champion human rights in Belarus amidst an ongoing crackdown on protests by the country’s regime, former Prime Minister Helen Clark says. Protests in the country often referred to as ‘Europe’s last dictatorship’ erupted after the country’s disputed presidential elections on August 9 ...
Jacqui Maguire, registered clinical psychologistThis podcast episode highlights how difficult it is to have effective conversations about euthanasia due to how polarised people’s views are. I’m a clinical psychologist, with a passion for science communication. In early 2020 I founded the podcast Mind Brew, with an aim to make psychological ...
In case anyone needed further convincing, there's another example today of why we need cameras on fishing boats: reported seabird bycatch doubled during a camera trial: Commercial fishers operating off Auckland's coast around vulnerable seabirds are twice as likely to report accidentally capturing them when cameras are on ...
In the leadup to the euthanasia referendum, an array of conservative Christian political organisations is running an expensive campaign to sow doubt about the safety of assisted dying. Graham Adams argues that these religious forces know that Christian arguments aren’t convincing the public, but that it is in the public ...
Dangerous Times: This will be the choice confronting those coming of age in the 2020s. Embrace Neoliberalism’s belief in racial and sexual equality; adopt its secular and scientific world view; and cultivate the technocratic, multicultural, global outlook required of those who keep the machinery of hyper-capitalism humming. Or, throw your ...
It would be a great time to reform the benefit system, according to former Deputy Chief Economic Advisor at the Treasury, Tony Burton. He argues the complexity of benefit system means that it’s failing to achieve its difficult three core objectives, which form an “iron triangle”.New Zealand’s benefit ...
Tax Justice UK, September 2020 Serious tax reform is on the political agenda for the first time in decades due to the coronavirus crisis. As this debate hots up it is important to understand what people think about public spending, wealth and tax. Tax Justice UK, along with Survation and ...
Not Mucking Around: With upwards of 800 dead from the virus’s resurgence in the Australian state of Victoria, leniency is not on Premier Daniel Andrews’ agenda. The Victorian Police are cracking down hard on the protesters the Australian press has labelled "Covidiots".IMAGES OF POLICE, some in riot gear, others on ...
Although I had the fortune of being a graduate student of some of the foremost US nuclear strategists of the day (1970s) and later rubbed shoulders with Air Force and Naval officers who were entrusted with parts of the US nuclear arsenal, I seldom get to write or speak about ...
News that Zhenhua Data, an arm of China Zhenhua Electronics Group, a subsidiary of the military-connected China Electronic Information Industry Group (CETC), maintains a list of 800 New Zealanders on a “Overseas Key Information Database” that contains personal information on more than 2.4 million foreign individuals, has caused some consternation ...
Marie BecdelievreJanuary 2020. The number of news article mentioning coronavirus exploded and anxious voices whispered about a global pandemic.Whisper? To me, it was only a whisper. I tend to learn about the world through non-fiction books, conferences, and academic research rather than news and social media, so ...
Barbados is planning to remove the queen as head of state and become a republic in time for the 55th anniversary of its independence in 2021: Barbados has announced its intention to remove the Queen as its head of state and become a republic by November 2021. [...] Reading ...
At the 2017 election, the New Zealand Labour Party promised a Fees Free Policy for tertiary students. Basically, it would make the first year of university education free in 2018, with a second year in 2021, and a third in 2024. It also promised to restore Post-Graduate access to the ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzWhat is the impact of temperature increases in the tropics? ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons It felt like 100 degrees in my in-laws’ Grass Valley, California, kitchen, but at least the lights were on and for the moment we were safely “distanced” from the Jones Fire. We’d just finished dessert, after pizza and a movie ...
A key part of our electoral funding regime is a requirement for some transparency around donations, on the basis that if we can find out who has bought our politicians (typically after we have voted for them) then everything is alright. There are a lot of problems with that regime ...
On “In Defense of Looting” Matt Taibibi takes an entertaining look at this generation of woke activists and how they compare with Abbie Hoffman the iconic anti-Vietnam war counter-culture figure of the 1960s On Thursday, August 27th, the same day Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination, National Public Radio ...
When Parliament introduced the Emissions Trading Scheme, it was worried that carbon prices might get too high. So it introduced a "fixed price option", allowing polluters to pay the government $25 in the place of surrendering credits. The result was predictable: after we were thrown out of international carbon markets ...
The government will finally be requiring large New Zealand companies to disclose their climate change risks: New Zealand finance companies will be made to report on climate change risk, Climate Change Minister James Shaw has announced. The policy will force around 200 large financial organisations in New Zealand to ...
By Claire Grant, Genomics Aotearoa Communications ManagerCommunity consultation is becoming an increasingly important aspect of research programmes in New Zealand, and with that comes the art of relationship building. Engagement between scientists and user-groups is certainly nothing new. But as stakeholder involvement becomes more of a requirement for science, ...
Rebels In A Wrong Cause: The truly frightening thing about Jami-Lee Ross’s and Billy Te Kahika’s success in persuading thousands of New Zealanders that Covid-19 is just another trick, just another way of stealing away their power, is realising just how many of them once marched at the Left’s side. ...
In a couple of months, the 53rd Parliament will meet in Wellington, and approximately 120 MPs will be sworn in, many of them for the first time.They will all have political goals, some aligning with their party platforms, some not, some complex, and some simple, but they will gain one ...
Media Statement For Immediate Release 10th September 2020 The income and wealth inequality lobby group, “Closing the Gap” thinks the Labour proposal a great start says Peter Malcolm, a spokesperson for the group. But they need to be aware of what many of the rich do and of what do ...
ACT is pushing a "no-nonsense climate change plan". What does it involve? Repealing the Zero Carbon Act and Emissions Trading Scheme, reversing the fossil-fuel exploration ban, and allowing mining on conservation land. In other words, repealing any policy which might actually reduce emissions. Which is the very definition of nonsensical. ...
This blog post is a follow up to my recap of Al Gore's Climate Reality Leadership Training I recently participated in. One of the exercises we were asked to complete was to write about our respective "Climate Story". This is a slightly updated version to the one I had submitted during ...
New Zealand’s media and online politics often reflect the values of liberal and progressive agendas. According to Liam Hehir, the current proposals to lower the voting age to 16 years – which the media overwhelming supports – is indicative of a wider mismatch with society, which is not good for ...
My wife and I, through a combination of good luck and good management, have managed to retire in comfortable circumstances. We celebrate our good fortune by making relatively small but regular donations to a range of good causes – to rescue services like the rescue helicopters, St John’s Ambulance and ...
Jacques Raubenheimer, University of SydneyIf we don’t analyse statistics for a living, it’s easy to be taken in by misinformation about COVID-19 statistics on social media, especially if we don’t have the right context. For instance, we may cherry pick statistics supporting our viewpoint and ignore statistics showing we ...
Over the weekend, Labour released its welfare policy: an increase in benefit abatement thresholds. And that's it. Faced with clear evidence of ongoing hardship among beneficiaries and a call from its on Welfare Expert Advisory Group to raise core benefits by between 12 percent and 47 percent, Labour's response is ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (Bogota; 09/11/2020) The murder of Javier Ordoñez in the neighbourhood of Villa Luz in Bogotá, Colombia at the hands of two policemen brings to the fore the issue of police violence and its function in society. First of all we should be clear that we are ...
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Gabrielle Po-Ching In November 1918, the cargo and passenger ship Talune travelled to Apia, Samoa from Auckland, carrying a number of passengers who had pneumonic influenza. From these passengers stemmed the biggest pandemic Samoa had ever seen. With around 8,500 deaths, over 20% of the country’s population at the ...
Prof Nick Wilson*, Prof Michael Baker In this blog the arguments for and against shifting all COVID-19 related isolation/quarantine facilities to a single air force base at Ōhakea are considered. The main advantage would be a reduction in the risk of border control failures, which can potentially involve outbreaks ...
So the Greens co-leader James Shaw recently made a mistake. In his role as Associate Finance Minister approving funding for “shovel-ready” projects, he fought hard for a private “Green school” to get funding to expand their buildings and, therefore, their student capacity. There are many problems with what he did: ...
Over the last three years there have been growing calls for the government to provide dental services under the health system – universal free dental care. This is because at the moment there’s an anomaly in which teeth are regarded as different from the rest of the body which means ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 6, 2020 through Sat, Sep 12, 2020Editor's ChoiceWith California ablaze, Newsom blasts Trump administration for failing to fight climate change Trinity River Conservation Camp crew members drown ...
Dear Sir, As we head into the run up to the upcoming election I feel it is my duty to draw your attention to the lack of fun we are currently forced to ensure by the Adern regime. In their efforts to keep the nation’s essential workers, health compromised people, ...
It finally happened: about 13 years after first watching Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” (AIT) in 2007 when it became available in Germany, I recently completed the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training! Participating in this particular training had been on my to-do list for quite some time but it ...
Windows 95 is famous for requiring the shutting down the system by clicking ‘start, like stopping your car by turning the ignition key on. Why are so many interfaces so user-unfriendly? The Covid app to register your entering premises can be so clumsy. Sometimes I have signed in, sat down ...
Is the 2020 election result really the foregone conclusion that the polls and commentators are suggesting? Josh Van Veen suggests otherwise, pointing to some of the shortcomings of opinion polling, which could ready some politicians to say “bugger the pollsters” on election night. In November 1993, opinion polls foretold ...
Back in 2019, six select committees of the UK Parliament established a Citizen's Assembly to investigate how to respond to climate change. The Assembly's deliberations were forced online by the pandemic, but it has finally reported back, and overwhelmingly supports strong action: Taxes that increase as people fly further ...
I am feeling a bit impish today and so for no particular reason I thought I would share this thought, which I first posted over on twitter: “Hurricanes, wildfires, floods, heatwaves, street protests, armed vigilante militias, a lethal pandemic and a corrupt authoritarian using the federal government for partisan and ...
Wayne Mapp (Photo: Tsmith.nz via Wikimedia) A former Minister of Defence says the government was too slow to involve the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) in New Zealand’s response to Covid-19. But Wayne Mapp, a National MP from 1996-2011 who served as Minister of Defence for three ...
Transport is our second biggest polluter after agriculture, making up 17% of our national emissions. Cars and trucks emit 15 million tons of CO2 every year. So, if we're serious about tackling climate change, we need to eliminate this entirely. Public transport and better urban design will be a key ...
Five things we’ve learnt 1. We know where the virus ultimately came from We know that the virus originally came from bats, and most probably a species of horseshoe bat in South East Asia. However, the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2, which allows the virus to attach to cells and infect ...
The Greens' greatest disappointment while in government this term has been the failure to implement a ban on mining on conservation land. Promised by Jacinda Ardern immediately after gaining power, it had long been assumed that the problem was NZ First (who have a long history of environmental vandalism). But ...
If they get into Parliament, everyone expects the Greens to form a coalition with Labour. But James Shaw has said that that might not be the case, and that they might instead choose to sit on the cross-benches: The Greens are prepared to forego a coalition or confidence and ...
Chantal Denise Pagel, Auckland University of Technology; Mark Orams, Auckland University of Technology, and Michael Lueck, Auckland University of TechnologyThree people were injured last month in separate humpback whale encounters off the Western Australia coast. The incidents happened during snorkelling tours on Ningaloo Reef when swimmers came too close ...
Den Of Thieves: They describe themselves, and the money-making rackets they dignify with the name of church, “Christian”, but these ravening wolves are no such thing. The essence of the Christian faith is the giving of love – not the taking of money. It is about opening oneself to the ...
David Pomeroy, University of Canterbury; Kay-Lee Jones, University of Canterbury; Mahdis Azarmandi, University of Canterbury, and Sara Tolbert, University of CanterburyAcademic streaming in New Zealand schools is still common, but according to recent reports it is also discriminatory and racist. Also known as tracking, setting and ability grouping, streaming ...
A New Holy-Day: Perhaps, by accepting this gift of Matariki from the first arrivals in Aotearoa, we late arrivals, shorn of our ancestors’ outlandish fleeces, can draw strength from the accumulated human wisdom of our adopted home. Perhaps, by celebrating Matariki, we can learn to take ownership of our colonial ...
If there was any doubt left, we can surely call it now. Time and date. End of. Finito. Perhaps you thought you saw a flickering eyelid or a finger move? You were wrong. Labour has given up on tax reform for the foreseeable future. One of the key remaining left/right ...
Will the rich get richer under Labour’s latest tax policy? Based on the analysis in reaction to yesterday’s announcement, the answer would seem to be yes. The consensus from commentators is that inequality and severe economic problems will remain unchanged or even be made worse by Labour’s new policy. Although ...
Labour has released its energy policy, and its basicly business as usual: bring forward the 100% renewable target to 2030, build pumped storage if the business case stacks up, restore the thermal ban and clean car standard (but not the feebate scheme), and spread a bit of money around to ...
What's wrong with Labour? The end of yesterday's RNZ health debate says it all: Do you have private health insurance? Reti: "I do." Hipkins: "Yes, I do." Hipkins is Minister of Health. But it turns out that he won't be waiting in the queue with the rest ...
McKayla HollowayThe helicopter carries a team of four Lakes380 scientists and me; we hug the Gneiss rock walls that tower over Lake Manapouri. It’s arguably one of New Zealand’s most well-known lakes – made famous by the ‘Save Manapouri’ campaign of the 1970s. My chest is drawn back into ...
Rainy-Day Man: Is Labour’s tax policy a disappointment? Of course it is! But it’s the best the Traditional Left is going to get. Why? because Labour’s pollsters are telling them that upwards of 200,000 women over the age of 45 years have shifted their allegiance from National to Labour. (Where else, ...
When we last left our intrepid Drow Rogue, he was sitting in a tavern with his companions, only for a crazy Paladin to burst in, and start screaming about the Naga. It soon turned out that ...
The Green Party has released its Thriving Oceans Plan, which would dramatically increase marine protected areas and ban bottom trawling on seamounts. ...
It was another busy week out on the campaign trail, with Labour focused on jobs, training, and supporting Kiwi workers. As we continue to roll out our five-point plan for recovery, we’re investing in our people, businesses, communities and vital services, so we can keep our economy moving as we ...
Our regions are a vital part of our economic recovery plan. They’re home to innovative and creative businesses, and the backbone of our export economy - which is why Labour will continue to support our regions to grow as together, we rebuild better. ...
National’s ‘alternative budget’ that includes huge cuts to the government’s operating allowance would risk gutting critical public services, and put health, education and nature at dire risk. ...
Data released this week shows that, while New Zealand is not immune to the economic impacts of the global pandemic, our strong health response has meant we’ve been able to get our economy going faster than many other countries. ...
This year’s election is on 17 October - and it’s coming up fast! With one month to go until Election Day, we’ve come up with 17 ways you, your friends and family can get involved in our campaign and help Labour keep New Zealand moving. ...
PREFU has given a good insight into what was required to ensure New Zealanders were largely supported to continue work and remain healthy during COVID-19, but it is clear we need additional revenue raising measures ongoing, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...
The Green Party is disappointed with the Labour Party’s decision to reverse their three free years education policy and back down on their commitment to postgraduate student allowances. ...
In the first two years of our term in Government, we gave teachers record pay rises as a way of recognising the lack of adequate adjustments over the previous decade and the significant role they play in the lives of children and young people. We also increased the number of ...
Labour has a proud history of supporting working New Zealanders, whether through the implementation of the 40hr work week or the introduction of the Working for Families package. ...
The Green Party welcome Labour’s commitment to extend the living wage to Government contractors, but will push for Fair Pay Agreements across industries in the next Government so more New Zealanders can earn a dignified income. ...
The Green Party is urging the Government to act on its commitment to te reo Māori, by making it a core subject up to year 10, and including te reo courses in the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships scheme. ...
We're officially back to the campaign for the 2020 General Election. The campaign may look a little different this year, but our candidates are still getting out and about in their communities and spreading the word about how another term of Labour will keep New Zealand moving in the right ...
You might have heard a bit of discussion about Government debt lately, as experts weigh in on the COVID-19 economic recovery. If you’re wondering why it’s such a contested topic, or even if you’re unsure of what Government debt actually is, then read on - we’ve got you covered! ...
The Green Party has released its Farming for the Future Plan, including a $297m fund to support farmers and growers to transition to climate-friendly practices. ...
We believe every New Zealander deserves the chance to make an informed decision on Election Day. We’ve answered some of the most common questions on our 2020 tax policy, including how much money will be raised from our new top tax rate, and how this will be used to control ...
The Green Party says Labour’s energy policy is a step in the right direction, but the Greens would go further and faster to meaningfully tackle the climate crisis. ...
All this tax talk leaving you a bit dazed and confused? Read below to find out more about our progressive tax system and what Labour's policy means for you. ...
We’re committed to managing the Government’s books responsibly and keeping debt under control while supporting our people and our economy through the 1-in-100 year shock caused by COVID-19. ...
The Labour Party has moved towards more progressive income tax, but is not addressing the growing wealth gap and inequality in Aotearoa. Labour’s new revenue policy also doesn’t help pay for the necessary response to the COVID-19 crisis, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...
As New Zealanders we are proud of who we are, what we stand for, and the way we weave together different worlds and cultures to create our unique national identity. ...
It is appalling and negligent that landlords are being encouraged to keep their properties cold and damp until after the election, as advised by the NZ Property Investors Federation, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
The Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in COVID-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX Facility, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “The COVAX Facility is a key part of our COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy to obtain safe and effective vaccines. It allows us to invest in a high-quality, ...
The Government will provide up to $1.69 million through the One Billion Trees programme to Māori landowners to make their whenua more productive through the planting of forests, both native and exotic, and improve economic and environmental outcomes, Forestry Minister Shane Jones has announced. “Around 1.5 million ha of land ...
People planning to head outdoors now have a resource that lets them know how accessible an area is for people with varying levels of mobility, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. The Halberg Foundation, Sensibel, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) have launched Accessibel, a new tool which helps ...
One of the most significant battle sites of the 1860s Land Wars will receive $2.96 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to improve the site and help tell the New Zealand story to visitors, Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. Nanaia Mahuta ...
The journey towards recognising Māori as an official language and taonga has been captured as a web series and launched today during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, announced Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni. “Te reo Māori is a living language, and understanding its significance, and pathways to ...
Today’s better-than-forecast GDP figures show the expected impact of the decision to act quickly to protect New Zealanders from the global COVID-19 pandemic. GDP fell 12.2% in the June quarter from March, reflecting decisions to close New Zealand’s borders and enter Alert Level 4. “This result was better than the ...
The Government is investing $39.7 Million over four years to support the educational needs of Pacific learners and families in the regions hardest hit by COVID-19, with Auckland getting an immediate boost, Associate Minister of Education Jenny Salesa says. “Like all New Zealanders Pacific families want learners to do well ...
New Zealand’s goal of 100,000 kiwi by 2030 is being helped by an extra $19.7 million in funding to accelerate iwi and community efforts to protect kiwi, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced. “$19.7 million of Jobs for Nature funding is being invested in kiwi conservation activities including increased predator ...
Ensuring New Zealanders can get the best deal on their electricity takes a step in the right direction today with the South Island launch of the EnergyMate pilot run by the Electricity Retailers’ Association, says Minister of Energy and Resources, Dr Megan Woods. EnergyMate is an industry-led programme providing coaching ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter announced today that the Government has reached its target of 50 percent on women on state sector board and committees – setting a new record level of women on state sector boards. “This Government is committed to having more women in leadership roles - ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford released today the final Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) 2021 which outlines the planned $48 billion investment in services and infrastructure over the next decade. “The final GPS supports our Government’s five-point plan for economic recovery by confirming our record investments in transport infrastructure ...
Three ambitious and cutting-edge research programmes that will lift New Zealand’s advanced energy technology research capability over seven years, have been supported by Government today, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. The projects will each receive a share of $40.7 million investment from the Strategic Science Investment Fund. ...
The critical area for forensic examination known as Pit Bottom in Stone has been reached in what is a major milestone for the Pike River re-entry project, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little announced. “The infrastructure located in Pit Bottom in Stone is of very significant interest in ...
The Government is working on how New Zealand’s retirement income policies and settings can best support Kiwis in light of the COVID-19 economic recovery, with the help of the Retirement Commissioner’s latest review, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said. “The Retirement Commissioner’s three-yearly review into New Zealand’s retirement ...
A new digital hub and development centre in Murupara will be instrumental in growing the region’s productivity, said Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau at the official opening of two community initiatives today. “I’m pleased to be here celebrating a significant milestone for two projects set to make a ...
PREFU shows economy doing better than forecast Unemployment to peak at 7.8%, down from 9.8% forecast in the Budget Year-to-June accounts show tax revenue, debt and OBEGAL better than forecast Global forecast downgraded as COVID-19 second waves and uncertainty grows Balanced plan to support critical public services, manage debt and ...
The Kāpiti Coast town of Ōtaki will receive $1.4 million in Government funding for two projects providing scores of jobs for locals while improving community facilities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Māoriland Charitable Trust will receive a $900,000 Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) grant to upgrade the ...
The Provincial Growth Fund will provide $11.88 million to fund fencing and waterway projects nationwide that will improve the environment and create jobs in their communities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. “These projects will create more than 100 jobs nationwide with work starting within the next couple ...
As part of the COVID-19 recovery, the Government has strengthened its procurement rules to ensure its annual $42 billion spend creates more jobs, uses more sustainable construction practices and results in better outcomes for Māori and Pasifika, Government Ministers announced today. Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford says the $42 ...
The Government is supporting a major upgrade of Timaru’s iconic Theatre Royal and the construction of a new connected Heritage Facility museum and exhibition space with $11.6 million from the Government’s Infrastructure Fund, Jacinda Ardern announced today. “We heard the call from the community and the council. The Theatre Royal ...
Chrissy Montague (formerly Armstrong), barrister of Auckland has been appointed as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Wellington, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Ms Montague commenced practice in Auckland in 1987 and went into general practice dealing with Wills, Estates, Trusts, Conveyancing, Relationship Property ...
A Proposal to provide for the development and operation of commercial film and video production facilities in areas of Christchurch has been given the go ahead. Hon Poto Williams, Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, has approved the Proposal, which was prepared and submitted by Regenerate Christchurch. Minister Williams ...
As part of the Government’s focus on building closer partnerships with Māori and enhancing the quality of, and access to, Māori medium education, a payment of $8 million will be made to Te Wānanga o Raukawa in partial recognition of its Waitangi Tribunal claim (WAI 2698), Associate Education Minister Kelvin ...
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage has announced a $19 million investment over four years in an important forest restoration project involving a partnership between the Department of Conservation, iwi/hapū, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato Regional Councils, community conservation groups and organisations such as Forest and Bird across the ...
New Zealand will be the first country in the world to require the financial sector to report on climate risks, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. The changes build on the huge progress this Government has made to tackle the climate crisis. “Today is another step on ...
Economic activity across the Auckland region and the country bounced back to levels experienced under Alert Level 1 following Auckland’s move out of Alert Level 3, analysis in the Treasury’s latest Weekly Economic Update shows. The analysis of economic data since Auckland’s move out of Level 3 shows: Auckland card ...
Takiri mai te ata, ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea, tihei mauriora! Tātou katoa ngā iwi o Aotearoa, tēnā koutou! Tēnā tātou e whakanuia ana i te wiki nei, te wiki o te reo Māori Greeting to you all from Otepoti, Dunedin. This week is the Māori Language week and ...
More mental health and addiction services are available for young New Zealanders in Rotorua and Taupō, Wairarapa, South Canterbury, Dunedin and Southland from next month, Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter say. “The Government is serious about making sure New Zealanders struggling with mental health ...
The Manuherekia catchment in Central Otago is the third exemplar catchment to be targeted as part of the Government’s plan to clean up waterways by supporting community-led programmes. Environment Minister David Parker said the Manuherekia catchment is vitally important to the people of Central Otago. “The Manuherekia rises in the ...
The Government has agreed on a preferred design for the new Dunedin Hospital featuring two separate buildings, and has provided funding for the next stages of work. Minister of Health Chris Hipkins says Cabinet has approved in principle the detailed business case for the new hospital, giving people in ...
New Zealanders across the country are set to mark history as part of the Māori Language Week commemorations led by Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori this year. Māori Development Minister, Nanaia Mahuta says the initiative will mark history for all the right reasons including making te reo Māori ...
More than 1000 teachers, support staff and school leaders have graduated from a programme designed to grow their capability to use te reo Māori in their teaching practice, as part of the Government’s plan to integrate te reo Māori into education, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Being trialled ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio, says the Toloa Tertiary Scholarships which aims to encourage more Pacific student numbers participating and pursuing STEM-related studies in 2021, are now open. “These tertiary scholarships are administrated by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP), and are part of MPP’s overall Toloa ...
Four Bay of Plenty timber businesses will receive investments totalling nearly $22 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to boost the local economy and create jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Rotorua-based sawmill Red Stag Wood Solutions will receive a $15 million loan to develop an engineered ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that New Zealand is exploring the viability of working with partners to conduct a search for the black box on the Gulf Livestock 1. “We know how much it would mean to the families of those on the ship to understand more about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has today announced the Government is supporting the creation of new marine infrastructure in northern Te Tairāwhiti on the North Island’s East Coast. The Government has approved in principle an allocation of up to $45 million to support the construction of a marine transport facility at ...
E Epineha. Ka tangi te iwi, ki a koe e ngaro nei i te kitenga kanohi. Kua mokemoke to whānau, to iwi, te motu whanui. Haere ki o matua, tipuna. Haere ki te okiokinga tuturu mo te tangata. Haere i runga i te aroha o ngā reanga kei muri i ...
Catch limits will be increased for 26 fisheries and reduced for three fisheries as part of a regular round of reviews designed to ensure ongoing sustainability of fisheries resources. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has announced decisions following a review of catch limits and management controls for 29 fish stocks. The ...
The Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson says while it is disappointing the Rugby Championship will not be held in New Zealand, the country will host two Bledisloe Cup games in October and has the capacity in managed isolation facilities to host other international sporting events. “We offered flexible quarantine ...
Up to 350 more people in regional New Zealand will gain a pathway to trades training through a $14 million government investment in apprenticeships, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The apprenticeships are part of the $40 million Regional Apprenticeship Initiative (RAI) announced in June. The funding comes ...
A mystery Covid-19 case still under investigation has not stopped Auckland's move to Level 2, and the rest of New Zealand to Level 1, Jacinda Ardern has announced The Government has confirmed Auckland’s move down to Alert Level 2, and the rest of the country to Alert Level 1, despite ...
The deadline to register for a postal vote for the upcoming election and referendums has been extended by five days to give people more time to apply. Postal voting is available for people who cannot go to a voting place to vote in person, for example ...
Nau mai ki ngā Pepakati – te pakihere rokiroki o ngā pukapuka! Welcome to Papercuts – the podcast all about books! Sit back, relax and let Jenna, Kiran and Louisa tempt you with some awesome reads to add to your pile.The Papercuts gals are back to help you navigate the huge ...
Communities right across the region will benefit from further cycling initiatives with the announcement of this year’s Community Bike Fund recipients. Now in its fourth year, the fund is made available from Auckland Transport (AT) to support communities ...
The case of a person who tested positive almost a week after leaving managed isolation has highlighted the need to keep tracking those who have been through MIQ, writes Siouxsie Wiles. Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health reported a case of Covid-19 in Auckland that is not related to ...
The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards are today – screening live from midday on Vibe and SkyGo – but who are you putting your bets on? We took a look at the Neon and Sky catalogues to gain a little insight on how a show can maximise its chances.If you’re an entertainment ...
Monday 21st September, 2020, AUCKLAND: Drive Electric, the not-for-profit with one mission – making electric vehicle ownership in New Zealand mainstream, has today responded to the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport , 2020/2021 ...
ACT's primary industries policy proposal says the party would repeal government's landmark climate change law, the Zero Carbon Act, along with the Emissions Trading Scheme. ...
The USA’s reputation among allies and partner countries has declined seriously, according to a poll by the US Pew Research Centre. Gauging attitudes in 13 countries, Pew reports the share of the public with a favourable view of the United States is as low as at any time it has ...
We already know how to solve our elective surgery crisis, says New Zealand Orthopaedic Association president Peter Robertson. We just need to take action.New Zealand is facing an elective surgery crisis – this isn’t news. The situation has been worsening for years and over successive governments. Now and again some ...
Commercial and recreational fishers are welcoming some aspects of the Green Party marine policy, but say care must be taken and more data is needed on fishery stocks. ...
National says it would double the size of the tech sector in 10 years, if elected, with a $1.29 billion plan that aims to create at least 100,000 new jobs and develop the "world's most tech friendly regulation". ...
Auckland, 18 September 2020 – Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt by New Zealanders. Concerns surrounding the economy and unemployment increased to unprecedented heights in May 2020. In September concerns for the economy retains ...
Alzheimers NZ wants more focus on designing buildings, particularly commercial and government buildings, to reflect the needs of people affected by dementia. Chief executive Catherine Hall says buildings cater for physically disabled people – ...
By Moffat Mamu in Honiara Two foreign nationals have lost their lives in the Solomon Islands during a bomb blast last night at their home in Tasahe, West Honiara. Police said the two, an Australian and a British citizen, were working for a Norwegian aid agency conducting a survey on ...
This week sees the first televised leaders debate between Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins. What are the techniques and tricks Jacinda and Judith will need to win the nation’s love? José Barbosa has watched a podium-load of old debates and thinks he has the answers.By golly gum I love TV ...
As Judith Collins defends a $4b hole in National's fiscal plan, she's pointing the finger at errors in Treasury PREFU documents, saying they show how easy it is for someone to make a mistake. ...
The Executive Director of the New Zealand Maori Council, Matthew Tukaki, has welcomed the opening of the first round of hearings at the Royal Commission into Abuse of Care in Auckland. Tukaki, who is a member of the Commissions Taumata, has said this ...
Reports of DOC and Minister Eugenie Sage turning their killing programme from tahr to deer suggests the extermination edict is paramount in government polices says a hunting and environmental advocacy. Laurie Collins spokesman for the Sporting Hunters ...
A fully funded independent Māori Health Funding Authority, all Māori having their own Whānau Health Card and Māori being screened for Cancer 10 years earlier than non-Māori are all part of the Māori Party Health Policy. Māori Party Co-Leader ...
"We urge the Minister to halt the consent for the transfer of interest and change of operatorship of the Maari oil field from OMV to Jadestone Energy. Decisions on such proposals should not be made, at least until the Crown Minerals Act and other ...
The lockdowns have required significant sacrifice, but Covid-19 has served us with a timely reminder of how interconnected we all are, writes Chris Farrelly of the Auckland City Mission.Amid this global pandemic, we witness the power and importance of community. Put simply, we have seen that our own efforts are ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Bradbury, Associate Professor, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW This week, support to unemployed Australians will be dramatically reduced. In April, the new Coronavirus Supplement roughly doubled the level of benefits for unemployed people on the JobSeeker payment and a range of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Wake, Program Manager, Journalism, RMIT University From today, ABC local radio listeners will no longer hear the majestic fanfare theme on local radio at 7:45am, signalling the 15-minute morning news. Although it might seem a smart managerial decision to reduce reporting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Cowie, Adjunct Professor, University of New England Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor is on Tuesday expected tooutline the Morrison government’s first Low Emissions Technology Statement, plotting Australia’s way forward on climate action. It’s likely to include “negative emissions” technologies, which ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alberto Posso, Professor of Economics, RMIT University Closing schools has been one response around the world to try to stop the spread of COVID-19. In Australia, states mandated an end to face-to-face learning for some time during the so-called first wave of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tebeje Molla, Research Fellow, Deakin University For disadvantaged people with disrupted educational trajectories, such as refugees, vocational qualifications can widen access to paid jobs and enhance economic independence. But many still consider vocational education and training (VET) qualifications not as prestigious as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Vredenburg, Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Marketing, Auckland University of Technology So-called brand activism is evolving fast. When Colin Kaepernick first knelt during the US national anthem in 2016, professional football turned its back on him. Now, consumer and sports fan ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Makin, Professor of Economics, Griffith University The financial response of Western governments to the COVID-19 crisis has been gargantuan, with boosts to health expenditure, enhanced JobSeeker-like payments, and JobKeeper-like wage subsidies to keep workers attached to jobs. While a strong response ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Richardson, Adjunct Professor of Journalism, La Trobe University Of all the words written about Rupert Murdoch, “boring” is not one of them. The media mogul has been the object of fascination for six decades, after he followed his father Sir Keith ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for September 21, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Fonterra gets back into the black, National’s economic plan derailed by accounting blunder, and Air NZ boss questions continuing with elimination strategy.To lead off today, one of the most important single numbers for the rural economy. Fonterra has announced a payout ...
Fresh-faced and 14, our new national surfing champion initially struggled under the weight of the title. But with a new mindset, Ava Henderson is looking forward to claiming more crowns, she tells Anna Willcox. In the months after being crowned the New Zealand women’s surf champion, Ava Henderson didn’t like it. ...
National tried to go high-tech in its virtual campaign launch - but it was a far less sophisticated mathematical error which overshadowed Judith Collins, Sam Sachdeva writes As far as political humiliations at Avalon Studios go, Paul Goldsmith didn't quite match the time Rodney Hide dropped his Dancing with the Stars ...
Protecting 30 percent of our oceans by 2030 was one of a raft of marine plans announced by the Green Party Bans of bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf and a dramatic increase in the amount of protected marine areas are part of the Green Party's vision for oceans. Green ...
In this second of a series on the party leaders on the campaign trail, Tim Murphy joins the Greens' Marama Davison on a Sunday street corner in Glen Innes Marama Davidson and her offsider doubled the numbers when they arrived at the third of her four street corner campaign stops in ...
Covid-19 has put sign language in the public eye this year, but the fight to have it recognised as a 'real 'l language continues This week is New Zealand Sign Language Week, to coincide with the International Week of the Deaf and the United Nations International Day of Sign Languages ...
It was trash talk of a constructive nature during a political debate about the country's waste problem, including a hike in landfill levies hoped to fund better waste infrastructure Politicians put forward their policies for dealing with New Zealand’s growing waste problem in an online debate. Per capita we have ...
All week this week we focus on an extraordinary book of essays by Iranian-born Auckland film-maker Ghazaleh Golbakhsh. Today: her tale of a wandering Persian exile The Shah of Grey Lynn walks in front of me, his body long and lean, his head hung low. A shah is similar ...
Some of the safest parliamentary seats in the country are about to be taken over by newbies. They're sure things, anointed by their parties, waiting for the public's stamp of approval. In the latest in an occasional series, Marc Daalder speaks to public health expert Ayesha Verrall who, fresh off a ...
It was trash talk of a constructive nature during a political debate about the country's waste problem, including a hike in landfill levies hoped to fund better waste infrastructure Politicians put forward their policies for dealing with New Zealand’s growing waste problem in an online debate. Per capita we have ...
Misinformation about the effectiveness of the test is swirling, but in fact the PCR is both reliable and critical in taking on the virus, explains Siouxsie Wiles.I’ve been asked by several people in recent days whether there is any truth to a video about the Covid-19 PCR test that is ...
Let’s put tax at the core of this election. Sharing wealth is how we share care and responsibility for this land and all of the people in it, writes Laura O’Connell Rapira.It’s election season in the middle of a pandemic and global economic crisis. These are strange times we find ...
A look at the three elements that make up the TV election debate - the broadcaster, the moderator, and the politician. They come around every three years. Everything from the studio sets and the position of the podiums, to the colour of the ties, is carefully thought out; and then ...
By Keith Jackson The trend is your friend, it is said, and the trend in counting votes for the next president of Bougainville remains firmly with former Bougaiville Revolutionary Army commander Ishmael Toroama, who continues to move ahead of the field. With the elimination of the 14th presidential candidate late ...
A Government plan to charge people for emergency housing like motels was derailed by Covid-19, but will now come into effect two days after the election. ...
Thank you for your kind welcome. I am so proud to lead this great National Party in our first-ever virtual campaign launch. It is a bittersweet day. We should all be here together. But we all know why we aren’t. The rhetoric never matches the ...
Judith Collins’ hopes of kicking the National 2020 campaign into gear were stalled by an embarrassing accounting error, writes Justin Giovannetti from the Hutt Valley.Today was the day the National Party’s election campaign was finally going to start rolling with momentum after a belated campaign launch. Instead, festivities were overshadowed ...
It’s been revealed that an upcoming novel by the Harry Potter author features a crossdressing serial killer. In the last several years Joanne “JK” Rowling has doubled, tripled, and as of last week, quadrupled down on her bigotry towards transgender people, both in her public statements and in her popular fiction. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kcasey McLoughlin, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Newcastle Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death has generated an outpouring of grief around the globe. Part of this grief reflects her unparalleled status as a feminist icon and pioneer for women in the legal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jared Mondschein, Senior Fellow & Senior Advisor, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney As the two sides in US politics begin jockeying for position following the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the similarities to the 2016 presidential election are ...
The National Party has acknowledged it made a $4 billion error in its fiscal plan promising tax cuts to kick start the economy, after the anomaly was highlighted by Labour. ...
RNZ article today featured 'Truck crashes leave Auckland Harbour Bridge hobbled' clearly shows the massive cost of damages many of our highways drains, bridges and road surfaces by overuse of freight trucks all over NZ as the National Party recklessly ...
Kiwi politicians will face their toughest audience yet when they enter ‘a virtual hotseat’ hosted by a panel of the nation’s young people. Presented by Save the Children New Zealand and GirlGuiding New Zealand, the ‘Virtual Hotseat’ will ...
Today the Green Party announced their “Thriving Oceans Plan” to highlight their Ocean policies to build a thriving ocean. Every single life on our planet is dependent on the ocean. It’s one of the world’s greatest resources. It produces food and ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says that if Labour had done what it had promised and introduce an independent election policy costing office, the current confusion over National’s numbers would never have happened. Union Spokesman, Jordan Williams, says: “The ...
Child abuse advocacy group, Child Matters, is frustrated that calls to make Police vetting and child protection training mandatory for everyone who works with children have gone unheard Child Matters Chief Executive, Jane Searle, says while changes ...
Greenpeace is applauding the Greens marine policy, released today, saying it sets a strong vision for healthy and thriving oceans. Jessica Desmond, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace Aotearoa, says she’s pleased to see the Greens take a big picture ...
Ko au te moana, ko te moana ko au. I am the sea. The sea is me. Kia ora koutou katoa. Our moana is a taonga. Take care of our oceans and the oceans will take care of us. They are the lifeblood of our planet. A home to thousands ...
Greens to protect Aotearoa’s oceans with marine sanctuaries, bottom trawling and set-netting restrictions, and action against plastic The Green Party has released its Thriving Oceans Plan, which would dramatically increase marine protected areas ...
The Green Party will end bottom impact trawling, dredging, and Danish seining in the Hauraki Gulf, as part of its Thriving Oceans Plan. Green Party Co-leader and Tamaki Makaurau candidate Marama Davidson said today: “So many New Zealanders love ...
A basic error has left a $4 billion gap in National’s economic plan, Labour Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson says. “If National can’t even do the basics required on their own policy costings, they cannot be trusted to run the country. Making mistakes ...
For her Loading Docs short Going Home, film-maker Ashley Williams paid tribute to her late uncle Clive by learning to fly.Some people say I was brave to fly. I tell them my Uncle Clive was the one who had courage.He was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer at the age of ...
As if the UK doesn’t have enough trouble negotiating Brexit with the European Union, it has now entered the US presidential election campaign. Democrat candidate Joe Biden says there will be “no US-UK free trade agreement” if London tampers with the exit arrangements over Northern Ireland. House speaker Democrat Nancy ...
Open mike 25/06/2020 
Many New Zealanders take a strong interest in US politics, with the death of Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg being the latest example. Liam Hehir wonders if it very wise for New Zealanders to get so worked about it. Many politically engaged New Zealanders are now furiously ...7 mins ago
After stamping the Coronavirus out via strict lockdown between March and May, New Zealand went through a good three months without any community cases. Then a local outbreak in Auckland rather buggered things up last month. Auckland’s been in level 3 and level 2.5 for the past six weeks. ...18 mins ago
Who's causing our skyrocketing emissions? As with most of our other problems, It's the rich: The wealthiest 1% of the world’s population were responsible for the emission of more than twice as much carbon dioxide as the poorer half of the world from 1990 to 2015, according to new ...29 mins ago
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... The tipping points at the heart of the climate crisis Many parts of the Earth’s climate system have been destabilised by ...6 hours ago
In the absence of national public opinion polls, we have had to make do in recent weeks with other guides to voter intentions. Those guides, such as the Auckland Central poll, the incidence of google enquiries and the responses to Vote Compass questions, have suggested, not unexpectedly, that Labour is ...6 hours ago
Crusher Collins - National Party leaderWe all know that the National Party is desperate to gain some traction during this election campaign and have been throwing pretty much everything at the Labour Party in order to try and undermine Jacinda Ardern and what the Coalition Government has achieved. But unfortunately ...8 hours ago
Much of the commentariat’s reporting of the most recent GDP figure was misleading and unhelpful. The prize for the stupidest remark about the GDP figure for second quarter 2020 (2020Q2) released on Thursday (17 Sept) goes to Judith Collins, whose response to Grant Robertson’s comments indicated she did not ...20 hours ago
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh goloing@gmail.com (19/09/2020) Che Guevara said that a true revolutionary is motivated by love i.e. love of the oppressed, the poor, the children dying from preventable illnesses. This phrase of his is true but has been used by reformists and their more hippy wing have taken advantage ...1 day ago
With the National Party this week announcing a new policy of tax cuts to spice up the election campagin. MyThinks went along to the launch and afterwards we spoke to the party’s finance spokesperson Paul “Golden Touch” Goldsmith. MT: Thanks for speaking to us Mr Goldsmith. PG: No. Thank you. ...2 days ago
Always to islanders danger Is what comes over the seas ‘Landfall in Unknown Seas’ (Allen Curnow)Six economic issues external to New Zealand, which will greatly impact upon us. 1. The Diminishing Global Dominance of the US. Since 1941 America has dominated the world economically and politically. Probably it could ...3 days ago
Jacqui Maguire, registered clinical psychologist This podcast episode highlights how difficult it is to have effective conversations about euthanasia due to how polarised people’s views are. I’m a clinical psychologist, with a passion for science communication. In early 2020 I founded the podcast Mind Brew, with an aim to make psychological ...3 days ago
Dangerous Times: This will be the choice confronting those coming of age in the 2020s. Embrace Neoliberalism’s belief in racial and sexual equality; adopt its secular and scientific world view; and cultivate the technocratic, multicultural, global outlook required of those who keep the machinery of hyper-capitalism humming. Or, throw your ...3 days ago
Tax Justice UK, September 2020 Serious tax reform is on the political agenda for the first time in decades due to the coronavirus crisis. As this debate hots up it is important to understand what people think about public spending, wealth and tax. Tax Justice UK, along with Survation and ...3 days ago
Although I had the fortune of being a graduate student of some of the foremost US nuclear strategists of the day (1970s) and later rubbed shoulders with Air Force and Naval officers who were entrusted with parts of the US nuclear arsenal, I seldom get to write or speak about ...4 days ago
At the 2017 election, the New Zealand Labour Party promised a Fees Free Policy for tertiary students. Basically, it would make the first year of university education free in 2018, with a second year in 2021, and a third in 2024. It also promised to restore Post-Graduate access to the ...5 days ago
On “In Defense of Looting” Matt Taibibi takes an entertaining look at this generation of woke activists and how they compare with Abbie Hoffman the iconic anti-Vietnam war counter-culture figure of the 1960s On Thursday, August 27th, the same day Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination, National Public Radio ...6 days ago
In a couple of months, the 53rd Parliament will meet in Wellington, and approximately 120 MPs will be sworn in, many of them for the first time.They will all have political goals, some aligning with their party platforms, some not, some complex, and some simple, but they will gain one ...6 days ago
So the Greens co-leader James Shaw recently made a mistake. In his role as Associate Finance Minister approving funding for “shovel-ready” projects, he fought hard for a private “Green school” to get funding to expand their buildings and, therefore, their student capacity. There are many problems with what he did: ...1 week ago-1f82146fa0d95608c5d921931b8dd46e7f0c9b1b/537110292.jpg?format=1500w)
Windows 95 is famous for requiring the shutting down the system by clicking ‘start, like stopping your car by turning the ignition key on. Why are so many interfaces so user-unfriendly? The Covid app to register your entering premises can be so clumsy. Sometimes I have signed in, sat down ...1 week ago
If there was any doubt left, we can surely call it now. Time and date. End of. Finito. Perhaps you thought you saw a flickering eyelid or a finger move? You were wrong. Labour has given up on tax reform for the foreseeable future. One of the key remaining left/right ...2 weeks ago
When we last left our intrepid Drow Rogue, he was sitting in a tavern with his companions, only for a crazy Paladin to burst in, and start screaming about the Naga. It soon turned out that ... 2 weeks ago
The Green Party has released its Thriving Oceans Plan, which would dramatically increase marine protected areas and ban bottom trawling on seamounts. ...1 day ago
It was another busy week out on the campaign trail, with Labour focused on jobs, training, and supporting Kiwi workers. As we continue to roll out our five-point plan for recovery, we’re investing in our people, businesses, communities and vital services, so we can keep our economy moving as we ...2 days ago
The Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in COVID-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX Facility, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “The COVAX Facility is a key part of our COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy to obtain safe and effective vaccines. It allows us to invest in a high-quality, ...2 hours ago
A mystery Covid-19 case still under investigation has not stopped Auckland's move to Level 2, and the rest of New Zealand to Level 1, Jacinda Ardern has announced The Government has confirmed Auckland’s move down to Alert Level 2, and the rest of the country to Alert Level 1, despite ...14 mins ago
The deadline to register for a postal vote for the upcoming election and referendums has been extended by five days to give people more time to apply. Postal voting is available for people who cannot go to a voting place to vote in person, for example ...20 mins ago
The case of a person who tested positive almost a week after leaving managed isolation has highlighted the need to keep tracking those who have been through MIQ, writes Siouxsie Wiles. Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health reported a case of Covid-19 in Auckland that is not related to ...2 hours ago
ACT's primary industries policy proposal says the party would repeal government's landmark climate change law, the Zero Carbon Act, along with the Emissions Trading Scheme. ...3 hours ago
The USA’s reputation among allies and partner countries has declined seriously, according to a poll by the US Pew Research Centre. Gauging attitudes in 13 countries, Pew reports the share of the public with a favourable view of the United States is as low as at any time it has ...3 hours ago
By Moffat Mamu in Honiara Two foreign nationals have lost their lives in the Solomon Islands during a bomb blast last night at their home in Tasahe, West Honiara. Police said the two, an Australian and a British citizen, were working for a Norwegian aid agency conducting a survey on ...4 hours ago
Fonterra aims to remain nimble in uncertain times, plus Tourism Holdings' profit after Government support ...8 hours ago
Fresh-faced and 14, our new national surfing champion initially struggled under the weight of the title. But with a new mindset, Ava Henderson is looking forward to claiming more crowns, she tells Anna Willcox. In the months after being crowned the New Zealand women’s surf champion, Ava Henderson didn’t like it. ...9 hours ago
National tried to go high-tech in its virtual campaign launch - but it was a far less sophisticated mathematical error which overshadowed Judith Collins, Sam Sachdeva writes As far as political humiliations at Avalon Studios go, Paul Goldsmith didn't quite match the time Rodney Hide dropped his Dancing with the Stars ...9 hours ago
Protecting 30 percent of our oceans by 2030 was one of a raft of marine plans announced by the Green Party Bans of bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf and a dramatic increase in the amount of protected marine areas are part of the Green Party's vision for oceans. Green ...9 hours ago
In this second of a series on the party leaders on the campaign trail, Tim Murphy joins the Greens' Marama Davison on a Sunday street corner in Glen Innes Marama Davidson and her offsider doubled the numbers when they arrived at the third of her four street corner campaign stops in ...9 hours ago
Covid-19 has put sign language in the public eye this year, but the fight to have it recognised as a 'real 'l language continues This week is New Zealand Sign Language Week, to coincide with the International Week of the Deaf and the United Nations International Day of Sign Languages ...9 hours ago
Spending cuts aren't the only way politicians could worsen New Zealand's recession. ...9 hours ago
It was trash talk of a constructive nature during a political debate about the country's waste problem, including a hike in landfill levies hoped to fund better waste infrastructure Politicians put forward their policies for dealing with New Zealand’s growing waste problem in an online debate. Per capita we have ...9 hours ago
All week this week we focus on an extraordinary book of essays by Iranian-born Auckland film-maker Ghazaleh Golbakhsh. Today: her tale of a wandering Persian exile The Shah of Grey Lynn walks in front of me, his body long and lean, his head hung low. A shah is similar ...9 hours ago
Some of the safest parliamentary seats in the country are about to be taken over by newbies. They're sure things, anointed by their parties, waiting for the public's stamp of approval. In the latest in an occasional series, Marc Daalder speaks to public health expert Ayesha Verrall who, fresh off a ...9 hours ago
A look at the three elements that make up the TV election debate - the broadcaster, the moderator, and the politician. They come around every three years. Everything from the studio sets and the position of the podiums, to the colour of the ties, is carefully thought out; and then ...10 hours ago
A Government plan to charge people for emergency housing like motels was derailed by Covid-19, but will now come into effect two days after the election. ...15 hours ago
reading the comments on the daily review about the guy who 'only left his room to take the elevator to go to the smoking box' but he did as he told?
Question: how can one keep 2 meters distance in an elevator and in a smokers box?
And how can leaving your room be considered 'doing as i was told' or are we to believe that they were told that mingling in elevators and tiny rooms is akin to 'keeping two meters distance at all times'? (and as an ex smoker myself i spend my fair share in 'smokes cubicles' there is no way he could have maintained safe distance)
Maybe you know, its not the government so much as really it is entitled kiwis coming back not giving a shit?
Seriously, i am happy to complain about the government (irrespective of the party who runs it), but this to me is more an issue of people blatantly ingnoring the rules, behaving irresponsibly, and heck i am at this point where really can the government hand the handling and managing of returning kiwis and quarantine requirement over to the Military? They have the resources to build temporary housing (tent stylez i don't care), have cooks and mobile kitchens, have doctors and nurses at hand and so on and so forth and surely no one would manage to leave the premises, not even for a smoke. Granted it ain't the Ibis but it seems that so far they don't seem to be happy with that either?
Time for some tough love?
I'm just amazed at this, during lockdown while shopping people were avoiding each other as best we could, there was no police or army telling us what to do, yet these new arrivals need their hands held. Maybe education needs to be ramped up?
yes, that is my issue i have.
Surely they were given advise on how to behave, they were told to 'self manage' as responsible adults / parents should/ would and they gave no shits, and now are complaining that the government did not lock them into their rooms with a guard on the outside.
Fuck, build the quarantine tents, put them up, and let the Military take care of them. Then they will have something to complain about.
But they actually endangered others to get a smoke, a drink or some outside action. Fuck em.
The way I see it, there are basically three categories of people of unequal size:
toldasked what to do, who often feel patronised, e.g. by a young(er)womanperson, and who will often do the opposite of the request even if it is to their own detriment and/or that of others.I recall being taught in primary school that "four into three doesn't go". 😉 However your fourth category does seem remarkably like National supporters!
I like the notion that the public can be subdivided into behavioural categories for the purpose of policy implementation. It would make govt operations more sophisticated than the `one plan fits all approach' – if it works in practice.
Your forgetting absentminded fools who want to do the right thing but are capable of getting to fridge and have know idea why! So need nice big signs and lots of reminders on what behaviors are needed.
Too true bwaghorn about reverting to default. Ever meant to go somewhere and pick up/drop off something away from the usual route, and go right by the turnoff? What a turn-off. So allowing for reminders to be up and about all the time will be necessary. There is an aspect to my mind which will 'remember' things in a faulty fashion, that suits my preference – the appointment was at 9am not 9.30 etc.
No. 3 of ianmac needs to include good information and explanation provided then —people use their sound judgment (that is necessary as explained), and do the appropriate thing.
I like to know why myself, not just to be herded, in the normal way. Thinking about returning kiwis, they probably left with the belief that NZ was backward and they being bright, were leaving for better opportunities. They might want to kick up now they are back, and not at first realise that we have lots of good practices for which they need to be thankful. And then conform to requirements of the country and community where they have returned to seek sanctuary.
Theyactually need to humble themselves and be grateful and willing to fit into the community, these smart alises/aleks (the letter changed to avoid personal identification). And realise that the cutthroat economic system that they have been operating under overse they will experience here. Most of us will have lost part of our heritage of a decent life in a pleasant country with opportunities for social mobility for all, through the workings of the neolib/freemarket economy that has churned out wealth from its machine-minds at great cost to many.
That’s why I highly recommend a separate beer & wine fridge with a big sign: Take Three Times Daily. I usually lose count at three.
I forgot to ask: now that hydroxychloroquine isn't the miracle cure anymore, can I ease back my G&Ts from 300 a day?
It was never touted as a cure but as a preventative. I would stick to your daily dose of 300 G & Ts because you’re almost guaranteed to not catch the virus through encounters with others.
Good thinking.
Cheers
Incognito, Mine is a wine. Usually two, but if the poll is good for Labour and the Greens I may indulge
There are also the people who will mingle with other smokers for two weeks, knowing thatisolation cohorts are mixing in the smokers room even though the lifts are controlled, but not raise it with anyone that there's a hole in the system.
Stupidity needs to be accounted for – double-fence accessible exercise areas, with the separation distance between the fences.
Have a small smoking area for each cohort. Make it a room on each floor if you have to – covid is a far bigger hazard than passive smoking at this stage. No lifts, no excuse to leave the floor without a scheduled appointment or exercise session.
Smoking is known to affect brain function and is thought to play a role in cerebral atherosclerosis. There are also studies that have shown an inverse correlation between smoking and IQ although it is unclear whether this points to a causative relationship and, if so, in what direction.
lol if only "notice, and bitch about, obvious hazard, but never report it to anyone in a position to deal with that hazard" was restricted to smokers.
Had that in a security job – folks had to provide their own footwear (we were arguing this with bosses), chap stepped on a board and a nail went through his shoe (just missed his toes). Bitched about it a few days later, I asked "did you file a hazard?" Nope. Guy almost had a nail through his foot, but never told anyone in management or OSH or HR even though he bitched about it in the tearoom.
They got a bit better after a few months – someone slipped on ice, filed a report, everyone had company-bought yaktraks the next day.
Absolutely.
Let's not lose perspective though. Thousands have gone through this process without crying to the National Party, the Media, or anyone else that would listen. So we are left with a relatively small number of complete plonkers who fall into the first and fourth category in Incognito's concise summary at 1.1.1.1
(which is 1st class in every sense)
Some in the media are using the term 'hostility' when writing about kiwi's attitude to returning nationals. No, it's not that. It's "Kia ora and welcome home. Please do as you are told and follow instructions to the letter. Don't sweat the small stuff. Do your time and enjoy it. See you on the other side"
James challenges Winston's credibility (rather well): https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300041542/james-shaw-says-nz-first-are-breaching-their-coalition-agreement-by-axing-light-rail-plan
Weasel words, Winston! Claiming that a contract commitment says something different to what it actually says may be standard practice for a lawyer, but is unlikely to impress the average kiwi.
diclaimer: i have never voted NZFirst and don't plan on it.
but from March this year:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12336167
Last year Peters also raised concerns about cost blowouts for the project, which has been estimated to cost $6 billion.
i mean, heck , a billion here a billion there and sure you are talking about shitloads of petty cash that the taxpayer has to come up with.
to boot a slow effn train to the airport? there are already trains going to Mangere so essentially we only needed to build an extention to the Airport from Mangere. Or is that too easy and not sexy enough.
Maybe the issue is not so much Winston Peters and the points that he raised for a while now, but rather that the government over promised on something not too many are keen other then the people who most likely will never use the 'slow train' aka the polititians.
Also in this current climate where tourists might not be coming anytime soon, and we have different more pressing needs for the money taxpayers can actually raise this is a pure vanity project that serves no one.
As for the greens, sorry dudes – lets hold a referendum about this – let the people of NZ vote if they want to provide the funds to build a Tram to the Airport at a cost of somewhere 6 – 10 billion plus. Without any added Gummibears.
added, if a heavy train station / stop at the airport were to be build that could then also service trains coming from Hamilton etc, or are we next gonna build a Tram to the airport from Hamilton? Or is that future thinking and that is also not something we want to discuss right now?
I prefer the rail extension to the airport and light rail for Dominion Road where it is needed.
That would make sense.
The ariport needs heavy rail to actually allow others to travel there by train rather then car.
So maybe Winston has a point, and that is what upsets the others suits so.
The issue is: No plan only vested interests. Clear to see if anyone wants to look.
I actually will vote for Winston this election if he stands as he is at the moment – very surprisingly – the only sane voice I hear.
Otherwise, a lot of molly cotton political correct BS, or stirring the proverbial is all that is on offer right now.
No plan, no idea how to get a frame work in place that gets businesses attracted and bound to rules, environmental issues considered, future proof (science, facts) for production, farming implemented and for once haunt this in the same way as remiss beneficiaries. Instead we have major issues such as Auckland running out of water – I am curious, is someone pumping the aquifer for exporting water? This would lower the table and in the end may rise salinity. Now there is a thought.
As for rail, get all the trucks off the road and onto rail, you will be surprised at the cost factor and environmental positive impact. This is a proven concept, but hay – did I mention vested interests?
Toby Manhire's editorial view of David Clark: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/25-06-2020/david-clark-is-not-responsible/
Jeez, who knew?? We've had years of National/Labour ministers claiming the opposite. Okay, they'd all dismiss Mallard as just being Mallard, but what if he's right??
I suspect that, when he was supposed to attend the training session in which he was to be taught how to be vicarious, he was off mountain-biking.
So why has only one PM resigned (Lange) because they have lost confidence in their Ministers ability to do the right thing.
After all resigning because of vicarious responsibility is really because of loss of trust in those in the ministry to provide operational delivery.
In this instance Clark had confidence in Bloomfield to sort it (albeit it involving transfer of facility oversight to the Housing Minister – as in procurement of accommodation)
Perhaps Lange was honourable & the others not? But what the govt web-page neglects is an explanation how those responsibilities are enacted. Elsewhere? Or left to the discretion of the ministers themselves? I suspect the latter.
So it's just another left/right sham, probably. Traditional establishment collusion to hoodwink the public. Pretend to do the right thing, then evade the necessity…
I looked at Clark being interviewed and I think he didn't look to be in a good place. Yes he should have taken responsibility but his credit is very low at the moment and he probably fears calls for his head.
I was the first to denonce his actions when he breached lockdown. But I posted earlier that he has got a lot of gains for health. Cancer agency and new radiology machines, hospital site for Dunedin and project office (after god knows how many years of nothing). increasing budget for Pharmac. And billions of dollars for mental health. Also if he should be taking responsibility for the operational failing, then he must be due some credit for the success of our Covid response………it must work both ways. After I posted the above gains on an earlier postt Ad provided me with some links about health outcomes. Maybe its me but it didn't quite seem relevant. I then looked on the Dept of stats website and I couldnt't see health outcome material that would relate to the vast number of improvements this govt has made. The reality is improving health outcomes has a very, very long tail and things like mental health may not show much improvement at all in the context of Covid and mass unemployment.
I am sick of the beat up on Clark. He paid his penalty for the lockdown breach. I agree he should have taken responsibility for the stuff up at the border. But he looks to be a man under extraordinary pressure. And if he should take responsibility for the stuff up then he also deserves credit and high praise for how the Covid response has gone.
I think this govt is carrying a massive burden at the moment and the hysterical attempt by the National Party to wins votes only adds to the pressure. I hope NZders see through them
Yes. It is a part of the overall strategy of attack, attack, attack and no matter the consequences or even whether the claims are true. We're seeing it on a daily basis now and its hard to see them being able to keep it up for the next 90 days.
I watched live the segment of the inquiry where Clark responded to a question from Woodhouse, and I was not left with the impression he was… passing the buck to Bloomfield.
It could have been better expressed, but all he did was briefly reiterate what happened and pointed out Bloomfield had apologised. Which is true.
Newshub and O'Brien are doing their usual… playing gotcha politics.
You can't be responsible for things you can't control, otherwise any bloodyminded pisswit underling could force a resignation by acting like a perverse fukcknuckle.
You put it remarkably succinctly. 😉
100% Gabby "you can't be responsible for something you have no control"
If only Clark would show a bit of gumption and say that, but less diplomatically.
+1 esp. "And if he should take responsibility for the stuff up then he also deserves credit and high praise for how the Covid response has gone"
I have never seen a politician appear on my twitter feed more than what I saw David Clark last night. The right were ripping into him, but the left were almost as equally outraged with his approach.
Regardless of the rights or wrongs about what he was saying regarding responsibility, the guy is fucking clueless with how his words were going to play out politically.
Clark has only been in the headlines during the covid crisis for the wrong reasons. Ashley has been the face that all kiwis tuned into on a daily basis because we all trusted him and his professional, non political, way of dealing with things. Clark humiliating Ashley was a disgrace
Clark is a political liability and Jacinda needs to remove him.
Meh.
He was set up to answer those questions with Bloomfield alongside him.
Total set up.
Then the media use Twitter response to this set up to have another go.
It’s a lynch mob demonstrating their power to manipulate the public.
It's revenge for being unpopular when Ardern and Bloomfield were the go to people. Now they are leveraging support for Bloomfield to get people angry at Clark – a National target. To take the PM down a peg or two, and glorify themsleves as the new heroes of the peoples safety. Just as National is doing. Talk about a corrupt alliance of glee club with dirty tricks reboot.
It's going to be hard to mistake MSM pretentiousness for responsibility after this. Maybe the future of the media estate should be with new start ups.
PS The whole scandal/operational failure issue is that officials did not apply it to those arriving before June 9. So the whole story is about how the media and government became aware of this – and so it was ultimately applied from June 16th, rather than the June 23rd track officials were on.
The old vast right wing conspiracy – riiiight got ya.
Vast? No, just the right ppl in the right places.
Well explained. Thanks SPC.
The "scandal" is the despicable attempt by the Opposition to use the pandemic as a political football without a jot of consideration for the people caught in the middle. I refer to the health workers and all the other sectors in society doing their best to keep Covid 19 out of the community, as well as the vast bulk of citizens doing their best to follow the rules and keep themselves safe.
Those in the media who are aiding and abetting the Nats are equally as obnoxious.
Personally, I would like to see Jacinda Ardern and co. deliver blistering attacks on their modus operandi and expose them for the self seeking irresponsible assholes they are proving to be.
The bloke is completely clueless and it makes the govt look weak he still has portfolios.
You just have to look at his interviews.
It is like Twyford on steroids.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/06/health-minister-david-clark-definition-of-non-essential-worker-humiliated-ashley-bloomfield-todd-muller.html
Watch Chris Trotters comments from around 4:30. It's brutal.
I saw it this morning: Trotter & Sherson in accord all the way through. So refreshing when politicos cut the crap & tell it like it is. Viewers will be seriously impressed I bet (partisans will go straight into denial).
Will the PM tolerate her dead albatross health minister much longer? Not if she knows what's good for her. The stink has probably reached critical threshold. He's now making the Minister of Non-Delivery (Twyford) look good by comparison.
The PM, and a handful of very competent senior Ministers (Robertson, Woods) is carrying the others (Clark, Twyford, Lees-Galloway). Something has to give.
Interesting to hear the odious Gyles Beckford on RNZ this morning…
About what exactly – for being alive? Give us a hint please.
The Herald's early story is about 1000 people leaving managed isolation after their 14 days without being tested. This between June 9 and June 16.
And they add from yestersays Radio with Mike the agreement of Gorman with the Husk's own agreement with Muller their might be community transmission.
Be afraid is the mantra, feel threatened because the officials on the ground essentially at first interpreted the change from June 9, to only to apply to those who arrived after June 9.
However around 1000 people also left isolation between June 1 and June9 – when no testing was required and in those days Muller was saying go to Level 1 now there is no community spread.
On 8 June, the Prime Minister announced we were going to level 1:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/418524/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-reveals-move-to-level-1-from-midnight
"She said the country was ready, now 40 days since the last recorded case of community transmission, 26 days after entering alert level 2, 17 days since a new case, and less than 24 hours since having zero active cases recorded.
Ardern said New Zealanders did something "remarkable" by uniting in the fight against Covid-19, and had achieved one of the lowest rates per capita in the world.
"Now under level 1 you can if you want go back to your place of work." "
On that basis, the last recorded case of community transmission was on 29 April, now 57 days ago.
Now as I understand it, the aim of our border controls is to ensure that we do not get any further cases of community transmission.
Given that, do I care if over-worked and stressed employees of the Ministry of Health cannot tell me within an hour the number of visa holders in different categories who have entered New Zealand in the last 10 days, do I care if the taxpayer Onion have published Mullers master plan for the National Party under the heading of a Covid plan?
57 days of success? Yes I do care about that, but it would be nice to know that is is a valid number.
Are there any other key measures of success we have forgotten to tell people about?
Ed 1 key measures of success. I think the real evidence re community transmission is no one popping up in hospital/ICU. Even more than testing in the community this is where Covid in the community would appear……..I did a bit of research and the figure given was 20% of people with Covid need hospital care. Of course this can't be a definitive figure, but a useful guide. If NZ has community transmission we should have seen or will be seeing very soon hospital admissions
anker, I see community infection as not being the same as someone arriving with an infection, or catching the infection from their "bubble" while in quarantine. Yes some will need to be hospitalised, but I believe a key goal is to make sure that no-one catches covid19 from a person out in the community. There is a clear danger for staff and guards at quarantine properties – Victoria in Australia has apparently suffered from that, but if we get community transmission we may well have to go back to Level 2 (as Melbourne has done). So no, someone being admitted to hospital is almost expected from the thousands arriving in New Zealand from countries with infections at a higher level that here.
My question is whether we can celebrate 57 days without community infection?
Hi Ed 1 …..I meant no one in the hospital from the community. Eventually some of the border cases will need hospitalization
There is no community spread, we are two weeks into Level 1 if it was going to happen considering half the country went to the pub and a million went to sporting events and farmers markets and the movies victims would have presented by now.
I liked your comment last night Adrian, you are so right, NZ has (so far) successfully fought the spread of covid, people are scrambling to get back here because of this, the rest of us sucked it up for weeks, these newcomers should too.
Thanks IFL, but its just me reflecting the opinions of others I have spoken to recently from surprisingly, both sides of the political spectrum and as a long time arsehole it doesn't take much to arc me up when others arseholery becomes evident. I think it is going to quieten down pretty soon when the media realises they are on the wrong side of the Oh Woe Is Me faction.
The poll out tonight on TV1 will probably show a swing downwards for the Government but the Nat/media must take "credit" for any loss of confidence. Arseholery indeed.
I was just getting used to not dreading the next poll after about 11 years of depressing polls. I wonder how many people have forgotten over the last week what has been achieved and who by.
Yes achieved by THE Team of 5m. I hope you were not referring to a smaller sub team ?👍
For the Nats, any way that isn't straight down is a win right now.
I'd expect a few points up, below 35%, and Labour close to and probably no longer over 50%.
I'm mostly interested in what it does for the other party support.
What utter pants.
Any down swing with the Labour coalition will be through incompetence.
The whole country made a huge sacrifice for where we are only for the officials to cock-up their end.
And no amount of throwing workers under the bus with blame, changes the fact ultimately it is the coalitions responsibility.
eg a friend, Southland farmer, retired, union-hating blue-blue-blue through and through, full of praise for govt response and will probably vote for Jacinda this time round. Scathing of the behaviour of some returnees and constant bagging of Bloomfield et al
What is interesting at present (from the people I've been talking to) is that it feels like voters are making their minds up a whole lot earlier this election cycle.
Lots of time to reflect during the lockdowns? More interest in what is going on. The example of Trump, Johnson and other leaders dithering and blundering badly when under load.
I suspect that the reality that covid-19 brought is going to do nasty things to some kinds of populists. Those poll figures in the US are brutal (looks them up)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/us/politics/trump-biden-poll-nyt-upshot-siena-college.html
Drat the numbers didn’t show
Biden 50%, Trump 36%, Other 14%
Dang, that's a helluva lead at this stage in their cycle.
Dukakis led the Elder Bush by 17 points in July 88.
Trump prophecy and statues to dead white people – and the reckons of white men who did not go to college. Too many of one and not enough of the other to save the Donald
The Economist has done some work on this too:
I think that it is 4-5 months out from the election there (November 3rd). Ummm here. 131 days.
I'm pretty sure that the probability of Clinton winning was pretty damn high then as well.
Look at the interactive chart from 538 down a bit on this page.
Not even going to mention the US Senate. The US system is seriously broken, ineffective, and just damn archaic.
"pretty sure that the probability of Clinton winning was pretty damn high"
True.
Much depends on whether much of Trump's support, which was previously off conventional radar, has since been identified.
I've been saying for years that the biggest problem with our democracy is that most people just don't have enough time to engage in it as they're too busy/tired from going to work. So, perhaps you're right. The lockdown has given more people the time to engage, time to think.
With some people, no matter how much time they’re given, it never lifts the quality of their thinking, as Chris Penk demonstrated with exquisite clarity.
I agree regarding opinions of others, just listening in to others in the staffroom people are pissed off with the people breaking the rules and whining, not the Govt.
That's the feeling around these parts too, some tory work colleagues share the same sentiment.
One of mum's tory friends even told her they are with-holding their annual generous donation this election because of the lack of leadership in the national party. Mum almost fell off her seat, because her friend is blue to the core.
The Herald and Newshub are gunning for the Health Minister Clark for stating a fact they do not like.
He said that the head of the Health Ministry Bloomfield had accepted responsibility for the release of people from managed isolation without testing post June 9 (as he has as head of the ministry). Apparently saying this in front of Bloomfield was supposed to be brutal – Tova O’B and spineless according to some anonymous Herald headline writer (now that is cowardly).
Then the intellectual affront to the left Chris Trotter says the PM has 24 hours to rid herself of the Minister – why because we are in a post truth age?
It seems Trotter is the go to guy for backing up every media beat-up going round, Hooton will be loving his stooge brother in arms.
Stuff is no better
Instead, he’s shifted blame to director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield. On Wednesday, Clark continued to blame Bloomfield, even while Bloomfield was in the room.
How exactly, the head of the ministry had already taken repsonsibility for it himself (the accusation in the quote is unattributed – no name to the story).
Do we have a MSM or just National attack blogs?
Was any National Minister asked to resign for the P homes lying empty and the cost of mitigation that was totally unneccesary?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300041875/david-clark-throws-ashley-bloomfield-under-the-bus-while-bloomfield-looks-on#comments
FFS, the MSM have yet to work out the reason why the officials were not testing those who arrived before June 9.
This
should have been quote form.
I think Bloomfield has explained this in recent pressers but it's too complicated for the reporters to understand and/or doesn't fit their narrative.
This is what Trotter says. He is not into being kind to Labour Ministers who can help to lose the election. We do want Labour to get in don't we or are some of us not up to facing truth and hard political reality (how many days till the election?)?.
Left-wing leaning political commentator Chris Trotter told The AM Show that the border bungle had hurt the Government.
"The one thing they had, the one shining moment in three years, was their handling of the COVID crisis and the last week, I cannot see how that hasn't put a massive dent in their public standing," he said.
Trotter then hit out at Clark and said Ardern shouldn't simply stand by.
"I thought the behaviour of David Clark in relation to Ashley Bloomfield was just shameful, absolutely shameful. I am sorry Jacinda, but if you let that stand for the next 24 hours, then it's going to come back on you, because a person like that should not be in his job."
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/06/health-minister-david-clark-s-behaviour-shameful-jacinda-ardern-needs-to-act-commentators.html
Trotter's judgement is unreliable.
Anyone who is so easily manipulated like an ordinary joe by that sort of media set up is way out of their depth on matters of political advice.
Chris is given the opportunity to appear on these shows because he will bag the left. Sure, he will try to nuance it in a way that suggests he wants Labour to do more and be more radical – but the the only thing that survives his flowery over-elaborations is the initial bagging. A truly left commentator with an uncompromising analysis of how money power actually works, won't get near these shows.
AB + 100. & the media really do take themselves quite seriously.
SPC
If you don’t get the whole of NZ is laughing and Clark and his gutless incompetence you and others here never will. Trotter is a realist not a blinkered fool. His political honesty is welcome after the politically blind comments as seen here.
Some of us are more easily manipulated than others.
Personally I regard Muller as auditioning for a role as a commentator on the Muppets – 4 weeks of people leaving their managed isolation without being tested under Level 2. His opinion then – there was no evidence of communty transmission so why are we not at Level 1 already.
One further week of people leaving without beign tested, and his belief is that there is community transmission.
He is no longer credible.
Pretending to believe there is suddently some sort of risk, to pander to crisis climate is not the service to the public but to himself and his party.
If he was a decent man, he is now Hooton's creature.
If Clark gets moved it gives the repeaters a win. Coming in after 3 terms of national was always the proverbial hospital pass even before covid.
Geez it's gonna be a fugly campaign based on the bs people are swallowing out there in godzone.
Granny has an uncredited piece which refers to Tova, Twitter and is clickbaited with 'stabbed in the back'.
Grans new role in the social media spectrum.
During the covid lockdown or other health emergency the Director of Health outranks even the Minister as he has more power at the behest of Government/Parliament not the minister directly. That is the understanding that I heard when he was elevated.
Dr Bloomfield and his team did a brilliant job.
As an aside, if you want to know who the arsehole is leaking bullshit and innuendo to the Opposition look no further than whoever it was who thought he/she was entitled to the job when Ashley was appointed DoH. Unfortunate acronym that.
Director-General of Health.
D-Gof H, Of course, writing while drinking tea not a good idea.
Add more sugar.
Too much sugar!
Yes Adrian, a case of "Shoulda been me" by Gorm less. "Nuff said!!"
Great to see Caruso-Cabrera get smashed by AOC for the 14th Congressional district.
All that big Wall Street money got glug-glugged by massive popular support.
Wake up and liberalise, Democrats!
Hang tough AOC.
That seat is now hers for as long as she wants it.
Jamaal Bowman is well ahead of 30 year incumbent Eliot "if I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care" Engel.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jamaal-bowman-eliot-engel-new-york-16th-district-democratic-primary-election/
Good.
In the 15th it looks like Ritchie Torres is going to take it, with Ruben Diaz Sr coming 3rd(who would fit better in the troglodyte faction of the Repugs). Sadly, this race yet again illustrates the far left's ability to abandon reason and attempt self-sabotage, but fortunately didn't succeed this time.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ritchie-torres-wins-new-york-democratic-primary-15th-congressional-district_n_5ef2713bc5b609fdb728b767
In Kentucky, Amy McGrath looks comfortably ahead of Charlie Booker in the race to take on Bitch the Mean-age Mutant MAGA Turtle. Sure Booker is definitely left and McGrath is moderate, but c'mon far lefties, this is Kentucky we're talking about here. McGrath is a long shot as it is, d'ya really think someone like Booker has even a fart's chance in a thunderstorm?
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/kentucky-senate-primary-race-decide-who-challenges-mitch-mcconnell-too-n1231961
40 000 tested No community transmission. All those resources used and overloaded roads parking and laboratories. Thanks Muller and Woodhouse, yelling "Wolf" did that.
I wonder what the next "Urban Myth" from Woodhouse will be? "Baited breath!!" NOT!!
Someone could draw Muller’s attention to “We don’t know how lucky we are” by John Clarke.
Let's hope labour grows a pair and takes woodhouse and the nats games apart here…nice and methodically.
Show the NZ public the value they're creating in these challenging times. Fit for govt material ?
If only we had some journalists to do some reporting.
Yes Patricia, and not a single word from the 2 main media outlets, stuff and The Herald who made the loudest noise over the homeless person, $100k spent on the investigation by the tax payer with no evidence of any homeless person being in the hotel, Woodhouse looked embarrassed on the TV when asked for some evidence to support the allegation and then Muller says he stands behind his minister, Woodhouse, so Muller disagrees with the outcome of the $100K investigation yet has zero evidence to discredit it.
This is a much bigger story than anything else circulating in the media today, yet, crickets.
On a lighter note …
With the TVNZ poll out tonight, let's look back at the last one, from May. Just for fun, here's a Quick Quiz:
10 people got 0.1% support (the lowest possible to be recorded in the poll) as preferred PM. Can you name any of these people (without looking them up)?
Clues: 4 of them are not in Parliament. 3 women, 7 men. Any guesses?
How's Julian Assange getting on I wondered?
https://www.axios.com/julian-assange-wikileaks-anonymous-fdf2f45a-06e3-4743-b685-97d9984ba2da.html
The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been charged in a superseding indictment for recruiting and conspiring with computer hackers, including those affiliated with the hacking groups LulzSec and "Anonymous."
Why it matters: The new indictment does not add new counts to the 18-count indictment filed against Assange under the Espionage Act last year, but it does "broaden the scope of the conspiracy surrounding alleged computer intrusions with which Assange was previously charged," according to the DOJ.
(Sounds as if they are trying to treat Assange as a nuisance, commercially motivated, hostile hacker against nation/s, rather than for revealing wrongs done – important difference.)
.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-issues-new-indictment-against-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-2020-06-24
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2020/06/21/julian-assange-fiancee-plea/
Assange didn’t appear via video link for his most recent court matter in London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court in early June.
His defence team had emailed court that their client had “had respiratory problems for some time”, the court heard.
WikiLeaks confirmed Assange had been advised against going to the video conferencing room in Belmarsh prison by his doctors and was at high risk of contracting COVID-19 due to an underlying lung condition.
Assange is next scheduled to appear in court on June 29 for a routine call over.
“He’s very unwell and I’m very concerned about his ability to survive this,” Ms Moris said.
He’s not a criminal. He’s not a dangerous person. He’s a gentle intellectual, a thinker.”
Ms Moris, 37, said Assange was being kept alone in a tiny room and was “very depressed.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/419793/hawke-s-bay-water-rules-watered-down-despite-disagreement
Shades of Flint and money before public service. Decisions influenced by advancement for whom?
On Flint's fight for decent government provision and the dire response to obvious problems and health damage because of bad water policies.
See my earlier – https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-23-06-2020/#comment-1722123 from 23 June.
.
Recent 4 June 2020 developments from adam, thanks. https://statuscoup.com/category/people-planet/flint-water-crisis/
I was hoping that those who have daily connections with a cross-section of people might be able to tell me what the feeling for Government's handling of the crisis is. I have read all the comments above thanks everyone. Any others?
My staffroom is always interesting, broad cross section of ages and backgrounds, I mentioned above, but I had a giggle listening in they were livid about Woodhouse (I'm in Dunedin) & someone mentioned how Hosking is all over the place, "he just says any old crap".
FB lunacy is winning.
Terrifying Joe!
These clowns are prepared to exploit one of the very few concessions an able world grants to those with disabilities.
Says it all, really.
The SLO County Public Health Department is warning residents that various cards claiming to exempt the holder from California’s face covering ordinance are fraudulent and not endorsed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a “rumor alert” posted to the department’s Facebook page on June 22, county staff linked to a recent press release posted by the U.S. Department of Justice, which says that various printouts of face covering exemption cards, many of which include the U.S. Department of Justice seal, are floating around the internet.
click to enlarge
“These postings were not issued by the department and are not endorsed by the department,” the press release reads. “The department urges the public not to rely on the information contained in these postings and to visit ada.gov for ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] information issued by the Department.”
https://www.newtimesslo.com/SLOthevirus/archives/2020/06/23/slo-county-public-health-department-warns-of-fake-face-covering-exemption-cards
Covid Update:
Over 10,000 tests conducted yesterday. Community transfer: zero. Not one case. After 16 days at level 4.
Dr Todd Muller was not available for comment.
Community transfer: zero
I support your emphasis on this important point because Nats & media aren't acknowledging it sufficiently. They need to get real asap. Valid to expose the quarantine shambles, but we're moving on from that. If they keep banging the drum regardless, it will piss everyone else off big-time.
That's how I see it DF, let the media bleat on, eventually they'll be ignored because they're plain wrong and delusional.
Dr Todd Mull er – is he doc of anything?
Incidentally I am thinking we need a change in honorific/title treatment – and Doctor should be followed by two letter code ie MD. Well they do it elsewhere I think. I think of doctor as being medical doctor, so I would like to know what sort of professional I am listening to. Could have a Dr PR and that would be very useful to know.
You mean level 1?
US covid new cases 39k yesterday Thats a record i think
31k and 36k in the 2 days before that.
Yeah I saw on the breakfast news a report that 26 US states are showing a sudden surge, and that up-swing is evident in your daily figures. Brazil's supreme court has ordered Balsonaro to wear a mask. Trump will be wondering how much longer he can do his King Canute act…
Predicting that the whole health system will be overwhelmed in 2 weeks, I read today. I have friends in Washington and Arizona, at their wits end.
ditto friends in Arkansas, New Mexico, Tennesee and family in Georgia.
All staying home, wearing masks when leaving the house and putting up with abuse because they do it.
One day someone is gonna shoot a whole bunch o people simply because they wear a mask, gloves and use hand sanitizer.
I saw a photo someone posted with signs on restaurant condiments "this is not hand sanitizer".
Little wonder.
Only becasue Brazil numbers are be massaged beyond belief. Brazil is bad, very bad and we have no real idea how bad.
33 new cases in the Australian state of Victoria today.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/25-06-2020/david-clark-is-not-responsible/
This is one very good summation of the clark stumble
It’s by Toby Manhire and is correctly labeled “opinion”
altho as usual the sub heading is false (toby makes no reference to creating “a problem for Jacinda Ardern”)
Surprised that Tuesday 30 July is the last day of the House sitting.
Crikey, Qtime is a bit meows today.
Dr custard aka nick smith was kicked out, for his usual problem… out of line interjecting.
Unfortunately for him he had a question to ask later on.
" Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister of Justice: Is his Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill, as passed through its third reading under urgency last night, good law? "
Then ole entitled gerry wanted Dr custard's question to be reinstated and asked by another MP. A bit of argey bargey later with Trevor; because, let's face it, ole entitled gerry won't back down even if he is wrong. Nek minute, ole entitled gerry was kicked out too.
Good job Mr Speaker
It's around 3.22 on this clip
https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/?itemId=213438
Thanks for the heads up Cinny.
Q2. The start of the barney is worth a listen. Winston Peters is doing what he does so well – tosses the ball back in the Oppo's court.
https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/?itemId=213431
I think the Speakaer has had a gutsful of the current Oppo tactics.
Winston did very well
The results of the Colmar Brunton Poll tonight will be a very good indicator of just how influential the media is.
With relentless attacks on the Coalition, everything from bungling incompetence to conflicts within the Coalition, none of which are supported by any substantiating evidence apart from media releases of which are headed with 'Opinion'.
A very large swing against the Govt will give everyone something to be concerned about.
No point of opinion polls if no media megaphone to opine on public opinion.
Correct, but there's always an extent of influence, something that can be guaged, which is a good indicator of wether the public agree with the media sentiment or have personally chosen to disagree.
In the end the only poll that matters is in 88 days, a lot water to go under the bridge yet though.
The Poll result doesn't appear to have been influenced by the last few days of hyperbole, Muller was expected to get high support after his predecessor and the rusted on supporters, Nat voters showing their support, NZF though, are probably the biggest losers but we know that at election day they usually do much better.
Labour could govern alone on 50%, the Greens back at 5%, NZF on 2%
National on 36%, Act on 4%
Pretty much the result you would expect after the removal of Bridges, restoration of support from the party faithfull.
Just Is, A great deal depends on how people react to Woodhouse's "story".
I think everyone found that a "Stretch'
Muller will appeal to old time National more than Bridges did, but people won't thank him for playing on their fears. We live in interesting times.
As you say, the media have played this like a violin chorus, wailing in the pits, becoming a little too shrill…… waiting….. Just hope people recognise genuine mahi.
"We live in interesting times"
Yes, the era of Fake News, sadly, people believe the News, corporate owned media outlets manipuate opportunities that suit there narrative.
Why sadly? Truth is truth N'est-ce pas?
Sadly, there are too many people that believe the Fake news due to number of reasons
Lisa Owen has a bit of an apology fetish apparently. She seems to feel obliged to reorganise the Cabinet as well.