So it is true then – The Government’s largesse with tax payers’ money will go to the rich first. Not surprised at that.
However doesn’t this confirm that the planners are locked in 19th century mindsets.
I would have thought that the digital world could completely change how we organise ourselves.
(QWERTY is a mechanical invention and now effectively redundant.
The “alphabetical” order of arranging the world is a mechanical thing – the instant digital search available renders that redundant.)
And so with UFB roll out. Why work from the City out? Why not start at the geographical centre of Auckland – probably a street in Ellerslie? OR even more equitable, start in a depressed suburb of Auckland and allow it to blossom and become a “centre of excellence”.
Joky Hen’s basic English fails the standards. It’s back to school for John. If he said as reported on Stuff …
“Obviously if the Australian media are not accredited then they’ll [RWC] have less exposure and less opportunities and that would be very disappointing,” he said last night.
Less exposure and fewer opportunities, John Boy. Add that to your regular use of ‘There’s lots of” instead of “There are lots of”… tch tch.
Less exposure and fewer opportunities, John Boy. Add that to your regular use of ‘There’s lots of” instead of “There are lots of”… tch tch.
Added to my horror file! (I have a language blog for ESOL students, where I list common errors they must avoid… ) I have heard reporters on RNZ says “she leaped” (should be leapt) and my recent favourite “a orange” to use an example, what’s with the constant use of ‘a’ instead of ‘an’ in front of a noun starting with a vowel? Also, they all seem to use ‘unable’ when they mean disable! Have they never even heard the word ‘disable’?
Yes we must address the institutional racism and racial profiling but they are symptoms – the real issue is deeper and can only be sorted by truthfully looking at this country, by looking at who we are, by looking in the mirror.
Correct! Seems to me that people committing violent crimes are most likely to be tasered and that ethnic breakdown quoted sort of corresponds to the ethnicity ratio of those committing violent crime.
Good point but it’s the “why” that leads to a ridiculous amount of crap in this country. Topped off with cries of “racism” and “poverty” etc. at any opportunity. NZ is not ready for a rational discussion on the “why” but until there is one, we will only look at statistics like this with anger (regardless of your political stance).
The ‘why’ has to be addressed and I agree that unfortunately we cannot yet have a rational argument as a country on this.
The attitude expressed by the poster below leaves me wondering if we ever will… no sense of ‘why’ there at all
“Yet Keith Locke says:
“Certainly they’re being fired disproportionately at Maori. The reasons for that are something we should look into.”
What Keith should be asking, is how many Maori lives were saved by the Police being able to use a taser to disarm an armed offender, without shooting them?”
Some shameless self promotion here: I’ll be on Vinnie Eastwood’s radio show from 10-12 AM today.
I’ll be talking about BofA in slomo collapse. John Key’s shares in that bank and his obvious conflict of interest having to serve two masters: The international bankster syndicate and the Kiwi population who’s interests are diametrically opposed to those of the banksters.
I will also be talking about John Key’s announcement to redirect millions of dollars of taxpayers money allocated for development aid to the forces who destroyed the Libyan infrastructure in order to rebuild Libya and to “help” the Libyan population.
Other subject which might pass are Fukushima’s ongoing disaster and the spread of hotspots throughout Japan and the contamination of foodstuffs and why we are still importing said foodstuffs from Japan.
This should not be hidden in the middle of the NZ Herald, it should be far more public
A potential strike by security guards hangs over the Rugby World Cup as a key operator faces a protest over working conditions.
The Unite Union has planned a picket from 9am today outside the Newmarket headquarters of Darien Rush Security, the firm which has won the lucrative contract to patrol Eden Park and North Harbour Stadium during the World Cup.
Late wage payments, intimidation from management, poor training and anti-union discrimination were among the problems the picket sought to highlight, said organiser and veteran protester John Minto.
The protest was sparked by an email from the company’s managing director, Darien Rush, when approached about negotiating a collective employment agreement.
“Darien Rush Security is a non-union site and will remain so,” Mr Rush replied in the email, which has been forwarded to the Herald.
“Furthermore, you are instructed not to contact any of my clients… I also put you on notice that all/any Unite Union organisers/management will be formally trespassed and the police advised if you attempt to enter the private property of Darien Rush Security
at any time as you are not welcome.”
According to NZ employment law
It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against workers because they joined a union, and unions are legally allowed to enter a workplace to represent members.
You gotta hand it to Farrar he is capable of running the most ridiculous lines that the gullible and feeble fall for.
Sorry to disappoint you Nick but Labour has little money like it always has and the unions are struggling. If you want to see real money in politics ask your local National Party MP about the Ruahine and the Waitemata Trusts.
Pigs will fly before any of our rich listers offer to do this.
Sixteen executives, including Europe’s richest woman, the L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, had offered in an open letter to pay a “special contribution” in a spirit of “solidarity”.
And still NZ won’t tax the rich and is promoting NZ as a financial centre with zero tax on overseas funds, at the same time some of the rich in Europe and the USA see the problem of tax inequality and Switzerland has just struck a deal with the UK so banks governments can get hold of tax evaders’ unpaid tax. Wake up NZ!
Good news – Otago uni has found important information about the genome of the new kiwifruit
disease. Good stuff. I understand that the Ministries of primary produce etc are all going to be amalgamated and scientists will be lost.
Is this wise or just another nightmare dreamed up by NACT, the false prophets of a supposed vital society. Actually they are leading us into a cul de sac of incompetence and sovereign weakness. With their systems we are vulnerable to the illnesses being passed to us from our contacts with the global financial diseases.
Biosecurity from the Farmers party laissez it will be Right. Cut front line jobs again 29 last time now more when we have extra people coming Dumb dumb and dumber. Typical National party short sighted idiots.Last time they were in power they cut front line officers .We ended up with a $400million clean up job painted apple moth.Labour increased frontline officers by 350 2000to2008!
Dead right, Anne, well spotted! For the Herald this is pretty damning stuff. And the first dozen comments backing it till the righties pop up. One of whom ventured this bit of delusional thinking:
“The face behind this Editorial should realise that readers have brains. Is the NZ Herald now on a campaign to try and up the Labour Party stakes to win the General Election? Looks like it! ”
Granny pointing out the blindingly obvious fact that the team behind Key are lightweights is not a sign of a pro-Labour campaign brewing. I wish! It might actually be a sign that in a recession, advertising spend drops. And that could be a factor in APN’s share price plunging from $2.50 in the New Year to a dollar now, with 60 cents gone in just the last 30 days. I can see a powerful motivation to tweak Key’s ears right there, eh.
“The face behind this Editorial should realise that readers have brains. Is the NZ Herald now on a campaign to try and up the Labour Party stakes to win the General Election? Looks like it!
Here’s Barnaby’s Herald comment response TVoR Boy, they have had no other target in mind since the last election! The ‘Herald’ is now the virtual official mouthpiece of the Labour Party. Look at the lineup of journalists and feature writers who echo the socialst policies of the newspaper’s UK owners.
Don’t know who is laughing the loudest – the Left or the Herald’s editorial writers.
The issue might have just come to Cabinet level, or somebody was mine-sweeping for issues that could bite the Government at the election…
Guyon Espiner described it, on Breakfast, this week as the government trying to sand off the sharp bits before the election.
Youth Unemployment
Mines inspectors
Cleaning up lake Elsmere (sic?)
Swap of land in Northland for land in Napier
These are just the beginning of the misdirection from feel good stories that the Prime Magician and his poodles will be putting out until the election.
The Nia Glassie coroner has some “radical” recommendations that Petulant Bean says are “already under discussion”.
All parents of under 5 year olds, should be subject to “unskedyooled” sic) inspections, and all single parents and solo parents on benefits, should be forced to comply.
(Why the distinction? Non-beneficiaries are ‘single parents’, beneficiaries are ‘solo parents’. Is this the not-terribly-bright 3 News reporter’s distinction, or the coroner’s?
Seems it’s the reporter’s distinction and yes, it’s pejorative. The coroner used ‘single parent families’.
The coroner seems to think all children should be monitored. Recommendation 5 (pdf, p25)
That all children from birth be compulsory registered with government agencies and health providers and other voluntary organisations and monitored from birth through to and including the age of five. That monitoring to include scheduled and unscheduled visits to the homes where young children are living so that monitoring will ensure they are kept safe and then provided with the necessities of life
Recommendation 6 expands on state intervention and the monitoring oversight of the care of children of single parents – working or or on a benefit – and children that have previously come to the notice of CYFS or where there is domestic violence in the home.
Interesting when single parent families end though – 2 weeks after the boyfriend moves in? or never?
I would like to see a bit of research on increases in child abuse since changes to postnatal care in the 1990s led to reduced home visits by health services and assistance for new parents. I’m not sure if it is worse, and if it’s worse whether less care, more deprivation, changing social mores or a combination of all is implicated.
Is marital status a ground for discrimination under the human rights act? Income status certainly is.
I was appalled at the suggestion that only single parent families should be subjected to random raids. If this is something that really is necessary for reducing child abuse lets raid all households with children. (And for the record I don’t believe this kind of intrusion would make a jot of diffference.)
But no, families with two parents in residence have rights.
I noted that the judge suggested that beneficiaries who didn’t submit to the regime should have their benefits docked. That’ll really help the children.
It has become so socially acceptable to denigrate beneficaries that the judiciary making ignorant and discriminatory statements like this have become a regular occurence. It was only a couple of weeks ago that a woman convicted of benefit fraud was told that it was people like her that made the public think all beneficiaries are criminals. Imagine the outcry if he’d said the same about fraudster lawyers.
I’m thinking that all men who move into a house with children that are not their own should be monitored – and have their benefits docked if they don’t comply. Imagine the outrage at the denigration of all stepfathers (btw – my children have an awesome stepfather).
It’s a trade off.. it makes sense to focus on the segments of society matching the profile for potential child abuse. It’s a direct approach to the shameful statistics for underprivileged NZ kids.
(long term approaches addressing the plight of the “underclass” will require decades)
True Ropata, and I understand where you are coming from. But I don’t believe that further humiliation of people under the greatest stress will provide any solutions to our horrendous problem with child abuse. And abuse is rife in all strata of society. I know of cases of long-term abuse in “respectable” middle-class families. The children didn’t die, but they will carry the effects of the abuse for their lifetimes. Should kids these kinds of families be allowed to continue to be cloaked by their “respectablility”.
I don’t believe discrimination and state-sanctioned contempt will make the lives of children any better.
I shouldn’t have relied on the tv news for my information about the recommendations. It seems it was recommended that all households with children up to five years receive scheduled and unscheduled visits. Solo parent and beneficiary households (as well as those in which there has been documented abuse – how lovely that sole parents and beneficiaries should be included in this camp) however should receive this mandatory oversight indefinitely.
Lets see which of the recommendations are taken up. What the tv reported gives a big clue.
As I have noted before the whole concern and direction of the discussion about these welfare policies is about children. The obvious thing is that some parents need a lot of help and all parents should be able to access help when wanted whether some child-care, medical, subsidies, holiday camps, or whatever. But no, children just appear on this earth and then become the focus of attention and in the background, some people usually look after and feed them, though not very important people, called parents.
And won’t it be lovely to have the uberwelfare person come round, sharp eyes ready to criticise, and find fault. Ooh, shouting at your kid, I caught you out there. This house isn’t very clean, a good housekeeper puts toys away. You had better take that child to the GP and have that cough checked. But you can’t use your car it hasn’t an approved car seat for any of your children, etc etc.
Hi Colonial V. If the Ms types equal the Anatolleys and the Ruthless Richardsons then heaven save us from these harpies. They are reincarnations of the class-oriented snobs of the 19th century, who are not far away in time, and have been merely dormant waiting to rise out of the ground like zombies.
Yeah,
I’m thinking that this coroner isn’t expecting that he’d be subjected to random inspections/raids (if he has kids himself). Maybe his partner might be inspected during the day (although he’d be well aware how unlikely that would be) but him – they wouldn’t dare.
He’s somebody
Prism, I agree there should be more focus on parents’ needs. And yes, parents need access to childcare (ECE), health care etc, but I think you’re mixing up 2 things when you move on to notions of interference in home life – the first is the control of parents and the second is care of children and support for parents, especially new parents, and especially when the parents have poor social networks.
I don’t care for the language that the coroner used, but there are a lot of parents failing out there and this could be turned around with a bit more advice and assistance. For parents with very young babies this is best provided in the home – where the parenting is done. If this happens the call for control may well be reduced. There needs to be some consensus on up-skilling parents and protecting children and to write-all intervention as control is not helpful.
@rosy You are drawing a positive picture but I fear that it will just degenerate in many areas into a welfare officer to parent being treated as a child relationship, very top down. I know that many parents are failing and it’s a struggle for them to cope.
One of the problems with many parents today is that they want to be friends with their children, they stand back from decision making and taking parental responsibility. They need to have goals and be helped to achieve them. The joy and satisfaction of being able to handle their life now and have an opportunity to work towards future dreams would change a lot in their minds and their actions towards their kiddies.
My idea is that many have not even had a decent education, and have sunk into peer groups who find a low common standard and slosh around there together. I think that some home visits, and some learning at a structured outside venue, with childrens supervised play so parents can concentrate would be best. For those with poor social networks it would open their life a bit more. Its good to get out of the home after a while, away from the cabin fever. There would need to be a minibus that would provide transport to ensure that they got to the sessions. It would be good to be with others all learning stuff that’s relevant. I think that an ncea credit could be offered for those who have an ambition for building skills.
@Prism – If visits are based on health and education it can be positive. But I know if it comes from an authoritarian view it won’t. That’s why some consensus is needed.
“I think that some home visits, and some learning at a structured outside venue, with childrens supervised play so parents can concentrate would be best. For those with poor social networks it would open their life a bit more.”
Yes, I agree. Plunket family centres do a wonderful job here, but women almost have to feel like failures before they go – They can be improved by incorporating health and education into everyday life can help people realise feelings of inadequacy are normal. Parent Centre groups can also provide useful and networks and strong bonds between women. It seems these are more of a resource for women who already have resources though.
The thing that gets me most is that there are a lot of people out there who have never even held a baby, never fed one, never bathed one. There is all sorts of excitement and interest until the baby is born and then the new parent is left. It’s not just those single parents – how many couples have had enormous problems because they only have the other for support? New mothers have trouble functioning and are dreadfully unhappy simply because they are alone and without advice. This is a bigger problem than many people realise (I’ve done a bit of research on it). And it’s not only the deprived. However the deprived do not have they resources to pay for help and advice, others may. Provide advice and set good coping strategies at the beginning and half the problem is solved.
The obvious thing is that some parents need a lot of help and all parents should be able to access help when wanted whether some child-care, medical, subsidies, holiday camps, or whatever.
As I found out in the 1980s, though, asking for any kind of assistance gets you ‘marked’ by CYFS, and monitored – until you prove (in my case by waving the Plunket book under the woman’s nose) that you’re ‘safe’. (A neighbour had dobbed me in I suspect, because she was peeved that I was fed up with having her drop in for an evening when she had locked herself out – again! We lived in a block of council flats in Welly, and she had issues – which manifested in part, by the fact that she couldn’t remember to take her door key to work.)
Yes, you and I are both very aware of these sorts of things, given our histories. This is one reason why information needs to be out there that all sorts of parents struggle. Normalise the situation (sort of like John Kirwan with his depression ads) – don’t let society think that there is a ‘problem’ with only particular groups.
I was lucky with T., because my mother was still alive, and with G., I had my ex’s aunt – and then with L., I had my sisters around me. Ideally, mothers would have extended family around.. although that’s increasingly rare…
Rosy I wish your approach and ideas could come to fruition as you seem to have a good and practical handle on what would improve parents lives and skills. Some politician reading this blog please take notice you couldn’t do better for the people of NZ than to provide intelligent useful help to parents of all classes, just different approaches and levels depending on money available and education and financial situation of the particular parents involved.
Oh dear… Rosy I did post a reply to you last night, but it seems it didn’t go, as I was having connection issues…
I am reminded of how, in 1972, I had my first son, as a single mother. The law then mandated that all children of solo mothers had to be ‘inspected’ by a social worker.
The woman arrived one sunny winter evening. I was a teen, at home with my parents, and I answered the door. She bluesed in, looking around and bellowed “I hear you have a lilttle illegit. Let’s see the sprog!” My parents and I were very unimpressed… and not at all sure that this woman would have known the signs of abuse if she’d seen them! My father was all for keeping her away from T., and for preference, throwing her out the house, but she quoted the law at him.
14 years later, when I found T’s adopted mother she told me that she had burned the file that came with him, noting only my name, in case of a future law change (she had wanted an open adoption but the law didn’t allow that then.) The file contained a heap of details she said T., did not need to know – such as my father’s conviction for keeping an armoury… and his psycholoigical profile! Given that he’d died less than 2 years after the above incident and T., had been adopted 6 weeks later, it was utterly irrelevant. 🙁
My plunket nurse when I was a teen was an absolute saint. Although having a completely intolerant one with my last child was eye-opening experience. Wouldn’t have wanted her when I was young and alone!
Sounds like T got an enlightened adoptive mother, sorry you’ve had to go through all that bureaucratic judgement.
Sounds like T got an enlightened adoptive mother, sorry you’ve had to go through all that bureaucratic judgement.
She was and she is! (I wrote to her last nignt, T., is in rehab, being adopted truly messed him up… I’d never say that to her, I know she really meant well, which is the very sad thing.) She’s a lovely woman and ironically ended up a solo mother herself – her first husband being worse than useless and oddly paranoid about me tracking them down and taking my son back! Yet 2 years ago, he was pleading with me to do just that, because of T’s drug problem..
Funnily enough, the one time I really needed to be watched and helped was when I was married, as my confidence went down the toilet altogether..
It’s time for a non-partisan, evidence based, national consensus and initiative on the care of our children.
Yes, it means a return to some aspects of the old “socialist New Zealand” – increases in district nurses, plunket, state-monitoring, monitored health, healthy homes. Maybe not cradle to grav e but certainly cradle to school.
Add to that a liveable wage, reduction in inequality (one of the biggest things that threatens the peace of the otherwise compliant western world.)
Some fantastic news tonight. Lake Ellesmere, NZs most polluted is set for a clean up. The regional councils, farmers bodies etc have finally recognised what has been obvious for years, the whole Selwyn Ellesmere system has been an agricultural sewer. That in itself is great news, recognition that there is a problem, but better, a willingness to do something.
I am not sure that the dollars will be sufficient or the strategy right but it is a start. As a goal if the clean up results in a quarter of the trout running up the river that were recorded in the 1920s then it will be a huge success, a fishery to compare with Taupo with the resultant tourist dollars. Good work canterbury, now for the Manawatu system……..
Today Environment Minister Nick Smith announced that one of New Zealand’s most polluted lakes will receive clean up funding. Lake Ellesmere has become heavily polluted, with little care taken by local farmers, which has resulted in high levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorous from unchecked effluent run off. Fonterra will contributed only $1.3 m of the $11.6 million fund, despite them profiteering directly from the environmental destruction…
There has been quite a bit of eyebrow raising (and little else) to comments relating to Libya and Joky Hen’s public statements. It was a surprise to hear his announcement of aid to this oil rich nation and also that he had already signed us up to some form of accord. Just what else has he negotiated on our behalf, in secret…? It would be nice if just for once Garner and Espiner did some delving instead of repeating the dross of opinion poll analysis?
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Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
By Jo Moir, RNZ News political editor, and Craig McCulloch, deputy political editor New Zealand’s Labour Party is demanding Winston Peters be stood down as Foreign Minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. In an interview on RNZ’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Brakenridge, Postdoctoral research fellow at Swinburne University, Centre for Urban Transitions, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute The Conversation, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock People have a pretty intuitive sense of what is healthy – standing is better than sitting, exercise is great for overall ...
The Wellington-based Reserve Force soldier is now almost three years into his New Zealand Army career with 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. ...
"The Government needs to release the review immediately as this reckless approach to change risks disjointed decision making and creates more distress and uncertainty for staff," Fitzsimons said. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Jeremiah Manele has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale with one abstention. The final result of the election by secret ballot was announced by the Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priestley Habru, PhD candidate, public diplomacy, University of Adelaide Former foreign minister Jeremiah Manele has been elected the next prime minister of Solomon Islands, defeating the opposition leader, Matthew Wale, in a vote in parliament. The result is a mixed bag for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Eaves, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jamey Stutz, CC BY-SA How often do mountains collapse, volcanoes erupt or ice sheets melt? For Earth scientists, these are important questions as we try ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Flood, Professor of Sociology, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock Most young adult men in Australia reject traditional ideas of masculinity that endorse aggression, stoicism and homophobia. Nonetheless, the ongoing influence of those ideas continues to harm men and the people ...
The NZQA proposal released to staff today would involve a net loss of 35 roles. There are 66 roles being disestablished with 13 of those currently vacant, and 31 new roles proposed, said Fleur Fitzsimons Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga ...
Alex Casey talks to Loren Taylor, the writer, director and star of new film The Moon is Upside Down, about assembling her dream ensemble cast, toilet paper pads and turning literal dreams into reality. There’s a moment in The Moon is Upside Down where frazzled anaesthetist Briar (Loren Taylor) gets ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassy Dittman, Senior Lecturer/Head of Course (Undergraduate Psychology), Research Fellow, Manna Institute, CQUniversity Australia With winter sports swinging into action, adults around the country have volunteered or been volunteered by others (humorously known as being “volun-told”) to coach junior sports teams. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University richardernestyap/Shutterstock Parents are often advised to burp their babies after feeding them. Some people think burping after feeding is important to reduce or prevent discomfort crying, or to ...
Workers at a major ASB contact centre in Auckland have voted to take strike action and withdraw their labour following disappointing pay negotiations with the employer and an "offer" to workers that would leave them worse off than the previous year. ...
As the government tries to get the country back on track with a school phone ban, Tara Ward has an idea for where they should turn their attention to next.New Zealand students returned to school on Monday morning, but their cellphones did not. The government’s new phone ban began ...
The Labour Party is demanding Peters be stood down, saying "he's embarrassed the country" with a "totally unacceptable" attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. ...
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance, whose members were victims of a China-backed cyber attack, is discussing forming a standing committee to deal with foreign influence. ...
The PSA is concerned that the voluntary redundancies being offered to staff by Stats NZ will impact on the agency’s ability to deliver on its core functions. ...
Results ranged from surprisingly yum to soul-destroying. I love cooking. The kitchen is a hearth of culinary creation, of sensory delights, of gastronomic poetry. I also can’t afford anything nice. Why does a pack of instant noodles and some milk cost ten bucks? I love you, Aotearoa, but I miss ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Police in Solomon Islands are on high alert ahead of the election of the prime minister today. The two candidates for the top job are former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele at the head of the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation, which is ...
He’s fine but it feels like I’m losing a friend and it’s making me bitter. How do I say ‘enough is enough’? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzHey Hera,I’ve recently moved in with a girlfriend, her partner Steve, and his friend. We all live in a lovely little house. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Chartres, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney shutterstockAhmet Misirligul/Shutterstock You go to the gym, eat healthy and walk as much as possible. You wash your hands and get vaccinated. You control your health. This is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Hendriks, Research Fellow and Lecturer, Curtin University Children and young people may be seeing news headlines about men murdering women or footage of people rallying to call for action. Perhaps they or their friends have even gone to the protests. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Balanzategui, Senior Lecturer in Media, RMIT University ABC “Bluey mania” shows no sign of abating. Bluey’s season finale, The Sign, was the most viewed ABC program of all time on iView. A “hidden” follow-up episode, aptly named The Surprise, created ...
Labour market figures came in softer than the Reserve Bank had forecast, but they won’t be enough to move the needle on interest rates, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Unemployment ...
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So it is true then – The Government’s largesse with tax payers’ money will go to the rich first. Not surprised at that.
However doesn’t this confirm that the planners are locked in 19th century mindsets.
I would have thought that the digital world could completely change how we organise ourselves.
(QWERTY is a mechanical invention and now effectively redundant.
The “alphabetical” order of arranging the world is a mechanical thing – the instant digital search available renders that redundant.)
And so with UFB roll out. Why work from the City out? Why not start at the geographical centre of Auckland – probably a street in Ellerslie? OR even more equitable, start in a depressed suburb of Auckland and allow it to blossom and become a “centre of excellence”.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10747282
Joky Hen’s basic English fails the standards. It’s back to school for John. If he said as reported on Stuff …
“Obviously if the Australian media are not accredited then they’ll [RWC] have less exposure and less opportunities and that would be very disappointing,” he said last night.
Less exposure and fewer opportunities, John Boy. Add that to your regular use of ‘There’s lots of” instead of “There are lots of”… tch tch.
Added to my horror file! (I have a language blog for ESOL students, where I list common errors they must avoid… ) I have heard reporters on RNZ says “she leaped” (should be leapt) and my recent favourite “a orange” to use an example, what’s with the constant use of ‘a’ instead of ‘an’ in front of a noun starting with a vowel? Also, they all seem to use ‘unable’ when they mean disable! Have they never even heard the word ‘disable’?
Articles like this make life so much seimplr.
Yes all those Labour provincial MPs are doing such a great job…
These statistics tell a terrible story
ETHNICITIES
During the 11 months to August 9, police tasered 88 people including:
* Maori: 35
* Pacific Islanders: 16
* Europeans: 35
* Asians: 1
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10747277
Yes we must address the institutional racism and racial profiling but they are symptoms – the real issue is deeper and can only be sorted by truthfully looking at this country, by looking at who we are, by looking in the mirror.
Would seem fairly close in percentage terms to the ethnic groups locked up in prision.
Correct! Seems to me that people committing violent crimes are most likely to be tasered and that ethnic breakdown quoted sort of corresponds to the ethnicity ratio of those committing violent crime.
Can’t see the issue there!
it’s the why not the what which was my point
Good point but it’s the “why” that leads to a ridiculous amount of crap in this country. Topped off with cries of “racism” and “poverty” etc. at any opportunity. NZ is not ready for a rational discussion on the “why” but until there is one, we will only look at statistics like this with anger (regardless of your political stance).
The ‘why’ has to be addressed and I agree that unfortunately we cannot yet have a rational argument as a country on this.
The attitude expressed by the poster below leaves me wondering if we ever will… no sense of ‘why’ there at all
“Yet Keith Locke says:
“Certainly they’re being fired disproportionately at Maori. The reasons for that are something we should look into.”
What Keith should be asking, is how many Maori lives were saved by the Police being able to use a taser to disarm an armed offender, without shooting them?”
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2011/08/would_they_rather_the_police_shot_them.html
Some shameless self promotion here: I’ll be on Vinnie Eastwood’s radio show from 10-12 AM today.
I’ll be talking about BofA in slomo collapse. John Key’s shares in that bank and his obvious conflict of interest having to serve two masters: The international bankster syndicate and the Kiwi population who’s interests are diametrically opposed to those of the banksters.
I will also be talking about John Key’s announcement to redirect millions of dollars of taxpayers money allocated for development aid to the forces who destroyed the Libyan infrastructure in order to rebuild Libya and to “help” the Libyan population.
Other subject which might pass are Fukushima’s ongoing disaster and the spread of hotspots throughout Japan and the contamination of foodstuffs and why we are still importing said foodstuffs from Japan.
This should not be hidden in the middle of the NZ Herald, it should be far more public
According to NZ employment law
It is owned by a few Auckland rich listers – people need to make a stand against these crooks!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10747310
Big money in politics:
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2011/08/who_plans_to_spend_money.html
You gotta hand it to Farrar he is capable of running the most ridiculous lines that the gullible and feeble fall for.
Sorry to disappoint you Nick but Labour has little money like it always has and the unions are struggling. If you want to see real money in politics ask your local National Party MP about the Ruahine and the Waitemata Trusts.
Pigs will fly before any of our rich listers offer to do this.
Sixteen executives, including Europe’s richest woman, the L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, had offered in an open letter to pay a “special contribution” in a spirit of “solidarity”.
Google translation of the original petition.
And still NZ won’t tax the rich and is promoting NZ as a financial centre with zero tax on overseas funds, at the same time some of the rich in Europe and the USA see the problem of tax inequality and Switzerland has just struck a deal with the UK so banks governments can get hold of tax evaders’ unpaid tax. Wake up NZ!
Good news – Otago uni has found important information about the genome of the new kiwifruit
disease. Good stuff. I understand that the Ministries of primary produce etc are all going to be amalgamated and scientists will be lost.
Is this wise or just another nightmare dreamed up by NACT, the false prophets of a supposed vital society. Actually they are leading us into a cul de sac of incompetence and sovereign weakness. With their systems we are vulnerable to the illnesses being passed to us from our contacts with the global financial diseases.
Biosecurity from the Farmers party laissez it will be Right. Cut front line jobs again 29 last time now more when we have extra people coming Dumb dumb and dumber. Typical National party short sighted idiots.Last time they were in power they cut front line officers .We ended up with a $400million clean up job painted apple moth.Labour increased frontline officers by 350 2000to2008!
Is it time for a NZ Spring?
Brilliant! 😀
WJ Very good idea thats where we need young people to blog their mates email twitter and facebook just to get out and vote registrar as well
The editorial below is worthy of a Standard post:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10747232
Dead right, Anne, well spotted! For the Herald this is pretty damning stuff. And the first dozen comments backing it till the righties pop up. One of whom ventured this bit of delusional thinking:
“The face behind this Editorial should realise that readers have brains. Is the NZ Herald now on a campaign to try and up the Labour Party stakes to win the General Election? Looks like it! ”
Granny pointing out the blindingly obvious fact that the team behind Key are lightweights is not a sign of a pro-Labour campaign brewing. I wish! It might actually be a sign that in a recession, advertising spend drops. And that could be a factor in APN’s share price plunging from $2.50 in the New Year to a dollar now, with 60 cents gone in just the last 30 days. I can see a powerful motivation to tweak Key’s ears right there, eh.
“The face behind this Editorial should realise that readers have brains. Is the NZ Herald now on a campaign to try and up the Labour Party stakes to win the General Election? Looks like it!
Here’s Barnaby’s Herald comment response TVoR
Boy, they have had no other target in mind since the last election! The ‘Herald’ is now the virtual official mouthpiece of the Labour Party. Look at the lineup of journalists and feature writers who echo the socialst policies of the newspaper’s UK owners.
Don’t know who is laughing the loudest – the Left or the Herald’s editorial writers.
Guyon Espiner described it, on Breakfast, this week as the government trying to sand off the sharp bits before the election.
Youth Unemployment
Mines inspectors
Cleaning up lake Elsmere (sic?)
Swap of land in Northland for land in Napier
These are just the beginning of the misdirection from feel good stories that the Prime Magician and his poodles will be putting out until the election.
The Nia Glassie coroner has some “radical” recommendations that Petulant Bean says are “already under discussion”.
All parents of under 5 year olds, should be subject to “unskedyooled” sic) inspections, and all single parents and solo parents on benefits, should be forced to comply.
(Why the distinction? Non-beneficiaries are ‘single parents’, beneficiaries are ‘solo parents’. Is this the not-terribly-bright 3 News reporter’s distinction, or the coroner’s?
Seems it’s the reporter’s distinction and yes, it’s pejorative. The coroner used ‘single parent families’.
The coroner seems to think all children should be monitored. Recommendation 5 (pdf, p25)
Recommendation 6 expands on state intervention and the monitoring oversight of the care of children of single parents – working or or on a benefit – and children that have previously come to the notice of CYFS or where there is domestic violence in the home.
Interesting when single parent families end though – 2 weeks after the boyfriend moves in? or never?
I would like to see a bit of research on increases in child abuse since changes to postnatal care in the 1990s led to reduced home visits by health services and assistance for new parents. I’m not sure if it is worse, and if it’s worse whether less care, more deprivation, changing social mores or a combination of all is implicated.
Is marital status a ground for discrimination under the human rights act? Income status certainly is.
I was appalled at the suggestion that only single parent families should be subjected to random raids. If this is something that really is necessary for reducing child abuse lets raid all households with children. (And for the record I don’t believe this kind of intrusion would make a jot of diffference.)
But no, families with two parents in residence have rights.
I noted that the judge suggested that beneficiaries who didn’t submit to the regime should have their benefits docked. That’ll really help the children.
It has become so socially acceptable to denigrate beneficaries that the judiciary making ignorant and discriminatory statements like this have become a regular occurence. It was only a couple of weeks ago that a woman convicted of benefit fraud was told that it was people like her that made the public think all beneficiaries are criminals. Imagine the outcry if he’d said the same about fraudster lawyers.
I’m thinking that all men who move into a house with children that are not their own should be monitored – and have their benefits docked if they don’t comply. Imagine the outrage at the denigration of all stepfathers (btw – my children have an awesome stepfather).
It’s a trade off.. it makes sense to focus on the segments of society matching the profile for potential child abuse. It’s a direct approach to the shameful statistics for underprivileged NZ kids.
(long term approaches addressing the plight of the “underclass” will require decades)
True Ropata, and I understand where you are coming from. But I don’t believe that further humiliation of people under the greatest stress will provide any solutions to our horrendous problem with child abuse. And abuse is rife in all strata of society. I know of cases of long-term abuse in “respectable” middle-class families. The children didn’t die, but they will carry the effects of the abuse for their lifetimes. Should kids these kinds of families be allowed to continue to be cloaked by their “respectablility”.
I don’t believe discrimination and state-sanctioned contempt will make the lives of children any better.
I shouldn’t have relied on the tv news for my information about the recommendations. It seems it was recommended that all households with children up to five years receive scheduled and unscheduled visits. Solo parent and beneficiary households (as well as those in which there has been documented abuse – how lovely that sole parents and beneficiaries should be included in this camp) however should receive this mandatory oversight indefinitely.
Lets see which of the recommendations are taken up. What the tv reported gives a big clue.
As I have noted before the whole concern and direction of the discussion about these welfare policies is about children. The obvious thing is that some parents need a lot of help and all parents should be able to access help when wanted whether some child-care, medical, subsidies, holiday camps, or whatever. But no, children just appear on this earth and then become the focus of attention and in the background, some people usually look after and feed them, though not very important people, called parents.
And won’t it be lovely to have the uberwelfare person come round, sharp eyes ready to criticise, and find fault. Ooh, shouting at your kid, I caught you out there. This house isn’t very clean, a good housekeeper puts toys away. You had better take that child to the GP and have that cough checked. But you can’t use your car it hasn’t an approved car seat for any of your children, etc etc.
Welcome in Ms Nanny State.
Hi Colonial V. If the Ms types equal the Anatolleys and the Ruthless Richardsons then heaven save us from these harpies. They are reincarnations of the class-oriented snobs of the 19th century, who are not far away in time, and have been merely dormant waiting to rise out of the ground like zombies.
Yeah,
I’m thinking that this coroner isn’t expecting that he’d be subjected to random inspections/raids (if he has kids himself). Maybe his partner might be inspected during the day (although he’d be well aware how unlikely that would be) but him – they wouldn’t dare.
He’s somebody
Prism, I agree there should be more focus on parents’ needs. And yes, parents need access to childcare (ECE), health care etc, but I think you’re mixing up 2 things when you move on to notions of interference in home life – the first is the control of parents and the second is care of children and support for parents, especially new parents, and especially when the parents have poor social networks.
I don’t care for the language that the coroner used, but there are a lot of parents failing out there and this could be turned around with a bit more advice and assistance. For parents with very young babies this is best provided in the home – where the parenting is done. If this happens the call for control may well be reduced. There needs to be some consensus on up-skilling parents and protecting children and to write-all intervention as control is not helpful.
@rosy You are drawing a positive picture but I fear that it will just degenerate in many areas into a welfare officer to parent being treated as a child relationship, very top down. I know that many parents are failing and it’s a struggle for them to cope.
One of the problems with many parents today is that they want to be friends with their children, they stand back from decision making and taking parental responsibility. They need to have goals and be helped to achieve them. The joy and satisfaction of being able to handle their life now and have an opportunity to work towards future dreams would change a lot in their minds and their actions towards their kiddies.
My idea is that many have not even had a decent education, and have sunk into peer groups who find a low common standard and slosh around there together. I think that some home visits, and some learning at a structured outside venue, with childrens supervised play so parents can concentrate would be best. For those with poor social networks it would open their life a bit more. Its good to get out of the home after a while, away from the cabin fever. There would need to be a minibus that would provide transport to ensure that they got to the sessions. It would be good to be with others all learning stuff that’s relevant. I think that an ncea credit could be offered for those who have an ambition for building skills.
@Prism – If visits are based on health and education it can be positive. But I know if it comes from an authoritarian view it won’t. That’s why some consensus is needed.
“I think that some home visits, and some learning at a structured outside venue, with childrens supervised play so parents can concentrate would be best. For those with poor social networks it would open their life a bit more.”
Yes, I agree. Plunket family centres do a wonderful job here, but women almost have to feel like failures before they go – They can be improved by incorporating health and education into everyday life can help people realise feelings of inadequacy are normal. Parent Centre groups can also provide useful and networks and strong bonds between women. It seems these are more of a resource for women who already have resources though.
The thing that gets me most is that there are a lot of people out there who have never even held a baby, never fed one, never bathed one. There is all sorts of excitement and interest until the baby is born and then the new parent is left. It’s not just those single parents – how many couples have had enormous problems because they only have the other for support? New mothers have trouble functioning and are dreadfully unhappy simply because they are alone and without advice. This is a bigger problem than many people realise (I’ve done a bit of research on it). And it’s not only the deprived. However the deprived do not have they resources to pay for help and advice, others may. Provide advice and set good coping strategies at the beginning and half the problem is solved.
As I found out in the 1980s, though, asking for any kind of assistance gets you ‘marked’ by CYFS, and monitored – until you prove (in my case by waving the Plunket book under the woman’s nose) that you’re ‘safe’. (A neighbour had dobbed me in I suspect, because she was peeved that I was fed up with having her drop in for an evening when she had locked herself out – again! We lived in a block of council flats in Welly, and she had issues – which manifested in part, by the fact that she couldn’t remember to take her door key to work.)
Yes, you and I are both very aware of these sorts of things, given our histories. This is one reason why information needs to be out there that all sorts of parents struggle. Normalise the situation (sort of like John Kirwan with his depression ads) – don’t let society think that there is a ‘problem’ with only particular groups.
I was lucky with T., because my mother was still alive, and with G., I had my ex’s aunt – and then with L., I had my sisters around me. Ideally, mothers would have extended family around.. although that’s increasingly rare…
Rosy I wish your approach and ideas could come to fruition as you seem to have a good and practical handle on what would improve parents lives and skills. Some politician reading this blog please take notice you couldn’t do better for the people of NZ than to provide intelligent useful help to parents of all classes, just different approaches and levels depending on money available and education and financial situation of the particular parents involved.
Oh dear… Rosy I did post a reply to you last night, but it seems it didn’t go, as I was having connection issues…
I am reminded of how, in 1972, I had my first son, as a single mother. The law then mandated that all children of solo mothers had to be ‘inspected’ by a social worker.
The woman arrived one sunny winter evening. I was a teen, at home with my parents, and I answered the door. She bluesed in, looking around and bellowed “I hear you have a lilttle illegit. Let’s see the sprog!” My parents and I were very unimpressed… and not at all sure that this woman would have known the signs of abuse if she’d seen them! My father was all for keeping her away from T., and for preference, throwing her out the house, but she quoted the law at him.
14 years later, when I found T’s adopted mother she told me that she had burned the file that came with him, noting only my name, in case of a future law change (she had wanted an open adoption but the law didn’t allow that then.) The file contained a heap of details she said T., did not need to know – such as my father’s conviction for keeping an armoury… and his psycholoigical profile! Given that he’d died less than 2 years after the above incident and T., had been adopted 6 weeks later, it was utterly irrelevant. 🙁
My plunket nurse when I was a teen was an absolute saint. Although having a completely intolerant one with my last child was eye-opening experience. Wouldn’t have wanted her when I was young and alone!
Sounds like T got an enlightened adoptive mother, sorry you’ve had to go through all that bureaucratic judgement.
She was and she is! (I wrote to her last nignt, T., is in rehab, being adopted truly messed him up… I’d never say that to her, I know she really meant well, which is the very sad thing.) She’s a lovely woman and ironically ended up a solo mother herself – her first husband being worse than useless and oddly paranoid about me tracking them down and taking my son back! Yet 2 years ago, he was pleading with me to do just that, because of T’s drug problem..
Funnily enough, the one time I really needed to be watched and helped was when I was married, as my confidence went down the toilet altogether..
No that would mean Dinosaur dons ex’s would have to comply also Paula Bennetts daughter.PEASANTS ONLY SORRY
It’s time for a non-partisan, evidence based, national consensus and initiative on the care of our children.
Yes, it means a return to some aspects of the old “socialist New Zealand” – increases in district nurses, plunket, state-monitoring, monitored health, healthy homes. Maybe not cradle to grav e but certainly cradle to school.
Add to that a liveable wage, reduction in inequality (one of the biggest things that threatens the peace of the otherwise compliant western world.)
The Fukushima robot diaries.
Some fantastic news tonight. Lake Ellesmere, NZs most polluted is set for a clean up. The regional councils, farmers bodies etc have finally recognised what has been obvious for years, the whole Selwyn Ellesmere system has been an agricultural sewer. That in itself is great news, recognition that there is a problem, but better, a willingness to do something.
I am not sure that the dollars will be sufficient or the strategy right but it is a start. As a goal if the clean up results in a quarter of the trout running up the river that were recorded in the 1920s then it will be a huge success, a fishery to compare with Taupo with the resultant tourist dollars. Good work canterbury, now for the Manawatu system……..
The Polluters Should Pay
Today Environment Minister Nick Smith announced that one of New Zealand’s most polluted lakes will receive clean up funding. Lake Ellesmere has become heavily polluted, with little care taken by local farmers, which has resulted in high levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorous from unchecked effluent run off. Fonterra will contributed only $1.3 m of the $11.6 million fund, despite them profiteering directly from the environmental destruction…
There has been quite a bit of eyebrow raising (and little else) to comments relating to Libya and Joky Hen’s public statements. It was a surprise to hear his announcement of aid to this oil rich nation and also that he had already signed us up to some form of accord. Just what else has he negotiated on our behalf, in secret…? It would be nice if just for once Garner and Espiner did some delving instead of repeating the dross of opinion poll analysis?
Nasty pack of NIMBYs in the news this evening. Dont want those icky troubled (brown) kids having a school in posh Bucklands Beach
http://www.3news.co.nz/Protest-over-Bucklands-Beach-school-for-troubled-kids/tabid/423/articleID/223532/Default.aspx
Does Auckland need an integrated school bus system to end this segregation?
More generally, Auckland needs an integrated public transport system full stop.
The Wellington overlords have decreed a holiday highway to Wellsford is a greater need (for their construction mates)
Credit where it’s due department, potential United Future voter Pete George handles the big questions well!
(Takes forever to load, just make a cuppa and get settled. The fun starts about the 15 minute mark.)