Open Mike 26/06/2018
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6:00 am, June 26th, 2018 - 70 comments
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- The 1 Good Thing Left In Journalism
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...3 hours ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Monday, December 23
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...3 hours ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #51
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Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...23 hours ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...23 hours ago - Fact brief – Are we heading into an ‘ice age’?
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So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...2 days ago - By Any Other Name.
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AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...6 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
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Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...3 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
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The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...4 days ago
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The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...4 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...4 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...5 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...5 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...6 days ago
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The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...6 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...6 days ago
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The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...6 days ago
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With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...6 days ago
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Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...6 days ago
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For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
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The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
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All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
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The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...7 days ago
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The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...7 days ago
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The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...7 days ago
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The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
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New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
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The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
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Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
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Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
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Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour fully supports greyhound racing ban
The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
- Greyhound racing industry ban marks new era for animal welfare
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...2 weeks ago
- Rangatahi voices must be centred in Government’s Relationship and Sexuality Education refresh
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt introduces archaic anti-worker legislation
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...2 weeks ago
- Winston Peters – Kinleith Mill Speech
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...2 weeks ago - Swarbrick calls on Auckland Mayor to end delay of revival of St James Theatre
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...2 weeks ago
- He Ara Anamata: Greens launch Emissions Reduction Plan
Today, the Green Party of Aotearoa proudly unveils its new Emissions Reduction Plan–He Ara Anamata–a blueprint reimagining our collective future. ...2 weeks ago
- Internationally-trained doctors jump at chance to boost health workforce
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...23 hours ago - PM appoints business leader to APEC Business Advisory Council
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...3 days ago
- New intelligence oversight appointments
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...3 days ago
- New housing developments able to progress more quickly
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...3 days ago
- Actions to speed up air travel delivering results
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...3 days ago
- Ending contracted emergency housing in Rotorua
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...3 days ago
- Vocational education and training decisions support return to regions
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...3 days ago
- Reducing the environmental impact of synthetic refrigerants
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...3 days ago
- Ngāruawāhia section of Waikato Expressway back to 4 lanes for Christmas
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...3 days ago
- Appointments to the ENZ board
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...4 days ago
- Government to celebrate Waitangi Day around NZ
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...4 days ago
- More gangs added to Gangs Act list
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...4 days ago
- Judicial appointment announced
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...4 days ago
- GDP data highlights importance of growth
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...4 days ago
- Strengthening Free Speech in Universities
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...4 days ago
- Launch of Emergency Cellular Priority Service
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...4 days ago
- Minister reopens Mangamuka Gorge
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...4 days ago
- Funding confirmed for second Ashburton Bridge
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...4 days ago
- Government boosts support for avian influenza response
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...4 days ago
- Levelling the playing field for media advertising
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...5 days ago
- Inspector-General of Defence appointed
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...5 days ago
- Fire and Emergency New Zealand final levy rates confirmed
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...5 days ago
- More AML relief on the way for Kiwi businesses
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...5 days ago
- Hawke’s Bay Expressway moving at pace
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...5 days ago
- Government seeks partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned-land
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...5 days ago
- Wide ranging legislation to make justice system more efficient
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...5 days ago
- Diverse skills in community trust appointments
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...5 days ago
- Torture redress for survivors of the Lake Alice Unit
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...5 days ago
- A busy year in the House
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...5 days ago
- Consultation opens on working with engineered stone
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...5 days ago
- Greater reporting on Treaty settlement commitments
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...5 days ago
- New appointments to the Charities Registration Board
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...5 days ago
- Building consent processing times improve
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...5 days ago
- Faster access to support through Innovation Fund
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...5 days ago
- New Zealand to assist Vanuatu on earthquake response
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...5 days ago
- Government takes steps to reduce card fees for Kiwis
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...5 days ago
- Review recommends ECE regulation shakeup
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...5 days ago
- Offshore Renewable Energy Bill passes first reading
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...5 days ago
- Local Government (Water Services) Bill passes first reading
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...6 days ago
- Gene Technology Bill passes first reading
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...6 days ago
- From smaller homes to screen time, backyard cricket is facing challenges in modern Australia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University We are well and truly in cricket season. The Australian men’s cricket team is taking centre stage against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series while the Big Bash League is underway, as ...55 minutes ago - Hitting the beach? Here are some dangers to watch out for – plus 10 essentials for your first aid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Woods, Lecturer, Nursing, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University FTiare/Shutterstock Summer is here and for many that means going to the beach. You grab your swimmers, beach towel and sunscreen then maybe check the weather forecast. Did you think to ...55 minutes ago
- You could be stress eating these holidays – or eating your way to stress. 5 tips for the table
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia Dean Clarke/Shutterstock The holiday season can be a time of joy, celebration, and indulgence in delicious foods and meals. However, for many, it ...55 minutes ago
- I was asked to come up with my top 5 Aussie films of 2024. It was a difficult task
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Late Night With The Devil. Maslow Entertainment Marketing is critical to the success of commercial films, and companies will often spend half as much again on top of the ...55 minutes ago
- Interactive: What Earth’s 4.54 billion-year history would look like in a single year
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francisco Jose Testa, Lecturer in Earth Sciences (Mineralogy, Petrology & Geochemistry), University of Tasmania The Conversation As a kid, it was tough for me to grasp the massive time scale of Earth’s history. Now, with nearly two decades of experience as ...1 hour ago
- Public service cuts: ‘Rough’ months ahead for those out of work
Laid-off public servants have been slogging it out on a months-long job hunt, and for some that will continue into 2025. ...2 hours ago - Māori ‘under siege’ in 2024, must fight back in 2025 – Ngarewa-Packer
Te Pāti Māori has had to adopt a new way of debating, operating and even thinking in Parliament in response to the Government’s “onslaught” against te ao Māori, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says.In an end-of-year interview with Newsroom, the Te Tai Hauauru MP reflected on how 2024 has differed from her ...4 hours ago - The real story behind the Government’s maths narrative
Opinion: The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science report was announced earlier this month, yet it didn’t get the flurry of media attention and political hand-wringing that typically accompanies these announcements. This might be because it presented good news, or you could argue, no news; the results paint a ...4 hours ago
- Pretty much every common nut in Aotearoa, reviewed and ranked
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I was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here’s exactly how it played out. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...5 hours ago
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- Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 23 December
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 23 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Govt walks away from infrastructure alliance
The Government’s social housing agency has backed out of a billion-dollar infrastructure alliance that would have built about 6000 new homes in Auckland – less than 18 months after signing a five-year extension.Labour says the decision to rip up the contract and sell off existing state houses could lead to ...5 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Monday 23 December
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- Vanuatu quake: Warnings as bad weather threat looms for Port Vila
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- Signs of the hīkoi: More than just ‘words on cardboard’
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- Survive to 25 (December, that is)
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- Israeli-American historian describes attacks on Gaza as ‘war of annihilation’
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Witness testified *in exchange for immunity*
We’ve got to stop relying on this type of testimony to secure convictions.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/stories/2018649766/witness-i-tried-to-find-deane-s-body
Remembering Grenfell .. “this is not the previous generation’s gentrification. The housing crisis in many of our urban areas is not the result of normal real estate market forces. Local gentrification cycles have been “supercharged” by the fact that many cities are now a global destination to park investment capital.”
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-06-22/remembering-grenfell-who-are-our-cities-for/
+1 Wirua – sad as well that the ‘management company’ profited as they killed them through their decisions on the cladding to save money and actually they did not even care just wanted the residents to shut up. And NZ is going down the same path if the people stay silent and let our councils and government make those mistakes.
Simon and Suse, having a schmooze. Are we a one party country now?
Yup RNZ is such a suck up to national. They do so knowing this govt is pissweak on what goes on in the media so they carry on as normal.
They’re making the most of it as they have a lightweight minister who has already made rookie errors. Bridges could be viscerated by any half decent journo as he’s said some very stupid things.
He attends knowing it’s a free shot from people appointed under nationals tenure.
So…first we had tooth removal showing have vs have not, now it’s eyesight ffs.
Dr Dean works at both Auckland and Counties Manakau DHBs and said he struggled to reconcile the difference between the two.
“At Auckland there has been some investment in staffing and they’ve now got no people overdue for their follow-ups, whereas we’ve still got just around 4000.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/360402/south-aucklanders-losing-vision-in-long-wait-for-specialists
It appears that there is enough capacity across the total Auckland area to have no waiting list at all.
Another clear indication of the shear idiocy of separate DHB fiefdoms in one town.
The money all comes out of the same tax bucket. Then they fight about who gets the greatest share. Madness.
Great at taking money away from the service itself, aka doctors and nurses and into the pockets of middle men shuffling paper in huge quantities at great costs.
Bound to be Labour’s fault. Just ask Simon.
Can New Zealand really be Carbon Neutral by 2050 when Climate Crime goes unchecked in the present?
New Zealand carbon neutral by 2050?
Massive climate crimes in the present?
How can these two policies be reconciled?
A Greenpeace investigation released yesterday directly links Fonterra to massive Indonesian deforestation in West Papua.
Will anything be done?
As we used to say about nuclear fusion, it is the energy source of the future, and always will be.
New Zealand will be carbon neutral in the future, and always will be, until then…….
Oops, forgot to the link
https://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/press-release/fonterras-link-to-dirty-secret-in-indonesia/
All silent in the Mainstream Media.
They know what to report.
What gives?
Is it something to do with the fact, that since my year long ban, the site doesn’t seem to recognise me, and I have had to put in my name and email each time?
“Is it something to do with the fact, that since my year long ban, the site doesn’t seem to recognise me, and I have had to put in my name and email each time?”
nope – a lot of folk have the same problem.
Me too James…bit weird…bit of a pain
We are all having this problem apparently. A result of the recent (two weeks ago?) change of server when the site was down for almost a day.
Lprent did his usual superb job with the changeover but seems there are still a few problems to be sorted – eg names/email details, plus the ‘reply’ function and the ‘search’ function.
No Jenny. I think everybody is having to do the same. The edit function is all to hell as well. Sometimes it allows you to edit and other times it ends up spitting out the comment again so you end up with the same comment appearing twice.
I’ve noted the number of people commenting has dropped. Suspect they can’t be bothered signing in every time.
Thanks for that Anne. I am having that same problem with the edit function, (as well as the other little niggles I moaned about), resulting in some embarrassing typos getting left in. Sorry to hear that others are having this problem too.
Hi Anne. It is not just the signing in that could be causing the drop off in comments that you have noted.
I have had five comments locked out with “Request timeout” error message in the last three days. (three this morning) If this is happening to a lot of other people I imagine that they would find it to be quite dispiriting.
If people go to the trouble of putting their thoughts down in type, they should expect better than this.
I know you are busy lprent, and probably overburdened with trying to make a living. (As we all are). But a little work here, people are drowning.
What I have started doing, is every time one of my comments gets blocked by a Timeout Request, I email a copy of my blocked comment to thestandardnz@gmail.com in the hope that they will let it see the light of day somewhere. So far it hasn’t happened. But sooner or later the backed up log of blocked comments might get someone’s attention. Who knows, they might unblock them, they may not. At least someone is reading them somewhere, I suppose.
South Aucklanders go blind from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy because they wait too long to see a specialist.
Meanwhile central Auckland is awash with private eye clinics – if you have insurance you will be seen in a week or two. The prevention and treatment of AMD has come ahead a long way if you can access it.
Failure to regulate the food environment to lower the incidence of diabetes, urban poverty and a medical profession chasing the big money. The grinning facade of the Key government is lifted again to show the rot underneath
Well, you won’t have to worry about what is going on in the health system any longer.
This CoL Government we have isn’t going to tell you. Do you remember how, when they were in Opposition they demanded that the then, competent National led Government, should be collecting and reporting all sorts of information? Foreign purchases of houses for example and waiting lists and surgical work done at the hospitals for example?
Now it is their baby they are going to hide all their failures.
“Public reporting of District Health Boards’ (DHB) performance of procedures including elective surgeries, cancer treatment times and Emergency Department wait times, has been axed.”
and
“the National Patient Flow project – which measured the number of patients being turned away from the operating table – has not released any updated figures since September last year. That project was launched following intense political pressure from Labour, over surgical unmet need.”
Well they aren’t going to tell us anything now. It would no doubt be extremely embarrassing for “Dr” Clark to have to admit that things are getting rapidly worse. A pity that “Dr” Clark’s degree was “on the work of German/New Zealand refugee and existentialist thinker Helmut Herbert Hermann Rex.” rather than something relevant.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104976776/hows-your-dhb-doing-govt-does-away-with-national-health-targets
It’s the performance of politicians that interests me, not the so-called ‘performance’ of DHB’s – hapless mugs with one arm tied behind their backs who exist solely as a place where politicians can devolve accountability away from themselves.
competent National led Government wally? Can’t say I recall that.
“Can’t say I recall that”
I’m not surprised gobby.
Far to many doses of hallucinogenic drugs have done your mind, and your memory, in. Can you even remember your name?
Something to think about. A solution, local focus and would be a good fit for a few NZ cities and communities.
The Preston model of community wealth building.
https://cles.org.uk/tag/the-preston-model/
https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/the-preston-model-and-the-eight-basic-principles-of-community-wealth-building/2018/04/03
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/105003464/arrest-after-alleged-sexual-assaults-at-labour-party-youth-camp
Here is hoping he (or she) is named and faces jail time.
I wonder how the person was there in the first place ?
Was he picked by National to create mayhem but has it gone astray as the fellow has been charged?
Thats an interesting theory 😉
I may be wrong but from memory, I seem to recall that it was said at the time that he was not a LP member but was there with/at the invitation of a member.
“he was not a LP member “.
And if he had been a member at the time he would have received a communication, NOT in writing, along these lines.
“Your resignation from the Labour Party has been accepted. We know you wish to resign and you don’t need to communicate the fact to our office. We have back-dated it two weeks. No correspondence on the subject will be answered. Don’t let the doorknob hit you going out.”
I admit, badly set up and then handled, by the party and I am a party member.
However do appreciate that it was subsequently dealt with in a thorough appropriate way……
It will hopefully never happen again at a Labour Youth event…………….
A bill designed to establish & protect net neutrality in California was gutted by corporate Dems and rammed through on a vote that was outside normal procedure.
+1 esoteric pineapples
Standard Operating Procedure for the state of California..
A cursory search will sum up the policy path of current state government…
Land of the free..
No!
United States working to distablise the democratically elected left of centre Nicauraguan government. Might bring back memories for those who remember the 1980s, Reagan, Oliver North, Iran arms deals and the Contras.
As Nicaragua’s leftist government faces a violent right-wing insurgency, journalist Max Blumenthal discusses with TRNN’s Ben Norton how the regime change machinery bankrolled by the US government’s National Endowment for Democracy boasted of “laying the groundwork for insurrection” against President Daniel Ortega
+1 esoteric pineapples
Can you really survive on the living wage in Auckland on $20 p/h? If you are one of the “lucky ones’ who get that ‘affordable’ house at 14 Taniwha Street, Wai O Taiki Bay for $650,000.. how much will it cost.
Mortgage of $650k at current rates of floating ANZ bank is $879 weekly, rates will be $45, insurance of property would be around $30, mortgage repayment insurance will be around $30, power $30, water $25, public transport $33, food $150 – we are already over $1200 a week and the living wage after taxes is about $678…
We have yet to add in if you have a partner, children, a car, want a holiday or savings out of life, emergencies, help for other family members, repairs… then calculate full term child care, school donations, clothes, car, savings, holidays…
Then work out how some enormous amount of people are living below the living wage and they are using $20 as a rate to bring more people into Auckland to solve the labour crisis, which seems like it is as easy as paying more money for the role!
You could live far more cheaply elsewhere savy.
@Gabby that’s the site of the much flouted social housing project! The council and government chose the site… and judging by the homeless, I think they are finding it hard to find other accomodation in Auckland… beggers can’t be choosers… literally.
The other private partnerships are Hobsenville and Kumeu and Warkworth… few to zero public transport options… then they have the petrol taxes on top.
Who used to live at Tamaki and what happened once they were displaced…
Tamaki housing scrap: ‘They’re shifting out the poor’
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/03/tamaki-housing-scrap-they-re-shifting-out-the-poor.html
According to this, the development company was going to build 400 houses in 12 months at Tamaki so that means they should be there now, are they?
What do the new Tamaki houses cost, how many people do they house socially, what happened to the former residents and how much are they paying? What is the cost of this useless exercise socially and financially to the taxpayers and the vulnerable?
Has taken longer because a whole bunch of BANANA (build nothing anywhere near anything) protesters came up and slowed everything down.
Probably just stupid poor people Ad, who should know their place. sarc. No protesting allowed as it gets in the way of progress.
Nothing to do with the PPP as usual being a piece of shit and delivering very little at higher prices and longer time frames while cheerleaders at the top, making a bundle out of the state sell offs and government do-nothing officials say nothing to do with them, it’s a private company!
A lot more disruption to come once HLC get stronger statutory powers.
They protest in Epsom, they protest in Tamaki. Meanwhile workers get on with it.
Go ahead call for another review.
Top work.
The workers seem to have no problem with getting the $863,000 housing built… for private sale.
I’m not calling for a review, I’m saying stop it in it’s tracks and give the land back. It’s gross misconduct and fraud, if you could not anticipate someone protesting at being evicted when there is few alternate houses of worse quality, taking a while then you are a moron! (Possibly that explains how shoddy and expensive our housing is, the construction industry and council are full of troughing morons looking to cut corners and get a free ride).
Even Penny Bright managed to defeat the council lawyers on many occasions as they don’t seem to even know the law.
Just usual National Party B/S couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery ?
I’m not hearing Labour decrying the Tamaki model as being flawed and stopping that model in other areas.
We expect this from National, but many don’t want it from Labour or NZ First or Greens.
I don’t even think National supporters are ok with this type of profiteering of public assets… because it is wrong. They also undermine other developers who don’t get gifted free public land and green lights from council!
Greens/Labour & NZF still mad keen on aerial drops of 1080, NZ use 90% of the world’s production and our usage has gone up by 500% since 2000 ?
I smell a rat somewhere ?
It looks like they built something at Tamaki, but it’s $863,000.
CLASSIC, UNDER THE AFFORDABLE HOMES LINK IS
SORRY – WE COULD NOT FIND THAT!
Please try using the navigation or the search above.
https://www.tamakiregeneration.co.nz/new-home-opportunities/affordable-homes
9 EASTVIEW ROAD
2 and 3 bedrooms
15 architecturally designed 2 and 3 bedroom homes on freehold title, built with solid precast concrete panels and with quality finishes of brick and weatherboard cladding. Two sides of the development face into the neighbouring park.
From $863,000
https://www.creatingcommunities.co.nz/homes
You can buy a section for SUBDIVISION
FENCHURCH STREET
GLEN INNES
Packages from
$479,000
Gosh that’s that free public land, now being unsold for nearly half a million, that’s bringing the prices of housing down as intended!!! sarcasm.
http://www.classicbuilders.co.nz/house-land/fenchurch-street-glen-innes-auckland/
Tamaki Regeneration, or corporate welfare?
What is not commonly known is that the developers got this ex-Housing New Zealand land for free. Only having to pay for the land after they develop it and on sell it.
Even then, the price they pay for for this privatised ex-state asset, which could let us work out their mark up, is “commercially sensitive” information.
Talk about deal of the century.
How can a public asset be sold without the public being told the price! We know what the price of power was when they privatised it. Sounds like corruption. If they are going to do that, should it be available at public tender???? not that I agree with the sale in the first place, but how they did it, and hiding everything at council level from the million dollar PWC report on the stadium to the secret deals with developers. Auckland council is one big fuck up and the CEO should be first in the firing line.
When I still considered some hope left in the Unitary Plan consultation, I attended a housing workshop talking about Tamaki regeneration. Present and greatly supportive was Ngarimu Blair from Ngati Whatua, who was genuinely excited about the estimated market price of $800,000.
At that meeting, only Penny Bright questioned the positioning of that project as a credible response to the already known housing crisis. She was summarily dismissed for the points she raised about affordability and gentrification. There were a couple of others in the audience who agreed with her, but the panel and the discussion was directed by Auckland Council planners, and Blair.
There is little to rejoice in from the perspective of housing Aucklanders in these kinds of projects, but they are often promoted as problem solvers rather than what they are – mainly residential developments that work within the status quo.
Unitary plan was run by lawyers for developers there was zero interest and open scorn on what the public had to say about what they wanted in their own city.
The disillusionment happened fairly early on in the process for me, but I did attend many consultations and processes during that time.
However, you seem to have hit the nail on the head regarding the final result, so you will not hear any contradiction to that statement from me.
@ lprent:
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/06/26/breaking-corrupt-police-response-to-kim-dotcom-has-to-be-read-to-be-believed/
I’m just thinking, when you get the Singapore thing out of the way, this could be another little earn?
You can provide the ‘programatics’, I/we’ll deal with the ‘electronics’.
I think tho’ we’ll need to construct a ‘team’ going forward.
As I look out the window, I see a new building with Deloites having naming rights. Not too distant is PwC.
Either would of course be acceptable in enabling ticket clipping.
Could be a nice little earn eh? eh? eh? eh? Whaddya say eh?
Maybe the police and the security services could use the X-keyscore to spy on themselves, to get this data back.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/31/nsa-top-secret-program-online-data
Shades of Gina Haspel’s convenient destruction of “enhanced interrogation” video tapes.
I’m back from Singapore and I seem to have largely recovered from doing 8 weeks of about 80 hours per week. The temperature drop helped a lot in the recovery.
I’d be happy to help the police recover their old emails. I’ve been doing that kind of thing regularly for decades as people bring their old data in obsolete formats. I guess it depends on the encryption levels being used. But given enough data and a lot of time even that isn’t hard to get through.
But I still don’t really have time. Looks like I will be back to the Singapore site in October to help finish up and there is a lot of work to do between now and then (along with stuff for other sites).
But there is a little place just up the road from me in Auckland that should be able to do it without breaking a stride. The police have their very own forensic computing group who are meant to specialize in that kind of stuff on Great North Road by the Trades Hall. I wonder why they didn’t call on them?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12077836
Vegans…you have admire their relentless positivity.
That’s almost comical.
I see Winston making a fantastic start to his role as PM
Why do I think this is only the beginning
Come back Ardern!
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/06/where-s-winnie-acting-prime-minister-a-no-show-on-the-am-show.html
Good on him………………They are not worth the time esp, Richardson.
Key wouldnt go on radio NZ
+1. Good call by the old codger. Might make them lift their game. I’m being hopeful I know. It’s a big ask.
Good news for the marijuana industry.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/06/fda-approves-first-marijuana-derived-drug-and-it-may-spark-dea-rescheduling/
Zionism = Fascism
http://mondoweiss.net/2018/06/settlers-celebrate-palestinian/
I’d refer you to Bill’s response to my list. Zionism as an ideology, grew out of Liberalism.
https://thestandard.org.nz/godwins-flaw/#comment-1497302
Edit: That was a bloody awful read by the way Jenny. That poor child.
Allahu Akbar
Time for you to go Bashar
Good morning The AM Show If trump had to change his policy 3 times I say it’s (knot) A win for him.
I say that all recycling companies should be state owned or not for profit companies there are many ways to solve this problem of China not takeing mixed recyclable its understandable one would not no what is in some of the waste plus they want to move there economy to a higher value economy. The main reason the recycling was sent to China was the cheap labour used to sort the different grades of plastic which have a different way to be recycled if we could grade the recycling that turning it into new plastic is easy this could be a non profit employment opportunity we need to recycle OUR on waste here not shipping the our problems over seas.
High fuel prices means less cars on the road less imports of fuel less carbon entering the atmospheric many positive out comes Auckland now has the money to fix its stuffed up waste water systems.
Mark do still want some tissue for the loss of the national party rubbish ruling in favour of the wealthy.
Who would have thought 12 months ago that we would have a government in parliament that care about the common person who cares about the Mokopunas future and who respect and treat tangata all the same. Ka kite ano
This was a positive outcome to OUR elections especially when we had the Prime Minister made a statement that our youth were unemployable wasters in defence of his immigration policy and another mp trying to stir the racist rhetoric about gangs and take human rights away from us why don’t we hear all the positive things tangata whenua do and not just the 00.1 % whom do dumb shit. Ka kite ano