A Merry Christmas to all Students of Comedy and Comedians
That bloke in Auckland who’s had his name suppressed, Jimmy Savile, Sacha Baron Cohen….2012 has been the Year of Reassessment of the Comedian.
Thanks to everyone who read about and debated the issue of Sacha Baron Cohen’s monstrous behaviour—even if you raged, obfuscated or indignantly denied that your favorite comedian was a moral imbecile. For many of you, having had to think for the first time about the politics of laughter, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. You may still insist that Baron Cohen’s behaviour was simply fun, or ironic, or “edgy” or “pushing the envelope”, but from now on you’ll also have that nagging doubt, called a conscience, in your mind when—if—you watch Bruno again.
And you SHOULD watch it again if you want. Please don’t feel bad if you watch a video of Bruno or Borat or The Dictator from now on; they’re funny and you have my blessing if you fall about laughing as you watch them. Only from now on, perhaps, you’ll be a tad more aware of what is happening when he interviews that poor fellow captioned “Terrorist group leader, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade”, and just what Baron Cohen and his producers were quite deliberately doing.
Coming up after the Holiday break: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SEINFELD.
“Coming up after the Holiday break: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SEINFELD.”
Why? Because he’s Jewish? I don’t find him funny, but that doesn’t seem to be what your agenda is. I’m surprised you haven’t rehashed the whole Woody Allen incest thing. What next? Blood libel? Merry goddam Christmas to you too.
No, we need to have a critical look at Seinfeld because he’s a nasty ideologue with a particularly objectionable modus operandi.
I don’t find him funny,
Well, I do. I find Sacha Baron Cohen funny too, most of the time. And Bob Hope. But they are (or were) all shills for some unconscionably evil enterprises.
…but that doesn’t seem to be what your agenda is.
Our analysis incorporates some study of their comedy routines, naturally, but our agenda is of course to encourage people to engage critically with the material they watch, and think about why they are laughing at official victims (in the Occupied Territories) or sneering callously at the down and out on the streets of American cities.
I’ve refrained from commenting on a line and a half of wild and choleric ranting by Populuxe1, where he riffs insanely about “incest” and “blood libel”.
Borat was awful and I couldn’t watch the hurt inflicted upon other innocent people for the entire film. I think I watched the first 10 minutes before leaving in disgust. I found it as entertaining as watching animals being tourtured. When Bruno came out I didn’t bother…some of the Dictator material I found funny but after Borat I only watched short clips on youtube.
Seinfeld!? Oi vey! I liked Seinfeld. Looking forward to a new prospective in the new year to grow my mind. Politics of comedy is intellectually stimulating.
All their divisions that trade interest rate derivatives on their own account report huge profits running into billions. Where does that profit come from?
The answer is it comes largely from you and me. Global banking, intertwined with the global financial services and asset-management industry, has emerged as a tax on the world economy, generating much activity and lending that has not been needed, but whose purpose is to make those who work in it very rich.
It is entirely feasible to have a system of credit without the destruction that comes from interest. Interest needs to be peeled off from credit, amongst more.
Well no, it was just my minds creation, but I have a lot of faith in those… It would go like this – zero percent interest rates, which is almost the case already.
But of course that too doesn’t quite resolve the issue, which is credit’s reach into society to such an extent that it becomes part of the fabric. Best example of this being the housing market. Housing values are to the level they are entirely due to the issue of credit (interest bearing or otherwise, virtually, following the logic). If interest rates were zero housing values would probably stay right up of course, but who would waste time issuing credit if that ws the case? Perhaps government or some other non-profit or joint-between-stakes approach. The urge to keep issuing credit due to its profitable nature needs to be taken out.
The only problem with removing the right ot issue credit (print money) from private banks and placing it elsewhere is that, humans being humans, we will find some way to work it to an advantage. Of course if it was placed with a government type organisation then the urge to use it for political advantage (rather than private profit advantage as now) is smack in the face. The disadvantages with this are probably greater than if it remained with private, given the power resting with government.
Methinks I need to read more on it and do more thinking but one thing is sure and, using the example above, keeping house values high surely advantages private banks only and I fail to see the use in this, especially when other areas are bereft of funds (those funds being our daily toil). I mean, imagine if instead of one third of your working toiling week going to pay for your roof, it was only one quarter or one tenth……. not hard to see the results.
There is no advantage to high capital values. All it does is require people to take on debt. I like Foodstuffs approach when it comes to buying and selling New Worlds and PaknSaves and hmmm four squares. etc. What they do is require the sale of any of their supermarkets to be at a multiple of one years earnings (as I recall..), and be to an approved operator through their system. What this does it focus attention on revenue and income instead of capital. This means owners get ownership easier and without silly cripping debt. And this is the right approach – hence their success.
Our current obsession with capital over revenue is destructive. The banking system prefers an obssession with capital of course.
bit of a ramble but full belly and sleepy christmas eyes …
Of course if it was placed with a government type organisation then the urge to use it for political advantage (rather than private profit advantage as now) is smack in the face. The disadvantages with this are probably greater than if it remained with private, given the power resting with government.
Unless you make government democratic rather than hierarchical thus having it being one person one vote for the creation and use of that money.
Our current obsession with capital over revenue is destructive.
It’s a it more complex than that. What we have is a requirement to get the capital (money) back plus revenue. What we need to do is change it so that money used to build something productive (power stations, telecommunications, high tech fab plant) doesn’t need to produce a monetary return or even pay for itself. What it provides is all that’s required.
Very interesting karol. Yet while this is disturbing in itself, the most dramatic threat in West Antarctica is not so much the surface and air termperatures … but the sea temperatures.
What most people don’t really grasp is that the WAIS (West Antarctic Ice Shelf) is grounded well below sea-level. This means that if warm water gets between the base of the glacier and the bed-rock it can be broken up very rapidly.
Worse still Naish and his colleagues are now faced with clear evidence that the WAIS does not necessarily melt in a linear fashion, rather it is prone to highly unstable events that could lead to massive breakups, potentially adding up to 3.2m of average sea level rise in quite short periods of time. And due to the way the earth’s gravitational field works, that average rise would not be distributed evenly over the earth’s surface; in some places like North America the rise could be up to 4.0m…within our, or our children’s, lifetimes.
For their down playing of climate change and their willingness to be part of an administration that will allow the <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escarpment_Mine_Project<Massive Opencast, (Escarpment) coal mine at Denniston to proceed.
The Green Party get awarded the Lump of Coal.
Give a Lump of Coal for Christmas
Traditionally lumps of coal was the gift given to children who have been naughty. In the past several years this holiday tradition has taken on a bit of a twist, with people giving lumps of coal to each other for fun or as a way of indicating displeasure.
Children (and pets) may be given lumps of coal from their parents or their teachers to indicate that they’ve been misbehaving. Coal lumps may be given to bosses, colleagues and politicians anonymously to indicate frustration, disapproval or anger over the job they are doing.
While Green Party leaders may be lauded by both Labour and National and their allies in the MSM and the unions for their “acceptance of the realities of coalition government”, their “responsibility” and their “pragmatism” and their prioritising of jobs and economics over the environment……
It is for this ‘pragmatic’ behaviour, (in reality a sick sell out), that the Green Party get my lump of coal in their stocking this Christmas mourning.
At the same time Jenny if a Labour/Green govt were to get into power and then attempt to de-carbonise the NZ economy by 10% in 2015, and each year thereafter… they would be thrown out in the 2017 election. If not sooner by massive protests in the streets.
The New Zealand public is not yet ready for this. If they were they would be demanding action even from this current government.
Twenty thousands marched to stop mining on conservation land. There are dozens of environmental groups in existence and being set up.
Many thousands in this country have protested for nuclear free and anti aparthied and anti war.
Where is the political will for the massive protests and pressure you claim are in support of doing nothing, to come from?
The only political pressure to continue with the fossil fuel economy is coming from the fossil fuel and roading lobbies themselves. Obviously this lobby has intimidated the Greens. I suppose with all their money and power this lobby will try and drum up some sort of fake mass opposition movement. But so far there is no sign of it.
The Greens are being frightened by shadows.
You say that the New Zealand public is not ready for this. I say that through cowardice and ignorance of New Zealand history no lead is being given by those who should be giving it.
As long as there is no lead being given, what can people do, other than what they are doing now, in their small groups?
What do you think you are achieving by being confrontational with me?
Yes change is happening. Yes there are groups who are doing fantastic work and I hugely respect the time and energy they are putting into it. Eventually it will bring results.
But the fact is that de-carbonising the New Zealand economy will have a real, direct impact on how we live our lives. The large majority of ordinary people are, for a whole bunch of reasons, some better than others … are simply not emotionally ready for that change.
And right now any political party that seriously challenged that fact would be slaughtered by the media. Hell look at the hammering we got for simply passing a law to stop adults from assaulting children. The S59 Reform was the turning point that let John Key into power… what hope if we try and take their cars and toys away from them before they are willing to let them go?
Quit attacking your allies. Really. What I’m looking for is less emotional noise and some hard sense about how to deal with this constructively.
Maybe it is not New Zealanders “who are simply not emotionally ready”, but the Greens.
If you want some hard sense about how to deal with this then you have openly and strongly demand the actions that are required.
The Green Party policy is no new coal mines. This is a realistic policy. Globally coal extraction and use has been identified as the number 1 cause of climate change. Taking a hard line against the coal industry is what is required.
But instead the Green Party are prepared to ditch their principle of no new coal mines for cabinet positions.
How about when Russel Norman mentioned ‘printing money’ a short while ago (another word for the quantitative easing that numerous other Western nations have been doing flat out for the last 5 years or so) … and the media instantly jump on him as ‘crazy, irresponsible, extremist and generally loopy’?
Now imagine if he came out and said that in 2015 New Zealand was going to shut down it’s carbon use by 10%? Or more because National had delayed acting?
The Greens would be crucified by the John Armstrongs and Fran O’Sullivan’s of the media. It would be used constantly all through the election campaign as a massive stick to beat them with.
And the point of loosing another election in 2014 is?
When, and only when, the middle class see pictures on their TVs of waves breaking upon the tarmac of Wellington Airport and rolling through the departure lounge will they be snapped out of their comfort zone long enough to ‘demand’ action,
The Green Party is only 10-11% of the vote and therefor can hardly DICTATE to the wider electorate that action has to occur now,(even if the consensus of science says it must),
Unless you suggest a 1 party Green state any such actions where the majority are being dictated to against it’s will would collapse the vote of any coalition that the Greens were part of at the following election and the Tories would just reverse whatever changes the Greens had made,
I should cop some flak for this, BUT, the future of the planet does not rely upon whether the Denniston plateau is mined or remains un-mined, the same amount of carbon WILL be produced to the atmosphere by whomever the coal is to be sold to whether that coal comes from Denniston or somewhere else in the world,
My view is that the Greens should walk away from Kyoto, impose a carbon tax and spend that into the economy planting trees everywhere until such time as there are no more places to plant those trees or the amount of trees planted makes New Zealand a carbon neutral country, secondly a portion of such a tax should be set aside for research into technology’s which reduce carbon emission and technology’s which are capable of capturing and storing carbon already present in the atmosphere,
As a Green Party member i am insulted by your use of the word ‘cowardice’ in reference to the Green Party and would ask you, what would you rather have a Green Party that gets done what is possible with regards the climate and social justice. or a Green Party that in Government for the first time commits electoral suicide…
…..the future of the planet does not rely upon whether the Denniston plateau is mined or remains un-mined, the same amount of carbon WILL be produced to the atmosphere by whomever the coal is to be sold to whether that coal comes from Denniston or somewhere else in the world
@bad12
This is not the point.
New Zealand produces 0.2% of green house gases. (This is from all sources agriculture included.) If New Zealand were to stop all emissions tomorrow, it would have little quantitive impact.
New Zealand’s biggest contribution to stopping global warming can only be qualitative.
“New Zealand is a small emitter by world standards – only emitting some 0.2% of global green house gases. So anything we do as a nation will have little impact on the climate – our impact will be symbolic, moral, and political”
A nationwide ban on coal mining and coal use, is the needed symbolic stand that Sir Peter Gluckman is talking about. Grabbing the world’s attention, inspiring millions to demand the same thing from their governments.
Coal must be phased out, and soon.
Stopping coal is the minimum that must be done to stop worldwide catastrophe.
Stopping the Denniston open cast coal mine is a necessary first step on the way to that larger goal of stopping all coal mining.
And is it really that hard?
The mining and use of asbestos has been banned worldwide. It can be argued that the death and destruction from continuing to mine and burn coal will dwarf that caused by asbestos.
Jenny, but it IS the point, China, India, and the US to name 3 are country’s who use coal as an integral part of their economy’s, and crowd power in all 3 economy’s is sadly lacking to have that use banned,
We can as a country only proceed so far and as i point out above, i would prefer that we walk away from Kyoto and instead resort to a carbon tax to be used to plant trees of sufficient number so as to get us as an economy as close to being carbon neutral as possible, along with a like investment in research to find technology’s which are capable of capturing carbon emissions at source and research into a means of mas carbon capture from the atmosphere, that is the best example we can show the world,
So as you have not seen fit to answer my question on whether or not you favor a suicidal Green presence in the next or any future Government i suppose i have to take your lack of reply as assent in that is what you favor,
Simply because what you continue to propose is electoral suicide for the Greens…
Have to partially disagree Red. I think the NZ public actually is ready and with just a little info and understanding, I believe they can be motivated to protest and pressure for action to be taken by government.
To get action from above, it’s always been necessary to apply pressure from below.
I think that’s where we’re at. Consider the general reaction in comments to the couple of posts I’ve put up so far on global warming. Just a couple of years back, I suspect those posts would have met with howls of derision.
And we have a simple scientific fact to focus peoples’ minds and it’s not one you need a degree to grasp and/or explain. 4 degrees = impossible future. And the 4 degreesfigure isn’t coming from individual scientists or whatever, but from the World Bank and the International Energy Authority….very conservative institutions.
OK … but among the people I’m working with and meet; there is silence. Either they simply don’t want to know, or they suspect the truth and really don’t want to confront it.
This is reflected in how the media has almost completely stopped talking about it as well.
This is fear-driven behaviour. We won’t get the co-operation needed from the mass of people globally unless we can get them to confront that fear openly.
I’m sure it can be done; it might even happen a lot sooner and faster than any of us imagine. But right now we’re at more of a ‘sticking point’ than a ‘tipping’ one.
– the skills and support to deal with the fear and cognitive dissonance. I see very little work being done on this in NZ.
– information and a way of getting involved that allows them to take positive action that may save their children and grandchildren’s lives. Transition Towns and allied movements are leading the way on this. Everywhere in NZ now has some kind of positive action that can be done at an individual level.
– information about CC that doesn’t tell them we’re all fuckd and going to die. That information needs to be presented at a lay person’s level. If the MSM media aren’t doing this, then how else can it be done?
It’s true that there is a lot of silence. But silence is easily broken. And I know some people have devoted their energies to the act of avoidance…because it’s too scary or whatever.
But I also know that other people are really receptive and just waiting for some nascent form of protest to form that they would then join in with.
And when I’m done with these posts I know my energies are going to be focussed on helping to bring that opportunity about. And I know I have a shit hot talent for instigating grass/flax roots activism/protest – just I’ve been in ‘retired’ mode for several years.
So maybe (putting aside the fact that I don’t think you live in these parts and that I wouldn’t know you from a bar of soap if you walked right up to me) we’ll get to say ‘hello’ out on the streets sometime in the New Year 😉
I suppose that depends upon where you think the sticking point is. From what I can make out it’s more with the politicians and business than with the people.
Politicians and business people are always going to try and maintain the status quo. Important change gets led by the people. Enough people want something to change, and do something about it, politicians and business follows.
But that’s just it, they [politicians] don’t or, at least, most of them don’t. They seem to think that they’re there to lead the way rather than being representatives.
… but among the people I’m working with and meet; there is silence. Either they simply don’t want to know, or they suspect the truth and really don’t want to confront it.
This is reflected in how the media has almost completely stopped talking about it as well.
Redlogix
Exactly, this is why a strong lead on this issue at this time is vital. And why the Green Party decision to stop giving that lead at this time will prove to be a fatal mistake.
I partially agree, I think people are more ready now than they were. I just don’t think the Green Party should be leading the charge any more than they already are. Their experience over many elections now is that it is very easy for their floating voters to get scared off at election time. Either by MSM or NACT fearmongering, or by people not understanding MMP and voting for Labour to prevent NACT winning. The next election is crucial. I don’t think the GP should be risking anything at this point in time. Once they are in govt they may up the ante on CC.
Instead, what we need is NGO action, from grassroots all the way through to corporate/business. Jenny is right about one thing, we need leadership. But we also need mass involvement at the community level. The 350 campaign some years ago mobilised alot of people, esp those no engaged in traditional political activism. What happened to that energy and action?
I completely agree with what you said in the If thread – we need information that people can assimilate and work with rather than the ‘we’re all fucked and humanity is going extinct’ argument. The posts you’ve been doing on Anderson’s work strike a good balance: this is a very serious situation AND we are still able to do something so let’s do it.
To get action from above, it’s always been necessary to apply pressure from below.
Agreed – and on all the pressing issues; climate, peak resources, poverty, sustainable economics, closing the inequality gap, measuring success in terms of activities that benefit society not any old economic activity, adequate social security, etc.
World Bank and the International Energy Authority….very conservative institutions
Why on earth would you be hopeful about anything which was pushed by either of these two entities Bill?
People are definitely not going to get what they ask for, and sooner than later, they will be yet again wondering how it went to far against what they imagined the solutions looked like!
Why on earth would you be hopeful about anything which was pushed by either of these two entities Bill?
I’m not. But the fact that they are (rightly or wrongly is beside the point here) generally regarded as authoratative sources of information…and given their conservatism too…their latest prognoses on AGW serve as useful reference points.
Telling lies again Jenny? Please present some evidence that the GP supports mining of the Dennistion Plateau. And that evidence will have to concretely refute what the GP have on their own website.
“BOOS and jeers from about 150 protestors greeted Prime Minister John Key as he entered Bathurst Resources’ new Wellington offices late yesterday.
Mr Key was there to meet the management of the Australian mining company which is planning New Zealand’s biggest open cast mine on the West Coast. The PM and Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley were confronted by a crowd of environmental activists and Green Party MPs rallying against coal mining.
National MP Simon Bridges and Labour’s West Coast MP Damien O’Conner had both slipped in to the building prior to the Prime Minister’s arrival. The Bathurst mine proposal is for the Denniston Plateau in the West Coast.
The proposed mine site is on public conservation land near the largest current opencast mining operation in New Zealand, State-owned Solid Energy’s Stockton coal mine.
Green Party Conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage expressed her disappointment following the Prime Minister’s remarks in the House of Parliament that the Denniston mine could proceed due to historical consent.
“It’s disappointing that the Prime Minister doesn’t seem to realise that the Conservation Minister still has an access application to consider,” Ms Sage said.
“Coming here today is sending a strong signal to the Department of Conservation and the minister that the government will be approving this mine.””
I guess what this really means is that the GP are lying through their teeth to get the votes and then intend to reneg on that once in govt and support the mining of the plateau 🙄
You can’t have it both ways Jenny. You want the GP to protest things to do with CC, but when they do, you tell lies about them.
I have never said that the Green Party are “against” mining the Denniston Plateau. I have said that the Green Party are prepared to bargain this away to get cabinet positions.
This is something that you don’t deny.
It is entirely possible to be against something, and still do the opposite.
If the Green Party really wanted to stop Denniston they should immediately release a press statement now that they will not be part of any administration either National or Labour that let it proceed.
This would certainly give the investors and shareholders at Bathurst Resources pause for thought, before ploughing any more money into developing this mine.
The few politicians that I’ve spoken too have confirmed that it is only the top 4-5 cabinet ministers including the PM that get to effect any real change (with the exception of private members bills of course). The rest are just warming the bench and making up the numbers in the hope that one day they will be in the top 5. Perhaps the greens have realised this and have made a judgement call to let denniston go through so they can effect greater change with cabinet positions.. possibly even legislation to stop or at least phase out coal mining altogether amongst other things.
Maybe they have PP. But your wondering out loud is different than Jenny telling lies about the GP by stating opinion as fact. She’s just making it up.
Myself, I doubt that any decisions have been made at this stage. I also think that the GP has the potential to change MMP and how coalition govts form. No idea if they will though. Much depends on how many votes they get. It’s a long time until the next election.
Where did you get/hear this information from ? The wikipedia link is not working so I couldn’t verify it there, and I cannot find anything on the Green Party website about them downplaying either climate change or the Denniston mining effects. Please clarify.
Solo mums, I love you all the most.
You have the most important job of all, and often have to do it under a barrage of criticism.
Just remember “you only need a dick to run the country, it only takes a mother to raise a son.”
What ever you do, don’t take Paula’s pills unless you want to.
If my old girl had been coerced into stopping at one or two, I wouldn’t be 3 of 5.
I’m just a dreamer, but you could have an Einstein, Hawkins, Dr Barnardos or Florence Nightingale, and let’s face it, they can’t get here soon enough. So make love, not Paula’s day. Get any stick at WINZ and we’ll come down and contracept their mouths.
I hear what they say and I know that it’s rough. It beats you down.
Every night on the news when the going gets tough. They put you down.
You know solo mum, down my road, it’s all right. You aint so bad.
You’re not on your own Alpha one, 3 of 5. Born Alpha tribe.
Lift your head up little sister. Lift your face up to the son.
Don’t let anyone say you’re shit, love. Make them always prove you’re wrong.
Take that flower by the hand, love. And then you’ve got to make him understand.
He’s got to stand up for all the sisters if he wants to be an Alpha man.
I know what they say and I know that it’s wrong. But they wheel you out.
Every night on the news when they’ve done something wrong. Appease the crowd.
You know solo mum, on my road, we’re all right. We aint so bad.
You’re not on your own Alpha one, 3 of 5. with your Alpha pride.
Keep your head up pretty sister. Hold your face up to the sun.
We don’t let anyone say we’re shit, love. We don’t ever let anyone say we’re wrong.
Take the flower by his hand, love. Teach him how to grow up strong.
You only need a dick to run the country. You only need a mother to raise a son.
The Carter’s in or out of the Parliament confuse me,but, the current one with the back-woodsy type portfolio that i cannot remember the name of and who is said to be the next Speaker of the House,
I think Nick Smith is going to pick up Carter’s portfolio when they drag Him back from Siberia for a vodka laced rehabilitation, it’s thought that Carters portfolio is so obscure,(it must be if i can’t remember what it is). that even Smith is unlikely to make a hash of it, but hats off to Nick i bet it don’t take him long to do so…
Do you mean the little bird on the TV news the other night, me thinks that Slippery will keep His word on Hekia remaining right where she is,(that’s cause for definite surprise),
I cannot see anyone in Nationals line-up capable of doing the job Ryall has with the Health portfolio have and Hekia is doing one hell of a good job destroying the peace of mind of the Education sector which is what i believe the outcome sought by Slippery’s National Government really is,
Wreck the ability of the sector to function properly, destroy any individual schools ability to budget properly with NO-NO-Pay and across the field ‘they’ are halfway to replacing the Boards with hand picked Commissioners,
Hell the Bizness sector has probably been in Slippery’s ear about just how expensive it is to set up a charter school and why should they have to when there are 1000’s of schools out there just ripe for a negative take-over from the charter schools mob…
Tony Ryall should remember that all political careers end in failure.
If he succeeded in ‘breaking the unions’ in education then that would amount to the most radical ‘reform’ of the education sector achieved by any government. So much for this being a ‘centrist’ government.
It would also lead to the crumbling of what has been a consistently high quality state education system and leave the door wide open to the overall educational quality reductions that come from privatising mass education (e.g., would one ‘provider’ ever share its ‘successful’ educational IP with another? If so, why? Markets inevitably create distortions in social systems of cooperation. :-)).
I say this simply because the collective values of the teaching profession, as currently supported through a unionised workforce, are part of what is needed to produce quality public education. Those values are not the foundation of mass private education.
So, if you are correct in that intention, Ryall’s appointment as education minister would either be a disaster for his career or a disaster for public education. If I were Ryall I would not want the former – for obvious reasons – and I also wouldn’t want the latter.
Why would he wish to go down in history as the minister who undermined public education and initiated a decline in educational attainment in New Zealand’s children? The so-called ‘tail’ would inevitably lengthen significantly. (And don’t get me onto supposed high level ‘accountability’ measures to ensure schools/children ‘achieve’ – they would be laughable if they weren’t so dangerous.)
(WYSIWYG doesn’t seem to appear as an option anymore for me.)
24 hours ago TV3 news was saying exactly the same as what you are about the future prospects of Hekia,
Perhaps you could ask your ‘little birdy’ to be a lot less tardy in the future, after all what’s the point of having a ‘little birdy’ if they are beaten by the MSM in breaking the latest gossip…
The media were speculating, quite accurately as it happens. I wasn’t. You seem to have the impression I was trying to impress you. mate, I wouldn’t [deleted]. [ B – Be nice 😉 ]
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How should we think about artificial intelligence and the implications that it has for our work and leisure? There are many articles on artificial intelligence and its potential impacts on jobs, and the ethics of applications. These are important topics, but I want to focus on some less discussed aspects, ...
I love data. It’s amazing the sort of “discoveries” I can make given a data set and computer statistical package. It’s just so easy to search for relationships and test their statistical significance. Maybe relationships which ...
The other big story concerning Leeds Hospital is Boris Johnson's bizzare behaviour at Leeds Hospital, where he was confronted by a journalist and challenged about a four year old boy with suspected pneumonia who was left sleeping on the floor, rather than getting abed like a sick kid would in ...
So, for a brief period of history, it was alleged that a protester had punched Matt Hancock's SPAD (not a euphemism; special adviser) when Hancock visited Leeds Hospital.This was reported by the likes of Robert Peston and Laura Keunssberg, as well as the less credible Guido Fawkes. It also quickly ...
by Daphna Whitmore Last week France passed a law that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. It is based on a definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel such as: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist ...
Over the past year we've seen major bus problems in Hamilton and Wellington, as drivers have sought better wages and an end to the bullshit of split shifts, which basicly see them "married to the job". And now its Auckland's turn. When NZBus's drivers planned low-level strike action of not ...
The government has been congratulating itself over the passage of the Zero Carbon Act, which sets out long-term emissions targets. But those targets are insufficient. Meanwhile, Denmark is showing us how its done:Denmark’s parliament adopted a new climate law on Friday, committing to reach 70% below its 1990 emissions in ...
Another day, another piece of legislation with a secrecy clause. This time its the innocuous-seeming Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill, which (after establishing a new body and making it subject to the OIA in three different ways) includes the rapidly-becoming-standard clauses enabling it to request information from other public ...
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...
On 27 September, Greta Thunberg addressed a crowd of 500,000 at the School Strike for Climate in Montreal, saying: “You are a nation that is allegedly a climate leader. And Sweden is also a nation that is allegedly a climate leader. And in both cases, it means absolutely nothing. Because ...
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...
Michael SchulsonWhen Shane Burcaw flies on an airplane, he brings along a customized gel cushion, a car seat, and about 10 pieces of memory foam. The whole arsenal costs around $1,000, but for Burcaw it’s a necessity. The 27-year-old author and speaker — who, alongside his fiancée, Hannah ...
We are very pleased to publish this submission is from Lucinda Stoan. She is a social justice activist, mother, and educator, based in Washington State in the US. This detailed and comprehensive source-linked overview of trans issues and what is at stake will be useful for many people, especially in ...
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...
Rubbish In, Rubbish Out: Put all this together, and it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that anyone who responds positively to a pollster’s request to “answer a few questions” is just ever-so-slightly weird. Desperately lonely? Some sort of psephological train-spotter? Political party member primed to skew the poll for or against ...
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...
Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...
The government has been congratulating itself over the passage of the Zero Carbon Act, which sets out long-term emissions targets. Meanwhile, Climate Action Tracker has the shameful reality: those targets are insufficient:While New Zealand is showing leadership by having passed the world’s second-ever Zero Carbon Act in November 2019, under ...
The government introduced a Racing Industry Bill today. As an urban who horse racing as pointless-to-cruel, and gambling as a tax on stupidity and/or hope, this isn't normally a bill which would interest me in the slightest, beyond grumpiness at more government money for a dying industry. But there is ...
Check. Check. One, two, three, four. Is this thing ON? Hello readers, I logged in last night (yeah, it’s been a while) to mark THE END of the landmark legal case, Jordan Williams v Colin Craig, which (gulp) reached The Supreme Court, in which New Zealand’s most-defamed man was suing the politician he ...
Before The Birth: Israel’s most fervent supporters set their clocks ticking in Biblical times. They cite the kingdoms of David and Solomon as proof that, in the words of the Exodus movie’s theme-song: “This land is mine.” The majority of Israel’s backers, however, start their clocks in 1933 – the year Adolf ...
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...
Both my parents are pretty handy – and they seem to have the right tools for most jobs in the garage and they know how to fix practically anything. A similar story could be told about their generation’s experience in the workforce – being a generalist was not unusual and ...
When it was revealed that NZ First had tried to enrich itself from public office via the Provoncial Growth Fund, the Prime Minister assured us that everything was OK as Shane Jones, the Minister responsible for the fund, had recused himself. Except it seems that that recusal came very late ...
Today is a Member's Day, and probably the last one of the year. After the marathon of the End of Life Choice Act, most of the bills up for debate today are uncontentious. First up is the second reading of Chlöe Swarbrick's Election Access Fund Bill. This will be followed ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has reported back on the government's odious and tyrannical control orders bill. As expected, the fraudulent select committee process has made no significant changes (partly because they couldn't agree, but mostly because it was a stitch-up from the start, with no intention of ...
Yesterday, the government released its draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, which will be put to a non-binding referendum at the next election. I'm not a drug policy expert, but Russell Brown is, and he thinks its pretty good. And pretty obviously, it will be a massive improvement on the ...
As you're probably aware, the draft bill outlining the proposed legal cannabis regime to be put to a referendum late next year was published yesterday, and has already attracted a flurry of comment. It's notable that a good deal of the comment is about proposals that aren't actually new.A minimum ...
One of the big problems in New Zealand climate change policy is the government working at cross-purposes with itself. It wants to reduce fossil fuel use, but encourages oil and gas exploration. It wants to reduce transport emissions, but then builds enormous new roads. The problem could be avoided if ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzAccording to the United Nations, food shortages are a threat ...
Last year, the government announced it was ending offshore oil exploration by no longer issuing new permits. The idea was that the industry would then die off as permits expired. Except almost immediately the government revealed its bad faith, by saying they would extend permits and alter conditions to keep ...
The government introduced the Education and Training Bill to Parliament yesterday. Its a massive bill, which replaces both existing Education Acts, as well as various other bits of legislation (including some which are still proceeding through the House). I'll leave the serious analysis to teachers and people who actually know ...
Amelia SharmanThere’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to micro-credentials, those bits of bite-sized learning that can help workers stay on top of technological change. What’s a micro-credential? While definitions vary, micro-credentials can be understood as short courses that allow people to learn new skills or have an existing competency recognised. ...
All Smiles Now: Claire Szabo is taking up her presidential role after serving as the CEO of Habitat For Humanity. Which is absolutely perfect! After KiwiBuild was so comprehensively mismanaged by Phil Twyford, the party has not only elected a new president from a thoroughly respectable not-for-profit, but one who ...
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...
by Daphna Whitmore At Golden Oaks, a luxurious country retreat in the Hudson Valley, pregnant women have the best care money can buy. From the organic food, personalised exercise programmes, private yoga instruction and daily massages Golden Oaks looks like a country lodge for the upper class. Set some time ...
When Labour was running for election in 2017, it felt it needed to demonstrate "fiscal responsibility" and signed itself up to masochistic "budget responsibility rules". It was a fool's errand: the sorts of voters who demand fiscal responsibility are also the sorts of voters who believe that labour can never ...
Writing in Stuff, Joel MacManus looks at what we need to do to meet the Zero Carbon Act's targets. The core of it:1. Convert 85 per cent of vehicles on the road to electric. 2. Eliminate fossil fuels from all industrial heating up to 300 degrees Celsius. 3. Double our ...
Professors Janet Hoek and Richard Edwards, Emeritus Professor Phil Gendall, Jude Ball, Dr Judith McCool, Anaru Waa, Dr Becky FreemanRecent media reports have presented conflicting evidence on youth vaping in NZ. While some NZ school principals report concerns about increasing vaping on school grounds and confiscating vapes, ASH Year ...
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...
Image credit:The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ...
1080 is used to control pests in NZ. Its use is contested by a noisy few. A new report claims high levels of 1080 in rats washed up on a beach. Flora and Fauna of Aotearoa (F&F) won’t name the laboratory that did their testing. It has sparked a hunt ...
What Kind Of Empire? The thing for Kiwis to decide is what kind of empire they want to belong to. The kind that, while offering its own citizens democratic rights, demands absolute obedience from its “friends”? Or, the kind that, while authoritarian at home, takes a relaxed attitude to the ...
It hasn't been a good week for the Conservatives, pollwise. All major recent polls are showing their lead shrinking.Comparing each pollster's current (between 29/11 and 22/11) and previous most recent poll.Com Res - Conservative lead down 3 points.You Gov - Conservative lead down 1 point.Kantar - Conservative lead down 4 ...
Within quick succession, Countdown maths wizard and twitterer Rachel Riley, alleged comedian David Baddiel and prominent lawyer Andrew Julius have all expressed very similar opinions / ideas:
These #3billboards are going round London today, organised by ex-Labour people, horrified by what their party has become. Their principles haven’t changed, they’re ...
So, there have been a bunch of bad polls out for Labour, and even the Leftie's friend, Survation, have recently given the Conservatives a rip-snorting 11% lead. You Gov's much vaunted MRP poll - which pretty much nailed the result in 2015 - is currently predicting a comfortable majority for ...
The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to declare a climate emergency:The European parliament has declared a global “climate and environmental emergency” as it urged all EU countries to commit to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The vote came as scientists warned that the world may have already crossed ...
Pure Fear: Worse than Heroin, this drug’s addictive power was terrifying. People under its influence didn’t drift off to Elysium. Nor did it persuade inadequate individuals that they could conquer the world. No, this drug – pure crystal methamphetamine, “P” for short – unlocked the gates of Hell itself. It ...
As the rate of measles infection, and of deaths, continues to climb in Samoa, antivaccination activists infectious disease proponents seem intent on doubling down on their claims about vaccination. (Check pretty much any news-media FB post about measles & you’ll see exactly what I mean.) Unfortunately, some of them have ...
Samoa are experiencing a devastating measles epidemic. It is possible that 2-3% of the population will ultimately be infected by the time it is over. Hopefully the mass immunisation campaign currently under way can mitigate some of this, for many it is too late. The first question many people ask ...
Meghan Murphy is a Canadian writer and journalist She runs the Feminist Current website which she founded in 2012. She was a keynote speaker for the Feminism2020 conference in Wellington this month. When Massey University cancelled the original venue booking Feminism2020 was hosted in Parliament by MP David Seymour. Meghan ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh Colombia has lived through one week of protests against the economic measures taken by president Duque. What looked like a protest that would fizzle out after its first day on November 21st is still going strong. Part of the reason for the continuance ...
Around a million billion pass through you each second, almost all originating from our sun, but few of them are likely to interact with you enroute. I was reading in a physics magazine earlier in the week about the nature of neutrinos. These are extremely numerous elementary particles, but only ...
By Pallab GhoshThere’s value in covering new research advances, even when the underlying science is unsettled. But there are also risks.The recent announcement that scientists discovered water on the planet K2-18b, 110 light years away, prompted a media swoon. News stories, including a piece written by me, billed ...
I wrote this review a couple of years ago when I was still in the process of getting my head around the politics of transgenderism, and specifically the claim that intersex conditions lend support to the notion that sex is ‘socially constructed’. Since writing this review I have come across ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzHow much does our use of air travel contribute to the ...
Minor planet/asteroid (2309) Mr. Spock is named not for the character in Star Trek, but for a cat that was itself imperturbable, logical, intelligent and had pointed ears. In a preceding blog post I introduced one of my favourite asteroids, (2472) Bradman, and also mentioned (6581) Sobers amongst a few ...
Today the death toll from measles in Samoa rose to 32. All but four of the dead were less than 5 years old. Absolutely terrible, heartbreaking, news. That statistic alone should be enough to give the lie to the common claim by antivaccination activists plague enthusiasts that “measles is a ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh It is late here in Bogotá, almost 11.30pm on Monday the 25th of November as I write this. The day began full of hope with yet more massive marches throughout the country, a mix of the International Day of Non-Violence Against Women and the National Strike. ...
Anti-fluoride activists are rubbing their hands in glee over what they claim is “yet another study” showing fluoride harms the brains of children. But their promotion relies on IQ relationships which the paper’s authors acknowledge disappearing when outliers or other factors are considered. And they completely ignore other relationships ...
New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball’s bill introducing a six-month minimum sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its first reading in Parliament. Mr Ball said the new offence of "injuring a first responder or prison officer with intent" would target people who attacked paramedics, police, firefighters, and corrections ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters gave his final interview for 2019 on The Country to tell farmers they have never had it better under the current coalition Government. “Here you've got these record returns [for farmers]. These returns would be nothing like a record if the currency under the ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that New Zealand's Cook Islands High Commissioner, Tessa Temata, has died over the weekend. Ms Temata, 52, died in Palmerston North and had returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. She was the first New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands of Cook Island ...
A new defence report has mapped out how New Zealand's soldiers will navigate rising seas, and a year after the Defence Force announced its need to prepare for climate change. In the “Responding to the Climate Crisis” report, the Force restates its operational plan and sets goals to tackle climate ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
It's been a great week of progress: we've celebrated Children's Day, we've made communities safer with 1800 new police, and we've seen almost 90% of eligible schools take up Government funding to scrap school donations - taking pressure off the families of more than 416,000 students. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The Government will further strengthen New Zealand’s wood processing sector as part of our focus on ‘value over volume’ in our forestry industry, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones will today meet with forestry representatives in Northland to signal new measures to help the ...
New Zealand firms expanding beyond the start-up phase are set for more support after today’s passage of the Venture Capital Fund Bill, Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. The Bill, which establishes a $300 million Venture Capital Fund, puts in place a key initiative of the Wellbeing Budget’s economic package. ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira mā. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Señora Presidenta, Excellencies, Delegates. International action A common thread that runs through the Paris Agreement is the commitment we have made to each other to do what we can to ...
Budget 2020 will continue the Coalition Government’s focus on tackling the long-term challenges facing New Zealand while also investing to future-proof the economy. When the Government took office in 2017 it was left with crumbling infrastructure, severe underinvestment in public services, degraded rivers and lakes, a housing crisis and rising ...
The Government is lifting capital investment to the highest level in more than 20 years as it takes the next step to future-proof New Zealand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced $12 billion of new investment, with $8 billion for specific capital projects and $4 billion to be added to ...
The Government is forecast to run $12 billion worth of surpluses across the four years to 2023/24 as the economy continues to grow. The surpluses will help fund day-to-day capital requirements each year. These include fixing leaky hospitals, building new classrooms to cover population growth and take pressure off class ...
The Minister responsible for the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (te Takutai Moana Act 2011), Andrew Little has welcomed the launch of an online geospatial tool that provides data-rich, dynamic coastline maps that will significantly boost research and evidence-gathering under the Act. Te Kete Kōrero a Te ...
The Chief Victims Advisor to Government Dr Kim McGregor, QSO, has been reappointed in her role for a further two years. Dr McGregor has held the role since it was established in November 2015. She provides independent advice to government on how to improve the criminal justice system for victims. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare have today announced the deployment of a network of DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami) buoys. “New Zealand and the Pacific region are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. It is vital we have adequate warning systems in place,” ...
DART Buoys Announcement Aotea Wharf, 9.30am 11 December 2019 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements to Minister for Civil Defence Hon Peeni Henare also here today. White Island It is with regret that this event shadows the tragic natural disaster two days ago. The volcanic eruptions on White Island have claimed 5 lives, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Racing Industry Bill in parliament today. This is the second of two Bills that have been introduced this year to revitalise New Zealand’s racing industry. “Our domestic racing industry has been in serious decline. The Government is committed to ...
Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni, is pleased to announce that $291,321 is to be awarded to national and local community initiatives to maintain and promote the use of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). “New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where Sign Language is an ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has announced today the Coalition Government’s initial response to work completed by the independent statutory body, the Veterans’ Advisory Board. “When Professor Ron Paterson completed his review of the Veterans’ Support Act in 2018, he made a number of recommendations, including one which I referred ...
The Government will fund the bulk of the cost of a rural water supply for the Ohakea community affected by PFAS contamination, Environment Minister David Parker announced today at a meeting of local residents. This new water scheme will provide a reliable and clean source of drinking water to the ...
I have had the opportunity to be briefed on the details of the volcanic eruption of Whakaari/White Island, off the coast of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. The eruption happened at 2.11pm today. It continues to be an evolving situation. We know that there were a number of tourists ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare have today confirmed initial Government support of $100,000 for communities affected by the severe weather that swept across the South Island and lower North Island over the weekend. The contribution will be made to Mayoral relief funds across the ...
New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tessa Temata, died in Palmerston North over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today. Ms Temata, 52, had recently returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. "On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we extend ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today announced construction is underway on Wellington commuter rail upgrades which will mean more frequent services and fewer breakdowns. The upgrades include converting the Trentham to Upper Hutt single track section to a double track, with a new signalling system, upgraded stations and level crossings, and ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw have announced the release of a Defence Climate Change Implementation Work Plan, titled Responding to the Climate Crisis: An Implementation Plan. The plan sets out a series of recommendations based on the 2018 New Zealand Defence Assessment, The ...
A medium-scale adverse event has been declared for the South Canterbury district, which will see up to $50,000 in funding made available to support farming communities which have been significantly affected by recent heavy rain and flooding in the area, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two weeks of solid rain ...
Thank you Professor Juliet Gerrard and your team for the comprehensive and extremely helpful report and recommendations. Thank you too to all the stakeholders and interested parties who have contributed ideas and thinking to it. “Making best practice, standard practice” is a great framework for change and the action plan ...
The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealandreport, released by her Chief Science Advisor ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
I want to talk about one of the most pressing issues in our national life: the housing crisis and the poor performance of our cities. The argument I want to make to you is that generations of urban land use policy have lacked a decent grounding in economics. The consequences ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Ethnic communities will be able to plan and deliver more community initiatives thanks to an increase in Government funding, Minister for Ethnic Communities Hon Jenny Salesa said today. “Ensuring Aotearoa New Zealand is a place we can all be proud to call home has been a key priority of our ...
Healthier waterways, better productivity and farmer wellbeing are front and centre in a new project involving more than 1000 Southland farmers and growers. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor today announced that the Thriving Southland Change and Innovation Project is the first region-wide extension programme supported by the $229 million Sustainable ...
Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Government funding support Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Canvastown today. “Every New Zealander should be able to swim in their local river without getting sick, and ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. “The new criterion was included this year. It emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
Onslow College in Wellington will get 20 new classrooms for more than 400 students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The much-needed investment will relieve growth pressure the school has been experiencing for some time. Seven existing classrooms which have deteriorated over time will also be replaced, bringing the total ...
More than 250 young New Zealanders will add international experience to their education, thanks to the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA), Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This round of scholarships supports 252 recent graduates or current students to undertake study, research or internships ...
Consumers will benefit from a more competitive, transparent retail fuel market as a result of changes the Government will be making in response to the findings of the Commerce Commission’s study of the fuel sector. “We accept the Commission’s findings and, as the Prime Minister has said, we’re ready to ...
Five new cancer medicines have now been funded this year, meaning thousands of people have more treatment options PHARMAC has today announced that it has approved two new medicines for funding – fulvestrant for breast cancer and olaparib for ovarian cancer. This follows earlier decisions on advanced lung cancer treatment alectinib, ...
The Minister of Local Government, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider making changes to local electoral legislation before the 2022 elections to fix the problems that have arisen where elections are settled by a coin toss. The Minister says the recount process in the Murupara- Galatea ward at ...
New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an ...
New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said. “The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to ...
Today’s launch of He taonga te Tamaiti: Every child a taonga: The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 provides the foundation for long-lasting changes to early learning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Early learning will be one of the Government’s top education priorities going into 2020,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
The Chief Ombudsman is launching a follow up investigation to see whether government agencies have improved their Official Information Act compliance. ...
How to watch the Rugby World Cup? How to make spaghetti bolognese? Who is James Charles? Google just released what New Zealanders looked for the most in 2019, and it says a lot about us.Another year on the internet, another year of Google searches you hope nobody excavates. Until now!Our Google ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael Burgin, Research associate, Monash University The NSW Law Reform Commission will hand down its final recommendations for a reformed definition of sexual consent in the new year, following draft proposals in October. The commission’s inquiry is largely the result of the ...
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says he welcomes the government’s announcement of $12 billion in extra infrastructure investment, including $6.8 billion for new transport projects, and looks forward to working with the government to ensure that a fair ...
“We’re delighted with today’s announcement of $12 billion in new capital investment by the Government,” says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Paul Blair. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Brymer, Reader, Psychology with Outdoor and Adventure studies, Leeds Beckett University Review: Finke: There & Back, directed by Dylan River The Finke Desert Race takes place in the harsh desert environment near Alice Springs. Scores of motorbikes and cars are raced ...
Climate action organisations 350 Aotearoa and Coal Action Network Aotearoa commend New Zealand’s Crown Research Institutes’ phase-out of coal burning in their operations, with the final two users, Plant and Food Research and Landcare Research decommissioning ...
The government’s books are now expected to go into the red this financial year with a forecast deficit of $900 million, down from a budget forecast surplus of $1.3 billion.The government will borrow $12 billion to spend on transport, schools, hospitals and investment in the regions over the next five ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Blanche Verlie, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Sydney I moved to Sydney less than five weeks ago and the city has been shrouded in smoke haze on and off since then. I joke this is my “Sydney hazing” but it’s only now ...
Curator and art writer Justin Paton on the process of writing McCahon Country, homesickness, and uncontemporary art. Plus his top tips for art writers. Justin Paton is theauthor of the award-winning How to Look at a Painting. A book so popular it inspired aTV series of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacob Blokland, Palaeontology PhD Candidate and Casual Academic, Flinders University A new species of extinct penguin has been discovered. It’s helping us bridge the gap between modern penguins and their counterparts from the Paleocene epoch – the 10-million-year period following dinosaur extinction. ...
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is placing greater controls on the use of the herbicide paraquat. Paraquat is the first active ingredient on our priority chemicals list, announced in October 2018, to be reassessed. ...
Today the Government revealed its plan to spend an extra $12bn on infrastructure projects following public pressure for them to do more. Irrigation New Zealand supports government investment to ensure New Zealand is future-ready however, the organisation ...
The grim statistics set out in the Child Poverty Monitor report issued this week underscore yet again the need for bolder action to reduce entrenched inequality, Peter Malcolm, spokesperson for the income equality project Closing the Gap, said ...
The Public Service Association strongly supports Labour MP Ginny Andersen’s bill to give three days paid leave to parents who experience a miscarriage or stillbirth. ...
From Waipukurau to Waipawa, Hastings to Havelock North, how did a humble crumbed meatball reach cult status? Fiona Fraser investigates the origins of this east coast delicacy.I was halfway out the door of a client’s premises when he bellowed “Have you had lunch? I’m just nipping out to get some ...
Back in September, when the NZ Herald issued its supplement “Mood of the Boardroom”, Commerce Minister Kris Faafoi featured as the politician who most impressed top chief executives on ministerial performance. The newspaper reported it was the first time in the history of the Mood of the Boardroom survey that ...
"The Government’s announcement that an additional $12 billion capital will be available to address backlogs in our deteriorating schools, hospitals and rail infrastructure and for regional development is welcome news and sensible policy", ...
Whether tourists should have been allowed to visit Whakaari-White Island in the past and whether tourists should be allowed to visit in future are among the questions inevitably raised in the aftermath of the tragic volcanic eruption this week. Concerns have extended beyond the operations of White Island Tours, which ...
Government books are now expected to go into the red this financial year with a forecast deficit of $900 million, down from a Budget forecast surplus of $1.3 billion. ...
Responding to the Minister of Finance’s Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update , which includes a $900 million deficit for the next financial year, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “At at time of high commodity ...
The Maniapoto Māori Trust Board (MMTB) is pleased the Waitangi Tribunal’s report has agreed that the Crown was correct to recognise it as the appropriate body to hold the settlement mandate for Maniapoto. ...
Government books are now expected to go into the red this financial year with a forecast deficit of $900 million, down from a Budget forecast surplus of $1.3 billion. ...
Government books are now expected to go into the red this financial year with a forecast deficit of $900 million, down from a Budget forecast surplus of $1.3 billion. ...
In this hard-hitting episode of current affairs show OTR 24/7, lady journalist Leonie Hayden comes face to face with one of society’s most elusive figures.“Hey baby, show us ya [insert weird word for body part here]!”To many women and non-binary folks this is a common greeting, usually delivered with great ...
Start learning te reo Māori anywhere in Aotearoa with this list of introductory, part-time classes.‘Learn te reo Māori’ is at the top of a lot of people’s New Year’s resolutions. The problem is, it can be hard to enrol after the new year, which is typically when resolutions are meant ...
Last year, we published the anonymous account of a Koru Club member who was denied their mandated birthright entry into the Koru Club. This Koru Club member returns to give us their harrowing, haunting account of the day the Koru Lounge went dry.“Bye, bye miss American Pie. Drove the Chevy ...
A Labour MP’s private members bill which allowed for bereavement leave for a miscarriage has been withdrawn and resubmitted , in seemingly a deliberate attempt to exclude post-abortive women who may also be suffering grief and loss. It will receive its ...
The police are not ruling out starting the recovery operation today for eight people missing after the Whakaari / White Island eruption but say safety comes first ...
Power Play - The latest report on moving the bulk of Auckland's port operations to Northport will be released tomorrow, but Jane Patterson asks whether it will be possible for Cabinet to press ahead prior to next year's election. ...
Toby Manhire gazes back at the last almost-10 years in New Zealand politics, leadership and tragedy.When I returned to New Zealand after 11 years away in 2010, John Key had been prime minister for a couple of years and it felt like he’d been prime minister forever. He was a ...
The Chief Ombudsman is launching a new inquiry into whether central government agencies have addressed any weaknesses identified in a landmark investigation five years ago. ...
Op-Ed by Kaveh Zahedi and Van NguyenKaveh Zahedi, Deputy Executive Secretary for Sustainable Development, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).“The 2030 Agenda is coming to life”, declared the Secretary General at the opening of the first SDG Summit, a quadrennial event for ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Whakaari/White Island eruption Gordon Campbell: On the Whakaari/White Island eruption MIchael Lueck (Stuff): Should NZ look again at risky adventure tourism? Brook ...
The senior doctors’ union, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, is welcoming a report from the Medical Protection Society which provides further evidence of doctor burnout and high workload pressures. ...
Responding to reports of New Plymouth District Council’s $1.6 million rates surplus, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “A rates surplus means the Council has taken more from the people of New Plymouth than it needs. It ...
The fatal eruption on Whakaari on Monday may force the tourism industry to review its current rules, writes tourism professor Michael Lueck.The official death toll is six and eight people are still missing, presumed to have died, in Monday’s volcanic eruption at Whakaari/White Island. The people on the island were ...
The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) is calling out Police for stepping up their intimidation campaign of licenced firearms owners as the deadline for firearms compensation draws near. ...
Belong Aotearoa alongside leading organisations working in the resettlement (refugee background) sector is calling on the New Zealand Government to play a greater role in responding to the international refugee crisis, ahead of the Global Refugee Forum ...
Protest groups and human rights supporters are preparing to “unwelcome” bulk carrying cargo ship ‘Federal Crimson’ as it arrives in Dunedin on Wednesday. The ship has carried over 50,000 tonnes of ‘conflict phosphate’ from the non-self ...
Tower boss quits after turning around $6.3m loss with risk-based insurance pricing strategy; and Prime Minister meets with rescuers of Whakaari / White Island survivors. ...
Should we modify the process of government formation to ensure no future incoming PM has the authority and mana of their office compromised from the outset? ...
A petition to Government that would see e-scooters and other personal transport devices banned from New Zealand footpaths is to be presented to the Honorable Tracey Martin, Minister for Children and Seniors on Thursday, 12th December, at 1.00 pm on the steps ...
All eyes today will be on Treasury and Finance Minister Grant Robertson when he releases his "significant infrastructure spending package" at 1pm today. ...
The Auckland Rotuman Fellowship Group Incorporated (ARFGI) is marking today’s International Human Rights Day to draw attention to the NZ Government’s discriminatory policy of only supporting selective Pacific Island languages. ...
Western Australia’s move to legalise voluntary assisted dying continues a worldwide trend supported by a clear majority of New Zealanders, the End-of-Life Choice Society’s President, Dr Mary Panko, said on Wednesday. ...
School support staff have voted to accept collective agreement offers from the Ministry of Education, with the Living Wage of $21.15 as the new minimum pay rate. ...
Our pop culture superfans at The Real Pod look back at the local celebrities who defined the last decade in Aotearoa.If there’s any group of people we can turn to in these uncertain times, it’s celebrities. And lucky for us, New Zealand suddenly seems to have heaps of them. The ...
Wellington’s newest local body political party, the Wellington Party , welcomes the news that if returned to Government, the National Party will accelerate the construction work on the proposed duplicate Mt Victoria tunnel. Party President, David Lloyd, ...
Sweeping law changes proposed by an official inquiry into last year's election and foreign interference have taken too long to be of use for next year's election. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Webb, Clinical Lecturer and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney Mosquito-borne disease is a concern for health authorities around Australia. Each year, thousands fall ill to Ross River virus disease caused by mosquito bites. Tracking mosquito populations can help us respond ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elaine Pearson, Adjunct Lecturer in Law, UNSW As we approach the last days of the decade, it’s important to reflect on the fight for human rights, the setbacks and successes over the past year in Australia and around the world. Our list ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Kettlewell, Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Economics Discipline Group, University of Technology Sydney Every year private health insurers raise premiums and every year we rue the hit to our hip pocket. This cycle is heavily regulated: insurers apply to the health minister ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Johnston, Lecturer in Primary Education, Southern Cross University It’s the end of the first year of school for many children and proud parents. Some children may be reading quicker than their classmates, others slower; some can add double digits, others only ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Ann Wheeler, Professor in Water Economics, University of Adelaide For the thousand or so farmers in Canberra in the past week venting their anger at the federal government, it’s the Murray-Darling Basin Plan to blame for destroying their livelihoods and forcing ...
A collective of former refugee leaders, resettlement, human rights, faith-based and humanitarian organisations have signed and sent an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. The letter asks the Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Ellerton, Lecturer in Critical Thinking; Curriculum Director, UQ Critical Thinking Project, The University of Queensland As bushfires rage and our cities lie shrouded in smoke, climate change is shaping as a likely topic of conversation at the family dinner table this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeff Seadon, Senior Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Butt, Associate Professor in Sustainability and Urban Planning, RMIT University This is the third article in a series to mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark Melbourne Transportation Plan. Like the modernist plans of its time, the 1969 Melbourne Metropolitan Transportation ...
Open mike 25/12/2012 
In previous elections pollsters have bemoaned the 'shy Tory' - the respondent who is so fearful of being judged as a cruel and heartless bastard by an anonymous pollster, or their spouses, workmates and friends, that they lie about their intention of voting Conservative, skewing the poll figures in Labour's ...53 mins ago
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz I was in Switzerland recently and discovered that they haven’t ...5 hours ago
Back in 2015, then Ombudsman Beverley Wakem conducted a review of the OIA, Not a game of hide and seek. The "review" was a whitewash, which found no need for legislative change, and instead criticised the media and requesters - which destroyed Wakem's reputation, and undermined that of the Office ...9 hours ago
Sheer Loopiness: Many of those expressing bemusement at the antics of these #turnardern effacers, were convinced that they were yet another expression of the National Party’s increasingly spiteful anti-government propaganda campaign. They marvelled at the oddness of the perpetrators’ mindset and questioned the common-sense of allowing the rest of New Zealand ...11 hours ago
I love data. It’s amazing the sort of “discoveries” I can make given a data set and computer statistical package. It’s just so easy to search for relationships and test their statistical significance. Maybe relationships which ... 1 day ago
by Daphna Whitmore Last week France passed a law that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. It is based on a definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel such as: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist ...2 days ago
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...4 days ago
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...4 days ago
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...6 days ago
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...7 days ago
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...1 week ago
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...1 week ago
Image credit: The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ... 1 week ago
New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball’s bill introducing a six-month minimum sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its first reading in Parliament. Mr Ball said the new offence of "injuring a first responder or prison officer with intent" would target people who attacked paramedics, police, firefighters, and corrections ...5 hours ago
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...1 week ago
New Zealand firms expanding beyond the start-up phase are set for more support after today’s passage of the Venture Capital Fund Bill, Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. The Bill, which establishes a $300 million Venture Capital Fund, puts in place a key initiative of the Wellbeing Budget’s economic package. ...4 hours ago
The infrastructure industry is pleased, but wants more detail. ...12 mins ago
The Chief Ombudsman is launching a follow up investigation to see whether government agencies have improved their Official Information Act compliance. ...34 mins ago
How to watch the Rugby World Cup? How to make spaghetti bolognese? Who is James Charles? Google just released what New Zealanders looked for the most in 2019, and it says a lot about us.Another year on the internet, another year of Google searches you hope nobody excavates. Until now!Our Google ...3 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael Burgin, Research associate, Monash University The NSW Law Reform Commission will hand down its final recommendations for a reformed definition of sexual consent in the new year, following draft proposals in October. The commission’s inquiry is largely the result of the ...3 hours ago
Will reform of the Resource Management Act and a brand new Future Generations Act put an end to wind farm Nimbyism? ...4 hours ago
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says he welcomes the government’s announcement of $12 billion in extra infrastructure investment, including $6.8 billion for new transport projects, and looks forward to working with the government to ensure that a fair ...4 hours ago
Two companies involved in health, wellness, and skincare products businesses are headed on to the stock exchange through the backdoor. ...4 hours ago
Jim Kayes says Ian Foster was a good steady first-five for Waikato who could make a good steady All Black head coach. ...6 hours ago
Back in September, when the NZ Herald issued its supplement “Mood of the Boardroom”, Commerce Minister Kris Faafoi featured as the politician who most impressed top chief executives on ministerial performance. The newspaper reported it was the first time in the history of the Mood of the Boardroom survey that ...7 hours ago
Whether tourists should have been allowed to visit Whakaari-White Island in the past and whether tourists should be allowed to visit in future are among the questions inevitably raised in the aftermath of the tragic volcanic eruption this week. Concerns have extended beyond the operations of White Island Tours, which ...7 hours ago
The Finance Minister says the time is right to invest in more capital projects. ...8 hours ago
The police are not ruling out starting the recovery operation today for eight people missing after the Whakaari / White Island eruption but say safety comes first ...9 hours ago
Tower boss quits after turning around $6.3m loss with risk-based insurance pricing strategy; and Prime Minister meets with rescuers of Whakaari / White Island survivors. ...12 hours ago
Should we modify the process of government formation to ensure no future incoming PM has the authority and mana of their office compromised from the outset? ...12 hours ago
All eyes today will be on Treasury and Finance Minister Grant Robertson when he releases his "significant infrastructure spending package" at 1pm today. ...12 hours ago
The National Party leader says he believes tourism to White Island should be allowed to resume in time. ...13 hours ago
Sweeping law changes proposed by an official inquiry into last year's election and foreign interference have taken too long to be of use for next year's election. ...13 hours ago
A Merry Christmas to all Students of Comedy and Comedians
That bloke in Auckland who’s had his name suppressed, Jimmy Savile, Sacha Baron Cohen….2012 has been the Year of Reassessment of the Comedian.
Thanks to everyone who read about and debated the issue of Sacha Baron Cohen’s monstrous behaviour—even if you raged, obfuscated or indignantly denied that your favorite comedian was a moral imbecile. For many of you, having had to think for the first time about the politics of laughter, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. You may still insist that Baron Cohen’s behaviour was simply fun, or ironic, or “edgy” or “pushing the envelope”, but from now on you’ll also have that nagging doubt, called a conscience, in your mind when—if—you watch Bruno again.
And you SHOULD watch it again if you want. Please don’t feel bad if you watch a video of Bruno or Borat or The Dictator from now on; they’re funny and you have my blessing if you fall about laughing as you watch them. Only from now on, perhaps, you’ll be a tad more aware of what is happening when he interviews that poor fellow captioned “Terrorist group leader, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade”, and just what Baron Cohen and his producers were quite deliberately doing.
Coming up after the Holiday break: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SEINFELD.
“Coming up after the Holiday break: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SEINFELD.”
Why? Because he’s Jewish? I don’t find him funny, but that doesn’t seem to be what your agenda is. I’m surprised you haven’t rehashed the whole Woody Allen incest thing. What next? Blood libel? Merry goddam Christmas to you too.
Because he’s Jewish?
No, we need to have a critical look at Seinfeld because he’s a nasty ideologue with a particularly objectionable modus operandi.
I don’t find him funny,
Well, I do. I find Sacha Baron Cohen funny too, most of the time. And Bob Hope. But they are (or were) all shills for some unconscionably evil enterprises.
…but that doesn’t seem to be what your agenda is.
Our analysis incorporates some study of their comedy routines, naturally, but our agenda is of course to encourage people to engage critically with the material they watch, and think about why they are laughing at official victims (in the Occupied Territories) or sneering callously at the down and out on the streets of American cities.
I’ve refrained from commenting on a line and a half of wild and choleric ranting by Populuxe1, where he riffs insanely about “incest” and “blood libel”.
Borat was awful and I couldn’t watch the hurt inflicted upon other innocent people for the entire film. I think I watched the first 10 minutes before leaving in disgust. I found it as entertaining as watching animals being tourtured. When Bruno came out I didn’t bother…some of the Dictator material I found funny but after Borat I only watched short clips on youtube.
Seinfeld!? Oi vey! I liked Seinfeld. Looking forward to a new prospective in the new year to grow my mind. Politics of comedy is intellectually stimulating.
Merry Christmas and joy to you in 2013 Morrissey.
And a Merry Christmas to you, my friend.
Will Hutton on the Bankster scam that made banksters rich, at the expense of the majority of us.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/23/banking-reform-ubs?CMP=twt_gu
If there was ever an area of our system that needs attacking, dismantling and re-setting it is the banking sector.
It has indeed become nothing but a taxer, a rentier, a do-nothing waste of space draining our daily toil from us before it even hits our wallets.
Tha banking system is inorganic evil.
It is entirely feasible to have a system of credit without the destruction that comes from interest. Interest needs to be peeled off from credit, amongst more.
Got an example vto?
Well no, it was just my minds creation, but I have a lot of faith in those… It would go like this – zero percent interest rates, which is almost the case already.
But of course that too doesn’t quite resolve the issue, which is credit’s reach into society to such an extent that it becomes part of the fabric. Best example of this being the housing market. Housing values are to the level they are entirely due to the issue of credit (interest bearing or otherwise, virtually, following the logic). If interest rates were zero housing values would probably stay right up of course, but who would waste time issuing credit if that ws the case? Perhaps government or some other non-profit or joint-between-stakes approach. The urge to keep issuing credit due to its profitable nature needs to be taken out.
The only problem with removing the right ot issue credit (print money) from private banks and placing it elsewhere is that, humans being humans, we will find some way to work it to an advantage. Of course if it was placed with a government type organisation then the urge to use it for political advantage (rather than private profit advantage as now) is smack in the face. The disadvantages with this are probably greater than if it remained with private, given the power resting with government.
Methinks I need to read more on it and do more thinking but one thing is sure and, using the example above, keeping house values high surely advantages private banks only and I fail to see the use in this, especially when other areas are bereft of funds (those funds being our daily toil). I mean, imagine if instead of one third of your working toiling week going to pay for your roof, it was only one quarter or one tenth……. not hard to see the results.
There is no advantage to high capital values. All it does is require people to take on debt. I like Foodstuffs approach when it comes to buying and selling New Worlds and PaknSaves and hmmm four squares. etc. What they do is require the sale of any of their supermarkets to be at a multiple of one years earnings (as I recall..), and be to an approved operator through their system. What this does it focus attention on revenue and income instead of capital. This means owners get ownership easier and without silly cripping debt. And this is the right approach – hence their success.
Our current obsession with capital over revenue is destructive. The banking system prefers an obssession with capital of course.
bit of a ramble but full belly and sleepy christmas eyes …
Unless you make government democratic rather than hierarchical thus having it being one person one vote for the creation and use of that money.
It’s a it more complex than that. What we have is a requirement to get the capital (money) back plus revenue. What we need to do is change it so that money used to build something productive (power stations, telecommunications, high tech fab plant) doesn’t need to produce a monetary return or even pay for itself. What it provides is all that’s required.
A new report on temperatures recorded over time in West Antarctica concludes the area has been warming faster than previously thought:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/24/science/earth/west-antarctica-warming-faster-than-thought-study-finds.html?_r=0
Very interesting karol. Yet while this is disturbing in itself, the most dramatic threat in West Antarctica is not so much the surface and air termperatures … but the sea temperatures.
What most people don’t really grasp is that the WAIS (West Antarctic Ice Shelf) is grounded well below sea-level. This means that if warm water gets between the base of the glacier and the bed-rock it can be broken up very rapidly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Antarctic_Ice_Sheet
Back in 2009 I posted this:
That’s 3-4m within a decade.
More info:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wcc.110/pdf
For their down playing of climate change and their willingness to be part of an administration that will allow the <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escarpment_Mine_Project<Massive Opencast, (Escarpment) coal mine at Denniston to proceed.
The Green Party get awarded the Lump of Coal.
While Green Party leaders may be lauded by both Labour and National and their allies in the MSM and the unions for their “acceptance of the realities of coalition government”, their “responsibility” and their “pragmatism” and their prioritising of jobs and economics over the environment……
It is for this ‘pragmatic’ behaviour, (in reality a sick sell out), that the Green Party get my lump of coal in their stocking this Christmas mourning.
At the same time Jenny if a Labour/Green govt were to get into power and then attempt to de-carbonise the NZ economy by 10% in 2015, and each year thereafter… they would be thrown out in the 2017 election. If not sooner by massive protests in the streets.
The New Zealand public is not yet ready for this. If they were they would be demanding action even from this current government.
That is the problem. Not the Green Party.
I call bullshit on this.
Twenty thousands marched to stop mining on conservation land. There are dozens of environmental groups in existence and being set up.
Many thousands in this country have protested for nuclear free and anti aparthied and anti war.
Where is the political will for the massive protests and pressure you claim are in support of doing nothing, to come from?
The only political pressure to continue with the fossil fuel economy is coming from the fossil fuel and roading lobbies themselves. Obviously this lobby has intimidated the Greens. I suppose with all their money and power this lobby will try and drum up some sort of fake mass opposition movement. But so far there is no sign of it.
The Greens are being frightened by shadows.
You say that the New Zealand public is not ready for this. I say that through cowardice and ignorance of New Zealand history no lead is being given by those who should be giving it.
As long as there is no lead being given, what can people do, other than what they are doing now, in their small groups?
What do you think you are achieving by being confrontational with me?
Yes change is happening. Yes there are groups who are doing fantastic work and I hugely respect the time and energy they are putting into it. Eventually it will bring results.
But the fact is that de-carbonising the New Zealand economy will have a real, direct impact on how we live our lives. The large majority of ordinary people are, for a whole bunch of reasons, some better than others … are simply not emotionally ready for that change.
And right now any political party that seriously challenged that fact would be slaughtered by the media. Hell look at the hammering we got for simply passing a law to stop adults from assaulting children. The S59 Reform was the turning point that let John Key into power… what hope if we try and take their cars and toys away from them before they are willing to let them go?
Quit attacking your allies. Really. What I’m looking for is less emotional noise and some hard sense about how to deal with this constructively.
Maybe it is not New Zealanders “who are simply not emotionally ready”, but the Greens.
If you want some hard sense about how to deal with this then you have openly and strongly demand the actions that are required.
The Green Party policy is no new coal mines. This is a realistic policy. Globally coal extraction and use has been identified as the number 1 cause of climate change. Taking a hard line against the coal industry is what is required.
But instead the Green Party are prepared to ditch their principle of no new coal mines for cabinet positions.
“But instead the Green Party are prepared to ditch their principle of no new coal mines for cabinet positions.”
Liar.
“Obviously this lobby has intimidated the Greens. ”
[citation needed]
What else could it be?
Why are the Green Party shying away from raising Climate Change?
Is it cowardice?
Is it intimidation?
Is it lack of faith in New Zealanders?
Is it corruption?
The simplest explanation will do.
How about when Russel Norman mentioned ‘printing money’ a short while ago (another word for the quantitative easing that numerous other Western nations have been doing flat out for the last 5 years or so) … and the media instantly jump on him as ‘crazy, irresponsible, extremist and generally loopy’?
Now imagine if he came out and said that in 2015 New Zealand was going to shut down it’s carbon use by 10%? Or more because National had delayed acting?
The Greens would be crucified by the John Armstrongs and Fran O’Sullivan’s of the media. It would be used constantly all through the election campaign as a massive stick to beat them with.
And the point of loosing another election in 2014 is?
“What else could it be?”
You’re being disingenuous Jenny. We’ve had plenty of conversations about what else it could be. See also RL’s comment.
At least you are admitting that you are making this shit up.
There is a world of difference between the following two statements:
“Obviously this lobby has intimidated the Greens.”
“I don’t understand the Green’s strategy and I’m worried that they will make too many compromises on CC issues if they become part of govt”
The fact that you use the former, even when you know that it is a lie, tells us alot about your motivations.
When, and only when, the middle class see pictures on their TVs of waves breaking upon the tarmac of Wellington Airport and rolling through the departure lounge will they be snapped out of their comfort zone long enough to ‘demand’ action,
The Green Party is only 10-11% of the vote and therefor can hardly DICTATE to the wider electorate that action has to occur now,(even if the consensus of science says it must),
Unless you suggest a 1 party Green state any such actions where the majority are being dictated to against it’s will would collapse the vote of any coalition that the Greens were part of at the following election and the Tories would just reverse whatever changes the Greens had made,
I should cop some flak for this, BUT, the future of the planet does not rely upon whether the Denniston plateau is mined or remains un-mined, the same amount of carbon WILL be produced to the atmosphere by whomever the coal is to be sold to whether that coal comes from Denniston or somewhere else in the world,
My view is that the Greens should walk away from Kyoto, impose a carbon tax and spend that into the economy planting trees everywhere until such time as there are no more places to plant those trees or the amount of trees planted makes New Zealand a carbon neutral country, secondly a portion of such a tax should be set aside for research into technology’s which reduce carbon emission and technology’s which are capable of capturing and storing carbon already present in the atmosphere,
As a Green Party member i am insulted by your use of the word ‘cowardice’ in reference to the Green Party and would ask you, what would you rather have a Green Party that gets done what is possible with regards the climate and social justice. or a Green Party that in Government for the first time commits electoral suicide…
@bad12
This is not the point.
New Zealand produces 0.2% of green house gases. (This is from all sources agriculture included.) If New Zealand were to stop all emissions tomorrow, it would have little quantitive impact.
New Zealand’s biggest contribution to stopping global warming can only be qualitative.
A nationwide ban on coal mining and coal use, is the needed symbolic stand that Sir Peter Gluckman is talking about. Grabbing the world’s attention, inspiring millions to demand the same thing from their governments.
Coal must be phased out, and soon.
Stopping coal is the minimum that must be done to stop worldwide catastrophe.
Stopping the Denniston open cast coal mine is a necessary first step on the way to that larger goal of stopping all coal mining.
And is it really that hard?
The mining and use of asbestos has been banned worldwide. It can be argued that the death and destruction from continuing to mine and burn coal will dwarf that caused by asbestos.
Jenny, but it IS the point, China, India, and the US to name 3 are country’s who use coal as an integral part of their economy’s, and crowd power in all 3 economy’s is sadly lacking to have that use banned,
We can as a country only proceed so far and as i point out above, i would prefer that we walk away from Kyoto and instead resort to a carbon tax to be used to plant trees of sufficient number so as to get us as an economy as close to being carbon neutral as possible, along with a like investment in research to find technology’s which are capable of capturing carbon emissions at source and research into a means of mas carbon capture from the atmosphere, that is the best example we can show the world,
So as you have not seen fit to answer my question on whether or not you favor a suicidal Green presence in the next or any future Government i suppose i have to take your lack of reply as assent in that is what you favor,
Simply because what you continue to propose is electoral suicide for the Greens…
Have to partially disagree Red. I think the NZ public actually is ready and with just a little info and understanding, I believe they can be motivated to protest and pressure for action to be taken by government.
To get action from above, it’s always been necessary to apply pressure from below.
I think that’s where we’re at. Consider the general reaction in comments to the couple of posts I’ve put up so far on global warming. Just a couple of years back, I suspect those posts would have met with howls of derision.
And we have a simple scientific fact to focus peoples’ minds and it’s not one you need a degree to grasp and/or explain. 4 degrees = impossible future. And the 4 degreesfigure isn’t coming from individual scientists or whatever, but from the World Bank and the International Energy Authority….very conservative institutions.
I’m hopeful
OK … but among the people I’m working with and meet; there is silence. Either they simply don’t want to know, or they suspect the truth and really don’t want to confront it.
This is reflected in how the media has almost completely stopped talking about it as well.
This is fear-driven behaviour. We won’t get the co-operation needed from the mass of people globally unless we can get them to confront that fear openly.
I’m sure it can be done; it might even happen a lot sooner and faster than any of us imagine. But right now we’re at more of a ‘sticking point’ than a ‘tipping’ one.
People need (at least) these three things:
– the skills and support to deal with the fear and cognitive dissonance. I see very little work being done on this in NZ.
– information and a way of getting involved that allows them to take positive action that may save their children and grandchildren’s lives. Transition Towns and allied movements are leading the way on this. Everywhere in NZ now has some kind of positive action that can be done at an individual level.
– information about CC that doesn’t tell them we’re all fuckd and going to die. That information needs to be presented at a lay person’s level. If the MSM media aren’t doing this, then how else can it be done?
It’s true that there is a lot of silence. But silence is easily broken. And I know some people have devoted their energies to the act of avoidance…because it’s too scary or whatever.
But I also know that other people are really receptive and just waiting for some nascent form of protest to form that they would then join in with.
And when I’m done with these posts I know my energies are going to be focussed on helping to bring that opportunity about. And I know I have a shit hot talent for instigating grass/flax roots activism/protest – just I’ve been in ‘retired’ mode for several years.
So maybe (putting aside the fact that I don’t think you live in these parts and that I wouldn’t know you from a bar of soap if you walked right up to me) we’ll get to say ‘hello’ out on the streets sometime in the New Year 😉
Mebbe Bill. Got to sort some shit out in my life before I go activist again. Sounds like you have a good plan though 🙂
You have my guarantee of that Bill
I suppose that depends upon where you think the sticking point is. From what I can make out it’s more with the politicians and business than with the people.
Politicians and business people are always going to try and maintain the status quo. Important change gets led by the people. Enough people want something to change, and do something about it, politicians and business follows.
But that’s just it, they [politicians] don’t or, at least, most of them don’t. They seem to think that they’re there to lead the way rather than being representatives.
Ah, I see what you mean now.
Exactly, this is why a strong lead on this issue at this time is vital. And why the Green Party decision to stop giving that lead at this time will prove to be a fatal mistake.
I partially agree, I think people are more ready now than they were. I just don’t think the Green Party should be leading the charge any more than they already are. Their experience over many elections now is that it is very easy for their floating voters to get scared off at election time. Either by MSM or NACT fearmongering, or by people not understanding MMP and voting for Labour to prevent NACT winning. The next election is crucial. I don’t think the GP should be risking anything at this point in time. Once they are in govt they may up the ante on CC.
Instead, what we need is NGO action, from grassroots all the way through to corporate/business. Jenny is right about one thing, we need leadership. But we also need mass involvement at the community level. The 350 campaign some years ago mobilised alot of people, esp those no engaged in traditional political activism. What happened to that energy and action?
I completely agree with what you said in the If thread – we need information that people can assimilate and work with rather than the ‘we’re all fucked and humanity is going extinct’ argument. The posts you’ve been doing on Anderson’s work strike a good balance: this is a very serious situation AND we are still able to do something so let’s do it.
To get action from above, it’s always been necessary to apply pressure from below.
Agreed – and on all the pressing issues; climate, peak resources, poverty, sustainable economics, closing the inequality gap, measuring success in terms of activities that benefit society not any old economic activity, adequate social security, etc.
Merry Christmas Bill
Why on earth would you be hopeful about anything which was pushed by either of these two entities Bill?
People are definitely not going to get what they ask for, and sooner than later, they will be yet again wondering how it went to far against what they imagined the solutions looked like!
I’m not. But the fact that they are (rightly or wrongly is beside the point here) generally regarded as authoratative sources of information…and given their conservatism too…their latest prognoses on AGW serve as useful reference points.
Telling lies again Jenny? Please present some evidence that the GP supports mining of the Dennistion Plateau. And that evidence will have to concretely refute what the GP have on their own website.
http://www.greens.org.nz/searchresults?search=denniston
“BOOS and jeers from about 150 protestors greeted Prime Minister John Key as he entered Bathurst Resources’ new Wellington offices late yesterday.
Mr Key was there to meet the management of the Australian mining company which is planning New Zealand’s biggest open cast mine on the West Coast. The PM and Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley were confronted by a crowd of environmental activists and Green Party MPs rallying against coal mining.
National MP Simon Bridges and Labour’s West Coast MP Damien O’Conner had both slipped in to the building prior to the Prime Minister’s arrival. The Bathurst mine proposal is for the Denniston Plateau in the West Coast.
The proposed mine site is on public conservation land near the largest current opencast mining operation in New Zealand, State-owned Solid Energy’s Stockton coal mine.
Green Party Conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage expressed her disappointment following the Prime Minister’s remarks in the House of Parliament that the Denniston mine could proceed due to historical consent.
“It’s disappointing that the Prime Minister doesn’t seem to realise that the Conservation Minister still has an access application to consider,” Ms Sage said.
“Coming here today is sending a strong signal to the Department of Conservation and the minister that the government will be approving this mine.””
http://www.newswire.co.nz/2012/03/prime-minister-mines-boos-jeers-on-street/
I guess what this really means is that the GP are lying through their teeth to get the votes and then intend to reneg on that once in govt and support the mining of the plateau 🙄
You can’t have it both ways Jenny. You want the GP to protest things to do with CC, but when they do, you tell lies about them.
I have never said that the Green Party are “against” mining the Denniston Plateau. I have said that the Green Party are prepared to bargain this away to get cabinet positions.
This is something that you don’t deny.
It is entirely possible to be against something, and still do the opposite.
If the Green Party really wanted to stop Denniston they should immediately release a press statement now that they will not be part of any administration either National or Labour that let it proceed.
This would certainly give the investors and shareholders at Bathurst Resources pause for thought, before ploughing any more money into developing this mine.
“I have said that the Green Party are prepared to bargain this away to get cabinet positions.”
Please show some evidence for that statement.
The few politicians that I’ve spoken too have confirmed that it is only the top 4-5 cabinet ministers including the PM that get to effect any real change (with the exception of private members bills of course). The rest are just warming the bench and making up the numbers in the hope that one day they will be in the top 5. Perhaps the greens have realised this and have made a judgement call to let denniston go through so they can effect greater change with cabinet positions.. possibly even legislation to stop or at least phase out coal mining altogether amongst other things.
Maybe they have PP. But your wondering out loud is different than Jenny telling lies about the GP by stating opinion as fact. She’s just making it up.
Myself, I doubt that any decisions have been made at this stage. I also think that the GP has the potential to change MMP and how coalition govts form. No idea if they will though. Much depends on how many votes they get. It’s a long time until the next election.
You are either deliberately making stuff up about what I have said or not said. Or do you just misunderstand it?
I think weka is being more than fair in pointing out your deductive leaps.
When you say the greens have or haven’t issued a press release containing a specific hypothetical statement, that’s a verifiable fact.
When you ascribe a motive as to why they have or haven’t issued this specific hypothetical statement, you’re making stuff up.
What felix said.
Jenny, anytime you want to produce ANY evidence that what you say about the GP is true, fine by me.
Where did you get/hear this information from ? The wikipedia link is not working so I couldn’t verify it there, and I cannot find anything on the Green Party website about them downplaying either climate change or the Denniston mining effects. Please clarify.
Solo mums, I love you all the most.
You have the most important job of all, and often have to do it under a barrage of criticism.
Just remember “you only need a dick to run the country, it only takes a mother to raise a son.”
What ever you do, don’t take Paula’s pills unless you want to.
If my old girl had been coerced into stopping at one or two, I wouldn’t be 3 of 5.
I’m just a dreamer, but you could have an Einstein, Hawkins, Dr Barnardos or Florence Nightingale, and let’s face it, they can’t get here soon enough. So make love, not Paula’s day. Get any stick at WINZ and we’ll come down and contracept their mouths.
Track 9 @ http://www.al1en.org
Alpha 1
I hear what they say and I know that it’s rough. It beats you down.
Every night on the news when the going gets tough. They put you down.
You know solo mum, down my road, it’s all right. You aint so bad.
You’re not on your own Alpha one, 3 of 5. Born Alpha tribe.
Lift your head up little sister. Lift your face up to the son.
Don’t let anyone say you’re shit, love. Make them always prove you’re wrong.
Take that flower by the hand, love. And then you’ve got to make him understand.
He’s got to stand up for all the sisters if he wants to be an Alpha man.
I know what they say and I know that it’s wrong. But they wheel you out.
Every night on the news when they’ve done something wrong. Appease the crowd.
You know solo mum, on my road, we’re all right. We aint so bad.
You’re not on your own Alpha one, 3 of 5. with your Alpha pride.
Keep your head up pretty sister. Hold your face up to the sun.
We don’t let anyone say we’re shit, love. We don’t ever let anyone say we’re wrong.
Take the flower by his hand, love. Teach him how to grow up strong.
You only need a dick to run the country. You only need a mother to raise a son.
Merry Christmas to Te Pati Maori, i have had cause to ponder today just what it would take for the once promising Maori Party to come to it’s senses,
The loss of both Sharple’s and Flavell’s seats in 2014 should just about do it…
Little birds tell me that Tony Ryall is to be the new minister for education. Quelle surprise.
Mmmm, now that will be interesting. Who gets health?
Return of Nick Smith?
The Carter’s in or out of the Parliament confuse me,but, the current one with the back-woodsy type portfolio that i cannot remember the name of and who is said to be the next Speaker of the House,
I think Nick Smith is going to pick up Carter’s portfolio when they drag Him back from Siberia for a vodka laced rehabilitation, it’s thought that Carters portfolio is so obscure,(it must be if i can’t remember what it is). that even Smith is unlikely to make a hash of it, but hats off to Nick i bet it don’t take him long to do so…
Do you mean the little bird on the TV news the other night, me thinks that Slippery will keep His word on Hekia remaining right where she is,(that’s cause for definite surprise),
I cannot see anyone in Nationals line-up capable of doing the job Ryall has with the Health portfolio have and Hekia is doing one hell of a good job destroying the peace of mind of the Education sector which is what i believe the outcome sought by Slippery’s National Government really is,
Wreck the ability of the sector to function properly, destroy any individual schools ability to budget properly with NO-NO-Pay and across the field ‘they’ are halfway to replacing the Boards with hand picked Commissioners,
Hell the Bizness sector has probably been in Slippery’s ear about just how expensive it is to set up a charter school and why should they have to when there are 1000’s of schools out there just ripe for a negative take-over from the charter schools mob…
No, my little birds perch considerably closer to power than the media
The words “break the unions” were uttered
Tony Ryall should remember that all political careers end in failure.
If he succeeded in ‘breaking the unions’ in education then that would amount to the most radical ‘reform’ of the education sector achieved by any government. So much for this being a ‘centrist’ government.
It would also lead to the crumbling of what has been a consistently high quality state education system and leave the door wide open to the overall educational quality reductions that come from privatising mass education (e.g., would one ‘provider’ ever share its ‘successful’ educational IP with another? If so, why? Markets inevitably create distortions in social systems of cooperation. :-)).
I say this simply because the collective values of the teaching profession, as currently supported through a unionised workforce, are part of what is needed to produce quality public education. Those values are not the foundation of mass private education.
So, if you are correct in that intention, Ryall’s appointment as education minister would either be a disaster for his career or a disaster for public education. If I were Ryall I would not want the former – for obvious reasons – and I also wouldn’t want the latter.
Why would he wish to go down in history as the minister who undermined public education and initiated a decline in educational attainment in New Zealand’s children? The so-called ‘tail’ would inevitably lengthen significantly. (And don’t get me onto supposed high level ‘accountability’ measures to ensure schools/children ‘achieve’ – they would be laughable if they weren’t so dangerous.)
(WYSIWYG doesn’t seem to appear as an option anymore for me.)
Sure it is, your little bird probably watched the same news item on TV3 as what i did…
You are both incorrect and tiresome.
24 hours ago TV3 news was saying exactly the same as what you are about the future prospects of Hekia,
Perhaps you could ask your ‘little birdy’ to be a lot less tardy in the future, after all what’s the point of having a ‘little birdy’ if they are beaten by the MSM in breaking the latest gossip…
Well I’m inclined to take pop at his word. Nothing wrong with having scuttlebutt arrive from several independent sources….
i will take the hint…
The media were speculating, quite accurately as it happens. I wasn’t. You seem to have the impression I was trying to impress you. mate, I wouldn’t [deleted]. [ B – Be nice 😉 ]
i read the other day, trees are not being replanted in our country as fast as they are being harvested.
-Ent (whistle)
(and that is not the Kaka’s fault either)
🙂
“Consumptionomics”
This was just on National Radio. Worth while checking out, right now.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/writers/audio/2541235/chandran-nair-consumptionomics.asx