Here are five disturbing findings from my research, which adheres, I believe, to the highest possible scientific standards inall respects:1.In 2016, biased search results generated by Google’s search algorithml ikely impacted undecided voters in a way that gave at least 2.6 million votes to Hillary Clinton(whom I supported). I know this because I preserved more than 13,000 election-related searches conducted by a diverse group of Americans on Google, Bing, and Yahoo in the weeks leading up to the election, and Google search results –which dominate search in the U.S. and worldwide –were significantly biased in favor of Secretary Clinton in all 10 positions on the first page of search results in both blue states and red states. I know the number of votes that shifted because Ihave conducted dozens of controlled experiments in the U.S. and other countries that measure precisely how opinions and votes shift when search results favor one candidate, cause, or company. I call this shift “SEME” –the Search Engine Manipulation Effect. My first scientific paper on SEME was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS) in 2015 (https://is.gd/p0li8V)(Epstein & Robertson, 2015a) and has since been accessed or downloaded from PNAS’s website more than 200,000 times. SEME has also been replicated by a research team at one of the Max Planck Institutes in Germany
Abandoned at birth by his father Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin searches for his life's purpose. With the help of some friends, Bitcoin rises from total obscurity to become a Batman–esque hero of the people who fights against the corrupt banking system that oppresses everyone.
In the pilot episode, Bitcoin awakens to a chaotic world following the 2008 financial crisis. With only a few words to his young child, Satoshi disappears, leaving Bitcoin with more questions than answers. Fortunately, a benevolent ice cream truck owner (Jones) takes Bitcoin under his wing in a search to find his father.
Bitcoin is the ultimate example of something whose only value is that a few people delude themselves that it has value. In tangible terms, it's purely a certificate of gratuitously wasted electricity.
Our present financial system is the ultimate example of something whose only value is that a few people [in pivotal positions manipulate it and in the confidence in its value by many] assure themselves that it has value.
In the end, the value of a state-issued currency is made tangible by that state having powers of compulsion over its citizens. So in that sense, yes, the backing is utterly reliant on the confidence of its citizens. That confidence can be lost, Zimbabwe and Venezuela being notable recent examples. But it takes a fairly cataclysmic societal upheaval to decimate the value of a state-issued currencly. Whereas a ponzi-scheme con game like crypto-currency could collapse from something as ephemeral as the next shiny economics-fashion idea coming along.
Your point is made…but 'the next shiny economics-fashion idea coming along' sounds just the idea of having a floating currency as the remarkable idea brought by the emissary from the Finsec riding on his magic wand that solved the problem of states trying to hold a stable currency against those who doubted its equivalency. So we decide on the unstable currency dependent on the 'next shiny idea' of the Alex's out there.
And in their persecution and murder of Christians and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria, Isis – which included Muslims from around the world – may not have been specifically aided by the local population; but while Arabs tried to protect their neighbours, others systematically looted their homes and property after Isis had slaughtered or deported the owners. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/holocaust-armenia-genocide-shoah-nazi-germany-turkey-ottoman-a9020601.html
And Don't hold back on fascist fighting …. 32 secs
If anybody deserves a holocaust …it would have to be those fascists …. 1min 32 secs :0
A regime huckster putting words in the mouths of his opponents.
Putting words in the mouths of others, hardly amounts to giving a balanced account.
Allah must never forgive anyone who shows mercy towards the Alawites, screams the opposition activists of Syria”
Faisal Qasim
From this beginning Faisal Qasim goes on to demolish the sectarian straw man argument of his own creation.
Despite Syria being a majority Sunni Muslim country, (and naturally the make up of the majority of the opposition reflect this reality). there have been and are Alawites and Christians who have been in the opposition even in leading positions.
Fadwa Soliman the famed Actress and political activist from Homs who became the most nationally recognised face of the opposition was from a notable Alawite family.
Homs was completely destroyed and depopulated by the regime's genocidal aerial bombardment. To escape this aerial genocide Fadwa Soliman along with tens of thousands of other citizens of Homs was forced to flee the rebel city and become a refugee.
Fadwa Soliman died in exile in France in 2017.
Reason, to finish, will ask you one simple question, it is a question I have always asked regime apologists like yourself.
I have lost track of the number of times I have asked it. And not once since I first posed it, have I ever received a single response from you, or any of the other pro-regime apologists who infest this site
To expose the intellectual dishonesty and cowardice of regime apologists like yourself Reason, I will again ask this question and challenge you to give an answer.
Jenny … … the video part of my post . was just a loon having a rave …. about killing fascists … he calls them Alawites … you call the Assadists … Same people.
You ignored in Wayne Mapp like fashion … the serious part of my post
And in their persecution and murder of Christians and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria,,,,,
Homs … “Christians to Beirut, Alawites to their graves!”
Amnesty International have stated that Raqqa was the worst example of total destruction and indifferent killing of civilians in either Iraq or Syria …. done by your fascist fighters … the good guys.
I've already told you who started it .,.. who is to blame … so your being dishonest yet again.
the video part of my post . was just a loon having a rave …. about killing fascists … he calls them Alawites … you call the Assadists … Same people.
Reason
Indeed he was a loon, just as you say. Faisal Qasim a sort of Arabic shock jock whose show has had 'guests' brawling in front of the cameras. Qasim had been criticised in the past for his habit of hand picking such unrepresentative loons to make his straw man arguments.
In this case a man who lives in Lebanon unknown in Syria, representative of no group or organisation in Syria or Lebanon, or anywhere else who makes no claim of being connected to any group or organisation and who speaks for nobody but himself. A 'loon' quite happy no doubt with his appearance fee to spout his lunacy.
I am sure you could find some loon like this in Lebanon if you specifically went and looked for them.
On another note. I have never used the term Assadist which I consider trite.
Putting words in other people’s mouths is lazy and dishonest.
I notice Reason that just like every other Assad apologist before you, you haven't answered the question.
Why is that?
Do you think it is a trick question?
I am sure you can argue all day long about false flags and crisis actors and faked videos and the rebels gassing their own people to make the Assad regime look bad.
But it is hard to make such arguments in the face of evidence of a whole city destroyed.
As I said your refusal to answer this simple question exposes the intellectual dishonesty and cowardice of regime apologists like yourself.
The truth is we know what we have to do and we can't do it, yet. They are killing us all for money – get that? money – a figment of our imagination.
These 10 companies produced 54.5 million tonnes of CO2 – more than two thirds of NZ's total emissions. Combined, they produced an estimated 54.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, roughly two-thirds of the national total.
That is very clearly put marty mars, but of course such a statement can be as easily applied to the person in the old toyota corolla or the new suv who whizzes past those of us on the road who walk everywhere …
or had the fireplace going last night …
aren't we all complicit by way of our daily actions?
In the case of the fuel companies, it's because the emissions are attributed to the company, not to the fuel buyer that actually burns it and emits the CO2.
Old cars must have a lesser carbon footprint than new because the making and materials would probably be amortised over say ten years, and then be about nil, only running and fuel costs then, and recycled parts often – so a lot of good can come from old cars.
Our lives and the economy have been built around oil-driven cars. What would it have been like if the steam-driven cars had succeeded? There would have been a contest for water, but most of what was used would have come down in rain somewhere wouldn't it?
The Stanley Steamer may have been the answer, killed off by better funded more aggressive Ford. The motor manufacturers had the bit between the teeth, figuratively, and didn't like anyone introducing different ideas to the public, even shatter-proof safety glass, note Tucker.
The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was an American manufacturer of steam-engine vehicles; it operated from 1902 to 1924. The cars made by the company were colloquially called Stanley Steamers, although several different models were produced.
It would be hard to dislike Jonathan Pie as he always presents my point of view in technicolour.
Then the selection that came up after his rant showed Stephen Fry – I am not sure whether he is for or against Brexit, but I would be likely to vote for him if there were just the two – Johnson and Fry for choice. And Fry's make chocolate too don't they – a winning name then. He is more fun than Boorish. And I think he said that his family was Hungarian, so you get diversity straight away to match and perhaps top Boris – Boris has Turkish delight as his sweet spot I think.
Thanks Grey. What makes it more fun, is that those bits were probably unscripted. What a clever chapStephen is. There was a set where he took the hypocrisy of the church to task. Bowled 'em all for a duck.
Clever, funny and possibly principled too. Though that should not be held against him if sizing him up for a politician! Got to have a larf occasionally.
What did poor old Boris Becker do to be connected to this?
His personal life may have been just as turbulent as that of the other Boris but I hardly think he is responsible for Brexit. Let's just remember him as a really great tennis player.
The Coalition of Kindness gives not a shit about disability.
The fact that disabled New Zealanders are neglected and abused (sometimes to death) under the care of Ministry of Health providers matters not.
The recent announcement regarding the end of discrimination of family carers providing assessed supports was nothing but a PR stunt that failed to convince commenters here on the day, and it is now confirmed by our state broadcaster that the numbers simply don't add up.
New delegations for the associate Ministers of Health have been announced and responsibility for the Health Promotion Agency/Te Hiringa Hauora (HPA) has shifted from Hon Jenny Salesa to Hon Peeni Henare.
The full list of responsibilities is:
Associate Minister of Health: Hon Peeni Henare
Responsibility for policy and service delivery realting to:
Māori health equity
the Health Promotion Agency
blood and organ donation (including the New Zealand Blood Service)
diabetes
other initiatives as agreed from time to time.
Associate Minister of Health: Hon Jenny Salesa
Reponsibility for policy and service delivery relating to:
Pacific health equity
problem gambling
healthy school environments
health of older people
tobacco
ethics committees
special patients
the Health Quality and Safety Commission
HealthCERT and quality assurances (including Radiation Safety)
Disability Support Services
other initiatives as agreed from time to time.
Associate Minister of Health: Hon Julie Anne Genter
Responsibility for policy and service delivery relating to the following areas (with the exeption of remuneration issues, which are retained by the Minister of Health):
climate change and health
population health (built environments)
women's health (including maternity services, breast and cervical cancer screening, and the health aspects of abortion)
sexual health
family and sexual violence
public health (including immunisation, but excluding drinking water)
other initiatives as agreed from time to time.
I despair. I really do.
I would sincerely love to hear from the loyal Coalition Flagwavers on this issue…
I would sincerely love to hear from the loyal Coalition Flagwavers on this issue…
So would I but let's not hold our breath waiting. Disabled persons in NZ are now officially at the bottom of the food chain. I would go as far as to say below hardened violent criminals for the simple reason that they don't get ignored by politicians and the media, especially at election time. We just don't exist.
Let's see how many of them vote for the EOLC Bill. I can actually envisage some of them spinning it that allowing the sick and disabled the choice is upholding human rights.
Disability seems to be listed under Jenny Salesa's list of responsibilities.
As for not adding up, the $22.8M.p.a. seems to be slightly under the halfway point of Easton's projection of costs including the new families ($19.4-27.8M.p.a.). Which is reasonable for a budget allocation.
Needs assessments do need an overhaul, though. Vote Green to get it done.
Disability is at the bottom of the list of Jenny Salesa's responsibilities.
The new allocation of funding is only just enough to raise the hourly rate of those already being paid under the discriminatory Funded Family Care.
Those of us who could conceivably paid for the assessed supports we are providing will have to settle for a mere fraction of what has been allocated.
Had I the time McFlock I'd point you in the direction of numerous reports generated with government funding that describe only to clearly the legion of failings of the NASC assessment process. As if it is accurate to describe it as a "process" as that implies some sort of plan, or consistency, or structure.
Well, until people are actually turned down for funding it's all just speculation. And if it happens that there is a shortfall, you and the Greens will lobby to get more funding allocated and backpaid, no?
Well, until people are actually turned down for funding it's all just speculation.
Well, McFlock…why do you think that the local building inspector has to sign off on the foundations of a building before the walls and roof can go up?
In fact, if they did allow the build to proceed with dodgy foundations they'd be liable, surely?
(Or maybe not, since accountability is a dirty word these days.)
My initial optimism that Sunday (Sunday?! to make a major announcement on a bleeding Sunday!…who does that???) was subdued by the knowledge that repeated Ministers from successive governments have been totally and utterly impotent in the face of the often malevolence shown by the Ministry of Health towards disabled people who choose (or have no other option) to have a family member providing their assessed supports. And the MOH bureaucrats have a particular level of contempt towards family carers.
Putting this right could be ridiculously simple once the longstanding issue of inadequate and inconsistent NASC assessments has been sorted.
But this government is too chickenshit to demand that the Ministry of Health DSS makes this work an absolute priority.
Or/and this government truly do believe that disability support deserves it's place and the bottom of the Jenny Salesa's list of responsibilities.
Building inspectors don't assume that the place will fall down before they receive the plans.
But they're the wrong functionary in the building analogy, anyway. People build a new home aim for a value of say $500,000. But that's just an estimate. They'll try to bring it in on budget, but if it comes out to be more expensive, there's usually a certain leeway in their cost estimate to absorb a bit more expense. It might be $497k, but they might push to $580k or more.
What they don't do is get all dismayed about the project because the plans costed out the dwelling but the driveway isn't included. They will ask about the cost of that detail, but it's not a portent of project doom.
McFlock. I can see this is not your particular area of knowledge or expertise so I'll try and explain.
The Ministry of Health Disability Support Services has this database (called SOCRATES) they set up back in…2007 or so.. which in 2013 was finally persuaded to regurgitate some actual, well,data.
Up until then, and Brian Easton (blessings upon him and his kin) made mention of this in his 2008 brief of evidence to the Human Rights Review Tribunal for Atkinson, actual numbers of people enrolled with each area NASC were sketchy to say the least.
Those enrolled who had high and very high support needs (as assessed by the NASC) they could only make the wildest of guesses.
The numbers with high and very high support needs who were costing the Ministry NOTHING to support because an unpaid family carer was doing those tasks unpaid, they had very little idea…but…strangely enough by the time Crown Law had done their work, their economist's guestimate ($17-593 million) the upper figure of (and why don't we round that up) $600 million is the one that stuck. Big, scary costings based on guesses of what the actual numbers were.
Easton was much closer, and until I get a reply back from MOH DSS as to where the number "640" originated (if you haven't been keeping up that is the number of extra family carers Ardern has promised to pay) I won't be able to be more accurate in my estimates.
But looking at the data from Socrates, it could very well be that of the MOH DSS clients wanting or needing family to provide some or all of their assessed supports 640 extra might not be far off the mark.
It would be much easier if Socrates actually kept count of not only the Support Needs Allocation for the MOH DSS clients but also the actual funding used by each client. Because, believe it or not, it doesn't. Or so they claim.
So, McFlock…what I'm trying to get through to you ( and anyone else even remotely concerned that I am damning the Ministry and its tamed Ministers presumptively) that this is well on the way to being yet another Ministry of Health Disability Support Services cock up. And while they just might fool some with their brilliant impression of a virgin on his wedding night floundering around in the dark, they are not fooling me.
They have the data and they have the numbers and they will have a very good idea of how much it is going to cost to bring about justice.
So either the ministry advisors are misleading the government and setting them up to look like numpties with their Sunday afternoon announcements, or, the Ministers, including Ardern, are well aware it simply wasn't going to float but thought we were all (including Easton) too thick to notice.
And seriously McFlock…you'd wait until the keys were handed over to draw attention to the fault in the slab?
Look, I get the "fifteen times bitten, I know what to expect" routine.
But if all those 640 families get one full time support allocation at the top pay rate, the system will run out of funding in months. If it's part time funding at lower scales on average, the current funding might actually be adequate. If funding isn't adequate, it'll likely run out just before the election – which would almost guarantee a quick boost.
This is why I prefer "pretense of kindness" governments. They at least have to back it up if they get too specific.
I'd wait until the slab was poured before assuming there's a fault.
Home transfers to overseas people in Central Auckland peaked at 321 transfers (22 per cent) in the June 2018 quarter, shortly before the Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018 was passed, restricting the sale of residential land.
Of these, 153 homes were transferred to overseas people with Chinese tax residency in the June 2018 quarter – falling to 48 in the June 2019 quarter.
Across New Zealand, there were 183 home transfers to people who didn't hold NZ citizenship or a resident visa in the June 2019 quarter versus 1116 in the same quarter last year. Total home transfers numbered 37,695 and of those 0.5 per cent went to overseas buyers. A year earlier, total home transfers numbered 39,627 and 2.8 per cent went to overseas buyers.
A ban on foreign buyers took effect from October 22 last year and prevents most people who don't hold NZ citizenship or a resident visa from buying residential property in New Zealand.
Under the revamped act, there are exemptions for those who buy new apartments in certain developments, who add to New Zealand's housing supply, and for Australian and Singaporean citizens.
A bunch of gripes about royalty – Prince Charles doesn't sit up and beg like one of his Mother's corgis might. It hasn't always been good to host royalty, as noted from past centuries. Prince Charles is not PC about his duties to visit, smile at the peeps and now sends trucks carrying the entire bedroom suite including orthopaedic bed for himself and Camilla. If he has to put himself about the nation, he is an old man, and he tries to do it to his standard of comfort not that of the hosts, and probably has learned that from past experience.
The country's leading building product assurance scheme is in disarray after another major company pulled out of it.
The CodeMark review questions competency and technical expertise of companies that issue certificates.
The government's CodeMark scheme provides product approvals that cannot be challenged by councils during building consenting, but the scheme has now lost three of its seven certifiers, and these three have issued almost 70 percent of all certificates.
The latest to go is also the biggest, CertMark of Queensland, which issued 63 certificates, or a third of the total 183 CodeMarks.
It's a blow that the Building Industry Federation, which represents thousands of products suppliers, believes might prove fatal.
(This reflects that under neolib government is unable to keep control of its projects, its services, how they are run, whether they get value for money, etc.)
I heard a report on the Provincial Growth Fund this morning. One of its objects was to get work for NZs unemployed (get the nevvies off the couch) yet by the time it gets contracted out in frequent iterations, the gummint don't know what's going on.
RNZ also requested under the OIA the number of migrant workers being employed in these jobs through the fund, but the Provincial Development Unit (PDU) does not keep these figures.
PDU head Robert Pigou said they did not monitor who were actually getting the jobs once the money got to those projects.
"We don't keep track and the contracts don't require applicants to provide us with the details of where they're getting their workforce from.
"In many cases the applicants might be a local organisations like the district council and they would then go and contract with a third party."
Bloody neolib is not working well for citizens. However I did hear Michael Bassett waffling on this morning as head of Auckland Chamber of Commerce. M. Bassett is one of the Hounds that ushered in the neolib system and sold the stupid Unionists down the river as redundant munters of our small economy. Adopting the fancy new USA economic system was just what the wealthy ordered, giving them the chance for a plutocratic lifestyle in a peasant farmer country, that would always be struggling but why should they be held down by our size and isolation?
Principals fear Government learning support plan lacks long-term funding…
Auckland Primary Principals' Association president Heath McNeil said while the intent of the action plan was important, many of its goals were "we wills" subject to getting more funding down the line.
We've got boards of trustees now that are forced into topping up ministry funding by tens of thousands, in some cases hundreds of thousands, every year out of their operational budgets … We've just had a significant number of our students with needs have teacher aide funding cuts, pretty drastic ones, in the last three months."
McNeil points to other aims of the action plan, including reducing waiting times for early intervention.
"But the timeframe for that is six-and-a-half years with no real targets," he said.
I have a cunning plan. Pig disease in China – African Swine Flu (is that racist?) – is decimating their herds, flocks, whatever. Apparently it has been spread by feeding them meat scraps.
We used to feed pigs from the whey of our milk. Why don't we start doing that again and have pig meat that is 100% pure of ASF? At the same time we reduce the bloody factory dairy farms carrying stock numbers by a certain amount each year for the next three years. Then we will have a dynamic duo of healthy cows and pigs, and less disease from stacked stock with no room to move and live their normal lives.
Our frenzied dash after every dollar has led us to have cramped quarters in our own sour pens. A healthy appreciation of what life is about for animals and ourselves, the superior species, may be the saving of us for healthy real food. I can see the dreamy ads quite now, and if they are based on truth for once, we will be winners.
A pattern of repeated representations from senior NZ politicians to their Australian counterparts about this issue is emerging.
Deportations a growing source of tension
The Australian and New Zealand governments have been at odds over this issue since the legislation changes were introduced in 2014…
But this harsh deportation policy isn't the only issue creating strain in the relationship. New Zealand's offer to resettle refugees imprisoned in Australian offshore detention centres has been refused a number of times, most recently last week.
Morrison's apparent lack of willingness to take Ardern's concerns about deporting New Zealand offenders more seriously confirms a noticeable hardening in Australia's approach…
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton: "where people are sexually offending against children, for example, we've had a big push to try to deport those paedophiles."
Fair enough, most Australians may think.
But Dutton's remarks are highly misleading. The overwhelming majority of the people being deported are not paedophiles.
In fact, many people being deported from Australia under the "character test" have extensive family ties in Australia and have spent very little time in New Zealand, having arrived in Australia as children.
Losing contact with family
Deportees we've interviewed for as-yet unpublished research* had experienced significant trauma because of this process, and a common theme in our research is grief from the loss of contact with children and other loved ones.
Stories of families being torn apart and children being raised by only one parent were particularly distressing for them to recount.
*Professor Patrick Keyzer heads La Trobe University's law school. Dave Martin is a PhD candidate, La Trobe University
(Sounds nasty N..i behaviour from the Australian government. Not all Australians adopt this vicious mentality to NZs thank goodness.)
There were hopes for a change of government, and a show of principled behaviour, fairness and having a heart but the Australians have one approach for their citizens and apparently a prejudice against NZs which is totally unjustified, considering how we have been disadvantaged as a country from their government actions.
.
As the number of deportees has mounted, so too has the death toll. In the past three years, at least four New Zealand citizens have died in Australian custody or immediately following deportation, and researchers believe there are almost certainly more. The New Zealand government has no estimate of the total number of deaths, and Minister of Justice Andrew Little says his office is powerless to force a change in Australian law. “We don’t have any control over what the Australians do. We don’t have a great deal of leverage.”
Advocates in both countries say Australia’s actions are in direct contravention of United Nations conventions against torture, and in several cases even children have been locked in isolation or detained with adults, forcing tense political standoffs.
More than 15,000 New Zealand citizens are expected to be deported in the next ten years; a flood of exiles, many with no connection to this country, never allowed to go home.
National cut back on training for young mothers and other young people, so the vocational training institutions have to cut back. Then we can blame them when there are no trained people for jobs and we just have to – sob, sob – get immigrant labour in. A race to the bottom for NZ Inc. Will the last person out please turn off the light. Oh don't worry the light fitting has gone phut already.
I'm breaking my recent resolution not to return to The Standard because this particular subject is too important to leave unremarked. I can't post this item where it really belongs (The Guardian) because they're so snowed under lately with BTL comments, they have to close them off within about 5 minutes of the OP's piece going up.
I'm starting to see some ominous parallels with the 1917 Russian revolution. We have here a group that barely commands a majority in its own party (think: Bolsheviks v Mensheviks), but which knows exactly what it wants, concentrates relentlessly on its objectives, and is in the process of seizing a degree of power unprecedented in modern Britain. Like Lenin, they have realised that a small, active, tightly focused organisation is going to be more effective than a larger, diffuse one whose members don't have common goals.
The timing from their point of view couldn't be better – Parliament in recess for the next six weeks, so nothing to hold this Executive to account till early September. I predict we will see in that period a huge spate of activity by Cabinet and the ministries and departments of state. It will all be within the bounds – just – of existing legislation, but hitherto accepted agreements about what is "done" and "not done" will be ripped to shreds, just as we've been seeing in the USA.
There'll be no need to formally control the press because Rupert "Moloch" will do it for them and pump out endless propaganda about the necessity for it all. And then, shortly after Parliament resumes, they'll engineer some single-issue "crisis" and call a general election in search of a formal mandate to resolve it – and, by-the-by, cement their grip on what remains of the country.
Deluded fantasy on my part? Oh I hope so, I do hope so.
Yes Obi Knobi. Boris isn't as silly as he looks I think. As you say it's a worry.
And why don't you want to comment here? That would be interesting to know – or do you feel there isn't freedom of speech and thought allowed here to talk about it? I think it is important to say. What have you got to lose? I am sorry in advance, if I have offended you.
I'm not offended, Grey. I just got sick and tired of seeing about 90% of BTL comments devoted to petty point-scoring and denigration of anyone who didn't happen to share the particular point of view of the poster. I'd better things to do with my time than wading through that sort of drivel.
Vulnerable mothers desperately need access to more residential homes so they can keep their babies instead of watching them being taken into state care, an Insight investigation has found.
Last year, 281 babies were taken from their mothers within three months of birth, up from 247 in 2016…
But there are only five residential homes nationwide that offer a safe environment for women and their babies and support mothers to be good parents.
These homes can only offer 24 places for vulnerable mothers and their children at any one time.
Does anyone think this is the right way to support new families, and treat parents and children who should be encouraged to bond and build the security and continuity that keeps children happy and trusting in parents?
Moving into a residential home was not an option for Mel*, who ended up in a Women's Refuge safe house at the start of this year, after another hiding from her ex-partner.
(Mel protests against Oranga Tamariki uplifts after her children were taken into state care. Photo: RNZ / Leigh Marama McLachlan)
She spent the week there before Oranga Tamariki took her one-year-old and three-month-old daughters over safety issues.
"I was compliant with Oranga Tamariki through that whole week, going into meetings," Mel said.
"That Friday they told me to come into the office at 5pm, when they had closed. They threw a bit of paper at me saying, 'You've got a minute to say goodbye to your kids'.
This seems… odd. It seems to be more a bureaucratic bias against prescriptive curruculae rather than intentional suppression (although suppression will be the outcome).
I always figured that there were basics that needed to be taught, and that was dictated by the ministry so local nutbars couldn't teach utter bullshit. Apparently I luckily just went ot a progressive school that taught physics, evolution, and some aspects of colonisation (rather than just the bible, intelligent design, and a flat earth with no history outside of europe).
It does seem weird to me that there isn't at least some minimum requirement of coveragewithin the curriculum – does the science curriculum require teachers to teach the basic equations like "F=ma", or is that all just traditionally done out of the kindness of teachers' hearts?
That idiot who drove a roller and smashed other people cars with it needs his head read something wrong up there .
This Government is talking to the whenua protesters Ma te wa.
Simon ain't plastic like shonky is .
Can't all the customers of Wallis group just separate the pork out of there meat waste and find a new market for there waste pork no drama there I say.
There is more to trees and plant life than people know or believe The Kauri stump being kept alive by other trees giving it vital nutrients very interesting.
This Government is trying to figure out a solution to the whenua protesters problems the last lot would have tried to shut it down to many tangata whenua there now to . It is a difacult thing to get to the bottom of who is correct in the whenua issue . My tipuna had a Maori Land court case that lasted 40 years and still it's not sorted the correct owners only got 5 shears out of 500 the shears went to the crowns stool pigeon Eco Maori is going to be re starting that case Ma Te Wa.
national scrapped the cancer agency and now they are trying to capitalize on their own MESS Paddy.
Eco Maori thinks all the help that our Pacific cousins can get from Aotearoa and China is needed to help them cope with climate change.Its cool that our government is investing in saving that rear bird .
Donna mahi is good for the wairua its sad that the system has a age discrimination I think its should change to encourage the elderly get mahi.
Alex it was freezing in bayview Hawksbay yesterday morning and today but where Eco Maori resides Te Ra was shining bright and warm also Te Ra had my solar powered system running strong.
Paina you lost your voice I did a few months ago it took about 2 months to come back it was sad times for Eco Maori.
Rania Smith te tangata knows the TRUTH about the historical significance of Ihumatoo.
I agree that tangata whenua need to have a bigger hand in the stakes of tamariki in the states care. I have made a few statements that to care for someone correctly one has to have aroha for that person so Maori need to be included in the care of these poorest tamariki.
I tau toko the Hawaiian who are protesting that 30 meter high telescope on their sacred mountain they have every right to sue That is what will stop that telescope being built but like tangata whenua O Aotearoa they will have limited resources.
You two national supporters love any story that is negative about our Labour lead Coalition Governments Aotearoa economy is fine when compared to other countries and whats happening around Papatuanuku
Sorry about you been robbed point your finger at your national m8 they made the poor people poorer hence more robberies.
Chris the disabled people needs of access ramps needs to be catered for by these organizations. We have a hard time getting transportation for one of our love ones whom is disabled.
I can see this canser drug issue being privately pushed buy the Big drug companies. Talking about doubling Pharmacs budget the drug companies will be rubbing their hands together thinking about their PROFITS they are going to get from this campaign. Its all about Te mone .
I disagree a business man like shonky only set the country up for the wealthy people hence we have a major housing crisis thanks to shonky a run down health system and education system the roads were ignored he was cutting all the state organizations budgets hence the big mess our Coalition Government has to clean up.
Measles has been quite prominent in Aotearoa as of late the prisoner's who have measles its been a problem Papatuanuku wide.
Condolences to the people who lost their loveones in the Korean nightclub bar balcony accident.
All the best in your new journey of retiring from international Polo you made Aotearoa shine bright with your starlight Sir Mark Tod Im sure you will have heaps of other things to keep you busy.
I would rather live with kiore that be a kiore .
Mike I know what that is like my machinery being tampered with my machinery has strange things happen like my Eco Maori Truck having lose nuts on the ball joints tyers going down for no logical reason I know all those ball joints nuts were tight because I changed the ball joints my self guessing who the tamper is.
Condolences to the whanau who lost love ones in the Kiangroa Bay of plenty car and truck crash.
Its good to see that time have changed now Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa is commanding more respect and we are receiving it .
At Winston my whanau were Mana whenua and still we didn't get our correct shears in our whenua.
Thats a awesome knitted flag that te Wahine made I Eco Maori is a suporter for equality for Wahine.
Some people need to learn not to bite the hands that care for them the most or would Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa prefer to have a government like national making common people lives very hard to paddle there waka te waka is actually going backwards with a national government be careful Whanau we might get burned by your actions.
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
Oh dear. Details matter …
https://www.vox.com/2019/7/25/8930035/trump-altered-presidential-seal
Infantroopen … lawmarkers … and in the replies, today's greatest observation: "Trump's ass looks like a pet door for Lindsey Graham"
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1154422075345526785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1154452456425713665&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Ftrump-mark-esper-infantroopen_n_5d39ed47e4b020cd99505d05
Oh dear the fix is on.
https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1154444505090629633
Here are five disturbing findings from my research, which adheres, I believe, to the highest possible scientific standards inall respects:1.In 2016, biased search results generated by Google’s search algorithml ikely impacted undecided voters in a way that gave at least 2.6 million votes to Hillary Clinton(whom I supported). I know this because I preserved more than 13,000 election-related searches conducted by a diverse group of Americans on Google, Bing, and Yahoo in the weeks leading up to the election, and Google search results –which dominate search in the U.S. and worldwide –were significantly biased in favor of Secretary Clinton in all 10 positions on the first page of search results in both blue states and red states. I know the number of votes that shifted because Ihave conducted dozens of controlled experiments in the U.S. and other countries that measure precisely how opinions and votes shift when search results favor one candidate, cause, or company. I call this shift “SEME” –the Search Engine Manipulation Effect. My first scientific paper on SEME was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS) in 2015 (https://is.gd/p0li8V)(Epstein & Robertson, 2015a) and has since been accessed or downloaded from PNAS’s website more than 200,000 times. SEME has also been replicated by a research team at one of the Max Planck Institutes in Germany
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Epstein%20Testimony.pdf
Uh oh Poission , that kind of news does not give comfort to righteous Democrat minds
And for that reason I think you'll find that the Russians directed that research.Google is as pure as the driven snow
The story of Bitcoin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCi3X3AbgT4
From TDV newsletter:
The plot goes like this…
Abandoned at birth by his father Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin searches for his life's purpose. With the help of some friends, Bitcoin rises from total obscurity to become a Batman–esque hero of the people who fights against the corrupt banking system that oppresses everyone.
In the pilot episode, Bitcoin awakens to a chaotic world following the 2008 financial crisis. With only a few words to his young child, Satoshi disappears, leaving Bitcoin with more questions than answers. Fortunately, a benevolent ice cream truck owner (Jones) takes Bitcoin under his wing in a search to find his father.
Bitcoin is the ultimate example of something whose only value is that a few people delude themselves that it has value. In tangible terms, it's purely a certificate of gratuitously wasted electricity.
Meh. Currency is what you make it.
Reasons to use bitcoin #93 Everyone should have a Swiss Bank Account in their pocket
https://www.reasonstousebitcoin.com/shop/t-shirt/reason-93/
Cryptocurrency is a vapourware ponzi scheme, it *will* burn you sooner or later
The Wild West Of Crypto Hacks
Our present financial system is the ultimate example of something whose only value is that a few people [in pivotal positions manipulate it and in the confidence in its value by many] assure themselves that it has value.
In the end, the value of a state-issued currency is made tangible by that state having powers of compulsion over its citizens. So in that sense, yes, the backing is utterly reliant on the confidence of its citizens. That confidence can be lost, Zimbabwe and Venezuela being notable recent examples. But it takes a fairly cataclysmic societal upheaval to decimate the value of a state-issued currencly. Whereas a ponzi-scheme con game like crypto-currency could collapse from something as ephemeral as the next shiny economics-fashion idea coming along.
Your point is made…but 'the next shiny economics-fashion idea coming along' sounds just the idea of having a floating currency as the remarkable idea brought by the emissary from the Finsec riding on his magic wand that solved the problem of states trying to hold a stable currency against those who doubted its equivalency. So we decide on the unstable currency dependent on the 'next shiny idea' of the Alex's out there.
Alex cartoon Telegraph Peattie & Taylor
Syria Speaks
Tonight Auckland
Think you are an expert on Syria?
Think that the Assad regime is an anti-imperialist bastion?
Don't think that the Syian people have any right to defend themselves from a monstrous tyranny?
Think again?
Hear Syrians give their side of the story
The Peace Place
22 Emily Place
7pm
This Hui originally organised for the 15th of June, the anniversary of the start of the revolution against the Assad dynastic regime.
Despite the online death threats against this event this event.
Show the fascists that we will not be cowed.
Remember to put a good work in for the christians
And Don't hold back on fascist fighting …. 32 secs
If anybody deserves a holocaust …it would have to be those fascists …. 1min 32 secs :0
Peace be with you …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULtNYSUqYHw
Hi Reason, hardly a credible source.
A regime huckster putting words in the mouths of his opponents.
Putting words in the mouths of others, hardly amounts to giving a balanced account.
From this beginning Faisal Qasim goes on to demolish the sectarian straw man argument of his own creation.
Despite Syria being a majority Sunni Muslim country, (and naturally the make up of the majority of the opposition reflect this reality). there have been and are Alawites and Christians who have been in the opposition even in leading positions.
Fadwa Soliman the famed Actress and political activist from Homs who became the most nationally recognised face of the opposition was from a notable Alawite family.
Homs was completely destroyed and depopulated by the regime's genocidal aerial bombardment. To escape this aerial genocide Fadwa Soliman along with tens of thousands of other citizens of Homs was forced to flee the rebel city and become a refugee.
Fadwa Soliman died in exile in France in 2017.
Reason, to finish, will ask you one simple question, it is a question I have always asked regime apologists like yourself.
I have lost track of the number of times I have asked it. And not once since I first posed it, have I ever received a single response from you, or any of the other pro-regime apologists who infest this site
To expose the intellectual dishonesty and cowardice of regime apologists like yourself Reason, I will again ask this question and challenge you to give an answer.
Who did this?
And is it not evidence of genocide?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=mt3gR4BUPmQ
Jenny … … the video part of my post . was just a loon having a rave …. about killing fascists … he calls them Alawites … you call the Assadists … Same people.
You ignored in Wayne Mapp like fashion … the serious part of my post
Homs … “Christians to Beirut, Alawites to their graves!”
Amnesty International have stated that Raqqa was the worst example of total destruction and indifferent killing of civilians in either Iraq or Syria …. done by your fascist fighters … the good guys.
I've already told you who started it .,.. who is to blame … so your being dishonest yet again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB3B-SSXKII&fbclid=IwAR0w0kpsITcJU8YHbJ1AeKElSa8eFJIjRHlkAY5w6sxvUoh6woN9z-p2CPs
Indeed he was a loon, just as you say. Faisal Qasim a sort of Arabic shock jock whose show has had 'guests' brawling in front of the cameras. Qasim had been criticised in the past for his habit of hand picking such unrepresentative loons to make his straw man arguments.
In this case a man who lives in Lebanon unknown in Syria, representative of no group or organisation in Syria or Lebanon, or anywhere else who makes no claim of being connected to any group or organisation and who speaks for nobody but himself. A 'loon' quite happy no doubt with his appearance fee to spout his lunacy.
I am sure you could find some loon like this in Lebanon if you specifically went and looked for them.
On another note. I have never used the term Assadist which I consider trite.
Putting words in other people’s mouths is lazy and dishonest.
Jenny …. "Putting words in other people’s mouths is lazy and dishonest."
lazy, dishonest …and forgetful in your case jenny.
I notice Reason that just like every other Assad apologist before you, you haven't answered the question.
Why is that?
Do you think it is a trick question?
I am sure you can argue all day long about false flags and crisis actors and faked videos and the rebels gassing their own people to make the Assad regime look bad.
But it is hard to make such arguments in the face of evidence of a whole city destroyed.
As I said your refusal to answer this simple question exposes the intellectual dishonesty and cowardice of regime apologists like yourself.
So I will ask you again, and defy you to answer
Who did this?
And is it not evidence of genocide?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=mt3gR4BUPmQ
The truth is we know what we have to do and we can't do it, yet. They are killing us all for money – get that? money – a figment of our imagination.
That is very clearly put marty mars, but of course such a statement can be as easily applied to the person in the old toyota corolla or the new suv who whizzes past those of us on the road who walk everywhere …
or had the fireplace going last night …
aren't we all complicit by way of our daily actions?
Interesting how many of them are Energy sector companies.
In the case of the fuel companies, it's because the emissions are attributed to the company, not to the fuel buyer that actually burns it and emits the CO2.
The same goes for the ag sector. Farmers get blamed instead of the people eating the meat and vegies ,cheese and milk etc
The difference is the ag sector actually does the emitting, much more than the final consumer. Well, if you exclude the bean-eating vegans, that is.
🙁 The most common sharks that are killed for squalene are…Basking sharks, Soupfin sharks, Bluntnose sixgill sharks.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/07/sharks-news-cosmetics-squalene-health/
Old cars must have a lesser carbon footprint than new because the making and materials would probably be amortised over say ten years, and then be about nil, only running and fuel costs then, and recycled parts often – so a lot of good can come from old cars.
Our lives and the economy have been built around oil-driven cars. What would it have been like if the steam-driven cars had succeeded? There would have been a contest for water, but most of what was used would have come down in rain somewhere wouldn't it?
The Stanley Steamer may have been the answer, killed off by better funded more aggressive Ford. The motor manufacturers had the bit between the teeth, figuratively, and didn't like anyone introducing different ideas to the public, even shatter-proof safety glass, note Tucker.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Tucker
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucker_48
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/a30105/an-ultra-rare-3-million-tucker-48-was-discovered-in-an-ohio-barn/
Preston Tucker's car company was responsible for 51 cars being built. Of those, we know that 47 "Tucker '48s" have survived and we know where all of them are.
Another inventive gasoline-driven car maker. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Duryea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Motor_Carriage_Company
(Twins Francis E. Stanley (1849–1918) and Freelan O. Stanley (1849–1940) founded the company)
The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was an American manufacturer of steam-engine vehicles; it operated from 1902 to 1924. The cars made by the company were colloquially called Stanley Steamers, although several different models were produced.
The Stanleys had earlier developed improved dry plate photographic plates. They sold that invention to a chap called Eastman!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Edgar_Stanley
Ah, Boris Becker's bollocks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUx3UjX7h6c
Stark relief. Huh.
It would be hard to dislike Jonathan Pie as he always presents my point of view in technicolour.
Then the selection that came up after his rant showed Stephen Fry – I am not sure whether he is for or against Brexit, but I would be likely to vote for him if there were just the two – Johnson and Fry for choice. And Fry's make chocolate too don't they – a winning name then. He is more fun than Boorish. And I think he said that his family was Hungarian, so you get diversity straight away to match and perhaps top Boris – Boris has Turkish delight as his sweet spot I think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FbQSp5caA
Thanks Grey. What makes it more fun, is that those bits were probably unscripted. What a clever chapStephen is. There was a set where he took the hypocrisy of the church to task. Bowled 'em all for a duck.
Clever, funny and possibly principled too. Though that should not be held against him if sizing him up for a politician! Got to have a larf occasionally.
What did poor old Boris Becker do to be connected to this?
His personal life may have been just as turbulent as that of the other Boris but I hardly think he is responsible for Brexit. Let's just remember him as a really great tennis player.
It is Official.
The Coalition of Kindness gives not a shit about disability.
The fact that disabled New Zealanders are neglected and abused (sometimes to death) under the care of Ministry of Health providers matters not.
The recent announcement regarding the end of discrimination of family carers providing assessed supports was nothing but a PR stunt that failed to convince commenters here on the day, and it is now confirmed by our state broadcaster that the numbers simply don't add up.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/395170/new-families-joining-funded-family-care-scheme-may-miss-out-on-fair-pay
And to confirm exactly where disability sits on the list of priorities…
https://www.hpa.org.nz/news/new-delegations-for-the-associate-ministers-of-health-announced
New delegations for the associate Ministers of Health have been announced and responsibility for the Health Promotion Agency/Te Hiringa Hauora (HPA) has shifted from Hon Jenny Salesa to Hon Peeni Henare.
The full list of responsibilities is:
Associate Minister of Health: Hon Peeni Henare
Responsibility for policy and service delivery realting to:
Associate Minister of Health: Hon Jenny Salesa
Reponsibility for policy and service delivery relating to:
Associate Minister of Health: Hon Julie Anne Genter
Responsibility for policy and service delivery relating to the following areas (with the exeption of remuneration issues, which are retained by the Minister of Health):
I despair. I really do.
I would sincerely love to hear from the loyal Coalition Flagwavers on this issue…
Stay strong Rosemary, don't let the bastards get you down.
I would sincerely love to hear from the loyal Coalition Flagwavers on this issue…
So would I but let's not hold our breath waiting. Disabled persons in NZ are now officially at the bottom of the food chain. I would go as far as to say below hardened violent criminals for the simple reason that they don't get ignored by politicians and the media, especially at election time. We just don't exist.
Let's see how many of them vote for the EOLC Bill. I can actually envisage some of them spinning it that allowing the sick and disabled the choice is upholding human rights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2kV83nPWnM
It's the only way such voting could be spun…
All so very progressive.
Gotta wonder what the issues are which will mobilise the mainstream…
Too hard basket…don't care….something more sinister…combination…
The eugenics folks didn't hide.
I suspect a number of psycho/sociopaths on the list of ministerial advisors.
Isn't that a job requirement?
Treatment of vulnerable human beings around the place , home and abroad should not be accepted.
As you say, the EOL vote will expose them…
To what end it would matter remains to be seen…
This govt were always going to let many people down…predictably.
So long as the darkness is in control…little of nothing meaningful is going to change…
Disability seems to be listed under Jenny Salesa's list of responsibilities.
As for not adding up, the $22.8M.p.a. seems to be slightly under the halfway point of Easton's projection of costs including the new families ($19.4-27.8M.p.a.). Which is reasonable for a budget allocation.
Needs assessments do need an overhaul, though. Vote Green to get it done.
Disability is at the bottom of the list of Jenny Salesa's responsibilities.
The new allocation of funding is only just enough to raise the hourly rate of those already being paid under the discriminatory Funded Family Care.
Those of us who could conceivably paid for the assessed supports we are providing will have to settle for a mere fraction of what has been allocated.
Had I the time McFlock I'd point you in the direction of numerous reports generated with government funding that describe only to clearly the legion of failings of the NASC assessment process. As if it is accurate to describe it as a "process" as that implies some sort of plan, or consistency, or structure.
Call Hanlon, because I still can't decide.
(I did vote Green)
The list of portfolios is not necessarily hierarchical. That is your assumption.
[edit] argh shit yeah fair call the allocation is enough to cover existing recipients.
Although I still think the assumption that any additional recipients from the new rule won’t be covered is a rough call.
Brian Easton is not overly optimistic, and I'll take his word over that of some overpaid spindoctor.
For a few brief moments there McFlock those Miserly of Health bureaucrats and their tamed Ministers had most of the people fooled with their bullshit.
Well, until people are actually turned down for funding it's all just speculation. And if it happens that there is a shortfall, you and the Greens will lobby to get more funding allocated and backpaid, no?
Well, until people are actually turned down for funding it's all just speculation.
Well, McFlock…why do you think that the local building inspector has to sign off on the foundations of a building before the walls and roof can go up?
In fact, if they did allow the build to proceed with dodgy foundations they'd be liable, surely?
(Or maybe not, since accountability is a dirty word these days.)
My initial optimism that Sunday (Sunday?! to make a major announcement on a bleeding Sunday!…who does that???) was subdued by the knowledge that repeated Ministers from successive governments have been totally and utterly impotent in the face of the often malevolence shown by the Ministry of Health towards disabled people who choose (or have no other option) to have a family member providing their assessed supports. And the MOH bureaucrats have a particular level of contempt towards family carers.
Putting this right could be ridiculously simple once the longstanding issue of inadequate and inconsistent NASC assessments has been sorted.
But this government is too chickenshit to demand that the Ministry of Health DSS makes this work an absolute priority.
Or/and this government truly do believe that disability support deserves it's place and the bottom of the Jenny Salesa's list of responsibilities.
Building inspectors don't assume that the place will fall down before they receive the plans.
But they're the wrong functionary in the building analogy, anyway. People build a new home aim for a value of say $500,000. But that's just an estimate. They'll try to bring it in on budget, but if it comes out to be more expensive, there's usually a certain leeway in their cost estimate to absorb a bit more expense. It might be $497k, but they might push to $580k or more.
What they don't do is get all dismayed about the project because the plans costed out the dwelling but the driveway isn't included. They will ask about the cost of that detail, but it's not a portent of project doom.
McFlock. I can see this is not your particular area of knowledge or expertise so I'll try and explain.
The Ministry of Health Disability Support Services has this database (called SOCRATES) they set up back in…2007 or so.. which in 2013 was finally persuaded to regurgitate some actual, well,data.
Up until then, and Brian Easton (blessings upon him and his kin) made mention of this in his 2008 brief of evidence to the Human Rights Review Tribunal for Atkinson, actual numbers of people enrolled with each area NASC were sketchy to say the least.
Those enrolled who had high and very high support needs (as assessed by the NASC) they could only make the wildest of guesses.
The numbers with high and very high support needs who were costing the Ministry NOTHING to support because an unpaid family carer was doing those tasks unpaid, they had very little idea…but…strangely enough by the time Crown Law had done their work, their economist's guestimate ($17-593 million) the upper figure of (and why don't we round that up) $600 million is the one that stuck. Big, scary costings based on guesses of what the actual numbers were.
Easton was much closer, and until I get a reply back from MOH DSS as to where the number "640" originated (if you haven't been keeping up that is the number of extra family carers Ardern has promised to pay) I won't be able to be more accurate in my estimates.
But looking at the data from Socrates, it could very well be that of the MOH DSS clients wanting or needing family to provide some or all of their assessed supports 640 extra might not be far off the mark.
It would be much easier if Socrates actually kept count of not only the Support Needs Allocation for the MOH DSS clients but also the actual funding used by each client. Because, believe it or not, it doesn't. Or so they claim.
So, McFlock…what I'm trying to get through to you ( and anyone else even remotely concerned that I am damning the Ministry and its tamed Ministers presumptively) that this is well on the way to being yet another Ministry of Health Disability Support Services cock up. And while they just might fool some with their brilliant impression of a virgin on his wedding night floundering around in the dark, they are not fooling me.
They have the data and they have the numbers and they will have a very good idea of how much it is going to cost to bring about justice.
So either the ministry advisors are misleading the government and setting them up to look like numpties with their Sunday afternoon announcements, or, the Ministers, including Ardern, are well aware it simply wasn't going to float but thought we were all (including Easton) too thick to notice.
And seriously McFlock…you'd wait until the keys were handed over to draw attention to the fault in the slab?
Look, I get the "fifteen times bitten, I know what to expect" routine.
But if all those 640 families get one full time support allocation at the top pay rate, the system will run out of funding in months. If it's part time funding at lower scales on average, the current funding might actually be adequate. If funding isn't adequate, it'll likely run out just before the election – which would almost guarantee a quick boost.
This is why I prefer "pretense of kindness" governments. They at least have to back it up if they get too specific.
I'd wait until the slab was poured before assuming there's a fault.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12253024
Only 75 Auckland homes sold to overseas buyers in past 3 months; Chinese activity collapses
Home transfers to overseas people in Central Auckland peaked at 321 transfers (22 per cent) in the June 2018 quarter, shortly before the Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018 was passed, restricting the sale of residential land.
Of these, 153 homes were transferred to overseas people with Chinese tax residency in the June 2018 quarter – falling to 48 in the June 2019 quarter.
Across New Zealand, there were 183 home transfers to people who didn't hold NZ citizenship or a resident visa in the June 2019 quarter versus 1116 in the same quarter last year. Total home transfers numbered 37,695 and of those 0.5 per cent went to overseas buyers. A year earlier, total home transfers numbered 39,627 and 2.8 per cent went to overseas buyers.
A ban on foreign buyers took effect from October 22 last year and prevents most people who don't hold NZ citizenship or a resident visa from buying residential property in New Zealand.
Under the revamped act, there are exemptions for those who buy new apartments in certain developments, who add to New Zealand's housing supply, and for Australian and Singaporean citizens.
A bunch of gripes about royalty – Prince Charles doesn't sit up and beg like one of his Mother's corgis might. It hasn't always been good to host royalty, as noted from past centuries. Prince Charles is not PC about his duties to visit, smile at the peeps and now sends trucks carrying the entire bedroom suite including orthopaedic bed for himself and Camilla. If he has to put himself about the nation, he is an old man, and he tries to do it to his standard of comfort not that of the hosts, and probably has learned that from past experience.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12014916 Prince Charles to visit New Zealand: Here's his remarkable travel demands revealed.
I wonder what The Don demands?
I wonder what The Don demands?
Waterworks displays. Allegedly.
The mind boggles…
And spanking. Using a rolled-up magazine with his face on the cover. Allegedly.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1907/S00146/uncertainty-for-codemark-future-after-certifier-departures.htm
Phil Pennington, Reporter
The country's leading building product assurance scheme is in disarray after another major company pulled out of it.
The CodeMark review questions competency and technical expertise of companies that issue certificates.
The government's CodeMark scheme provides product approvals that cannot be challenged by councils during building consenting, but the scheme has now lost three of its seven certifiers, and these three have issued almost 70 percent of all certificates.
The latest to go is also the biggest, CertMark of Queensland, which issued 63 certificates, or a third of the total 183 CodeMarks.
It's a blow that the Building Industry Federation, which represents thousands of products suppliers, believes might prove fatal.
(This reflects that under neolib government is unable to keep control of its projects, its services, how they are run, whether they get value for money, etc.)
I heard a report on the Provincial Growth Fund this morning. One of its objects was to get work for NZs unemployed (get the nevvies off the couch) yet by the time it gets contracted out in frequent iterations, the gummint don't know what's going on.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/395273/locals-getting-jobs-through-pgf-not-tracked-by-officials
Sectors like forestry, which have been allocated funding through the PGF, have already indicated they want to hire more migrant workers to meet their obligations.
RNZ also requested under the OIA the number of migrant workers being employed in these jobs through the fund, but the Provincial Development Unit (PDU) does not keep these figures.
PDU head Robert Pigou said they did not monitor who were actually getting the jobs once the money got to those projects.
"We don't keep track and the contracts don't require applicants to provide us with the details of where they're getting their workforce from.
"In many cases the applicants might be a local organisations like the district council and they would then go and contract with a third party."
Bloody neolib is not working well for citizens. However I did hear Michael Bassett waffling on this morning as head of Auckland Chamber of Commerce. M. Bassett is one of the Hounds that ushered in the neolib system and sold the stupid Unionists down the river as redundant munters of our small economy. Adopting the fancy new USA economic system was just what the wealthy ordered, giving them the chance for a plutocratic lifestyle in a peasant farmer country, that would always be struggling but why should they be held down by our size and isolation?
Michael *Barnett*, different guy than the evil one who screwed local govt law.
Oh. The name – and I jumped 'that high'. I'll settle down now.
Another happy clappy Coalition Grand Announcement that withers more than a little under close scrutiny from those at the coalface.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-plan-and-funding-strengthen-learning-support
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12252962
Principals fear Government learning support plan lacks long-term funding…
Auckland Primary Principals' Association president Heath McNeil said while the intent of the action plan was important, many of its goals were "we wills" subject to getting more funding down the line.
We've got boards of trustees now that are forced into topping up ministry funding by tens of thousands, in some cases hundreds of thousands, every year out of their operational budgets … We've just had a significant number of our students with needs have teacher aide funding cuts, pretty drastic ones, in the last three months."
McNeil points to other aims of the action plan, including reducing waiting times for early intervention.
"But the timeframe for that is six-and-a-half years with no real targets," he said.
Read the Action Plan here…https://conversation.education.govt.nz/assets/DLSAP/Learning-Support-Action-Plan.PDF
God forbid we give these New Zealanders any senses of security.
SSDD
I have a cunning plan. Pig disease in China – African Swine Flu (is that racist?) – is decimating their herds, flocks, whatever. Apparently it has been spread by feeding them meat scraps.
We used to feed pigs from the whey of our milk. Why don't we start doing that again and have pig meat that is 100% pure of ASF? At the same time we reduce the bloody factory dairy farms carrying stock numbers by a certain amount each year for the next three years. Then we will have a dynamic duo of healthy cows and pigs, and less disease from stacked stock with no room to move and live their normal lives.
Our frenzied dash after every dollar has led us to have cramped quarters in our own sour pens. A healthy appreciation of what life is about for animals and ourselves, the superior species, may be the saving of us for healthy real food. I can see the dreamy ads quite now, and if they are based on truth for once, we will be winners.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/395298/untreatable-pig-disease-puts-pressure-on-pork-industry
How are our Kiwis getting on in Oz or perhaps Oz's concentration camps?
26/7/2019 The victims of Australia's deportation policy – they're Kiwis https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12252700
A pattern of repeated representations from senior NZ politicians to their Australian counterparts about this issue is emerging.
Deportations a growing source of tension
The Australian and New Zealand governments have been at odds over this issue since the legislation changes were introduced in 2014…
But this harsh deportation policy isn't the only issue creating strain in the relationship. New Zealand's offer to resettle refugees imprisoned in Australian offshore detention centres has been refused a number of times, most recently last week.
Morrison's apparent lack of willingness to take Ardern's concerns about deporting New Zealand offenders more seriously confirms a noticeable hardening in Australia's approach…
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton: "where people are sexually offending against children, for example, we've had a big push to try to deport those paedophiles."
Fair enough, most Australians may think.
But Dutton's remarks are highly misleading. The overwhelming majority of the people being deported are not paedophiles.
In fact, many people being deported from Australia under the "character test" have extensive family ties in Australia and have spent very little time in New Zealand, having arrived in Australia as children.
Losing contact with family
Deportees we've interviewed for as-yet unpublished research* had experienced significant trauma because of this process, and a common theme in our research is grief from the loss of contact with children and other loved ones.
Stories of families being torn apart and children being raised by only one parent were particularly distressing for them to recount.
*Professor Patrick Keyzer heads La Trobe University's law school. Dave Martin is a PhD candidate, La Trobe University
This is what we thought in 2016.
2/8/2016 https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/82670283/kiwis-biggest-group-being-held-in-australian-detention-centres–new-report
Locking Kiwis up in Australian detention centres and sending them back across the ditch could be part of a policy to "purify" the country, says Labour MP Kelvin Davis.
(Sounds nasty N..i behaviour from the Australian government. Not all Australians adopt this vicious mentality to NZs thank goodness.)
There were hopes for a change of government, and a show of principled behaviour, fairness and having a heart but the Australians have one approach for their citizens and apparently a prejudice against NZs which is totally unjustified, considering how we have been disadvantaged as a country from their government actions.
.
12/5/2019 https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/112551906/13-15-focus-oz-election-what-would-a-labor-government-mean-for-kiwis- Kiwis living in Australia hopeful for change of government so they get a better deal
27/2/2019 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/383475/special-treatment-considered-for-kiwis-in-australian-immigration-appeals
17/1/2019 https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/01/more-than-100-kiwis-in-hunger-strike-at-australian-detention-centres.html
3/1/2019 https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/01/kiwis-in-australian-detention-centres-face-being-moved-from-families-lawyer.html
15/10/2018 https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/15-10-2018/tasman-deathtrap-the-brutal-human-toll-of-australias-deportation-policy/ (This feature was made possible thanks to reader contributions via the Spinoff Longform Fund. Click here to support our investigative journalism.)
As the number of deportees has mounted, so too has the death toll. In the past three years, at least four New Zealand citizens have died in Australian custody or immediately following deportation, and researchers believe there are almost certainly more. The New Zealand government has no estimate of the total number of deaths, and Minister of Justice Andrew Little says his office is powerless to force a change in Australian law. “We don’t have any control over what the Australians do. We don’t have a great deal of leverage.”
Advocates in both countries say Australia’s actions are in direct contravention of United Nations conventions against torture, and in several cases even children have been locked in isolation or detained with adults, forcing tense political standoffs.
More than 15,000 New Zealand citizens are expected to be deported in the next ten years; a flood of exiles, many with no connection to this country, never allowed to go home.
3/9/2018 https://www.magic.co.nz/home/archivedtalk/on-demand/the-am-show/2018/09/the–easy–solution-to-kiwis-in-detention-centres—go-home—-j.html ('Go home' – Jason Morrison)
6/4/2018 https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/australian-government-finally-reveals-number-kiwis-locked-up-christmas-island-detention-centre
25/9/2015 Key: Nearly 200 Kiwis in Australian detention centres https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11518766
National cut back on training for young mothers and other young people, so the vocational training institutions have to cut back. Then we can blame them when there are no trained people for jobs and we just have to – sob, sob – get immigrant labour in. A race to the bottom for NZ Inc. Will the last person out please turn off the light. Oh don't worry the light fitting has gone phut already.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/395296/weltec-and-whitireia-to-cut-up-to-70-teaching-jobs
I'm breaking my recent resolution not to return to The Standard because this particular subject is too important to leave unremarked. I can't post this item where it really belongs (The Guardian) because they're so snowed under lately with BTL comments, they have to close them off within about 5 minutes of the OP's piece going up.
Anyway, refer to the following:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/25/power-brexit-boris-johnson-radical-conservative-party
I'm starting to see some ominous parallels with the 1917 Russian revolution. We have here a group that barely commands a majority in its own party (think: Bolsheviks v Mensheviks), but which knows exactly what it wants, concentrates relentlessly on its objectives, and is in the process of seizing a degree of power unprecedented in modern Britain. Like Lenin, they have realised that a small, active, tightly focused organisation is going to be more effective than a larger, diffuse one whose members don't have common goals.
The timing from their point of view couldn't be better – Parliament in recess for the next six weeks, so nothing to hold this Executive to account till early September. I predict we will see in that period a huge spate of activity by Cabinet and the ministries and departments of state. It will all be within the bounds – just – of existing legislation, but hitherto accepted agreements about what is "done" and "not done" will be ripped to shreds, just as we've been seeing in the USA.
There'll be no need to formally control the press because Rupert "Moloch" will do it for them and pump out endless propaganda about the necessity for it all. And then, shortly after Parliament resumes, they'll engineer some single-issue "crisis" and call a general election in search of a formal mandate to resolve it – and, by-the-by, cement their grip on what remains of the country.
Deluded fantasy on my part? Oh I hope so, I do hope so.
Yes Obi Knobi. Boris isn't as silly as he looks I think. As you say it's a worry.
And why don't you want to comment here? That would be interesting to know – or do you feel there isn't freedom of speech and thought allowed here to talk about it? I think it is important to say. What have you got to lose? I am sorry in advance, if I have offended you.
I'm not offended, Grey. I just got sick and tired of seeing about 90% of BTL comments devoted to petty point-scoring and denigration of anyone who didn't happen to share the particular point of view of the poster. I'd better things to do with my time than wading through that sort of drivel.
This would be such a good idea. Can't someone adopt this poor little overlooked idea and give it a good secure home properly funded.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/394741/more-residential-homes-could-stop-oranga-tamariki-uplifts
Vulnerable mothers desperately need access to more residential homes so they can keep their babies instead of watching them being taken into state care, an Insight investigation has found.
Last year, 281 babies were taken from their mothers within three months of birth, up from 247 in 2016…
But there are only five residential homes nationwide that offer a safe environment for women and their babies and support mothers to be good parents.
These homes can only offer 24 places for vulnerable mothers and their children at any one time.
Does anyone think this is the right way to support new families, and treat parents and children who should be encouraged to bond and build the security and continuity that keeps children happy and trusting in parents?
Moving into a residential home was not an option for Mel*, who ended up in a Women's Refuge safe house at the start of this year, after another hiding from her ex-partner.
(Mel protests against Oranga Tamariki uplifts after her children were taken into state care. Photo: RNZ / Leigh Marama McLachlan)
She spent the week there before Oranga Tamariki took her one-year-old and three-month-old daughters over safety issues.
"I was compliant with Oranga Tamariki through that whole week, going into meetings," Mel said.
"That Friday they told me to come into the office at 5pm, when they had closed. They threw a bit of paper at me saying, 'You've got a minute to say goodbye to your kids'.
Ministry of education doesn't want to make the Land wars a compulsory part of the NZ curriculum.
This seems… odd. It seems to be more a bureaucratic bias against prescriptive curruculae rather than intentional suppression (although suppression will be the outcome).
I always figured that there were basics that needed to be taught, and that was dictated by the ministry so local nutbars couldn't teach utter bullshit. Apparently I luckily just went ot a progressive school that taught physics, evolution, and some aspects of colonisation (rather than just the bible, intelligent design, and a flat earth with no history outside of europe).
"Mar 30 2016"
Fuck. That'll teach me to take news off FB lol.
Seems to be a lot of that going around this year. Been caught out myself.
All credit to Stuff, they seem to periodically report someone raising the issue.
Here's Hipkins repeating the "no" last year.
It does seem weird to me that there isn't at least some minimum requirement of coveragewithin the curriculum – does the science curriculum require teachers to teach the basic equations like "F=ma", or is that all just traditionally done out of the kindness of teachers' hearts?
Shit, I'll be sounding like a baby boomer soon…
Kia Ora Newshub.
That idiot who drove a roller and smashed other people cars with it needs his head read something wrong up there .
This Government is talking to the whenua protesters Ma te wa.
Simon ain't plastic like shonky is .
Can't all the customers of Wallis group just separate the pork out of there meat waste and find a new market for there waste pork no drama there I say.
There is more to trees and plant life than people know or believe The Kauri stump being kept alive by other trees giving it vital nutrients very interesting.
Ka kite ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
This Government is trying to figure out a solution to the whenua protesters problems the last lot would have tried to shut it down to many tangata whenua there now to . It is a difacult thing to get to the bottom of who is correct in the whenua issue . My tipuna had a Maori Land court case that lasted 40 years and still it's not sorted the correct owners only got 5 shears out of 500 the shears went to the crowns stool pigeon Eco Maori is going to be re starting that case Ma Te Wa.
Ka kite ano
https://youtu.be/qQfetkoGrpU
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/w5tWYmIOWGk
Kia Ora Newshub.
national scrapped the cancer agency and now they are trying to capitalize on their own MESS Paddy.
Eco Maori thinks all the help that our Pacific cousins can get from Aotearoa and China is needed to help them cope with climate change.Its cool that our government is investing in saving that rear bird .
Donna mahi is good for the wairua its sad that the system has a age discrimination I think its should change to encourage the elderly get mahi.
Alex it was freezing in bayview Hawksbay yesterday morning and today but where Eco Maori resides Te Ra was shining bright and warm also Te Ra had my solar powered system running strong.
Ka kite ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Paina you lost your voice I did a few months ago it took about 2 months to come back it was sad times for Eco Maori.
Rania Smith te tangata knows the TRUTH about the historical significance of Ihumatoo.
I agree that tangata whenua need to have a bigger hand in the stakes of tamariki in the states care. I have made a few statements that to care for someone correctly one has to have aroha for that person so Maori need to be included in the care of these poorest tamariki.
I tau toko the Hawaiian who are protesting that 30 meter high telescope on their sacred mountain they have every right to sue That is what will stop that telescope being built but like tangata whenua O Aotearoa they will have limited resources.
Ka kite ano
Piripi that group of Native American and Canadian tribes paddling together looks like Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa waka paddlers awesome.
Kia Ora Newshub.
You two national supporters love any story that is negative about our Labour lead Coalition Governments Aotearoa economy is fine when compared to other countries and whats happening around Papatuanuku
Sorry about you been robbed point your finger at your national m8 they made the poor people poorer hence more robberies.
Chris the disabled people needs of access ramps needs to be catered for by these organizations. We have a hard time getting transportation for one of our love ones whom is disabled.
I can see this canser drug issue being privately pushed buy the Big drug companies. Talking about doubling Pharmacs budget the drug companies will be rubbing their hands together thinking about their PROFITS they are going to get from this campaign. Its all about Te mone .
I disagree a business man like shonky only set the country up for the wealthy people hence we have a major housing crisis thanks to shonky a run down health system and education system the roads were ignored he was cutting all the state organizations budgets hence the big mess our Coalition Government has to clean up.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/eJlN9jdQFSc
Kia ora Newshub.
Measles has been quite prominent in Aotearoa as of late the prisoner's who have measles its been a problem Papatuanuku wide.
Condolences to the people who lost their loveones in the Korean nightclub bar balcony accident.
All the best in your new journey of retiring from international Polo you made Aotearoa shine bright with your starlight Sir Mark Tod Im sure you will have heaps of other things to keep you busy.
I would rather live with kiore that be a kiore .
Mike I know what that is like my machinery being tampered with my machinery has strange things happen like my Eco Maori Truck having lose nuts on the ball joints tyers going down for no logical reason I know all those ball joints nuts were tight because I changed the ball joints my self guessing who the tamper is.
Ka kite ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Condolences to the whanau who lost love ones in the Kiangroa Bay of plenty car and truck crash.
Its good to see that time have changed now Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa is commanding more respect and we are receiving it .
At Winston my whanau were Mana whenua and still we didn't get our correct shears in our whenua.
Thats a awesome knitted flag that te Wahine made I Eco Maori is a suporter for equality for Wahine.
Some people need to learn not to bite the hands that care for them the most or would Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa prefer to have a government like national making common people lives very hard to paddle there waka te waka is actually going backwards with a national government be careful Whanau we might get burned by your actions.
Ka kite ano