Open mike 25/11/2020
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6:00 am, November 25th, 2020 - 72 comments
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AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...5 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
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All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...1 week ago
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Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...2 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
- Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...3 days ago
- Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...3 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...4 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...4 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...4 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...5 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...5 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...5 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...5 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...5 days ago
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Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...5 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...6 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...6 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
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The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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“I have been advertising for chefs and cooks for over a week now on various platforms and I have had zero applications,” Roper said.
A week and her whinefest is in the papers? Entitled much?
Employers have had unrestricted access to migrant visas for so long that they have lost essential skills like hiring.
From real estate agents to pet groomers: These are the jobs that New Zealanders can't or won't do | Stuff.co.nz
i am in Queenstown at this very moment. Every second shop is advertising for staff so what the article says is very real.
A week is not a very credible period to be complaining over looking for staff. And, for working people, Queenstown is damned inconvenient, with accommodation costs so high it's basically not worth considering. As with most other "labour shortages" it will prove solvable when remuneration sufficiently exceeds cost of living.
You do wonder about these starry-eyed screw-ups though. Never thought to do any labour planning, but expect to fix everything in a week. Mark of what passes for professionalism in NZ – rofl.
If they're not getting applications the conditions they're offering are not meeting what the market demands.
Funny that.
A couple of added dynamics in Queenstown are covid and economic effects of.
Hospo workers aren’t that keen on working in an environment where they could contract it and have moved to safer jobs. The other is the economic health of the employer, the bar across the street from us has had more staff than punters during the day for the last few weeks. They can’t do that for long.
Good stable employers don’t seem to be having too much trouble, a barista job went at the Resort College last month and they had plenty of applicants and got a very good appointment in the process
Ms Roper is wanting cooks for a food truck.
Full time work?
Hours of work? Split shifts?
Pay rate?
Will Ms Roper be investing in her staff by upskilling, cross training, or help formalizing experience with courses?
It is what is not said in these articles that is most interesting.
What on earth do immigration think they are doing? I read page one and my jaw dropped. Accounting and clerical vacancies per the main websites are still running at around 60% of pre covid vacancies and there has been an abysmal training record in this area for years. This years grads plus some more training on the job for them would fill the bulk of this. Plus moving jobs outside Auckland instead of trapping them in the noe city. Plus these are female heavy occupations where unemployment has hit hard.
As to aircraft engineers – Air New Zealand laid off some of those. Why not let the market sort out those who can't offer a viable job – isn't this how it is supposed to work. Plus anyone who wants a visa should have to prove that they have provided training to anyone who wants to upskill.
When a person has a work visa do they need to have that visa tied to just the one job and for a specific period of time?
How long does the average worker last if not tied to the above?
There has been a few more of these landlord / tenant stories lately.
Auckland tenant's sons got angry, put 41 holes in walls and doors of rental | Stuff.co.nz
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/123416587/device-addiction-leading-to-increase-in-youth-violence-against-parents
Addiction to electronic devices appears to be fuelling an increase in serious violence caused by young people within the family home.
Triggered by disputes over devices, when parents put their foot down to limit access to the internet the reaction can be extreme – leading to property damage, serious assaults and threats to kill.
Nelson lawyer John Sandston, who was formerly the New Zealand Law Society’s inaugural youth justice spokesperson and has been a youth advocate for 25 years, said the trend seemed to have “come out of nowhere”.
“I can’t think of a case [in the Youth Court] in the past year or two where it hasn’t related to either a gadget such as a phone, or a game, or internet usage.
And it's wise to be wary of adopting any of the technology being pushed at you.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44765830
A recent report by the New York Times detailed examples of "technology-facilitated abuse".
This involves devices being activated remotely in order to cause fear or confusion – such as remotely altering the temperature or locking doors.
In my post a few days ago I set out the buildup of political judgement against the Reserve Bank putting $28billion of untagged debt into our banks.
Minister Robertson publically releasing his letter to the Reserve Bank yesterday is a hot political move.
The Reserve Bank was scheduled to hold its big media conference today. That makes this battle fully live.
Orr will be forced to explain what he is going to do about rising house prices as requested by the Minister of Finance.
Orr can continue to defend or demonstrate really clearly the positive effects of his policies.
Tail, meet Dog.
If Robertson wishes to force the RBNZ to do the governments job for them re house price inflation he in return will be forced to explain what alternative negative outcome the government prefers….be careful what you wish for.
Agree.
Feels like a bad ball offload.
exactly, do your job Grant and then let Orr do his. This govt needs to grow a pair and rip a few pages up.
A battle of egos? A battle for power? A PR battle, which pundits and MSM will love? I wonder on whose side the Opposition is …
It is telling the opposition are supporting Robertson.
If we wish the RBNZ to become politicians (and write policy) then perhaps we should add the role of RBNZ Governor to the voting ballot.
Supporting Robertson? They're saying hes doing what they told him to do !
Indeed they are….is that not support?
As close as an opposition party can get i spose
Orr should offer to just give Treasury a direct overdraft in future, rather than the effective equivalent of secondary market purchases. Its time, the public trusts the govt to fund itself.
Then he could offer to "reverse" the QE by writing off all the govt debt it now holds.
Is there a difference between Treasury and the Reserve Bank and if so what is it?
They are obviously the same organisation with two totally different names to confuse the natives.
The Treasury and the Reserve Bank have the following individual responsibilities:
https://www.treasury.govt.nz/about-treasury/our-work/key-relationships/relationship-reserve-bank-new-zealand
Thanks for the info.
Must the government heed the Treasury? What sanctions would be on the government for not doing so? Is there no room for government to act independently and not be eviscerated by the usual suspects?
Parliament is sovereign so no need to heed any body, but theoretically Treasury (or other departments) have the expertise that MPs dont necessarily have..however Governments are elected to govern so they have the obligation to make the decisions.
Am unsure who the 'usual suspects' are in your post
…oh, and would add theres no love lost between the RBNZ and Treasury and has been that way as long as I can remember
Well the usual suspects would likely be, the Opposition, possibly business interests like NZ Initiative, the bank economists, the Property owners and renters bodies, and anyone who is having their gravy train pushed to a siding from the main line.
Ah , those suspects….thats quite a lot of voters
State o play: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/431372/reserve-bank-governor-adrian-orr-defends-approach-tackling-inflation-amid-runaway-house-prices
Reading between the lines: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/25-11-2020/grant-robertson-v-adrian-orr-those-letters-decoded/
I find it really offensive and insulting that this has become a stoush between Robertson and the Reserve Bank. If this Labour were worth its salt it would immediately curb rampant house price inflation by imposing CGT on all but the family home. Tax the shit out of residential property speculators. It's not about "mum and dad investors' or "getting on the property ladder."
Get back into a huge state house building programme. Couple it with trade training schemes to upskill our own people. Invest in NZ firms which can provide modern spec, flat pack affordable houses.
The cause of poverty in NZ is unaffordable rents, which take up so much of benefits and low wages.
Oh, and get rid of landbankers, real estate agents, and property developers.
Ie what’s happened to core Labour vision and principles?
As a lifetime Labour voter, I’m struggling to make sense of it all.
Yet a week ago our PM was justifying the independence of the reserve bank and having a go at the opposition for suggesting to give RB direction. How quickly things change especially as the govt has been caught out being totally ineffective. But don't worry after being the government for 3 years they are looking for "I have also sought advice on further demand side measures that can add to the initiatives that we have already taken". Do your 🤬 job you were elected
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-review-housing-settings
"But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is concerned about influencing the Reserve Bank, which operates independently of the Government.
"That seems a significant departure for a political party in New Zealand to move away from what has been long-term consensus around the separation between politicians and the Reserve Bank," she said in response to National's suggestions.
"I'd say that is concerning. There's very good reason we have those separations."
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/11/national-s-call-to-ask-reserve-bank-hard-questions-on-rising-house-prices-concerns-jacinda-ardern.html
"There's very good reason we have those separations".
Someone should ask her, at a Press Conference preferably, to tell us what those reasons are. The stuttering and waffling would be a marvel to behold.
I don't believe she has the slightest idea what the reasons, if any, are.
to keep politicians (who are susceptible to public pressure) away from the levers
So how is our Finance minister writing a letter to the RB with suggestions on changing the remit regarding (un) affordability keeping politicians at arms length ? If we want the reserve bank distant from public pressure what then motivated our Min of Finance ?
"One proposal I am seeking advice from the Reserve Bank on is whether to include stability in house prices as a factor for consideration in the Remit when formulating monetary policy,"
the 'note' written to the RBNZ Governor was explicit in noting the Act was not going to be changed….it was Robertson playing politics (badly)
Sadly this gov has squandered the previous 3 years in power and are now intent on wasting the opportunity that Orr has been telling them to seize
Did you notice the reply he got from the RBNZ?
In response to the query asking whether they could include house prices in their work the response was very simple. It was "We already do so"
Yes read that and glad that the RB does pay attention – Think how the property market would be otherwise. Its not functioning for the benefit of the country currently and what of the social damage being caused as a unintended consequence of the policies put into place.
Totally agree. I have no problem with speculators but they should pay tax on capital gains in the same way we pay tax on our salaries.
Is it still possible to BDM Sodastream now that SnoopDogg is their brand ambassador?
Pressing issues of our time..
Though a frequent customer at a nice cafe, I wonder if the problem getting staff is that there are so many cafes in some places. Some may be struggling to cover costs. Is there a need for a food truck in Wanaka when there are likely to be several cafes already. Is accommodation hard to find there, which would deter some prospective chefs. Especially if the work is irregular.
There may be some places for single staff. But your better cooks do marry, just like folk in other professions. A family home in Queenstown would use up a salary on a par with Adrian Orr.
The tRump bot.
A coronavirus outbreak in Shanghai has been traced to two cargo handlers who cleaned a container that had just arrived from North America, Chinese health officials have said.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled at Shanghai’s Pudong International airport, one of the world’s busiest transport hubs, amid chaotic scenes caused by a sudden decision to test airport staff on Sunday.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/23/shanghai-covid-outbreak-traced-to-cargo-from-north-america
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300166361/we-know-were-privileged-to-be-here-but-were-also-all-youve-got-right-now
An accurate response to the shit that poured from Nash's mouth the other day.
They are welcome to apply for citizenship like anyone else.
The skill criteria of what we need are published for all to see.
With growing unemployment of our own people, we should hire our own people for our own stuff.
So ad..let's say you are a kiwi working in oz…and a local labour party supporter said that..what would your thoughts/reactions be..?..would you need those words and immediately decamp to the airport..?..or would you dismiss those words as xenophobic/nativist..?
So do you agree with what Nash said about freedom campers? Your tone suggests you do, but you haven't addressed the point of Zoe Hannah's piece, which was a direct response to Nash's remarks. You could get a job in Judith Collins' comms team.
Spaceships owner James Rolleston – who owns a fleet of 600 campervans with 0 toilets onboard, had the best subliminal line on this:
"We have 15 years of operating that business and we've put a huge amount of focus into education about how to camp, where to camp, how to look after the environment. It's actually a complex issue… I think just cubbyholing a business like Spaceship rentals is a bit rough."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/430923/tourism-providers-split-over-minister-s-freedom-camper-rhetoric
James Rolleston gains millions in rent rent by selling 600 "cubbyholes" for over 1200 people to live and work in. He should be treated as a landlord and subject to the same quality standards as a landlord.
He only gets away with being a slumlord by being classed a tourism operator.
In fact James Rolleston has duped tens of thousands of Zoe Hannah's into being willingly oppressed and enjoying the scenery while they shit all over it.
The Zoe Hannah's of this world should be stopped from entering at the border, and get in line for an actual sustainable job that is proven cannot be done by a New Zealander first.
'New zealand(er) first' ..there..!…fixed that for you…
I'm sure I saw you as an extra in The Grapes of Wrath
It's good you've made your position clear. It's a shame it's such a fucked up position. Blinkin' heck. Keep that up and Judith Collins will be knocking on your door very soon. The You and Stu Show. Fuck me. Nothing to say to that.
Bob's not dead.
https://popculture.com/music/news/bob-dylan-is-not-dead-despite-msnbc-on-air-report/
Last time he toured here his performance was so bad that he may as well have been dead.
Tens of millions suffering and the tRump gang blocks access to hundreds of billions of unspent relief appropriations.
Cruelty is the point.
https://twitter.com/AliVelshi/status/1330161985577684994
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will put $455 billion in unspent Cares Act funding into an account that his presumed successor, former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, will need authorization from Congress to use.
Mnuchin plans to place the money into the agency’s General Fund, a Treasury Department spokesperson said Tuesday. Moving the funds, the bulk of which had gone to support Federal Reserve emergency-lending facilities, will make it virtually impossible for Yellen, if confirmed by the Senate as Treasury secretary, to deploy on her own.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-24/mnuchin-to-put-455-billion-in-funds-out-of-yellen-s-easy-reach
THE FABLE
A DOG was lying upon a manger full of hay. An Ox, being hungry, came near, and offered to eat of the hay; but the envious, ill-natured cur, getting up and snarling at him, would not suffer him to touch it, Upon which the Ox, in the bitterness of his heart, said, A curse light on thee, for a malicious wretch, who wilt neither eat hay thyself, nor suffer others to do it.
THE APPLICATION
C. Whittingham (1814)
Envy is the most unnatural and unaccountable of all the passions. There is scarce any other emotion of the mind, however unreasonable, but may have something said in excuse for it; and there are many of these weaknesses of the soul, which, notwithstanding the wrongness and irregularity of them, swell the heart, while they last, with pleasure and gladness. But the envious man has no such apology as this to make; the stronger the passion is, the greater torment he endures, and subjects himself to a continual real pain, bv only wishing ill to others. Revenge is sweet, though cruel and inhuman; and though it sometimes thirsts even for blood, yet may be glutted and satiated. Avarice is something highly monstrous and absurd; yet, as it is a desire after riches, every little acquisition gives it pleasure; and to behold and feel the hoarded treasure, to a covetous man is a constant, uncloying enjoyment. But envy, which is an anxiety arising in our minds, upon our observing accomplishments in others, which we want ourselves, can never receive any true comfort, unless in a deluge, a conflagration, a plague, or some general calamity that should befal mankind: for, as long as there is a creature living, that enjoys its being happily within the envious man’s sphere, it will afford nourishment to his distempered mind: but such nourishment as will make him pine, and fret, and emaciate himself to nothing.
https://fablesofaesop.com/the-dog-in-the-manger.html
Fable: the new zealand labour party..
application: smear/cake it with neoliberal-incrementalism..
Something I saw last year and worth repeating this year.
Sorry can't locate the source.
"Black Friday Discounts Save 100% Stay at Home"
Lol
Too funny.
https://twitter.com/JohnFugelsang/status/1331401556265226240
Possibly not troo funny.
https://twitter.com/JaneLytv/status/1331382801984319488
Who knows. I hope it's incompetence.
TBF, if it turns out the app required identity details and despite years of being told to beware, users handed them over….
'Social Capital' hasn't been in the talk for a while. I'm just reading Bowling Alone – The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D Putnam. Big well backed with stats, good hypotheses, over 400 pages of good thinking. This updated version published 2000. Hopefully at a library near you – I had to request it.
There are heavy stats on how television has diminished communities and co-operative society. You can't goggle and boggle at the same time – it doesn't give you time to think before the next amazing scene, tragedy, kitten, whale, comes before you. Passivity is the name of the game, unless the game is watching sport!
Have you just come back from some sort of timewarp..?…where the deleterious outcomes from watching television is the moral-panic du jour..?…oh..!..what we'd give for those much simpler times back/again..eh..?
Almost spiteful Phillip Ure. Can you can the negative comments that I notice you specialise in amongst your so many contributions! I am looking for perspectives and solutions to our pressing problems in NZ and I don't need your superior opinions expressed in your sardonic way. They are not at all helpful.
If you leave doors wide open…I'm gonna walk right thru them…and that fretting over tv watching is such a door…you will be relieved to learn that the kids don't really watch much tv anymore….so your initial problem is no more…people now yearn for the times when families watched TV together…now everyone is in their own online world…but 'spiteful'..?..I really don't think so..
It's a good read. Tends to debunk the melting pot story too.
Clever, funny skit in the Spinoff about JAs 'carnng' persona. I have to say that I can't bear to listen to any of Jacinda's Facebook stints that appear on my wife's Facebook page these days. They seem so insincere.
That is very good…the last paragraph especially so…
Superb Koff…. thanks for that. It is only funny because it is (largely) true.