The act was passed earlier this year by the former government on the back of the high-wealth individuals research project. The project revealed disparity between the effective tax rates paid by the super wealthy compared with us ordinary folk. It catalysed another political mud-slinging match over wealth taxes and realised and unrealised capital gains.
The subsequent principles – essentially about fairness, efficiency, and certainty – were about shining more light on our tax system and Inland Revenue was required to report against them annually.
The principles included horizontal equity, meaning people with similar income should pay similar amounts of tax, and vertical equity, meaning the system should be progressive and see people on higher incomes paying a higher proportion of their income in tax. Others pertained to revenue collection efficiency, minimising compliance and administration costs and revenue integrity.
The Government’s narrative for the repeal centred around the extra resources required to produce reports at a time when the focus should be on getting the books back in order.
Inland Revenue’s Regulatory Impact Statement attributes 2.5 full-time equivalents to meeting the act’s requirements. I understand wanting to slash spending that is failing to produce meaningful outcomes, but times aren’t this desperate, are they?
What would posses the NACTFirst Government to move so fast on blocking progress on cycleways and lower speed limits? Odd behaviour, I thought. Rewarding their truck-industry donors? Spitefully sticking it to the greenies? Seems rather, they're pandering to/repaying the cooker-voters who live in fear of what they believe to be strategies to impoverish and de-power, the "ordinary person", the plebs. The "15 minute cities" concept threw the cookers into a panic; they could see themselves being corralled into "camps" from which they would be barred from leaving; the cycleways and lower speeds were more subtle ways of restricting freedom and ease of travel. Has the present Government adopted these beliefs? Winston's certainly flying a flag for the conspiracy crowd – is he being supported by others in the Government?
maybe but I suspect it's something more likely to be because National and ACT's supporters include the owners of roading companies and town centre real estate.
(not for want of trying on Peters' part though. He did grift on anti-15m city rhetoric as he learnt about it over the election campaign. I just think that NACT have bigger fish to fry).
Well, I did too, until I read cookers celebrating the moves. I was puzzled by the indecent haste as well – sure, the truckers will get their dues in return for their campaign support, but ordinarily, it'd be done during a quiet time, without fanfare – this was theatre, as loved by cookers. I think there was a concern that unless some bones were thrown early, the tinfoil hats would be brought out again and a new camp established on Luxy's Lawn.
I was cornered by my relation's cooker neighbour. He told me that cycling, five minute cites, contrails, 9/11, the war in Ukraine, Jacinda Ardern and Covid, etc, etc, are all part of the of the ending humanity.
The armies of the Juice, Klaus Schwab, HRC, and co, are working toward the great transhuman reset, the enslavement of humanity and the ushering in of an age of forced sterilisation of people of child-bearing age. the extermination of the elderly and the disabled, child trafficking, sex slaves, and satisfying the elite's craving for freshly harvested children's blood.
Poots, tRump, and Orbán are the good guys, though.
I'm a greenie in a newly-Green electorate that has been Green local body for some time, but I can assure you that many of us wish that ANY central government had blocked progress on cycleways around here much sooner, since the social damage (even to non-drivers) is beyond rediculous, yet alone the physical danger they (the very few cyclists seen using them) have been put in.
As someone who has never had the health or opportunity to drive a motor vehicle and has therefore ridden on bikes, without an inch of lycra I might add, for over 40 years I can tell you it is much safer now with cycle lanes.
Peak getting hit by cars from behind and from people opening car doors for me was definitely the 80's and 90's. Idiot car drivers not paying attention and over extending out at T-intersections pushing you out into the car lanes and even stupider people – mainly taxi drivers cutting in front of you and turning right across intersections are now the biggest hazards.
Sure lanes separated from traffic are just the best but clearly marked and designated cycle lanes are miles better than what used to exist. The worst people at understanding this are drivers who do not use them anyway and born again cyclists who are still figuring out that you don't put your inside to the gutter foot down when you stop at intersections or lights – they have no idea what it used to be like.
I don't care how many people are using them – I just know as someone who doesn't have the jump in a car option they are great. Definitely much safer using them in every town and city I've biked in. People who don't actually use them are way too vocal.
I'm more than happy for you all to give up entire roads to cyclists if you are genuinely concerned about our physical welfare. Boot the cars off completely. That would be even better.
I have a life-long medical ban from driving, so I'm certainly not coming from the car-owning angle. And I'm fully appreciative of the dangers of cycling, especially in Wellington on the very narrow roads. But not putting better controls onto idiotic drivers at dangerous intersections (ie traffic lights) cancel out any safety the lanes otherwise provide.
One of the rare times I saw a cyclist with a toddler on the back, they were both almost taken out by a car zooming around the corner that hadn't bothered to give way. The official council response to my submission on this safety issue- "traffic lights aren't our problem, that's NZTA." In other words, too much of a hassle.
I've lived on that corner for years and witnessed numerous crashes and near crashes, and they've put a cycleway through the middle of it despite knowing this. Any wonder we're angry??
So cyclists used the intersection prior to the cycle lane and had near misses but now it has been made even clearer to car drivers that cyclists are there it is a problem?
I don't understand the concern. There's a stretch of road here that has a third laneway emerge that turns into a turning lane. If as a cyclist I'm going straight ahead car drivers found it confusing as you had to either go in the turning lane and then go straight ahead or go in the car lane. Especially with trucks and buses beside you you often ended up in a crush situation. Now there is a cycle lane between the two car lanes cars, buses and trucks definitely give you more space. Visibility of where cyclists go is of great practical benefit to cyclists.
It's no safer at all, for cyclists, pedestrians trying to get across, or cars. That's my point. Too many drivers are lazy, stupid, and impatient, and don't believe they should give way, even when the signs say to. The next street down has become a no right turn to cater for the cycle lane running across it; however, on a daily basis, numerous vehicle ignore this (including several Council cars).
For many people I speak to now this has become more than cycle lanes- it's a symptom of the complete contempt council holds for the citizens. When a Council has somehow managed to alienate most of the city over cycle lanes they have clearly gone around the process the wrong way. What could have been a positive thing is despised by too many.
For the first time ever I will no longer be voting in local elections, I cannot see any point, nor can several others I've had this conversation with.
who live in fear of what they believe to be strategies to impoverish and de-power, the "ordinary person"
Those strategies exist, but not in the form of cycleways and speed limits. And it's not quite right to call them strategies – they are not drawn up on a whiteboard in some corner office. They are powerful mechanisms, settings, shared understandings of what is natural, obvious and right. Together they form what we call a market economy or market society.
The so-called “cookers” have correctly identified the disease, but they attribute the wrong symptoms to it.
The ease at which the term 'cookers' get thrown around on TS does my head in. Fact is theyre a bunch of people that for various reasons have found themselves on the outer edges of society. Calling em cookers just pushes them further out and actually makes they problem worse, its no different in mindset to the current govt wanting to get rid of cultural reports at sentencing for example. It saddens me somewhat to see solidly left wing people use the term so easily.
Fact is theyre a bunch of people that for various reasons have found themselves on the outer edges of society.
Really. Most of the ones I know including family members are nowhere near the outer edges of society. Got jobs, own houses, share some of the same interests and hobbies. Some are far more wealthy than I am.
Somehow, just somehow they believe a load of nonsense. To be fair some did before COVID as well – chemtrails, mystic power of gemstones, homeopathy etc etc.
I also dislike the term cookers and in part cause it seems to suggest poor and downtrodden.
Kinda my point, outer edges but not always in traditional terms and often quite well educated.
Calling them cookers just entrenches their postion. Hell, reading below and given my anti mandate postion im a 'cooker'.
I dont know the way to get them back but I know 'cookers' isnt it. During covid I met a helluva lot of normal people who for a whole bunch of reasons were against the vaccine and especially mandated vaccinces and for a bunch or reasons. From sucked into conspiracy theories through to some pretty serious harm in state care leading to a serious distrust of the 'system'
That damage is done the work we need to do to get them back is going to take a long time. Nonetheless it needs to be done.
The evident contempt that is frequently displayed to them by the mainstream Left – makes it clear that these people will not be voting Left for some time (if at all).
Given the very small margins between the Left and Right in the last election (and in the 2017 one) – to arbitrarily rule out this quite substantial grouping – seems an act of madness.
It's also not a single group. There are many traditionally Left allies (who were anti-vaccination, and certainly anti-mandated-vaccination, long before Covid) – as well as some of the more anti-government conspiracy theorists. Divide and conquer would be a more effective Left strategy.
I think part of it is the need for normalcy in a scary world. Normal is driving, biking is what some people choose to do, a minority, those people can do that, but most people don't kind of thing. So the fear is that we will all be pushed out of our safety and comfort at a time when we need more safety and comfort (this is an underlying dynamic in all politics now imo).
There is also a strong libertarian ethic in that counter culture. Not so much you'll take my guns from my cold dead hands, but cars. They symbolise the freedom to move at will, where we want, when we want. That's why the lockdowns were so terrible for those people, but for people like me who are both used to restriction and understand the value in it, they were a good thing.
Cycling doesn't represent freedom to a lot of people, and enforced cycling parses as constraint.
But it was the middle and working classes around the globe that truly made the bicycle their own. For the first time in history, the masses were mobile, able to come and go as they pleased. No more need for expensive horses and carriages. The “people's nag,” as the bicycle was known, was not only lightweight, affordable, and easy to maintain, it was also the fastest thing on the roads.
Maybe if they want to go whole conspiracy theory they should think about GPS tracking in cars or more low quality RFID chips in tyres. Maybe cars don't give them the freedom they think it does. There is loads of stuff we can choose to be paranoid about.
Alternatively the more attention they are given the more they are given validity for their beliefs.
Obviously, and just as well I didn't suggest that. Peters is gratuitously pandering to this particular subculture. That doesn't mean our only choice is ridicule and ostracisation (would love to know how that is supposed to actually work).
And sure, 'they' need to understand things that the good, true lefties know. Have you thought about how that attitude might come across? What's the strategy here?
My own view is that the people in those subcultures aren't a hive mind, and varying people have varying beliefs and to different degrees. As a matter or urgency we should be building bridges with those people who still share ideas and philosophies that we do. I'm not talking about hard core anti-15m city conspiracy theorists so much as the people that are being influenced by them instead of by progressive politics. Because progressive politics is telling them they are stupid/wrong/evil. Why would they listen to us?
It is an interesting debate though. At the time of the 81 Springbok Tour I was firmly of the view that ostracism was a worse option that allowing the Springboks to tour and to see alternate ways of doing things, particularly as by then we had finally pushed back about the whole "honorary whites" stupidity.
Years later a Springbok player said that it was the conflict that erupted in NZ over the tour that was the catalyst for changing his mind about apartheid.
Most people I know who were opposed to the tour would still today not accept that engaging with South Africa was the way to go, even after the schisms that occurred in our own country as a result. Progressive politics has long been fickle about ostracism vs engagement, about telling people they are stupid/wrong/evil vs trying to show the alternative.
No different to conservative politics either though in my view their choices between the styles tends towards hypocritical. Muldoon's work with gangs is likely a good example compared to today's National Party going down the ostracism route.
And no I'm never quite sure when one is the preferred solution over the other. A pyschologist did once tell me though that continuing to engage with a certain gentleman was simply reinforcing his own (false) sense of importance and wasn't helping his mental state and recovery in the slightest.
Maybe it is more about what you engage about that finds the middle ground but at some point even that can become pointless – experience tells me that you can bite your tongue when needed but they still quite happily espouse their beliefs.
So how violent are they going to be when we can't get the fuel to run their cars?
The Mad Max films were born out of the crisis of oil, we are fast approaching another oil crisis, and a whole lot of people in this country are delusional about it.
And before people think I'm talking peak oil, I'm not – I'm talking war, and the fact oil is going to become heavily restricted because of it.
So how violent are they going to be when we can't get the fuel to run their cars?
dunno. More or less violent than other groups in society who are likewise in denial about the future we are heading into?
We still have a choice at this point about how that future goes. Mad Max or transition to something that is very different from what we have now but is still functional and liveable?
No-one who supports the ostracisation and ridicule strategy has been able to explain how that will actually work as society comes under increasing pressures and things we take for granted start to fall away. To me it looks like we should be building strong relationships especially at the community level, because the alternative will make the parliament grounds occupation look like a kindy sandpit fight.
That one still isnt resolved and post installation accidents for cyclists have increased There are others like this where the rubber sections are still on the road and visible to no one in rain or dark.
We have a local cycleway in a quiet residential neighbourhood – which was put in place as a link to an initiative which was later canned.
It is very badly designed. Cycle lane is on the inside of the parked cars – next to the footpath.
Given the camber of the road and the size of the people-movers frequently parked there – it is virtually impossible to see a small person (especially a child) as a car is turning into the side streets. It is actively dangerous. And consequently, no parent would consider letting their kids ride on it. Where they do cycle (which is pretty infrequently), they cycle on the footpath (as they did prior to the cycleway being installed).
Since the link now goes nowhere – and has no prospect of ever going anywhere – and is dangerous to boot – it's very rarely used (maybe 2 or 3 die-hard cyclists – who could perfectly well use the road – which is hardly full of traffic)
This kind of development absolutely gets offside with the locals. It cost a fortune. It's actively dangerous. And it doesn't meet the stated goal of encouraging cycling. Reinforcing the perception that the Councils are just wasting money on this cycling infrastructure which is badly desinged, dangerous, and isn't being used.
Correct. Our behaviours identify us – not only to our friends but also to those who aren't. Got an unmown verge? You've been noticed.
Cookers see bicycle lanes as preparation for a "no cars for the poor" future – trapped, we will be, trapped, in our own country!! Same with speed limits (Freedom!)
it's Australian slang for someone who believes in conspiracy theories, is anti-vax/mandate etc. I think it predates the pandemic and meant someone who was crazy, related to cooker as someone who cooks meth (the drug) and is off their head. Now it is used to mean a conspiracy theorist/anti-mandater etc.
I'm in two minds about its use on TS. We don't have another single word to replace it with, but it's a pejorative term generally used in the context of othering a person or people. In that sense, it's not that different from other words/language we don't generally allow here, under the rules about not using "tone or language that has the effect of excluding others". I'll have a think about it in the new year.
I have never heard it before until I read this string of comments. One lives and learns.
Actually, having just looked back through the comments I now see that it was explained by DMK, at 1.53pm, just before I asked the question. I didn't see it there at the time though.
I believe that “cookers” is a derogatory term (tho that depends on what side of the fence you’re on) it refers to “conspiracy theorists” similar to “white trash” I guess. It’s another term that obnoxious people use to elevate themselves above others
Robert, I’d first of “cooker” a few weeks ago from some of the younger and hip guys where I work. From what I understand, it refers to “white trash” and “conspiracy theorists”. It’s kinda offensive, when you think about it
I'm interested in how (if) Robert answers yr question, Alwyn.
The left, such as it is, loves to splinter, particularly along purity lines- not sensitive enough to gender issues, not proficient enough in Te Reo, not earnest enough about CC, not enthusiastic enough with recycling etc etc.
No. I'm meaning those who hoover up all of the crack-pot ideas without any filters at all.
If the majority of commenters here felt the term should not be used, I'd be fine with shelving it, but as I say, it has light-hearted connotations for me.
Hi alwyn – thanks for asking. Weka's explanation is a very good one. To me, it's a "gentle reproach" at most, but still has a nice ring to it. Rather than meth though, it brings to my mind the image of leg of lamb wrapped in tinfoil; cooker Many of my friends are cookers, imo.
And the inculcation starts early – about 10 years ago I was walking past the house of a work colleague and, waving hello, said that I was off to the University. They had family visiting and a young tacker asked "Why don't you drive there?"
My response (that I enjoy walking and wasn't in a hurry) cut no ice then, and I suspect little has changed if trends in car ownership are anything to go by.
Our entire system is set up on the presumption that ALL adults hold a valid drivers licence, and it doesn't cope very well when it runs into people who don't.
When asking for ID, the default for many still seems to be "can I see your licence" followed by the very confused look when told I don't have one, but here's my passport. Kudos to whomever finally clicked on there are a lot of people sans licence or passport who can now use the Kiwi Access card for a lot of ID needs.
Some public hospital systems don't cater for people to get to outpatient appointments at different further afield campuses if they don't have their own means of transport and/or public transport there isn't possible. Even the health system expects everyone to either drive, or have someone who can drive them.
For a long time during the pandemic, it was not easy to get a PCR test without being able to drive to get one, unless you lived in walking distance of a testing station. I will never forget the guy from the Covid line who suggested I take a bus there…
My only wish is that our car-obsessed society could understand that even if they want to deny oil running out, climate change and everything else, NONE of them are immune to copping a medical driving ban tomorrow.
It was pretty demeaning though to be told in your 40's to get an 18+ pub access card particularly from places like banks who you had banked with since a kid.
Even the health system expects everyone to either drive, or have someone who can drive them.
I agree that there is an automatic assumption that you will have a friend or family member who is able to drive you to outpatient appointments.
A couple of years ago, I had to have a minor investigative procedure which was to be done under general anaesthetic as an outpatient at the hospital. The requirement was that I not drive after this (entirely reasonably), and that I needed to be with someone who could monitor me for the next few hours in case I collapsed (again, a reasonable precaution).
My proposal that I uber to the hospital, then uber to my Mum's place – about a 10-minute trip each way – was rejected.
The *only* acceptable solution was to have someone drive to the hospital and for me to be released into that person's care. My Mum doesn't drive, and for one reason or another, there was no other family member free to drive me on that day. I saw no reason to ask friends to take a day off work – for what seemed like a piece of unreasonable bureaucracy.
I protested – and they eventually agreed to carry out the procedure under local anaesthetic. Which was absolutely a double win as far as I was concerned – the recovery from general is much worse.
But, it did make me wonder how people who don't have family networks, and/or aren't stroppy sheilas who don't take 'no' for an answer, fare in the 'system'. I expect that the answer is badly.
“I think there won’t be a lot of memory about Jacinda Ardern other than, she was a young woman that was appointed to the job of Prime Minister, a job she once claimed she never ever wanted to do. The second term was overwhelming for her. But really it just shows you, given the overwhelming support she had two years ago, how ill-equipped she was to do the job by quitting a year early.”
We live in a supposed free country but it is still galling to see the utter crap spewed out from the low-life likes of Barry Soper on the front page of a national newspaper.
'Ill-equipped to do the job' – any job – describes snarky Soper to a tee.
In 1969, after finishing high school he attended the Royal New Zealand Police College at Trentham for six months before he withdrew from studying.
…
In 2010, Soper was fined and disqualified from driving for six months for drink-driving.
A good read about printer Aldus Manutius, the bibliophile’s bibliophile who, between 1495 and 1515, issued more first editions of classical texts than had ever been published before or since.
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Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkBoth 2023 and 2024 were exceptionally warm years, at just below and above 1.5C relative to preindustrial in the WMO composite of surface temperature records, respectively. While we are still working to assess the full set of drivers of this warmth, it is clear that ...
Hi,I woke up feeling nervous this morning, realising that this weekend Flightless Bird is going to do it’s first ever live show. We’re heading to a sold out (!) show in Seattle to test the format out in front of an audience. If it works, we’ll do more. I want ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
After two years of major damage from storms, a key government unit has made an abrupt change to focus on cyber security over and above natural disasters. ...
Pacific Media Watch Papua New Guinea’s civic space has been rated as “obstructed” by the Civicus Monitor and the country has been criticised for pushing forward with a controversial media law in spite of strong opposition. Among concerns previously documented by the civil rights watchdog are harassment and threats against ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Younger, Lecturer in Southern Ocean Vertebrate Ecology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Australia’s Antarctic territory represents the largest sliver of the ice continent. For decades, Australian scientists have headed to one of our three bases – Mawson, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott Dwyer, Research Director, Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney 24K-Productions Our cars sit unused most of the time. If you have an electric vehicle, you might leave it charging at home or work after driving it. But there’s another step ...
Everything you missed from day four of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard two hours of submissions.Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.Parliament’s Room 3 was the same old, same old on Thursday morning for the fourth Treaty principles bill hearing – brown ...
By Melina Etches of the Cook Islands News A motion of no confidence has been filed against the Prime Minister and his Cabinet following the recent fiasco involving the now-abandoned Cook Islands passport proposal and the comprehensive strategic partnership the country will sign with China this week. Cook Islands United ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott Dwyer, Research Director, Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney 24K-Productions Our cars sit unused most of the time. If you have an electric vehicle, you might leave it charging at home or work after driving it. But there’s another step ...
The December results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2024 (HYEFU 2024), published on 17 December 2024, and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ajay Narendra, Associate Professor of Insect Neuroethology, Macquarie University Pranav Joshi Jumping spiders – one of the largest spider families – get their name from the extraordinary jumps they make to hunt prey, to navigate and also to evade predators. Male ...
Both ministers have confirm they shared a phone call on Thursday morning, with the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement due to expire next month. ...
The final designs for the long-awaited Courtenay Place revamp have been released. Joel MacManus takes a closer look at the details. At an embargoed media briefing on Wednesday, Wellington mayor Tory Whanau and a team of council staff showed journalists a 3D-printed model of Courtenay Place. For about an hour, ...
The Economic Growth Minister is targeting increasing competition in the banking, grocery, and electricity sectors for the government to address this year. ...
Ecomatters Bike Hub has helped 30,000 Aucklanders start cycling. Shanti Mathias rides over to understand the impact of these community bike workshops.When An Na moved with her husband and two kids to Auckland in 2022, it took a while to start learning their way around. “We started taking our ...
Echo Chamber is The Spinoff’s dispatch from the press gallery, recapping sessions in the House. Columns are written by politics reporter Lyric Waiwiri-Smith and Wellington editor Joel MacManus. Labour leader Chris Hipkins is on the war path – the path being the overthrowing of Act leader David Seymour, and hopefully ...
Callaghan Innovation told 63 workers their roles were being made redundant, including 16 commercialisation roles, 14 scientists and engineers, 6 Māori Innovation roles, and others working in data, digital, product design, risk and audit, marketing, government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Sheedy, Professor – Risk governance, culture, remuneration, Macquarie University This week the corporate regulator is taking on executives and directors of Star Entertainment in the Federal Court, in a landmark case for Australian corporate governance. ASIC will allege that despite multiple ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Allen, Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Shutterstock It’s hard to remember a time the United States seemed as tense and divided as it does today. That should serve as a stark reminder of just how important it is to monitor ...
I’m a proud atheist who outgrew my religious upbringing. So why am I getting antsy about the rapture all of a sudden? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera,I’m a proud atheist and since I managed to move past the childhood trauma of my religious upbringing ...
Analysis: A couple of hours ago, Cook Islands prime minister Mark Brown posted a Facebook picture from a visit to China’s National Deep Sea Centre in Qingdao, 700km north of Shanghai. The centre’s crewed submarine ‘Jiaolong’ has just been given a major upgrade and is set for sea trials in March. This is no ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kaitlin Barham, Wildlife ecology researcher, The University of Queensland Australia Zoo Crocodiles are hardy creatures, capable of adjusting their behaviour to cope with the heat of the tropics. But there’s a limit to their endurance. Our new research shows the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Damien O’Meara, Lecturer, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University Stan Stan’s new series Invisible Boys follows four young gay men as they understand and explore their identities while living in Geraldton, a regional town in Western Australia. Charlie Roth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University The upcoming federal election will see the incumbent Labor prime minister, Anthony Albanese, face off against Liberal opposition leader, Peter Dutton. We’ll likely see a strong focus on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Barnes, Lecturer in Physics, Western Sydney University An artist’s impression of a high-energy particle travelling through the KM3NeT neutrino telescope.KM3NeT Three and a half kilometres beneath the Mediterranean Sea, around 80km off the coast of Sicily, lies half of a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Jensen, Associate professor, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra, University of Canberra Kemarrravv13/Shutterstock Hate speech on X was consistently 50% higher for at least eight months after tech billionaire Elon Musk bought the social media platform, new ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Ufuk Zivana/Shutterstock Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wants New Zealand to “go for growth”. But his plan, focused on reforming foreign investment, planning and competition laws, as well as boosting the ...
‘An economic own-goal’ or a triumph of democracy? Stewart Sowman-Lund explains in today’s edition of The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. No McDonald’s for Wānaka Wānaka ...
The PSA filed proceedings with the Employment Relations Authority on Wednesday, seeking an urgent hearing to try to immediately stop any dismissals. ...
The lead witness in Ngāi Tahu’s freshwater claim says the case raises an “existentialist question” for his people.“My greatest fear is that we will have our connection with our land and waterways extinguished,” Te Maire Tau (Ngāi Tahu/Ngāi Tūāhuriri) said in the Christchurch High Court, before Justice Melanie Harland. The university history ...
Fair Pay?=don't be silly.
Fair Tax then?-you've got to be …kidding.
The tax law you’ve probably never heard of – and why the Government wants to keep it that way | The Post
To me this is one of the most egregious acts by this new government, because it protects extreme economic injustice for the long term.
Should get a lot more coverage.
What would posses the NACTFirst Government to move so fast on blocking progress on cycleways and lower speed limits? Odd behaviour, I thought. Rewarding their truck-industry donors? Spitefully sticking it to the greenies? Seems rather, they're pandering to/repaying the cooker-voters who live in fear of what they believe to be strategies to impoverish and de-power, the "ordinary person", the plebs. The "15 minute cities" concept threw the cookers into a panic; they could see themselves being corralled into "camps" from which they would be barred from leaving; the cycleways and lower speeds were more subtle ways of restricting freedom and ease of travel. Has the present Government adopted these beliefs? Winston's certainly flying a flag for the conspiracy crowd – is he being supported by others in the Government?
It's a sad day when our so called leaders are besotted by conspiracy theories.
maybe but I suspect it's something more likely to be because National and ACT's supporters include the owners of roading companies and town centre real estate.
(not for want of trying on Peters' part though. He did grift on anti-15m city rhetoric as he learnt about it over the election campaign. I just think that NACT have bigger fish to fry).
Well, I did too, until I read cookers celebrating the moves. I was puzzled by the indecent haste as well – sure, the truckers will get their dues in return for their campaign support, but ordinarily, it'd be done during a quiet time, without fanfare – this was theatre, as loved by cookers. I think there was a concern that unless some bones were thrown early, the tinfoil hats would be brought out again and a new camp established on Luxy's Lawn.
those are good points. Occupy Luxy Lawn would be a site to be hold![😈](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/1f608.svg)
It would be an interesting spectacle…though the plods would likely be there in 15 minutes this time.
" …a site to be hold…"
Great punny allusion!
I was cornered by my relation's cooker neighbour. He told me that cycling, five minute cites, contrails, 9/11, the war in Ukraine, Jacinda Ardern and Covid, etc, etc, are all part of the of the ending humanity.
The armies of the Juice, Klaus Schwab, HRC, and co, are working toward the great transhuman reset, the enslavement of humanity and the ushering in of an age of forced sterilisation of people of child-bearing age. the extermination of the elderly and the disabled, child trafficking, sex slaves, and satisfying the elite's craving for freshly harvested children's blood.
Poots, tRump, and Orbán are the good guys, though.
..
I'm a greenie in a newly-Green electorate that has been Green local body for some time, but I can assure you that many of us wish that ANY central government had blocked progress on cycleways around here much sooner, since the social damage (even to non-drivers) is beyond rediculous, yet alone the physical danger they (the very few cyclists seen using them) have been put in.
As someone who has never had the health or opportunity to drive a motor vehicle and has therefore ridden on bikes, without an inch of lycra I might add, for over 40 years I can tell you it is much safer now with cycle lanes.
Peak getting hit by cars from behind and from people opening car doors for me was definitely the 80's and 90's. Idiot car drivers not paying attention and over extending out at T-intersections pushing you out into the car lanes and even stupider people – mainly taxi drivers cutting in front of you and turning right across intersections are now the biggest hazards.
Sure lanes separated from traffic are just the best but clearly marked and designated cycle lanes are miles better than what used to exist. The worst people at understanding this are drivers who do not use them anyway and born again cyclists who are still figuring out that you don't put your inside to the gutter foot down when you stop at intersections or lights – they have no idea what it used to be like.
I don't care how many people are using them – I just know as someone who doesn't have the jump in a car option they are great. Definitely much safer using them in every town and city I've biked in. People who don't actually use them are way too vocal.
I'm more than happy for you all to give up entire roads to cyclists if you are genuinely concerned about our physical welfare. Boot the cars off completely. That would be even better.
I have a life-long medical ban from driving, so I'm certainly not coming from the car-owning angle. And I'm fully appreciative of the dangers of cycling, especially in Wellington on the very narrow roads. But not putting better controls onto idiotic drivers at dangerous intersections (ie traffic lights) cancel out any safety the lanes otherwise provide.
One of the rare times I saw a cyclist with a toddler on the back, they were both almost taken out by a car zooming around the corner that hadn't bothered to give way. The official council response to my submission on this safety issue- "traffic lights aren't our problem, that's NZTA." In other words, too much of a hassle.
I've lived on that corner for years and witnessed numerous crashes and near crashes, and they've put a cycleway through the middle of it despite knowing this. Any wonder we're angry??
So cyclists used the intersection prior to the cycle lane and had near misses but now it has been made even clearer to car drivers that cyclists are there it is a problem?
I don't understand the concern. There's a stretch of road here that has a third laneway emerge that turns into a turning lane. If as a cyclist I'm going straight ahead car drivers found it confusing as you had to either go in the turning lane and then go straight ahead or go in the car lane. Especially with trucks and buses beside you you often ended up in a crush situation. Now there is a cycle lane between the two car lanes cars, buses and trucks definitely give you more space. Visibility of where cyclists go is of great practical benefit to cyclists.
We were biking in those spaces previously anyway.
It's no safer at all, for cyclists, pedestrians trying to get across, or cars. That's my point. Too many drivers are lazy, stupid, and impatient, and don't believe they should give way, even when the signs say to. The next street down has become a no right turn to cater for the cycle lane running across it; however, on a daily basis, numerous vehicle ignore this (including several Council cars).
For many people I speak to now this has become more than cycle lanes- it's a symptom of the complete contempt council holds for the citizens. When a Council has somehow managed to alienate most of the city over cycle lanes they have clearly gone around the process the wrong way. What could have been a positive thing is despised by too many.
For the first time ever I will no longer be voting in local elections, I cannot see any point, nor can several others I've had this conversation with.
Are you someone who cycles it? Do the cyclists who use it think it is now a bit safer – not perfect and more could be done but better than it was?
Incremental improvements are often the best we get. They are still valuable.
Those strategies exist, but not in the form of cycleways and speed limits. And it's not quite right to call them strategies – they are not drawn up on a whiteboard in some corner office. They are powerful mechanisms, settings, shared understandings of what is natural, obvious and right. Together they form what we call a market economy or market society.
The so-called “cookers” have correctly identified the disease, but they attribute the wrong symptoms to it.
yep. And we ignore and ostracise them at our peril.
Engagement is tricky – best left to those with plenty of empathy & patience, imho.
The ease at which the term 'cookers' get thrown around on TS does my head in. Fact is theyre a bunch of people that for various reasons have found themselves on the outer edges of society. Calling em cookers just pushes them further out and actually makes they problem worse, its no different in mindset to the current govt wanting to get rid of cultural reports at sentencing for example. It saddens me somewhat to see solidly left wing people use the term so easily.
Fact is theyre a bunch of people that for various reasons have found themselves on the outer edges of society.
Really. Most of the ones I know including family members are nowhere near the outer edges of society. Got jobs, own houses, share some of the same interests and hobbies. Some are far more wealthy than I am.
Somehow, just somehow they believe a load of nonsense. To be fair some did before COVID as well – chemtrails, mystic power of gemstones, homeopathy etc etc.
I also dislike the term cookers and in part cause it seems to suggest poor and downtrodden.
Kinda my point, outer edges but not always in traditional terms and often quite well educated.
Calling them cookers just entrenches their postion. Hell, reading below and given my anti mandate postion im a 'cooker'.
I dont know the way to get them back but I know 'cookers' isnt it. During covid I met a helluva lot of normal people who for a whole bunch of reasons were against the vaccine and especially mandated vaccinces and for a bunch or reasons. From sucked into conspiracy theories through to some pretty serious harm in state care leading to a serious distrust of the 'system'
That damage is done the work we need to do to get them back is going to take a long time. Nonetheless it needs to be done.
The evident contempt that is frequently displayed to them by the mainstream Left – makes it clear that these people will not be voting Left for some time (if at all).
Given the very small margins between the Left and Right in the last election (and in the 2017 one) – to arbitrarily rule out this quite substantial grouping – seems an act of madness.
It's also not a single group. There are many traditionally Left allies (who were anti-vaccination, and certainly anti-mandated-vaccination, long before Covid) – as well as some of the more anti-government conspiracy theorists. Divide and conquer would be a more effective Left strategy.
” the cycleways and lower speeds were more subtle ways of restricting freedom and ease of travel. ”
How in the hell do cycleways restrict freedom – particularly for us non-drivers. I get to go further, more easily with more safety than ever before.
Maybe us non-drivers aren't considered ordinary people. These people get more moronic everyday.
I think part of it is the need for normalcy in a scary world. Normal is driving, biking is what some people choose to do, a minority, those people can do that, but most people don't kind of thing. So the fear is that we will all be pushed out of our safety and comfort at a time when we need more safety and comfort (this is an underlying dynamic in all politics now imo).
There is also a strong libertarian ethic in that counter culture. Not so much you'll take my guns from my cold dead hands, but cars. They symbolise the freedom to move at will, where we want, when we want. That's why the lockdowns were so terrible for those people, but for people like me who are both used to restriction and understand the value in it, they were a good thing.
Cycling doesn't represent freedom to a lot of people, and enforced cycling parses as constraint.
"we ignore and ostracise them at our peril."
Alternatively the more attention they are given the more they are given validity for their beliefs.
Maybe they need to understand history a little more.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/how-bicycles-transformed-world
But it was the middle and working classes around the globe that truly made the bicycle their own. For the first time in history, the masses were mobile, able to come and go as they pleased. No more need for expensive horses and carriages. The “people's nag,” as the bicycle was known, was not only lightweight, affordable, and easy to maintain, it was also the fastest thing on the roads.
Maybe if they want to go whole conspiracy theory they should think about GPS tracking in cars or more low quality RFID chips in tyres. Maybe cars don't give them the freedom they think it does. There is loads of stuff we can choose to be paranoid about.
Obviously, and just as well I didn't suggest that. Peters is gratuitously pandering to this particular subculture. That doesn't mean our only choice is ridicule and ostracisation (would love to know how that is supposed to actually work).
And sure, 'they' need to understand things that the good, true lefties know. Have you thought about how that attitude might come across? What's the strategy here?
My own view is that the people in those subcultures aren't a hive mind, and varying people have varying beliefs and to different degrees. As a matter or urgency we should be building bridges with those people who still share ideas and philosophies that we do. I'm not talking about hard core anti-15m city conspiracy theorists so much as the people that are being influenced by them instead of by progressive politics. Because progressive politics is telling them they are stupid/wrong/evil. Why would they listen to us?
It is an interesting debate though. At the time of the 81 Springbok Tour I was firmly of the view that ostracism was a worse option that allowing the Springboks to tour and to see alternate ways of doing things, particularly as by then we had finally pushed back about the whole "honorary whites" stupidity.
Years later a Springbok player said that it was the conflict that erupted in NZ over the tour that was the catalyst for changing his mind about apartheid.
Most people I know who were opposed to the tour would still today not accept that engaging with South Africa was the way to go, even after the schisms that occurred in our own country as a result. Progressive politics has long been fickle about ostracism vs engagement, about telling people they are stupid/wrong/evil vs trying to show the alternative.
No different to conservative politics either though in my view their choices between the styles tends towards hypocritical. Muldoon's work with gangs is likely a good example compared to today's National Party going down the ostracism route.
And no I'm never quite sure when one is the preferred solution over the other. A pyschologist did once tell me though that continuing to engage with a certain gentleman was simply reinforcing his own (false) sense of importance and wasn't helping his mental state and recovery in the slightest.
Maybe it is more about what you engage about that finds the middle ground but at some point even that can become pointless – experience tells me that you can bite your tongue when needed but they still quite happily espouse their beliefs.
Human behaviour is vexed.
So how violent are they going to be when we can't get the fuel to run their cars?
The Mad Max films were born out of the crisis of oil, we are fast approaching another oil crisis, and a whole lot of people in this country are delusional about it.
And before people think I'm talking peak oil, I'm not – I'm talking war, and the fact oil is going to become heavily restricted because of it.
dunno. More or less violent than other groups in society who are likewise in denial about the future we are heading into?
We still have a choice at this point about how that future goes. Mad Max or transition to something that is very different from what we have now but is still functional and liveable?
No-one who supports the ostracisation and ridicule strategy has been able to explain how that will actually work as society comes under increasing pressures and things we take for granted start to fall away. To me it looks like we should be building strong relationships especially at the community level, because the alternative will make the parliament grounds occupation look like a kindy sandpit fight.
Water will be worse, and is why this Government was desperate to win imo
Water, the lack of?
I'm guessing we will also be a staging point for Antarctica where the last of us will scratch out a living.
In Auckland at least the lack of consultation with affected communities as done alot of harm, in a few cases its lead to cycleways which have been downright dangerous to everyone. This as a good example https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/129345252/auckland-community-furious-as-drivers-hit-new-cycle-lane-protectors
That one still isnt resolved and post installation accidents for cyclists have increased There are others like this where the rubber sections are still on the road and visible to no one in rain or dark.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/131074750/aucklands-2m-tim-tam-cycle-lane-to-be-replaced-after-less-than-a-year-with-another-which-could-cost-4m
A bit more care would go a long way as a bad project undo's the good of 1o0 good ones.
We have a local cycleway in a quiet residential neighbourhood – which was put in place as a link to an initiative which was later canned.
It is very badly designed. Cycle lane is on the inside of the parked cars – next to the footpath.
Given the camber of the road and the size of the people-movers frequently parked there – it is virtually impossible to see a small person (especially a child) as a car is turning into the side streets. It is actively dangerous. And consequently, no parent would consider letting their kids ride on it. Where they do cycle (which is pretty infrequently), they cycle on the footpath (as they did prior to the cycleway being installed).
Since the link now goes nowhere – and has no prospect of ever going anywhere – and is dangerous to boot – it's very rarely used (maybe 2 or 3 die-hard cyclists – who could perfectly well use the road – which is hardly full of traffic)
This kind of development absolutely gets offside with the locals. It cost a fortune. It's actively dangerous. And it doesn't meet the stated goal of encouraging cycling. Reinforcing the perception that the Councils are just wasting money on this cycling infrastructure which is badly desinged, dangerous, and isn't being used.
Yours is an accurate summation, weka, imo.
"non-drivers aren't considered ordinary people"
Correct. Our behaviours identify us – not only to our friends but also to those who aren't. Got an unmown verge? You've been noticed.
Cookers see bicycle lanes as preparation for a "no cars for the poor" future – trapped, we will be, trapped, in our own country!! Same with speed limits (Freedom!)
What is a "cooker" Robert?
Apart from the kitchen item the only meaning I am aware of is a person who "cooks" Meth, and that doesn't seem to be what you mean.
it's Australian slang for someone who believes in conspiracy theories, is anti-vax/mandate etc. I think it predates the pandemic and meant someone who was crazy, related to cooker as someone who cooks meth (the drug) and is off their head. Now it is used to mean a conspiracy theorist/anti-mandater etc.
I'm in two minds about its use on TS. We don't have another single word to replace it with, but it's a pejorative term generally used in the context of othering a person or people. In that sense, it's not that different from other words/language we don't generally allow here, under the rules about not using "tone or language that has the effect of excluding others". I'll have a think about it in the new year.
Thank you, and to others who replied.
I have never heard it before until I read this string of comments. One lives and learns.
Actually, having just looked back through the comments I now see that it was explained by DMK, at 1.53pm, just before I asked the question. I didn't see it there at the time though.
My 2 cents worth in regard the use of cooker.
Akin to the slur, TERF, it bundles a group of folk (as you say, not a hive mind) from questioning GCFs through to full blown misandrists.
I find the use of it to be lazy and kinda hand- wavy. Attacking the individual rather than their argument.
More crucially it is othering. A tendency I find more and more common amongst those who like to identify as lefties.
This term, while the centre left and left is in opposition is a time to heal, seek common ground and formulate the vision and path for 2026.
I believe that “cookers” is a derogatory term (tho that depends on what side of the fence you’re on) it refers to “conspiracy theorists” similar to “white trash” I guess. It’s another term that obnoxious people use to elevate themselves above others
"white trash"???
Nah. Cookers are from across the spectrum.
You could be one. Gsays could be one. Cooking knows no class, political, religious or race boundaries.
Robert, I’d first of “cooker” a few weeks ago from some of the younger and hip guys where I work. From what I understand, it refers to “white trash” and “conspiracy theorists”. It’s kinda offensive, when you think about it
I'm interested in how (if) Robert answers yr question, Alwyn.
The left, such as it is, loves to splinter, particularly along purity lines- not sensitive enough to gender issues, not proficient enough in Te Reo, not earnest enough about CC, not enthusiastic enough with recycling etc etc.
The left loves to splinter?
People from left, right and centre use the term "cooker".
It's reflective of the word "sheeple" which found favour with the cookers earlier on.
Did you use "sheeple", gsays?
Not a fan of banding about monikers, not even as a "gentle reproach".
So, in your eyes, someone who is/was opposed to the mandates is a cooker?
No. I'm meaning those who hoover up all of the crack-pot ideas without any filters at all.
If the majority of commenters here felt the term should not be used, I'd be fine with shelving it, but as I say, it has light-hearted connotations for me.
Hi alwyn – thanks for asking. Weka's explanation is a very good one. To me, it's a "gentle reproach" at most, but still has a nice ring to it. Rather than meth though, it brings to my mind the image of leg of lamb wrapped in tinfoil; cooker
Many of my friends are cookers, imo.
And the inculcation starts early – about 10 years ago I was walking past the house of a work colleague and, waving hello, said that I was off to the University. They had family visiting and a young tacker asked "Why don't you drive there?"
My response (that I enjoy walking and wasn't in a hurry) cut no ice then, and I suspect little has changed if trends in car ownership are anything to go by.
Our entire system is set up on the presumption that ALL adults hold a valid drivers licence, and it doesn't cope very well when it runs into people who don't.
When asking for ID, the default for many still seems to be "can I see your licence" followed by the very confused look when told I don't have one, but here's my passport. Kudos to whomever finally clicked on there are a lot of people sans licence or passport who can now use the Kiwi Access card for a lot of ID needs.
Some public hospital systems don't cater for people to get to outpatient appointments at different further afield campuses if they don't have their own means of transport and/or public transport there isn't possible. Even the health system expects everyone to either drive, or have someone who can drive them.
For a long time during the pandemic, it was not easy to get a PCR test without being able to drive to get one, unless you lived in walking distance of a testing station. I will never forget the guy from the Covid line who suggested I take a bus there…![frown frown](https://cdn2.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/plugins/ark-wysiwyg-comment-editor/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/confused_smile.png?x42494)
My only wish is that our car-obsessed society could understand that even if they want to deny oil running out, climate change and everything else, NONE of them are immune to copping a medical driving ban tomorrow.
It was pretty demeaning though to be told in your 40's to get an 18+ pub access card particularly from places like banks who you had banked with since a kid.
"NONE of them are immune to copping a medical driving ban tomorrow."
Too many of them would view that as a form of bureaucratic interference with their "rights", and carry on driving regardless.
I agree that there is an automatic assumption that you will have a friend or family member who is able to drive you to outpatient appointments.
A couple of years ago, I had to have a minor investigative procedure which was to be done under general anaesthetic as an outpatient at the hospital. The requirement was that I not drive after this (entirely reasonably), and that I needed to be with someone who could monitor me for the next few hours in case I collapsed (again, a reasonable precaution).
My proposal that I uber to the hospital, then uber to my Mum's place – about a 10-minute trip each way – was rejected.
The *only* acceptable solution was to have someone drive to the hospital and for me to be released into that person's care. My Mum doesn't drive, and for one reason or another, there was no other family member free to drive me on that day. I saw no reason to ask friends to take a day off work – for what seemed like a piece of unreasonable bureaucracy.
I protested – and they eventually agreed to carry out the procedure under local anaesthetic. Which was absolutely a double win as far as I was concerned – the recovery from general is much worse.
But, it did make me wonder how people who don't have family networks, and/or aren't stroppy sheilas who don't take 'no' for an answer, fare in the 'system'. I expect that the answer is badly.
“I think there won’t be a lot of memory about Jacinda Ardern other than, she was a young woman that was appointed to the job of Prime Minister, a job she once claimed she never ever wanted to do. The second term was overwhelming for her. But really it just shows you, given the overwhelming support she had two years ago, how ill-equipped she was to do the job by quitting a year early.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/dame-jacinda-arderns-legacy-barry-soper-and-audrey-young-on-the-front-page/RCI563RTNZF5RBQ7J5J75LB6UI/
We live in a supposed free country but it is still galling to see the utter crap spewed out from the low-life likes of Barry Soper on the front page of a national newspaper.
'Ill-equipped to do the job' – any job – describes snarky Soper to a tee.
Personal requirements for NZ Police………
Police officers need to be:
It appears Soper would fail on most of these….……
It's pure sour grapes from has-been Barry – eclipsed by Ardern from the get go.
BS apparently didn't learn much at his high school – that last sentence quoted from his piece isn't even grammatical, never mind factually correct.
I guess this will be filed under ant-semitism…but imo…it is an indictment on the Israel/U.S doctrine in the M.E.
At least 100 journalists have been killed since Israel’s war on Gaza began on October.
International law!=whats dat?
Gaza media office says 100 journalists killed since Israeli attacks began | Israel-Palestine conflict News | Al Jazeera
International law is different than the 'rules based order'
A good read about printer Aldus Manutius, the bibliophile’s bibliophile who, between 1495 and 1515, issued more first editions of classical texts than had ever been published before or since.
Venice was a city of printers and readers. In his World of Aldus Manutius, Martin Lowry made a rough guess that, in 1500, Venetian presses produced twenty books per member of the city’s population. There were more printshops – and more booksellers, stationers, bookbinders – in Venice than anywhere else in Europe: twice as many editions were printed there than in Paris, its closest rival.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v45/n24/erin-maglaque/case-endings-and-calamity