Poor financial management of sexual violence services has forced Oranga Tamariki to take the "additional measure" of reviewing what it did with all the funding it got in Budget 2019-20.
In a briefing released under the OIA, the ministry said it was doing the review of "financial management and controls to minimise the risk of the issues described in this report occurring again", referring to a damning report into its sexual violence services project.
"Of particular concern has been the issues and failings identified around the management of these programmes," Te Kani told Davis.
"The Radio NZ article on 26 May 2022 provides another example of the weaknesses in Oranga Tamariki financial management systems and processes," he added.
I could say..unbelievable…but sadly its all too true.. And I note the “management” word. I sure hope the “managers” are looking for new jobs…..and well away from vulnerable people.
After noticing a surge in Covid positives locally in the last weeks I did a bit of digging and to my surprise I found that on Wednesday 22 June around 6300 international arrivals came here, that’s about the daily average, but of that number 593 tested positive at the border, that’s about 1 in 10! Again about the daily average, give or take. If this was in the general population half a million people would be newly positive a day. Are we being gamed, are arrivals getting Covid and climbing on a plane heading for better health care ?
Downloading the data is difficult, some of it is huge and our internet isn’t up to it and nowI’ve got Covid after 2 1/2 years avoiding it and struggling to concentrate. Look up NZ Covid status and then arrivals data. Sorry, best I can do but this is serious.
The question is the isolation arrangements – and at whose expense (as most will not require hospitalisation). It would seem that travel involves a high risk of getting omicron as the vaccination does not prevent spread.
NZ customs simply says if you have a positive test you have to isolate (doesn't say anything about where or who pays)
MIQ says there will be 4 remaining isolation facilities after 30 June – 3 Auckland, 1 Christchurch. I suspect these will be for people who have no other isolation options.
I'd say the ones returning to NZ will be isolating at home. Ones here on business will be isolating in their hotel rooms (too great a cost to the business for them to knowingly spread Covid). Tourists? Who knows. Depends on how sick they are. I suspect any with a mild or asymptomatic case, will be strongly tempted *not* to isolate.
Risk of them *not* isolating is probably about the same as the general population. We know (from the late 2021 Auckland lockdown) that some Kiwis don't isolate. Anecdotally, we know that some self-employed contractors don't isolate – with very mild or asymptomatic cases (not surprisingly, not working = no pay)
And number of actual Covid cases from travellers is dwarfed by the public infection rate.
FWIW. Travellers entering NZ no longer have a PCR test, instead they have a self-administered RAT test (lower accuracy).
Travellers are instead required to self-test for COVID-19 on arrival.
Travellers will receive a Welcome Pack at the biosecurity checkpoint. This pack will include detailed information on and testing requirements, including rapid antigen tests. The first RAT test it to be administered on the day you arrive into New Zealand, and the second on day 5/6. If you have a positive COVID-19 test result, you must immediately self-isolate, register your result, and follow up with a PCR test.
I'd say it's highly unlikely that anyone is getting Covid and then choosing to hop on a plane and come to NZ.
Airlines won't board anyone with obvious symptoms. And airfares are both hugely expensive (especially at the last minute) and flights are very thin on the ground (not many planes flying, mostly fully booked). Auckland to Sydney, next week, for example is over $1K one way. It's nothing like the cost/convenience pre-Covid.
What is happening is that airports are giant petrie dishes for cross-infection.
"Although the official advice from the ministry of health and airlines is to delay your travel if you're sick, most travellers would rather come home rather than face being stuck abroad.
One in five Kiwis say they'd still fly home with Covid, according to a recent Herald poll.
Over sixty percent of New Zealanders say they would fly while sick, with only two thirds of these respondents saying they'd bother to take a Covid-19 test first"
Agree that this is likely. But not the scenario posited – that people would wait until they were sick, and then choose to fly to NZ because of better health care.
People are having to book a long way out to get airfares, and they are pretty expensive. Not really likely to be a drop of the hat decision to fly. But probably reinforces the choice to fly if not well (too expensive to cancel)
I'd say that it would actually be higher for Kiwis inside NZ (although the figures look a bit odd – both 1 in 5 and 60%).
So, you start to feel unwell at work. Do you leave immediately? (depends on the workplace, and how supportive they are for Covid/respiratory illness leave). Do you take the bus home? (if you're a PT user – what are your other options?).
He worked with Hartwich, right before somehow getting his current job. And before that with the equivalent organisation in Aus, the CIS. Radical right winger.
Why? Its an American court case,we are not going to start driving on the wrong side of the road,introduce capital gains tax on housing,or allow the carry of concealed weapons as allowed by the other decision released by the SCOTUS .
Because Luxon is anti-abortion at a very strong fundamental philosophical level, as are other MPs in his party. Abortion law in NZ isn't settled or particularly secure from conservative governments if we have a regressive cultural shift.
Further, National MPs now advocate anti-abortion lines. Compare this to someone like Bill English, who is Catholic and anit-abortion, but apparently didn't consider this relevant in his time as leader of National.
It's appropriate and reasonable to pressure Luxon now about what he will do in the future given that. If he can't rule out removing abortion access in the future, including via legislation or policy, then the electorate needs to know this.
The significance of the US SC decision isn't that we are like them legally, it's that the US public ignored what was happening and lost an extremely important right as well as legal case. No way should women, or the left, be complacent about abortion rights in NZ. In ten years the political and social landscape here may be very different.
He is also a teetotaller ,is the angst of worry in the chardonnay bourgeois class troublesome.They already have problems with irrelevance as seen during the Pandemic,where they were deemed to be non essential.
There are significant issues in NZ,that will be increasing towards the election such as 10% mortgages,an unsustainable balance of payments.large blowouts on white elephants etc.
It will not be an election issue,as it will not be in the US at the mid terms,where inflation and recession are the foremost issues.
You're missing the point. If we wait until it's an election issue, it's much harder to fight. Getting Luxon to be honest right now makes it easier.
You might not see it as an important issue, many women do.
Current arising economic issues will pale in comparison to what's coming with the climate crisis. What's foremost in the general voter's mind isn't the only important thing.
The climate crisis is not the foremost issue globally,it is the economic crisis from war and altruism (QE) that has shocked the world and forced a reversal in policies from Europe (especially German greens) to both increase the use of coal,and investment in FF.
The economic damage that the act/nats would inflict would be inflationary and hence increase interest rates (a cost spiral) similarly munting our agriculture exports (which would do zero to CC mitigation) would also increase our risk to pay our debts and would be inflationary on borrowed debt.
Climate is the one real hammer that the Left has against the Right in electioneering.
And, in a close election (which it looks as though 2023 will be), they need to stop wasting time on peripheral issues.
Economy (always a big issue in NZ elections), governance (3 waters, etc.) and Climate (especially with repeated disasters), are the levers which can shift the election.
Social stuff doesn't usually change votes. Left wing on social issues already vote left. There are no votes to garner here.
Is anyone suggesting that abortion should or will be an election issue in 2023? As I said above, the reason it matters now is because it makes it easier to retain abortion rights. It doesn't have to be an election issue for that to be true.
Economy (always a big issue in NZ elections), governance (3 waters, etc.) and Climate (especially with repeated disasters), are the levers which can shift the election.
How much more honest can he be? He's said repeatedly that the NZ abortion laws won't change under his government.
Now, unless you have some evidence that that is a lie…..
His personal beliefs aren't particularly relevant to National Party and (potentially) government policy. However, he's acknowledged that some people may be concerned over them, and been very specific that there will be no change to abortion legislation.
NZ has a history of Labour governments pushing social change legislation, which National governments don't roll back.
I don't see that there is in NZ (unlike in the US) any strong groundswell for change. Roe v Wade has been a deeply unpopular decision among sectors of the American population ever since it was passed.
We simply don't have that large a % of the population who are passionately against abortion in NZ.
Especially when abortion numbers are dropping, consistently, over the last decade (better access to contraception and/or morning after pills would be my take on the reasons)
Now, unless you have some evidence that that is a lie…..
Well no, but there's no evidence that it's the truth either. Parties pledge things only to backtrack after they've been elected all the time.
His personal beliefs aren't particularly relevant to National Party and (potentially) government policy. However, he's acknowledged that some people may be concerned over them, and been very specific that there will be no change to abortion legislation.
His views are reflective of a substantial section of his party, as evidenced by voting on the 2019 abortion law reform act. If it came to a conscience vote, which it very likely would, he has little influence on the outcome to be making those sorts of claims.
NZ has a history of Labour governments pushing social change legislation, which National governments don't roll back.
You mean like social welfare *cough cough*
I don't see that there is in NZ (unlike in the US) any strong groundswell for change. Roe v Wade has been a deeply unpopular decision among sectors of the American population ever since it was passed.
We simply don't have that large a % of the population who are passionately against abortion in NZ.
Around 23.5 of the population is Maori and Pasifika, many of whom have complicated views about that. Tariana Turia while in the Maori Party went on the warpath against Family Planning comparing it to genocide. Any assumption that NZ is a default western country is a mistaken one. And some of our fastest growing demographics come from religiously conservative parts of the world. Don't make assumptions about the status quo.
Especially when abortion numbers are dropping, consistently, over the last decade (better access to contraception and/or morning after pills would be my take on the reasons)
Which actually makes abortion a more attractive target for conservative politicians. They can point to that and suggest it be eliminated altogether.
No, I mean like homosexual law reform, and euthanasia. Social change legislation, which has little (if any) impact on the financial bottom line.
Neither of which would have been enacted under a National government (IMHO), but National sees no benefit in trying to repeal (regardless of the beliefs of some of their core constituency).
Generalizing broadly, Maori and Pasifika don't vote National (Labour, and more recently TPM are their natural home) – so little point for National in appealing to their vote (assuming that this would do so).
If you assume that all politicians that you dislike are automatically lying, there really is no basis for any political discussion.
It comes down to 'I hate him, don't vote for him' which is really not very convincing….
"Neither of which would have been enacted under a National government (IMHO)".
Why would they not have done so, at least for homosexual law reform? After all the first attempt to reform the law was attempted by a National Party MP, Venn Young, in 1974. He didn't succeed but that was when we had a Labour Government with a leader, PM Norman Kirk, who was vehemently opposed to both Homosexual Law reform and also Abortion Law reform.
Perhaps Young should have tried a bit later after Kirk had died but when he had a go no-one expected Kirk's death and trying in 1975 would have been harder as it would have brought the debate, and the votes into peoples' minds during the election campaign.
However it was a National MP who first tried to bring about the change.
I thought I had explained this. If NZ becomes more regressive socially and politically, there's nothing stopping changes in abortion rights. I don't think National would go into an election saying they're going to repeal abortion access. I would expect them to chip away at it if it was to their benefit to do so.
By the time a nation state gets to the point where removal of abortion rights is supported, it's far too late to change that. That's because it doesn't stand alone, but sits within regressive politics. We are incredibly naive if we think NZ is somehow immune from regressive shifts. We're already seeing bits of this here. Since Trump the rise in overt nastiness, and sexism and outright misogyny (eg what is directed at Ardern). We know that Qanon and other regressive forces are at work in NZ. We know that humans tend to vote conservatively in emergencies eg Chch post quake. And so on.
I can't prove Luxon is a liar. He may even believe what he is saying. Or think he does. I still don't trust him or National.
If NZ becomes more regressive socially, you are right that there is nothing preventing changes in abortion rights. Or in gay rights. Or in any other social structure.
That's the way our law works, parliament pretty much makes it (with some theoretical backstop from the Bill of Rights – but nothing preventing that being repealed, either).
But, I don't see any signs of NZ becoming more regressive socially. The push-back I see is around the far edges of the social reforms (where trans-rights infringe on women's rights; where iwi rights impact on democracy, etc.).
To me, this says, that the rights shift (and there is always a shift) has gone as far as the current social Kiwi environment feels is comfortable. Not that it’s rebounding towards more social conservatism.
Political parties are always shaped by the social environment – and if NZ became more socially regressive (which, again, I see no signs of), all political parties (including left wing ones) would be influenced by this change.
2020 aside, the left holds a narrow majority, then the right, then left etc. It's not just about social progress, it's about political. The left isn't making much ground.
Not that many months ago, a large, chaotic, multi-influenced group the like of which we've never seen before occupied the ground of parliament for three weeks. Those people haven't disappeared, and their hatred of the left is growing. I see people in my community, previous left wing voters, who are appalled at the Labour government. Some of those people are at risk of radicalisation by qanon etc.
We have a still growing divide between wealthy and poor in NZ, this is a recipe for disaster.
None of this is particularly controversial. These are known dynamics. I see good things happening that will prevent the bad things happening, but I don't see NZ as being immune from a regressive shift, nor from that happening suddenly in a large crisis.
Bad scenario would be something like National and ACT being in government with the support of a small ultra conservative party and a big quake hitting Wellington or the Alpine Fault and causing widespread chaos to people's lives as well as huge economic stress. This isn't not a far fetched scenario. You really think NACT won't use this as an opportunity to build more power for themselves?
I am also very open to us shifting progressively, not just on social issues but on environment and the bigger changes needed to prevent the worst of climate change, and the adaptations we need. Much of what I write now is in that vein: how can we create proactive pathways that help people see a way to good futures and thus step away from the bad ones (social, political, environmental).
I see us at risk of not achieving that, and I don't see any compelling reason that NZ would inherently survive repeated emergencies and come out intact without that proactive change.
New Zealand has already become more regressive socially:
1. Benefit rates les s than NZS
2. Youth rates extended to age 25 from under 18
3. Loss of the right to strike except at the end of an agreement – in most cases once every three years
4. Loss of 8 hour working day 40 hour working week
5. Working on weekends and especially Sundays
6. Social obligations on sole parents
7. Freely being able to gift- resulting in a massive transfer of wealth away from wives and matrimonial settlements
8. Reduction in taxation for the wealthy and highest paid (think not only tax rates but tax on luxury items, stamp duty, etc
9. The reduction in state housing and the shift to market rents for those tenants as well as the removal of working people from state housing
10 The rise of slum landlords and renting rooms and putting homeless in motels
11. The rise of foodbanks and churches having to do charity work (not that they aren't willing participants).
These things all start to set the scene for more regression over time. It is so bad that Labour couldn't even bring them selves to increase benefits rates as suggested by WEAG but when COVID hit they showed that they can do middle-class welfare very well.
Things that were normal for me growing up and starting work – all gone.
How much more honest can he be? He's said repeatedly that the NZ abortion laws won't change under his government.
Which is basically what Kavanaugh and Gorsuch said to the US Senate when questioned on their approach to Roe v Wade it is settled law and 50 years of precedent. Liars.
I'd save the skewering for issues which are likely to change people's voting.
He's got a very strong line (no doubt well-developed and tested by PR), which he's repeated in multiple interviews
I'm interested in New Zealand. We have settled our abortion laws in the last Parliament and they will not be changing under my government."
People who hate him, will continue to hate him; people who like (or at least tolerate) him, will continue to do the same. People in the middle, aren't likely to be shifted by this issue.
His commenting (or rather choosing not to comment) on Roe v Wade isn't really going to resonate with the electorate in 18 months time.
What will, is the economy (most elections are about the economy) and political inclusion/exclusion (3 waters, etc.).
Left wing commentators/journalists need to hammer the points where National is vulnerable to losing (or not gaining) support from the centrists. There's little point in hammering them on issues which only resonate with the people who already vote for you.
Luxon believes abortion is tantamount murder and Reti wouldn't rule out narrowing access and said it would be up to a caucus likely to include more than a few of their ilk. I believe them.
The point I was trying to make is that this is not something which is going to convince the middle to shift their vote.
Left can argue that Luxon and/or Reti would narrow access – but 'up to caucus' means that they'd have to convince the majority (and probably a super-majority) of their caucus that this needed to happen.
Which is not at all likely. National are cold-bloodedly pragmatic about social legislation – they don’t buy into fights which don’t have a lot of popular support. Labour are the ones who (generally) push the social legislation, which National doesn’t roll back.
Middle regard it as pure speculation, now back to the economy……
I don't agree with your premise that Luxon's personal views are irrelevant. Would you vote for the Labour Party if its leader opposed abortion?
And in my post I mean that Luxon needs to be asked about his personal views on abortion during the election campaign so that people know what they are voting for.
People like you and me, political tragics, follow these things more closely than the person in the street many of whom will have forgotten Luxon's personal views.
TBH. Unless Abortion reform were on the political agenda, I probably wouldn't care about the personal views of a candidate.
I mean, I might make assumptions about what Ardern's views are, but I didn't actually know, one way or the other, at the 2020 election.
Unless you have a passionate conviction on a social issue (e.g LGBT or abortion), you're probably not going to be very aware of an MPs personal convictions on an issue, or change your vote because of this. Unless it's a topical issue at the election (i.e. there is a proposal to change the law)
I know of several right-wing women who changed their vote over the Homosexual law reform bill (had family members who were gay). But, once that legislation was in place, they reverted to voting on their traditional economic grounds (i.e. moved right wing again).
Social conscience vote issues are widely recognised to be across parties – there are Labour members who are personally anti-abortion, as well as National ones.
However, Dr Shane Reti, who would become National’s Health Minister if they won the election, has been more equivocal.
“We’ll have to see what the New Zealand situation, if that might be influenced in any way by that decision making, but I come back I’m not going to offer any comment on what they do in another sovereign jurisdiction,” he said yesterday.
Dr Reti would not rule out narrowing access and said it would be up to the caucus.
“That would always be a decision for caucus, and so I’m not going to offer a position here now, but we are mindful in watching what happens with Roe vs Wade.”
Labour — 37 W , 28 M (after Faafoi and Mallard are replaced)
National – 11 W, 22 M
Greens —– 7 W , 3 M
Act ———– 4 W , 6 M
Māori ——- 1 W , 1 M
House ——- 60 : 60
Currently, two parties are doing the heavy lifting. [apologies for any errors]
IPU release 2020 Women in Parliament report IWD2021
With the exception of New Zealand, women’s representation in parliaments in the Pacific remained consistently low or entirely absent in elections held in 2020. New Zealand’s new parliament made history with more women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ and Māori MPs than at any time in the past.
We could/can stop covid-19, we could/can stop climate change, we could/can even stop war.
Tackling these three scourges means imposing controls on the market.
Which is why it can't/won't be done.
We must accept we won’t meet 1.5°C climate target, says report
New Scientist – 3 June 2022
By Adam Vaughan
…The world’s failure to act seriously on cutting greenhouse gas emissions means meeting its 1.5°C climate change goal is implausible, according to two scientists calling for more honesty about the path Earth is headed for.
….In a review of global action on climate change, including pledges at last year's COP26 summit. Damon Matthews and Seth Wynes at Concordia University, Canada, said social, political and technological inertia meant the Paris Agreement’s temperature target was likely to be missed.
Demonising a category of the human population based on the behaviour of some of that group is a form of
1. bigotry/discrimination
2. guilt/shaming by association
3. collective smear
4. promotion of hate based on political creed
It's a bit like the McCarthyist era fellow travellers/UnAmerican approach that has reduced the USA to the culture war nation it is today.
What's interesting is that the same slurs against the woke/liberal progressives/progressive left occur as often on left blogs such as this site and the Daily Blog as they do on Kiwiblog.
I appreciate your engagement in the last couple of days, SPC, even as I suspect you are doing less listening and addressing points made, than making points yourself. (You probably consider me to be doing the same, so that's just where we are at present. The achievement is that engagement has been ongoing and respectful).
In that vein, I would like clarity on this comment:
"Demonising a category of the human population based on the behaviour of some of that group is a form of
1. bigotry/discrimination
2. guilt/shaming by association
3. collective smear
4. promotion of hate based on political creed"
Who do you believe is being 'demonised' and who do you believe is 'demonising', and how (as in common examples) is this being done?
Who do you believe is being 'demonised' and who do you believe is 'demonising', and how (as in common examples) is this being done?
I don't follow all the conversations here (other things to do) but I may be able to partially answer your question. SPC noted:
It's a bit like the McCarthyist era fellow travellers/UnAmerican approach that has reduced the USA to the culture war nation it is today.
Using a local historical example, I think the same sort of thing has happened in NZ albeit to a lesser degree.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, there was a covert/overt movement in NZ who, using today's terms, would be described as being on the extreme right of the political spectrum. The public persona was seen in the form of the National Front Party and the Skinheads of the same period, but behind them were almost certainly more powerful individuals, This movement was said to be associated with like minded overseas groups. There was an article about the rise of neo-nazism and its possible NZ consequences in the Sunday Star Times back in the 1990s.
They selected individuals based on either their ethnicity, religion or political persuasion. and targeted them by way of bizarre hoaxes and other demeaning behaviour. There were some well known people among the targets including a former prime minister. Another common theme was to set up an individual or special group up for ridicule and embarrassment then watch the fallout which inevitably followed. A good example of that was the Colin Moyle affair.
That is by no means all they did. Some of their behaviour was unlawful – criminal offences were committed – but they got away with it or were allowed to get away with it – not sure which.
I knew two people who were on the periphery (at the least) of this movement although I had no idea at the time. They were members of the Labour Party in the 70s and 80s.
Just like McCarthyism laid the foundations for what is going on in America today, I believe that movement back un the 70s and 80s was the fore-runner of what we are seeing today in NZ.
Demonising a category of the human population based on the behaviour of some of that group is a form of…
Yep. See it here all the time. 'Rosemary McDonald is not Pfizer shot and supported the Freedom Village protestors and believes there were better ways of handling the Covid pandemic so she must be…
1. a right wing nutbar, fascist anti semite racist misogynist, pro plague anti vaxxer.
2. a pathetic gullible victim of Russian/American/Canadian/Martian cyberbot misinformation peddlers.
etc. etc. I could go on but I've work to do. (PS…I scan multiple sites periodically as you clearly do and tbh, TDB and KB are further down the road of tolerance of 'alternate Covid opinions' than here. For now. )
Most people in RM's position (health care and social support for those with disability) would have a level of cynicism – the failure is so egregious that it was noted, quite recently, as one of our human rights failures.
For mine, most of us on blogs are a little bit cynical about government and MSM, some with more personal experience reasons than others and some because of a perceived failure to do enough (unfulfilled idealism/ambition for government/society).
It could hardly been a comment in disagreement with her post, since she agreed with mine.
And being a cynic about the state of the health care system is just part of being a sentient being atm in Enzed.
Then there was the 'No CPR from paramedics….' edict that went down like a cup of cold spew with…paramedics…that added the deeper drive -in.
Then there were the nurses who got up a petition because the hospitals were not allowing them to wear masks at work…masks they had bought themselves. The doctors even stepped up…
(If you knew how many times I have read the words "flexible" and "responsive" on moh.govt.nz documents you would understand more where I'm coming from.)
Ministry of Health. Failing to acknowledge the expertise of health professionals and patients since forever.
How about the experience of my elderly parents, who were considerably more "isolated" during covid than rest home residents, who are thankful to be still alive, unlike so many of their contemporaries in countries like the UK and USA, whose Governments didn't give a shit.
If your parents were not in a rest home then their experience of lockdowns was probably not the same as the almost 2 years of severe restrictions and isolation from families and friends most rest-homes had to endure.
I am impressed at how very readily you dismiss a person who has extensive first-hand experience informing her view.
Maybe NZ got the balance between 'deaths' and 'isolation' wrong, and certainly some would be keen still to put the 'cruelty boot' in, regardless of how any hypothetical alternative responses might have played out.
I don't recall anyone calling you these names. Disagreeing with you yes but stating all those things you have listed.
I could be wrong but I don't recall that.
There's lots of things wrong with health – the DHB setup, the time and motion minimum staffing we can get away with imported from the UK, the contracting out of services that reduces staff wages, the underfunding, the closure of rural hospitals, the reduction in mental health beds and respite care, and lots more.
There's lot that works well too and we shouldn't forget that.
Many of the health staff got relentless abuse from people in the anti-vax brigade. Some of it was absolutely appalling.
I would suggest, and you may disagree, that some of the tolerance on the right leaning sites is due to the views being seen as anti-government rather than supporting the views directly. It isn't tolerance you are seeing – it is just grist to their mill.
OK. I'll cross out three slurs that have not been directed at me personally…but I assume apply because of 'guilty by association'. The rest all stand.
right wing nutbar, fascist anti semite racist misogynist, pro plague anti vaxxer.
I'll add to that…"bully" (because I object to the vaccine mandates) and "Goebbels" after I posted about the rise and rise of homeschooling during Covid. Baffling. But there we are.
As for the Righty Sites. Anti Government, anti Left, anti Labour and anti Jacinda for sure. Exactly like TS when the Natz were in. Tribal is as tribal does.
But it was interesting to see how many of the regulars altered their opinion (especially about the mRNA products) when published research and data not seen in MSM here was posted. There were a few, as on here, who called for such 'anti vax/ anti public health ' posts to be banned. But hard to do that when it is sourced from government sites or published, peer reviewed research.
Fear is the mind killer. And there are/were a fair number of truly frightened folks around who attack anyone not following the government script.
You seem like an intelligent person…perhaps you'd be interested in this conversation.
What you did Rosemary was distort the actual facts (as opposed to the false facts) both during and after the parliamentary protest. Time and again numerous people on this site corrected your claims yet you continued to make them.
That is what those who opposed you were remonstrating you about. Trying to re-write history is not going to cut it.
Despite the range of causes that have brought this otherwise disparate group of people together – leading to some perturbing and confusing messaging along the way – the one thing they seemingly want is freedom from the government's Covid-19 rules.
For disabled people like myself, this freedom would mean the end of reasonable restrictions which have saved potentially not only my life but the lives of thousands of disabled people and people with health conditions nationwide who would otherwise have succumbed to Covid-19.
She’s young, employed part-time, is immunosuppressed and suffers from asthma. Getting Covid-19 would not be good for her. “I’m likely to be hospitalised if I get it,” she says.
Indeed…the “anti mandate” /anti vaxxer/ anti mask/anti guvmint , quite the selfish….did they never consider there are MANY OTHERS who would indeed be very adversely affected? Of course not. I give them NO credence . At all.
There were a few people in wheelchairs at the Freedom Village. Some having been disabled for some time who like my partner chose to err on the side of caution with the experimental mRNA shots out of concern it could exacerbate existing conditions, and others in wheelchairs because of adverse effects from said mRNA shots.
Now, it could very well be that there are some people with disabilities in New Zealand who still cling to the expectation that the 'guvmint' will protect them from all ills and render the entire physical environment flat and 100% accessible.
The same benevolent entity will fund all the personal care they need, as well as ensuring the carer workforce is well stocked and fully trained in the skills required to keep those with very high care needs alive.
My partner is not one of these. He lives in the real world. He has to. It took 26 years for him to get a government funded wheelchair, and he used to have to get flatmates in to do his personal cares because as a working person he had no entitlement for funding for home based care.
(This is not for want of trying to get the guvmint to provide the supports he needs…as well as trying to educate bureaucrats in the ways they could improve the 'service' they are paid by the taxpayer to provide…but one has only so much in the way of energy for such Sisyphean tasks.)
I'm not sure if you have kept up with how those seriously impacted by side effects from the mRNA shots are faring PscylingLeft.Always?
Many, many thousands of New Zealanders do not think the mandates are acceptable and and are appalled at the way the experimental mRNA products have been forced on working people, and that the awful side effects experienced by too many have been largely dismissed and denied by the guvmint.
The people most impacted continue to struggle. In the UK they have started to acknowledge the harms and pay compensation…but it has, and continues to be, a very long haul for these people.
If disabled or immune compromised people think that their mRNA shot will 'work' only if everyone else has also taken it then they may have to examine their faith. And perhaps take other precautions.
And above all take as much responsibility for one's own health and welfare as possible…because sure as fuck one cannot rely on guvmint.
A significant adverse event (such as requiring hospitalisation) after and attributed to Covid-19 vaccination is grounds to apply for a temporary medical exemption.
The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, data from this report are insufficient to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, including the Delta variant, during this outbreak. As population-level vaccination coverage increases, vaccinated persons are likely to represent a larger proportion of COVID-19 cases. Second, asymptomatic breakthrough infections might be underrepresented because of detection bias.
I have spoken with a few people who truly believed they were dying from a 'heart attack' after their 2nd jab. There's no way in hell these people could be persuaded to take another. However 'recovered' they may be.
I think/hope that one day we'll look back and see the utter fucking madness that possessed our so called health system when it demanded that Covid "vaccine" injured take yet another shot in order to feed their families.
Accepting that it doesn't prevent infection or transmission, if the Pfizer product actually works ( at preventing serious illness, hospitalisation and death) it shouldn't matter if the person next to you has also had it. Should it?
…today the 'fully vaccinated' just top the chart for the highest number of hospitalisations per 100,000 of that population. Tbf..the three main groups..twice jabbed, thrice jabbed and the fucking filth have been pretty much neck and neck for the dubious top honours for the past 2 months.
I agree that the current mandates have a much thinner basis than at the beginning, but the vaccines are still effective against serious illness, hospitalisation, and death although this drops the longer ago one has been boosted/vaccinated and it becomes less certain (as in unknown/undetermined) with longer time since the last shot.
There are now vaccines other than the Pfizer one and these are reasonable alternatives in most cases from a strictly medical perspective.
Beliefs are tricky beasts and very strong motivators and influencers of individual decisions but not a good basis for rational evidence-based Public Health measures.
If you keep repeating the same strongly negative language long and often enough, you’ll start to believe it too.
He does the dismissive very well – it began after the election with the marijuana referendum and the way the medicinal marijuana regime has been managed since.
Admin (a more easily addressed problem) has also been a problem in the area I've been receiving healthcare in.
Automated messages for fixed 4-weekly treatments have not been sent for several months. The nurses who give the medication just wave me in and administer it. This is only possible because I have to pick up the medication and take it with me.
This is not possible on a regular six month fixed appointment where the administration of the medication is 45 min and is provided. The last two appointments have only been scheduled on time because I've chased them up, and had them scheduled on time.
The last monthly appointment gave an indication of how far basic housekeeping has fallen behind. I spoke to the receptionist at length, saying I was here for the monthly jab. She checked her computer and said that my last injection was two months prior. I said, No, I was in last month, and not only had my injection but also the six-monthly medication at the same time. She repeated that my last visit was two months prior. Despite me giving the dates more than once, I ended up with saying – well, in that case I am one month overdue for the injection, so here I am. She then sent me to the waiting room.
Very soon after came in the nurse practitioner – who is one of three that I see regularly. She was in the back of the office while I was having my conversation with reception, and went and got my physical file. It was not in the patient filing system. It was in the pile of records that needed to be updated on the computer. This pile was more than six weeks behind.
Data entry can be brought up to date without the need for specialised skills. It's not only the medical professsionals that are unsupported at present.
I'll say also at my local GP. Where they've had several staff out with Covid and/or household isolation. It's only when you are speaking to a temp, who is clearly struggling with the booking system, and identifying who you are, and what this issue is, that you realise what a great, intelligent, job the usual team do.
I finally had to ask to speak to the practice nurse, to sort out the issue – which she did quickly and efficiently. But it's a waste of her time to be dealing with admin, and just adds to her workload/stress levels.
The staff are the usual, and from talking have not (yet) been directly affected by Covid absences. I think it's more indicative of a general winding-down of resources and support – in this particular case.
Whatever the reasons, it's going to take a lot of effort and attention to address.
I know a lot of health workers (everyone from Doctors, through to nurses, radiologists, psych workers and other allied health professionals).
Every one is under huge pressure, both personally, and on behalf of their patients (they tend to go into 'caring' professions in order to make a difference to people's lives).
Massive stress-levels, burnout, and re-considering their future. Where they can, they're managing their workload – e.g. GPs closing their patient lists; it's virtually impossible to get to see a psychiatrist (even if you have a ton of money to throw around); nurses exiting the public health system – and going to work in private practice (or a totally non-related field – there's plenty of jobs out there).
None of them have anything good to say about Little pressing forward with the reforms, ATM. And that includes people who were pro the reforms, initially, and think that DHB restructure/reform was/is needed. But not now.
Where is he getting his advice from? Does he think it's too far down the track to press 'pause' on.?
It's hard to believe they're even bothering to turn up to work any more. But someone's got to hold their finger in the dyke. People made of finer stuff than the political class, that's for sure.
The thing with Simeon and Simon O'C is that not only are their views revolting, unlike Luxon both of them are too stupid and incompetent to realise how bad it plays in the electorate.
Banning abortion isn't popular with the US electorate either. Those in power don't care about popular support:
About 71% of Americans – including majorities of Democrats and Republicans – say decisions about terminating a pregnancy should be left to a woman and her doctor, rather than regulated by the government.
Chris Penk is Simeon Brown's epsilon intellectual, but because Brown has offended people National want to offend (to secure the centre middle class vote) he has been promoted to a higher rank. That must hurt.
If you give people the resources they are more likely to make better decisions with better outcomes. Science is an invaluable resource, which is why it is a concern that trust in science has been eroding and science denial has been growing. The parallels between Covid-19, smoking, and climate change, for example, are striking and show the points of overlap. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all explanation and thus there’s no one-size-fits-all solution except starting with awareness of the growing problem and eternal vigilance (similar to the price of liberty and safeguarding democracy).
Cynicism is a double-edged sword and can have a positive influence or a negative destructive one. This can be seen played out in the occupation of Parliament grounds, which started off as a peaceful protest but ended in a riot.
Whether casting doubt on folks who assess crowd sizes, federal judges, experts, or climate scientists, Trump has learned to weaponize cynicism to his benefit.
The article makes a case for so-called intelligent cynicism – a critical disposition to ask questions, reject the status quo, and resist rosy narratives that hide the truth of things – as opposed to irrational cynicism – based on anger and fear. The problem I have is that there is not necessarily a neat separation between these two forms of cynicism as is clear, for example, from the Parliament protest.
The question thus is how to morph or channel irrational cynicism into intelligent cynicism, assuming this is possible, of course.
Some might find this discussion about the Parliament Protest interesting. Or not.
(Marama Fox was not part of the protest action, is triple vaxxed and anti mandate. She found herself involved and was there on that last day when the cops violently broke up the protest.)
I’m vaccinated and had an issue with some aspects of the mandates or rather how and why they were implemented in the first place; not all mandates were equal and not all employers followed the same approach.
Pity. Fox certainly not all on the side of the protestors and she could see that the 'peace and love' were wearing thin and the angry ranty spoiling for a fight faction were getting louder.
She vehemently objects to the suggestion that especially Maori were gullible and manipulated by white supremacist extremists.
She cried herself to sleep after witnessing the violence…mostly metered out by the cops.
Interesting that she apparently thinks that Māori were somehow ‘immune’ [pun intended] to the mis- and dis-information and undeniable manipulation on social media in particular.
I really don’t have 100 min to watch YT clips but I do read very fast.
I watched the first 15 mins, because I've always respected her. She's good here too. I wish they would explain things more, there's a bit too much jumping around to keep me engaged. But her passion and sharp mind are great.
I have learned to listen… rather than tying up valuable working time watching. My wee tablet has good sound (I don't do earphones), and often accompanies me as I work. (Leaving it in full sun while up a ladder painting was not the best idea. )
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
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It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
I could say..unbelievable…but sadly its all too true.. And I note the “management” word. I sure hope the “managers” are looking for new jobs…..and well away from vulnerable people.
After noticing a surge in Covid positives locally in the last weeks I did a bit of digging and to my surprise I found that on Wednesday 22 June around 6300 international arrivals came here, that’s about the daily average, but of that number 593 tested positive at the border, that’s about 1 in 10! Again about the daily average, give or take. If this was in the general population half a million people would be newly positive a day. Are we being gamed, are arrivals getting Covid and climbing on a plane heading for better health care ?
Downloading the data is difficult, some of it is huge and our internet isn’t up to it and nowI’ve got Covid after 2 1/2 years avoiding it and struggling to concentrate. Look up NZ Covid status and then arrivals data. Sorry, best I can do but this is serious.
The question is the isolation arrangements – and at whose expense (as most will not require hospitalisation). It would seem that travel involves a high risk of getting omicron as the vaccination does not prevent spread.
NZ customs simply says if you have a positive test you have to isolate (doesn't say anything about where or who pays)
MIQ says there will be 4 remaining isolation facilities after 30 June – 3 Auckland, 1 Christchurch. I suspect these will be for people who have no other isolation options.
https://www.miq.govt.nz/being-in-managed-isolation/isolation-facilities/facility-locations/
I'd say the ones returning to NZ will be isolating at home. Ones here on business will be isolating in their hotel rooms (too great a cost to the business for them to knowingly spread Covid). Tourists? Who knows. Depends on how sick they are. I suspect any with a mild or asymptomatic case, will be strongly tempted *not* to isolate.
Risk of them *not* isolating is probably about the same as the general population. We know (from the late 2021 Auckland lockdown) that some Kiwis don't isolate. Anecdotally, we know that some self-employed contractors don't isolate – with very mild or asymptomatic cases (not surprisingly, not working = no pay)
And number of actual Covid cases from travellers is dwarfed by the public infection rate.
FWIW. Travellers entering NZ no longer have a PCR test, instead they have a self-administered RAT test (lower accuracy).
https://www.customs.govt.nz/covid-19/personal/travelling-to-nz/
I'd say it's highly unlikely that anyone is getting Covid and then choosing to hop on a plane and come to NZ.
Airlines won't board anyone with obvious symptoms. And airfares are both hugely expensive (especially at the last minute) and flights are very thin on the ground (not many planes flying, mostly fully booked). Auckland to Sydney, next week, for example is over $1K one way. It's nothing like the cost/convenience pre-Covid.
What is happening is that airports are giant petrie dishes for cross-infection.
"Although the official advice from the ministry of health and airlines is to delay your travel if you're sick, most travellers would rather come home rather than face being stuck abroad.
One in five Kiwis say they'd still fly home with Covid, according to a recent Herald poll.
Over sixty percent of New Zealanders say they would fly while sick, with only two thirds of these respondents saying they'd bother to take a Covid-19 test first"
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/comment-one-in-five-kiwis-would-fly-sick-as-travel-testing-ends/E4YOJD2ZMSIPC37FGIOJUOE64A/
Agree that this is likely. But not the scenario posited – that people would wait until they were sick, and then choose to fly to NZ because of better health care.
People are having to book a long way out to get airfares, and they are pretty expensive. Not really likely to be a drop of the hat decision to fly. But probably reinforces the choice to fly if not well (too expensive to cancel)
I'd say that it would actually be higher for Kiwis inside NZ (although the figures look a bit odd – both 1 in 5 and 60%).
So, you start to feel unwell at work. Do you leave immediately? (depends on the workplace, and how supportive they are for Covid/respiratory illness leave). Do you take the bus home? (if you're a PT user – what are your other options?).
Guidance for workplaces with staff impacted by COVID-19
https://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/covid-19-information-household-and-close-contacts/guidance-workplaces-staff-impacted-covid-19#:~:text=At%20any%20time%2C%20an%20employee,free%2C%20on%200800%20358%205453.
Your number of detected cases is off and most likely you mixed up daily new cases at the border with total number of cases.
https://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-current-cases
Sorry to hear that you have Covid-19. Take it easy because it can be a real bastard.
Take your own advice, Adrian, old friend, and take care. As Incognito says above, Covid-19 can be like you! 🙂
Luke Malpas from Stuff.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129078998/a-recession-is-coming-you-can-bank-on-it
Any journalist who regularly quotes Oliver Hartwich is telling us they’re a neoliberal shill.
I was beginning to think better of Stuff. Sigh…
He worked with Hartwich, right before somehow getting his current job. And before that with the equivalent organisation in Aus, the CIS. Radical right winger.
And yet Stuff employ him as a Senior Political Journalist. WTF!
Yeah – he's part of the Taxevader's Union too – about as much journalistic credibility as Jordan Williams.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kiwi-political-parties-slam-us-supreme-court-roe-v-wade-abortion-rights-decision-except-national-party/WGTEJP6UHTGF57MVWMZ3PRV6LM/
So, National on the wrong side of history yet again.
Luxon should be skewered on this, repeatedly, more particularly, just prior to the election.
Why? Its an American court case,we are not going to start driving on the wrong side of the road,introduce capital gains tax on housing,or allow the carry of concealed weapons as allowed by the other decision released by the SCOTUS .
Because Luxon is anti-abortion at a very strong fundamental philosophical level, as are other MPs in his party. Abortion law in NZ isn't settled or particularly secure from conservative governments if we have a regressive cultural shift.
Further, National MPs now advocate anti-abortion lines. Compare this to someone like Bill English, who is Catholic and anit-abortion, but apparently didn't consider this relevant in his time as leader of National.
It's appropriate and reasonable to pressure Luxon now about what he will do in the future given that. If he can't rule out removing abortion access in the future, including via legislation or policy, then the electorate needs to know this.
The significance of the US SC decision isn't that we are like them legally, it's that the US public ignored what was happening and lost an extremely important right as well as legal case. No way should women, or the left, be complacent about abortion rights in NZ. In ten years the political and social landscape here may be very different.
He is also a teetotaller ,is the angst of worry in the chardonnay bourgeois class troublesome.They already have problems with irrelevance as seen during the Pandemic,where they were deemed to be non essential.
There are significant issues in NZ,that will be increasing towards the election such as 10% mortgages,an unsustainable balance of payments.large blowouts on white elephants etc.
It will not be an election issue,as it will not be in the US at the mid terms,where inflation and recession are the foremost issues.
You're missing the point. If we wait until it's an election issue, it's much harder to fight. Getting Luxon to be honest right now makes it easier.
You might not see it as an important issue, many women do.
Current arising economic issues will pale in comparison to what's coming with the climate crisis. What's foremost in the general voter's mind isn't the only important thing.
The climate crisis is not the foremost issue globally,it is the economic crisis from war and altruism (QE) that has shocked the world and forced a reversal in policies from Europe (especially German greens) to both increase the use of coal,and investment in FF.
The economic damage that the act/nats would inflict would be inflationary and hence increase interest rates (a cost spiral) similarly munting our agriculture exports (which would do zero to CC mitigation) would also increase our risk to pay our debts and would be inflationary on borrowed debt.
and yet all of that is going to fall over because we won't act on climate.
Climate is the one real hammer that the Left has against the Right in electioneering.
And, in a close election (which it looks as though 2023 will be), they need to stop wasting time on peripheral issues.
Economy (always a big issue in NZ elections), governance (3 waters, etc.) and Climate (especially with repeated disasters), are the levers which can shift the election.
Social stuff doesn't usually change votes. Left wing on social issues already vote left. There are no votes to garner here.
Is anyone suggesting that abortion should or will be an election issue in 2023? As I said above, the reason it matters now is because it makes it easier to retain abortion rights. It doesn't have to be an election issue for that to be true.
How are you thinking 3 waters factors into that?
How much more honest can he be? He's said repeatedly that the NZ abortion laws won't change under his government.
Now, unless you have some evidence that that is a lie…..
His personal beliefs aren't particularly relevant to National Party and (potentially) government policy. However, he's acknowledged that some people may be concerned over them, and been very specific that there will be no change to abortion legislation.
NZ has a history of Labour governments pushing social change legislation, which National governments don't roll back.
I don't see that there is in NZ (unlike in the US) any strong groundswell for change. Roe v Wade has been a deeply unpopular decision among sectors of the American population ever since it was passed.
We simply don't have that large a % of the population who are passionately against abortion in NZ.
Especially when abortion numbers are dropping, consistently, over the last decade (better access to contraception and/or morning after pills would be my take on the reasons)
Well no, but there's no evidence that it's the truth either. Parties pledge things only to backtrack after they've been elected all the time.
His views are reflective of a substantial section of his party, as evidenced by voting on the 2019 abortion law reform act. If it came to a conscience vote, which it very likely would, he has little influence on the outcome to be making those sorts of claims.
You mean like social welfare *cough cough*
Around 23.5 of the population is Maori and Pasifika, many of whom have complicated views about that. Tariana Turia while in the Maori Party went on the warpath against Family Planning comparing it to genocide. Any assumption that NZ is a default western country is a mistaken one. And some of our fastest growing demographics come from religiously conservative parts of the world. Don't make assumptions about the status quo.
Which actually makes abortion a more attractive target for conservative politicians. They can point to that and suggest it be eliminated altogether.
No, I mean like homosexual law reform, and euthanasia. Social change legislation, which has little (if any) impact on the financial bottom line.
Neither of which would have been enacted under a National government (IMHO), but National sees no benefit in trying to repeal (regardless of the beliefs of some of their core constituency).
Generalizing broadly, Maori and Pasifika don't vote National (Labour, and more recently TPM are their natural home) – so little point for National in appealing to their vote (assuming that this would do so).
If you assume that all politicians that you dislike are automatically lying, there really is no basis for any political discussion.
It comes down to 'I hate him, don't vote for him' which is really not very convincing….
"Neither of which would have been enacted under a National government (IMHO)".
Why would they not have done so, at least for homosexual law reform? After all the first attempt to reform the law was attempted by a National Party MP, Venn Young, in 1974. He didn't succeed but that was when we had a Labour Government with a leader, PM Norman Kirk, who was vehemently opposed to both Homosexual Law reform and also Abortion Law reform.
Perhaps Young should have tried a bit later after Kirk had died but when he had a go no-one expected Kirk's death and trying in 1975 would have been harder as it would have brought the debate, and the votes into peoples' minds during the election campaign.
However it was a National MP who first tried to bring about the change.
I thought I had explained this. If NZ becomes more regressive socially and politically, there's nothing stopping changes in abortion rights. I don't think National would go into an election saying they're going to repeal abortion access. I would expect them to chip away at it if it was to their benefit to do so.
By the time a nation state gets to the point where removal of abortion rights is supported, it's far too late to change that. That's because it doesn't stand alone, but sits within regressive politics. We are incredibly naive if we think NZ is somehow immune from regressive shifts. We're already seeing bits of this here. Since Trump the rise in overt nastiness, and sexism and outright misogyny (eg what is directed at Ardern). We know that Qanon and other regressive forces are at work in NZ. We know that humans tend to vote conservatively in emergencies eg Chch post quake. And so on.
I can't prove Luxon is a liar. He may even believe what he is saying. Or think he does. I still don't trust him or National.
it's not about the 2023 election, it's about holding National to account now for their values and policies. Playing the long game.
Thanks Weka – good tips for parsing any political statement, imho.
the 'ultimately settled' bit raises my hackles.
If NZ becomes more regressive socially, you are right that there is nothing preventing changes in abortion rights. Or in gay rights. Or in any other social structure.
That's the way our law works, parliament pretty much makes it (with some theoretical backstop from the Bill of Rights – but nothing preventing that being repealed, either).
But, I don't see any signs of NZ becoming more regressive socially. The push-back I see is around the far edges of the social reforms (where trans-rights infringe on women's rights; where iwi rights impact on democracy, etc.).
To me, this says, that the rights shift (and there is always a shift) has gone as far as the current social Kiwi environment feels is comfortable. Not that it’s rebounding towards more social conservatism.
Political parties are always shaped by the social environment – and if NZ became more socially regressive (which, again, I see no signs of), all political parties (including left wing ones) would be influenced by this change.
2020 aside, the left holds a narrow majority, then the right, then left etc. It's not just about social progress, it's about political. The left isn't making much ground.
Not that many months ago, a large, chaotic, multi-influenced group the like of which we've never seen before occupied the ground of parliament for three weeks. Those people haven't disappeared, and their hatred of the left is growing. I see people in my community, previous left wing voters, who are appalled at the Labour government. Some of those people are at risk of radicalisation by qanon etc.
We have a still growing divide between wealthy and poor in NZ, this is a recipe for disaster.
None of this is particularly controversial. These are known dynamics. I see good things happening that will prevent the bad things happening, but I don't see NZ as being immune from a regressive shift, nor from that happening suddenly in a large crisis.
Bad scenario would be something like National and ACT being in government with the support of a small ultra conservative party and a big quake hitting Wellington or the Alpine Fault and causing widespread chaos to people's lives as well as huge economic stress. This isn't not a far fetched scenario. You really think NACT won't use this as an opportunity to build more power for themselves?
I am also very open to us shifting progressively, not just on social issues but on environment and the bigger changes needed to prevent the worst of climate change, and the adaptations we need. Much of what I write now is in that vein: how can we create proactive pathways that help people see a way to good futures and thus step away from the bad ones (social, political, environmental).
I see us at risk of not achieving that, and I don't see any compelling reason that NZ would inherently survive repeated emergencies and come out intact without that proactive change.
"If NZ becomes more regressive socially"
New Zealand has already become more regressive socially:
1. Benefit rates les s than NZS
2. Youth rates extended to age 25 from under 18
3. Loss of the right to strike except at the end of an agreement – in most cases once every three years
4. Loss of 8 hour working day 40 hour working week
5. Working on weekends and especially Sundays
6. Social obligations on sole parents
7. Freely being able to gift- resulting in a massive transfer of wealth away from wives and matrimonial settlements
8. Reduction in taxation for the wealthy and highest paid (think not only tax rates but tax on luxury items, stamp duty, etc
9. The reduction in state housing and the shift to market rents for those tenants as well as the removal of working people from state housing
10 The rise of slum landlords and renting rooms and putting homeless in motels
11. The rise of foodbanks and churches having to do charity work (not that they aren't willing participants).
These things all start to set the scene for more regression over time. It is so bad that Labour couldn't even bring them selves to increase benefits rates as suggested by WEAG but when COVID hit they showed that they can do middle-class welfare very well.
Things that were normal for me growing up and starting work – all gone.
.https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-26-06-2022/#comment-1897081
Exactly.
I just watched a film about the Yukon in winter….climate change is definitely here….ask the mountain goats
Which is basically what Kavanaugh and Gorsuch said to the US Senate when questioned on their approach to Roe v Wade it is settled law and 50 years of precedent. Liars.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/25/gorsuch-kavanaugh-misled-senators-roe-v-wade
So, there is nothing that he can say will convince you.
Really, no point in any further debate.
No – I would not trust him in the slightest. When asked a direct question he repeatedly diverts and avoids giving a direct reply.
eg. "Not a NZ issue" – Yeah Right!
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/06/25/not-a-nz-issue-luxon-responds-to-us-abortion-ruling/
Macro (@4:41 pm), "diverts and avoids giving a direct reply" is why Luxonites believe he'd make a ‘useful’ PM – anything's possible!
Just like Key.
"No more taxes". Then 16 new taxes, sorry, charges, and an increase in GST.
"No more asset sales". Just Air NZ and several others.
“We will fix child poverty”. Joke!!
If you believe anything National says before an election, I have a bridge to sell you!
As always with National “If you don’t like my principles (Before the election) we have others”.
Weka
I'd save the skewering for issues which are likely to change people's voting.
He's got a very strong line (no doubt well-developed and tested by PR), which he's repeated in multiple interviews
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/466851/luxon-on-national-act-alliance-budget-abortion
People who hate him, will continue to hate him; people who like (or at least tolerate) him, will continue to do the same. People in the middle, aren't likely to be shifted by this issue.
His commenting (or rather choosing not to comment) on Roe v Wade isn't really going to resonate with the electorate in 18 months time.
What will, is the economy (most elections are about the economy) and political inclusion/exclusion (3 waters, etc.).
Left wing commentators/journalists need to hammer the points where National is vulnerable to losing (or not gaining) support from the centrists. There's little point in hammering them on issues which only resonate with the people who already vote for you.
When people tell you who they are, believe them.
Luxon believes abortion is tantamount murder and Reti wouldn't rule out narrowing access and said it would be up to a caucus likely to include more than a few of their ilk. I believe them.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/12/full-interview-national-leader-christopher-luxon-and-deputy-leader-nicola-willis.html
The point I was trying to make is that this is not something which is going to convince the middle to shift their vote.
Left can argue that Luxon and/or Reti would narrow access – but 'up to caucus' means that they'd have to convince the majority (and probably a super-majority) of their caucus that this needed to happen.
Which is not at all likely. National are cold-bloodedly pragmatic about social legislation – they don’t buy into fights which don’t have a lot of popular support. Labour are the ones who (generally) push the social legislation, which National doesn’t roll back.
Middle regard it as pure speculation, now back to the economy……
Bella….the public should know if Luxon supports abortion or not …..it's a simple yes or no answer.
They do know.
His personal preference AND the commitment that he's made not to change the existing law under his government.
Even politicians are allowed personal ethics….
And, I notice none of this angst being directed to Adrian Rurawhe, who is about to be elected Speaker, who voted ‘no’ in the final Abortion bill.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/how-mps-voted-on-abortion-law-reform/WV4JCWZTSB4PFZFHTFUTDFUC64/
Which says to me that a lot of this outrage is directed at Luxon because A) he’s Luxon, and B) he’s the Leader of the Opposition.
I don't agree with your premise that Luxon's personal views are irrelevant. Would you vote for the Labour Party if its leader opposed abortion?
And in my post I mean that Luxon needs to be asked about his personal views on abortion during the election campaign so that people know what they are voting for.
People like you and me, political tragics, follow these things more closely than the person in the street many of whom will have forgotten Luxon's personal views.
TBH. Unless Abortion reform were on the political agenda, I probably wouldn't care about the personal views of a candidate.
I mean, I might make assumptions about what Ardern's views are, but I didn't actually know, one way or the other, at the 2020 election.
Unless you have a passionate conviction on a social issue (e.g LGBT or abortion), you're probably not going to be very aware of an MPs personal convictions on an issue, or change your vote because of this. Unless it's a topical issue at the election (i.e. there is a proposal to change the law)
I know of several right-wing women who changed their vote over the Homosexual law reform bill (had family members who were gay). But, once that legislation was in place, they reverted to voting on their traditional economic grounds (i.e. moved right wing again).
Social conscience vote issues are widely recognised to be across parties – there are Labour members who are personally anti-abortion, as well as National ones.
Exactly right Robert.
Did any Nat poli comment?
This was Shane Reti last month:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/466851/luxon-on-national-act-alliance-budget-abortion
The abortion law in 2020 was passed 68 to 51.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/how-mps-voted-on-abortion-law-reform/WV4JCWZTSB4PFZFHTFUTDFUC64/
The link show who voted for and agin
Thanks for that link dv.
The 68 YES votes were distributed 34:34 between women and men.
The 51 NO votes were distributed 15:36 – guess which way.
Imho NZ political parties should endeavour to achieve close to a 50-50 representation of women and men in Parliament.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/28634/women-in-parliament
Labour — 37 W , 28 M (after Faafoi and Mallard are replaced)
National – 11 W, 22 M
Greens —– 7 W , 3 M
Act ———– 4 W , 6 M
Māori ——- 1 W , 1 M
House ——- 60 : 60
Currently, two parties are doing the heavy lifting. [apologies for any errors]
Everything is connected.
We could/can stop covid-19, we could/can stop climate change, we could/can even stop war.
Tackling these three scourges means imposing controls on the market.
Which is why it can't/won't be done.
Cards stay stacked until someone tips over the table.
https://twitter.com/tzimmer_history/status/1540383901230809089
Yep.
https://twitter.com/frankieboyle/status/1540402383683035136
Demonising a category of the human population based on the behaviour of some of that group is a form of
1. bigotry/discrimination
2. guilt/shaming by association
3. collective smear
4. promotion of hate based on political creed
It's a bit like the McCarthyist era fellow travellers/UnAmerican approach that has reduced the USA to the culture war nation it is today.
What's interesting is that the same slurs against the woke/liberal progressives/progressive left occur as often on left blogs such as this site and the Daily Blog as they do on Kiwiblog.
I appreciate your engagement in the last couple of days, SPC, even as I suspect you are doing less listening and addressing points made, than making points yourself. (You probably consider me to be doing the same, so that's just where we are at present. The achievement is that engagement has been ongoing and respectful).
In that vein, I would like clarity on this comment:
"Demonising a category of the human population based on the behaviour of some of that group is a form of
1. bigotry/discrimination
2. guilt/shaming by association
3. collective smear
4. promotion of hate based on political creed"
Who do you believe is being 'demonised' and who do you believe is 'demonising', and how (as in common examples) is this being done?
You expressed support for one of those posts, from a poster from whom they are his regular contribution, yesterday.
Can you link, this is a bit vague?
(and possibly falls under:
2. guilt/shaming by association
3. collective smear)
I don't follow all the conversations here (other things to do) but I may be able to partially answer your question. SPC noted:
Using a local historical example, I think the same sort of thing has happened in NZ albeit to a lesser degree.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, there was a covert/overt movement in NZ who, using today's terms, would be described as being on the extreme right of the political spectrum. The public persona was seen in the form of the National Front Party and the Skinheads of the same period, but behind them were almost certainly more powerful individuals, This movement was said to be associated with like minded overseas groups. There was an article about the rise of neo-nazism and its possible NZ consequences in the Sunday Star Times back in the 1990s.
They selected individuals based on either their ethnicity, religion or political persuasion. and targeted them by way of bizarre hoaxes and other demeaning behaviour. There were some well known people among the targets including a former prime minister. Another common theme was to set up an individual or special group up for ridicule and embarrassment then watch the fallout which inevitably followed. A good example of that was the Colin Moyle affair.
That is by no means all they did. Some of their behaviour was unlawful – criminal offences were committed – but they got away with it or were allowed to get away with it – not sure which.
I knew two people who were on the periphery (at the least) of this movement although I had no idea at the time. They were members of the Labour Party in the 70s and 80s.
Just like McCarthyism laid the foundations for what is going on in America today, I believe that movement back un the 70s and 80s was the fore-runner of what we are seeing today in NZ.
I was noting the use of attack lines borrowed from American right wing social media (and possibly some crafted in Russia).
But sure in earlier times other metholology – Murray Ball tried to lampoon it, the attempt to create some right wing white nativism, in Stanley.
Demonising a category of the human population based on the behaviour of some of that group is a form of…
Yep. See it here all the time. 'Rosemary McDonald is not Pfizer shot and supported the Freedom Village protestors and believes there were better ways of handling the Covid pandemic so she must be…
1. a right wing nutbar, fascist anti semite racist misogynist, pro plague anti vaxxer.
2. a pathetic gullible victim of Russian/American/Canadian/Martian cyberbot misinformation peddlers.
etc. etc. I could go on but I've work to do. (PS…I scan multiple sites periodically as you clearly do and tbh, TDB and KB are further down the road of tolerance of 'alternate Covid opinions' than here. For now. )
Meh, you're a government/health knows it all cynic from way back before social media was on the radar.
"Meh, you're a government/health knows it all cynic from way back before social media was on the radar."
And that's a problem, …how?
Do not misrepresent my post.
Most people in RM's position (health care and social support for those with disability) would have a level of cynicism – the failure is so egregious that it was noted, quite recently, as one of our human rights failures.
"Do not misrepresent my post."
Didn't mean to, just asked for clarification.
Sarcasm doesn't read clearly in text. If it was in recognition of the truth of Rosemary's comment, I agree.
For mine, most of us on blogs are a little bit cynical about government and MSM, some with more personal experience reasons than others and some because of a perceived failure to do enough (unfulfilled idealism/ambition for government/society).
It could hardly been a comment in disagreement with her post, since she agreed with mine.
And being a cynic about the state of the health care system is just part of being a sentient being atm in Enzed.
You're right. Kind of.
I think it was Uncle Ashley and the 'home based disability care workers don't need to wear masks unless they work within 1 .5m of the disabled person' that drove in the final, cynical nail.
Stupid, stupid man.
Then there was the 'No CPR from paramedics….' edict that went down like a cup of cold spew with…paramedics…that added the deeper drive -in.
Then there were the nurses who got up a petition because the hospitals were not allowing them to wear masks at work…masks they had bought themselves. The doctors even stepped up…
(If you knew how many times I have read the words "flexible" and "responsive" on moh.govt.nz documents you would understand more where I'm coming from.)
Ministry of Health. Failing to acknowledge the expertise of health professionals and patients since forever.
You would have had enough reason to be cynical a long time before COVID.
A paucity of support to carers, the inadequate level of the disability benefit.
The manager of my the major rest home who looks after my father told me that the social isolation caused by the lockdowns was just cruel.
Said with a particular vehemence.
Even more cruel to knock the residents off with covid.
How about telling us about your many years experience in running large rest homes for the elderly.
How about the experience of my elderly parents, who were considerably more "isolated" during covid than rest home residents, who are thankful to be still alive, unlike so many of their contemporaries in countries like the UK and USA, whose Governments didn't give a shit.
If your parents were not in a rest home then their experience of lockdowns was probably not the same as the almost 2 years of severe restrictions and isolation from families and friends most rest-homes had to endure.
I am impressed at how very readily you dismiss a person who has extensive first-hand experience informing her view.
Excess mortality in NZ is around 20% above baseline for the 1/4
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/excess-mortality-p-scores-average-baseline?country=NZL~AUS
Multiple causes,including an increase in all respiratory illnesses.
Thank you. I was looking for that data a while back.
Imho "the lockdowns" were prudent precautions informed in part by the impact of the pandemic on rest home residents in NZ and other countries.
Maybe NZ got the balance between 'deaths' and 'isolation' wrong, and certainly some would be keen still to put the 'cruelty boot' in, regardless of how any hypothetical alternative responses might have played out.
https://ltccovid.org/questions/2-02/
I don't recall anyone calling you these names. Disagreeing with you yes but stating all those things you have listed.
I could be wrong but I don't recall that.
There's lots of things wrong with health – the DHB setup, the time and motion minimum staffing we can get away with imported from the UK, the contracting out of services that reduces staff wages, the underfunding, the closure of rural hospitals, the reduction in mental health beds and respite care, and lots more.
There's lot that works well too and we shouldn't forget that.
Many of the health staff got relentless abuse from people in the anti-vax brigade. Some of it was absolutely appalling.
I would suggest, and you may disagree, that some of the tolerance on the right leaning sites is due to the views being seen as anti-government rather than supporting the views directly. It isn't tolerance you are seeing – it is just grist to their mill.
OK. I'll cross out three slurs that have not been directed at me personally…but I assume apply because of 'guilty by association'. The rest all stand.
right wing nutbar, fascist
anti semite racist misogynist, pro plague anti vaxxer.I'll add to that…"bully" (because I object to the vaccine mandates) and "Goebbels" after I posted about the rise and rise of homeschooling during Covid. Baffling. But there we are.
As for the Righty Sites. Anti Government, anti Left, anti Labour and anti Jacinda for sure. Exactly like TS when the Natz were in. Tribal is as tribal does.
But it was interesting to see how many of the regulars altered their opinion (especially about the mRNA products) when published research and data not seen in MSM here was posted. There were a few, as on here, who called for such 'anti vax/ anti public health ' posts to be banned. But hard to do that when it is sourced from government sites or published, peer reviewed research.
Fear is the mind killer. And there are/were a fair number of truly frightened folks around who attack anyone not following the government script.
You seem like an intelligent person…perhaps you'd be interested in this conversation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp7_o9QGzzA
What you did Rosemary was distort the actual facts (as opposed to the false facts) both during and after the parliamentary protest. Time and again numerous people on this site corrected your claims yet you continued to make them.
That is what those who opposed you were remonstrating you about. Trying to re-write history is not going to cut it.
Trying to re-write history is not going to cut it.
You got that right.
"Time and again numerous people on this site corrected your claims yet you continued to make them."
Numerous people incl Moderators…..And Aye absolutely
Indeed…the “anti mandate” /anti vaxxer/ anti mask/anti guvmint , quite the selfish….did they never consider there are MANY OTHERS who would indeed be very adversely affected? Of course not. I give them NO credence . At all.
…quite the selfish…
Indeed.
There were a few people in wheelchairs at the Freedom Village. Some having been disabled for some time who like my partner chose to err on the side of caution with the experimental mRNA shots out of concern it could exacerbate existing conditions, and others in wheelchairs because of adverse effects from said mRNA shots.
Now, it could very well be that there are some people with disabilities in New Zealand who still cling to the expectation that the 'guvmint' will protect them from all ills and render the entire physical environment flat and 100% accessible.
The same benevolent entity will fund all the personal care they need, as well as ensuring the carer workforce is well stocked and fully trained in the skills required to keep those with very high care needs alive.
My partner is not one of these. He lives in the real world. He has to. It took 26 years for him to get a government funded wheelchair, and he used to have to get flatmates in to do his personal cares because as a working person he had no entitlement for funding for home based care.
(This is not for want of trying to get the guvmint to provide the supports he needs…as well as trying to educate bureaucrats in the ways they could improve the 'service' they are paid by the taxpayer to provide…but one has only so much in the way of energy for such Sisyphean tasks.)
I'm not sure if you have kept up with how those seriously impacted by side effects from the mRNA shots are faring PscylingLeft.Always?
It may very well be that you are one of the many guvmint supporters who accept the determination that there have been no serious adverse effects from the experimental mRNA shots, that it is mere coincidence that the neurological symptoms and the euphemistically described "chest discomfort" began shortly after taking the shot and that it is perfectly reasonable to demand that a person who ended up in A&E with myocarditis after shot 1 or shot 2 has to get shot 2 or shot 3 to keep their job.
Many, many thousands of New Zealanders do not think the mandates are acceptable and and are appalled at the way the experimental mRNA products have been forced on working people, and that the awful side effects experienced by too many have been largely dismissed and denied by the guvmint.
The people most impacted continue to struggle. In the UK they have started to acknowledge the harms and pay compensation…but it has, and continues to be, a very long haul for these people.
If people feel they are at risk they should take precautions. If they think the mRNA shots are safe and effective they should by all means avail themselves of them. I sincerely hope the shots work for them as they have been told they will. But we knew last August that the shots did not prevent infection or transmission and did not necessarily reduce viral load and did not necessarily prevent hospitalisation. They may reduce death. That was for Delta.
If disabled or immune compromised people think that their mRNA shot will 'work' only if everyone else has also taken it then they may have to examine their faith. And perhaps take other precautions.
And above all take as much responsibility for one's own health and welfare as possible…because sure as fuck one cannot rely on guvmint.
A significant adverse event (such as requiring hospitalisation) after and attributed to Covid-19 vaccination is grounds to apply for a temporary medical exemption.
Indeed. The operative word being "temporary".
I have spoken with a few people who truly believed they were dying from a 'heart attack' after their 2nd jab. There's no way in hell these people could be persuaded to take another. However 'recovered' they may be.
I think/hope that one day we'll look back and see the utter fucking madness that possessed our so called health system when it demanded that Covid "vaccine" injured take yet another shot in order to feed their families.
Accepting that it doesn't prevent infection or transmission, if the Pfizer product actually works ( at preventing serious illness, hospitalisation and death) it shouldn't matter if the person next to you has also had it. Should it?
In the meantime…https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/450874/covid-19-data-visualisations-nz-in-numbers
…today the 'fully vaccinated' just top the chart for the highest number of hospitalisations per 100,000 of that population. Tbf..the three main groups..twice jabbed, thrice jabbed and the fucking filth have been pretty much neck and neck for the dubious top honours for the past 2 months.
I agree that the current mandates have a much thinner basis than at the beginning, but the vaccines are still effective against serious illness, hospitalisation, and death although this drops the longer ago one has been boosted/vaccinated and it becomes less certain (as in unknown/undetermined) with longer time since the last shot.
There are now vaccines other than the Pfizer one and these are reasonable alternatives in most cases from a strictly medical perspective.
Beliefs are tricky beasts and very strong motivators and influencers of individual decisions but not a good basis for rational evidence-based Public Health measures.
If you keep repeating the same strongly negative language long and often enough, you’ll start to believe it too.
Can’t wait until trans people replace the gestationals in the Black Ferns, jeez we’ll win the World Cup for sure.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
To state the obvious, the rules of the IRB International Rugby Board) for its events would apply to all nations contesting.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129072232/dr-dolittle-healthcare-staff-are-at-the-end-of-their-rope-with-the-government
as I posted earlier, the health service is in absolute crisis;and they send staff a lapel pin.
He does the dismissive very well – it began after the election with the marijuana referendum and the way the medicinal marijuana regime has been managed since.
Admin (a more easily addressed problem) has also been a problem in the area I've been receiving healthcare in.
Automated messages for fixed 4-weekly treatments have not been sent for several months. The nurses who give the medication just wave me in and administer it. This is only possible because I have to pick up the medication and take it with me.
This is not possible on a regular six month fixed appointment where the administration of the medication is 45 min and is provided. The last two appointments have only been scheduled on time because I've chased them up, and had them scheduled on time.
The last monthly appointment gave an indication of how far basic housekeeping has fallen behind. I spoke to the receptionist at length, saying I was here for the monthly jab. She checked her computer and said that my last injection was two months prior. I said, No, I was in last month, and not only had my injection but also the six-monthly medication at the same time. She repeated that my last visit was two months prior. Despite me giving the dates more than once, I ended up with saying – well, in that case I am one month overdue for the injection, so here I am. She then sent me to the waiting room.
Very soon after came in the nurse practitioner – who is one of three that I see regularly. She was in the back of the office while I was having my conversation with reception, and went and got my physical file. It was not in the patient filing system. It was in the pile of records that needed to be updated on the computer. This pile was more than six weeks behind.
Data entry can be brought up to date without the need for specialised skills. It's not only the medical professsionals that are unsupported at present.
(This is the Superclinic in Manukau.)
I'll say also at my local GP. Where they've had several staff out with Covid and/or household isolation. It's only when you are speaking to a temp, who is clearly struggling with the booking system, and identifying who you are, and what this issue is, that you realise what a great, intelligent, job the usual team do.
I finally had to ask to speak to the practice nurse, to sort out the issue – which she did quickly and efficiently. But it's a waste of her time to be dealing with admin, and just adds to her workload/stress levels.
The staff are the usual, and from talking have not (yet) been directly affected by Covid absences. I think it's more indicative of a general winding-down of resources and support – in this particular case.
Whatever the reasons, it's going to take a lot of effort and attention to address.
I know a lot of health workers (everyone from Doctors, through to nurses, radiologists, psych workers and other allied health professionals).
Every one is under huge pressure, both personally, and on behalf of their patients (they tend to go into 'caring' professions in order to make a difference to people's lives).
Massive stress-levels, burnout, and re-considering their future. Where they can, they're managing their workload – e.g. GPs closing their patient lists; it's virtually impossible to get to see a psychiatrist (even if you have a ton of money to throw around); nurses exiting the public health system – and going to work in private practice (or a totally non-related field – there's plenty of jobs out there).
None of them have anything good to say about Little pressing forward with the reforms, ATM. And that includes people who were pro the reforms, initially, and think that DHB restructure/reform was/is needed. But not now.
Where is he getting his advice from? Does he think it's too far down the track to press 'pause' on.?
Well, it's legislated and been given the Royal Assent, and takes effect on Friday (1 July), so it's probably too late to press pause now.
It's hard to believe they're even bothering to turn up to work any more. But someone's got to hold their finger in the dyke. People made of finer stuff than the political class, that's for sure.
Scrambling.
(click tweet to read hidden sentence).
https://twitter.com/coughlthom/status/1540840288092327936
The thing with Simeon and Simon O'C is that not only are their views revolting, unlike Luxon both of them are too stupid and incompetent to realise how bad it plays in the electorate.
Banning abortion isn't popular with the US electorate either. Those in power don't care about popular support:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/broad-us-support-abortion-rights-odds-with-supreme-courts-restrictions-2022-06-24/
Some of their base will be salivating.
https://twitter.com/Pno_nwa/status/1540861418484170752
They're on a roll. But misunderstood, apparently.
https://twitter.com/JohnCornyn/status/1540689961040482306
https://twitter.com/gall_katrina/status/1540846089225502722
Chris Penk is Simeon Brown's epsilon intellectual, but because Brown has offended people National want to offend (to secure the centre middle class vote) he has been promoted to a higher rank. That must hurt.
Reassurances..
https://twitter.com/CMRanapia/status/1540864471333085185
If you give people the resources they are more likely to make better decisions with better outcomes. Science is an invaluable resource, which is why it is a concern that trust in science has been eroding and science denial has been growing. The parallels between Covid-19, smoking, and climate change, for example, are striking and show the points of overlap. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all explanation and thus there’s no one-size-fits-all solution except starting with awareness of the growing problem and eternal vigilance (similar to the price of liberty and safeguarding democracy).
https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1540123988197707776/photo/1
https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1540123988197707776/photo/2
Patriarch Spy has an oops.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1540696107604393985
Cynicism is a double-edged sword and can have a positive influence or a negative destructive one. This can be seen played out in the occupation of Parliament grounds, which started off as a peaceful protest but ended in a riot.
https://www.salon.com/2018/06/22/dont-worry-be-cynical-why-the-fear-of-a-nation-of-critical-skeptics-is-overblown/
The article makes a case for so-called intelligent cynicism – a critical disposition to ask questions, reject the status quo, and resist rosy narratives that hide the truth of things – as opposed to irrational cynicism – based on anger and fear. The problem I have is that there is not necessarily a neat separation between these two forms of cynicism as is clear, for example, from the Parliament protest.
The question thus is how to morph or channel irrational cynicism into intelligent cynicism, assuming this is possible, of course.
Some might find this discussion about the Parliament Protest interesting. Or not.
(Marama Fox was not part of the protest action, is triple vaxxed and anti mandate. She found herself involved and was there on that last day when the cops violently broke up the protest.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tgPIO9f34A
Thanks, but I don’t have that much spare time!
I’m vaccinated and had an issue with some aspects of the mandates or rather how and why they were implemented in the first place; not all mandates were equal and not all employers followed the same approach.
Pity. Fox certainly not all on the side of the protestors and she could see that the 'peace and love' were wearing thin and the angry ranty spoiling for a fight faction were getting louder.
She vehemently objects to the suggestion that especially Maori were gullible and manipulated by white supremacist extremists.
She cried herself to sleep after witnessing the violence…mostly metered out by the cops.
And she's one tough wahine.
Interesting that she apparently thinks that Māori were somehow ‘immune’ [pun intended] to the mis- and dis-information and undeniable manipulation on social media in particular.
I really don’t have 100 min to watch YT clips but I do read very fast.
I watched the first 15 mins, because I've always respected her. She's good here too. I wish they would explain things more, there's a bit too much jumping around to keep me engaged. But her passion and sharp mind are great.
I have learned to listen… rather than tying up valuable working time watching. My wee tablet has good sound (I don't do earphones), and often accompanies me as I work. (Leaving it in full sun while up a ladder painting was not the best idea. )
It begins with quite a long preamble, but at some point it becomes compelling story-telling.
If you haven't listened to this…https://rdln.wordpress.com/2022/05/24/marama-fox-on-the-maori-presence-at-the-recent-parliamentary-protests/ …thoroughly engaging. It may very well be one of the truer, most credible accounts of the Freedom Village 'event' in the archive.