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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Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
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TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University A year ago, the AUKUS agreement was formally announced between Australian and UK Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden. The agreement mapped out the “optimal ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Tesch, Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, Australian National University In perhaps the least surprising news of the year, Vladimir Putin has triumphed at the Russian ballot box and been enthroned for the fifth time as president. He ...
The Papua New Guinea Supreme Court has stopped a byelection for the Madang Open seat being held until an appeal filed by former MP Bryan Kramer is concluded. Kramer had appealed to the Supreme Court over a National Court decision not to review his application of the Leadership Tribunal decision ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Despite a “historic” ceasefire agreement in Papua New Guinea between Enga authorities and tribal leaders after months of bitter warfare, a young woman has been found brutally killed near Kaekin village, Wapenamanda. Despite the peace agreement and signing concluded in Port Moresby last Thursday ...
The second season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud is a sadder and slower entry into his canon of true story-telling, leaning heavily on a verdict about the cost of a single work of art. Hollywood heavyweight Ryan Murphy has had a bit of “ick” about him in the last few years. ...
Are you deeply passionate about sharing Māori stories? We’re on the hunt for an experienced writer/editor to lead coverage in our Ātea section.Ātea is a deeply valued section of The Spinoff site, offering Māori perspectives and insights across politics, current affairs and culture. We are thrilled to be looking ...
By Aisha Azeemah in Suva With the lights on one of his sneakers blinking as he ran through the gallery, a little boy looked up at several works of art. One of them was a sculpture of his grandfather: the man who changed how we see the Pacific — Epeli ...
WHAT: Uber drivers are holding a rally outside the Court of Appeal in Wellington tomorrow, as the company begins its appeal against 2022’s Employment Court verdict (in a case taken jointly by FIRST Union and E tū) that four drivers were permanent ...
RNZ Pacific The Fiji Meteorological Service has a heavy rain warning still in place for the whole of the country after a weekend of flooding, although some floodwaters have receded. Flood and flash flood warnings and alerts are also in place, including a warning for all flash flood-prone areas, small ...
Responding to Grant Robertson’s recent admission on a Q+A with Jack Tame that his only regret from his time in office was that he didn’t take on more debt, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson, Alex Murphy, said: “Grant Robertson has now admitted that he ...
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uof9cB9-MOo
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-PwQnQcmEA
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