certainly seems to be an improvement on what we have got !…would like to hear specific policies soon eg state and tertiary education…incentives for tertiary education (loan/interest issues) are crucial for attracting the young NZers vote.
Not just the young NZers. National’s changes to education will prevent many older people from taking up any education as well. And these would be the people who, due to changing technology, have come to the end of their career path and need the education to get a job at all.
National have been throwing a lot of people on the scrap heap, young and old, so that they can claim a surplus while still borrowing.
+100…affordable if not free tertiary or polytech education is a light at the end of the tunnel for many NZers thrown on the scrap heap….a chance for another career , to meet new people, to learn new skills, to start their own business…this is why Continuing Education is so important as well
Better late than never I guess… but politically, isn’t the best time for an alternative budget when the government releases their one?
Seems about a month too late, the conversation is over and National won it largely unopposed. Releasing this now looks like more evidence of how risk averse and conservative Labour is. Constantly reactionary, never willing to take the fight to National or take a risk in preempting them.
I bet it also adheres to Nationals framing of ‘fiscal responsibility’ thereby endorsing their current economic management.
Better late than never I guess… but politically, isn’t the best time for an alternative budget when the government releases their one?
Seems about a month too late, the conversation is over and National won it largely unopposed.
A shadow budget starts a discussion on alternatives and lets the public know that there are indeed other choices possible. It should be more radical and somewhat provocative to that end, but it should drive toward setting up a consistent narrative – inequality, insufficient incomes, housing affordability as the short term narratives, and climate change/resource depletion/sovereignty as the medium and long term narratives.
The shadow budget puts the govt on the defensive over the choices its made.,
80 days before the election is when this well developed public narrative, gets fleshed out with gutsy, detailed policy.
Key-National pander to the Americans by supporting Obama’s intentions to forge ahead with the TTPA, cutting out Japan who are strongly opposed due to valid concerns. By his actions Key is selling us down the toilet to the Corporations.
If we had half decent media in this Country they would be taking Key-National to task, not sitting idle and praising his US trip as a huge success. A few left commentators have rightly pointed out Key goes to the States, doesn’t get any major runs on the board, and instead gets us tangled in backing a war. What a disgrace!
This is, in relative terms, very gutsy policy from Labour as it targets the big multinationals – well done. An extra ~$200M in tax revenue out of $15B in foreign ownership shipped offshore isn’t much – but it does send a signal.
They need to say that all income in NZ will be taxed in NZ before it leaves the country and that offshore expenses aren’t tax deductible for either NZ companies or foreign. This will make many present tax avoidance schemes obsolete while still treating onshore and offshore companies the same.
It will also encourage diversification in NZ’s economy.
“and that offshore expenses aren’t tax deductible for either NZ companies or foreign.”
Can you clarify this statement? On the face of it it would appear to pick up something as simple as a car dealer who imported cars from Japan and sold them in New Zealand.
Suppose they bought the car in Japan for $20k, paid freight of $3k and then sold the car in New Zealand for, say $30k plus GST. Lets say staff and premises cost $3k per car. This would mean a real profit of $4k/car. It also means offshore expenses of $23k/car.
As you appear to word it they would have to pay tax on $27k (car price minus the firms operating cost) rather than the $4k profit they are really making.
Yeah good stuff Labour – I guess we can now expect another massive attack on Labour shortly from our business-interests-friendly and people-interests-hostile media…..
While looking for Frank, I did find this, oddly enough.
I wonder if they made a party donation?
“Solar Technology Systems has installed a new solar system in my house in Stoke and I want to commend them on their professional, friendly and cost effective service. Frank Witowski provided expert advice, a very competitive quote and an outstanding service.”
Well Hayden has him busted now. Looks like Frank has to deny involvement or be guilty as charged.
If the press/media can run the story to embarrass Sue and Labour, surely they can investigate a little bit harder and uncover the truth.
If the press/media can run the story to embarrass Sue and Labour, surely they can investigate a little bit harder and uncover the truth.
If they were going to do that then they would have done it before they ran the story. They would, or at least should, know that domain name registrations are public information and they mentioned in the article that the domain had been registered.
No, this looks like another attempt to make Labour look bad.
There is a Francis (not Frank) Patrick Collingwood registered as a director of Skisling Limited (annual report filed just last month), but at 17b Scott Road, Hobsonville:
At 125 Hanham Road, there was a company registered known as Matisse PC Ltd (annual report last filed in 2006), but the director was Paul William James:
Also, a quick search shows the hotmail account is associated with a post by a “Francis Patrick Collingwood” on a genealogy webpage (so the person goes by Frank or Francis?):
Ha! I didn’t look that deeply, but I do note he ‘liked’ one of John Key’s pages and said that he hoped the PM would win lots of elections. I do hope he’s not part of Dunnokeyo’s electorate team, that wouldn’t be a good look 😉
ps: When a green party member defaced some hoardings, the PM had this to say:
Key said it was “extremely disappointing and frustrating” for candidates.
“There is no room for negative campaigning in New Zealand.”
It isn’t a criminal act, it is a contractual requirement. Doesn’t mean that it isn’t done and quite extensively in some URLs.
Not to mention that some of the contact details are often designed to obstruficate with old addresses and phone numbers (there is also a requirement to keep details up to date).
probly seemed like a good idea at the time. Especially as nabbing it would be a good campaign tactic to prevent tories doing exactly what they did this time around. But letting it go again was an error (maybe physically scratching the old address off the recycled billboards would be useful, too).
Time for someone to do some serious research into HBL (health benefits limited) whcih seems to have been set up by National so its pals can scam the health system. They have got $700,000 so far.
The Association of Salaried Medical specialists are calling it a PONZI scheme.
The HBL is just one more page in the tome of How to Rort the System.
I know I am only an unwanted drain on resources that the economy seems to have no use for apart from stomping on my progress and doing whatever it can to destroy the numerous attempts I have made to contribute to my society but I have a question….
How are private consultants who charge multiple times per hour what a salaried staffer receives, and work just as many hours as the salaried staffer would, ever going to save money?
Funny how National Radio and Stuff and others are full of the HBL rort but the Herald is silent. Suppose they don’t want to upset Key/Ryall?
@Stuff:”
The Capital & Coast District Health Board could back out of a flagship government cost-cutting drive, as a leaked report compares the money-saving push to Novopay, and attacks it for funnelling cash away from patient care.
In a series of leaked documents, the multimillion-dollar push to consolidate back-office health work, led by cost-cutting agency Health Benefits Ltd (HBL), has been called the greatest threat to public health services in a generation, and a debacle comparable to Novopay.”
Should have been worth a mention at the Herald.
Ryall has been praised in the past for keeping the contentious and costly health portfolio ticking along without too many hiccups.
Guess The Hairy didn’t want to rile him. Boom. boom (Basil Brush the Fox).
Why is it a crime to have reports on government activity? Now they are hot on the trail about HBL information. Leaked documents about government and related matters should not be necessary as government should be reporting all the time on what it is doing with our money or for the people who it is acting on behalf of.
Simple really. All else turns government into a group of mandarins acting as secular priests selectively evealing the Good Word to the supplicant populace.
HBL quoted this a.m. on RNZ as promising to be more transparent. How fast things happen near elections. We promise we are going to be good and save lots of money at great cost to the country and great financial advantage to us and the combined thinking and decision making of the DHB financial executives doesn’t amount to diddly-squat.
In some inititiatives? in running large entities, the management have asked workers at all levels to come up with efficiency ideas and money-saving practices and highlight faults that result in wastage. But that sort of thing is just doing things on the cheap, and can’t really be considered when the whole trend is to cut staff anyway to get the labour bill down, employ juniors, sack expensive seniors, and dismiss institutional knowledge because it will be out of touch, based on wasteful practices. And further there is no money in it for specialist change agents who swoop in, upset the games board so all the pieces fall to the floor, and devise something new and exciting that will have to be rehashed within a decade at a fee that reflects the inflated expectations of experts in transforming the mistakes of previous change agents.
I have changed my mind about election periods – I once thought every four years would allow a government that had good intentions to serve the country well, to have the time to get its policies going and achieving good outcomes.
But I am so foolish, fancy hanging on to the idea of a government having good intentions for the country. Now I think we should hold elections every two years to try and limit the damage before the slightly different government can come in and reverse some of the recent innovations, and then impose their own version of TINA.
..where those elected need seriously extenuating circumstances to do anything else than what they have promised the electorate they will do..
..(with the people given the ability..(electronic-voting?)..to call an early election themselves..should the govt err..)
..it wd nip secret-agendas in the bud..and keep the bastards accountable..
..and reduce politicians to what they should be..effective-managers/servants of the people..
..basically..politicians should just fuck off with their personal-politics..they have a caretaker/common-good role..and yes..they can differentiate by their promised policies..
..but as for imposing the whole package of their ‘politics’..as has been done to us far too often..
..with the randite key being the latest..imposing the twisted objectivist/fuck the poor! -policies that are randite policies..
..that is why key seems to just not care about the poor..that’s ‘cos he doen’t care about the poor..
..and he uses the teachings of ayn rand as the philosophical-underpimings for that ability to just ignore the fact that one in four nz children live in poverty..
..here..in nz..one of the richest/most-blessed countries..
..we have no rational reasons to be happy about that..
..it’s just those fucken politicians and their fucken politics..
..once again..they can just fuck off..
..we need to get the politics out of politicians..
(as an aside..i am heavily opposed to a four year term..for most of the above reasons..)
I’m glad you have responded to the idea phillip. haven’t read all yours yet. (It’s stopped raining and I am taking the chance to get out dry.)
But I’ve been thinking about a group who are really interested in the country and have done some study and passed a diploma on government and the citizen actually choosing a series of works and measures, and conferring with government as to how to go ahead and what order. This in conjunction with select committees allowing other citizens to have input. Things would be slower but then a lot of time is spent in government reversing, changing things and repairing mistakes.
I’ll just throw in this link to Town Meetings on wikipedia.
I have heard of them especially the ones in Vermont but haven’t studied them or read this yet. But I’ll have a look later. I have heard that they get a lot of public participation in their decision making. Thought I’d just put it up for interest. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_meeting
They’re not. The point isn’t to save money, the point is to distrubute the money differently. And disenfranchise a whole lot of people so they will do the shit work in society. Plus it’s part of the medium term agenda of privatisation.
From another unwanted drain on resources, kia kaha freedom. Know that the ‘economy’ you are being excluded from is inherently flawed on so may levels and none of this is your fault. It will eventually fail. In the meantime let’s look to our communities instead.
Just posted some new stats / analysis of the latest Fairfax/Stuff-Ipsos Poll, with an emphasis on the importance of the views of the Undecideds and on its striking contrast with the latest Roy Morgan. sub-zero pols here…http://sub-z-p.blogspot.co.nz/
(Still a work in progress, though. Transformed the design, influenced, in part, by the views of Standardistas a couple of days ago. Looks bloody fantastic I have to say but, as Weka rightly implied, is deeply impractical visually. So, I’ll probably alter it to something a little more legible in a few weeks time. But, I’ll leave it as it is for a couple of weeks, savouring its futuristic/Space Age qualities. It’s almost like we’re living in the year 1999 !).
Claims of clairvoyance and effeminate financial malfeasance, and offers of deals not to do deals, yesterday in Parliament was one, to quote the prime minister, of mumbo jumbo.
[…]
When Labour’s David Parker stood to raise a point of order about something Finance Minister Bill English had just said in answer to his question about the export sector, Carter smelt biffo and tried to be pro-active.
“Order! . . . I listened carefully to the answer. The question was addressed,” he ruled.
Trouble was, Parker had only got four words out before Carter interrupted him and ruled. They were, “My question did not . . .” To the lay person, these four words did not by themselves articulate the nature of his complaint – yet Carter had ruled the complaint unwarranted.
In vain, Parker and several colleagues applied for the chance for Parker to finish at least a sentence of his point of order so that Carter might know what he had actually ruled against.
“I didn’t need to listen any further to the member,” Carter said crisply, and warned all subsequent point of order-raisers that he would not tolerate their relitigating the issue. Except, of course, that no-one knew what the issue was.
The Speaker of the House isn’t the only one with a a visceral dislike of Parker, my opinion of Him as a Monetarist Neo-Lib hasn’t as yet been altered by anything so far said from Him or about Him,
i took yesterday’s question time in the Parliament as a complete capitulation by Labour over the Liu donations saga, and, it all looked to me to have been completely pre-scripted to the point where there was agreement between National and Labour that the issue would not be raised,
Given the perfect opportunity to pillory Slippery the Prime Minister over His previous utterances of there having been ”six figure donations” from Liu to Labour, David Cunliffe chose instead to ask what in effect was a patsy question,
This weak exchange was then followed by a series of ”patsy questions” to the Minister of Finance, in among them the patsy from Parker,
Just what the hell sort of answer He expects to gain from English is beyond me, every question so far asked by Parker of English is a pro forma one which English simply deflects by reading from a different data set than what Parker does,
The little spat that then ensues, as Phillip alludes to is also pro forma boredom with Parker always claiming that English hasn’t answered the question, its all dancing on the head of a pin, as English does answer the question using different data sets than Parker chooses to use,
As far as Carter as the Speaker goes, He just about has me casting a Party Vote for Labour in September for the sole reason of having the Parliaments Blackadder,(Mallard), be given the role, i can well imagine Trev in all His bloody mindedness adding a much needed dose of spices to the proceedings of what has become an exercise in tedium…
“tho’ i think carter is the worst of the speakers since i have been doing commentaries on q-time..”
That really can’t have been a very long time then Phil. A maximum of five and a half years in fact.
There is no way that Margaret Wilson was a better Speaker than Carter is. She was an appalling Speaker of the House.
That is of course why I picked that length of time.
On the other hand I really don’t want to have to remember how bad I thought she was so we had better agree to disagree on what we thought of her as a Speaker, and how she compares to Carter.
I thought Lockwood Smith was bloody good, but it may have only been in comparison with his predecessor. He was better than Carter is and he always seemed to manage to keep a good humoured manner.
Certainly he was different to Hunt and Wilson in that he did make the Ministers make some attempt to address the politically neutrally worded questions.
The Smith doctrine was that questions actually require answering, and that the lesser requirement of only “addressing” allows too much scope for vague and meaningless responses.
Of course Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine reversed this healthy change immediately upon taking the chair.
some potential points of order Parker might have been about to ask, but we will never know
My question did not;
:ask for yet another reminder that dairy exports are becoming a noose around the necks of kiwi farmers.
: ask for more evidence of how National stick their heads into the magical sand of what might be.
: need the fantasies of double dipping droids to tell us what we already know, which is NZ is facing a steep decline in dairy exports over the next decade.
: ignore reality like the Minister has done every time this Government’s failed policies are shown to be driving kiwi manufacturers to the wall from Bluff to Kaitaia.
Cunliffe was interviewed this morning. He said that if Labour obtained 34% then they would have x new MPs. Espiner asked if that was a target and Cunliffe clearly said no and their aspirations were higher.
Now at 8 am they are reporting that Labour’s target is 34% …
CV has put together this short audio in response to that comment comparing the two items:
eckshully one of the major problems with the media in NZ is that they are uneducated.
They may have acquired some leaning on an ad hoc piecemeal basis but essentially they are trained.
you know. like performing seals.
An appeal to the Quartet on the Middle East to sack Tony Blair
Professor Noam Chomsky, Sir Richard Dalton, Caroline Lucas, Ken Livingstone and others argue that the former UK prime minister is tainted by the war in Iraq
“This Friday, 27 June, will mark the seven-year anniversary of Tony Blair’s appointment as the Quartet representative to the Middle East. We, the undersigned, urge you to remove him with immediate effect as a result of his poor performance in the role, and his legacy in the region as a whole.”
Liu is now saying that the $100 G is inclusive of the Barker cruise ($50G – 60G), the rowing club donation ($2G) and several bottles of wine he won at auction.
This man Liu is adept at presenting a moving target. Has he plenty of time on his hands and a very agile mind to think all this up? Or is he being coached by CT or other NACT financial and public relations advisors?
Circling back to when he wrote the original statement – May 3rd – it was two days after Maurice Williamson resigning over the phone calls he made on Liu’s behalf to police.
Collins was having her melt down and hitting out at the media, essentially blaming them for Williamson’s woes. And it was Jared Savage who broke the Williamson story. (and Cunliffe Letter & Donation stories)
Can’t help wondering if they set up Jared as well as Labour. Kill two birds with one stone so to speak.
Oh, I’m sure that 50 to 60 thou to throw a party for the people who work at a business is quite reasonable. Then claiming that it was spent solely on the minister is stretching credibility beyond breaking point.
“Today, Liu said: “I did say I made a contribution of close to $100,000 and that is my closing comment in my statement…that is how much I believe I have donated in total to Labour and some of their MPs during their last term in Government.”
“I have no reason to inflate this number. It’s as best as I can remember” said Liu.
‘Believe’?, ‘Best I can remember’?
What happened to good accounting practices? Doesn’t he have records of these things?
This is unacceptable – it is rubbish. Why didn’t the media check this out prior to spending all last week lambasting Labour and distracting us all from real news?
Still a long way to bridge the truth. It is no wonder there was no affidavit or Liu will find himself now dragged to court.
And then there was the NZH editor with his proven experience and demonstrated knowledge that all became very evident when he labelled the distinction between the statement and an affidavit as “immaterial”.
Lui makes another statement – clarifying, but also confirming that he gave close to $100,000 in total payments to Labour and its MPs – including anonymous donations.
Looks like this is going to play out longer in the news – and again not in a good way for labour.
People (on here anyway) keep going on about proving a negative – Perhaps Labour could come out and call him a liar if they really believe it? (guessing that they wont).
Is there any record of the reason Labour have given for granting him residency against official advise?
No, it’s a fucking joke. The $100,000 includes donations to a rowing club, which isn’t the Labour Party, and payment for a company cruise which Rick Barker attended*, which wasn’t actually for benefit of the Labour Party or Rick Barker. If he is being so economical with the truth about these things, it pretty much means nothing he says can be believed.
* If I invite you to my wedding that costs $50k, does this mean I donated $50k to you? Yeah fucking right.
It’s getting boring. So he made several anonymous donations – ones which it seems no-one in Labour knew about – so how can that in anyway be wrong on Labour’s part, or be evidence of cash for favours?
And it is now looking like Liu inflated the amount to include that cruise, etc. An on-going beat-up by Liu, the Nats, and the compliant MSM.
Yes I can see how it could be funny for some who don’t consider how it adds nothing toward creating informed voters and plenty toward a whole bunch of misinformed ones.
Perhaps those laughing are happy about gaining a government through misinformed voters basing their decisions on made up shit. I find the prospect pretty disturbing.
There are only a very small percentage of people in this country who are advantaged by an outcome created in this way. They will certainly be laughing. I suggest that anyone else not in that group who are laughing are simply delusional sycophantic gibbering idiots.
“Is there any record of the reason Labour have given for granting him residency against official advise?”
I haven’t seen any official record, however I am of the impression that money takes a high priority in these decisions – if someone has oodles they are likely to get into the country – because we are suckers for a large bank balance here in NZ.
Money counts and nothing much else matters. That is ‘common business practice’ these days aye? …and successive governments simply reflect this.
This way of approaching business just collapses in on itself and undermines the very society it relies on. It doesn’t work. Time for a change in thinking.
I haven’t seen any official record, however I am of the impression that money takes a high priority in these decisions – if someone has oodles they are likely to get into the country – because we are suckers for a large bank balance here in NZ.
Yep, Labour seem to have been as guilty of that as National.
This way of approaching business just collapses in on itself and undermines the very society it relies on. It doesn’t work. Time for a change in thinking.
We need to get away from the current culture that a few being rich is good for society. It isn’t and never has been.
It’s a confirmation of nothing and clarification of nothing. Surely for that to be possible he would need to make the actual cost of donations, the date of the donations, where he made the donations, publics that we can see that he is not lying. He seems to have no idea of any sequence and timing of alleged donations. In the first instance he confirmed that he bought wine to the value of 100.000.00 and then he confirms that the wine was included in the 100.000.00 donation. Until Labour comes up with evidence of donations I am inclined to believe he is being manipulated. Also has Mr savage received any reply to his oia for letters relating to Mr Liu from woodhouse and Williamson? And has he got any more info on donations to national from Mr Liu? What a beat up. Starting to smack of ‘the boy who cried wolf’
I think Labour party should still demand an apology from this fellow along with from all those who tried to destabilise Labour. People and entities like Key, Slater, Whaleoil and also should sue them all to teach them a lesson not to play nasty sewer politics and dirty tricks from Key’s ‘top drawer’ as he himself proudly announced his Modus operandi recently.
I’ve been off broadcast TV since September 2012. I never got around to fixing the TV aerial when we moved back into my apartment and put a cupboard right over it. It buggered the plugs and we had far too many other things to do at the time.. I never miss the obnoxious advertising and the shows designed for morans.
So I don’t see most of their material unless I deliberately look at it because their on-demand TV doesn’t go onto the bluray/TV channels via the computer or the network link too well.
Mind you Lyn does want to watch some of the ads for professional reasons. I should get the screwdriver out and fix it before she gets back from the US on saturday.
Suing for defamation may be good as it will teach the sewer right wing nasty vermin to behave and at the same time will let us concentrate on the policies without unnecessary time wasting unfair distractions. On the other hand, …….what are the possible downsides to that?
There’s always a downside for politicians criticising the MSM. But then, given how strongly they have come out against Labour & Cunliffe, could it get any worse. Seems to me like there’s little now to lose by complaining, and everything to gain.
The main point missed so far is that the NZ Herald believes that it has the institutional right to throw the upcoming General Election, and fuck with this nation’s democratic processes as they see fit.
Labour candidate in Marlborough suggests recreational fishers should have a licence. I always thought Labour were “Give a man a fish” and National were “Teach a man to fish”. Now it appears that Labour are “Tax a man to fish.” Any wonder they are tanking in the polls.
Tamati Coffey calls for Simon Bridges to resign for doing something approved by David Cunliffe. Any wonder they are tanking in the polls.
If you read this article about what is happening in the US then you will share my resolve to do as much as we can to oust this Natz government which seem to want to follow all of the worst policies from US or UK.
“A Secret Plan to Close Social Security’s Offices and Outsource Its Work” https://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/06/24-7
Tautoko Viper
I don’t like the sound of ” The National Academy of Public Administration, or NAPA,”.
Could easily be made into NAPALM with the apt descriptive words added ‘Limiting Measures”.
Isn’t it amazing that the wealthier some people get, the more they want to hold their own and others’ rewards in life constantly more tightly to themselves.
he doesn’t blame anyone.
it is the job of her majesties loyal opposition to sheet home responsibility for governmental failure and inadequacy.
I blame you for being inane as you are utterly incapable of seeing the gross dereliction of governance by this government of venal little moneygrabbers!
I’m just wondering what other people think but note I didn’t bother putting an option down for Cunliffe as the answer because its never Cunliffes fault, ever
I missed the 6 pm news on both channels today. What I want to know from anyone that watched either, how much prominence was given to Labour’s alternate budget today? Cheers.
Why waste $38 to further enrich a mega-wealthy foreign currency exchange gambling dude? The Liu man will probably buy the whole lot of copies for over $150,000 anyway and drink it all up on the Yangtze! Instead, here is a free portrait for your jaw dropping enjoyment. Watch the dudes at the back laughing their head off! You are welcome! http://tinyurl.com/lw4jypc
In their annual End of Year survey, Win/Gallup International found that the United States is considered the number one “greatest threat to peace in the world today” by people across the globe.
And our PM has just said that we’ll get closer to them and that we’ll help them with their wars.
Back Benches, Wednesday 10:50PM
The MP pub panel discuss what the Prime Minister’s growing relationship with the U.S. means for NZ. Also, can child poverty really be linked to NZ’s superannuation age? PGR
Judith C is planning to demand banks report on wire transfers over $1,000. This is to stop crime. The government wants to get in bed with us. They withdraw my 6 cents tax on my 36c interest. Tax is theft when they pinch cents off small savings. Yet you can take out $10,000 in cash. What’s that about?
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
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 ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
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. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
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 ...
By Jo Moir, RNZ News political editor, and Craig McCulloch, deputy political editor New Zealand’s Labour Party is demanding Winston Peters be stood down as Foreign Minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. In an interview on RNZ’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Brakenridge, Postdoctoral research fellow at Swinburne University, Centre for Urban Transitions, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute The Conversation, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock People have a pretty intuitive sense of what is healthy – standing is better than sitting, exercise is great for overall ...
The Wellington-based Reserve Force soldier is now almost three years into his New Zealand Army career with 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. ...
"The Government needs to release the review immediately as this reckless approach to change risks disjointed decision making and creates more distress and uncertainty for staff," Fitzsimons said. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Jeremiah Manele has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale with one abstention. The final result of the election by secret ballot was announced by the Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priestley Habru, PhD candidate, public diplomacy, University of Adelaide Former foreign minister Jeremiah Manele has been elected the next prime minister of Solomon Islands, defeating the opposition leader, Matthew Wale, in a vote in parliament. The result is a mixed bag for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Eaves, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jamey Stutz, CC BY-SA How often do mountains collapse, volcanoes erupt or ice sheets melt? For Earth scientists, these are important questions as we try ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Flood, Professor of Sociology, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock Most young adult men in Australia reject traditional ideas of masculinity that endorse aggression, stoicism and homophobia. Nonetheless, the ongoing influence of those ideas continues to harm men and the people ...
The NZQA proposal released to staff today would involve a net loss of 35 roles. There are 66 roles being disestablished with 13 of those currently vacant, and 31 new roles proposed, said Fleur Fitzsimons Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga ...
Alex Casey talks to Loren Taylor, the writer, director and star of new film The Moon is Upside Down, about assembling her dream ensemble cast, toilet paper pads and turning literal dreams into reality. There’s a moment in The Moon is Upside Down where frazzled anaesthetist Briar (Loren Taylor) gets ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassy Dittman, Senior Lecturer/Head of Course (Undergraduate Psychology), Research Fellow, Manna Institute, CQUniversity Australia With winter sports swinging into action, adults around the country have volunteered or been volunteered by others (humorously known as being “volun-told”) to coach junior sports teams. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University richardernestyap/Shutterstock Parents are often advised to burp their babies after feeding them. Some people think burping after feeding is important to reduce or prevent discomfort crying, or to ...
Workers at a major ASB contact centre in Auckland have voted to take strike action and withdraw their labour following disappointing pay negotiations with the employer and an "offer" to workers that would leave them worse off than the previous year. ...
As the government tries to get the country back on track with a school phone ban, Tara Ward has an idea for where they should turn their attention to next.New Zealand students returned to school on Monday morning, but their cellphones did not. The government’s new phone ban began ...
The Labour Party is demanding Peters be stood down, saying "he's embarrassed the country" with a "totally unacceptable" attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. ...
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance, whose members were victims of a China-backed cyber attack, is discussing forming a standing committee to deal with foreign influence. ...
The PSA is concerned that the voluntary redundancies being offered to staff by Stats NZ will impact on the agency’s ability to deliver on its core functions. ...
Results ranged from surprisingly yum to soul-destroying. I love cooking. The kitchen is a hearth of culinary creation, of sensory delights, of gastronomic poetry. I also can’t afford anything nice. Why does a pack of instant noodles and some milk cost ten bucks? I love you, Aotearoa, but I miss ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Police in Solomon Islands are on high alert ahead of the election of the prime minister today. The two candidates for the top job are former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele at the head of the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation, which is ...
He’s fine but it feels like I’m losing a friend and it’s making me bitter. How do I say ‘enough is enough’? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzHey Hera,I’ve recently moved in with a girlfriend, her partner Steve, and his friend. We all live in a lovely little house. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Chartres, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney shutterstockAhmet Misirligul/Shutterstock You go to the gym, eat healthy and walk as much as possible. You wash your hands and get vaccinated. You control your health. This is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Hendriks, Research Fellow and Lecturer, Curtin University Children and young people may be seeing news headlines about men murdering women or footage of people rallying to call for action. Perhaps they or their friends have even gone to the protests. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Balanzategui, Senior Lecturer in Media, RMIT University ABC “Bluey mania” shows no sign of abating. Bluey’s season finale, The Sign, was the most viewed ABC program of all time on iView. A “hidden” follow-up episode, aptly named The Surprise, created ...
Labour market figures came in softer than the Reserve Bank had forecast, but they won’t be enough to move the needle on interest rates, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Unemployment ...
The campaign will engage the community and encourage submissions on the bill to the New Zealand government by the closing submission deadline of Friday 31st of May 2024 4pm. ...
The paper raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand's political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency plays in that. ...
The Urban Habitat Collective was an attempt to built an innovative new form of apartment building in Wellington. Here’s why it failed, and why the idea could still work, writes co-founder Bronwen Newton. When we started the Urban Habitat Collective in November 2018, we thought we were starting a revolution, ...
Two decades ago this week, a controversial law that attempted to define ownership of the foreshore and seabed prompted a formidable display of outrage and kōtahitanga as 15,000 marched to parliament. Jamie Tahana looks back.‘Hīkoi, hīkoi,” they chanted by the thousands as the biggest Māori march in a generation ...
A Labour Party Member’s Bill aims to plug a culpability gap between manslaughter and health and safety breaches The post New push for corporate killing laws appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Terence O’Brien had the rare and no doubt undesired distinction of rising to one of the most exalted positions in New Zealand diplomacy, then being unceremoniously recalled to Wellington without explanation just when his career was at its zenith. What is perhaps more surprising is that he appears to have ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,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 2 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Why has New Zealand slipped from third to 12th on Quality of Death Indexes over the past decade or so? Hospice New Zealand Chief Executive Wayne Naylor has a list of reasons. “We don’t have a current national strategy – the Government hasn’t renewed our 2001 strategy, so we don’t ...
While women’s sport is exploding in Aotearoa and around the world, you still don’t hear a lot of talk about athletes and their periods, RED-S, breastfeeding and visible panty-lines. SASS (Suze and Sez Sports)Talk isn’t afraid to have that kōrero.LockerRoom founder Suzanne McFadden and Olympian broadcaster Sarah ...
On an unusually hot night in January 2019, a little boy’s lifeless body was found face up in a small town’s sewage oxidation pond. To the police, it was an open and shut case: three-year-old Lachlan Jones had run away from his home in the Southland town of Gore, climbed ...
Rongotai MP Julie Anne Genter has apologised in Parliament after National accused her of intimidating and attacking one of its ministers in the House. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Prime Minister and state and territory leaders met on Wednesday as the national cabinet to discuss a crisis gripping Australia – the horrific number of women murdered this year. The killings have shocked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Radhika Raghav, Teaching Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Otago Netflix Indian director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for his big-budget Bollywood production, featuring grand sets, star casts, meticulously choreographed dance sequences and lavish costumes, jewellery and furnishings. ...
Sir Robert devoted his life to disability rights after living in institutions in his younger years, says Kaihautū Tika Hauātanga | Disability Rights Commissioner Prudence Walker. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University Violence against women is not a women’s problem to solve, it is a whole of society problem to solve; and men in particular have to take responsibility. Those were the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Allen, Senior Lecturer in Chemical and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Newcastle Snapshot freddy/ShutterstockPlans to revive an old coal-fired power station using bioenergy are being considered in the Hunter region of New South Wales. Similar plans for the station ...
Responding to the long-awaited release of judges’ special allowances, including free air travel and hotels for spouses, generous sabbaticals, and access to limousines, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Alex Murphy said: “In what world does your employer ...
Analysis - The United States has unveiled plans to boost the weapons trade with Australia and the UK, on the same day that Winston Peters is expected to sketch NZ's position on AUKUS. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Carson, Professor of Political Communication, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University Since Australia’s First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum in October 2023, diverse commentaries have sought to explain why it failed. But what does an analysis of media ...
Lawyers representing two iwi as well as the Māori Women’s Welfare League on Wednesday asked the Court of Appeal to overturn last week’s High Court decision on the Waitangi Tribunal’s decision to summons Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Tribunal is currently investigating the Government’s decision to repeal section 7AA of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will introduce legislation to ban deepfake pornography and provide more funding for the eSafety Commission to pilot age-assurance technologies. The contribution of internet sites to gender-based violence was one major issue ...
Labour will unveil its alternative Budget today.
Here are some details:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10197041/Labour-to-unveil-alternative-budget
certainly seems to be an improvement on what we have got !…would like to hear specific policies soon eg state and tertiary education…incentives for tertiary education (loan/interest issues) are crucial for attracting the young NZers vote.
Not just the young NZers. National’s changes to education will prevent many older people from taking up any education as well. And these would be the people who, due to changing technology, have come to the end of their career path and need the education to get a job at all.
National have been throwing a lot of people on the scrap heap, young and old, so that they can claim a surplus while still borrowing.
+100…affordable if not free tertiary or polytech education is a light at the end of the tunnel for many NZers thrown on the scrap heap….a chance for another career , to meet new people, to learn new skills, to start their own business…this is why Continuing Education is so important as well
Better late than never I guess… but politically, isn’t the best time for an alternative budget when the government releases their one?
Seems about a month too late, the conversation is over and National won it largely unopposed. Releasing this now looks like more evidence of how risk averse and conservative Labour is. Constantly reactionary, never willing to take the fight to National or take a risk in preempting them.
I bet it also adheres to Nationals framing of ‘fiscal responsibility’ thereby endorsing their current economic management.
A shadow budget starts a discussion on alternatives and lets the public know that there are indeed other choices possible. It should be more radical and somewhat provocative to that end, but it should drive toward setting up a consistent narrative – inequality, insufficient incomes, housing affordability as the short term narratives, and climate change/resource depletion/sovereignty as the medium and long term narratives.
The shadow budget puts the govt on the defensive over the choices its made.,
80 days before the election is when this well developed public narrative, gets fleshed out with gutsy, detailed policy.
While Labour announce a policy to cramp down on mainly American Multi National Corporations tax avoidance http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11280992
Key-National pander to the Americans by supporting Obama’s intentions to forge ahead with the TTPA, cutting out Japan who are strongly opposed due to valid concerns. By his actions Key is selling us down the toilet to the Corporations.
If we had half decent media in this Country they would be taking Key-National to task, not sitting idle and praising his US trip as a huge success. A few left commentators have rightly pointed out Key goes to the States, doesn’t get any major runs on the board, and instead gets us tangled in backing a war. What a disgrace!
+100
This is, in relative terms, very gutsy policy from Labour as it targets the big multinationals – well done. An extra ~$200M in tax revenue out of $15B in foreign ownership shipped offshore isn’t much – but it does send a signal.
Careful CV – you are almost sounding like you are being supportive of a Labour stance there…
🙂
[glad someone got the joke 🙂 ]
They need to say that all income in NZ will be taxed in NZ before it leaves the country and that offshore expenses aren’t tax deductible for either NZ companies or foreign. This will make many present tax avoidance schemes obsolete while still treating onshore and offshore companies the same.
It will also encourage diversification in NZ’s economy.
“and that offshore expenses aren’t tax deductible for either NZ companies or foreign.”
Can you clarify this statement? On the face of it it would appear to pick up something as simple as a car dealer who imported cars from Japan and sold them in New Zealand.
Suppose they bought the car in Japan for $20k, paid freight of $3k and then sold the car in New Zealand for, say $30k plus GST. Lets say staff and premises cost $3k per car. This would mean a real profit of $4k/car. It also means offshore expenses of $23k/car.
As you appear to word it they would have to pay tax on $27k (car price minus the firms operating cost) rather than the $4k profit they are really making.
What am I misunderstanding?
The dealer isn’t the one buying the car?
Also, I did say that it would encourage diversification in our economy 😈
But mostly I was thinking of transfer pricing and how it can, and is, used to rort the tax system.
Yeah good stuff Labour – I guess we can now expect another massive attack on Labour shortly from our business-interests-friendly and people-interests-hostile media…..
Sweet, though the usual suspects are going to complain that taxing google et al is “wrong”.
Hey BM, could your fingerprints be all over this by any chance???
Arsehats like BM wouldn’t get out of Melville in one piece, so doubt he’d have the nuggets to risk it.
Registered on the 23rd of June to:
registrant_contact_name: Frank Collingwood
registrant_contact_address1: Hanham Road
registrant_contact_city: Kumeu
registrant_contact_postalcode: 0891
registrant_contact_country: NZ (NEW ZEALAND)
registrant_contact_phone: +64 21 980475
registrant_contact_email: frankfft@hotmail.com
http://http://whois.domaintools.com/labour08.co.nz
Not exactly going to great pains to hide their identity.
Link is borked and I can’t edit it: http://whois.domaintools.com/labour08.co.nz
That’s a long way from the lovely Melville.
http://20090118180756558.en.hisupplier.com/contact.html
Alps Supplies
The extent to which you can stalk people is creepy, isn’t it?
Sure is
http://www.alps-supplies.com/
http://whois.domaintools.com/alps-supplies.com
Is that mobile phone number for real? It is associated with http://www.skisling.com:
http://www.buynz.org.nz/CompanyProfile?Action=View&CompanyProfile_id=20085
Must be, there’s another address with the same skisling number
Registrant Name: FRANK COLLINGWOOD
Registrant Organization: FRANK COLLINGWOOD
Registrant Street: SCOTT ROAD
Registrant City: HOBSONVILLE
Registrant State/Province:
Registrant Postal Code: 0618
Registrant Country: NZ
Registrant Phone: +64.21980475
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax: +64.21980475
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email: Email Masking Image@COLLINGWOOD.ME.UK
While looking for Frank, I did find this, oddly enough.
I wonder if they made a party donation?
“Solar Technology Systems has installed a new solar system in my house in Stoke and I want to commend them on their professional, friendly and cost effective service. Frank Witowski provided expert advice, a very competitive quote and an outstanding service.”
– Nick Smith – MP Nelson
Nothing like a Minister’s endorsement for breaching the Cabinet Manual.
Know any decent journos at the Herald?
(That’s rhetorical and a funny at the same time).
So it’s this guy?
frank.collingwood@hmg-law.co.uk
Or this?
karol, i don’t think that law guy in the UK is the one.
the link that The Al1en posted below seems to match the profile of the person we’ve been looking up (matches the person’s facebook info as well):
http://www.collingwood.me.uk/oldindex.html
I’m pretty sure that I have looked up that name “Frank before – for a similar reason.
I recognise the face and the profile, but can recall the reason or find the search in my history. Seems like a serial juvenile…
Well Hayden has him busted now. Looks like Frank has to deny involvement or be guilty as charged.
If the press/media can run the story to embarrass Sue and Labour, surely they can investigate a little bit harder and uncover the truth.
If they were going to do that then they would have done it before they ran the story. They would, or at least should, know that domain name registrations are public information and they mentioned in the article that the domain had been registered.
No, this looks like another attempt to make Labour look bad.
A couple of other searches:
There is a Francis (not Frank) Patrick Collingwood registered as a director of Skisling Limited (annual report filed just last month), but at 17b Scott Road, Hobsonville:
http://www.business.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/3129205?backurl=%2Fcompanies%2Fapp%2Fui%2Fpages%2Fcompanies%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dskisling%26entityTypes%3DALL%26entityStatusGroups%3DALL%26incorpFrom%3D%26incorpTo%3D%26addressTypes%3DALL%26addressKeyword%3D%26start%3D0%26limit%3D15%26sf%3D%26sd%3D%26advancedPanel%3Dfalse%26mode%3Dstandard
At 125 Hanham Road, there was a company registered known as Matisse PC Ltd (annual report last filed in 2006), but the director was Paul William James:
http://www.business.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/1604150?backurl=%2Fcompanies%2Fapp%2Fui%2Fpages%2Fcompanies%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DMatisse%2Bpc%26entityTypes%3DALL%26entityStatusGroups%3DALL%26incorpFrom%3D%26incorpTo%3D%26addressTypes%3DALL%26addressKeyword%3D%26start%3D0%26limit%3D15%26sf%3D%26sd%3D%26advancedPanel%3Dfalse%26mode%3Dstandard
Also, a quick search shows the hotmail account is associated with a post by a “Francis Patrick Collingwood” on a genealogy webpage (so the person goes by Frank or Francis?):
http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/users/c/o/l/Francis-P-Collingwood/index.html
I have emailed Sue Moroney’s office with a link to the conversation from point 3 on here.
Up to them now I guess.
http://www.collingwood.me.uk/oldindex.html
Hey Molly,
Maybe something to do with last year’s Kiwibots championship?
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:3IpbH-zr3BAJ:www.kiwibots.co.nz/events/event-registration%3FeventId%3D20%26task%3Dregistrant%26controller%3Devent+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nz&client=firefox-a
hmmm, there’s a Frank Collingwood on fb, also lives in Kumeu. The fb page doesn’t have any obvious political links (claims to be a pastafarian).
Apart from the vicious rant against the left and rabid approval for three strikes, that is.
Ha! I didn’t look that deeply, but I do note he ‘liked’ one of John Key’s pages and said that he hoped the PM would win lots of elections. I do hope he’s not part of Dunnokeyo’s electorate team, that wouldn’t be a good look 😉
ps: When a green party member defaced some hoardings, the PM had this to say:
Key said it was “extremely disappointing and frustrating” for candidates.
“There is no room for negative campaigning in New Zealand.”
One can only hope that Mr Collingwood is a member of the National Party.
There’s plenty of discussion out there that he is. It’s up to National to prove otherwise.
I see that http://www.labour08.co.nz now redirects to The Official Monster Raving Loony Party.
So nice that he gave it back then. 😉
“There’s plenty of discussion out there that he is. It’s up to National to prove otherwise.”
lolz. Ok, but I hope this isn’t the new permanent modus operandi.
Ask The Herald.
It is illegal to provide false names to the registry.
It isn’t a criminal act, it is a contractual requirement. Doesn’t mean that it isn’t done and quite extensively in some URLs.
Not to mention that some of the contact details are often designed to obstruficate with old addresses and phone numbers (there is also a requirement to keep details up to date).
My favourite for that is whaleoil.co.nz’s addresses
http://dnc.org.nz/whois/whaleoil.co.nz
http://dnc.org.nz/whois/gotcha.co.nz
Mind you I can’t talk.
http://dnc.org.nz/whois/labour.co.nz
Old email address.
Just out of curiousity, how much would it cost Labour to have kept that domain name indefinitely?
About $30/year, depending on registrar.
Not keeping domains that were used for Party political purposes, seems fundamentally idiotic imho.
That’s what I was thinking.
I’m thinking that having a single use domain name was fundamentally idiotic.
probly seemed like a good idea at the time. Especially as nabbing it would be a good campaign tactic to prevent tories doing exactly what they did this time around. But letting it go again was an error (maybe physically scratching the old address off the recycled billboards would be useful, too).
Time for someone to do some serious research into HBL (health benefits limited) whcih seems to have been set up by National so its pals can scam the health system. They have got $700,000 so far.
The Association of Salaried Medical specialists are calling it a PONZI scheme.
The HBL is just one more page in the tome of How to Rort the System.
I know I am only an unwanted drain on resources that the economy seems to have no use for apart from stomping on my progress and doing whatever it can to destroy the numerous attempts I have made to contribute to my society but I have a question….
How are private consultants who charge multiple times per hour what a salaried staffer receives, and work just as many hours as the salaried staffer would, ever going to save money?
Funny how National Radio and Stuff and others are full of the HBL rort but the Herald is silent. Suppose they don’t want to upset Key/Ryall?
@Stuff:”
The Capital & Coast District Health Board could back out of a flagship government cost-cutting drive, as a leaked report compares the money-saving push to Novopay, and attacks it for funnelling cash away from patient care.
In a series of leaked documents, the multimillion-dollar push to consolidate back-office health work, led by cost-cutting agency Health Benefits Ltd (HBL), has been called the greatest threat to public health services in a generation, and a debacle comparable to Novopay.”
Should have been worth a mention at the Herald.
Ryall has been praised in the past for keeping the contentious and costly health portfolio ticking along without too many hiccups.
Guess The Hairy didn’t want to rile him. Boom. boom (Basil Brush the Fox).
Why is it a crime to have reports on government activity? Now they are hot on the trail about HBL information. Leaked documents about government and related matters should not be necessary as government should be reporting all the time on what it is doing with our money or for the people who it is acting on behalf of.
Simple really. All else turns government into a group of mandarins acting as secular priests selectively evealing the Good Word to the supplicant populace.
HBL quoted this a.m. on RNZ as promising to be more transparent. How fast things happen near elections. We promise we are going to be good and save lots of money at great cost to the country and great financial advantage to us and the combined thinking and decision making of the DHB financial executives doesn’t amount to diddly-squat.
In some inititiatives? in running large entities, the management have asked workers at all levels to come up with efficiency ideas and money-saving practices and highlight faults that result in wastage. But that sort of thing is just doing things on the cheap, and can’t really be considered when the whole trend is to cut staff anyway to get the labour bill down, employ juniors, sack expensive seniors, and dismiss institutional knowledge because it will be out of touch, based on wasteful practices. And further there is no money in it for specialist change agents who swoop in, upset the games board so all the pieces fall to the floor, and devise something new and exciting that will have to be rehashed within a decade at a fee that reflects the inflated expectations of experts in transforming the mistakes of previous change agents.
I have changed my mind about election periods – I once thought every four years would allow a government that had good intentions to serve the country well, to have the time to get its policies going and achieving good outcomes.
But I am so foolish, fancy hanging on to the idea of a government having good intentions for the country. Now I think we should hold elections every two years to try and limit the damage before the slightly different government can come in and reverse some of the recent innovations, and then impose their own version of TINA.
i like the idea of a two-year term..
..where those elected need seriously extenuating circumstances to do anything else than what they have promised the electorate they will do..
..(with the people given the ability..(electronic-voting?)..to call an early election themselves..should the govt err..)
..it wd nip secret-agendas in the bud..and keep the bastards accountable..
..and reduce politicians to what they should be..effective-managers/servants of the people..
..basically..politicians should just fuck off with their personal-politics..they have a caretaker/common-good role..and yes..they can differentiate by their promised policies..
..but as for imposing the whole package of their ‘politics’..as has been done to us far too often..
..with the randite key being the latest..imposing the twisted objectivist/fuck the poor! -policies that are randite policies..
..that is why key seems to just not care about the poor..that’s ‘cos he doen’t care about the poor..
..and he uses the teachings of ayn rand as the philosophical-underpimings for that ability to just ignore the fact that one in four nz children live in poverty..
..here..in nz..one of the richest/most-blessed countries..
..we have no rational reasons to be happy about that..
..it’s just those fucken politicians and their fucken politics..
..once again..they can just fuck off..
..we need to get the politics out of politicians..
(as an aside..i am heavily opposed to a four year term..for most of the above reasons..)
I’m glad you have responded to the idea phillip. haven’t read all yours yet. (It’s stopped raining and I am taking the chance to get out dry.)
But I’ve been thinking about a group who are really interested in the country and have done some study and passed a diploma on government and the citizen actually choosing a series of works and measures, and conferring with government as to how to go ahead and what order. This in conjunction with select committees allowing other citizens to have input. Things would be slower but then a lot of time is spent in government reversing, changing things and repairing mistakes.
I’ll just throw in this link to Town Meetings on wikipedia.
I have heard of them especially the ones in Vermont but haven’t studied them or read this yet. But I’ll have a look later. I have heard that they get a lot of public participation in their decision making. Thought I’d just put it up for interest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_meeting
According to RNZ, Labour have asked the AG to investigate.
They’re not. The point isn’t to save money, the point is to distrubute the money differently. And disenfranchise a whole lot of people so they will do the shit work in society. Plus it’s part of the medium term agenda of privatisation.
From another unwanted drain on resources, kia kaha freedom. Know that the ‘economy’ you are being excluded from is inherently flawed on so may levels and none of this is your fault. It will eventually fail. In the meantime let’s look to our communities instead.
Freedom and Weka, from my point of view you are both wanted members of this particular community.
Thank-you fender 🙂
Just posted some new stats / analysis of the latest Fairfax/Stuff-Ipsos Poll, with an emphasis on the importance of the views of the Undecideds and on its striking contrast with the latest Roy Morgan. sub-zero pols here…http://sub-z-p.blogspot.co.nz/
(Still a work in progress, though. Transformed the design, influenced, in part, by the views of Standardistas a couple of days ago. Looks bloody fantastic I have to say but, as Weka rightly implied, is deeply impractical visually. So, I’ll probably alter it to something a little more legible in a few weeks time. But, I’ll leave it as it is for a couple of weeks, savouring its futuristic/Space Age qualities. It’s almost like we’re living in the year 1999 !).
See also Puddleglum’s excellent analysis on The Political Scientist here…http://www.thepoliticalscientist.org/the-real-story-in-the-fairfax-polls/
@swordfish
Looks like you are entering Blip et al territory for services to better politicalinformation and understanding.
Jane Clifton uses a jokey tone to expose how out of order the Speaker was yesterday:
tho’ i think carter is the worst of the speakers since i have been doing commentaries on q-time..
..i do have some sympathy for him on this..
..as that is the objection that parker always makes..
..and i do mean ‘always’..
..so there was no clairvoyance needed for carter to know what parkers’ complaint was this time..
..(tho’ carter does seem to have an almost visceral dislike of parker..
..you can almost hear his teeth-grinding as/when parker jumps up to again complain his question wasn’t answered..)
The Speaker of the House isn’t the only one with a a visceral dislike of Parker, my opinion of Him as a Monetarist Neo-Lib hasn’t as yet been altered by anything so far said from Him or about Him,
i took yesterday’s question time in the Parliament as a complete capitulation by Labour over the Liu donations saga, and, it all looked to me to have been completely pre-scripted to the point where there was agreement between National and Labour that the issue would not be raised,
Given the perfect opportunity to pillory Slippery the Prime Minister over His previous utterances of there having been ”six figure donations” from Liu to Labour, David Cunliffe chose instead to ask what in effect was a patsy question,
This weak exchange was then followed by a series of ”patsy questions” to the Minister of Finance, in among them the patsy from Parker,
Just what the hell sort of answer He expects to gain from English is beyond me, every question so far asked by Parker of English is a pro forma one which English simply deflects by reading from a different data set than what Parker does,
The little spat that then ensues, as Phillip alludes to is also pro forma boredom with Parker always claiming that English hasn’t answered the question, its all dancing on the head of a pin, as English does answer the question using different data sets than Parker chooses to use,
As far as Carter as the Speaker goes, He just about has me casting a Party Vote for Labour in September for the sole reason of having the Parliaments Blackadder,(Mallard), be given the role, i can well imagine Trev in all His bloody mindedness adding a much needed dose of spices to the proceedings of what has become an exercise in tedium…
the ‘tedium’/irrelevance to very much at all..is why i have actually stopped doing commentaries..
..it is a circus of highly-paid performing clowns/seals…
..and shows most in an ugly light…
..and yes..’boring’…
..i have/had this view of q-time as being the coalface of democracy in action..
.the cut/thrust/parry etc. of democracy..
..and very important for that reason..
..but it ain’t..
..and if it ‘ain’t’..i don’t know what the fuck is…
“tho’ i think carter is the worst of the speakers since i have been doing commentaries on q-time..”
That really can’t have been a very long time then Phil. A maximum of five and a half years in fact.
There is no way that Margaret Wilson was a better Speaker than Carter is. She was an appalling Speaker of the House.
“..A maximum of five and a half years in fact..”
..this govt has been in power for five and a half yrs..
and by ‘worst’..i mean most biased in favour of govt..
..i thought wilson was fairly even-handed in dishing out her snarls…
..this one is a shocker..
That is of course why I picked that length of time.
On the other hand I really don’t want to have to remember how bad I thought she was so we had better agree to disagree on what we thought of her as a Speaker, and how she compares to Carter.
I thought Lockwood Smith was bloody good, but it may have only been in comparison with his predecessor. He was better than Carter is and he always seemed to manage to keep a good humoured manner.
Certainly he was different to Hunt and Wilson in that he did make the Ministers make some attempt to address the politically neutrally worded questions.
Not just “address”.
The Smith doctrine was that questions actually require answering, and that the lesser requirement of only “addressing” allows too much scope for vague and meaningless responses.
Of course Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine reversed this healthy change immediately upon taking the chair.
some potential points of order Parker might have been about to ask, but we will never know
My question did not;
:ask for yet another reminder that dairy exports are becoming a noose around the necks of kiwi farmers.
: ask for more evidence of how National stick their heads into the magical sand of what might be.
: need the fantasies of double dipping droids to tell us what we already know, which is NZ is facing a steep decline in dairy exports over the next decade.
: ignore reality like the Minister has done every time this Government’s failed policies are shown to be driving kiwi manufacturers to the wall from Bluff to Kaitaia.
paranoid..?..much..?
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/how-google-glass-and-smartphones-can-decipher-your-pin-code-from-across-the-room-9560076.html
Maybe, maybe not.
Colonial Vipers’ Audio Production:
Mickey Savage wrote this comment on yesterday’s Open Mike:
CV has put together this short audio in response to that comment comparing the two items:
https://mega.co.nz/#!Ikd1xThK!CqAVY_vYN2zPlZdErRhMtCX8OZFcp-vx4qBFbqllxMc
For those of you interested in the situation in Iraq, the strange, new, incredibly wealthy “terror” group called ISIL or ISIS. Here is a good start: Max And Stacey On The Corporation Called ISIL”> And Why This Is Important To New Zealand
eckshully one of the major problems with the media in NZ is that they are uneducated.
They may have acquired some leaning on an ad hoc piecemeal basis but essentially they are trained.
you know. like performing seals.
+1
The lack of real world experience really shows through in the reporting that we get.
Great stuff:
(There is a link to a petition @ change.org on the page)
Posted on ferret thread also:
Liu is now saying that the $100 G is inclusive of the Barker cruise ($50G – 60G), the rowing club donation ($2G) and several bottles of wine he won at auction.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11281460
This man Liu is adept at presenting a moving target. Has he plenty of time on his hands and a very agile mind to think all this up? Or is he being coached by CT or other NACT financial and public relations advisors?
Circling back to when he wrote the original statement – May 3rd – it was two days after Maurice Williamson resigning over the phone calls he made on Liu’s behalf to police.
Collins was having her melt down and hitting out at the media, essentially blaming them for Williamson’s woes. And it was Jared Savage who broke the Williamson story. (and Cunliffe Letter & Donation stories)
Can’t help wondering if they set up Jared as well as Labour. Kill two birds with one stone so to speak.
Story changes too often to be taken seriously, not to mention a gross inflation in the cost of a river cruise.
Oh, I’m sure that 50 to 60 thou to throw a party for the people who work at a business is quite reasonable. Then claiming that it was spent solely on the minister is stretching credibility beyond breaking point.
This is getting beyond ridiculous
“Today, Liu said: “I did say I made a contribution of close to $100,000 and that is my closing comment in my statement…that is how much I believe I have donated in total to Labour and some of their MPs during their last term in Government.”
“I have no reason to inflate this number. It’s as best as I can remember” said Liu.
‘Believe’?, ‘Best I can remember’?
What happened to good accounting practices? Doesn’t he have records of these things?
This is unacceptable – it is rubbish. Why didn’t the media check this out prior to spending all last week lambasting Labour and distracting us all from real news?
Sounds like it has been dictated by johnkey..
LOL! That is probably closer to the truth than I care to imagine!
Still a long way to bridge the truth. It is no wonder there was no affidavit or Liu will find himself now dragged to court.
And then there was the NZH editor with his proven experience and demonstrated knowledge that all became very evident when he labelled the distinction between the statement and an affidavit as “immaterial”.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11281460
Lui makes another statement – clarifying, but also confirming that he gave close to $100,000 in total payments to Labour and its MPs – including anonymous donations.
Looks like this is going to play out longer in the news – and again not in a good way for labour.
People (on here anyway) keep going on about proving a negative – Perhaps Labour could come out and call him a liar if they really believe it? (guessing that they wont).
Is there any record of the reason Labour have given for granting him residency against official advise?
(not saying they are linked – but I am curious.)
No, it’s a fucking joke. The $100,000 includes donations to a rowing club, which isn’t the Labour Party, and payment for a company cruise which Rick Barker attended*, which wasn’t actually for benefit of the Labour Party or Rick Barker. If he is being so economical with the truth about these things, it pretty much means nothing he says can be believed.
* If I invite you to my wedding that costs $50k, does this mean I donated $50k to you? Yeah fucking right.
It’s getting boring. So he made several anonymous donations – ones which it seems no-one in Labour knew about – so how can that in anyway be wrong on Labour’s part, or be evidence of cash for favours?
And it is now looking like Liu inflated the amount to include that cruise, etc. An on-going beat-up by Liu, the Nats, and the compliant MSM.
+1 It proves jack shit and got boring the day it came out 🙁
Admittedly in this case boring would depend on what political view you have. Some people have found it amusing to watch.
If you think it’s just a game, then sure.
If you recognise that this is our democracy being trashed, not so much.
Yes I can see how it could be funny for some who don’t consider how it adds nothing toward creating informed voters and plenty toward a whole bunch of misinformed ones.
Perhaps those laughing are happy about gaining a government through misinformed voters basing their decisions on made up shit. I find the prospect pretty disturbing.
There are only a very small percentage of people in this country who are advantaged by an outcome created in this way. They will certainly be laughing. I suggest that anyone else not in that group who are laughing are simply delusional sycophantic gibbering idiots.
+1
The no-favours for no-donations “scandal” has been hilarious. /sarc
Meanwhile our corrupt and, I believe, criminal government continues business as usual.
If you found it amusing then I suspect that just proves you’re sociopathy.
“Is there any record of the reason Labour have given for granting him residency against official advise?”
I haven’t seen any official record, however I am of the impression that money takes a high priority in these decisions – if someone has oodles they are likely to get into the country – because we are suckers for a large bank balance here in NZ.
Money counts and nothing much else matters. That is ‘common business practice’ these days aye? …and successive governments simply reflect this.
This way of approaching business just collapses in on itself and undermines the very society it relies on. It doesn’t work. Time for a change in thinking.
Yep, Labour seem to have been as guilty of that as National.
We need to get away from the current culture that a few being rich is good for society. It isn’t and never has been.
It’s a confirmation of nothing and clarification of nothing. Surely for that to be possible he would need to make the actual cost of donations, the date of the donations, where he made the donations, publics that we can see that he is not lying. He seems to have no idea of any sequence and timing of alleged donations. In the first instance he confirmed that he bought wine to the value of 100.000.00 and then he confirms that the wine was included in the 100.000.00 donation. Until Labour comes up with evidence of donations I am inclined to believe he is being manipulated. Also has Mr savage received any reply to his oia for letters relating to Mr Liu from woodhouse and Williamson? And has he got any more info on donations to national from Mr Liu? What a beat up. Starting to smack of ‘the boy who cried wolf’
“It’s a confirmation of nothing and clarification of nothing.”
+100 That short sentence sums it up well.
I think Labour party should still demand an apology from this fellow along with from all those who tried to destabilise Labour. People and entities like Key, Slater, Whaleoil and also should sue them all to teach them a lesson not to play nasty sewer politics and dirty tricks from Key’s ‘top drawer’ as he himself proudly announced his Modus operandi recently.
I read something today from Labour that suggest that is exactly what they are thinking about for the NZ Herald and Liu
What about TVNZ and TV3? They reported this issue uncritically and wholesale too.
I’ve been off broadcast TV since September 2012. I never got around to fixing the TV aerial when we moved back into my apartment and put a cupboard right over it. It buggered the plugs and we had far too many other things to do at the time.. I never miss the obnoxious advertising and the shows designed for morans.
So I don’t see most of their material unless I deliberately look at it because their on-demand TV doesn’t go onto the bluray/TV channels via the computer or the network link too well.
Mind you Lyn does want to watch some of the ads for professional reasons. I should get the screwdriver out and fix it before she gets back from the US on saturday.
Suing for defamation may be good as it will teach the sewer right wing nasty vermin to behave and at the same time will let us concentrate on the policies without unnecessary time wasting unfair distractions. On the other hand, …….what are the possible downsides to that?
There’s always a downside for politicians criticising the MSM. But then, given how strongly they have come out against Labour & Cunliffe, could it get any worse. Seems to me like there’s little now to lose by complaining, and everything to gain.
The main point missed so far is that the NZ Herald believes that it has the institutional right to throw the upcoming General Election, and fuck with this nation’s democratic processes as they see fit.
So the CTU are backing Labours plan…Now there is a turn up for the books.
In other new, Ashburton farmer gives a big thumbs up for the Crusaders.
[lprent: Diversion comment – banned 3 months. Moved to OpenMike. I do hope you thought that comment was worth doing. ]
Awww, I was so wanting to nail him with shiny spikes of sharply pointed reality over his bullshit.
A 3 month ban is a good replacement though 😀
its only wailboil in drag.
he’s very simian.
hairy and smelly and not very bright.
Labour candidate in Marlborough suggests recreational fishers should have a licence. I always thought Labour were “Give a man a fish” and National were “Teach a man to fish”. Now it appears that Labour are “Tax a man to fish.” Any wonder they are tanking in the polls.
Tamati Coffey calls for Simon Bridges to resign for doing something approved by David Cunliffe. Any wonder they are tanking in the polls.
Still waiting: http://www.thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21062014/#comment-835915
Already answered
For those who can’t be bothered following the link, fisiani’s answer is
as opposed to “force a slave to fish“, which national seems to want to sweep under the carpet
more twaddle from the fishy one himself.
name one society where people live on fish every day.
jim mora called for listeners to txt in favourite smells..
..i sent in:..’primo bud burning’..
..mora sniffed:..’some people sent in irrevernt-smells..
..i won’t mention them..’
If you read this article about what is happening in the US then you will share my resolve to do as much as we can to oust this Natz government which seem to want to follow all of the worst policies from US or UK.
“A Secret Plan to Close Social Security’s Offices and Outsource Its Work”
https://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/06/24-7
Sir Bruce Slane just took the Herald apart on its coverage of the Liu issue on The Panel, National Radio.
Worth a listen.
Tautoko Viper
I don’t like the sound of ” The National Academy of Public Administration, or NAPA,”.
Could easily be made into NAPALM with the apt descriptive words added ‘Limiting Measures”.
Isn’t it amazing that the wealthier some people get, the more they want to hold their own and others’ rewards in life constantly more tightly to themselves.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Labour-U-turns-over-dolphin-sanctuary-drilling/tabid/1607/articleID/350010/Default.aspx
chris 73
You are a sour negative little git. Why don’t you go on gardening leave.
Just wondering whos to blame for Cunliffes latest u-turn (so many u-turns I’m starting to get whiplash)
A. The MSM
B. National
C. Whaleoil
D. All of the above
he doesn’t blame anyone.
it is the job of her majesties loyal opposition to sheet home responsibility for governmental failure and inadequacy.
I blame you for being inane as you are utterly incapable of seeing the gross dereliction of governance by this government of venal little moneygrabbers!
Well ackshully he blames National: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/306386/cunliffe-issues-warning-caucus
I’m just wondering what other people think but note I didn’t bother putting an option down for Cunliffe as the answer because its never Cunliffes fault, ever
I missed the 6 pm news on both channels today. What I want to know from anyone that watched either, how much prominence was given to Labour’s alternate budget today? Cheers.
What? No one ?
I think chrass 72 done toomany weetbix this morning and it has gone to his head.
blame that.
John Key: Portrait of a Prime Minister
Published: 26/06/2014
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
RRP:$38.00
ISBN-13:9780143570752
ISBN-10:0143570757
http://www.penguin.co.nz/products/9780143570752/john-key-portrait-prime-minister
Gawd you have to love the audacity and guts of the Right Wing
Why waste $38 to further enrich a mega-wealthy foreign currency exchange gambling dude? The Liu man will probably buy the whole lot of copies for over $150,000 anyway and drink it all up on the Yangtze! Instead, here is a free portrait for your jaw dropping enjoyment. Watch the dudes at the back laughing their head off! You are welcome!
http://tinyurl.com/lw4jypc
Biggest threat to world peace? The US
And our PM has just said that we’ll get closer to them and that we’ll help them with their wars.
David Cunliffe leadership acceptance speech Sept 2013
This style is what this campaign is needing right about now
I looked for the transcript of that speech, but couldn’t find it. Do you have a link for the script?
On PRIME :
Back Benches, Wednesday 10:50PM
The MP pub panel discuss what the Prime Minister’s growing relationship with the U.S. means for NZ. Also, can child poverty really be linked to NZ’s superannuation age? PGR
Judith C is planning to demand banks report on wire transfers over $1,000. This is to stop crime. The government wants to get in bed with us. They withdraw my 6 cents tax on my 36c interest. Tax is theft when they pinch cents off small savings. Yet you can take out $10,000 in cash. What’s that about?