Open mike 25/06/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 25th, 2015 - 109 comments
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109 comments on “Open mike 25/06/2015 ”

  1. AsleepWhileWalking 1

    First (?!) Germany, now France. NZ government has probably been spied upon by the US too

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-06-24/angry-and-embarrassed-france-calls-us-spying-unacceptable-demands-us-repair-damage-r

    • Kiwiri 1.1

      Not just NZ government but also opposition MPs?
      And include spying on their personal and sex lives, social and community interactions, side businesses, etc. Then pass on that info to be used against them.

    • Sabine 1.2

      nah the US don’t need to spy on us, John Key has given them open access.

      lol

    • Draco T Bastard 1.3

      Why would the US need to spy on the NZ government considering that the NZ government is, effectively, a branch office of the US administration?

  2. Puckish Rogue 2

    http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6300-roy-morgan-new-zealand-voting-intention-june-2015-201506240227

    Oh noes Nationals support drops to 49.5%, its a calamity 🙂

    But seriously it looks like business as usual…is that the sound of G. Robertson sharpening some knives 😉

    • Skinny 2.1

      I would not be cheerleading to this news as it is not great for National. It shows Jimmy Shaw has hit a high note with the public, up to 13% and expect this to grow, outstanding result for a new co leader.

      I guess National can come out with an endorsement of future partner Colin Craig’s Conservatives. Alas the Nats won’t have the support of the Maori-Mana Party and of course Dunne will retire end of this term.

      Weep and you weep alone, smile 🙂 and the whole world smiles with you coobah!

      • Puckish Rogue 2.1.1

        I do admire the optimism of the left, in spite of everything that happens the left still believe

        Its cute 🙂

        • Skinny 2.1.1.1

          Rogue I’ve excepted Labour will be stuck in the 20’s along as tthey go into elections with the same line up of MP’s, I just wish they would. So its the status quo till Key goes. All bets are off if say he had the misfortune of walking out of a cafe daydreaming of fondlying the waitress’s hair straight into a bus and killed.

          • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.1.1

            or gets a US based promotion.

            • Skinny 2.1.1.1.1.1

              Yes true there is nothing left for him in New Zealand political terms. Something financially beefy in New York.

          • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1.2

            Rogue I’ve excepted Labour will be stuck in the 20’s along as tthey go into elections with the same line up of MP’s, I just wish they would.

            Yep, they need to be more than National Lite and that won’t change while they’ve still got National Lite MPs and candidates.

            • Skinny 2.1.1.1.2.1

              Yes in other words Labour needs to be Labour and the front people the MP’s representing the party need to be in on this or out. I can think of 10 at first blush that don’t measure up. The problem is plying them out for the collective good of the party. How is this achieved, its not like Little can swing the axe, one whiff of this and they will start undermining him then try rolling him.

      • Marvellous Bearded Git 2.1.2

        I don’t think Dunne will retire. He is only 60. There will be no change of leadership by Labour before the next election. End of.

        • Colonial Viper 2.1.2.1

          i suspect Winnie has one more gen election in him.

          • Chooky 2.1.2.1.1

            hope Winnie stays

            • Colonial Viper 2.1.2.1.1.1

              Likewise.

            • b waghorn 2.1.2.1.1.2

              Why??

              • Puckish Rogue

                They think (hope) winny will go with Labour and the Greens which he may, of course, however hes not likely to get his knighthood going with the left

                • b waghorn

                  As long as my Arse! points to the ground there is no way there will be a labour /greens /nzf government.

                • Chooky

                  @ PR…I dont think the Queen likes jonkey nactional( too much of a social climber and her son is a Greenie)…jonkey may not himself get a knighthood ( if Labour has anything to do with it)…and he may be out next Election…so Winnie is in with a chance

                • Colonial Rawshark

                  They think (hope) winny will go with Labour and the Greens which he may,

                  Maybe; but mostly because he brings a style and bite to Parliament and to politics hardly anyone else does.

          • Draco T Bastard 2.1.2.1.2

            I suspect Winnie will die on the debating floor – in his nineties.

        • Chooky 2.1.2.2

          @ absolutely Marvellous

          Dunne will have to be ousted by Greens and Labour working strategically and cooperatively In Ohariu…NEXT TIME….God willing he will be out!

          …and out and out he MUST go!

      • Chooky 2.1.3

        @ Skinny …yes good result for the GREENS!

        … and steady- as- she- goes backbone Green lefty Metiria Turei

        ….and JIMMY SHAW…he hasnt put a foot wrong…he was the best choice for Green New Zealand male co-leader!

    • Clean_power 2.2

      Give Mr Robertson a few more months (of lowly polls) before he makes a move about his leadership bid.

      • Colonial Viper 2.2.1

        Nope, nothing will happen this side of the 2017 election.

      • Puckish Rogue 2.2.2

        True true

      • rhinocrates 2.2.3

        I don’t know why people are being so mean about Robertson. Look at the wonderful thing he did for Dunedin, my beloved home town – he left!

        Now if he’d do the same for Wellington to search for fresh lattes elsewhere I’d be really grateful to him.

      • Lanthanide 2.2.4

        Nothing will happen till 2016, if anything were to happen (which I doubt).

        Little hasn’t appointed a permanent Deputy Leader yet.

    • maui 2.3

      You’re celebrating National dropping -4.5% since the May poll? 😉

      • Puckish Rogue 2.3.1

        More like celebrating a poll thats probably quite accurate

        • maui 2.3.1.1

          We’ll see, I’m willing to wait for the other companie’s polls and if they show the same thing I’ll wait for the ones after that, and so on and so on, heh.

    • Chooky 2.4

      the tide is turning….imperceptible to begin with ….but the seepage is on the way out for jonkey nact

    • Draco T Bastard 2.5

      Oh noes Nationals support drops to 49.5%, its a calamity

      You’re right, it is a calamity – NZ is still fucked by selfish, greedy arse-holes.

  3. The Chairman 3

    Why oh why?

    Labour say the party still has significant concerns, yet they plan to support the legislation?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/69683161/mps-read-mean-tweets

    Thoughts?

    • b waghorn 3.1

      Would this legislation be away of stopping the attacks on people that come from whale oil?

      • The Chairman 3.1.1

        If questionable, comments may be removed.

        If deemed to cause harm or distress, commentators will be prosecuted after comments are made.

        • McFlock 3.1.1.1

          It’s the “reputation” bit that concerns me: yes, it might cover revenge porn, but depending on the nuances of the wording they might just have recriminalised libel with no defense as to whether it’s true.

          e.g. “weird hairtugging liar john key” might pick up a fine…

          • The Chairman 3.1.1.1.1

            I share your concern.

            Furthermore, for some, a fine may simply become another cost in financing an attack – i.e. dirty politics.

      • weka 3.1.2

        “Would this legislation be away of stopping the attacks on people that come from whale oil?”

        Well I can see why Labour would vote for the legislation, but am thinking more of a certain left wing blog 😈

    • adam 3.2

      Because rather than deal with the issues brought up by the Roast Busters issue. It is appears to be nothing more than censorship, at worst. Or legislation to stop criticism of the government, at best.

      You can always expect the Tory scum to manipulate public opinion to suit their agenda.

      Plus, and I think this is the kicker – it just makes criminals of people over bugger all, but does not really deal with the issues Roast Busters raised.

      Again, Tory legislation which is a pigs ear.

      • The Chairman 3.2.1

        Tory legislation, yes. But why are Labour planning to support it when they have significant concerns?

        • adam 3.2.1.1

          Maybe because parliamentary labour is full of Tory’s.

          • The Chairman 3.2.1.1.1

            Labour has a habit of doing this, which IMO is costing the party support.

            • Colonial Viper 3.2.1.1.1.1

              Like supporting Key’s anti-terrorism spying legislation

              • The Chairman

                Indeed.

                It’s difficult to know what the party stands for when they express significant concern, yet go ahead and support the opposition’s bill.

                Furthermore, doing so implies Labour doesn’t plan to overrule the concerning legislation if elected. Leaving voters questioning why vote Labour when they are largely the same?

                • Colonial Viper

                  most of those people have just decided to stop voting full stop.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  Furthermore, doing so implies Labour doesn’t plan to overrule the concerning legislation if elected.

                  If they think such a bill is a good idea (which I do BTW) then it’s going to be easier to amend afterwards especially with all of the fuckups that’s going to happen under Nationals’ heavy handed, unthought out legislation.

                  So, support it now but highlight, loudly, how it should be changed and then, when in government, change it with consideration to previous concerns and based on what’s actually happened.

                  • The Chairman

                    It could be several years before Labour are in Government again, which may come back to voters not perceiving a significant difference to bother changing allegiance.

                    • Colonial Rawshark

                      yep
                      and fuck supporting bad legislation if you don’t believe in it

                      this bizarre positioning by Labour has all the finger prints of typical Thorndon Bubble risk management (risk averse) attitudes

            • Kiwiri 3.2.1.1.1.2

              Exactly.

      • Colonial Viper 3.2.2

        Or legislation to stop criticism of the government, at best.

        Anything which can be used to target political dissent must be viewed with suspicion.

    • David H 3.3

      And the ‘mean’ tweets were not even mean. And here’s me thinking that Politicians had thick skin.

    • McFlock 3.4

      are the greens supporting it?

    • Charles 3.5

      To be fair, some of that “abuse” is just colourful opinion. “Dribbler” and “half-inflated balloon” or “supporting psychopathic climate change deniers”, come on. If that’s the best tweeters can do to politicians that actively try to kill people with policy, we could probably cut the numbers of NZ police because people are just too damn polite to violent maniacs and pose little threat to anyone else.

      The horse teeth comments, that would be something that needs looking into – as she points out, there is a theme. You have to consider the cultural context and the gender of the person. Call Winston a dribbler in real life and he might laugh, but he’d immediately give back five times worse, too. The description of half-inflated balloon bouncing around lamely and unexpectly … that isn’t gender specific, or physically specific enough, so fails the test.

      I’d be more concerned with private citizens recieving those sorts of text/online comments from strangers on a regular basis (that related to something they can’t change in themselves or an act of free-will that isn’t a crime), people who didn’t ask for public attention, weren’t trying to kill other people, and who weren’t engaged in politics. Many people get worse during smoko from employers and “workmates”, and much much worse from their own families and friends while they grow up. There might be a basis for investigating “the crimes of emotional abuse” but to ask anyone around the political traps, now, to do it, I just don’t think anyone’s up to it. They can’t even grasp the basics of writing good laws, and this sort of thing is a bit involved.

  4. Tautoko Mangō Mata 4

    John Key, with the support of the Speaker, has reduced our Parliamentary question time to a shameful farce. The Speaker has metaphorically cut the tendons of the opposition to immobilise them before their inhumane slaughter by ensuring that the unredacted cabinet document that proves John Key is lying as usual is not table.
    Shame.

  5. John Shears 5

    Healthline a very useful and helpful service which we have had occasion to use several times over the last few years is to be replaced by a new service run by two doctors companies for the next 10 years.

    Healthline has been a Health department service but the Nats.
    have decided it needs to be privatised.

    If it ai’nt broke don’t fix it ?????

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11470638

    • DH 5.1

      I find it depressing that no-one questions these lengthy contracts, IMO any Govt contract longer than 5yrs should immediately trigger a full investigation by the audit office. Labour and other opposition should be absolutely hammering into these rorts, they appear either fraudulent or intended to prevent future Governments from reversing privatisations.

      The main justification for using private sector contractors is the competitive pricing achieved through tendering. By handing out such unacceptably long contracts these people are effectively immediately cancelling the tenders and annulling any alleged advantage gained from privatisation.

      Contracts for services should be really be no longer than about 3-5yrs. The encumbent usually wants to retain the business and re-tendering keeps them honest. 10yr contracts are just gold plated retirement schemes for a favoured few, they’re totally unacceptable.

      • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1

        The long tenders are to cut down on the costs, for both government and the private sector, of the tendering. Both parties know that the costs of the tender process make it so that it would have simply been cheaper, easier and better for the government to simply do it themselves.

        As I say – competition increases costs and for all government services doesn’t produce any more value. In fact, it usually reduces the quality of the service as well as making it cost more.

        End result is that we end up with a monopoly private provider that will gouge the taxpayer for everything they can and the government will actually have to protect that monopoly providers’ profits else the whole lot will collapse. Basically, it’s guaranteed income for the private provider with the possibility of gouging even more from the government. Just look to Telecom/Chorus getting the government subsidy to install fibre to the home.

  6. David H 6

    Labour leaks everything else, so why not just leak it?

    • Lanthanide 6.1

      The media have already seen the unredacted version. So it’s only hollow point scoring at this point.

  7. cogito 7

    New Mosque in Taihape – sanctuary for weary travellers


    Before the centre was established in 2014, Muslims used to pray by the train station or behind the main public toilets. The mosque serves the general population of the South Island as they travel State Highway One – Constable Saifudin Abu, Taihape

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/voices/20150622

    Poor cop. He hasn’t even figured out yet that Taihape is NOT in the South Island.

  8. David H 8

    Here’s an article I followed from Twitter. very informative, and a little scary at the mind set of a typical Nat.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/opinion/69534585/rachel-stewart-you-think-sheep-are-dumb

  9. Puckish Rogue 9

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/346883/greens-want-better-food-inmates

    Sample menu for a male prisoner

    Breakfast – two Weetbix with milk, three slices of toast with spread and a cup of tea.

    Lunch – three sandwiches, a piece of fruit and tea.

    Dinner – sausages with gravy, potatoes and two seasonal vegetables, a piece of fruit and tea.

    (Source: Corrections Department)

    – Sounds like the prisoners get adequate meals to me

    • McFlock 9.1

      really?
      I was considering committing a mid-range crime so I’d lose weight for six months or so. No self discipline.

    • TheContrarian 9.2

      Where’s the coffee?

    • Lanthanide 9.3

      Seems perfectly adequate to me.

      Ah, PR failed to include the Green’s salient point:

      The last review of prison food was in 2009. It found that rations were adequate, but would need to increase if Corrections wanted prisoners to do more physical activity.

      Mr Clendon said servings should increase now that all prisons were being converted into working prisons.

      I agree. If that’s what the review said, then it should be abided by.

    • Charles 9.4

      Ah yes, Otago Daily Times of the Waitaki electorate… that hotbed of Greens support: running at about a 5th of what was given to National last election. Co-incidence?
      Don’t read the link if you’re a National supporter or crim-buster. Don’t want cognitive dissonance spooging all over the place… don’t you do it! …I warned you!

      http://brookingblog.com/2012/06/24/prison-protesters-all-they-need-is-a-decent-meal/

      ”The Ombudsman reported recently that “Prisoners continue to complain that the national menus implemented by the Department do not consider the specific health needs of prisoners, especially diabetics.”

      Former Corrections Minister Judith Collins responded to these concerns with this churlish comment: “Stay out of jail if you don’t like the food.” The police seem equally uninterested in providing a healthy diet for prisoners. The Wairarapa Times recently reported that a young man who spent a weekend in the police cells was given nothing but noodles and cold water.

      So in addition to the prospects of various physical assaults, seems National also is happy to condemn diabetic criminals to near-death situations. Nice.

      From the inside, prison food ain’t so great it seems, and isn’t even close to the ambiguously satisfying “sample menu” offered by ODT. Last food review was in 2009, and the news says no new review due any time soon, so this 2012 posting is still theoretically current. As for ODT and their Green-snarking… Go back to your parsnips.

      • Puckish Rogue 9.4.1

        The problem is most of the population won’t give two flying figs for this

      • Colonial Rawshark 9.4.2

        we will continue to push until Banquet Time Collins sees the light of day

    • Clean_power 9.5

      The Green imbeciles should direct their efforts to a worthier cause.

    • The Chairman 9.6

      Speaking of adequate meals, the Defence Force has announced it will restrict sugary fizzy drinks and deep fried food as it emerges more than a quarter of its personnel are ‘obese’.

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/69218840/defence-force-staff-carrying-extra-pounds

  10. Philip Ferguson 10

    Hillary Clinton is trying to masquerade as “the people’s candidate”. The $US2.5 billion “people’s candidate”, says Glen Ford of Black Agenda Report, who notes that the Democrats and Republicans are essentially the same.

    https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/06/25/hillary-clinton-the-us2-5-billion-peoples-candidate/

  11. Chooky 11

    This from Kathryn Ryan on Ninetonoon radio nz is very good on teenage depression. She is invariably a brilliant and compassionate interviewer.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201759853/parenting-teen-depression

    “Young Australian author Adam Schwartz with practical advice for parents of children with depression based on his own experience.
    Adam Schwartz was just 10 when he first became depressed. He refused to go to school, he was prone to bouts of destruction and contemplated suicide. For the next seven years, he and his parents tried an endless round of therapies and treatments in New South Wales, where they live. Adam is now 24, back in study in healthy and has written a book about what it is like to be a child and teenager suffering from depression. It’s called mum, I wish I was dead and he wants it to give hope to both sufferers and their parents.”

  12. Chooky 12

    SHAME : Fascism returns to puppet Europe …at the behest of USA..

    .(.Why are they so scared of open discussion and the TRUTH…and why are they lying?…pathetic! …surely they have learned from the past!?) –

    ‘EU drafts plan to counter Russian media ‘disinformation’, targeting RT’

    http://rt.com/news/269509-eu-plan-counter-russia/

    “The EU has drafted a plan to counter what it sees as “Russian disinformation activities” calling for the promotion of EU policies in the post-Soviet space and the implementation of measures against Russian media, including RT.

    The nine-page paper drafted by the EU Foreign Service and obtained by EUobserver was prepared ahead of the June 25-26 summit and is set to be voted on by EU leaders on Thursday.

    The plan is aimed at tackling Russia’s “use and misuse of communication tools” and the “promotion of EU policies” in former Soviet states as well as support for “independent media” and “increased public awareness of disinformation activities by external actors,” the report says.

    It specifically mentions RT, which according to the report broadcasts “fabrications and hate speech from their bureaus in EU cities.”…

    And from RT on the propaganda war :-

    ‘Dangerous propaganda’

    http://rt.com/shows/crosstalk/267628-dangerous-propaganda-western-media/

    “Winning the battlefield called public opinion has never been so important nor so divisive. The western media’s assault on Russia approaches sensory overload, but is it effective? There is a vast ongoing propaganda war being played out – whose propaganda should we be worried about?

  13. adam 13

    To all the narrow minded bigots who are anti-papist, and are happy to blame all their woes on the church. Please don’t read this. Or respond – because your disgraceful display the other day, was bloody demoralising.

    If you don’t mind, stretching one’s mind – I think Chris raises some good points.

    http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2015/06/praise-be-for-pope-francis.html

    • Chooky 13.1

      @ Adam….whose bigotry?

      ‘Catholic church writes to companies that support same-sex marriage’

      http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/24/catholic-church-writes-to-companies-who-support-same-sex-marriage

      “The Catholic church in Sydney has sent letters to at least two companies that publicly support same-sex marriage, to express its “grave concern” and accuse them of “overstepping their purpose”.

      The companies said the letter did not change their stance on same-sex marriage.

      Guardian Australia has seen the letter addressed to Steve Walsh, the chairman of law firm Maurice Blackburn, sent by the business manager of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, Michael Digges.

      In the letter, Digges writes the church is a “significant user of goods and services from many corporations, both local and international” and reminds the firm that many of its “employees, customers, partners, suppliers” would belong to the Catholic faith….

      (another attempt by the Catholic Church to run rough shod their brand of morality over people in secular society….weird hypocrisy because everyone knows that the Catholic Church and its clergy are full of wooly woofters…and we could say more …about Catholic Church priest sexual abuse, cover ups and “disgraceful” behaviour)

      • marty mars 13.1.1

        I do agree with adam on one point – that it is not really fair for the catholics to be singled out from amongst the many deviations contained within Christendom.

      • Ergo Robertina 13.1.2

        After everything that’s happened it sort of amazes me the catholic church has the gall to lecture another organisation about ”overstepping their purpose”, when it has been demonstrably neglectful of its own responsibilities as an organisation.

        “I wonder whether you have questioned whether it is the role of a corporation such as yours to be participating in such an ­important matter that impacts all of Australian society now and into the future.”

        • Colonial Rawshark 13.1.2.1

          After everything that’s happened it sort of amazes me the catholic church has the gall to lecture another organisation about ”overstepping their purpose”

          Not ‘lecturing to another organisation’; more like preaching. It’s the Catholic Church after all.

        • Chooky 13.1.2.2

          ER +100…gall and hypocrisy…and power and control ( descriptors)…this church of deviant weirdos and oppression has been responsible for an awful lot of bigotry and suffering

          ….and they have the gall to try and interfere and impose themselves into the private lives of those outside their church …and in secular democratic states

        • adam 13.1.2.3

          Did you read my link?

    • Chooky 13.2

      disgraceful bigotry?…and meddling in the rights of gays in a secular society

      http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-24/catholic-church-attacks-businesses-over-gay-marriage-support/6570082

    • weka 13.3

      Thanks adam. I’ve been appreciating yours and Macro’s informed comments on this recently.

      • adam 13.3.1

        Thanks weka. I try, sheesh I know the church is far, far, far from perfect. I find it’s power structures really not to my liking. Plus I disagree on its stance on sexuality and the role of women. That said, I agree on a lot of issues too.

        And quite frankly, I’m not seeing secular society doing much to help the poor and suffering. Under this government, secular society seems smug, and willing to put the boot in. So I’d rather deal with people, whose morals I disagree with on a couple of points. Than deal with people who have no morals at all.

  14. tinfoilhat 14

    Can anyone enlighten me whether the proposed average 10% rate hike in Auckland over the next ten years is year on year or over the whole period.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11470889

    • Colonial Rawshark 14.1

      No way it would be 10% over the whole period, that would be far less than inflation

      • tinfoilhat 14.1.1

        That was what I thought – it’ll put huge pressure on less well off households and on those who rent who will no doubt have the landlords pass costs on.

        if this is what a Labour mayor and his supporters in council deliver can we please have the option of a good Green mayor or anyone else, rather than the continuing parade of jesters, capitalists and cronies that have little to offer to anyone apart from themselves and their mates.

  15. Chooky 15

    For those bored with television and who were engaged with Aussie recent political history …this could be interesting

    ‘The Killing Season’

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/killing-season/

    THE KILLING SEASON is Sarah Ferguson’s gripping three-part examination of the forces that shaped Labor during the Kevin Rudd / Julia Gillard leadership years. It is a documentary series like no other. Visually striking, scripted like the best political dramas, The Killing Season is an enthralling account of one of the most turbulent periods of Australian political history.

    A comprehensive cast of the main players – including many of those still in parliament – speak frankly, providing a dramatic portrait of a party at war with itself.

    You can watch all three episodes of The Killing Season on ABC iview and for international viewers abc.net.au/killingseason. Available for a limited period only.

    Episode 1 – The Prime Minister and his Loyal Deputy (2006-2009)
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/killing-season/episode-1/

    Episode 2 – Great Moral Challenge (2009 – 2010)
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/killing-season/episode-2/

    Episode 3 – The Long Shadow (2010-2013)
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/killing-season/episode-3/

  16. Morrissey 16

    “You just ring your hands in despair, don’t you.”
    Jim Mora sighs deeply to show how troubled he is.

    The Panel, Radio NZ National, Wednesday 24 June 2015
    Jim Mora, Liz Bowen-Clewley, Finlay Macdonald, Zara Potts

    In today’s preshow segment, after a few anodyne comments about the death of James Horner, the Panelists engage in some extended banter about the latest Global Peace Index ratings. Out of 162 countries in the survey, apparently the five safest places are Iceland, Denmark, Austria, New Zealand and Switzerland; the United States is only the 94th safest country. The most unsafe: Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan.

    ZARA POTTS: Syria is so dangerous, of course, in large part due to IS. And they are now blowing up the ancient shrines near Palmyra.
    JIM MORA: [gravely, in a tone of deep concern] They’ve got going on that, have they? …. Well what can you say? …. [heartfelt sigh] …. You just ring your hands in despair, don’t you.

    et cetera, ad nauseam….

    Masochists may like to see further instances of Jim Mora sighing deeply and empathetically….

    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-25102014/#comment-916568
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-05082014/#comment-861110
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-09122013/#comment-741884
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-22102013-2/#comment-714772
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21102013/#comment-714200

  17. Smilin 17

    Aint it just great Keyjerks reactionary media army dragging the protest on parliament buildings into a fear mongering security risk trying to make the activist look like terrorists
    I suppose there will be a new bill jerked into parliament under urgency thats if Gerry aint to worn out finding the energy to get of his backside to complete the process of alarming the country as defence minister
    Maybe these fascists will declare their full intention cause i would put anything past this Keyjerk reactionary with the TPPA NEW SYSTEM of world govt about to be enacted Protest for breakfast anyone

    • maui 17.1

      Katie Bradford even signed off by saying that the Government will be most worried about “copy cat attacks”. I could not see anyone attacking anyone… Both One and 3 News did as little as they could to cover what the protestors were actually protesting about. 3 was a little bit better in that sense, but Tova O’Brien chimed in with her opinion that it was all about the security. Distract, dstract, distract…

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  • At a glance – Does CO2 always correlate with temperature?
    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 ...
    50 seconds ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 hours ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    3 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    4 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    9 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    9 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    9 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    9 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    10 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    11 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
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