The asymmetric polarisation of National gathers pace, with their useful clown John Tamihere proposing a right wing wet dream of a policy platform (helpfully megaphoned by the NZ Herald* because, you know, "balance") and now Northland National MP (and sometime leader aspirant) Matt King has posted a plagarised far-right FB rant (from the NZCPR, a crackpot site used by ex-ACT wingnut Muriel Newman to post conspsiracy theories, racist screeds and far, far right libertarian ideology) where he claims climate change "is natural" and it is all a communist plot…
*BTW – now it is behind the paywall, the NZ Herald seems to be a fantasy land of rubbish – far right hucksters and shysters get to write fact free rants, reckons masquerading as opinion, whatabboutism pretending to be analysis and fake news megaphoned because of "balance". it is a complete car crash and the paywall seems to have sent it's standards into a complete freefall. it is almost as if they complacently think charging for something automatically makes it better.
That's exactly what they think. Only grubby unwashed peasants want to consume the unhinged word-vomit of Michael Hosking and friends for free. No, anything of any worth has a price tag attached is their philosophy.
Haven't read Granny Herald in two years. I no longer feel as though I'm wading through torrents of shit whenever I'm browsing the web. Hosking's drivel used to cause the vein in my temple to start throbbing like I was on the verge of a stroke.
It's an embarrasingly basic failure you will not see often, so no cause to mistrust everything else. I'd be more worried about big foreign companies we willingly throw our information at like Google and Facebook.
International banking still relies on Windows Vista, or at least it still did last year. My point is that most things digital have some kind of exploit.
A freeze on the scale proposed by Tamihere would be unprecedented in Auckland local government, and have impacts not explained in the two-page policy document released to Stuff after midnight Sunday.
Rate revenue makes up 45 per cent of the income that flows into Auckland Council coffers each year, and dictates not only its running costs, but also how much it can borrow to fund major long-term infrastructure.
Tamihere told the Herald there were options to cut infrastructure spending – including the City Rail Link. He was actively considering mothballing the Grafton to Karangahape Rd section – which he did not believe would damage the project's integrity
Turning a crucial two-way link into a dead end is a great summary of this guy's contempt. Maybe his campaign is just a kite-flying research project for the Nats?
However, farmers have hit back at their comments, saying they amounted to "economic treason".
some farmers have come a long way down from caring for the land and animals – all about economics now and the dollar in their back pocket.
Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis said. "Its easy to fire off words, it's harder to get out there and do the work that we're doing. You can say whatever you want but if you're not picking up a spade to help, what are you actually contributing?"
Joy disagreed that farmers were doing any meaningful work to improve freshwater quality.
"I'm not going to give them credit for something they haven't done," he said. "They throw the number out there, $1 billion or whatever, saying they've spent that on cleaning up the water but that's just the cost of doing business.
"It's like me saying I spent $750 having the brakes fixed on my car so you should be thankful I'm not going to crash into you."
yep – if we turned up with a spade to help with that farmer's pollution issues he'd no doubt call the police, or send a warning shot over us for trespassing.
‘Muldoonism’ itself, similarly, goes a long way towards explaining the success of ‘Rogernomics’. Under Lange’s immediate predecessor, the New Zealand economy had come perilously close to collapse. An alternative strategy was required, and thanks to Treasury’s little beige book, Economic Management, it was Roger Douglas who got there firstest with the mostest. That Douglas’s opponents had no little book of their own to offer the country, lent credence to the Rogernomes’ claim that “there is no alternative”. Moreover, from the ramshackle and disaster-prone quality of the Ardern Ministry, it is clear that the (alleged) opponents of the neoliberal order within the present government have yet to produce one."
Chris Trotters excellent piece will attract the usual knee jerk reactions but more considered thought will recognise reality….where is the plan (are they capable of formulating one)?
MMP wasnt the cause of the lack of government capacity, that can be fairly laid at the feet of neoliberalism…and tinkering at the edges of the existing hands off approach will continue the lack of improvement….until it collapses in upon itself from one of the many pressing challenges.
A complete abdication of responsibilty (combined with a lack of ability)….from all political parties and the public service.
I beg to differ and an examination of the past would I suggest such. When did the housing bubble begin? when was the beginning of the open boarders policy? Indicators of the lack of policy ideas that were continued by Key……In fact the only policy of significance that came in under the Clark Gov that springs to mind was Kiwisaver, everything else was a continuation of the neolib hands off approach…a frequently heard complaint, and one also levelled at this admin
There are a number of problems with Trotter's piece, but the one thing he got right was that nobody at the time had a little red book with which to counter the rogernomes – and in particular to explain and avoid stagflation.
The problem now is twofold:
Governments are no longer stable, single-party dictatorships; and
people have quickly forgotten how "transformative" it is for a government to even accept the systemic existence of things like child poverty or a government role in cooling down the housing market by directly involving itself in supplying new homes
That's not to say Labour are perfect, but the ministers are more competent than the nactoids ever were. Some are more right or left wing than others, that's life. But they're all trying new things. Failure is a natural consequence of trying new things, but sooner or later these attempts lead to succes. If you want anything other than stagnation, TINA but to try.
so nz has just lined up with the environmental vandals on the planer – the bad-guys – – and voted against a u.n treaty to protect endangered species of sharks…
“If there’s a new regulation, they have to knock out two. But it goes far beyond that, we’re cutting regulations massively for small business and for large business,” Trump said during the signing of the order, while surrounded by small-business leaders. He stressed that the new measure is meant to ease the opening and expansion of small businesses, and said that America’s small businesses “have been treated very badly” and that it was “virtually impossible to expand your existing business because of regulations.”
…and creating a voluntary initiative to make sure small businesses are paid on time
National Party leader Simon Bridges said the party would also require all government departments and government agencies to pay their contractors on time and within 30 days.
"Getting paid on time is a big issue for New Zealand small business owners, long delays in payments can inhibit their ability to invest and expand," Mr Bridges said.
"In the past year, only half of all small businesses were cash flow positive in any given month."
so it's "voluntary" and only applies to government agencies, who generally pay on time anyway. No mention of common practice of 90 -120 days payment that seems standard in construction and Fonterra practiced for a while. But hey, not like National is going to do anything that will hurt their mates
Your photo shows the protesters felling towers holding facial recognition cameras.
There is an interesting article in a recent issue of the Economist. On page 60 of the 17 August copy of the magazine there is a report on how to fool facial recognition software. The methods involve things like wearing bright makeup, wearing clothes with semi-abstract patterns that make the facial recognition software see lots of "faces", or projecting infrared illumination onto one's face that make the software unable even to recognize that there is a face, or person, there. Other techniques readily fooled the software into thinking it was someone else altogether who was present.
Maybe we can get to the stage that protesters won't have to flatten the facial recognition towers. After all, if the computer can't see you why bother? Even better of course would be if the software in Hong Kong thought that there were tens of thousands of clones of Xi Jinping protesting in the streets.
I can't provide a link to the article I'm afraid. It is pay-walled for subscribers only. To read it, assuming you don't subscribe, should be possible by visiting your local Library. Most of them get the magazine.
As New Zealand inches more towards becoming like China (see links below) there is barely a murmur. Whereas, in Hong Kong people are flooding onto the streets.
"The protests ostensibly began in opposition to a proposed amendment to the extradition law between Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, and Macau, which would have allowed Taiwanese authorities to prosecute a Hong Kong man for murdering his pregnant girlfriend and dumping her body in the bushes during a vacation to Taiwan.
Highly organized networks of anti-China protesters quickly mobilized against the law, compelling Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam to withdraw the bill.
But the protests continued even after the extradition law was taken off the table"
"Much to the distress of neocons and humanitarian imperialists, there won’t be a bloody mainland China crackdown on protesters in Hong Kong – a Tiananmen 2.0. Why? Because it’s not worth it.
What these protests have accelerated is Beijing’s conviction that Hong Kong is not worth its trust as a key node in China’s massive integration/development project. Beijing invested no less than $18.8 billion to build the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge, as part of the Greater Bay Area, to integrate Hong Kong with the mainland, not to snub it.
Now a bunch of useful idiots at least has graphically proven they don’t deserve any sort of preferential treatment anymore."
"The big story in Hong Kong is not even the savage, counter-productive protests (imagine if this was in France, where Macron’s army is actually maiming and even killing Gilets Jaunes/Yellow Vests). The big story is the rot consuming HSBC – which has all the makings of the new Deutsche Bank scandal.
HSBC holds $2.6 trillion in assets and an intergalactic horde of cockroaches in their basement – asking serious questions about money laundering and dodgy deals operated by global turbo-capitalist elites."
Yes there was some heavy handedness before the extradition treaty was shelved, but to be fair, that was largely put down to the UK superintendents in charge. Seems the Brits cant stay out of Hong Kong
It has now been revealed by local papers that two Brits serving in the police were closely involved in the heavy-handed crackdown on the protesters on June 12.
couldn't find 60 in that original link – went back and checked
so you think the british not the chinese are the big players here? Are they doing it as a proxy for the US? Seems overly complicated to me but I'm here not there so I will suspend my disbelief a little more and keep looking at the links people provide
When you compare the publicity the Hong Kong protestors have been given with those in France or Honduras, I'm mightily suspicious. That the protestors wave US flags and call on Murica to save them is just a wee bit funny. No hilarious actually.
Is there a country on earth that has benefited from US intervention?
None that I can think of.
It seems to me that, as Pepe Escobar calls them, these 'useful idiots' are not protesting for better conditions for the hoi polloi in Hong Kong but because they're paid to.
That the protestors wave US flags and call on Murica to save them is just a wee bit funny.
It's a protest that's deliberately without leadership, as that makes it harder for the dictator's minions to decapitate the movement. Which means individuals are free to wave whatever flags they want or shout whatever slogans they want. Nothing funny about it.
It seems to me that, as Pepe Escobar calls them, these 'useful idiots' are not protesting for better conditions for the hoi polloi in Hong Kong but because they're paid to.
Nice tinfoil hat you have there, did you make it yourself.
And if you chose to read more widely, you wouldn't make ridiculous generalisations about the protesters waving American flags and calling on the USA to help them.
But the protests continued even after the extradition law was taken off the table
Yes, and that is due to a number of reasons. One being China's failure to allow all members of the Legco (their parliament) to be voted on by the people. Largely allowing China to call the shots.
Why has it taken these protestors 22 years to discover China mostly calls the shots?
Sigh. The last uprising was put down only five years ago, so no, not 22 years. And this one, like the last one, has been prompted by the CCP's attempts to extend its ability to call the shots.
Hey, weka, the other day you asked if there is a compelling reason we need to be exporting so much? Here is the answer below.
In order to understand the need for exports it is necessary to understand that there is no such thing as a supply of permanent money to the economy, and the vast bulk of money within the economy has its origins in loans and is represented by a matching domestic debt.
When goods are exported, foreign money is brought back into the economy, but the debt behind that money remains overseas, in the country of origin. Through exporting, money that has been borrowed into existence in another country is brought into the economy free of debt.
The money can easily be turned into domestic currency via the foreign exchanges. However, when goods are imported, money created in the domestic economy goes abroad, but the debt associated with that money remains in the economy.
Money that was borrowed into existence in the home economy has left the country, but the debt remains.
If a country exports more than it imports, there is a net gain of additional debt-free money within the national economy.
Countries have to export to enable them to pay off the interest on their debt based money. Just about every dollar is produced by a loan, hence without exporting (generating debt free money) there is no way to pay off the interest incurred.
"Debt-based money" (i.e. reserve bank bonds lent at the OCR) doesn't require overseas cash to repay.
As long as the value of goods and services produced matches the money supply and its associated cost, the debt-to-GDP ratio remains constant and the RB debt is merely grease in the wheels. Like someone living off a credit card they can service monthly.
No, it doesn't. One party making debt based money off another party in a local economy via trade of goods and services doesn't produce any debt free money to pay off the national interest incurred from initially creating that money.
Debt based money circulating in a local economy will never produce the funding to pay off the interest that local economy incurs in creating that money.
The new production and money velocity (as it circulates) can devalue the existing debt. AKA inflation.
The system just isn't as simple as you're making out.
It's all by the by anyway – global trade is about getting people what they want for less, rather than satisfying some economic theory. Always has been. FTAs vs protectionism is largely driven by ideology,but the global trade itself goes back well before economics started its entrails-reading.
No. Increasing the debt based money supply increases debt and devalues the dollar, hence drives up inflation.
Global trade and FTAs are not one and the same. FTA’s tend to allow countries to buy up other nations exporters/resources. Giving them full monetary benefit (baring local expenses, jobs, and tax if they pay them) of another nations exports/resources.
Yes, there is more to international trade than merely the debt based money supply, but the debt based money supply is a driving factor for countries to continually grow their exports.
Just as fractional reserve banking might be more significant in "creating" money than the government bonds used to create the reserve the banks use, the velocity (and, I suggest, distribution) of that money affects inflation more than the basic money supply. Indeed, I read once that when all is done and dusted, the difference between Keynesianism and Monetarism is justified by the weight each gives to representing the velocity of money in the system. (Of course, it's all bullshit from a prediction level – completely unrepeatable supposition).
People buy shit because they have money, and other people sell shit because they want money. You might argue that global or local trade is a fractional reserve ponzi scheme, but that doesn't affect trade nearly as much as people just wanting to buy and sell shit.
Inflation tends to reduce the amount of goods and services people can afford to buy while increasing the need for people to earn more.
Additionally, inflation results in driving up the OCR. In turn, the interest incurred creating the money supply. Thus, the need to export more as the velocity of money within a local economy doesn't grow that economy's wealth (albeit it may bolster an individual or company's wealth).
The high cost of local products drives up demand for cheaper imports, which again drives up the need for countries to export more to offset the trade imbalance and the associated (money supply) debt.
Suppliers, manufactures, etc require people to buy stuff for their survival, which in turn is required for employment opportunities.
Environmentally, it comes down to the whether or not the goods and service and the manner in which they are produced and supplied are environmentally friendly.
In general, consumers chase bargains (especially in NZ due to our generally low incomes) which influences their purchasing choice. And those bargains tend to come from lower wage high polluting countries such as China. Again, increasing imports, thus the need (via the trade imbalance and the associated money supply debt) for us to export more.
Production boosts overall wealth (without addressing the distribution therein).
Monetary activity encourages increased production. More transactions being made with money between initial lending and end repayment (compared with a bond borrowed but never spent before repayment) simulates an increase in the overall money supply.
Inflation increases the cost of goods (produced by whomever), but correspondingly decreases the cost of existing debt.
jeepers I didn't think people would be suckered like that – just shows I suppose – anyone can believe anything as long as it confirms their bias – sad shit really.
National's Economic Development spokesperson, Todd McClay, branded it a regulations bonfire.
…
The coalition government shifted transport infrastructure focus from roading to public transport and rail, but National would be changing the focus back to roading, it said.
"The government has stopped or postponed a dozen roading projects, which were ready to get underway, and replaced them with projects that aren't ready to go and won't be for a long time yet," transport spokesperson Chris Bishop said.
The last Nat govt had not included funding for their next batch of expensive tarmac in any Budgets, so it's simply a lie to claim that they were "ready to go".
I think the Government should issue stronger words and actions for this atrocity happening now.
With concerns over violence in West Papua escalating, New Zealand officials appear reluctant to wade in more significantly – despite the Green Party calling for action.
As Indonesia cracks down on protests in the disputed West Papua territory, the Government has declined to condemn the violence.
Indonesia has deployed a thousand troops to the disputed territory of West Papua and shut down the internet in the region in an effort to quell protests alleging racist police violence and supporting self-determination.
The New Zealand Government has re-emphasised earlier commitments to human rights but declined to comment on the specific situation.
Good work Green Party MP and human rights spokeswoman Golriz Ghahraman for trying to get some action on this.
“The most recent crackdown on indigenous West Papuans is scary given past brutality by Indonesian forces- add to that the threat of internet black out and its a recipe for grave human rights abuse. Let’s remember that it’s aim is to take away indigenous land and resource for corporate profit- as it happens around the world- divesting from timber imported from West Papua’s pristine native forests is one thing NZ must do to support this indigenous struggle.”
Nice post about crasher collins and the truth from Frank Macskasy – see sidebar
National has entered into a propaganda blitz. They will use half-truths, exaggeration, out-of-context material, distortions, and outright fabrications to win next years’ election.
Whatever it takes.
They will use dog-whistles; throw ‘red-meat’ to bigots; demonise every group that their conservative base despises.
Whatever. It. Takes.
Thus is the style of election campaign strategy set from now till Election Day: Whatever it takes.
Yes you’re absolutely right it’s the words we use that are the actual problem, we won’t be able to stop men from dying of suicide until we eliminate the inconvenient phrases used to describe the problem of their deaths
Its excellent that a third person is being charged for Jasmine death. Jasmine whanau will be pleased at last they are seeing Justice.
Te Wahine is correct Maori need to have more input and learn. More about our cyber security my data is compromise every minute of the day.
I say that a community based solution for Maori mental health will help more tangata servive their mental health issues manly depression because so many people in Aotearoa look down on Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa that is not good for our tamariki wairua.
There you go Whanau national trying to use Tangata Whenua issues to undermine our human Coalition Government.
Auckland is in fashion show excellence that Maori is part of the fashion show also that sustainability is becoming a fashion trend that no one can Stop Ka pai.
Heniana Goodmen has being a great news reporter for decades Ka pai
simon Winston Peters has achieved more positive change to our society than you could dream of achieving before he got the Gold card and other gains for OUR elderly they were struggling. You see not all elderly are wealth %90 are having to try and survive on super alone that is bugger all money to live on in the year 2019.
I backed vapouring as a tool to slow down and give up smoking especially for the elderly people who have been smoking for 40 od years they need to give up smoking for their mokopuna. Whanau another case of over exploitation by humans the Hauraki gulf mussels Fisheries over exploited next minute the fisheries calapes and has never recovered.
Useing green lipped mussel to clean up our water ways estries is a great idea my only concern is mono culture farming is not good for our wildlifes diversity so using a few other species of water filters is needed for a safe clean environment some use oysters beds to do the water filtering and to slow erosion in New York.
Ka pai Jenny you handled him well we need legislation to make sure that the content of vapour oil is safe this phenomenon gave me some conserns about vapouring
Funny Mark 146 was a good score one has to be careful what they eat. I remember watching that game to.
Jacindia Waka is sailing into the wind stured up by national and there corupt supporters the alt right who will lie and cheat to win did the informers come out of the DARK.
I agree cheap beer and alcohol is targeted at poor alcoholics that is not the way a caring society behaves.
BULLSHIT if they can't afford it they won't drink alcohol.
I think that is a awesome move vaccination in shopping mall and other places people always gather.
Mark Lundy and his lawyers are wasting New Zealand time and money.
On the way back to the bay it was raining hard cold as soon as I got over the rangers the rain stopped we could feel that it was warmer to I was thinking that the place would be bogged out with mud and had to light the fire straight away but it was clear awesome.
Condolences to Tahu potiki whanau and Iwi Ngai Tahu for their loss of A great leader.
Condolences to the other tangata whenua whanau excuses my pH I'm just learning how to use it.
Ka pai to John Kerwin for all his mahi on mental health issues he has been awesome with tangata whenua tamariki. I,, the mental health problem needs cross party tau toko.
I agree with Ming Foons opinion on the way that tangata whenua o Aotearoa has been treated by the crown he has the knowledge on tangata whenua o Aotearoa Ka pai.
Haka Bristro and the other Wahine great mahi insulating all those whare Mana Wahine I found that my Wahine staff were more reliable than male staff
Ka kite Ano
My opinion on the Napier Port float is the tangata already owned the 99 % were getting some of its capital gains and profits putting it on the stock market is just putting the port in a situation where only the wealth people 00.1% get to corner all the gains while the 99.9 % will ultimately pay more for imports and exporting.
I tau toko teaching Aotearoa factual history as most of the books paint a bad picture of tangata whenua when in fact we are quite industrial honorable humane people.
Eco Maori agree with the recational Fisher man Terakihi Hapuka Gurnard and a few other species are stuffed but the commercial Fisher men just want to keep exploiting the fish they need to be controlled no trawling in a mile from land that and heaps more reserves.
Maori and wai we'll I say we should we do own wai we will look after wai much better than the crown is has??????. For our future generations.
If the government change to a money first government like the last one the will just exploit wai and our environment not give a shit about the futures needs.
Every one knows Eco Maori views on gangs
The anti vaccination people are to easily lead down the wrong path many people display the inability to be skeptical with information they receive.
I agree our factual history needs to be taught and all tangata whenua tamariki taught Te reo. That will stop Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa Culture from dissappearing.
All the intelligence people of America Greetings Our World Famous Climate Change Champions Ka pai from Eco Maori
Greta Thunberg lands in US for climate meet
Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has arrived in New York City, US to chants and cheers following a trans-Atlantic trip on a sailboat to attend a global warming conference.
As the boat docked, hundreds of activists welcomed her from a Hudson River promenade. Thunberg waved then was lifted onto a Dock.
"I didn't get seasick once," but she stressed that "this is not something I want everyone to do"She is set to speak at a United Nations climate summit in SeptemberThe boat carrying Thunberg, the Malizia II, encountered rough seas that slowed it down for a day. Taking turns steering the 18-metre racing yacht were yachtsman Boris Herrmann and Pierre Casiraghi, the grandson of Monaco's late Prince Rainier and American actress Grace Kelly.Inscribed on the boat's sail are the words "FridaysForFuture" under "UNITE BEHIND THE Science.
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
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 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
The asymmetric polarisation of National gathers pace, with their useful clown John Tamihere proposing a right wing wet dream of a policy platform (helpfully megaphoned by the NZ Herald* because, you know, "balance") and now Northland National MP (and sometime leader aspirant) Matt King has posted a plagarised far-right FB rant (from the NZCPR, a crackpot site used by ex-ACT wingnut Muriel Newman to post conspsiracy theories, racist screeds and far, far right libertarian ideology) where he claims climate change "is natural" and it is all a communist plot…
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/08/national-mp-argues-climate-change-is-natural-in-facebook-rant-taken-from-us-right-wing-source.html
*BTW – now it is behind the paywall, the NZ Herald seems to be a fantasy land of rubbish – far right hucksters and shysters get to write fact free rants, reckons masquerading as opinion, whatabboutism pretending to be analysis and fake news megaphoned because of "balance". it is a complete car crash and the paywall seems to have sent it's standards into a complete freefall. it is almost as if they complacently think charging for something automatically makes it better.
That's exactly what they think. Only grubby unwashed peasants want to consume the unhinged word-vomit of Michael Hosking and friends for free. No, anything of any worth has a price tag attached is their philosophy.
Haven't read Granny Herald in two years. I no longer feel as though I'm wading through torrents of shit whenever I'm browsing the web. Hosking's drivel used to cause the vein in my temple to start throbbing like I was on the verge of a stroke.
"coding error" for the latest computer hack on the 'heritage and culture' Ministry was the excuse!!!! When will our privacy be protected? Just another screw up by easily digital sites being hacked so we can now assume that nothig is safe any more now. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/115260180/serious-digital-privacy-breach-at-ministry-understood-to-relate-to-tuia-250-applicants
Or you could be angry at the crooks that accessed the info illegally
0-1-0-1-1-0-1-0
Who said he's not ("angry at the crooks")
It's an embarrasingly basic failure you will not see often, so no cause to mistrust everything else. I'd be more worried about big foreign companies we willingly throw our information at like Google and Facebook.
Agreed with that Sacha.
All corporations are the root of all evil.
They have no soul or moral fabric.
‘Here today gone tomorrow’ is their motto.
International banking still relies on Windows Vista, or at least it still did last year. My point is that most things digital have some kind of exploit.
Fiscal illiterate sneaks out another fantasy mayoral policy overnight – though at least this one only requires negotiating with those affected by debt servicing, such as all other councils: https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/115269584/auckland-mayoral-race-tamihere-would-freeze-rates-and-cut-salaries
And doubles down on the stupid: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12261763
Turning a crucial two-way link into a dead end is a great summary of this guy's contempt. Maybe his campaign is just a kite-flying research project for the Nats?
The contracts are already signed. Another Tamihere brain fart that is simply a badly thought through fantasy.
It's why I am suspecting another end goal for his nonsense.
Alan Jones mural https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kNPblFJfP/
[not happy about the implied sexual violence in that, so have edited the comment. People can click through if they want to see it – weka]
Sometimes you got to fight fire with fire…
I see that as more pouring petrol on the dumpster fire that is the patriarchy.
Funny how the hero's of neo-liberalism are all crooks.
Adam;
Can you name "the heros of Neo-liberalism"?
Refreshing to see fair and powerful scrutiny of New Zealand dairy industry practice on the world stage.
– Mike Joy and David Larsen
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/115243716/ecologist-takes-dairy-criticism-to-world-stage
Remember who cleared out ECAN and undemocratically appointed their own board? John Key's National Party…
yep and the farmers are unhappy
some farmers have come a long way down from caring for the land and animals – all about economics now and the dollar in their back pocket.
come on farmers – you'd drop a cow for not producing anything meaningful yet what meaningful changes are you doing?
And what change would have occurred were it not for campaigners like Dr Joy and Mr Larsen?
None!
I’d also add Charlie Mitchell and hundreds of others doing the hard and unpleasant work shining light on the Nats and the dirty dairying industry.
"but if you're not picking up a spade to help, what are you actually contributing?"
The Canterbury farmers were told in the early 90's that dairy intensification would lead to degraded waterways and polluted drinking water.
John Key and the farmers ignored that and proceeded to shit in our water so now we have degraded waterways and polluted drinking water.
What a bunch of c$&%s
The above comment about "contributing" is farcical.
yep – if we turned up with a spade to help with that farmer's pollution issues he'd no doubt call the police, or send a warning shot over us for trespassing.
should we all pause for a 'john key – white-gold' memory-moment..?
‘Muldoonism’ itself, similarly, goes a long way towards explaining the success of ‘Rogernomics’. Under Lange’s immediate predecessor, the New Zealand economy had come perilously close to collapse. An alternative strategy was required, and thanks to Treasury’s little beige book, Economic Management, it was Roger Douglas who got there firstest with the mostest. That Douglas’s opponents had no little book of their own to offer the country, lent credence to the Rogernomes’ claim that “there is no alternative”. Moreover, from the ramshackle and disaster-prone quality of the Ardern Ministry, it is clear that the (alleged) opponents of the neoliberal order within the present government have yet to produce one."
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/101361/chris-trotter-asks-whether-jacinda-ardern%E2%80%99s-government-critical-mass-talent-or
Chris Trotters excellent piece will attract the usual knee jerk reactions but more considered thought will recognise reality….where is the plan (are they capable of formulating one)?
MMP was designed to kill programmatic government and was fully successful. The Big Government wand was snapped.
So far this government are only unpopular with those who measure actual ministerial results. Otherwise everyone's at work.
In 2020 they get to open Sky City convention centre and big Waikato motorways, plus all of downtown Auckland.
In 2021 the government gets APEC, Americas Cup, and more.
New Zealanders like aspirational language from their PM's, but very incremental actual change.
It's just a Kiwi fact.
MMP wasnt the cause of the lack of government capacity, that can be fairly laid at the feet of neoliberalism…and tinkering at the edges of the existing hands off approach will continue the lack of improvement….until it collapses in upon itself from one of the many pressing challenges.
A complete abdication of responsibilty (combined with a lack of ability)….from all political parties and the public service.
Clark-Cullen government results showed major institutional change was possible without Muldoonist-scale plans.
Also showed a well led public service delivers. Just needs to be well led.
I beg to differ and an examination of the past would I suggest such. When did the housing bubble begin? when was the beginning of the open boarders policy? Indicators of the lack of policy ideas that were continued by Key……In fact the only policy of significance that came in under the Clark Gov that springs to mind was Kiwisaver, everything else was a continuation of the neolib hands off approach…a frequently heard complaint, and one also levelled at this admin
almost forgot…and when did the dairy bubble begin?
There are a number of problems with Trotter's piece, but the one thing he got right was that nobody at the time had a little red book with which to counter the rogernomes – and in particular to explain and avoid stagflation.
The problem now is twofold:
That's not to say Labour are perfect, but the ministers are more competent than the nactoids ever were. Some are more right or left wing than others, that's life. But they're all trying new things. Failure is a natural consequence of trying new things, but sooner or later these attempts lead to succes. If you want anything other than stagnation, TINA but to try.
Clark-Cullen coalition government delivered just fine. Coalition is not a problem.
What that Hallam is an unscientific nut case is clearly evident.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
so nz has just lined up with the environmental vandals on the planer – the bad-guys – – and voted against a u.n treaty to protect endangered species of sharks…
way-to-go..!..nz..!….eh..?
pray – tell us why..?
is this nz first being owned by the fishing industry – again/still..?
they are meat-eaters mr ure
indeed..!..should i go down to the shoreline..and have a talk with them..?
Why the hell would we vote against that?
as an uneducated guess – i would say 'cos nz first insisted upon it..
'cos the fishing companies who own them catch a hell of a lot of sharks..?
y'know..!..follow the dollars..!
Gee. A "regulations bonfire", eh?
Last time they did this we got leaky buildings and the Pike River disaster.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/397494/national-committing-to-regulations-bonfire-if-elected-in-2020
Just like Trump then:
And this jem….
.
so it's "voluntary" and only applies to government agencies, who generally pay on time anyway. No mention of common practice of 90 -120 days payment that seems standard in construction and Fonterra practiced for a while. But hey, not like National is going to do anything that will hurt their mates
I took the 'also' to mean there would be a voluntary scheme, and the mandate on govt departments.
"and creating a voluntary initiative to make sure small businesses are paid on time"
That doesn't even makes sense. If it's voluntary how will it make sure?
As a small business owner I thought yeah, right…
As will all small business owners who live hoping the money's going to be in their account on time.
A stupid Clayton's policy and I hope they get taken to task over it.
Awesome. So much to learn from the Hong Kong protest movements.
https://twitter.com/Jordan_Sather_/status/1165327628825284610
Your photo shows the protesters felling towers holding facial recognition cameras.
There is an interesting article in a recent issue of the Economist. On page 60 of the 17 August copy of the magazine there is a report on how to fool facial recognition software. The methods involve things like wearing bright makeup, wearing clothes with semi-abstract patterns that make the facial recognition software see lots of "faces", or projecting infrared illumination onto one's face that make the software unable even to recognize that there is a face, or person, there. Other techniques readily fooled the software into thinking it was someone else altogether who was present.
Maybe we can get to the stage that protesters won't have to flatten the facial recognition towers. After all, if the computer can't see you why bother? Even better of course would be if the software in Hong Kong thought that there were tens of thousands of clones of Xi Jinping protesting in the streets.
I can't provide a link to the article I'm afraid. It is pay-walled for subscribers only. To read it, assuming you don't subscribe, should be possible by visiting your local Library. Most of them get the magazine.
The HK protestors have been using lasers for ages to dazzle the cameras.
fooling the cameras, while a good interim tactic, doesn't stop authoritarianism. That's what the protest is about.
Interesting isn't it?
As New Zealand inches more towards becoming like China (see links below) there is barely a murmur. Whereas, in Hong Kong people are flooding onto the streets.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/396509/privacy-commissioner-in-dark-over-advanced-cctv-plan-for-auckland
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/396716/police-open-to-using-facial-recognition-from-auckland-transport-cctv-cameras
It seems the majority of New Zealanders are of the belief it is being done for our safety, whereas the people of Hong Kong know differently.
This gives background information of the Hong Kong protests Weka
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2019/08/19/behind-a-made-for-tv-hong-kong-protest-narrative-washington-is-backing-nativism-and-mob-violence/
"The protests ostensibly began in opposition to a proposed amendment to the extradition law between Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, and Macau, which would have allowed Taiwanese authorities to prosecute a Hong Kong man for murdering his pregnant girlfriend and dumping her body in the bushes during a vacation to Taiwan.
Highly organized networks of anti-China protesters quickly mobilized against the law, compelling Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam to withdraw the bill.
But the protests continued even after the extradition law was taken off the table"
This also by Pepe Escobar
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2019/08/07/hong-kong-kashmir-a-tale-of-two-occupations/
"Much to the distress of neocons and humanitarian imperialists, there won’t be a bloody mainland China crackdown on protesters in Hong Kong – a Tiananmen 2.0. Why? Because it’s not worth it.
What these protests have accelerated is Beijing’s conviction that Hong Kong is not worth its trust as a key node in China’s massive integration/development project. Beijing invested no less than $18.8 billion to build the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge, as part of the Greater Bay Area, to integrate Hong Kong with the mainland, not to snub it.
Now a bunch of useful idiots at least has graphically proven they don’t deserve any sort of preferential treatment anymore."
"The big story in Hong Kong is not even the savage, counter-productive protests (imagine if this was in France, where Macron’s army is actually maiming and even killing Gilets Jaunes/Yellow Vests). The big story is the rot consuming HSBC – which has all the makings of the new Deutsche Bank scandal.
HSBC holds $2.6 trillion in assets and an intergalactic horde of cockroaches in their basement – asking serious questions about money laundering and dodgy deals operated by global turbo-capitalist elites."
Totally agree Brigid
Here's a previous World Bank economist and his take on the Hong Kong riots.
https://journal-neo.org/2019/08/25/hong-kong-and-the-audacity-of-the-united-states/
French protestors have paid a higher toll, death, blindness, amputations at the hands of the French police.
In comparison the Hong Kong authorities have been restrained.
Not that restrained, apparently.
https://youtu.be/XrtJE7usacc
Yes there was some heavy handedness before the extradition treaty was shelved, but to be fair, that was largely put down to the UK superintendents in charge. Seems the Brits cant stay out of Hong Kong
I advise everyone to read more widely
https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/06/article/brits-in-hk-police-played-key-crackdown-roles/
This is the guy who has led the "clearance" of protestors, not Chinese, but a Brit who loved the job and stayed on
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Dover
wow 2 of them
Actually there’s 60 of them Marty
And those UK expats were singled out by the protestors
Seems like the Brits just can’t stop their colonialist ways
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/hong-kong-protes-expat-police-focus-protester-rage-11727706
couldn't find 60 in that original link – went back and checked
so you think the british not the chinese are the big players here? Are they doing it as a proxy for the US? Seems overly complicated to me but I'm here not there so I will suspend my disbelief a little more and keep looking at the links people provide
thanks for your links
what's your thinking about what the protests are about Brigid?
When you compare the publicity the Hong Kong protestors have been given with those in France or Honduras, I'm mightily suspicious. That the protestors wave US flags and call on Murica to save them is just a wee bit funny. No hilarious actually.
Is there a country on earth that has benefited from US intervention?
None that I can think of.
It seems to me that, as Pepe Escobar calls them, these 'useful idiots' are not protesting for better conditions for the hoi polloi in Hong Kong but because they're paid to.
That the protestors wave US flags and call on Murica to save them is just a wee bit funny.
It's a protest that's deliberately without leadership, as that makes it harder for the dictator's minions to decapitate the movement. Which means individuals are free to wave whatever flags they want or shout whatever slogans they want. Nothing funny about it.
It seems to me that, as Pepe Escobar calls them, these 'useful idiots' are not protesting for better conditions for the hoi polloi in Hong Kong but because they're paid to.
Nice tinfoil hat you have there, did you make it yourself.
If you chose to read more widely you'd find the protest is not without leadership.
And if you chose to read more widely, you wouldn't make ridiculous generalisations about the protesters waving American flags and calling on the USA to help them.
Yes, and that is due to a number of reasons. One being China's failure to allow all members of the Legco (their parliament) to be voted on by the people. Largely allowing China to call the shots.
Well of course. Since 1997 Hong Kong has been part of China. It only has limited autonomy.
Why has it taken these protestors 22 years to discover China mostly calls the shots?
Because that was meant to change overtime, but so far China has failed to live up to that agreement.
Moreover, China is pushing for more control such as the extradition law, which has brought this to the boiling point we are witnessing now.
It’s all in the protest explained video I posted above.
Why has it taken these protestors 22 years to discover China mostly calls the shots?
Sigh. The last uprising was put down only five years ago, so no, not 22 years. And this one, like the last one, has been prompted by the CCP's attempts to extend its ability to call the shots.
+ 1 yep there is a history here that can be checked. Doesn't seem to deter fake news though.
Hey, weka, the other day you asked if there is a compelling reason we need to be exporting so much? Here is the answer below.
https://positivemoney.org/2011/12/debt-based-monetary-system-world-debt/
we have to keep exporting because it's the only way we can afford the amount of overseas debt we have?
Why would we need to export to the degree that we do for that to be managed?
Not exactly.
Countries have to export to enable them to pay off the interest on their debt based money. Just about every dollar is produced by a loan, hence without exporting (generating debt free money) there is no way to pay off the interest incurred.
Why not? Why can't we produce wealth domestically?
Because domestically we still rely on a debt based monetary system. That would have to change, which is what Social Credit is largely about.
But bankers will never allow that to happen. So that is where stopping the need for export growth hits a dead end.
"But bankers will never allow that to happen."
You mean there's not been a government in living memory that has the courage to tell the bankers to get phuckt.
"Debt-based money" (i.e. reserve bank bonds lent at the OCR) doesn't require overseas cash to repay.
As long as the value of goods and services produced matches the money supply and its associated cost, the debt-to-GDP ratio remains constant and the RB debt is merely grease in the wheels. Like someone living off a credit card they can service monthly.
No. Debt based money as in Fractional Reserve Banking, which is how 90 odd percent of our money supply is created.
Meh. Same diff – still gets repaid without need for exports. Extra value created in cycle maintains debt ratio.
No, it doesn't. One party making debt based money off another party in a local economy via trade of goods and services doesn't produce any debt free money to pay off the national interest incurred from initially creating that money.
Debt based money circulating in a local economy will never produce the funding to pay off the interest that local economy incurs in creating that money.
The new production and money velocity (as it circulates) can devalue the existing debt. AKA inflation.
The system just isn't as simple as you're making out.
It's all by the by anyway – global trade is about getting people what they want for less, rather than satisfying some economic theory. Always has been. FTAs vs protectionism is largely driven by ideology,but the global trade itself goes back well before economics started its entrails-reading.
No. Increasing the debt based money supply increases debt and devalues the dollar, hence drives up inflation.
Global trade and FTAs are not one and the same. FTA’s tend to allow countries to buy up other nations exporters/resources. Giving them full monetary benefit (baring local expenses, jobs, and tax if they pay them) of another nations exports/resources.
Yes, there is more to international trade than merely the debt based money supply, but the debt based money supply is a driving factor for countries to continually grow their exports.
Just as fractional reserve banking might be more significant in "creating" money than the government bonds used to create the reserve the banks use, the velocity (and, I suggest, distribution) of that money affects inflation more than the basic money supply. Indeed, I read once that when all is done and dusted, the difference between Keynesianism and Monetarism is justified by the weight each gives to representing the velocity of money in the system. (Of course, it's all bullshit from a prediction level – completely unrepeatable supposition).
People buy shit because they have money, and other people sell shit because they want money. You might argue that global or local trade is a fractional reserve ponzi scheme, but that doesn't affect trade nearly as much as people just wanting to buy and sell shit.
Inflation tends to reduce the amount of goods and services people can afford to buy while increasing the need for people to earn more.
Additionally, inflation results in driving up the OCR. In turn, the interest incurred creating the money supply. Thus, the need to export more as the velocity of money within a local economy doesn't grow that economy's wealth (albeit it may bolster an individual or company's wealth).
The high cost of local products drives up demand for cheaper imports, which again drives up the need for countries to export more to offset the trade imbalance and the associated (money supply) debt.
Suppliers, manufactures, etc require people to buy stuff for their survival, which in turn is required for employment opportunities.
Environmentally, it comes down to the whether or not the goods and service and the manner in which they are produced and supplied are environmentally friendly.
In general, consumers chase bargains (especially in NZ due to our generally low incomes) which influences their purchasing choice. And those bargains tend to come from lower wage high polluting countries such as China. Again, increasing imports, thus the need (via the trade imbalance and the associated money supply debt) for us to export more.
Production boosts overall wealth (without addressing the distribution therein).
Monetary activity encourages increased production. More transactions being made with money between initial lending and end repayment (compared with a bond borrowed but never spent before repayment) simulates an increase in the overall money supply.
Inflation increases the cost of goods (produced by whomever), but correspondingly decreases the cost of existing debt.
And the tankie left gets right onto labeling the protesters as agents of foreign powers.
https://twitter.com/BenjaminNorton/status/1165639215998263296
Surprised you think that video furthers your case Joe. Peaceful protests they aint
Yeah, the temerity of standing up and demanding a democratic future in the face of an authoritarian regime.
/
God you're naive. It was a Brit in charge who dealt out the rubber bullets and ordered the tear gas.I wonder why he decided to be so heavy handed?
Gene Sharp 101
Food for thought, Joe.
China Did Not Trick the US — Trade Negotiators Served Corporate Interests
https://tinyurl.com/y2gagk32
Hat tip to saveNZ.
jeepers I didn't think people would be suckered like that – just shows I suppose – anyone can believe anything as long as it confirms their bias – sad shit really.
Nats pledge wholesale removal of protections, and moar 1950s highways: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/397494/national-committing-to-regulations-bonfire-if-elected-in-2020
The last Nat govt had not included funding for their next batch of expensive tarmac in any Budgets, so it's simply a lie to claim that they were "ready to go".
Snap, Muttonbird.
Have the road construction companies threatened to end their ENORMOUS DONATIONS TO THE NATIONAL PARTY ?
Cenk, knocks the nail on the head. Trump needs the 25th amendment enabled NOW!
Just so you know I think pence is worse politically, but trump is, well watch the video
I think the Government should issue stronger words and actions for this atrocity happening now.
Good work Green Party MP and human rights spokeswoman Golriz Ghahraman for trying to get some action on this.
“The most recent crackdown on indigenous West Papuans is scary given past brutality by Indonesian forces- add to that the threat of internet black out and its a recipe for grave human rights abuse. Let’s remember that it’s aim is to take away indigenous land and resource for corporate profit- as it happens around the world- divesting from timber imported from West Papua’s pristine native forests is one thing NZ must do to support this indigenous struggle.”
Nice post about crasher collins and the truth from Frank Macskasy – see sidebar
Very sad – so much pain and sorrow. What to do? Dunno – I work in prevention and really things are tough…
Suicide is an overwhelmingly male phenomenon. In NZ there are approximately 3 male suicide deaths for every female suicide death.
Now search the media releases today for the words male, men, or boys. Betcha you won’t find a single one.
Kinda hard to fix a problem when it’s politically incorrect to acknowledge that it exists.
your politically incorrect line is part of the problem imo – the stats won't improve until it isn't used as a point scoring device – do you get that?
Yes you’re absolutely right it’s the words we use that are the actual problem, we won’t be able to stop men from dying of suicide until we eliminate the inconvenient phrases used to describe the problem of their deaths
You’re the real hero
not we, you – the words YOU use that is PART of the problem – try to read what I write rather than just push your lines
Why don’t you think suicide is a male problem and that boys and men deserve extra attention, funding, and support?
I never said that.
Of course I am supportive of giving hope to men and boys who are desperate and suicidal. I support programs designed to specifically support them.
living a life of grinding poverty – with no end in sight – can lead to depression – can lead to suicide..
our gummint can fix that factor/cause..
let's watch them dance around this one..
and do s.f.a./not end poverty..
and so the nmbers will climb..
and why does david clark seemingly have no awareness of this..?
and why the fuck do journalists like lisa owen not have the nous to ask him about this..?
Not to mention that coroners are relatively reluctant to make a finding of suicide, so that the numbers are if anything understated.
Kia Ora Newshub.
I think it's cool that our Coalition government is going to control MPs pay brackets.
Whanau there you go the alcohol licensing system is corupt that is the reason why we have bottle stores in all the lower class people area.
The phenomenon of trump not attending the G7 meeting about savings our mokopuna environment is going to be positive in the end ma Te wa.
Its great that France President Macron is giving 20 million euro to fight the fires in the Amazon ignoring what the haters has to say.
They are spying on the wrong people what a waste of time and money.
Doc is doing great mahi controling Tar goats on the mountcook ranges
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News
Its excellent that a third person is being charged for Jasmine death. Jasmine whanau will be pleased at last they are seeing Justice.
Te Wahine is correct Maori need to have more input and learn. More about our cyber security my data is compromise every minute of the day.
I say that a community based solution for Maori mental health will help more tangata servive their mental health issues manly depression because so many people in Aotearoa look down on Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa that is not good for our tamariki wairua.
There you go Whanau national trying to use Tangata Whenua issues to undermine our human Coalition Government.
Auckland is in fashion show excellence that Maori is part of the fashion show also that sustainability is becoming a fashion trend that no one can Stop Ka pai.
Heniana Goodmen has being a great news reporter for decades Ka pai
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
simon Winston Peters has achieved more positive change to our society than you could dream of achieving before he got the Gold card and other gains for OUR elderly they were struggling. You see not all elderly are wealth %90 are having to try and survive on super alone that is bugger all money to live on in the year 2019.
I backed vapouring as a tool to slow down and give up smoking especially for the elderly people who have been smoking for 40 od years they need to give up smoking for their mokopuna. Whanau another case of over exploitation by humans the Hauraki gulf mussels Fisheries over exploited next minute the fisheries calapes and has never recovered.
Useing green lipped mussel to clean up our water ways estries is a great idea my only concern is mono culture farming is not good for our wildlifes diversity so using a few other species of water filters is needed for a safe clean environment some use oysters beds to do the water filtering and to slow erosion in New York.
Ka pai Jenny you handled him well we need legislation to make sure that the content of vapour oil is safe this phenomenon gave me some conserns about vapouring
Funny Mark 146 was a good score one has to be careful what they eat. I remember watching that game to.
Jacindia Waka is sailing into the wind stured up by national and there corupt supporters the alt right who will lie and cheat to win did the informers come out of the DARK.
Ka kite Ano
Some Eco Maori Music For The Minute.
https://youtu.be/aqCSNH5gxKY
Global warming human cause climate change is a huge threat to the future wellbeing
Kia Ora Newshub.
I agree cheap beer and alcohol is targeted at poor alcoholics that is not the way a caring society behaves.
BULLSHIT if they can't afford it they won't drink alcohol.
I think that is a awesome move vaccination in shopping mall and other places people always gather.
Mark Lundy and his lawyers are wasting New Zealand time and money.
On the way back to the bay it was raining hard cold as soon as I got over the rangers the rain stopped we could feel that it was warmer to I was thinking that the place would be bogged out with mud and had to light the fire straight away but it was clear awesome.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Condolences to Tahu potiki whanau and Iwi Ngai Tahu for their loss of A great leader.
Condolences to the other tangata whenua whanau excuses my pH I'm just learning how to use it.
Ka pai to John Kerwin for all his mahi on mental health issues he has been awesome with tangata whenua tamariki. I,, the mental health problem needs cross party tau toko.
I agree with Ming Foons opinion on the way that tangata whenua o Aotearoa has been treated by the crown he has the knowledge on tangata whenua o Aotearoa Ka pai.
Haka Bristro and the other Wahine great mahi insulating all those whare Mana Wahine I found that my Wahine staff were more reliable than male staff
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
My opinion on the Napier Port float is the tangata already owned the 99 % were getting some of its capital gains and profits putting it on the stock market is just putting the port in a situation where only the wealth people 00.1% get to corner all the gains while the 99.9 % will ultimately pay more for imports and exporting.
I tau toko teaching Aotearoa factual history as most of the books paint a bad picture of tangata whenua when in fact we are quite industrial honorable humane people.
Eco Maori agree with the recational Fisher man Terakihi Hapuka Gurnard and a few other species are stuffed but the commercial Fisher men just want to keep exploiting the fish they need to be controlled no trawling in a mile from land that and heaps more reserves.
Maori and wai we'll I say we should we do own wai we will look after wai much better than the crown is has??????. For our future generations.
If the government change to a money first government like the last one the will just exploit wai and our environment not give a shit about the futures needs.
Every one knows Eco Maori views on gangs
The anti vaccination people are to easily lead down the wrong path many people display the inability to be skeptical with information they receive.
I agree our factual history needs to be taught and all tangata whenua tamariki taught Te reo. That will stop Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa Culture from dissappearing.
Ka kite Ano
All the intelligence people of America Greetings Our World Famous Climate Change Champions Ka pai from Eco Maori
Greta Thunberg lands in US for climate meet
Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has arrived in New York City, US to chants and cheers following a trans-Atlantic trip on a sailboat to attend a global warming conference.
The 16-year-old and her crew were escorted into a lower Manhattan marina about 4pm local time on Wednesday, concluding a two-week crossing from Plymouth, England.
As the boat docked, hundreds of activists welcomed her from a Hudson River promenade. Thunberg waved then was lifted onto a Dock.
"I didn't get seasick once," but she stressed that "this is not something I want everyone to do"She is set to speak at a United Nations climate summit in SeptemberThe boat carrying Thunberg, the Malizia II, encountered rough seas that slowed it down for a day. Taking turns steering the 18-metre racing yacht were yachtsman Boris Herrmann and Pierre Casiraghi, the grandson of Monaco's late Prince Rainier and American actress Grace Kelly.Inscribed on the boat's sail are the words "FridaysForFuture" under "UNITE BEHIND THE Science.
Ka kite Ano link.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/115367331/greta-thunberg-lands-in-us-for-climate-meet