I do find it hilarious that a website publicising the prices of goods is somehow regarded by the regime as a weapon of economic sabotage. Leftist thinking is so totally screwed sometimes.
Gooseman the US prints money the EU is in the process of printing 1.4 trillion dollars.
Are they wrong.
Your a right wing fundamentalist who’s policies are being foisted on Greece their Economy has been in continual decline.
Argentina had the same policies foisted on them by the World Bank and IMF it caused a continual decline in their Economy.
So both left and right wing fundamentalist are bad for economies
Except right wing policies eventually lead to economic growth whereas left wing economic policies like that in Venezuela eventually lead to economic collapse. A simple question for you. How can you see Venezuela getting out if the mess they are in other than to ditch their leftist economic policies such as price controls and rationing and following more right wing ones?
You Are joking when do right wing policies work not ever show me an economy that hasn’t relied upon a mix of policy including printing money and stimulating their Economy.
Find an economy that relies purely on the free market.
Gooseman it doesn’t exist.
Greece is suffering as much as Venezuela, Venezuela’s command and control economy is as bad as Greece’s Right wing Austerity programming.
Trade embargoes CIA destablization the Drug lords control of 40% of Venezuela’s population fuelled by the failed war on drugs.
Greece fucked over by Goldman Sachs and their ratings agencies.
Now bailed out with printed Ponzi money at exorbitant rates.
Where is your free market Goose.
The UK printed £100s of billions .
All the big trading blocks have printed trillions to stimulate growth the minions (NZ govt borrowed $70 billion the NZ private Sector have borrowed at least $100billion on speculative investments)eventually this house of card will fall over so where eventually is your Free market economy.
Tell us all Guillible Gosman.
You can say that again. State dominated by a pack of right wing thugs aided and abetted by America. You still haven’t answered what I asked, I never asked you if the government was right wing
But I will ask again. How is the economy going in the Ukraine.
Really badly as a result of the State playing too big a role in the economy. It needs to reform the economy so that the private sector is able to operate without the corrupt and oppressive influence of government.
Venezuela is a basket case economy. With the collapse of the price of oil, Maduro’s government is desperate for cash. The country is in desperate needs of imported goods. The joys of socialism.
Under the previous right wing murderist facist dictators propped up the US before the 1950’s then by the CIA post 1950 Venezuela has been no different .
The Drug lords control large areas of Venezuela their profits help the CIA run covert operations .
Venezuela is a basket case full stop.
Because it was badly run before that excuses how badly run it is now in your mind does it?
Venezuela used to be regarded as one of the better performing nations in Latin America. No more though. Largely due to left wing policies and ideas that are very similar to those expressed by many here.
Lots of nations that rely on oil have not had their economies implode due to the fall in the price of oil. Venezuela seems to be rather unique in that regard. Might have something to do with the massive increases in government spending when the price of oil was higher. Still don’t you lefties think spending more on social services is always a good idea?
Except it is the left wing policies that are causing the economic hardship I Venezuela. What us happening there us entirely predictable. The government imposes price controls on goods. What do you think will happen? Of course there is shortages. The government subsidizes the price of oil so it us dirt cheap. What do you think will happen? Of course people smuggle it to neighbouring countries to me easy money. The government spends billions on social services when it has not money to pay for it. What do you think will happen? Of course inflation sky rockets.
Do you not see how one leads inevitably to the other?
What is your explanation for the super free market non socialist capitalist king country in the world, USA, to be in massive government debt exceeding 18 Trillion dollars ($18,000,000,000,000) with interest alone being over 3 Trillion dollars per year ($3,000,000,000,000) and its total national debt being at over $61 trillion dollars ($61,000,000,000,000,000) and growing like there is no tomorrow?
not really due to the drop in oil prices. I have a piece of research from April 2014 which showed Venezuela (at the time) needed an oil price of $121 per barrel just to break even…….
Okay, give me one nation that is a part of the global market economy where there are no levels of onerous poverty and no corresponding small ultra rich clique and where health and education and adequate shelter are equally available to all?
Venezuela is no different to any other potential examples for the question I asked above. Venezuela is a part of the global market economy, but Venezuela practices a fair amount of intervention. It isn’t a command economy though.
So, what have the interventions done? Decreased poverty and illiteracy? Increased access to health care, food, adequate shelter etc? Yes.
What has the market economy done? Gone into a recession/depression.
I was about to say there is a significant racial/class subtext in Venezuela. I ran into a bunch of all-white, well off (better off than me, anyway) Venezuelans who showed up on their own yacht in Ibiza a few years back. They were lovely, until you got to know them and then you heard a little of their views of things back home.
Based on that experience I agree with the comment in one of the articles posted above:
“…White supremacy endures in Venezuela often resembling the United States and other settler colonial countries founded on conquest and slavery…”
Those are the kinds of people who utterly despised Chavez educating ordinary people in poor towns on the importance of participating in the political process. (Which generally involved ensuring that people could read and write so that they could interpret the Venezuelan constitution and participate in elections.
Hey Gosman, You are always ranting on about Venezuela, how the socialist’s are running it in to the ground and how socialism doesn’t work, Well mate it works very well in this country for :-
Reo Tinto
Warners
Grants to private schools
and the latest bail out by Parata of a Charter School.
NZ is developing its own corrupt crony capitalist class that is enamoured with foreign corporations and foreign money, just like Venezuela, and I reckon you do support it.
A crisp millitary salute to that CV. It has sent Gosman to ground, he probably had to get into his cheerleading kit readying himself for slippery John’s interview on The Nation.
After watching Key’s half cut pitch I notice the narrative has moved strongly towards privatisation. Unfortunately for the Nats Serco has flattened the tire and the wheel has come off. Good interview with Kelvin Davis, right now I think Key would prefer that Hone had beat Kelvin in the TTT seat.
“This link highlights what the problem with Ukraine’s economy – The State.”
Yeah but they don’t say Socialist state.
Hey mate I am not going to debate with you further as you talk nothing but crap
You have a very simplistic point of view and that is right wing good left wing terrible. Anybody with an once of intelligence knows it is not as simple as that
Personally I am not a socialist though the way the world is going it is driving me more to the left, but I have a very strong social conscience, and as I have said before when I was a kid thank the fuck other right wingers thought the same. This is something this breed of greedy bastards don’t understand the word let alone practice.
http://www.putatara.net/2015/07/serco-debate/ one of the ‘Urewera 4’ writes a very thoughtful article on NZ prisons & that they are all badly run, & makes an interesting point that tax payers are funding gang training & recruitment, would now like to see the jamboree of right wing regulars here get their knickers in a twist about that!
Is it
a) the housing crisis in Auckland caused by a lack of rules to stop NZ and foreign speculators
b) the imminent collapse of our economy due to crashing dairy prices
c) prison crisis
d) the imminent signing of the TPPA
….”That’s roughly $32 billion,” says Tee. “The Canadian government said: ‘We don’t want your money anymore’ and that capital is now hitting the Sydney market.”
“There is a mountain of liquidity. China is bursting with flight capital. They can’t go to the US, they can’t get it into Singapore anymore, or Hong Kong.”
Tee’s comments come at a time of increasing concern that a generation of young Australians have been locked out of the property markets of Melbourne and Sydney due to spiralling house prices….
Tee says recent figures in the media which put Chinese investment in the Sydney property market at 25 per cent of total sales were too low. He says it might be twice this level but it is hard to tell because of the lack of transparency on ownership.
Most Chinese purchases hide behind trustees and proxies. Third parties such as friends and relatives were often used.
“Chinese students are being paid 2 per cent of the purchase price of the property to purchase property on behalf of relatives,” says Tee.
Another person au fait with Chinese property transactions in Australia told Fairfax Media it was simple for Chinese investors to get around the foreign capital restrictions.
“The money never really moves. In a simple example, Kunlun is a forex trading and money exchange company. It has bank accounts in many countries with significant cash balances. So if someone wants $40 million in Australia they put the money in a Kunlun China account and Kunlun transfers the money from their Australian accounts to the person’s friend’s Australian account.
“Kunlun is just one example – any large trading multinational will hold large reserves of cash in each country so they can effect a transfer with an internal paper transaction. No banks or government scrutiny involved. And given that they don’t do effective reporting in this country, who will ever trace it?…”Kunlun is just one example – any large trading multinational will hold large reserves of cash in each country so they can effect a transfer with an internal paper transaction. No banks or government scrutiny involved. And given that they don’t do effective reporting in this country, who will ever trace it?
“The current situation is that one of the best assets a local Chinese can have is a permanent Australian residence. They will have ‘friends’ lining up to ‘loan’ them money to buy properties in Australia.
All the government needs to do is follow the cash.”
Sadly, for a generation of young homebuyers it seems the government is not interested in following the cash. Otherwise our politicians, of both major parties, would have introduced the second tranche of AML legislation by now and real estate agents would have to prove that their clients’ funds were legitimate.
who says I am blaming the Chinese…that is your spin…I am citing facts given by Chinese
…..I am blaming this Nact Government for not getting statistics and not putting controls on overseas buy up of scarce New Zealand houses …which should be for New Zealanders
…jonkey Nact are betraying young New Zealanders and future generations of New Zealanders
…you think it is right that New Zealanders are priced out of their own country ?
….I thought you were supposed to be a Lefty!…and a supporter of the Labour Party?…seems that is all pretence
NZers were priced out of Auckland by 2005; your outrage is a decade too late. Ban foreign buyers, but houses in Auckland will stay over $500,000 and out of reach.
for your information many New Zealanders have been concerned about foreign ownership of New Zealand assets and property for a very long time…more than 35 years in the case of CAFCA ( but I guess before your time)
…I would add many Labour Party members and supporters are also concerned…especially recently when the scale of buy up has been massive and New Zealanders are being priced out of their own land
“In this episode of the Keiser Report, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert discuss Greek prime ministers bearing referendums as privatisation schemes move full steam ahead as billionaires and celebrities begin buying up Greek islands on the cheap.
In the second half, Max interviews Eddy Travia of Coinsilium.com about the company’s upcoming IPO on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in London. Coinsilium Group facilitates the implementation of blockchain technology products and services alongside media and corporate advisory services.”
Some things are too important to sell….some things should not be sold!
I listened to this interesting TEDX talk this morning about how humans have taken over the world due to the ability to work collectively, flexibly with imagination. Everything from economic systems to money to corporations to religion are really only the result of a story which enough people believe. Perhaps we need to start imagining and telling some new stories about how the world could be.
Fairy Godmother
If you can find some new stories for us, I think we will listen and be heartened. Sp here’s hoping.
I like ones about people doing things that present problems and ask us to stir ourselves and direct our interests in the right way.
I have written about the man who comes all the way from Murchison to sell woollen socks at the local market.
There is the woman at the market whose husband died recently after being nursed through a long illness from a car crash, she is 64 and is being harried into getting a job so has some months of that before she is, thankfully, 65 and entitled to retirement. She was there on the Greens desk, because she is so solidly behind the precepts of humane and thoughtful living.
Forest and Bird have people going round trying to get funds for an onslaught on the uncaring barbarians that we have elected, to try and save the Maui dolphin off the west coast of North Island, off Taranaki. They and other sea creatures are badly affected by the nets that local and foreign fishers are using. The filaments are too fine and don’t deflect the sonar signal of the fish that swim right into them unaware.
I thought it was just the size of the mesh, but it is also the thinness of it causing the deaths. I am short of money but promised to talk about it to the young German lobbyist, who explained very well, probably gets a commission and was just a wee bit sorry that I couldn’t commit.
But perhaps we need more stories about things that are happening and changing things for the better, with humans at the forefront, and technology as an aid, not a substitute.
Oh dear – to say Mischele Boag was not pleased to see me this morning outside Sky City, where I was standing, quietly and peacefully as delegates entered the Casino for their 79th Conference, would have to be a bit of an understatement?
“Good morning Mischele!” I called, in a friendly way.
“Pay your rates Penny! Pay your rates!” was Mischele’s angry response.
“I will once the Council tells us where the money is being spent,” I replied.
“Don’t you support transparency Mischele?” I asked as she flounced off, in an obviously poisonous mood.
Maybe she didn’t like the wording on my placards?
Most National delegates were friendly, including Nick Smith, who didn’t reply to my question,
“What’s in the TPPA for dairy Nick?”
Maybe he didn’t hear the question – to be fair.
In fact – it was such fun – I think I’ll go back for the lunch break, and let my placards do the talking …..
You’re worth more than a penny, Penny. Wearing down stone is slow, but you keep persisting. Apparently a primitive method of splitting stone is to pour water and salt into a crack when the weather is freezing. So unexpected results may occur with your simple methods of fronting-up used frequently.
Good on you Penny. I admire your dedication and hard work for great causes you fight for. Wish all voters in a democracy were as clued on as you. It is people like you that really deserve national awards of honour.
I’ve been watching the newspapers for reports on the court ruling on the Problem Gambling Foundation case. I haven’t seen any news at all, has anyone else seen anything?
The absence of media coverage is mystifying because it’s big news and very much in the public interest. The judge found countless breaches of the Mandatory Rules for Procurement by Departments with the extent being so great there were strong grounds for concluding bias and conflicts of interest.
People might recall the Problem Gambling Foundation were the harshest critics of SkyCity and it was alluded at the time they were refused the new contract because of their objections against SkyCity.
Yet more fuel to the fire of the SkyCity deal so why aren’t the media reporting on it….. or has that question just answered itself?
Thanks Ergo Robertina. Either I’ve been missing what was in front of me or they were well buried, I’ve been watching both Stuff and the Herald for reports since Thursday and saw neither of those.
I’m afraid I can’t agree with the comments about prisoners being given the right to votes. As I see it, being sent to prison means being denied rights and privileges and one of the basic privileges is the right to vote. While someone is incarcerated they should not be given the right to vote, apart from anything else can you imagine the distortion that would be caused as prisoners would likely vote against the current government because it was under the current government that they were lock up! I don’t see any problems with them resuming the right to vote once released from prison though as they have returned to society with all its rights and privileges associated with that freedom.
When a person can cast a vote this can lead to better circumstances. I do not know if inmates are ever polled. It appears that some surveys are required in NZ prisons and/or some research. I do not think that Serco would be in favour of a survey or a research project.
Denise, people are sent to prison AS punishment not FOR punishment. Being locked up is punishment enough. They are still humans with human rights, including access to voting.
Although under this government people are being sent to prison for more and more punishment regardless of the severity of their original crime.
Thank-you Sirenia for saying what needs to be said.
Every person – I repeat EVERY PERSON- has the right to vote. To disenfranchise anyone is an act of treachery. There are many criminals who don’t go to prison and the majority of them are wealthy and/or powerful so can buy/blackmail their way out of punishment.
To blithely say as you have said Denise Frost that prisoners be denied their sovereign rights shows a level of ignorance which is sadly all too common among right-wing NZers.
Denise Frost. Do you mean that prisoners (who are the people in society most affected by the strong coercive powers of the state – and often the same, people most let down by the state) should also then have no say in the running of that state?
In contrast to you, I believe that a NZ prisoner remains a citizen of NZ, and there are rights which are inalienable to such a status: such as voting and as access to their local MP.
@Denise
That’s a bit simple. You stop being a citizen when you go to prison? And the simple and censorious want to stop them ever having a vote.even when they come out.
Yet how many people are out there commiting offences who aren’t yet in prison. And those who have stolen millions and been able to avoid prison, unlike someone who has done something annoying or stolen something replaceable.
We would like those in prison to come out better, not try to erase them for ever from being citizens. There is a case for withholding voting for a very few who are more bad than mad, but the rest should be encouraged to use the time to work out a new plan, get new skills, and go forth and act rightly.
Professor James Hansen, formerly of NASA and now of Columbia University, and 16 other climate scientists argue in the study that a safe limit to global warming decided by politicians in 2009 may actually lead to disastrous ice melt.
Well, I suppose those extended wharves that Auckland Ports want won’t be worth it after all.
I’ve been consulting Homer Simpson on matters of State.
Asked what I should say to Labour as to why they weren’t successful in winning the last election he suggested an oblique approach. Ooh, a graduate student huh? How come you guys can go to the moon but can’t make my shoes smell good?
He said the reply might be tedious and result in me exclaiming – Sweet Merciful Crap!
But then I became unsure of the value of his clear-sighted consideration of my problem when he asked – Hey, can you take the wheel for a second, I have to scratch my self in two places at once.
And I thought that was too similar (but more vulgar) to USA politician President Lyndon Johnson’s put-down of an opponent who, he said in a sanitised version, couldn’t do two things at once, walk and chew gum for instance.
Just back from the Book Writers Festival with Nicky Hager. When asked if he had thought about what chance National had of winning or not at the last election he said that he believed that National were having their doubts.
“So to lift their chances they tossed Judith Collins out of their hot air balloon to make it rise higher.”
So apt!
A wealthy couple who have donated generously to the National Party are cashing up more than $26 million of property in Auckland.
Zhao Wu Shen and Susan Chou have given more than $370,000 to National through their company Contue Jinwan Enterprise Group, or in the name of Ms Chou, since 2010.
Mr Shen was also the biggest shareholder in Mega until selling his 25.9 per cent stake this month and resigning from the board of the online encryption service founded by Kim Dotcom.
The sale of the Mega shares comes as the Hong Kong-based couple try sell more than $26 million of property in Auckland, including a luxury home on a cliff top in Herne Bay with a council valuation of $11.5 million, which sold last month.
Once owned by Rich Listers Colin and Jennifer Giltrap, the 2049sq m site was bought by Mr Shen and Ms Chou for $10.75 million in late 2013 – one of the most expensive homes sold in Auckland that year.
But the 695sqm mansion is just one of a number of properties Mr Shen and Ms Chou are cashing up.
Listed as students on the electoral roll, the couple also sold a clifftop mansion in Howick for $7.5 million in May and another Auckland home for $1.6 million last year.
———————————————————————————————————————
lets leave the reflexive screams of racism aside for a moment please.
SO they are listed as studends on the elctoral role, they are multimillionaire students that were Main Share holders of Mega and donors to National.
does this read like a bond novel, or is it just me?
no the thing gets me they a held the main shares of Mega aka Dotcom and own multiple million dollar properties and are students who gave 370.000 to National.
SO they are listed as students on the electoral role,… (typos fixed).
That’s enough to tell anyone that… all is NOT what it seems in certain property investment portfolios.
But even more telling… they have given more than $370,000 to the National Party. And there’s your reason why this govt. is refusing to release information that could confirm or otherwise whether Chinese foreign investors are distorting the Auckland market. I would take a guess the Nats are richer to the tune of several million dollars courtesy of foreign property speculators. You scratch our back and we’ll scratch yours. Bloody disgusting!
typos, i am so good at them. really i am bad at writing, typing is easier then hand writing tho,. thanks for fixing my butchering of ze english language 🙂
I think they need to cut their fingernails and keep their hands to themselves before the gouging and troughing spreads any more bloody disgusting stats around.
The state houses in the photo look like they’re in good condition and well looked after. What’s the bet they’re privately owned and are no longer state houses.
Yes who knows about those houses, but in that photo the third house from the left is covered in dirt or mold or both.
Drive around Glenn Innes aggressive pit bulls are it seems everywhere.
GI has so many problems that a family with kids may turn down a state house in that area for safety reasons.
Have you got a journalistic project that you want to complete, but can’t get enough money or time to do it?
If so, a Bruce Jesson journalism award may be able to help. Applications for the 2015 awards are now open, and close on Friday 18 September.
There are two awards, a senior one to fund a planned journalistic project and a journalism student award for work that has already been published.
The senior award is unique in New Zealand because it funds time and research costs of up to $4000 in advance for projects that could be newspaper or magazine articles, reports on the internet, books, films, radio or TV documentaries or “any other publication which is aimed at, and accessible by, the general public of New Zealand or any part of New Zealand”. http://www.brucejesson.com/?page_id=14
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I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
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 Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
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 ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. 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 ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
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Venezuela’s steady economic decline is accelerating as expected due to the leftist policies of the current regime.
http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21659764-government-prints-money-hyperinflation-looms-crackers-caracas
I do find it hilarious that a website publicising the prices of goods is somehow regarded by the regime as a weapon of economic sabotage. Leftist thinking is so totally screwed sometimes.
Gooseman the US prints money the EU is in the process of printing 1.4 trillion dollars.
Are they wrong.
Your a right wing fundamentalist who’s policies are being foisted on Greece their Economy has been in continual decline.
Argentina had the same policies foisted on them by the World Bank and IMF it caused a continual decline in their Economy.
So both left and right wing fundamentalist are bad for economies
Except right wing policies eventually lead to economic growth whereas left wing economic policies like that in Venezuela eventually lead to economic collapse. A simple question for you. How can you see Venezuela getting out if the mess they are in other than to ditch their leftist economic policies such as price controls and rationing and following more right wing ones?
That’s a bullshit article of a bullshit faith
Economic growth for the top 1% or top 5% maybe
+1
Right-wing policies always lead to collapse as The Great Depression and the GFC proved.
and the Asian melt down in 1999?
And not to forget 1987
You Are joking when do right wing policies work not ever show me an economy that hasn’t relied upon a mix of policy including printing money and stimulating their Economy.
Find an economy that relies purely on the free market.
Gooseman it doesn’t exist.
Greece is suffering as much as Venezuela, Venezuela’s command and control economy is as bad as Greece’s Right wing Austerity programming.
Trade embargoes CIA destablization the Drug lords control of 40% of Venezuela’s population fuelled by the failed war on drugs.
Greece fucked over by Goldman Sachs and their ratings agencies.
Now bailed out with printed Ponzi money at exorbitant rates.
Where is your free market Goose.
The UK printed £100s of billions .
All the big trading blocks have printed trillions to stimulate growth the minions (NZ govt borrowed $70 billion the NZ private Sector have borrowed at least $100billion on speculative investments)eventually this house of card will fall over so where eventually is your Free market economy.
Tell us all Guillible Gosman.
Libya?
Iraq
And other countries where your friends applied their Shock Doctrine?
Ummm…. what right wing economic policies are being followed in those places?
No silly, those are applications of the USA’s right wing policies.
How’s the economy going in the Ukraine Gosman?
Why do you think the Ukrainian government is right wing when it is in fact still very State dominated.
This link highlights what the problem with Ukraine’s economy – The State.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26767864
You can say that again. State dominated by a pack of right wing thugs aided and abetted by America. You still haven’t answered what I asked, I never asked you if the government was right wing
But I will ask again. How is the economy going in the Ukraine.
Really badly as a result of the State playing too big a role in the economy. It needs to reform the economy so that the private sector is able to operate without the corrupt and oppressive influence of government.
Still loitering like a wet fart, are you Gossip
Flaunting your Venezuelan fetish again like a pre-programmed idiot
Gossip must play the banjo
Venezuela is a basket case economy. With the collapse of the price of oil, Maduro’s government is desperate for cash. The country is in desperate needs of imported goods. The joys of socialism.
Under the previous right wing murderist facist dictators propped up the US before the 1950’s then by the CIA post 1950 Venezuela has been no different .
The Drug lords control large areas of Venezuela their profits help the CIA run covert operations .
Venezuela is a basket case full stop.
Because it was badly run before that excuses how badly run it is now in your mind does it?
Venezuela used to be regarded as one of the better performing nations in Latin America. No more though. Largely due to left wing policies and ideas that are very similar to those expressed by many here.
No solely due to the collapse in the price of oil.
Lots of nations that rely on oil have not had their economies implode due to the fall in the price of oil. Venezuela seems to be rather unique in that regard. Might have something to do with the massive increases in government spending when the price of oil was higher. Still don’t you lefties think spending more on social services is always a good idea?
But it is such a silly argument.
Country A has a socialist government.
Country A’s economy is failing.
Socialism is therefore bad.
Facetious’s argument is the same although he does admit the collapse of the oil price is part of the problem.
Although I do agree that relying on one export, be it oil or milk, is a very unsafe thing to do.
Except it is the left wing policies that are causing the economic hardship I Venezuela. What us happening there us entirely predictable. The government imposes price controls on goods. What do you think will happen? Of course there is shortages. The government subsidizes the price of oil so it us dirt cheap. What do you think will happen? Of course people smuggle it to neighbouring countries to me easy money. The government spends billions on social services when it has not money to pay for it. What do you think will happen? Of course inflation sky rockets.
Do you not see how one leads inevitably to the other?
I can certainly see how allowing greedy, sociopathic people control over the economy would result in that which is what RWNJ policies do.
What is your explanation for the super free market non socialist capitalist king country in the world, USA, to be in massive government debt exceeding 18 Trillion dollars ($18,000,000,000,000) with interest alone being over 3 Trillion dollars per year ($3,000,000,000,000) and its total national debt being at over $61 trillion dollars ($61,000,000,000,000,000) and growing like there is no tomorrow?
not really due to the drop in oil prices. I have a piece of research from April 2014 which showed Venezuela (at the time) needed an oil price of $121 per barrel just to break even…….
http://i.imgur.com/CjNUUHh.png
a little something for the mantelpiece Gosman 🙂
There’s a rather large elephant in the room too.
http://www.voanews.com/content/are-race-and-class-at-the-root-of-venezuelas-political-crisis/1886458.html
http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/10547
The elephant in the room is the elephant that is not in the room.
Where are all the successful socialist economies that prove that socialist economics work, and Venezuela’s failure is an aberration?
Where are all the market economies that work?
Okay, give me one nation that is a part of the global market economy where there are no levels of onerous poverty and no corresponding small ultra rich clique and where health and education and adequate shelter are equally available to all?
Venezuela is no different to any other potential examples for the question I asked above. Venezuela is a part of the global market economy, but Venezuela practices a fair amount of intervention. It isn’t a command economy though.
So, what have the interventions done? Decreased poverty and illiteracy? Increased access to health care, food, adequate shelter etc? Yes.
What has the market economy done? Gone into a recession/depression.
A renewed and fierce global downturn is already underway…
+1
Well said Bill.
I was about to say there is a significant racial/class subtext in Venezuela. I ran into a bunch of all-white, well off (better off than me, anyway) Venezuelans who showed up on their own yacht in Ibiza a few years back. They were lovely, until you got to know them and then you heard a little of their views of things back home.
Based on that experience I agree with the comment in one of the articles posted above:
“…White supremacy endures in Venezuela often resembling the United States and other settler colonial countries founded on conquest and slavery…”
Those are the kinds of people who utterly despised Chavez educating ordinary people in poor towns on the importance of participating in the political process. (Which generally involved ensuring that people could read and write so that they could interpret the Venezuelan constitution and participate in elections.
How’s the economy going in the Ukraine?
Hey Gosman, You are always ranting on about Venezuela, how the socialist’s are running it in to the ground and how socialism doesn’t work, Well mate it works very well in this country for :-
Reo Tinto
Warners
Grants to private schools
and the latest bail out by Parata of a Charter School.
Just to name a few.
Do you support those policies in NZ then? I know I certainly don’t.
NZ is developing its own corrupt crony capitalist class that is enamoured with foreign corporations and foreign money, just like Venezuela, and I reckon you do support it.
A crisp millitary salute to that CV. It has sent Gosman to ground, he probably had to get into his cheerleading kit readying himself for slippery John’s interview on The Nation.
After watching Key’s half cut pitch I notice the narrative has moved strongly towards privatisation. Unfortunately for the Nats Serco has flattened the tire and the wheel has come off. Good interview with Kelvin Davis, right now I think Key would prefer that Hone had beat Kelvin in the TTT seat.
“This link highlights what the problem with Ukraine’s economy – The State.”
Yeah but they don’t say Socialist state.
Hey mate I am not going to debate with you further as you talk nothing but crap
You have a very simplistic point of view and that is right wing good left wing terrible. Anybody with an once of intelligence knows it is not as simple as that
Personally I am not a socialist though the way the world is going it is driving me more to the left, but I have a very strong social conscience, and as I have said before when I was a kid thank the fuck other right wingers thought the same. This is something this breed of greedy bastards don’t understand the word let alone practice.
Do you support those policies in NZ then? I know I certainly don’t.
Are you another non society Randian fuckwit who follow the likes of Rimmer Got your Hologram sign yet?
Who gives a shit who and what I support
Very thoughtful article on what it is like in NZ prisons by one of the ‘Urewera 4’ Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara http://www.putatara.net/2015/07/serco-debate/
http://www.putatara.net/2015/07/serco-debate/ one of the ‘Urewera 4’ writes a very thoughtful article on NZ prisons & that they are all badly run, & makes an interesting point that tax payers are funding gang training & recruitment, would now like to see the jamboree of right wing regulars here get their knickers in a twist about that!
Is there something going on in NZ that Gosman etal don’t want discussed?
This feels like desperate distraction by Gosman.
Privatisation is failing across the board just as the Left, back in the 1980s, predicted it would. Just as it did back in feudal times.
In fact, the one lesson we should draw from the last 5000 years of recorded history is that privatisation and wealth owned by the few always fails.
Is it
a) the housing crisis in Auckland caused by a lack of rules to stop NZ and foreign speculators
b) the imminent collapse of our economy due to crashing dairy prices
c) prison crisis
d) the imminent signing of the TPPA
e) The Saudi sheep gate and the coming resurrection of J. Collins.
Here is the scale of the housing problem…anyone who denies this is ignorant or disingenuous…this applies to Australia …..and New Zealand
http://www.smh.com.au/business/comment-and-analysis/wall-of-chinese-capital-buying-up-australian-properties-20150628-ghztdf.html#ixzz3gVPV2Oew
….”That’s roughly $32 billion,” says Tee. “The Canadian government said: ‘We don’t want your money anymore’ and that capital is now hitting the Sydney market.”
“There is a mountain of liquidity. China is bursting with flight capital. They can’t go to the US, they can’t get it into Singapore anymore, or Hong Kong.”
Tee’s comments come at a time of increasing concern that a generation of young Australians have been locked out of the property markets of Melbourne and Sydney due to spiralling house prices….
Tee says recent figures in the media which put Chinese investment in the Sydney property market at 25 per cent of total sales were too low. He says it might be twice this level but it is hard to tell because of the lack of transparency on ownership.
Most Chinese purchases hide behind trustees and proxies. Third parties such as friends and relatives were often used.
“Chinese students are being paid 2 per cent of the purchase price of the property to purchase property on behalf of relatives,” says Tee.
Another person au fait with Chinese property transactions in Australia told Fairfax Media it was simple for Chinese investors to get around the foreign capital restrictions.
“The money never really moves. In a simple example, Kunlun is a forex trading and money exchange company. It has bank accounts in many countries with significant cash balances. So if someone wants $40 million in Australia they put the money in a Kunlun China account and Kunlun transfers the money from their Australian accounts to the person’s friend’s Australian account.
“Kunlun is just one example – any large trading multinational will hold large reserves of cash in each country so they can effect a transfer with an internal paper transaction. No banks or government scrutiny involved. And given that they don’t do effective reporting in this country, who will ever trace it?…”Kunlun is just one example – any large trading multinational will hold large reserves of cash in each country so they can effect a transfer with an internal paper transaction. No banks or government scrutiny involved. And given that they don’t do effective reporting in this country, who will ever trace it?
“The current situation is that one of the best assets a local Chinese can have is a permanent Australian residence. They will have ‘friends’ lining up to ‘loan’ them money to buy properties in Australia.
All the government needs to do is follow the cash.”
Sadly, for a generation of young homebuyers it seems the government is not interested in following the cash. Otherwise our politicians, of both major parties, would have introduced the second tranche of AML legislation by now and real estate agents would have to prove that their clients’ funds were legitimate.
Property boom has been going on unchecked in Sydney for more than 10 years. The Chinese are just the latest factor.
admit it….crisis by massive scale of buy up of scarce housing resources now!
…when up to 50% of your housing stock is being bought up by Chinese
….and this said by an HONEST Chinese ( this is not racism…this is fact)
…we are betraying New Zealand youth and New Zealanders to allow this to happen!
Blame the Chinese all you like, it won’t change a thing.
who says I am blaming the Chinese…that is your spin…I am citing facts given by Chinese
…..I am blaming this Nact Government for not getting statistics and not putting controls on overseas buy up of scarce New Zealand houses …which should be for New Zealanders
…jonkey Nact are betraying young New Zealanders and future generations of New Zealanders
…you think it is right that New Zealanders are priced out of their own country ?
….I thought you were supposed to be a Lefty!…and a supporter of the Labour Party?…seems that is all pretence
NZers were priced out of Auckland by 2005; your outrage is a decade too late. Ban foreign buyers, but houses in Auckland will stay over $500,000 and out of reach.
who says I am outraged….and too late…only you
for your information many New Zealanders have been concerned about foreign ownership of New Zealand assets and property for a very long time…more than 35 years in the case of CAFCA ( but I guess before your time)
eg. New Zealand First, the Greens and CAFCA
http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/community/CAFCA/
http://www.historicalwatchdog.blogspot.co.nz/
…I would add many Labour Party members and supporters are also concerned…especially recently when the scale of buy up has been massive and New Zealanders are being priced out of their own land
New Zealander’s land and culture and assets are in danger of being sold for a song…like Greece
http://www.rt.com/shows/keiser-report/310334-episode-max-keiser-786/
“In this episode of the Keiser Report, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert discuss Greek prime ministers bearing referendums as privatisation schemes move full steam ahead as billionaires and celebrities begin buying up Greek islands on the cheap.
In the second half, Max interviews Eddy Travia of Coinsilium.com about the company’s upcoming IPO on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in London. Coinsilium Group facilitates the implementation of blockchain technology products and services alongside media and corporate advisory services.”
Some things are too important to sell….some things should not be sold!
I listened to this interesting TEDX talk this morning about how humans have taken over the world due to the ability to work collectively, flexibly with imagination. Everything from economic systems to money to corporations to religion are really only the result of a story which enough people believe. Perhaps we need to start imagining and telling some new stories about how the world could be.
http://www.ted.com/talks/yuval_noah_harari_what_explains_the_rise_of_humans?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button__2015-07-24
Fairy Godmother
If you can find some new stories for us, I think we will listen and be heartened. Sp here’s hoping.
I like ones about people doing things that present problems and ask us to stir ourselves and direct our interests in the right way.
I have written about the man who comes all the way from Murchison to sell woollen socks at the local market.
There is the woman at the market whose husband died recently after being nursed through a long illness from a car crash, she is 64 and is being harried into getting a job so has some months of that before she is, thankfully, 65 and entitled to retirement. She was there on the Greens desk, because she is so solidly behind the precepts of humane and thoughtful living.
Forest and Bird have people going round trying to get funds for an onslaught on the uncaring barbarians that we have elected, to try and save the Maui dolphin off the west coast of North Island, off Taranaki. They and other sea creatures are badly affected by the nets that local and foreign fishers are using. The filaments are too fine and don’t deflect the sonar signal of the fish that swim right into them unaware.
I thought it was just the size of the mesh, but it is also the thinness of it causing the deaths. I am short of money but promised to talk about it to the young German lobbyist, who explained very well, probably gets a commission and was just a wee bit sorry that I couldn’t commit.
But perhaps we need more stories about things that are happening and changing things for the better, with humans at the forefront, and technology as an aid, not a substitute.
Oh dear – to say Mischele Boag was not pleased to see me this morning outside Sky City, where I was standing, quietly and peacefully as delegates entered the Casino for their 79th Conference, would have to be a bit of an understatement?
“Good morning Mischele!” I called, in a friendly way.
“Pay your rates Penny! Pay your rates!” was Mischele’s angry response.
“I will once the Council tells us where the money is being spent,” I replied.
“Don’t you support transparency Mischele?” I asked as she flounced off, in an obviously poisonous mood.
Maybe she didn’t like the wording on my placards?
Most National delegates were friendly, including Nick Smith, who didn’t reply to my question,
“What’s in the TPPA for dairy Nick?”
Maybe he didn’t hear the question – to be fair.
In fact – it was such fun – I think I’ll go back for the lunch break, and let my placards do the talking …..
Penny Bright
TPPA – WALK AWAY!
+100… GO PENNY…we are with you!
You’re worth more than a penny, Penny. Wearing down stone is slow, but you keep persisting. Apparently a primitive method of splitting stone is to pour water and salt into a crack when the weather is freezing. So unexpected results may occur with your simple methods of fronting-up used frequently.
Good on you Penny. I admire your dedication and hard work for great causes you fight for. Wish all voters in a democracy were as clued on as you. It is people like you that really deserve national awards of honour.
I’ve been watching the newspapers for reports on the court ruling on the Problem Gambling Foundation case. I haven’t seen any news at all, has anyone else seen anything?
The absence of media coverage is mystifying because it’s big news and very much in the public interest. The judge found countless breaches of the Mandatory Rules for Procurement by Departments with the extent being so great there were strong grounds for concluding bias and conflicts of interest.
People might recall the Problem Gambling Foundation were the harshest critics of SkyCity and it was alluded at the time they were refused the new contract because of their objections against SkyCity.
Yet more fuel to the fire of the SkyCity deal so why aren’t the media reporting on it….. or has that question just answered itself?
DH I referred yesterday to Andrew Geddis column @ Pundit. Covers the ground very well.
http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/bliss-was-it-in-that-dawn-to-be-alive
Thanks ianmac, wrong link though….
http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/the-governments-problem-with-problem-gambling
He does cover it well and further reinforces my puzzlement over the lack of media coverage. It is genuinely newsworthy.
Thanks DH. My error.Tried to find exactly when this decision was reached. Think it was very recent so will watch MSM with interest.
It was covered on Checkpoint.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/201763588/black-eye-for-health-ministry-in-big-win-for-gambling-workers
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/201763610/anti-gambling-jobs-saved-by-high-court
Note National Radio acted. Papers? Not yet.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11485857
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/70497630/problem-gambling-foundation-beats-ministry-of-health-in-court
Thanks Ergo. The paper reports were pretty neutral in tone compared to the emblazing of minor Opposition errors.
Thanks Ergo Robertina. Either I’ve been missing what was in front of me or they were well buried, I’ve been watching both Stuff and the Herald for reports since Thursday and saw neither of those.
I’m afraid I can’t agree with the comments about prisoners being given the right to votes. As I see it, being sent to prison means being denied rights and privileges and one of the basic privileges is the right to vote. While someone is incarcerated they should not be given the right to vote, apart from anything else can you imagine the distortion that would be caused as prisoners would likely vote against the current government because it was under the current government that they were lock up! I don’t see any problems with them resuming the right to vote once released from prison though as they have returned to society with all its rights and privileges associated with that freedom.
When a person can cast a vote this can lead to better circumstances. I do not know if inmates are ever polled. It appears that some surveys are required in NZ prisons and/or some research. I do not think that Serco would be in favour of a survey or a research project.
Denise, people are sent to prison AS punishment not FOR punishment. Being locked up is punishment enough. They are still humans with human rights, including access to voting.
Although under this government people are being sent to prison for more and more punishment regardless of the severity of their original crime.
Thank-you Sirenia for saying what needs to be said.
Every person – I repeat EVERY PERSON- has the right to vote. To disenfranchise anyone is an act of treachery. There are many criminals who don’t go to prison and the majority of them are wealthy and/or powerful so can buy/blackmail their way out of punishment.
To blithely say as you have said Denise Frost that prisoners be denied their sovereign rights shows a level of ignorance which is sadly all too common among right-wing NZers.
The way I see it, you are a human being whether you are on the inside or on the outside.
Denise Frost. Do you mean that prisoners (who are the people in society most affected by the strong coercive powers of the state – and often the same, people most let down by the state) should also then have no say in the running of that state?
In contrast to you, I believe that a NZ prisoner remains a citizen of NZ, and there are rights which are inalienable to such a status: such as voting and as access to their local MP.
@Denise
That’s a bit simple. You stop being a citizen when you go to prison? And the simple and censorious want to stop them ever having a vote.even when they come out.
Yet how many people are out there commiting offences who aren’t yet in prison. And those who have stolen millions and been able to avoid prison, unlike someone who has done something annoying or stolen something replaceable.
We would like those in prison to come out better, not try to erase them for ever from being citizens. There is a case for withholding voting for a very few who are more bad than mad, but the rest should be encouraged to use the time to work out a new plan, get new skills, and go forth and act rightly.
A “right” is not a “privilege”.
Prison is detention for the safety of the community and, theoretically, punishment and time for reflection and rehabilitation.
Concomitant abuse of rights is just a dick move.
Simulation shows ‘unavoidable’ 3m Auckland sea level rise
Well, I suppose those extended wharves that Auckland Ports want won’t be worth it after all.
I’ve been consulting Homer Simpson on matters of State.
Asked what I should say to Labour as to why they weren’t successful in winning the last election he suggested an oblique approach.
Ooh, a graduate student huh? How come you guys can go to the moon but can’t make my shoes smell good?
He said the reply might be tedious and result in me exclaiming –
Sweet Merciful Crap!
But then I became unsure of the value of his clear-sighted consideration of my problem when he asked –
Hey, can you take the wheel for a second, I have to scratch my self in two places at once.
And I thought that was too similar (but more vulgar) to USA politician President Lyndon Johnson’s put-down of an opponent who, he said in a sanitised version, couldn’t do two things at once, walk and chew gum for instance.
I gave up after his next confidential statement –
Guys are always patting my bald head for luck, pinching my belly to hear my girlish laugh.
http://www.angelfire.com/hi3/pearly/homer/quotes-homer.html
One thing is clear from the National Party Conference…National Party is more than happy to sell NZ land to cash rich foreigners.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/279671/english-backs-lotu-iiga-at-party-conference
We are not alone.
Great video, great analysis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgP_U4SzYd4
Clarke and Dawe – Ineluctable
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4RcJ5Uwg4A
Just back from the Book Writers Festival with Nicky Hager. When asked if he had thought about what chance National had of winning or not at the last election he said that he believed that National were having their doubts.
“So to lift their chances they tossed Judith Collins out of their hot air balloon to make it rise higher.”
So apt!
I see they have found Planet Key, He will be pleased. Cheerio John.
i really would like someone to explain this too me, cause really it confuses me.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11486547
A wealthy couple who have donated generously to the National Party are cashing up more than $26 million of property in Auckland.
Zhao Wu Shen and Susan Chou have given more than $370,000 to National through their company Contue Jinwan Enterprise Group, or in the name of Ms Chou, since 2010.
Mr Shen was also the biggest shareholder in Mega until selling his 25.9 per cent stake this month and resigning from the board of the online encryption service founded by Kim Dotcom.
The sale of the Mega shares comes as the Hong Kong-based couple try sell more than $26 million of property in Auckland, including a luxury home on a cliff top in Herne Bay with a council valuation of $11.5 million, which sold last month.
Once owned by Rich Listers Colin and Jennifer Giltrap, the 2049sq m site was bought by Mr Shen and Ms Chou for $10.75 million in late 2013 – one of the most expensive homes sold in Auckland that year.
But the 695sqm mansion is just one of a number of properties Mr Shen and Ms Chou are cashing up.
Listed as students on the electoral roll, the couple also sold a clifftop mansion in Howick for $7.5 million in May and another Auckland home for $1.6 million last year.
———————————————————————————————————————
lets leave the reflexive screams of racism aside for a moment please.
SO they are listed as studends on the elctoral role, they are multimillionaire students that were Main Share holders of Mega and donors to National.
does this read like a bond novel, or is it just me?
And they are stated in the article as being Hong Kong based as well as being listed as students? forget the racism it just smells to me.
no the thing gets me they a held the main shares of Mega aka Dotcom and own multiple million dollar properties and are students who gave 370.000 to National.
Bond, my name is Bond.
that can’t be for real?
SO they are listed as students on the electoral role,… (typos fixed).
That’s enough to tell anyone that… all is NOT what it seems in certain property investment portfolios.
But even more telling… they have given more than $370,000 to the National Party. And there’s your reason why this govt. is refusing to release information that could confirm or otherwise whether Chinese foreign investors are distorting the Auckland market. I would take a guess the Nats are richer to the tune of several million dollars courtesy of foreign property speculators. You scratch our back and we’ll scratch yours. Bloody disgusting!
typos, i am so good at them. really i am bad at writing, typing is easier then hand writing tho,. thanks for fixing my butchering of ze english language 🙂
and yes, that whole article is just strange.
😉
I think they need to cut their fingernails and keep their hands to themselves before the gouging and troughing spreads any more bloody disgusting stats around.
Just read this, maybe some of the people turn down houses as they are broken down crap.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/70545026/Paula-Bennett-signals-crackdown-on-state-tenants-who-turn-down-houses
The state houses in the photo look like they’re in good condition and well looked after. What’s the bet they’re privately owned and are no longer state houses.
Yes who knows about those houses, but in that photo the third house from the left is covered in dirt or mold or both.
Drive around Glenn Innes aggressive pit bulls are it seems everywhere.
GI has so many problems that a family with kids may turn down a state house in that area for safety reasons.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/70546135/nick-smith-eyes-ways-to-boost-private-sector-role-in-building-resource-consents
Nick Smith eyes ways to boost private sector role in building, resource consents
Wants to allow private co to give consents.
Private building co wind up under lim liability and the liability falls on council so they are very pedantic
SO if the is a problem with private constant then they will be liable so they will then be very pendandtic or wind up.
Sound like Serco
Yup. Privatisation by stealth.
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http://www.brucejesson.com/?page_id=14