The Palestinian Authority and Israel co-operate on lots of things. A large percentage of the West Bank is governed by the PA. In doing so they have to cooperate with Israel. Although Trump may have cut the PA off from assistance, the EU and various European states have not.
So the scene you have shown is not that unusual.
For instance it has been quite some time since there were reports of violence in the West Bank. That is a feature of Gaza, but then that is because Hamas continues to foster a state of war. Unlike the PA, Hamas prefers a state of war. But they need to end it. They can’t win and it impoverishes the people of Gaza.
It wasn’t always like that. Twenty years ago, Gaza had an international airport, a seaport and civil reconstruction. All long gone.
Is there any easy to understand charts out there proving that the carbon taxs and emissions trading schemes have made any real impact on climate change ??
There have been very few carbon taxes and trading schemes actually implemented, and none that I’m aware of at a level that affects the price of fossil fuels enough to really significantly change decisions about their use. For instance, when the ETS was introduced here, it added around $0.075 to a litre of fuel – BFD. The Aussie’s tax would have been around the same level if they hadn’t dumped it straight away.
The most successful scheme I’m aware of is in Canada’s British Columbia, but even that was a very modest tax with modest results, and it’s been a while since I checked in on how that’s going. I’m pretty sure you’ve got the skilz to check that out without me picking the articles that reinforce my views for you.
The reason GHG taxes and trading schemes are expected to be effective is because they have been effective in other areas. Such as cleaning up sulphur emissions from power stations.
I haven’t looked at how BC’s Carbon Tax had been going either for a while – the initial results had been effective – but were they being sustained? So following bw’s and your comments above I had a look.
Unequivocally’ effective
Ten years ago, the province became the first jurisdiction in North America to implement a carbon tax. Since then, B.C.’s tax has attracted significant international media attention and academic scrutiny.
The Economist noted B.C.’s economy had “kept pace with the rest of the country” since the introduction of the tax. In 2016, The New York Times declared the tax “worked as advertised.”
Research by University of British Columbia professors Werner Antweiler and Sumeet Gulati also found the carbon tax policy to be beneficial.
“My research has shown unequivocally that it is effective,” Gulati said. “In transportation, it has reduced gasoline consumption. It has made people buy more fuel efficient cars.”
In their 2016 paper, they found per capita gasoline demand in B.C. decreased by close to 15 per cent between 2007 and 2014. They note their findings are in line with other major academic research on B.C.’s carbon tax.
“”In their 2016 paper, they found per capita gasoline demand in B.C. decreased by close to 15 per cent between 2007 and 2014. They note their findings are in line with other major academic research on B.C.’s carbon tax.””
I replaced my old 98 model ute with a 2010 model 5 years ago and would have achieved that sort of reduction. So claiming a tax caused thaose numbers above is claiming something that is happening in vehicles would wide .
You need to compare the reduction in fuel consumption per capita with other provinces in Canada – and you would find that such a reduction is not the case – as you would see if you were to study the academic research.
One only has to look at the current explosion in the number of 4wds around our cities to see that people are not incentivised to choosing fuel efficient vehicles. There are exceptions – the number of hybrids and EV are increasing slowly. Hybrid taxi’s in particular. However – if you have ever been fortunate enough to visit Vancouver in recent years ,you would note that their car fleet is very focused on smaller, and fuel efficient vehicles. EV charging stations are everywhere, and they have a very good public transport system.
It would be astonishing if an increase in fuel price due to a tax increase didn’t have the same effect in reducing fuel use as price increase due to exchange rate movements or oil price changes. A tax increase is in fact probably more effective, since everyone expects it to be permanent, whereas oil prices and exchange rates fluctuate.
Whenever fuel prices are high, there’s always a flurry of articles talking about how buyer demand shifts towards smaller vehicles. Conversely when fuel prices drop there’s a flurry of articles talking about people buying bigger vehicles again. Bit it’s been surprisingly hard to find a good paper properly examining whether that’s real.
A straight carbon (or greenhouse gas) tax is simplest to understand – you emit it, you pay the government for that emission. It’s a simple idea – you want to damage the atmosphere we all rely on, you pay for that damage.
Cap and trade and emissions trading schemes are closely related but very different to a tax – the idea is you need to obtain some sort of right to emit. So those rights are issued by some authority in limited numbers (hence a cap) according to some scheme which might be historical emissions, outright purchase or anything dreamed up by some bureaucrats.
Those rights to emit may then be bought and sold on a secondary market. The idea being that some emitters may have an easy way to reduce their emissions so it makes more sense for them to change what they do and sell their emissions rights, while other emitters may wish to expand their operations and they would find it cheaper to just buy more emissions rights than try to reduce their emissions.
But all that trading horseshit opens the door wide to dodgy deals like all the bullshit carbon credits we bought from Russia and Ukraine. Fundamentally the idea seems flawed to me, in that the whole concept is built around some sort of “right to emit”. To me, the better way to look at it is all emissions are damaging, and everyone that emits should get given the same solid kick to reduce their emissions. Don’t open the door for weasels to try to get around trying to reduce, just penalise the emissions so all emitters pay the price for the damage they do.
What’s your view on offsetting.
I ask because I’ve head it said recently that sheep and beef farmers will be taxed on emissions but planting a tree for every stock unit should cover it .
I’m trying to arm myself with easy counterpoints to the rants against the coming changes in farming .
I think offsetting is a scam dreamed up to sucker money out of naive greenies that want to kid themselves that all the flying and driving they do can be done without damage to our common environment.
While it’s possible there may be a few more trees getting planted because of offset schemes (I doubt it), trees should be getting planted because of the standalone merits of doing so. If the carbon they suck out of the atmosphere is worthy of additional reward (and I think it is), then that should be paid from the proceeds of greenhouse gas pricing. But I’m wary of the potential for scam artists to latch onto sucking money from fraudulent tree-growing schemes.
I know that view isn’t going to be much help in your discussions about the future of farming, sorry.
Was the Elizabeth Alexandra Mary doing satire last night? Either way, the most wasted 10 minutes of television of the day, and that’s saying something.
Surprised me too. I took James to be an immature individual and presumed he might grow up, given time. Not much hope for him then.
Doesn’t exhibit much concern for the well-being of future generations.
Odd!
OK
A trans displaying toxic masculinity?
How do we even define what makes someone a woman or a man these days
If you self identify as that gender ?
A woman is whatever you want a woman to be?
If we’re going to be all non binary, where does that leave feminism?
‘Apparently, according to a recent poll, a lot of people don’t care which gender old Saint Nick is. Gina Battye, an LGBT+ identity coach, tells BBC Three that it’s great that more than 17% of people reportedly want a gender-neutral Santa. Hmm. Which begs the question: What the fuck is an identity coach?’
When are the Government going to admit that they stuffed the Census completely and take responsibility for the situation?
Why did the Minister of Statistics totally ignore the only significant job he has and jaunt off overseas to his various junkets instead of keeping track of the Census.
As Brian Easton says. The best thing to do is to abandon the 2018 results and rerun the Census in 2021. https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/the-census-flop
In the meantime the Government must.
1. Sack the Government Statistician.
2. Sack the Person responsible for the organisation of the Census.
3. Sack the Minister responsible. Shaw must go.
There is an attempt by the CoL to blame it on the previous Government. Claims are that they cut the budget. Actually the amount allocated went up from $90m in 2013 to $120m in 2018. The Col had 6 months to fix any perceived problems from the time they took the reins until the date of the Census and do the job properly. Instead they spent a further 9 months since then pretending there was nothing wrong. Now it is claimed that there is insufficient time to do it properly in 2021.
Well quit and let someone else do it properly.
And in the meantime stop blaming the previous Government. The blame falls on the Department, on the “Honourable” James Shaw and on the leaders of the Labour Party for putting the fool in a job that was far beyond his ability.
Jacinda, you also should stand up and apologise for the a major stuff-up by your Government. Alternatively why don’t you also step down and hand over the title, as well as the pay, to the de facto PM, Tsar Winston?
I’ll bet National are relieved they are not in Govt. Just imagine the vitriol that they would have received from alwyn on this matter following an even greater stuff up!
Oh wait!
IF National had remained in Government and IF there had been a stuff-up of this magnitude I would have been much more vitriolic than this.
But they aren’t in Government and we can never know what would have happened. All the Census results from 2013 were OK tends to imply they wouldn’t have been OK if they had remained in power.
When National screwed up, as they did over the America’s cup financing I was just as unhappy with them as I am with the Coalition of Losers.
In general I was in favour of a change of Government last year. They had been in office for 9 years and were getting rather tired. The problem was I didn’t think that there was a competent alternative. That view has turned out to be right. Labour and its allies had spent 9 years doing nothing and were totally unprepared for being in power.
After all look at the fiascos going on in anything that Twyford gets near. Waiting lists for social housing going up by 50% in the last year are only one of the more spectacular examples of the man’s stupidity.
Nothing to do with National selling off State houses, of course. So their private sector mates could make a killing off tax payer funded rental subsidies.
Takes much more than a year, to reverse nine years of deliberate destruction.
Though I agree Twford is not the most competent Minister, he looks like an intellectual giant compared with National’s lineup.
Bridges is the best they have. FFS.
I never saw you complaining, when National made a total snafu of housing!
Nothing to do with National selling off State houses, of course. So their private sector mates could make a killing off tax payer funded rental subsidies.
Takes much more than a year, to reverse nine years of deliberate destruction.
Though I agree Twford is not the most competent Minister, however he looks like an intellectual giant compared with National’s lineup.
Bridges is the best they have. FFS.
I never saw you complaining, when National made a total snafu of housing!
Repeating your comment doesn’t make it any more sensible you know.
The waiting list comparison was, if my memory is correct, between November 2017 and November 2018.
Just how did National “sell of State Houses during this time that they were in Opposition”?
Under National many people were booted off the housing register which explains some of the increase now. This was particularly so in the year prior to the transfer of housing to WINZ after which it went up again.
Have you any idea how long it takes, or how much it costs, to develop a nation-wide census? It’s not something that can be put together in a few months. And it’s not something that should be done on the cheap. The decision to have a computer based survey was made, not by this government, but by National – purely on the basis of cost cutting. Shaw was handed a hospital pass by the out going National Govt, and the fiasco that was inevitable by choosing to think that a successful survey could be achieved in such a manner was certainly not his doing, but the idiots who thought that everyone has access to a computer and are computer literate. This sort of intellectual snobbery is brilliantly demonstrated in the movie “I Daniel Blake”. While many of us are happy to work, and communicate on-line, the plain fact is that there is a significant minority of folks who either have no access to the internet, or who have no understanding of how it all works – even if they did.
Yep, I was wondering about that @ Macro because I was out of the country in one of the World’s ‘whops’ for a few months at the time, and I’d left just after the election.
So Alwyn’s expectation is that with all the crap an incoming government has to deal with – you know – like going through all those facile PEBs and all, they then have to take responsibility for the planning that went on under the previous junta.
The census does seem to have been (yet another) complete fuckup, but it’s a bloody big stretch to sheet? all that home to an incoming government.
Macro has clearly great ability in writing historical fiction.
Pity it has so little to do with reality of course.
Shaw was in the job for nearly 6 months prior to the Census date. It was the only important thing in any of his “ministerial” roles that had to be done.
Why did he waste all his time on little things in minor functions and ignore, apparently, the only important matter?
Then why did he, and the Department, happily announce, in total contempt for all the evidence that everything was fine for the almost nine months that followed?
If I, not involved and only an interested and intelligent onlooker, realised it was stuffed-up in March how could the supposed experts, and their acolytes on sites like this, not realise it and admit it to the public for another 9 months?
Shaw announced, on some occasions when he deigned to stay in NZ that everything was wonderful. Why did he lie to us? He and his Department must have known the execution of the exercise was irremediably flawed. Why didn’t they say so and get on with organising a repeat. They would have had 3 years before a rerun in 2021.
“Jesus wept”?
Apparently at this point in his career, the days of his birth, he didn’t (“The little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes” – Away in a manger)
Well it must be trivia because if it was taken seriously why did the last government not know that we aren’t training enough teachers and doctors etc and not building enough houses and basic infrastructure to cope .
Only an idiot thinks the census is used in the way they describe – it SHOULD be for planning but is really just a snapshot in time , a recordl. It also supplies retired actuaries some stats to distort for politican gains.
Best of luck with your New Year’s resolutions Alwyn, and don’t forget about ILG. Seems that Chris T‘s 6th of November prophesy that ILG would be “gone in a couple of weeks” was inaccurate – who would have thunk it?
“It dawned on me, ‘I know this script, I helped write this script.’ At that point, I felt bad for what I did to Todd. But that’s the modus operandi of the National Party – when people become a liability you push them out the door.”
Where on earth does that quote come from? Or is it just something your imagination has dredged up in your more extreme fantasies about Simon Bridges?
The problem has with Lees-Galloway is that he might not vanish into oblivion quietly. He just might come out and explain just why he approved the ratbag being allowed to stay in New Zealand and precisely who it was that ordered him to do it.
That quote is from a formerly 7th-ranked opposition National party MP, one Jami-lee Ross; heard of him?
Just for you, Alwyn, I’ll repeat the quote, with attribution. It’s pure troll disinfectant, and the mention of Todd (de)Baclay reinforces just how bad the corruption of National’s corpse is. It’s very sad for NZ.
“It dawned on me, ‘I know this script, I helped write this script.’ At that point, I felt bad for what I did to Todd. But that’s the modus operandi of the National Party – when people become a liability you push them out the door.” – Jami-lee Ross (October 2018), former National party senior whip.
That has about as much sense to it as did the unlamented Chris Carter talking about Phil Goff in about 2010. Every Party gets a few idiots who live in their own little fantasy worlds.
Luckily most of them don’t stay for very long.
Alwyn, are you calling the former National party senior whip an idiot? Has he always been an idiot, or did he become an idiot only after recent comments?
Seems smart as a whip to me, and about to become very wealthy indeed – one more National party rags-to-riches story that you really should be celebrating.
I certainly am calling Ross an idiot.
He was an idiot with delusions of grandeur apparently.
I have no idea what he was like earlier. I don’t think I had ever heard of him before this year.
Anyone with ideas of succeeding in politics should be able to understand that knifing your leader when you can’t kill him is not a career enhancing move.
“Seems smart as a whip to me”. I guess, when you are a Labour Party fan, he would seem smart. After all he would seem quite clever to me when I compare him to someone like Twyford.
Note Dr Yang isn’t calling for Dr Shaw to be sacked; Alwyn’s on his own there.
In my opinion JLT has indeed demonstrated that he is “sharp as a whip” – why Alwyn seems reluctant to accept a genuine compliment about the intelligence of a (former) high-ranking Natioanl party MP is beyond me, although to be fair you wouldn’t catch me complimenting Bridges or Bennett for their intelligence.
“funding allocated under National”.
That’s right they allocated $120 million for the Census. That was a great deal more that the $90 million they put in for the 2013 Census wasn’t it?
But Ms Ardern says that they cut the budget. She really is as useless in arithmetic as she is in everything else isn’t she?
However the CoL appointed a new Minister and he never even requested anything in writing about how the Census was going. He was far to busy arranging his taxpayer funded overseas trips to attend pointless meetings in exotic places than to spend any time on the most important activity he, as a Minister, was responsible for.
Cop the blame Mr Ward. ‘Fess up to your inadequacy and resign.
Weren’t you one of those who assured us that everything would be fine and that statisticians could easily correct for the missing data?
Since the search function died it has been a bit hard to check those things. Probably saves a lot of the CoL lovers some acute embarrassment of course.
They can quietly forget the statements they made
I can’t really be bothered working through all the estimates, and supplementary estimates, for about 10 years to see whether the numbers are correct.
I think the Stats Department are desperately trying to find something, anything, that they can claim so that they save their jobs.
You are probably correct. Green MPs have never been known to take responsibility for their actions in the past.
Look at how the only Green MPs who thought that Turei’s actions were unacceptable were treated by the party. Out with them!
Instead a taxpayer cheating crook was held up as an object to be deified. Why was she never prosecuted by the way?
However at the moment I am a great deal more concerned about the problems caused by the Census being stuffed up and the problems that it is going to cause with Governmental actions until we get a Census that is accurate.
Scabs are your body’s natural system of healing, alwyn; stop ripping them off and exposing them to our view – we’re beginning to suspect you’ve got leprosy!
It isn’t my body with the scabs, Robert. It seems that you are talking about the Stats Dept and their political overlord.
Looking at the definition of “Body Public” I imagine that the Stats Department might be one of those.
“A body organization or agency that is financed by a form of government acts independently of it and has the responsibility to report key data evidence facts statistics to the government and is accountable for their role responsibility and objectives.”
That sounds pretty close to what they do. Given that sunlight is supposed to the best disinfectant it would seem to be an excellent idea to shine a very bright light on their, and their Minister’s, failures.
Now let’s clean house and start the process again. All change for the Thorndon Line.
It certainly took her a very long time to talk about it didn’t it?
The fraud apparently took place when her child was a baby. She finally admitted to it when her daughter was 24. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11893562
More than 20 years before you try and claim that you were only doing it so that others wouldn’t.
That was really planning ahead. Pity that even when she did so she lied about and insulted the family of the babies father who had supplied her with a huge amount of support.
“not a poor, Maori, solo mother”.
Gosh, you will soon have me bursting into tears
However when I consider the matter.
She wasn’t poor. The father of her child. and his family were providing very generous support, as I understand it.
She was Maori. True.
She was only a solo mother by choice.
She made no attempt at all to actually try and provide for her daughter by her own efforts. She relied on the taxpayer and her “in-laws” to do that. Meanwhile she studied and spent her spare time, not in a part time job, but in running for Parliament as a representative of a couple of joke parties.
She ripped off the taxpayer as fast as she could.
By the way. Perhaps you can tell us whether she ever repaid the money she stole.
I doubt it. She might have said she would but keeping promises was far, far from that persons mind.
She was a disgrace to herself and to New Zealand.
I suggest you talk to Helen Clark, or Michael Cullen.
Ask Helen whether she is a tax resident of New Zealand or whether she spends more that half her time in the USA.
Ask “Sir” Michael why he doesn’t pay any tax on his Super.
No doubt with one of Nationals “useful idiots” they promoted beyond their competence level, in charge, like so much of our current, State services. Assuring the Minister all is fine!
Ad, had Shaw attempted to amend the procedure by which the Census was to be carried out, in the 6 months he had, it would have been an even bigger fuck up than it was going to be. Last minute changes to a complex plan are almost invariably certain to lead to an even greater disaster.
Obviously he was assured by his officials that everything was in place, and it was all going to be fine. But this was a huge experiment, and it proved that while many people were fine with the way the data was collected, the fact remains that for a significant minority, computer based surveys are the completely wrong way to go – they either have no access and/or are completely computer illiterate. Furthermore the fact that so many are now homeless – a direct result of National’s policies – meant that around 1% of the population were untargeted.
“they either have no access and/or are completely computer illiterate. Furthermore the fact that so many are now homeless – a direct result of National’s policies – meant that around 1% of the population were untargeted.”
I think you are on to something there Macro IRT “The No Mates Party” could’ve been trying to fudge the numbers IOT deny those people access to healthcare, education and welfare etc via reduced funding to those various departments and therefore deny there is problem as those poor souls don’t exist because the census figures say so.
In this day and age nobody should be computer illiterate. Computers just aren’t that hard to use.
And they can go to the library to get access.
And that was the arrogant thinking that lead directly to the resulting stuff up.
Have you any idea of how many people who are over 80 there are in this country? Many of them have never been near a computer, my sister for a start, and she is one of the 1% ers. and could easily afford the very best computer and the fastest broadband. Her husband is older and left school to work on the family farm at 14. A capable person in many respects – but completely computer illiterate.
That story is replicated across the country. Here in Thames (with the highest percentage of seniors in the country) I can assure you that there were many people for whom the census represented a severe challenge. Some even had their own computer and internet access, but they use them solely to send emails to their children – and some are even brave enough to skype with the family overseas – but to use a computer, to log into a site, and answer a questionnaire is completely beyond their skill level. I know many of them personally.
But it is not just the the elderly. There are even more who have little to no access to computing, because they have never had to use one in their daily lives. Add in the numbers of dyslexic, and those who have been to school but never learned to read, – you would be surprised just how many there are. The 40,000+ who are homeless. You begin to see that there are a significant minority who either will never be able to complete an online survey, or will be sufficiently challenged, that they could never begin the process in the first place.
Have you any idea of how many people who are over 80 there are in this country?
When I was on Xtra’s help-desk I had an 85 year old ring in and ask me to help connect her to the internet. It was her first computer.
When I was on the Census help-desk I had people in their 70s and 80s ringing up and asking for help to get through the online forms and when we’d finished them say oh, was that it? that was easy wasn’t it?
Many of the elder people I’ve met have that can do attitude that we like to tell ourselves we all have. Of course, I’ve met people younger than me who whinge about how hard it is as well.
but to use a computer, to log into a site, and answer a questionnaire is completely beyond their skill level.
And I helped many people through. That’s what the help-desk was for.
There are even more who have little to no access to computing, because they have never had to use one in their daily lives.
I find that hard to believe.
How do they access their bank account?
Their library?
Their job?
Hell, you can’t even get WINZ help without a phone.
The 40,000+ who are homeless.
Most of them will have smart-phones and Stats did send people around to where homeless and freedom campers were known to congregate.
Here’s the thing: Using the internet is no harder than reading a friggen book.
And I’m pretty sure that most of the people whinging about using computers as being too hard can read a friggen book.
The ones that are dyslexic or illiterate could ask for help.
Really, stop whinging about it not being the 19th century any more and start living in the now.
My parents are in their mid 60s and have never used a computer, why would they? Social media is baffling and pointless, they bank at the bank, they shop in shops. Not everyone fucks around on blogs all day.
My parents are in their mid 60s and have never used a computer, why would they?
Because this isn’t the 19th century any more?
With online shopping neither banks nor shops are viable as they simply cost too much to run. Especially banks where an algorithm is probably a better advisor than a flesh bag.
When are the Government going to admit that they stuffed the Census completely and take responsibility for the situation?
Considering that it was all planned under National and before the election why would they admit that it was their fault?
There is an attempt by the CoL to blame it on the previous Government.
It was the previous government that fucked things up.
The Col had 6 months to fix any perceived problems from the time they took the reins until the date of the Census and do the job properly.
You’re assuming that they already knew that National had fucked it up and had plans to fix it all whereas in reality it being stuffed probably came as much as a surprise to them as to the rest of the country.
National fucked it up and now they’re trying to pass the blame on to the current government. Engaging in their normal personal responsibility that they’re so fond of.
Over the years Jimmy made dozens of vids on Syria, with catchy titles like "Truth about Syria", and got millions of clicks on them.Yesterday Dore admitted that he only now learned about Rojava and YPG Kurds, meaning he actually never bothered to do any research on the issue. pic.twitter.com/oNZff0D6Zm— Class Reductionist (@Nitzky89) December 23, 2018
Solar power is the clean green power of the future mokopuna’s it was pleasing to see a lot of maori Tamariki choseing the Sciences to study for there future jobs indigenous cultures solve problems in a unique fashion . I say nurturing indigenous cultures sciences will inprove everyone life.
Solar power in New Zealand currently contributes 0.2 percent to the country’s overall electricity generation. In the 2016 calendar year, an estimated 52 GWh of solar-generated electricity was contributed to the national grid, out of a total of 41,400 GWh.[1]
Although there are no subsidies, the declining costs of photovoltaics has caused a large increase in demand over the last few years. In 2009, the average turnkey price for a standard PV system of three kilowatts (kW) was about NZ$40,000, and has since dropped significantly to NZ$9,000.[2] As of April 2018, 1,385 MW of solar power has been installed in New Zealand. 19,134 solar power systems have been installed, 17,817 are residential systems.[3]
Buy-back rates for solar power exported to the grid range from 7 cents to 12 cents[6]. Cost-effectiveness of a residential solar power occurs when system owners aim to use more of their solar power than what they export, by means of timed appliances, turning on appliances when the sun is out, energy management systems and battery storage. Commercial buildings that use power during the day can get a high return on their investment.[7]
A 2015 study found that PV was more economical than grid supply if all the PV electricity was used on site and none was exported to the grid. For residential and commercial installations, improving energy efficiency is a lower cost option than PV.
Ka kite ano links below
Kia ora Piripi from Te kaea yes Auckland has not keep up the systems needed to cope with storm water that over flows and dumps sewage in the beaches
I it is ka pai that MPI is taking protecting our Paua from poaching seriously its big money overseas.
Eco maori backs Puhoro maori science teaching program it will be money well spent as the teacher can connect with our tamariki the will learn and earn higher credits .
I like that add stop a mate driving drunk its cool that its has come from Tairawhiti yes mates have a big influnce on each other.
Yes we must learn to respect Tangaroa I know that I am not as fit or as good at diving as I could 20 years ago I make sure to have a spotter when I dive now .
Aotearoa had a good sports season this year 2018 Ka kite ano
Kia ora Newshub That hot air balloon accident in Australia look like they had a big fright and were lucky no one died.
It was no secret that trump went to Iraq he tweeted about it I seen a video on his speech while he was there.
The mount Etna eruptions is natural phenomen Italy has had a few natural events lately
Yes the Fire season in Aotearoa has started people will be very careful .
China is showing how tec will change the way we buy stuff online is the way of the future it is not taking off as fast in Aotearoa like other countrys as it takes just 10 minutes to get to a shop in Aotearao Ka kite ano Bolt is having a good game of cricket Niki
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Hi,It’s my birthday on Christmas Day, and I have a favour to ask.A birthday wish.I would love you to share one Webworm story you’ve liked this year.The simple fact is: apart from paying for a Webworm membership (thank you!), sharing and telling others about this place is the most important ...
The last few days have been a bit too much of a whirl for me to manage a fresh edition each day. It's been that kind of year. Hope you don't mind.I’ve been coming around to thinking that it doesn't really matter if you don't have something to say every ...
The worms will live in every hostIt's hard to pick which one they eat the mostThe horrible people, the horrible peopleIt's as anatomic as the size of your steepleCapitalism has made it this wayOld-fashioned fascism will take it awaySongwriter: Twiggy Ramirez Read more ...
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are we heading ...
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...
Over on Kikorangi Newsroom's Marc Daalder has published his annual OIA stats. So I thought I'd do mine: 82 OIA requests sent in 2024 7 posts based on those requests 20 average working days to receive a response Ministry of Justice was my most-requested entity, ...
Welcome to the December 2024 Economic Bulletin. We have two monthly features in this edition. In the first, we discuss what the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury and the Budget Policy Statement from the Minister of Finance tell us about the fiscal position and what to ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...
Twas the Friday before Christmas and all through the week we’ve been collecting stories for our final roundup of the year. As we start to wind down for the year we hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year. If you’re travelling please be safe on ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the year’s news with: on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. ...
The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment:Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...
“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...
One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...
Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...
It is difficult to make sense of the Luxon Coalition Government’s economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management – the state of the economy was last week – is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...
This morning I awoke to the lovely news that we are firmly back on track, that is if the scale was reversed.NZ ranks low in global economic comparisonsNew Zealand's economy has been ranked 33rd out of 37 in an international comparison of which have done best in 2024.Economies were ranked ...
Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...
Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...
String-Pulling in the Dark: For the democratic process to be meaningful it must also be public. WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE in New Zealand’s politicians and journalists steadily declining, restoring those virtues poses a daunting challenge. Just how daunting is made clear by comparing the way politicians and journalists treated New Zealanders ...
Dear Nicola Willis, thank you for letting us know in so many words that the swingeing austerity hasn't worked.By in so many words I mean the bit where you said, Here is a sea of red ink in which we are drowning after twelve months of savage cost cutting and ...
The Open Government Partnership is a multilateral organisation committed to advancing open government. Countries which join are supposed to co-create regular action plans with civil society, committing to making verifiable improvements in transparency, accountability, participation, or technology and innovation for the above. And they're held to account through an Independent ...
Today I tuned into something strange: a press conference that didn’t make my stomach churn or the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Which was strange, because it was about the torture of children. It was the announcement by Erica Stanford — on her own, unusually ...
This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...
The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...
Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...
We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
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Has there ever been a crueler, more cynical Christmas “greeting” than this?
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/IDF-wishes-Christians-journeying-to-Bethlehem-Merry-Christmas-575416
The Palestinian Authority and Israel co-operate on lots of things. A large percentage of the West Bank is governed by the PA. In doing so they have to cooperate with Israel. Although Trump may have cut the PA off from assistance, the EU and various European states have not.
So the scene you have shown is not that unusual.
For instance it has been quite some time since there were reports of violence in the West Bank. That is a feature of Gaza, but then that is because Hamas continues to foster a state of war. Unlike the PA, Hamas prefers a state of war. But they need to end it. They can’t win and it impoverishes the people of Gaza.
It wasn’t always like that. Twenty years ago, Gaza had an international airport, a seaport and civil reconstruction. All long gone.
“It wasn’t always like that. Twenty years ago, Gaza had an international airport, a seaport and civil reconstruction. All long gone”
Yes WAYNE bombed and shelled into rubble by Zionists.
Israel prefers a State of war.
Get it right Wayne!
The kids throwing rocks, are their excuse to annex even more Palestinian territory.
The invasion of Israel into Palestine is the cause of the ongoing war.
Is there any easy to understand charts out there proving that the carbon taxs and emissions trading schemes have made any real impact on climate change ??
There have been very few carbon taxes and trading schemes actually implemented, and none that I’m aware of at a level that affects the price of fossil fuels enough to really significantly change decisions about their use. For instance, when the ETS was introduced here, it added around $0.075 to a litre of fuel – BFD. The Aussie’s tax would have been around the same level if they hadn’t dumped it straight away.
The most successful scheme I’m aware of is in Canada’s British Columbia, but even that was a very modest tax with modest results, and it’s been a while since I checked in on how that’s going. I’m pretty sure you’ve got the skilz to check that out without me picking the articles that reinforce my views for you.
The reason GHG taxes and trading schemes are expected to be effective is because they have been effective in other areas. Such as cleaning up sulphur emissions from power stations.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-political-history-of-cap-and-trade-34711212/
I haven’t looked at how BC’s Carbon Tax had been going either for a while – the initial results had been effective – but were they being sustained? So following bw’s and your comments above I had a look.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-s-carbon-tax-a-real-life-rebuttal-to-carbon-pricing-s-political-opponents-some-experts-say-1.4758484
“”In their 2016 paper, they found per capita gasoline demand in B.C. decreased by close to 15 per cent between 2007 and 2014. They note their findings are in line with other major academic research on B.C.’s carbon tax.””
I replaced my old 98 model ute with a 2010 model 5 years ago and would have achieved that sort of reduction. So claiming a tax caused thaose numbers above is claiming something that is happening in vehicles would wide .
You need to compare the reduction in fuel consumption per capita with other provinces in Canada – and you would find that such a reduction is not the case – as you would see if you were to study the academic research.
One only has to look at the current explosion in the number of 4wds around our cities to see that people are not incentivised to choosing fuel efficient vehicles. There are exceptions – the number of hybrids and EV are increasing slowly. Hybrid taxi’s in particular. However – if you have ever been fortunate enough to visit Vancouver in recent years ,you would note that their car fleet is very focused on smaller, and fuel efficient vehicles. EV charging stations are everywhere, and they have a very good public transport system.
There certainly is an element to efficiency improvements reducing fuel use.
But there’s also a clear (inverse) correlation between per capita fuel use and fuel prices. See for example https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=33232
It would be astonishing if an increase in fuel price due to a tax increase didn’t have the same effect in reducing fuel use as price increase due to exchange rate movements or oil price changes. A tax increase is in fact probably more effective, since everyone expects it to be permanent, whereas oil prices and exchange rates fluctuate.
Whenever fuel prices are high, there’s always a flurry of articles talking about how buyer demand shifts towards smaller vehicles. Conversely when fuel prices drop there’s a flurry of articles talking about people buying bigger vehicles again. Bit it’s been surprisingly hard to find a good paper properly examining whether that’s real.
David Seymour seems to think rising prices decreases vehicle miles:
Which should happen according to market theory. Don’t think he tabled any evidence though.
Good link .
Please be patient it takes me a while to get shit .
Is cap and trade different to an ets and a straight carbon tax .
A straight carbon (or greenhouse gas) tax is simplest to understand – you emit it, you pay the government for that emission. It’s a simple idea – you want to damage the atmosphere we all rely on, you pay for that damage.
Cap and trade and emissions trading schemes are closely related but very different to a tax – the idea is you need to obtain some sort of right to emit. So those rights are issued by some authority in limited numbers (hence a cap) according to some scheme which might be historical emissions, outright purchase or anything dreamed up by some bureaucrats.
Those rights to emit may then be bought and sold on a secondary market. The idea being that some emitters may have an easy way to reduce their emissions so it makes more sense for them to change what they do and sell their emissions rights, while other emitters may wish to expand their operations and they would find it cheaper to just buy more emissions rights than try to reduce their emissions.
But all that trading horseshit opens the door wide to dodgy deals like all the bullshit carbon credits we bought from Russia and Ukraine. Fundamentally the idea seems flawed to me, in that the whole concept is built around some sort of “right to emit”. To me, the better way to look at it is all emissions are damaging, and everyone that emits should get given the same solid kick to reduce their emissions. Don’t open the door for weasels to try to get around trying to reduce, just penalise the emissions so all emitters pay the price for the damage they do.
What’s your view on offsetting.
I ask because I’ve head it said recently that sheep and beef farmers will be taxed on emissions but planting a tree for every stock unit should cover it .
I’m trying to arm myself with easy counterpoints to the rants against the coming changes in farming .
I think offsetting is a scam dreamed up to sucker money out of naive greenies that want to kid themselves that all the flying and driving they do can be done without damage to our common environment.
While it’s possible there may be a few more trees getting planted because of offset schemes (I doubt it), trees should be getting planted because of the standalone merits of doing so. If the carbon they suck out of the atmosphere is worthy of additional reward (and I think it is), then that should be paid from the proceeds of greenhouse gas pricing. But I’m wary of the potential for scam artists to latch onto sucking money from fraudulent tree-growing schemes.
I know that view isn’t going to be much help in your discussions about the future of farming, sorry.
Was the Elizabeth Alexandra Mary doing satire last night? Either way, the most wasted 10 minutes of television of the day, and that’s saying something.
Just wait until Chuck takes over.
That rumour is false Chuck Norris has issued a disclaimer.
But if ever Mr Norris wants to, he will!
I’d pay to see James tell chuck hes a queen.
James is a queen?
That’s queer!
So Chuck and Ralph are not related then?
Chuck would never issue an online disclaimer cause he would never click “submit”.
Lol nice one
Chuck doesn’t take over, people try and take over Chuck and lose.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2018/12/mixed-reactions-to-dominic-west-s-suggestion-of-trans-james-bond.html
Calls for a trans James Bond – by god some people are so PC that it defies all logic.
Strangely I don’t see the same people calling for a male Wonder Woman.
Won’t work.
How can a trans be credible as a misogynistic, arrogant, emotionless killer, realistically?
BTW. A female James Bond, has been done.
A female James Bond ??????
Just looked – can’t find this anywhere.
Femme fatale spies.
Of course.
Oh so not James Bond – but something else entirely.
Umm …… ok then …… cool story.
James isn’t a spy…ok then…
Charlize Theron gets my vote if they went there.
What was the name of the trans attacker of the poor girl who got dumped on the side of the dome valley?
Classic rwnj getting worked up about imaginary issues not real ones. Go donate your time for the poor and suffering oh indulgent one
Amusingly enough – it’s the pc idiots that are getting all wound up – is grown ups were fine with how things were.
And I’m all good with how I spend my time. I’m at the batch with the kids and grandkids – happy as anything.
Sure you are mate – stop trying so hard, I believe you lol
Btw it’s bach 😉
Yep. Predictive text and not giving a shit about spelling.
“I’m at the bach…”
Translation: Wife is sick to death of the sight of me and my grubby “Key person” T-shirt, so she told me to fuck off down to the garden shed again.
Oh fender, you just made my Boxing Day. lol lol ‘Joy to the World’
Bach or crib Marty?
Depends on which Island you are in doesn’t it.
The old man always referred to German sausage and Boston bun.
Was unusual in Feilding.
You know I’m crib all the way. 👍
Known “PC idiot” Piers Morgan…
Bloody good move by West, awesome trolling of the right-wing snowflakes.
Grandkids eh James ?
Surprised me too. I took James to be an immature individual and presumed he might grow up, given time. Not much hope for him then.
Doesn’t exhibit much concern for the well-being of future generations.
Odd!
OK
A trans displaying toxic masculinity?
How do we even define what makes someone a woman or a man these days
If you self identify as that gender ?
A woman is whatever you want a woman to be?
If we’re going to be all non binary, where does that leave feminism?
How about person Xmas…
‘Apparently, according to a recent poll, a lot of people don’t care which gender old Saint Nick is. Gina Battye, an LGBT+ identity coach, tells BBC Three that it’s great that more than 17% of people reportedly want a gender-neutral Santa. Hmm. Which begs the question: What the fuck is an identity coach?’
http://is-a-cunt.com/2018/12/person-christmas/
When are the Government going to admit that they stuffed the Census completely and take responsibility for the situation?
Why did the Minister of Statistics totally ignore the only significant job he has and jaunt off overseas to his various junkets instead of keeping track of the Census.
As Brian Easton says. The best thing to do is to abandon the 2018 results and rerun the Census in 2021.
https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/the-census-flop
In the meantime the Government must.
1. Sack the Government Statistician.
2. Sack the Person responsible for the organisation of the Census.
3. Sack the Minister responsible. Shaw must go.
There is an attempt by the CoL to blame it on the previous Government. Claims are that they cut the budget. Actually the amount allocated went up from $90m in 2013 to $120m in 2018. The Col had 6 months to fix any perceived problems from the time they took the reins until the date of the Census and do the job properly. Instead they spent a further 9 months since then pretending there was nothing wrong. Now it is claimed that there is insufficient time to do it properly in 2021.
Well quit and let someone else do it properly.
And in the meantime stop blaming the previous Government. The blame falls on the Department, on the “Honourable” James Shaw and on the leaders of the Labour Party for putting the fool in a job that was far beyond his ability.
Jacinda, you also should stand up and apologise for the a major stuff-up by your Government. Alternatively why don’t you also step down and hand over the title, as well as the pay, to the de facto PM, Tsar Winston?
Jeepers mate Santa a bit stingy eh
Sad to see your great intellect wasted on this trivia.
I’ll bet National are relieved they are not in Govt. Just imagine the vitriol that they would have received from alwyn on this matter following an even greater stuff up!
Oh wait!
IF National had remained in Government and IF there had been a stuff-up of this magnitude I would have been much more vitriolic than this.
But they aren’t in Government and we can never know what would have happened. All the Census results from 2013 were OK tends to imply they wouldn’t have been OK if they had remained in power.
When National screwed up, as they did over the America’s cup financing I was just as unhappy with them as I am with the Coalition of Losers.
In general I was in favour of a change of Government last year. They had been in office for 9 years and were getting rather tired. The problem was I didn’t think that there was a competent alternative. That view has turned out to be right. Labour and its allies had spent 9 years doing nothing and were totally unprepared for being in power.
After all look at the fiascos going on in anything that Twyford gets near. Waiting lists for social housing going up by 50% in the last year are only one of the more spectacular examples of the man’s stupidity.
Nothing to do with National selling off State houses, of course. So their private sector mates could make a killing off tax payer funded rental subsidies.
Takes much more than a year, to reverse nine years of deliberate destruction.
Though I agree Twford is not the most competent Minister, he looks like an intellectual giant compared with National’s lineup.
Bridges is the best they have. FFS.
I never saw you complaining, when National made a total snafu of housing!
Nothing to do with National selling off State houses, of course. So their private sector mates could make a killing off tax payer funded rental subsidies.
Takes much more than a year, to reverse nine years of deliberate destruction.
Though I agree Twford is not the most competent Minister, however he looks like an intellectual giant compared with National’s lineup.
Bridges is the best they have. FFS.
I never saw you complaining, when National made a total snafu of housing!
Repeating your comment doesn’t make it any more sensible you know.
The waiting list comparison was, if my memory is correct, between November 2017 and November 2018.
Just how did National “sell of State Houses during this time that they were in Opposition”?
Under National many people were booted off the housing register which explains some of the increase now. This was particularly so in the year prior to the transfer of housing to WINZ after which it went up again.
https://www.hnzc.co.nz/assets/Publications/OIAs-Official-Information-Act/July-2017/OIA-03-response-12-July-2017.pdf
2009 3438
2010 2727
2011 1610
2012 2801
2013 4107
The drop from 2009 to 2011 had very little to do with people actually being housed.
Should also note the increasing number of over 65’s from 271 in 2015 to 693 in Jun 2018.
This was entirely forecastable as aging population/lower home ownership/increasing rents all converged.
Have you any idea how long it takes, or how much it costs, to develop a nation-wide census? It’s not something that can be put together in a few months. And it’s not something that should be done on the cheap. The decision to have a computer based survey was made, not by this government, but by National – purely on the basis of cost cutting. Shaw was handed a hospital pass by the out going National Govt, and the fiasco that was inevitable by choosing to think that a successful survey could be achieved in such a manner was certainly not his doing, but the idiots who thought that everyone has access to a computer and are computer literate. This sort of intellectual snobbery is brilliantly demonstrated in the movie “I Daniel Blake”. While many of us are happy to work, and communicate on-line, the plain fact is that there is a significant minority of folks who either have no access to the internet, or who have no understanding of how it all works – even if they did.
Yep, I was wondering about that @ Macro because I was out of the country in one of the World’s ‘whops’ for a few months at the time, and I’d left just after the election.
So Alwyn’s expectation is that with all the crap an incoming government has to deal with – you know – like going through all those facile PEBs and all, they then have to take responsibility for the planning that went on under the previous junta.
The census does seem to have been (yet another) complete fuckup, but it’s a bloody big stretch to sheet? all that home to an incoming government.
Macro has clearly great ability in writing historical fiction.
Pity it has so little to do with reality of course.
Shaw was in the job for nearly 6 months prior to the Census date. It was the only important thing in any of his “ministerial” roles that had to be done.
Why did he waste all his time on little things in minor functions and ignore, apparently, the only important matter?
Then why did he, and the Department, happily announce, in total contempt for all the evidence that everything was fine for the almost nine months that followed?
If I, not involved and only an interested and intelligent onlooker, realised it was stuffed-up in March how could the supposed experts, and their acolytes on sites like this, not realise it and admit it to the public for another 9 months?
Shaw announced, on some occasions when he deigned to stay in NZ that everything was wonderful. Why did he lie to us? He and his Department must have known the execution of the exercise was irremediably flawed. Why didn’t they say so and get on with organising a repeat. They would have had 3 years before a rerun in 2021.
That would be you as you run around trying to prove that it wasn’t National that planned the whole fuckup.
Alwyn, the planning for the census was all done before Shaw was involved. Call for the previous Minister’s scalp if you must.
“wasted on this trivia”.
Do you seriously think that the Census is “Trivia”?
Jesus wept. You are certainly behaving like a total idiot.
Will make more electorate seats in 2020 unlikely, because redistricting will be too inaccurate.
It will also mean in 2023 as well unless they get on with running a proper one in 2021.
“Jesus wept”?
Apparently at this point in his career, the days of his birth, he didn’t (“The little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes” – Away in a manger)
Best laugh I’ve had today.
A gorgeous comment Robert.
Well it must be trivia because if it was taken seriously why did the last government not know that we aren’t training enough teachers and doctors etc and not building enough houses and basic infrastructure to cope .
Only an idiot thinks the census is used in the way they describe – it SHOULD be for planning but is really just a snapshot in time , a recordl. It also supplies retired actuaries some stats to distort for politican gains.
Old farty Bars in a good trolling mood today
Ta wilderbeast 👏
Best of luck with your New Year’s resolutions Alwyn, and don’t forget about ILG. Seems that Chris T‘s 6th of November prophesy that ILG would be “gone in a couple of weeks” was inaccurate – who would have thunk it?
https://thestandard.org.nz/simons-sure-fire-way-to-deal-with-difficult-questions/#comment-1547276
“When you wish upon a star…”
Where on earth does that quote come from? Or is it just something your imagination has dredged up in your more extreme fantasies about Simon Bridges?
The problem has with Lees-Galloway is that he might not vanish into oblivion quietly. He just might come out and explain just why he approved the ratbag being allowed to stay in New Zealand and precisely who it was that ordered him to do it.
That quote is from a formerly 7th-ranked opposition National party MP, one Jami-lee Ross; heard of him?
Just for you, Alwyn, I’ll repeat the quote, with attribution. It’s pure troll disinfectant, and the mention of Todd (de)Baclay reinforces just how bad the corruption of National’s corpse is. It’s very sad for NZ.
That has about as much sense to it as did the unlamented Chris Carter talking about Phil Goff in about 2010. Every Party gets a few idiots who live in their own little fantasy worlds.
Luckily most of them don’t stay for very long.
Alwyn, are you calling the former National party senior whip an idiot? Has he always been an idiot, or did he become an idiot only after recent comments?
Seems smart as a whip to me, and about to become very wealthy indeed – one more National party rags-to-riches story that you really should be celebrating.
I certainly am calling Ross an idiot.
He was an idiot with delusions of grandeur apparently.
I have no idea what he was like earlier. I don’t think I had ever heard of him before this year.
Anyone with ideas of succeeding in politics should be able to understand that knifing your leader when you can’t kill him is not a career enhancing move.
“Seems smart as a whip to me”. I guess, when you are a Labour Party fan, he would seem smart. After all he would seem quite clever to me when I compare him to someone like Twyford.
JLR became a National party MP in March 2011, and Alwyn first heard of him in 2018, indicating selective voids in Alwyn’s awareness of NZ politics.
Has Alwyn heard of Dr Yang., the National party spokeperson for Statistics, and how closely do Dr Yang’s opinions on the 2018 census match Alwyn’s@5?
https://www.national.org.nz/minister_s_leadership_of_census_2018_abysmal
Note Dr Yang isn’t calling for Dr Shaw to be sacked; Alwyn’s on his own there.
In my opinion JLT has indeed demonstrated that he is “sharp as a whip” – why Alwyn seems reluctant to accept a genuine compliment about the intelligence of a (former) high-ranking Natioanl party MP is beyond me, although to be fair you wouldn’t catch me complimenting Bridges or Bennett for their intelligence.
Who ordered it? My money’s on the illuminati.
“The illuminati”
Ah, ha.
In that case I suppose that Tom Hanks will be along shortly to fix it all up.
It was all planned, set up and funding allocated under National. Right wingers have such short memories.
“funding allocated under National”.
That’s right they allocated $120 million for the Census. That was a great deal more that the $90 million they put in for the 2013 Census wasn’t it?
But Ms Ardern says that they cut the budget. She really is as useless in arithmetic as she is in everything else isn’t she?
However the CoL appointed a new Minister and he never even requested anything in writing about how the Census was going. He was far to busy arranging his taxpayer funded overseas trips to attend pointless meetings in exotic places than to spend any time on the most important activity he, as a Minister, was responsible for.
Cop the blame Mr Ward. ‘Fess up to your inadequacy and resign.
Oh look here comes Alwyn again, doing here what he comes to do
It’s not that they have short memories but that they refuse to take responsibility for their actions.
Weren’t you one of those who assured us that everything would be fine and that statisticians could easily correct for the missing data?
Since the search function died it has been a bit hard to check those things. Probably saves a lot of the CoL lovers some acute embarrassment of course.
They can quietly forget the statements they made
Yep, I was. They seem to have done so for much of the data, are still working on some and won’t have some.
It’s not the end of the world.
BTW, citation needed for the budget figures you quoted.
“BTW, citation needed for the budget figures you quoted.”
How about the following?
“The total five-year budget for the census, granted by the previous National government, was $120m. It’s difficult to compare census budgets, which rise and fall with each cycle, but the previous census in 2013 cost about $90m.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/109587285/stats-nz-says-planned-cost-cutting-unlikely-to-produce-successful-census-in-future
I can’t really be bothered working through all the estimates, and supplementary estimates, for about 10 years to see whether the numbers are correct.
I think the Stats Department are desperately trying to find something, anything, that they can claim so that they save their jobs.
Holding the Minister of Statistics accountable is as likely as the Greens harpooning a dolphin.
You are probably correct. Green MPs have never been known to take responsibility for their actions in the past.
Look at how the only Green MPs who thought that Turei’s actions were unacceptable were treated by the party. Out with them!
Instead a taxpayer cheating crook was held up as an object to be deified. Why was she never prosecuted by the way?
However at the moment I am a great deal more concerned about the problems caused by the Census being stuffed up and the problems that it is going to cause with Governmental actions until we get a Census that is accurate.
It’s small beans Alwyn.
That’s why the Greens have that Ministry.
Everyone who does well graduates, generally.
It won’t affect the massive redistribution coming in Budget 2019.
Shaw will get his carbon bill through – it’s all the Greens will do of any note this term.
Scabs are your body’s natural system of healing, alwyn; stop ripping them off and exposing them to our view – we’re beginning to suspect you’ve got leprosy!
It isn’t my body with the scabs, Robert. It seems that you are talking about the Stats Dept and their political overlord.
Looking at the definition of “Body Public” I imagine that the Stats Department might be one of those.
“A body organization or agency that is financed by a form of government acts independently of it and has the responsibility to report key data evidence facts statistics to the government and is accountable for their role responsibility and objectives.”
That sounds pretty close to what they do. Given that sunlight is supposed to the best disinfectant it would seem to be an excellent idea to shine a very bright light on their, and their Minister’s, failures.
Now let’s clean house and start the process again. All change for the Thorndon Line.
How is that for a hodge podge of mixed metaphors?
Getting a bit piste, are you Alwyn?
My, my.
A joke from a snowflake.
Ha!
In your right wing fantasy world.
Where only the poor have to take, “personal responsibility” despite the enormous pressure they are placed under.
Turei was trying to ensure that people, in future, wouldn’t be forced into those sort of situations.
It certainly took her a very long time to talk about it didn’t it?
The fraud apparently took place when her child was a baby. She finally admitted to it when her daughter was 24.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11893562
More than 20 years before you try and claim that you were only doing it so that others wouldn’t.
That was really planning ahead. Pity that even when she did so she lied about and insulted the family of the babies father who had supplied her with a huge amount of support.
It is actually funny, when you get all excited about that. Hypocrisy, much!
And ignore fraudsters like English, who took the tax payer for much more.
Or, Key. Whose path to fortune cost every New Zealander, thousands. But that was legal, Eh!
Or the banks. Whose tax evasion cost, billions!
But then they are rich white men, not a poor, Maori, solo mother.
“not a poor, Maori, solo mother”.
Gosh, you will soon have me bursting into tears
However when I consider the matter.
She wasn’t poor. The father of her child. and his family were providing very generous support, as I understand it.
She was Maori. True.
She was only a solo mother by choice.
She made no attempt at all to actually try and provide for her daughter by her own efforts. She relied on the taxpayer and her “in-laws” to do that. Meanwhile she studied and spent her spare time, not in a part time job, but in running for Parliament as a representative of a couple of joke parties.
She ripped off the taxpayer as fast as she could.
By the way. Perhaps you can tell us whether she ever repaid the money she stole.
I doubt it. She might have said she would but keeping promises was far, far from that persons mind.
She was a disgrace to herself and to New Zealand.
Really.
Then what do you think of already wealthy MP’s, who use their position for their own gain?
I suggest you talk to Helen Clark, or Michael Cullen.
Ask Helen whether she is a tax resident of New Zealand or whether she spends more that half her time in the USA.
Ask “Sir” Michael why he doesn’t pay any tax on his Super.
Hypocritical whataboutery.
National MP’s have been caught with their actual fingers in the till.
If you want to play this game.
What about Paula cut your benefit? Didn’t she have help from relatives while on welfare? Just like almost every other beneficiary.
As for working for “joke” political parties!
The Greens always take responsibility for their actions.
It’s the RWNJs that always blame others for their actions.
Same as what you’re doing here.
Why?
The whole census was set up and planned under National.
The online idea was theirs.
As a past census enumerator, my wife was privy to the planning.
She said, over a year ago, that it is going to be a fuckup.
Just one of many by the previous Government.
Only a blind NACT, apologist, can think it has anything to do with the current Government.
Because he is Minister.
It’s the job. $250k+.
You suck it up and correct it.
Shaw didn’t try hard enough when the terms and questions and project were getting underway, so he has to eat it now.
It was already done FFS.
No doubt with one of Nationals “useful idiots” they promoted beyond their competence level, in charge, like so much of our current, State services. Assuring the Minister all is fine!
If he can’t alter his own department he should resign.
The project was a long way from implementation when he came to office.
Only strong Ministers kill projects.
Shaw just didn’t have the strength.
Theres only three strong Ministers in this government, and the census shows Shaw ain’t one of them.
The project was ‘getting underway’ years ago. Don’t be a dolt.
On his watch, in his power to change.
Fail.
Nothing much we can do for your comprehension of how government works, sadly.
Ad, had Shaw attempted to amend the procedure by which the Census was to be carried out, in the 6 months he had, it would have been an even bigger fuck up than it was going to be. Last minute changes to a complex plan are almost invariably certain to lead to an even greater disaster.
Obviously he was assured by his officials that everything was in place, and it was all going to be fine. But this was a huge experiment, and it proved that while many people were fine with the way the data was collected, the fact remains that for a significant minority, computer based surveys are the completely wrong way to go – they either have no access and/or are completely computer illiterate. Furthermore the fact that so many are now homeless – a direct result of National’s policies – meant that around 1% of the population were untargeted.
“they either have no access and/or are completely computer illiterate. Furthermore the fact that so many are now homeless – a direct result of National’s policies – meant that around 1% of the population were untargeted.”
I think you are on to something there Macro IRT “The No Mates Party” could’ve been trying to fudge the numbers IOT deny those people access to healthcare, education and welfare etc via reduced funding to those various departments and therefore deny there is problem as those poor souls don’t exist because the census figures say so.
He did try and commented at the time that it was too late.
In this day and age nobody should be computer illiterate. Computers just aren’t that hard to use.
And they can go to the library to get access.
And that was the arrogant thinking that lead directly to the resulting stuff up.
Have you any idea of how many people who are over 80 there are in this country? Many of them have never been near a computer, my sister for a start, and she is one of the 1% ers. and could easily afford the very best computer and the fastest broadband. Her husband is older and left school to work on the family farm at 14. A capable person in many respects – but completely computer illiterate.
That story is replicated across the country. Here in Thames (with the highest percentage of seniors in the country) I can assure you that there were many people for whom the census represented a severe challenge. Some even had their own computer and internet access, but they use them solely to send emails to their children – and some are even brave enough to skype with the family overseas – but to use a computer, to log into a site, and answer a questionnaire is completely beyond their skill level. I know many of them personally.
But it is not just the the elderly. There are even more who have little to no access to computing, because they have never had to use one in their daily lives. Add in the numbers of dyslexic, and those who have been to school but never learned to read, – you would be surprised just how many there are. The 40,000+ who are homeless. You begin to see that there are a significant minority who either will never be able to complete an online survey, or will be sufficiently challenged, that they could never begin the process in the first place.
When I was on Xtra’s help-desk I had an 85 year old ring in and ask me to help connect her to the internet. It was her first computer.
When I was on the Census help-desk I had people in their 70s and 80s ringing up and asking for help to get through the online forms and when we’d finished them say oh, was that it? that was easy wasn’t it?
Many of the elder people I’ve met have that can do attitude that we like to tell ourselves we all have. Of course, I’ve met people younger than me who whinge about how hard it is as well.
And I helped many people through. That’s what the help-desk was for.
I find that hard to believe.
How do they access their bank account?
Their library?
Their job?
Hell, you can’t even get WINZ help without a phone.
Most of them will have smart-phones and Stats did send people around to where homeless and freedom campers were known to congregate.
Here’s the thing: Using the internet is no harder than reading a friggen book.
And I’m pretty sure that most of the people whinging about using computers as being too hard can read a friggen book.
The ones that are dyslexic or illiterate could ask for help.
Really, stop whinging about it not being the 19th century any more and start living in the now.
My parents are in their mid 60s and have never used a computer, why would they? Social media is baffling and pointless, they bank at the bank, they shop in shops. Not everyone fucks around on blogs all day.
Because this isn’t the 19th century any more?
With online shopping neither banks nor shops are viable as they simply cost too much to run. Especially banks where an algorithm is probably a better advisor than a flesh bag.
Considering that the one who needs to be held responsible is the previous minister who planned the fuckup then you’re probably right.
Considering that it was all planned under National and before the election why would they admit that it was their fault?
It was the previous government that fucked things up.
You’re assuming that they already knew that National had fucked it up and had plans to fix it all whereas in reality it being stuffed probably came as much as a surprise to them as to the rest of the country.
National fucked it up and now they’re trying to pass the blame on to the current government. Engaging in their normal personal responsibility that they’re so fond of.
Oh my I just turned the cricket on. 😭
Crickets need to be turned on?
Isn’t that why they chirp?
Try using cornography.
I thought ‘cornography’ was the art of writing bad jokes, gsays……… 🙂
bloody xmas crackers
Prick’s a fucking fraud.
https://twitter.com/Nitzky89/status/1076926963565113344
Solar power is the clean green power of the future mokopuna’s it was pleasing to see a lot of maori Tamariki choseing the Sciences to study for there future jobs indigenous cultures solve problems in a unique fashion . I say nurturing indigenous cultures sciences will inprove everyone life.
Solar power in New Zealand currently contributes 0.2 percent to the country’s overall electricity generation. In the 2016 calendar year, an estimated 52 GWh of solar-generated electricity was contributed to the national grid, out of a total of 41,400 GWh.[1]
Although there are no subsidies, the declining costs of photovoltaics has caused a large increase in demand over the last few years. In 2009, the average turnkey price for a standard PV system of three kilowatts (kW) was about NZ$40,000, and has since dropped significantly to NZ$9,000.[2] As of April 2018, 1,385 MW of solar power has been installed in New Zealand. 19,134 solar power systems have been installed, 17,817 are residential systems.[3]
Buy-back rates for solar power exported to the grid range from 7 cents to 12 cents[6]. Cost-effectiveness of a residential solar power occurs when system owners aim to use more of their solar power than what they export, by means of timed appliances, turning on appliances when the sun is out, energy management systems and battery storage. Commercial buildings that use power during the day can get a high return on their investment.[7]
A 2015 study found that PV was more economical than grid supply if all the PV electricity was used on site and none was exported to the grid. For residential and commercial installations, improving energy efficiency is a lower cost option than PV.
Ka kite ano links below
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/16/divestment-fossil-fuel-industry-trillions-dollars-investments-carbon
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute
Kia ora Piripi from Te kaea yes Auckland has not keep up the systems needed to cope with storm water that over flows and dumps sewage in the beaches
I it is ka pai that MPI is taking protecting our Paua from poaching seriously its big money overseas.
Eco maori backs Puhoro maori science teaching program it will be money well spent as the teacher can connect with our tamariki the will learn and earn higher credits .
I like that add stop a mate driving drunk its cool that its has come from Tairawhiti yes mates have a big influnce on each other.
Yes we must learn to respect Tangaroa I know that I am not as fit or as good at diving as I could 20 years ago I make sure to have a spotter when I dive now .
Aotearoa had a good sports season this year 2018 Ka kite ano
Kia ora Newshub That hot air balloon accident in Australia look like they had a big fright and were lucky no one died.
It was no secret that trump went to Iraq he tweeted about it I seen a video on his speech while he was there.
The mount Etna eruptions is natural phenomen Italy has had a few natural events lately
Yes the Fire season in Aotearoa has started people will be very careful .
China is showing how tec will change the way we buy stuff online is the way of the future it is not taking off as fast in Aotearoa like other countrys as it takes just 10 minutes to get to a shop in Aotearao Ka kite ano Bolt is having a good game of cricket Niki