I read Mike Hosking’s piece telling the people in the Bella Vista episode to accept the offer and move on: “It’s not right, it’s not fair, but the Bella Vista fight isn’t worth it.”
I understand some of the sentiment but it’s easy for someone well off telling others to suck it up and accept they’ve been done over. I can imagine some situations where his voice would be encouraging fighting to the end and vigorously slamming the miscreant party. And vigorously exhorting others to hammer them.
The thing is, as he would say, we don’t know why he uses that voice. In my memory still is that he was an ‘ambassador’ for Skycity and there was no way that could not affect his perspective or voice.
Sad to see no lesson learnt after Leaky buildings and our new rush to resource consent everything without adequate regulations in place.
Also sad to see the victims and those who pay millions for the screw ups are still the homeowners who bought the houses and in particular the rate payers.
Those that will get away with out much liability are those that allowed the land to be built on without adequate engineering, the private companies and developers that put in poor building and resource plans and those that approved them at council, the management at council that allow this to occur and those that did poor building work but was still signed off by poor council inspectors.
Party this is also due to bad regulations in NZ under the RMA and building code, a free market approach to standards and the ability for practically any plans to be approved due to our rubber stamping resource consenting of such narrow interpretation of effects and risks so that it is hard to fail any consent. Our system is getting worse now because it takes tens of thousands to challenge a resource consent, and the system is designed to rubber stamp consents because most effects are not allowed to be challenged and therefore it does not actually produce safe and long term construction and safe and fair allocation of resources. But poor quality and expensive construction and unfair allocation of resources and risks.
The winners are the lawyers and those that grabbed their quick dirty profit from NZ flawed process of the construction industry.
The establishment media agenda has consistently been to play gotcha with Winston Peters, to paint him as an eccentric flake, or the tail wagging the dog, or as an erratic loose cannon.
The establishment media resents the way he won’t treat them as equal players in the political game and instead humiliates them by refusing to answer their questions and being sarcastic.
That’s pretty much my take on it too. You get the impression the media see themselves as the real power in this democracy of ours and don’t take kindly to anyone challenging or threatening their reign.
There was an interesting article by Tracey Watkins about the media attitude to Peters. She seems of the view that Peters enjoys ‘baiting’ the media and that it’s a bit of a game between consenting adults. I can’t see that, there’s far too much malice and personal animus for it to be that innocent.
Poll: Do you put off going to the dentist due to fear or cost?
3 hours ago
Former health minister Dame Annette King says dental therapists could help provide affordable oral health care to older Kiwis, but first they need their own regulatory body.
Her comments are a major push on the right to affordable dental care for adults and the “key role” that dental therapists could play in making dental care more available.
Do you need to go to the dentist, but are currently putting it off due to fear or cost?
And paying your electriticity bill off on time gets you a prompt payment discount.
And not going into debt for basic living items means that you don’t pay interest.
And registering your car on time means you don’t get pinged for a couple of hundred if you happen to get a parking ticket because you couldn’t bail from work to shift your car because you’re not the boss.
And installing solar panels and a wind turbine will give you cheaper electricity.
Ain’t it grand how the more money someone has, the less they actually need to spend? /sarc
I havnt been for ten years or more my vote would be scrap the nxt major motorway extension for a few years and give everyone in the country free dentistry instead !
“Yet for some reason, Canterbury’s finances are being kept on such a tight leash that CDHB’s annual accounts show it is actually getting less Government money this year than it might have done if there had never been any earthquakes to contend with.
In a nutshell, pre-quake CDHB used to get 11.3 per cent of national funding. Today – despite a rebuilding programme which will be the biggest in New Zealand hospital history – that share has dropped to 10.94 per cent.
And for mental health, last year CDHB was funded $222 per head of population compared to a national average of $243. This year, the disparity grew even greater with Canterbury getting $207 against a national average of $251.
Not surprisingly this is creating angry comment. Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend recently said the funding gap was “negative interference” from Wellington.
And many, like Labour health spokesperson Annette King, believe a dysfunctional relationship between the MoH and CDHB lies at the heart of this systematic under-funding.
King says when it comes to talk of the possibility of a personality clash, it is easy to point to some history.”
A sad, sorry saga which points to a level of vindictiveness and arrogance that sums up what was allowed, nay, even encouraged, under the previous Government.
A pity Clark is claiming to be unaware of any issues with Hundleby’s relationship with the beleaguered DHBs.
It seems suspicious about MOH when you hear of dysfunction with the Christchurch Health Board. A similar attitude situation to Waikato DHB? I think, where the exec there didn’t give them the whole picture of their needs. And IIRR this was because people at the top didn’t want to know, perhaps because they thought it would be bad for their own health and wellbeing!
Hundleby and the MoH, Director-General [Chuah] both sound like ratbags sent by the former National Government to slash and cut services to save lying John Keys’ corrupt administration.
They did this over the former “emergency dental subsidy” Labour had in place before 2008 and national scrapped in 2009.
Cronyism being a hallmark of the Previous Gummint it was hardly surprising these two would stay close over the years.
There are others at the Misery of Health with similar close working history who are hopefully feeling a little less secure right now.
And I know that NZ is a small country and it would be difficult to find higher- ups who had not worked together previously at some stage. But one has to carefully scrutinize performance under these circumstances to ensure that poor performance and attitudes do not become accumulative.
They did this over the former “emergency dental subsidy” Labour had in place before 2008 and national scrapped in 2009.
cleangreen, you really need to check your facts before posting. (I was flabbergasted a month or so ago when you put up a comment on TDB claiming how bad WINZ had been since it was part of MBIE. It has never been under MBIE. It is part of MSD and has been for years.)
I am by no means trying to defend the National Govt (couldn’t stand them) but they did not “scrap” (ie remove) the “emergency dental grant” of $300 per year. WINZ simply did not give out many of these grants – or advance loans for dental work – over the period of National being the Government.
However, these provisions for Emergency Dental Grants ($300 per year) and repayable loans for dental work remained on the books and are available again now – see these up to date links to the WINZ website. (The website was revamped about a month or so ago to be much more informative and positive, and less punitive. Some related websites such as the Citizens Advice one have not yet caught up with the much better WINZ information.)
I can confirm that WINZ are again giving out both Emergency Dental Grants AND loans for emergency dental work – because just in the last six weeks I was granted both the non-repayable $300 Grant and a loan to cover costs over the $300.
My partner applied for a loan from WINZ to address some serious dental issues and we were told to use the last of our meagre savings first. Fair enough…but that’s our ‘disposal of our rotting corpses’ money so the kids are not left out of pocket. (Short explanation here…some years of struggling on the Invalid’s/ Supported Living Payment had seen both my tetraplegic partner and myself deny ourselves the pleasure of professional dentistry. Transitioning to the super Super mean’t we could just afford to pay back a WINZ loan…Peter’s teeth being in such a state that chewing food was difficult and choking a very real danger. (In days of old, Peter’s dentistry was done at the local hospital that was better equipped to accommodate wheelchair and transfers and dodgy breathing and potentially hazardous spasticity.)
“We have funeral grants you know.” said disturbingly cheerful WINZ Senior Citizens section worker.
So, The Offspring are instructed to dump our rotting corpses at the door of the local WINZ office.
I have done some minor activism and lobbying to remind the Current Incumbents that they promised to make WINZ as less horrible place where you can depend on getting kicked while your begging for help. Our Waikato Central Office has (the last time I checked) removed the cones blocking the disabled parking places but the uniformed security guards were still doing the ‘are you on our clipboarded list?…if not bugger off!’ thing in Kaitaia a couple of weeks ago.
I am pleased you got the cuddles and hugs treatment veutoviper and it’s great that you’ve been able to go and beg at WINZ after having had awful negative experiences in the past.
For some its going to take a while longer before we’re willing to put our heads on the block.
Rosemary, I have followed your and Peter’s situation for many years, and really admire you for what you have done and fought for and support you in this. I have lived with some disabilities all of my life, nothing like Peter’s but enough to cause discomfort and pain, limit my mobility and what I could do sportwise etc when growing up, and result in some major surgery when younger. I managed a full life and career and by rights should have been comfortable in my retirement. It was not to be, thanks to a corrupt financial advisor and the loss of decades of retirement savings, and the onset/diagnosis of two further major health problems at the same time which have caused further deterioration in mobility etc. Hence my personal experiences of WINZ over more recent years both sides of 65.
I understand your negativity etc and why you are reluctant to have any faith that things will change for the better. I too have been fighting for change in respect of those with disabilities in my own way behind the scenes both during my career and since retirement, having worked in the Wellington public service/parliament bubble.
I still maintain a degree of cynicism but also believe that change is slowing coming but it will not happen overnight. As well as my recent experiences I reported above and yesterday, a few weeks ago I also reported here on TS small improvements I saw at the Newtown WINZ service centre – eg I was not checked in per se by the security staff, much more welcoming greeting from reception, sign for toilets etc. Small seemingly superficial changes, but nevertheless small steps forward. It may take longer to see these changes at more remote centres.
” I managed a full life and career and by rights should have been comfortable in my retirement.”
Peter too. He returned to his full time mainstream job and kept at that for 30 years or so. He saved. He was financially prudent. He took responsibility for his health. His comfortable retirement was pretty much stuffed when he had the audacity to think that “an ordinary life” that those with disabilities were told told aspire to included a partner and children in it.
No. The partner and children are counted as de facto ‘assets and means’ when it comes to the allocation for funding for disability supports.
The only good thing is that had we not have shacked up in 1999, by 2001 he would have been bundled off from his own home and into a residential facility as this was when the Ministry of Health refused to fund the types of advanced personal care he needs.
We only found this out in 2002 when we sought external carers so I could address my own health needs. We always thought that the option was there for having outside help so I could return to work.
There’s been National and Labour and National and now Labour again…its going to take something fairly dramatic to convince me that with respect to non ACC disabled the colour of the flashing lights on the roundabout is the only thing that’s changed.
IMHO MoH has been a disaster area for years; ditto the overall the lack of support for disability issues across the board in the ps. I saw a number of good people go into MoH and come out wrecks. Personally I did not ever consider going to work there (or ACC) – although I would have liked to work in the disabilities area. Anyway, all we can do is go on fighting if necessary – and support one another. Hang in there, Rosemary.
“Novichok victim Charlie Rowley has revealed how he blames himself over girlfriend Dawn Sturgess’ death – after giving her the Novichok nerve agent that killed her as a gift.”
What a jerk. Where did he find this nerve agent? If you are going to pick things up cheap, caveat emptor. If you are going to pick things up from the ground or dumpster even more so. You’re running the risk of cheap and nasty. He should have just pinched some flowers out of the park for a bouquet. Probably they would have just brought on hayfever.
Seems reasonable to me that they did the deed, walked away, and dropped the murder weapon as soon as possible.
You have to remember that, regardless of who did it, we are talking about professional sociopaths here. They might have a moral framework that constrains their activities to the interests of the state or highest bidder, but we’re not talking about people with much empathy or care for fellow human beings. And they probably had quite a bit of desensitisation training to get that way.
Their priority is to do the job and escape without detection. As soon as the contamination was done, the bottle is a liability that connects them to the crime. Disposal is the concern, safe disposal is not.
The British man poisoned with the nerve agent novichok has claimed the substance that killed his girlfriend and left him critically ill came in a bottle disguised as a legitimate perfume in a sealed box.
…
But if Rowley is correct about the perfume bottle being boxed and sealed, it may undermine the line of inquiry that the novichok that he and Sturgess came into contact with had been discarded by the attackers of the Skripals.
It also opens up the possibility that there may yet be more novichok that has not been found in Wiltshire.
Rowley said he had found a sealed box in a cellophane wrapper containing a perfume bottle some days before he and Sturgess fell ill, and had kept it at his home in Amesbury, eight miles north of Salisbury, before handing it to his partner of two years as a gift.
He said he was struggling to remember where he had originally found the item but was convinced it was legitimate, as it looked like it hadn’t been used, “Which made me think it was quite safe,” he said.
Rowley also said it was a perfume that Sturgess recognised. “It’s very strange. It’s quite scary to think that something can be disguised in that manner and left to be found in public.
“It looked expensive, unfortunately it turned out to be a bad find.”
As others have said, the story has probably had the ‘Chinese Whisper’ treatment but I did find this bit odd….
“He said he was struggling to remember where he had originally found the item but was convinced it was legitimate, as it looked like it hadn’t been used, “Which made me think it was quite safe,” he said.”
I don’t think I’m on my own when I say I can point to exactly where I have found items of value decades after I discovered them. A phone, a wallet, a new bottle of perfume…don’t we all remember exactly where we picked items like this up?
I reckon it was probably a spare then. Or maybe the first drop was in the wrong location, they got a replacement, and that was the lost bottle. Shit sometimes goes pear-shaped.
If it was one of the Bill-style scenarios where the poisoning was an accident that the Skripal’s didn’t want to own up to, then the box wouldn’t have been held with no symptoms for days until it was opened. Besides, they could have just said “strange person sold me perfume, now I feel funny”.
Speculation, à la ‘Tinker Tailor’, is such fun. The ‘back up team‘ ditched their standard issue Novichok-laced perfume kit before they realised that the primary team had failed in their ‘mission’.
Teams 3 and 4 are just itching for Sergei to let his guard down. The evil Ruskies have secret supplies of Novichok cached all over Salisbury – beware of smelly knobs.
I’m not going to waste time right now going back through news reports from weeks ago but this latest report has the poisoned perfume in a spray bottle which somehow the ubiquitously named Charlie managed to “spill” on his hands.
Hmmm…now, its been a while since I last treated myself to a bottle of Yardley’s Lavender, but if memory serves a spray bottle of perfume is sealed…you don’t spill it, you squirt it.
If it were a leaking bottle…there could be no squirting…as it couldn’t squirt…but it might spill.
from the above linked Guardian article, it seems the Rowley attached the spray nozzle to the bottle:
“I guess that’s how she applied it and became ill. I guess how I got in contact with it is when I put the spray part to the bottle … I ended up tipping some on my hands but I washed it off under the tap.
okay…so since the last time I bought perfume one can buy spray bottles to fill with the perfume of one’s choice. BUT…I’ll bet that the high- end perfumes will be sold in totally sealed and tamper proof bottles. One’s suspicions would surely be aroused if the quality scent you’d scavenged from somewhere for your lady love was in a bottle with a removable top. Since you claim it came/was found under a hedge in intact packaging.
Or not.
This is all very entertaining, but methinks we are trying to make sense of a story that has been poorly constructed.
Some perfumes aren’t even supposed to be sprayed, but dabbed.
You could possibly attach a spray part from something else to them, though, if you’re a bit of a bodger.
Dunno about by design – we’re on the other side of the planet reading edited details from stories written by people who might or might not be unconsciously adding their own assumptions.
Seems to me that there would be fail safes if some of that poison was lost or damaged ie multiple samples – If a dead drop wasn’t used then the contents would be discarded. Hardly a big stretch imo.
Pretty certain I read reports from the past few days claiming the bottle was broken.
Which (McFlock!) kinda dovetailed into my “what else fits the evidence, bar attempted assassination of a long since dealt with/to spy” muckings around.
And then I read that report that, no, the bottle was boxed, and I thought “Who dumps boxed consumer goods “just because”?”
Then I thought – What if the container was leaking and the contents had permeated the wrapping, got onto hands – from hands to car interior and door handle – from door handle to PC Whatisname…. ? (Yawn)
And whatnot and whatever, I’m fairly persuaded the person who took the stuff into Britain is already a “guest” of UK authorities.
And I’m pretty sure we’ll likely never be told why it was smuggled into the country, who wanted it smuggled into the country, or who the intended victim/target was.
A RadioNZ heading for a newa item ‘Honours for Australian cave divers’.
Have these gone to political journalists reporting the truth of the goings-on of the Australian Parliament?
Your empathy etc antenna is really “off” this morning, grey, with this off remark, and the one about the Novichok victim at 10.1.
Honours for the Adelaide doctor and other Australian cave divers who took part in the rescue of the Thai cave victims have been fast tracked by the Australian government following public pressure. Here is the RNZ item:
Grey, the one thing you have posted this morning of any merit IMO is your post about the excellent item on Nine to Noon re people trapped in insurmountable debt because of increased charges and punitive treatment by big banks and other financial institutions – and the fact that submissions to the government close next week on the review of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act.
“…. with this off remark, and the one about the Novichok victim at 10.1.”
I assumed that Grey had read/watched some of the alt commentary around the ‘scent bottle found somewhere just lying around so I gave it to her and she squirted it all over even though it would have smelt like catspiss’ story and was being oblique, and not just a tad ironic. (one of the Young People was youtubing such stuff last night and I made a point of doing some extra verifying)
Play nice folks.
I though we agreed ages ago that the real story will never be known.
I really feel for these people – so fast and devastating – and the human side of hugging and huddling with family and friends when death is there – brings it all home and makes it real cos we would do the same.
So many homeless and dead and the countryside devastated. I am thinking of these people suffering there today and tomorrow.
And I wonder what long term effect it will have.
“The dam is a key component of the country’s controversial ambition to become the “battery of Asia” by selling power to its neighbours. Eleven large hydropower dams on the main Mekong River, and 120 tributary dams, are planned over the next 20 years.”
The direction was set when agreements were made after the election. The dominant people in the Labour caucus always favoured NZF over the Greens. That was evident to me, even before the election.
The Greens got limited possibilities for traction within the cabinet.
Davidson is still finding her feet and could well make an impact in the future. Genter has had some impact, and probably will do so in the future.
Meanwhile, unless a woman politician goes the celebrity route (Ardern) or the brutal sensationalist route (Judith Colllins & Paula Bennett) it’s not so easy for women leaders to get cut through into the MSM.
I got a reply from Genter the other day which leaves me wondering if perhaps she has conserved her energies and attention and focused on issues other than MOH disability issues. Fair enough…she’s off on maternity leave soon.
“…it’s not so easy for women leaders to get cut through into the MSM.”
Catherine Delahunty, although not a “leader”, managed to get in the front of a few issues and gave awesome support to the family carers case.
A pity the Greens have no-one to step into the disability field now.
Or a Green’s person could go on morning TV, and when Mike Hosking does a pro-Trump spiel at them, shout at him, “Look I’m literally a communist, you idiot”. And then wait for communism to become the new cool in NZ…?
“Meanwhile, unless a woman politician goes the celebrity route (Ardern) or the brutal sensationalist route (Judith Colllins & Paula Bennett) it’s not so easy for women leaders to get cut through into the MSM.”
I don’t think Judith Collins has gone that route for cut through but rather shes taking the route she believes in
“When I passed this legislation in 2009, I said that confiscating and destroying the vehicles of the worst, repeat offenders would be the ultimate deterrent,” Collins said last year.
“Critics of this law have completely missed the point. The number of deaths, injuries and crashes due to illegal street racing have plummeted.
“This shows that the law has been an extremely effective deterrent. It has made our streets safer and saved lives.”
According to figures released by Collins’ office, there were 15 crashes where “racing” was a factor in 2015, compared to 70 crashes in 2001.
Racing-related crashes peaked in 2007, when there were 116 accidents, that number declined following the introduction of the crushing law, according to Collins’ figures.
Collins said the law sent a strong message and it had worked as intended.
“Double bunking in cells could increase the risk of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and reduce rehabilitation opportunities at Waikeria Prison, a cabinet paper says.”
As I’ve always said the Greens are Labours doormat, ever since the Greens said no to even talking with National Labour have known that they can take the Greens for granted
All the Greens would have to do is announce they’re willing to talk with National, just talk nothing else, and they’d get a much better deal from Labour
Maybe the Kermadecs would go ahead, maybe there wouldn’t be exploration in dolphin sanctuaries, who knows but at the moment NZFirst and Labour know they can dish out whatever they like to the Greens and the Greens will say thank you very much Sir
Yes, but at least after 9 long years Labour got back and Greens in government… so the coalition can’t have been that bad a move for them both… of course now is their chance so do something meaningful for voters so they vote them back in… and not get too arrogant and out of touch or pander to those that don’t actually vote for them at the expense of many others, aka big business and foreign policy …
The doormat could yet prove slippery for Labour, but more likely the analogy doesn’t apply as much as you think – too early to differentiate yet. I agree with those who’d like a little more of a Greens taking a definite stand on issues, but I sympathise with our parliamentarians feeling the need to be good team players.
Next month’s conference they’ll want to suss out how attendees are feeling about them. Y’know, ain’t a surprise to see Greens motivated to work for the common good. The government is the main focus for that currently, yet we remain anchored in the broader Green movement so we don’t lose focus on the big picture either.
Re Nats, the ball’s in their court. We keep waiting for them to toss it our way, they keep doing their ineffective opposition act. Just another way SB is failing to demonstrate political nous & leadership.
I mean hey NZFirst only has billions to buy a safe seat and what do the Greens get, the crumbs and then Labour will take credit for whatever positive story the Greens come up with anyway
“Re Nats, the ball’s in their court. We keep waiting for them to toss it our way, they keep doing their ineffective opposition act”
No. I’m not talking about serious discussions I mean the Greens simply saying they’re open to discussions, thats all they need to do.
They don’t need to announce anything, they don’t need to formulate nothing, all they need to do is say we’re open to discussion.
Well true I mean its only 2 billion (and counting) that NZFirst managed to claw out of Labour, its not like the Greens couldn’t have found a use for any of that
Too early in the electoral cycle. Nats could be brainstorming the support party scenario, not quite ready to do strategic planning.
Re Labour taking credit for Green initiatives, to an extent that will happen. Some will note the greening of the Labour Party as better late than never. Others will hallucinate them morphing into the Green Labour party. Inasmuch as career politicians always put their career ahead of common cause, some of our leftist MPs may even hope for such a future and join them if it happens. Zero-sum thinking is a powerful political tradition.
My guess is that the friendship formed between Jacinda & James in London 12 years ago is just as likely to extend the status quo in the hope of embedding their collaboration in a multi-term future of governance. In MMP strength derives from parties collaborating – not from union into a monolith.
I’m inclined to agree with you. Winston’s approach is largely why he wields the leverage he does.
“We will work with any party that our members feel will best accommodate our core principles.” I think it’s a reasonable position to adopt.
Commentators will query “So you’d work with National?”
“If they start ticking off items on our wish-list, our members will listen to what any seat winning party has to say.” A response of this order is not a sell-out. As per Puckish and NZ First’s form, I think it could generate increased influence in decisions.
“I mean hey NZFirst only has billions to buy a safe seat and what do the Greens get, the crumbs and then Labour will take credit for whatever positive story the Greens come up with anyway”
Labour are allowing the Greens to be the face of new climate related charges/taxes. Like increasing the cost of dumping waste.
One wonders if the Greens have anything to offer the poor to help them mitigate those new additional costs?
I’ve been watching the Vietnam series on nettyflix – just up to may 1970. Very sobering and sad. Such a waste of everything and the poor innocents caught up in the middle – being killed, children crying over dead parents and parents crying over dead children. The past shows the lessons which we just refuse to learn. And people continue to be murdered – t.rump is leading the US deeper into these dark dark times again imo.
Hear that people? At *Best*, self-driving cars will be many times *less efficient* than a normal everyday train network. Shove that in your transport-futures pipe and choke on its fumes.
Entire thread needs reading.
People who think that self-driving cars will eliminate congestion and be more efficient than good public transport are simply refusing to accept reality.
Breaking. The Canadian neo-nazis are not coming to NZ. Court action by Freeze Peach Coalition called off. Canadian couple claims victory according to RNZ… eh?
The Free Speech Coalition said on Wednesday time had run out, and an urgent court hearing planned for Monday to challenge their banning from an Auckland Council venue will now occur later in the year.
…
The Free Speech Coalition is claiming as a “partial victory” correspondence from the council which said Goff had had no part in the decision to cancel the booking, and it would have been improper for him to do so.
Why are they so intent on challenging the Council?
Stable genius managed to go bust with casinos and Manhattan real estate.
‘Murica, it’s your turn.
President Trump on Tuesday is expected to announce help for farmers who are being hit hard by billions of dollars in tariffs on their products.
The Trump administration, which has been talking about providing emergency aid to the agriculture industry, could offer upward of $12 billion in help to calm rising concerns about the trade war that could hit U.S. farmers hardest, Politico first reported.
David has just signed off the equity for workers in the mental health and addiction services today. $3.00 an hour for 5000 aprox $5.00 an hour for a number and backpay.
Should have been the first job done when Parliament came back after the Xmas break as it was an obvious and serious omission when the care workers were sorted.
Now, about David’s ‘diplomacy’ regarding Hundleby…
” Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell said in his view he got on well with Hundleby on a personal level, but was acutely aware that district health board staff “found him very abrasive”.
Powell said Hundleby had never developed a trust relationship with district health boards, or realised the importance of doing so.
Health Minister Dr David Clark told Stuff he was “not aware of any particular issues”. ”
‘Cos David would be the only person involved in the NZ health sector…ie, who has a pulse…who wasn’t aware of issues with this person.
But Nurses have not been offered backpay for a MECCA that expired a year ago, and Mental Health workers given a higher % than offered nurses, another offer today, just the same as the previous three. Expect more strike action.
Since most Nurses work for the DHBs and the relationship between the DHBs and the MOH Executive as been described as ‘toxic’ and David isn’t aware of that particular issue, then yes…expect more strike action. And more power to their collective elbow.
Mental health workers earn shit all for very hard work. Just like nurses and they are different roles with different agreements and a different union. I fully support nurses and any action the members vote for.
The disturbing story behind Willie Apiata’s Victoria Cross.
Paula Penfold challenges the “cowardly” Lt. Col. Tim Keating to come clean. The Panel, RNZ National, Wednesday 27 June 2018
Jim Mora, Paula Penfold, Allan Blackman, Caitlin Cherry
JIM MORA: …. Thank you, that’s interesting from you. Allan Blackman. And—Paula Penfold.
PAULA PENFOLD: I would like to talk about the soon to be departed Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Tim Keating, who I see has been doing a series of media interviews today. I haven’t heard it yet, unfortunately, but I understand he was on Nine to Noon this morning with Kathryn Ryan, and I know that he’s done at least one other interview with journalists, I imagine there are probably more. I find that intriguing, because we at Stuff Circuit have been asking Lieutenant General Keating for an interview for four years now. And, knowing that he was about to depart his post, we went to see him as he was departing a Select Committee a couple of weeks ago.
He wasn’t, I suppose it has to be said, best pleased to see us, but we did get to ask him a couple of questions because we have been doing this investigation for quite some time now. And after we published The Valley in August last year he put out a thirty-four page statement responding to much of what we said, and said that he would be investigating the allegations that we raised abut the 2004 battle in Uruzgan, which led to the Victoria Cross for Willie Apiata. Now I wanted to know what had happened with that investigation because he said that he would be responding publicly and then he never did, so I wanted to know whether that was going anywhere. And he said yes indeed, that it was undergoing a legal investigation but I’m interested in the fact that this man who, this Chief of Defence who held a conference on transparency in the NZDF at the end of last year, has elected to do some media interviews, and I’m sure those journalists did a very good job, but they’re not the ones who have been investigating and publishing these allegations; we are, and he won’t answer my questions.
I’ve issued a public apolog— uh, “apology”!—a public invitation to him on this very program previously to front up and answer some questions from us because these are allegations that are serious allegations about what our SAS troopers did in that firefight, including that we provoked that firefight ourselves, that we mistreated the bodies of the dead enemy by strapping them to the bonnets of our military vehicles and dropping them on the ground in the village bazaar, that we kicked in doors, and that we flexi-cuffed innocent civilians. He has not answered those questions. He does say that there’s an investigation under way, but he will be departed by the time that investigation is completed, and he said yes it’s the warrant of his office under which that investigation happens. But I thank that personally, as the, you know, chief executive of a government department, he should have fronted and answered those questions before he left. And so I think Lieutenant General Keating, in making the selective choices he has about media appearances, has been cowardly. And I would also like to add that we have had contact from very, very many serving soldiers who say that he will not be missed.
JIM MORA: All right, so you’re seeking further elucidation from the outgoing Chief of Defence before he finally departs.
PAULA PENFOLD: I am. He said when we fronted up to him at parliament that he will not be tried by media, to which I said, That’s not the intent, the intent is simply to answer, uh, to ask you some questions. That’s all we want to do.
JIM MORA: Paula Penfold, Allan Blackman on the Panel. Thank you both.
My name is Kate Marvel, and I’m a climate scientist at Columbia University and the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. I want to stress that nothing I say here reflects the official view of these institutions, although it damn well should……
……Burning fossil fuels puts carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This makes the planet warmer. We have known this for over a hundred years, longer than we’ve known about DNA and internet and second world wars.
Asking a climate scientist whether global warming is real is like asking a physicist how come stuff falls down. We’ve learned things over the past few centuries, and we use these things to ask new and more interesting questions. This is why the collider at CERN is not just a giant inclined plane that people roll things down to see what happens, and why modern chemists do more than mix vinegar and baking soda together (I assume; I don’t know many chemists).
I don’t mean to suggest that there’s no science left to do. After all, I show up to work every day. Some people believe this is because I am engaged in a global conspiracy that has somehow managed to coordinate the actions of scientists, the US military, the finance and insurance industries, most world governments, and, you know, the atmosphere and ocean. Such a conspiracy may exist, but I’m afraid I am not invited to their meetings, which sound much more fun than your average scientific conference and probably have open bars. But I do my job precisely because there’s still so much to learn about this planet.
channel 31. newborn enrollments bill seems like the first step on the road to microchipping all newborns. nicky wagner mangling the walk the walk saying now. trying to justify microchipping babies.
Good Morning The Am Show I hope those people who are working on the new weed bill actually change the laws so we get benefits to our society like less people in jail and our sick people have it for medication .What makes me laugh is that 50 years later some American industrialist decided to minuplate OUR reality on weed and get it classed as a harm full drug a medicine that nuns used to help people with pains .
Don’t you think Its a joke that because these people want to make money from alcohol .Thats the reason it was made illegal just so the 00.1% could make more money from the common people .These wealthy corrupt minuplaters are still effecting OUR logical decisions on OUR future come on use your own brain on this subject. And lets use all the things the Gods gave us in a positive way.
Ka kite ano P.S Mark I like watching the Block show I have watched it from the first show they had in Australia its Awsome.
I say you are a straight up Kiwi Eco Maori likes those good quality’s
These people like to create drama they use race and religion and skin color to stir up tangata emotions they don’t care who gets hurt from the words they spray around Papatuanuku. Lets get this straight it not about skin color or religion to Eco Maori every Maori knows that we cannot denie our European heritage we just want to be treated the same as our European cousins Equality is were its at for Eco Maori.
So its not about skin color or religion its about ones attitude and the way they treat other peoples . You don’t go around Papatuanuku broad casting a attitude that you are superior to every other Great culture on Papatuanuku and imposing your ideals on the rest of Papatuanuku especially when we know that those ideals will create chaos and unrest all around Papatuanuku . It is harmony that Te tangata of Papatuanuku needs and wants to sort out the mess we have made to Papatuanuku.s Environment
This is a typical way that some people try and cover there true colors
Zero-carbon economy may not be worth the cost they use a word like may or could to make the audience think they are a neutral by stander giving there opinion.
In reality they are a right wing neo libreal who’s main goal is to be swimming in money .
They think we can’t see through there false facts and figure’s and see he is a climate change denier.
What really shows the real person they are is that they show more affection to MONEY than any of the other beautiful beings that are on Papatuanuku at the minute .
And that——————Eco Maori the link is below ka kite ano
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 25 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/105732494/us-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-laughs-off-lock-her-up-chant-at-dc-speech
Deep State mocks voters who still believe their voice and the rule of law matter.
Most commentary I’ve read are saying he joined in as the top law maker in the US and once again showed what a t.rump arsehole he is.
I read Mike Hosking’s piece telling the people in the Bella Vista episode to accept the offer and move on: “It’s not right, it’s not fair, but the Bella Vista fight isn’t worth it.”
I understand some of the sentiment but it’s easy for someone well off telling others to suck it up and accept they’ve been done over. I can imagine some situations where his voice would be encouraging fighting to the end and vigorously slamming the miscreant party. And vigorously exhorting others to hammer them.
The thing is, as he would say, we don’t know why he uses that voice. In my memory still is that he was an ‘ambassador’ for Skycity and there was no way that could not affect his perspective or voice.
That sounds like financial advice – I hope he is suitably qualified and has indemnity insurance.
Reading a mike hoskin piece is a fail right away. Do not pass go, do not collect a damaged masserati.
Damaged masserati? What are you on about?
Quite. It was a munted Alfa.
Sad to see no lesson learnt after Leaky buildings and our new rush to resource consent everything without adequate regulations in place.
Also sad to see the victims and those who pay millions for the screw ups are still the homeowners who bought the houses and in particular the rate payers.
Those that will get away with out much liability are those that allowed the land to be built on without adequate engineering, the private companies and developers that put in poor building and resource plans and those that approved them at council, the management at council that allow this to occur and those that did poor building work but was still signed off by poor council inspectors.
Party this is also due to bad regulations in NZ under the RMA and building code, a free market approach to standards and the ability for practically any plans to be approved due to our rubber stamping resource consenting of such narrow interpretation of effects and risks so that it is hard to fail any consent. Our system is getting worse now because it takes tens of thousands to challenge a resource consent, and the system is designed to rubber stamp consents because most effects are not allowed to be challenged and therefore it does not actually produce safe and long term construction and safe and fair allocation of resources. But poor quality and expensive construction and unfair allocation of resources and risks.
The winners are the lawyers and those that grabbed their quick dirty profit from NZ flawed process of the construction industry.
The MSM at its worst, shitstirring and whipping up controversy over nothing just to sell more copy.
“Winston Peters demands Australia changes its flag”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12094528
Next we’ll hear the view from Australia who no doubt will react with outrage. And so it starts….
The establishment media agenda has consistently been to play gotcha with Winston Peters, to paint him as an eccentric flake, or the tail wagging the dog, or as an erratic loose cannon.
The establishment media resents the way he won’t treat them as equal players in the political game and instead humiliates them by refusing to answer their questions and being sarcastic.
That’s pretty much my take on it too. You get the impression the media see themselves as the real power in this democracy of ours and don’t take kindly to anyone challenging or threatening their reign.
There was an interesting article by Tracey Watkins about the media attitude to Peters. She seems of the view that Peters enjoys ‘baiting’ the media and that it’s a bit of a game between consenting adults. I can’t see that, there’s far too much malice and personal animus for it to be that innocent.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/105058015/give-winston-peters-a-fair-go-rather-than-firing-him-for-being-a-tad-late
Good move by Greens. Hopefully to be rolled out as law for all politicians and local government!
Green Party Ministers open diaries to public
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1807/S00190/green-party-ministers-open-diaries-to-public.htm
Protest is not a crime
“Repeal the Anadarko Amendment”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/105614395/greenpeace-activists-oil-ship-protest-was-just-low-level-disobedience
A poll today on Newshub said 89% say they dont go for dental repairs because of the high cost.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/07/poll-do-you-need-to-go-to-the-dentist-but-are-currently-putting-it-off-due-to-fear-or-cost.html
Poll: Do you put off going to the dentist due to fear or cost?
3 hours ago
Former health minister Dame Annette King says dental therapists could help provide affordable oral health care to older Kiwis, but first they need their own regulatory body.
Her comments are a major push on the right to affordable dental care for adults and the “key role” that dental therapists could play in making dental care more available.
Do you need to go to the dentist, but are currently putting it off due to fear or cost?
Vote in The AM Show poll below.
I did for years until it was too late. Ended up costing me around 4 to 5k.
Would have been in the hundreds of I’d done it when I should have.
It’s not that expensive. Go to a dental hygienist once a year and it will save you a bucket load
Yeah.
And paying your electriticity bill off on time gets you a prompt payment discount.
And not going into debt for basic living items means that you don’t pay interest.
And registering your car on time means you don’t get pinged for a couple of hundred if you happen to get a parking ticket because you couldn’t bail from work to shift your car because you’re not the boss.
And installing solar panels and a wind turbine will give you cheaper electricity.
Ain’t it grand how the more money someone has, the less they actually need to spend? /sarc
I havnt been for ten years or more my vote would be scrap the nxt major motorway extension for a few years and give everyone in the country free dentistry instead !
Oh dear. This is so sad. Another high ranking official at the Misery of Health appears to have finally found the exit….
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/105712034/top-ministry-of-health-official-michael-hundleby-on-gardening-leave
Media articles featuring the good work done by this senior public Servant are legion…but this one kind of sums it up….
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/84952020/Bad-blood-or-sly-moves-Canterburys-health-funding-puzzle
“Yet for some reason, Canterbury’s finances are being kept on such a tight leash that CDHB’s annual accounts show it is actually getting less Government money this year than it might have done if there had never been any earthquakes to contend with.
In a nutshell, pre-quake CDHB used to get 11.3 per cent of national funding. Today – despite a rebuilding programme which will be the biggest in New Zealand hospital history – that share has dropped to 10.94 per cent.
And for mental health, last year CDHB was funded $222 per head of population compared to a national average of $243. This year, the disparity grew even greater with Canterbury getting $207 against a national average of $251.
Not surprisingly this is creating angry comment. Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend recently said the funding gap was “negative interference” from Wellington.
And many, like Labour health spokesperson Annette King, believe a dysfunctional relationship between the MoH and CDHB lies at the heart of this systematic under-funding.
King says when it comes to talk of the possibility of a personality clash, it is easy to point to some history.”
A sad, sorry saga which points to a level of vindictiveness and arrogance that sums up what was allowed, nay, even encouraged, under the previous Government.
A pity Clark is claiming to be unaware of any issues with Hundleby’s relationship with the beleaguered DHBs.
Maybe he is practicing diplomacy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE
It seems suspicious about MOH when you hear of dysfunction with the Christchurch Health Board. A similar attitude situation to Waikato DHB? I think, where the exec there didn’t give them the whole picture of their needs. And IIRR this was because people at the top didn’t want to know, perhaps because they thought it would be bad for their own health and wellbeing!
Hundleby and the MoH, Director-General [Chuah] both sound like ratbags sent by the former National Government to slash and cut services to save lying John Keys’ corrupt administration.
They did this over the former “emergency dental subsidy” Labour had in place before 2008 and national scrapped in 2009.
Those two worked together at the CDHB back in the day…https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/67464926/bureaucrat-faced-probe-into-pay
Cronyism being a hallmark of the Previous Gummint it was hardly surprising these two would stay close over the years.
There are others at the Misery of Health with similar close working history who are hopefully feeling a little less secure right now.
And I know that NZ is a small country and it would be difficult to find higher- ups who had not worked together previously at some stage. But one has to carefully scrutinize performance under these circumstances to ensure that poor performance and attitudes do not become accumulative.
http://www.ssc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/pif-review-health-dec2017.pdf
(p 56 tells the story.)
They did this over the former “emergency dental subsidy” Labour had in place before 2008 and national scrapped in 2009.
cleangreen, you really need to check your facts before posting. (I was flabbergasted a month or so ago when you put up a comment on TDB claiming how bad WINZ had been since it was part of MBIE. It has never been under MBIE. It is part of MSD and has been for years.)
I am by no means trying to defend the National Govt (couldn’t stand them) but they did not “scrap” (ie remove) the “emergency dental grant” of $300 per year. WINZ simply did not give out many of these grants – or advance loans for dental work – over the period of National being the Government.
See this 2015 article – https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/272803/shrinking-winz-dental-loans
However, these provisions for Emergency Dental Grants ($300 per year) and repayable loans for dental work remained on the books and are available again now – see these up to date links to the WINZ website. (The website was revamped about a month or so ago to be much more informative and positive, and less punitive. Some related websites such as the Citizens Advice one have not yet caught up with the much better WINZ information.)
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/health-and-disability/dental-treatment.html#null
I can confirm that WINZ are again giving out both Emergency Dental Grants AND loans for emergency dental work – because just in the last six weeks I was granted both the non-repayable $300 Grant and a loan to cover costs over the $300.
I actually mentioned that here on TS yesterday when I reported the much better experiences I have had dealing with WINZ over the last month or so. https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-24-07-2018/#comment-1506230
My partner applied for a loan from WINZ to address some serious dental issues and we were told to use the last of our meagre savings first. Fair enough…but that’s our ‘disposal of our rotting corpses’ money so the kids are not left out of pocket. (Short explanation here…some years of struggling on the Invalid’s/ Supported Living Payment had seen both my tetraplegic partner and myself deny ourselves the pleasure of professional dentistry. Transitioning to the super Super mean’t we could just afford to pay back a WINZ loan…Peter’s teeth being in such a state that chewing food was difficult and choking a very real danger. (In days of old, Peter’s dentistry was done at the local hospital that was better equipped to accommodate wheelchair and transfers and dodgy breathing and potentially hazardous spasticity.)
“We have funeral grants you know.” said disturbingly cheerful WINZ Senior Citizens section worker.
So, The Offspring are instructed to dump our rotting corpses at the door of the local WINZ office.
I have done some minor activism and lobbying to remind the Current Incumbents that they promised to make WINZ as less horrible place where you can depend on getting kicked while your begging for help. Our Waikato Central Office has (the last time I checked) removed the cones blocking the disabled parking places but the uniformed security guards were still doing the ‘are you on our clipboarded list?…if not bugger off!’ thing in Kaitaia a couple of weeks ago.
I am pleased you got the cuddles and hugs treatment veutoviper and it’s great that you’ve been able to go and beg at WINZ after having had awful negative experiences in the past.
For some its going to take a while longer before we’re willing to put our heads on the block.
Rosemary, I have followed your and Peter’s situation for many years, and really admire you for what you have done and fought for and support you in this. I have lived with some disabilities all of my life, nothing like Peter’s but enough to cause discomfort and pain, limit my mobility and what I could do sportwise etc when growing up, and result in some major surgery when younger. I managed a full life and career and by rights should have been comfortable in my retirement. It was not to be, thanks to a corrupt financial advisor and the loss of decades of retirement savings, and the onset/diagnosis of two further major health problems at the same time which have caused further deterioration in mobility etc. Hence my personal experiences of WINZ over more recent years both sides of 65.
I understand your negativity etc and why you are reluctant to have any faith that things will change for the better. I too have been fighting for change in respect of those with disabilities in my own way behind the scenes both during my career and since retirement, having worked in the Wellington public service/parliament bubble.
I still maintain a degree of cynicism but also believe that change is slowing coming but it will not happen overnight. As well as my recent experiences I reported above and yesterday, a few weeks ago I also reported here on TS small improvements I saw at the Newtown WINZ service centre – eg I was not checked in per se by the security staff, much more welcoming greeting from reception, sign for toilets etc. Small seemingly superficial changes, but nevertheless small steps forward. It may take longer to see these changes at more remote centres.
” I managed a full life and career and by rights should have been comfortable in my retirement.”
Peter too. He returned to his full time mainstream job and kept at that for 30 years or so. He saved. He was financially prudent. He took responsibility for his health. His comfortable retirement was pretty much stuffed when he had the audacity to think that “an ordinary life” that those with disabilities were told told aspire to included a partner and children in it.
No. The partner and children are counted as de facto ‘assets and means’ when it comes to the allocation for funding for disability supports.
The only good thing is that had we not have shacked up in 1999, by 2001 he would have been bundled off from his own home and into a residential facility as this was when the Ministry of Health refused to fund the types of advanced personal care he needs.
We only found this out in 2002 when we sought external carers so I could address my own health needs. We always thought that the option was there for having outside help so I could return to work.
There’s been National and Labour and National and now Labour again…its going to take something fairly dramatic to convince me that with respect to non ACC disabled the colour of the flashing lights on the roundabout is the only thing that’s changed.
IMHO MoH has been a disaster area for years; ditto the overall the lack of support for disability issues across the board in the ps. I saw a number of good people go into MoH and come out wrecks. Personally I did not ever consider going to work there (or ACC) – although I would have liked to work in the disabilities area. Anyway, all we can do is go on fighting if necessary – and support one another. Hang in there, Rosemary.
Heh. RWNJs are trying to scaremonger about vocally progressive Dems like Ocasio-Cortez by talking about actual policies. It’s not going too well.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/fox-news-ocasio-cortez-scares-helping-democratic-socialists.html?via=homepage_taps_top
Poor bloke – terrible terrible situation.
“Novichok victim Charlie Rowley has revealed how he blames himself over girlfriend Dawn Sturgess’ death – after giving her the Novichok nerve agent that killed her as a gift.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12094845
What a jerk. Where did he find this nerve agent? If you are going to pick things up cheap, caveat emptor. If you are going to pick things up from the ground or dumpster even more so. You’re running the risk of cheap and nasty. He should have just pinched some flowers out of the park for a bouquet. Probably they would have just brought on hayfever.
wtf
You’re the jerk.
+11111
+1
it’s a weird story. Why would anybody leave a perfume bottle laced with novichok in a sealed container, in a public place? Is this credible?
Or maybe he intervened in a drop?
Seems reasonable to me that they did the deed, walked away, and dropped the murder weapon as soon as possible.
You have to remember that, regardless of who did it, we are talking about professional sociopaths here. They might have a moral framework that constrains their activities to the interests of the state or highest bidder, but we’re not talking about people with much empathy or care for fellow human beings. And they probably had quite a bit of desensitisation training to get that way.
Their priority is to do the job and escape without detection. As soon as the contamination was done, the bottle is a liability that connects them to the crime. Disposal is the concern, safe disposal is not.
Seems reasonable to me that they did the deed, walked away, and dropped the murder weapon as soon as possible.
But the survivor is reported to have found the perfume bottle in a “sealed container” ie still in a cellophane wrapper.
Maybe merely the cap on. Maybe it was a spare and there’s another lying around that was un”sealed” in order to apply it.
The “oily” description was interesting. Easier to apply, more weatherable, less likely to leak.
No. It was the box that was sealed, and disguised as a legitimate perfume, according to the Guardian:
As others have said, the story has probably had the ‘Chinese Whisper’ treatment but I did find this bit odd….
“He said he was struggling to remember where he had originally found the item but was convinced it was legitimate, as it looked like it hadn’t been used, “Which made me think it was quite safe,” he said.”
I don’t think I’m on my own when I say I can point to exactly where I have found items of value decades after I discovered them. A phone, a wallet, a new bottle of perfume…don’t we all remember exactly where we picked items like this up?
Yeah, but are you a “scavenger” who routinely picks up a lot of stuff from all over, and are now recovering from neurotoxin poisoning?
Oh cool, good link.
I reckon it was probably a spare then. Or maybe the first drop was in the wrong location, they got a replacement, and that was the lost bottle. Shit sometimes goes pear-shaped.
If it was one of the Bill-style scenarios where the poisoning was an accident that the Skripal’s didn’t want to own up to, then the box wouldn’t have been held with no symptoms for days until it was opened. Besides, they could have just said “strange person sold me perfume, now I feel funny”.
Back up supplies, in case first lot wasted. Of course, just speculation …
Or back up team, with supplies in case first team failed.
Possibly.
Snap! With McFlock above. LOL.
Speculation, à la ‘Tinker Tailor’, is such fun. The ‘back up team‘ ditched their standard issue Novichok-laced perfume kit before they realised that the primary team had failed in their ‘mission’.
Teams 3 and 4 are just itching for Sergei to let his guard down. The evil Ruskies have secret supplies of Novichok cached all over Salisbury – beware of smelly knobs.
I was waiting to see who bit. Congratulations, Drowsy. LOL
Something, well a few things, don’t quite add up.
I’m not going to waste time right now going back through news reports from weeks ago but this latest report has the poisoned perfume in a spray bottle which somehow the ubiquitously named Charlie managed to “spill” on his hands.
Hmmm…now, its been a while since I last treated myself to a bottle of Yardley’s Lavender, but if memory serves a spray bottle of perfume is sealed…you don’t spill it, you squirt it.
If it were a leaking bottle…there could be no squirting…as it couldn’t squirt…but it might spill.
Very confusing, and by design, methinks.
from the above linked Guardian article, it seems the Rowley attached the spray nozzle to the bottle:
okay…so since the last time I bought perfume one can buy spray bottles to fill with the perfume of one’s choice. BUT…I’ll bet that the high- end perfumes will be sold in totally sealed and tamper proof bottles. One’s suspicions would surely be aroused if the quality scent you’d scavenged from somewhere for your lady love was in a bottle with a removable top. Since you claim it came/was found under a hedge in intact packaging.
Or not.
This is all very entertaining, but methinks we are trying to make sense of a story that has been poorly constructed.
By design.
Some perfumes aren’t even supposed to be sprayed, but dabbed.
You could possibly attach a spray part from something else to them, though, if you’re a bit of a bodger.
Dunno about by design – we’re on the other side of the planet reading edited details from stories written by people who might or might not be unconsciously adding their own assumptions.
But there will be a coronial inquest now.
Seems to me that there would be fail safes if some of that poison was lost or damaged ie multiple samples – If a dead drop wasn’t used then the contents would be discarded. Hardly a big stretch imo.
It is not credible…
Pretty certain I read reports from the past few days claiming the bottle was broken.
Which (McFlock!) kinda dovetailed into my “what else fits the evidence, bar attempted assassination of a long since dealt with/to spy” muckings around.
And then I read that report that, no, the bottle was boxed, and I thought “Who dumps boxed consumer goods “just because”?”
Then I thought – What if the container was leaking and the contents had permeated the wrapping, got onto hands – from hands to car interior and door handle – from door handle to PC Whatisname…. ? (Yawn)
And whatnot and whatever, I’m fairly persuaded the person who took the stuff into Britain is already a “guest” of UK authorities.
And I’m pretty sure we’ll likely never be told why it was smuggled into the country, who wanted it smuggled into the country, or who the intended victim/target was.
I’m sure this will have been posted before…but hey, can’t get enough of a good thing.
https://syrianobservatoryforhumanwrongs.wordpress.com/2018/07/09/an-idiots-guide-to-the-skripal-affair/
”
“Hmm”
By Panopticon
A sad, funny story of Sergei and Yulia –
not ‘funny ha-ha’, but funny peculiar…
One Sunday in March they decided to eat
at a nice little café, then stopped at a seat
where they both felt unwell at the very same minute –
now I think that’s quite a coincidence, ‘innit?
So an ambulance came for the pair, as requested.
But when they were studied, and prodded, and tested,
nefarious substances in them were found –
and not only there, but spread all around
old Salisbury town, up hill and down valley –
(the High Street is now known as ‘Chemical Alley’).
A passing D.S. who just happened to be there,
was poisoned like them when he went off to see where…..”
A RadioNZ heading for a newa item ‘Honours for Australian cave divers’.
Have these gone to political journalists reporting the truth of the goings-on of the Australian Parliament?
Your empathy etc antenna is really “off” this morning, grey, with this off remark, and the one about the Novichok victim at 10.1.
Honours for the Adelaide doctor and other Australian cave divers who took part in the rescue of the Thai cave victims have been fast tracked by the Australian government following public pressure. Here is the RNZ item:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018655100/honours-for-australian-cave-divers
Grey, the one thing you have posted this morning of any merit IMO is your post about the excellent item on Nine to Noon re people trapped in insurmountable debt because of increased charges and punitive treatment by big banks and other financial institutions – and the fact that submissions to the government close next week on the review of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act.
BUT you posted that on yesterday’s Daily Review rather than here on OM where more people are likely to see it.
https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-24-07-2018/#comment-1506554
For people interested – and I highly recommend it – here is the link to the RNZ Nine to Noon indepth item on this.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018655098/living-and-retiring-in-debt
“…. with this off remark, and the one about the Novichok victim at 10.1.”
I assumed that Grey had read/watched some of the alt commentary around the ‘scent bottle found somewhere just lying around so I gave it to her and she squirted it all over even though it would have smelt like catspiss’ story and was being oblique, and not just a tad ironic. (one of the Young People was youtubing such stuff last night and I made a point of doing some extra verifying)
Play nice folks.
I though we agreed ages ago that the real story will never be known.
may never be known not will never be known imo
I don’t tolerate victim blaming from anyone especially when it is vindictive against a person who has just lost someone they care about.
I really feel for these people – so fast and devastating – and the human side of hugging and huddling with family and friends when death is there – brings it all home and makes it real cos we would do the same.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/24/greek-fire-survivors-all-we-have-seen-is-tragedy-and-loss
So many homeless and dead and the countryside devastated. I am thinking of these people suffering there today and tomorrow.
And I wonder what long term effect it will have.
“The dam is a key component of the country’s controversial ambition to become the “battery of Asia” by selling power to its neighbours. Eleven large hydropower dams on the main Mekong River, and 120 tributary dams, are planned over the next 20 years.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/24/laos-dam-collapse-hundreds-missing
That’s devastating.
Okay. So Guyon Espiner is not everyone’s cuppa and his interviewing style, mmmmm, grates a tad, but he is making some good points in his piece here…
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/362574/the-green-party-needs-to-speak-up
There’s little twixt NZF and the Greens…% of votewise…so maybe the Greens need to find an area in which they can distinguish themselves?
An area neglected by the other parties.
An area in which Green advocacy has been outstanding in the past.
The direction was set when agreements were made after the election. The dominant people in the Labour caucus always favoured NZF over the Greens. That was evident to me, even before the election.
The Greens got limited possibilities for traction within the cabinet.
Davidson is still finding her feet and could well make an impact in the future. Genter has had some impact, and probably will do so in the future.
Meanwhile, unless a woman politician goes the celebrity route (Ardern) or the brutal sensationalist route (Judith Colllins & Paula Bennett) it’s not so easy for women leaders to get cut through into the MSM.
I got a reply from Genter the other day which leaves me wondering if perhaps she has conserved her energies and attention and focused on issues other than MOH disability issues. Fair enough…she’s off on maternity leave soon.
“…it’s not so easy for women leaders to get cut through into the MSM.”
Catherine Delahunty, although not a “leader”, managed to get in the front of a few issues and gave awesome support to the family carers case.
A pity the Greens have no-one to step into the disability field now.
Or a Green’s person could go on morning TV, and when Mike Hosking does a pro-Trump spiel at them, shout at him, “Look I’m literally a communist, you idiot”. And then wait for communism to become the new cool in NZ…?
This is what Ash Sarkar shouted at Piers Morgan on UK morning TV – instant fame and media attention.
The video interview with Sarkar by Owen Jones at the link is fun – she has a story about her mum meeting a flatulent Mao Tse Tung.
So it’s apparently about making communism (or is it anarcho-syndacalism) fun – and becoming a celebrity in the process.
But will it only be 15 minutes of fame?
“Meanwhile, unless a woman politician goes the celebrity route (Ardern) or the brutal sensationalist route (Judith Colllins & Paula Bennett) it’s not so easy for women leaders to get cut through into the MSM.”
I don’t think Judith Collins has gone that route for cut through but rather shes taking the route she believes in
3-cars Collins?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98513231/just-three-cars-destroyed-under-crusher-collins-law
“When I passed this legislation in 2009, I said that confiscating and destroying the vehicles of the worst, repeat offenders would be the ultimate deterrent,” Collins said last year.
“Critics of this law have completely missed the point. The number of deaths, injuries and crashes due to illegal street racing have plummeted.
“This shows that the law has been an extremely effective deterrent. It has made our streets safer and saved lives.”
According to figures released by Collins’ office, there were 15 crashes where “racing” was a factor in 2015, compared to 70 crashes in 2001.
Racing-related crashes peaked in 2007, when there were 116 accidents, that number declined following the introduction of the crushing law, according to Collins’ figures.
Collins said the law sent a strong message and it had worked as intended.
Correlation != causation.
We need more than just her say so that it actually worked as intended.
I thought it was the fear of having a high-heeled Anne Tolley dance on their bonnets that did it!
Oh, come on, according puckish they’d be paying to see that.
“We need more than just her say so that it actually worked as intended.”
No we don’t.
For those of us who live in reality – yeah we do.
Pokemon Go related injuries have also declined. All hail the Soul Eater!
Soul Eater! You put that success down to Collins as well?
That, and the decline in lion-tamer injuries that occurred after she started to stalk the earth.
That she hasn’t been canonised yet is a crying shame
No, those are the tears of the sexual assault victims she laughed about.
What was that again?
double bunking
Double bunking, you mean what Labour is helping happen?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/105560303/doublebunking-booed-in-waikeria-prison-expansion-plan
“Double bunking in cells could increase the risk of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and reduce rehabilitation opportunities at Waikeria Prison, a cabinet paper says.”
That’s the stuff. Yes it’s wrong.
It’s even more wrong to joke about it. That’s the sort of sadism that makes collins nat leadership material.
Do you mean shot out of a canon? Better still, a cannon
We haven’t found a big enough cannon puckers.
Or one that spews bile.
As I’ve always said the Greens are Labours doormat, ever since the Greens said no to even talking with National Labour have known that they can take the Greens for granted
All the Greens would have to do is announce they’re willing to talk with National, just talk nothing else, and they’d get a much better deal from Labour
Maybe the Kermadecs would go ahead, maybe there wouldn’t be exploration in dolphin sanctuaries, who knows but at the moment NZFirst and Labour know they can dish out whatever they like to the Greens and the Greens will say thank you very much Sir
Yes, but at least after 9 long years Labour got back and Greens in government… so the coalition can’t have been that bad a move for them both… of course now is their chance so do something meaningful for voters so they vote them back in… and not get too arrogant and out of touch or pander to those that don’t actually vote for them at the expense of many others, aka big business and foreign policy …
The doormat could yet prove slippery for Labour, but more likely the analogy doesn’t apply as much as you think – too early to differentiate yet. I agree with those who’d like a little more of a Greens taking a definite stand on issues, but I sympathise with our parliamentarians feeling the need to be good team players.
Next month’s conference they’ll want to suss out how attendees are feeling about them. Y’know, ain’t a surprise to see Greens motivated to work for the common good. The government is the main focus for that currently, yet we remain anchored in the broader Green movement so we don’t lose focus on the big picture either.
Re Nats, the ball’s in their court. We keep waiting for them to toss it our way, they keep doing their ineffective opposition act. Just another way SB is failing to demonstrate political nous & leadership.
I mean hey NZFirst only has billions to buy a safe seat and what do the Greens get, the crumbs and then Labour will take credit for whatever positive story the Greens come up with anyway
“Re Nats, the ball’s in their court. We keep waiting for them to toss it our way, they keep doing their ineffective opposition act”
No. I’m not talking about serious discussions I mean the Greens simply saying they’re open to discussions, thats all they need to do.
They don’t need to announce anything, they don’t need to formulate nothing, all they need to do is say we’re open to discussion.
But they can’t even do that
Very wise of them and comes about because they tell the truth.
Well true I mean its only 2 billion (and counting) that NZFirst managed to claw out of Labour, its not like the Greens couldn’t have found a use for any of that
Too early in the electoral cycle. Nats could be brainstorming the support party scenario, not quite ready to do strategic planning.
Re Labour taking credit for Green initiatives, to an extent that will happen. Some will note the greening of the Labour Party as better late than never. Others will hallucinate them morphing into the Green Labour party. Inasmuch as career politicians always put their career ahead of common cause, some of our leftist MPs may even hope for such a future and join them if it happens. Zero-sum thinking is a powerful political tradition.
My guess is that the friendship formed between Jacinda & James in London 12 years ago is just as likely to extend the status quo in the hope of embedding their collaboration in a multi-term future of governance. In MMP strength derives from parties collaborating – not from union into a monolith.
I’m inclined to agree with you. Winston’s approach is largely why he wields the leverage he does.
“We will work with any party that our members feel will best accommodate our core principles.” I think it’s a reasonable position to adopt.
Commentators will query “So you’d work with National?”
“If they start ticking off items on our wish-list, our members will listen to what any seat winning party has to say.” A response of this order is not a sell-out. As per Puckish and NZ First’s form, I think it could generate increased influence in decisions.
“I mean hey NZFirst only has billions to buy a safe seat and what do the Greens get, the crumbs and then Labour will take credit for whatever positive story the Greens come up with anyway”
Labour are allowing the Greens to be the face of new climate related charges/taxes. Like increasing the cost of dumping waste.
One wonders if the Greens have anything to offer the poor to help them mitigate those new additional costs?
I’ve been watching the Vietnam series on nettyflix – just up to may 1970. Very sobering and sad. Such a waste of everything and the poor innocents caught up in the middle – being killed, children crying over dead parents and parents crying over dead children. The past shows the lessons which we just refuse to learn. And people continue to be murdered – t.rump is leading the US deeper into these dark dark times again imo.
https://youtu.be/YdVMGKOFIwY
Thanks Neil for writing that song.
Bridget Burdett
@Bridget_Burdett
Entire thread needs reading.
People who think that self-driving cars will eliminate congestion and be more efficient than good public transport are simply refusing to accept reality.
These sorts of Islamophobic media releases are really unnecessary…
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/kuwaiti-social-media-star-ignites-backlash-over-racist-video-20180725-p4ztfw.html
Breaking. The Canadian neo-nazis are not coming to NZ. Court action by Freeze Peach Coalition called off. Canadian couple claims victory according to RNZ… eh?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/105744525/rightwing-canadian-speakers-visit-canned-legal-action-on-back-burner
Why are they so intent on challenging the Council?
Yeah a partial victory…..
Yessss
We got all this money….
Stable genius managed to go bust with casinos and Manhattan real estate.
‘Murica, it’s your turn.
President Trump on Tuesday is expected to announce help for farmers who are being hit hard by billions of dollars in tariffs on their products.
The Trump administration, which has been talking about providing emergency aid to the agriculture industry, could offer upward of $12 billion in help to calm rising concerns about the trade war that could hit U.S. farmers hardest, Politico first reported.
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/398542-trump-expected-to-announce-help-for-farms-hard-hit-by-tariffs
David has just signed off the equity for workers in the mental health and addiction services today. $3.00 an hour for 5000 aprox $5.00 an hour for a number and backpay.
Jolly good show.
Should have been the first job done when Parliament came back after the Xmas break as it was an obvious and serious omission when the care workers were sorted.
Now, about David’s ‘diplomacy’ regarding Hundleby…
” Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell said in his view he got on well with Hundleby on a personal level, but was acutely aware that district health board staff “found him very abrasive”.
Powell said Hundleby had never developed a trust relationship with district health boards, or realised the importance of doing so.
Health Minister Dr David Clark told Stuff he was “not aware of any particular issues”. ”
‘Cos David would be the only person involved in the NZ health sector…ie, who has a pulse…who wasn’t aware of issues with this person.
But Nurses have not been offered backpay for a MECCA that expired a year ago, and Mental Health workers given a higher % than offered nurses, another offer today, just the same as the previous three. Expect more strike action.
Since most Nurses work for the DHBs and the relationship between the DHBs and the MOH Executive as been described as ‘toxic’ and David isn’t aware of that particular issue, then yes…expect more strike action. And more power to their collective elbow.
OTOH…these headlines being promoted by the Right…https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12094472
“Defence Minister confirms 17 NZDF nurses worked in hospitals during strike ”
…what on earth was that about???
Mental health workers earn shit all for very hard work. Just like nurses and they are different roles with different agreements and a different union. I fully support nurses and any action the members vote for.
Yep can’t wait for that backpay. Good work to all involved.
The disturbing story behind Willie Apiata’s Victoria Cross.
Paula Penfold challenges the “cowardly” Lt. Col. Tim Keating to come clean.
The Panel, RNZ National, Wednesday 27 June 2018
Jim Mora, Paula Penfold, Allan Blackman, Caitlin Cherry
Paula Penfold’s challenge starts at the 04:44 mark.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/audio/2018651165/panel-says
JIM MORA: …. Thank you, that’s interesting from you. Allan Blackman. And—Paula Penfold.
PAULA PENFOLD: I would like to talk about the soon to be departed Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Tim Keating, who I see has been doing a series of media interviews today. I haven’t heard it yet, unfortunately, but I understand he was on Nine to Noon this morning with Kathryn Ryan, and I know that he’s done at least one other interview with journalists, I imagine there are probably more. I find that intriguing, because we at Stuff Circuit have been asking Lieutenant General Keating for an interview for four years now. And, knowing that he was about to depart his post, we went to see him as he was departing a Select Committee a couple of weeks ago.
He wasn’t, I suppose it has to be said, best pleased to see us, but we did get to ask him a couple of questions because we have been doing this investigation for quite some time now. And after we published The Valley in August last year he put out a thirty-four page statement responding to much of what we said, and said that he would be investigating the allegations that we raised abut the 2004 battle in Uruzgan, which led to the Victoria Cross for Willie Apiata. Now I wanted to know what had happened with that investigation because he said that he would be responding publicly and then he never did, so I wanted to know whether that was going anywhere. And he said yes indeed, that it was undergoing a legal investigation but I’m interested in the fact that this man who, this Chief of Defence who held a conference on transparency in the NZDF at the end of last year, has elected to do some media interviews, and I’m sure those journalists did a very good job, but they’re not the ones who have been investigating and publishing these allegations; we are, and he won’t answer my questions.
I’ve issued a public apolog— uh, “apology”!—a public invitation to him on this very program previously to front up and answer some questions from us because these are allegations that are serious allegations about what our SAS troopers did in that firefight, including that we provoked that firefight ourselves, that we mistreated the bodies of the dead enemy by strapping them to the bonnets of our military vehicles and dropping them on the ground in the village bazaar, that we kicked in doors, and that we flexi-cuffed innocent civilians. He has not answered those questions. He does say that there’s an investigation under way, but he will be departed by the time that investigation is completed, and he said yes it’s the warrant of his office under which that investigation happens. But I thank that personally, as the, you know, chief executive of a government department, he should have fronted and answered those questions before he left. And so I think Lieutenant General Keating, in making the selective choices he has about media appearances, has been cowardly. And I would also like to add that we have had contact from very, very many serving soldiers who say that he will not be missed.
JIM MORA: All right, so you’re seeking further elucidation from the outgoing Chief of Defence before he finally departs.
PAULA PENFOLD: I am. He said when we fronted up to him at parliament that he will not be tried by media, to which I said, That’s not the intent, the intent is simply to answer, uh, to ask you some questions. That’s all we want to do.
JIM MORA: Paula Penfold, Allan Blackman on the Panel. Thank you both.
https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/the-valley/#
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/stuff-circuit/104709342/defence-boss-tim-keating-launches-investigation-into-2004-sas-raid
World respected scientific journal Scientific American has launched a new climate change column, headed by serving NASA scientist Kate Marvel.
Welcome to Scientific American’s New Climate Science Column
It’s about this beautiful, messy, funny, tragic planet and the terrible, wonderful humans who live here
Kate Marvel – June 8, 2018
channel 31. newborn enrollments bill seems like the first step on the road to microchipping all newborns. nicky wagner mangling the walk the walk saying now. trying to justify microchipping babies.
Good Morning The Am Show I hope those people who are working on the new weed bill actually change the laws so we get benefits to our society like less people in jail and our sick people have it for medication .What makes me laugh is that 50 years later some American industrialist decided to minuplate OUR reality on weed and get it classed as a harm full drug a medicine that nuns used to help people with pains .
Don’t you think Its a joke that because these people want to make money from alcohol .Thats the reason it was made illegal just so the 00.1% could make more money from the common people .These wealthy corrupt minuplaters are still effecting OUR logical decisions on OUR future come on use your own brain on this subject. And lets use all the things the Gods gave us in a positive way.
Ka kite ano P.S Mark I like watching the Block show I have watched it from the first show they had in Australia its Awsome.
I say you are a straight up Kiwi Eco Maori likes those good quality’s
These people like to create drama they use race and religion and skin color to stir up tangata emotions they don’t care who gets hurt from the words they spray around Papatuanuku. Lets get this straight it not about skin color or religion to Eco Maori every Maori knows that we cannot denie our European heritage we just want to be treated the same as our European cousins Equality is were its at for Eco Maori.
So its not about skin color or religion its about ones attitude and the way they treat other peoples . You don’t go around Papatuanuku broad casting a attitude that you are superior to every other Great culture on Papatuanuku and imposing your ideals on the rest of Papatuanuku especially when we know that those ideals will create chaos and unrest all around Papatuanuku . It is harmony that Te tangata of Papatuanuku needs and wants to sort out the mess we have made to Papatuanuku.s Environment
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/105625016/farright-canadian-speakers-lauren-southern-and-stefan-molyneux-granted-visas
Ka kite ano
This is a typical way that some people try and cover there true colors
Zero-carbon economy may not be worth the cost they use a word like may or could to make the audience think they are a neutral by stander giving there opinion.
In reality they are a right wing neo libreal who’s main goal is to be swimming in money .
They think we can’t see through there false facts and figure’s and see he is a climate change denier.
What really shows the real person they are is that they show more affection to MONEY than any of the other beautiful beings that are on Papatuanuku at the minute .
And that——————Eco Maori the link is below ka kite ano
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/105725231/zerocarbon-economy-may-not-be-worth-the-cost P.S I will try and be nice to these idiots The Christ Church Quakes was not directly connected to global warming but we can see that a disaster could be on the same scale and cost the same 40 billion
Ka pai E hoa the link is below
http://spy.nzherald.co.nz/spy-news/heartbreak-island-winner-gives-back-to-homeless/
Some Eco Maori music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wtfhZwyrcc&index=3&list=RDfKopy74weus