Granny Herald’s poacher turned gamekeeper ShonKey Python is to be permitted LEGALLY to enlist all the other poachers……..Granny incredulously paints her darling as gamekeeper redoubled.
Ah yes another of those unsigned editorials, probably authored by the pm’s office or CT etc
This whole GSCB farce shows how pissweak our media is, that Dunne is keys lackey and what contempt shonkey and crew have for democracy and yet anotger pack of lies he will skate away from . So nothing new really.
Isnt it great when you can just change the laws to suit your own agenda what a banana republic weve become.
My God! David Shearer and Peter Dunne are in agreement.
From the Herald:
The changes go much further than the “cosmetic” tag attached by the Greens. Two stand out. The first dictates that the country’s foreign intelligence agency will be the subject of an independent review in 2015 and an automatic review every five to seven years after that. A five-year review echoes the situation in Australia.
What wasn’t captured on the audio of the live footage, is that after David Cunliffe says; “And based upon what we have heard here tonight. I personally, and I am sure my caucus colleagues would be of the view that this legislation, must not, will not, and cannot stand.”
David Shearer corrects Cunliffe, (and others). Angrilly shouting out, “We will be having a review.”
(Maybe someone could enhance the audio to catch this exchange?)
What wasn’t captured on the audio of the live footage, is that after David Cunliffe says; “And based upon what we have heard here tonight. I personally, and I am sure my caucus colleagues would be of the view that this legislation, must not, will not, and cannot stand.”
That is in the live stream. Starts at 1:15:52.
At 1:16:50 someone does shout out from the side of the hall that Shearer is on, but it’s inaudible because the GP guy has started speaking. And someone was shouting during Cunliffe’s statement (the judge had to ask them to shut up). Were you there Jenny? Are sure it was Shearer? It seems unlikely.
(Now check tonight’s TV3 news update … “Doubts cast over Royal Baby”, a solid story based on exactly the same reliable source)
But it’s beyond parody now, the “news” is in the hands of a lazy hack saying “Friday, let’s knock off work early”. I’d be ashamed if I was working there.
“a story about one person getting something wrong on the internet”
No, it was a story about a fucking idiot who should know better shit stirring and yet again undermining the left for her own perverse reasons.
Jenny, front up with some evidence that Shearer said what you said he did, or apologise to everyone who made that meeting so awesome and didn’t deserve to have it pissed on by the likes of you.
Jebus! Jenny owes David Shearer an apology, big time. No doubt she’ll be contacting 3News ASAP to put them right. But, lordie, how lazy is Jono Hutchison? What a doofus.
3 News should apologise for cherry picking Jenny’s comment and ignoring all the subsequent comments saying Shearer can’t be heard yelling anything out.
Shouldn’t you be asking TV3 that? I’d like to see it too when you get it. Seems like one of those situations where some people see chemtrails where we see contrails.
TV3 video on demand for the evening news on 26 July 2013 does not work. All I get is that damn Dilmah advert.
Anyway I KNOW what I saw – Shearer being angry.
Last night at the Mt Albert War Memorial Hall we saw something I have long prayed for……….public figures of impeccable provenance like retired Supreme Court judge Sir Ted Thomas QC and Dame Anne Salmond – going public in the face of the chicanery of “Bananas” ShonKey Python.
With every such instance ShonKey Python’s facile “I disagree” becomes more and more risible.
Which leads us to the live “Loyalty” question New Zealanders must address.
North
I don’t believe key is a New Zealander at all. He was only born here. His family have no Kiwi history at all. His parents weren’t born here. I have no idea why he wanted to be pm of NZ but it certainly doesn’t appear to be for the good of the country. Can’t wait to see him go.
I agree.
He’s so adept at concealing and lying that it is impossible to tell what his true motivations are.
He’s the ultimate hollow man.
It will be interesting to watch what he does after he leaves politics (hopefully soon!).
“Last night at the Mt Albert War Memorial Hall we saw something I have long prayed for……….public figures of impeccable provenance like retired Supreme Court judge Sir Ted Thomas QC and Dame Anne Salmond – going public in the face of the chicanery of “Bananas” ShonKey Python.”
It was a joy to behold. Why is this not happening more?
“What evidence is there that secondhand smoking does any harm? Where is the evidence? WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? The science is flimsy.”
—Jeremy (Newsboy) Wells, “The Week in Review”, NewstalkZB, Friday 26 July 2013, 8:25 a.m.
Mediocrity Watch aims to keep you informed of—or, to quote the epically mediocre Simon Dallow, to be “right across”—the shoddiest, least professional, most insulting journalism from all over the world, but especially New Zealand. It is produced by DeakerWatch®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
Check out these other third-raters….
No. 2 Gavin Gray: “…never been any problems associated with the name King George.”
No. 1 Susie Ferguson: “If, as you say, this has all been done before, why do it all again?”
Morrissey, I look forward to a future note of yours dedicated to the epically moaning, whinging, and mediocre Kim Hill.
I have strongly criticized Kim Hill in the past. I thought she was foolish and unprepared when she interviewed John Pilger on television a decade ago; he memorably castigated her for reflexively and thoughtlessly rehashing the most extreme government propaganda…. http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/face-to-face-with-kim-hill-john-pilger-2003
She is also given to occasionally making glib and foolish statements. “Just read one Chomsky book and you don’t have to read any others. They’re all the same,” she joked one day on her radio programme. Now I know, and you know, that is not true, and she is not that stupid or lazy; that’s the sort of thing that “Sir” Paul Holmes (RIP) or Graeme Hunt (RIP) or Mike Hosking or “Populuxe1” would have said. But she said it, and even as a joke it is a foolish and ridiculous thing to say.
But, on the other hand, you have to recognize that, since the retirement of Ian Fraser, Kim Hill is by far this country’s best interviewer. For sheer breadth of knowledge, and persistence, and verbal ability, she is in a class of her own. She has memorably exposed villains such as Jeffrey Archer, William Shawcross, and John Howard. Perhaps the best thing she ever did was when she subjected Dr. Brian Edwards to a dose of his own medicine and made him squirm uncomfortably for half an hour in an interview that might have qualified as a war crime if poor old Edwards had recovered from the shock and humiliation in time to file a charge at The Hague.
She can be annoying, I grant you, Santi—but if you’re looking for the fourth rate, the mediocre, the substandard, the useless, then you look at people like Jeremy Wells and his interlocutors on “The Week In Review” this morning—Wendyl Nissen and Susan Wood. And practically everyone else on that appalling station.
Even if you, like me, can’t stand her at times, you have to admit that Kim Hill is far, far superior to most others on radio. Hell, she even reads my emails out occasionally!
Keep up the good work.
Thank you, my friend! I always enjoy your contributions.
He probably was. But I am sick of so-called “ironists” trying to be funny. The guy should be stating his opinions frankly and honestly. I realize that that programme—that station—-is not serious, and is trying to “entertain” at all times, but whether or not Jeremy Wells was serious, he did say those words in an ostensibly (if not actually) serious discussion.
Oh santi what a load of rubbish – sure they are a big family but they have a lot of brains as well as brawn as shown by Hone leading the poised Mana Party – poised to make a real difference after the next election. On the other hand you are a proven liar and idiot and you display a distinct lack of brains, almost zombie like in your repetition of rubbish – that shows what a sad piece of shit you are.
No I don’t think that. More chance of the gnats and labour forming that – The Greens and NZFirst won’t work imo at least not in the way your comment implies.
What difference???, fools like you never see it coming until it’s far to late, there is no guarantee that NZFirst will gain the 5% needed to get back into the next Parliament,
Winston is way past His best and the years of fine living are starting to take their toll,
The Mana Party based upon the 2011 election result need a mere 1894 votes to take the Waiariki electorate and based upon Mana’s polling in the recent by-election will romp home in that seat with ease,
Roy Morgan is now polling the Mana Party at 1% of the party vote and a mere 1.2%,(a few thousand votes),and Mana will have another MP in the next Parliament off of it’s list,
Hone Harawira on His own in the 2015 Parliament might not make much difference, 3 Mana Party MP’s in that Parliament will make all the difference…
Civil disobedience, as displayed by Hone Harawira in support of the Glen Innes HousingNZ tenants being evicted by the state to make way for the grandiose palaces of the middle class has long been a feature of political movements everywhere,
Without civil disobedience we would have neither ‘women voting’, ‘nuke free NZ’ or ‘non-racist rugby tours’, to name 3 issues that spring to mind,
Big Ups to Hone for supporting those who have no other voice, i hope to see 2 more Mana Party MP’s in the 2014 Parliament and with Mana polling 1% of the party vote a list MP is only a few thousand party votes for Mana away,
Point 2 percent is all it will take and this far out from November 2014 it’s looking more certain that Mana will get my party vote…
Yes, when it came to South Africa. We also allowed them to limit our selections for tours to RSA to white only players, with one or two ‘honorary whites’ to fill out the squad. English cricket took a principled stand against this in 1968 over Basil D’Oliveira being refused entry to apartheid South Africa, but the All Black squad that toured the following year was selected on racial lines to keep the hosts happy.
During that period it was also the policy of the South African rugby union to select players to tour New Zealand on the basis that those selected were white…
I know that I was being slightly facetious in that it seems strange to take credit for it to be the only reason we have non-racist tours of Australia and the home nations.
Do you have anything to add apart from just one line? Political integrity in NZ has slipped by a huge degree, across the board. The fact he was there standing up for someone else’s constituents, who needed that support speaks to me that his integrity is far superior to a lot of other pollies. Whether you agree with his stand or not, you must admire the fact he made a stand! But hey, don’t let the facts get in the way of your prejudice. Numpty.
Sorry, heading out the door when I wrote it and left it brief. Obviously too much so – was admiring his stand for the people of Glen Innes – not being facetious.
The thing that caught my attention was Key’s comment that
“we can afford another earthquake”. Run that past us again, John ?
According to current knowledge an earthquake “is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake
I don’t see that we have much choice in the matter. According to a recent Australian PM, “s**t happens”. The ancients used to call it fate. However you frame it, you pick up the pieces and carry on.
Key’s implication that we have some choice in earthquake affordability is either a symptom of grandiosity or a non-scientific belief system. It may be a poor choice of words, but it does not engender confidence in his crisis management skills.
I’m guessing he means if another major earthquake it NZ will be able to handle it but hey if you want to link it to something else entirely go right ahead
Alcibiades, without seeing the comment in context (got a link?), it’s hard to say what he meant (and he’s probably being slippery anyway). But I’m guessing he means we can afford to rebuild. Which we can’t if it’s a big quake in somewhere like Welly.
It was a press conference I saw on TV1 before he left for another trip abroad. I would not describe it as ‘slippery’, but certainly an unfortunate choice of words. It implies that there has been serious consideration of abandoning Wellington in a worst case scenario .. as though Aotearoa / New Zealand starts somewhere north of the Bombay hills.
Oh Slippery will just ‘write a cheque’, which is what He told the news-media when they asked our Prime Minister how the 2nd crossing of the Auckland harbor would be paid for,
The fact that none of the media pilloried the Slippery little liar over such glib bull-s**t has become par for the course and hardly reflects the fourth estate in any shade of ‘a good light,
Might as well rename the whole pack as the Fifth Column…
It’s a long held objective by the so called ruling elite, that every action/interaction will be monitored and controlled, this is not conspiracy, it is already happening.
The technology has existed long enough, and the legislative clamp down currently making the public view, is the only insight the plebs will get to see. The back end is not going to be exposed to the plebs!
Once the plug is pulled on cash money, and every transaction handled virtually, then the loop is closed, and the final remnants of what people believed, were freedoms, will be lost and gone, forever!
Until people realize the danger their lives are in, there is almost 0% chance to prevent it, that time was past last century.
So while many of those who have been ignorantly fighting to label such happenings, as conspiracy, they have been missing opportunity to engage, and aim their energy at the appropriate location.
It’s why quite simply, so called conspiracy theorists, are not a danger, they are in fact an early warning system, in many cases, a desperate call to action.
The best places to be in years to come, are 3rd world and developing countries, with nations such as NZ, finished. It is my supposition, that NZ will be the first nation, to fall!
One could argue, the fall, has already happened, without a fight!
That’s dismal muzza. I think you will find that many in NZ have been thinking about this, including how to communicate without using electronics. The best hope for NZ in the face of PO/AGW/GFC is to relocalise. This applies in the face of the surveillance society too.
If cash gets done away with, people will set up alternate economic systems. Already happening, alongside barter and trade. It won’t take so much to get those things scaled up to the community level.
Only if you are trading in something that would otherwise bring you your main income. Someone who is a mechanic should technically declare alternate income if they trade their mechanical skills, but not if they’re baby sitting. Haven’t seen an analysis of how many people do actually declare though.
People don’t have to pay tax on swapping veges across the back fence.
Sooner or later IRD and the government will come down hard on the bartering system because people are using it to avoid taxes and there won’t any bartering left. I read an article last year about IRD looking at it.
Also, if your income disappears and it turns out that you’re doing odd jobs for barter it’s going to look like that is your main income at which point IRD will give you a tax bill.
AFAIK they’re after people that are avoiding paying tax on what would otherwise be main income (and fair enough too). They don’t care about vege swaps and such. If someone is self-employed and their income drops suddenly for no obvious reason, then it makes sense of IRD to have a look. I doubt that they will be going after teens mowing lawns for their grandparents though. Where the line in between is, I’m not sure but I think the govt will have its hands full going after the main income tax avoiders.
As for coming down hard on barter and trade, the vast majority happens outside of spheres that the govt can see. That will never change, I expect it to increase.
And what you and muzza were talking about was getting completely out of the monetary system which would bring the government down on you. As I say, the lack of paying taxes would raise flags.
Sorry Draco, what do you think the IRD is going to do? Come down on you or your neighbour when you volunteer to look after the neighbours kids one day a week?
But what are they going to do, take 20% of my potatoes and 20% of my neighbour’s grapefruit?
For the sake of argument, let’s try applying the “assume market rates” model.
My neighbour and I aren’t paying each other a vege salary or fruit wages, so paye doesn’t apply. If anything the relationship is between two food-producing businesses, neither of which make any profit.
x kg potatoes =$y. That’s income and can be taxed (theoretically). I’m guessing at the self-employed rate.
There are two things in this discussion. One is that IRD (and WINZ incidentally) do consider barter/trade form one’s main job to be income. However, there are obviously many people in NZ who earn some or a lot of cash income under the table, and IRD is largely powerless against that, so it’s hard to see IRD going after the people trading unless they are being very obvious about it.
The second thing is low level barter/trade eg veges over the back fence, or trading services for goods etc. Can’t see IRD caring about that.
I think that green dollar systems etc got targeted by IRD when professionals and tradies started doing business and not declaring it. AFAIK timebanks are still exempt, but not sure how long that will last (the loophole is that all time trades are equal, rather than being assigned a money equivalent value. So a lawyer’s hour is worth the same as a cleaner’s hour. Not sure that IRD could argue income as dollar value there).
Neither my neighbour nor I are left with any profit after the transaction. There are no potatoes to tax as they’ve been used to buy grapefruit and vise-versa.
If cash gets done away with, people will set up alternate economic systems. Already happening, alongside barter and trade. It won’t take so much to get those things scaled up to the community level.
Amongst the most trusted networks, the gift economy is going to take off. Barter is boring, slow and inflexible in comparison.
I’m also on the look out for the appearance of community currencies and time banks.
CV
Thoughts –
What’s the gift society actually? Have you a link that talks about this and time banks and runs through community currency methods.
We do need taxes to provide public services. Including police and army.
Many people don’t understand exactly how community systems work. Let people who haven’t clear rules and explanations get control and they serve up a mash of things they have learned in the mainstream currency and ideas where some system worked in some location at some time, and you have unproved theories running a system that will eventually become unhinged.
Only a thought out system with rules that cover everything will work. And not be run by committees otherwise you just get new people with scrambled ideas that will unravel the working system, or fiddle with it till its so weak it will fall over.
I have to apologise in advance, these don’t all answer your questions that directly amd the videos are long but will be helpful overall.
There is a very deep understanding of why and how community currency systems work and don’t work. In modern monetary theory the joke is – it’s not difficult to issue a new kind of money – the difficulty is in getting people to accept it.
We do need taxes to provide public services. Including police and army.
This is only true in the current monetary system where governments have given up their long standing rights to issue money themselves, instead handing that right to the banks.
This entire talk by Orlov is very good, he does spend a few minutes in the middle of it talking about the gift economy.
CV
Much appreciated. You bring good stuff, joe90 etc too. I do like to do more than just make rude remarks about politicians and RWNJs and discuss who will be in next to continue or slow our slide downwards. Too much time spent on negativity probably gives one cancer, or the flu! So stay healthy by thinking positively and learning is what I’m clinging to!
One way or another we need to account for the resources we use against the resources we have. Both muzza, Weka and now you are suggesting that we don’t and that path must result in the collapse of society because we will run out of resources.
“One way or another we need to account for the resources we use against the resources we have. Both muzza, Weka and now you are suggesting that we don’t”
I’m not suggesting that. I think much should be devolved to the local level, because in a post-carbon world it’s the resources in your landbase that matter. Locals should be ‘accounting’ for what happens in their rohe. But not entirely, I still see a role for govt in that too.
“and that path must result in the collapse of society because we will run out of resources.”
If you think that’s what I’ve been suggesting all this time then you’ve misunderstood. My argument is actually the opposite. But I don’t believe that governments will make the changes necessary to work within our natural limits until something forces them to do so (eg collapse).
“The best places to be in years to come, are 3rd world and developing countries, with nations such as NZ, finished.”
Your logic is flawed mate – remember you said that rudd was correct and that Australia should look after aussies and that some people will die and that is just too bad – under your scenario YOU will die and are you telling me (if you actually believe what you write) that you won’t seek out a 3rd world country to try to live in? Why should they let you in when you wouldn’t let them in? It seems to me that you have given up, well some of us haven’t given up and we will fight to retain the values we believe in.
Rudds decision was the right one for mine, but that does not imply that those inside Australian boarders are going to have an easy time, or gain anything from the decision, far from it I suspect.
You managed to conflate a couple of points, but thats more down to me not expressing myself fully on this digital medium.
I think its a different view here in AKL, Marty. While no doubt there is great things happening up and around here, I would think that its the smaller centers, and rural NZ, where the action is happening, such as doen your way.
I’ve not given up, but I am growing tired of waiting for the penny to drop far enough, with some more of the folk up here, such that they visibly express their distaste at whats going on in NZ, and get on with claiming back, what is being taken away!
There are some encouraging signs like the meeting last night, and some activities tomorrow, from all accounts.
Because Colin Craig takes her votes; she wants national to be the sort of party that would be supported by the people who would vote for the Conservatives. If the Conservatives survive, National will become less like Collins and more like Joyce.
Collins thinks that she needs to do this now, in case national get kicked out next term? Butbutbut I thought the nats were going to be a four-term government…
I was and still am a Cuniliffe supporter but if Shearer is the Leader I believe that we have to get in behind him, but I must admit it is bloody frustrating. This morning on Natrad Shearer said about GCS Bill.
” We do not think that this is good policy.”
Oh for fucks sake, while Shearer has to take responsibility for what he says it must be fucking useless advisors that are not doing the job. It should have been “We in the Labour party think that this is really BAD policy” . Never, never use positive language about policy that you are opposing. If he is resisting training he needs a kick up the arse like Helen got before she was turned into a winner. The only thing in his defence is that the platitudinous language is what you use when dealing with heavily armed arseholes that he used to talk to. But it’s time to drop it and time to start verbally tearing our homegrown arseholes new ones.
However, he said the law would not be rolled back until an independent inquiry into New Zealand’s intelligence services was carried out.
What he should be saying is that, upon immediate swearing in to government, they will be repealing the law and going to the status quo ante and initiating a full review.
If it’s bad law you get rid of it ASAP. If you don’t you’re saying that it’s not actually bad law.
Did Sheepy Shearer say this about the GCSB proposed ‘laws’? ‘we do not think that this is a good policy.’
Translation – I’ll hit you with a piece of cooked spaghetti if you bring it in even though that is messy and extreme. And if we get in after the election, my Party will always advise the citizens with no criminal records or who have had no welfare assistance before we listen in to them.
No, but when some mujahaddin had a gun to his and his wife’s heads in his office in Baghdad ( I think ) and he talked them down and got their particular problem sorted. That was one of the reasons that The Herald called him NZer of the Year. Now they think that NZ’s Bullshitter of the Year is their main man.
1400 tremors, quakes in Cook Strait. It is good news that we still have communications going okay isn’t it? The cables seem to have coped with the movement.
It’d most likely be the termination points that would be damaged in an earthquake. The cables rest on the seafloor, but they’re basically like a big long rope: put a rope in a bucket and shake the bucket around and the rope will be tossed about but will land on the ground eventually.
In another lively public meeting last night the SMBA (St Mary’s Bay Association) voted to support in principle a pedestrian and bicycle over the harbour bridge!
Still a large amout of Nimbyism amongst some of the older members of the SMBA, but great to finally see a change. The leading cycle crossing advocate, Brendan Doherty, was elected to the council.
An amusing part was when the chair asked members not to discuss the meeting on social media! (Found this out on twitter, the moment he said it!)
If anyone who lives in St Mary’s Bay or Northcote Point or elsewhere wants to get involved a facebook page has been set up.
I think we have to watch that most of the comments aren’t just refuting these RWNJs that come here. They take up valuable space with under 10% of their opinions being anything other than what a toddler could repeat from listening to a parent, just parroting stuff. There seems to be a crowd of little biting flies at the moment taking pleasure from not adding anything useful but deflecting thought from the important topics.
From Rollingstone
“Without Toshi’s counsel and support, and always outspoken and direct opinions, it’s clear to anyone who ever met these two remarkable people that, without Toshi, Pete would never have had the foundation and freedom to do the work that made him so legendary,” said Sing Out, a magazine she and Seeger helped cofound in 1950.
She was born in Munich to an American mother and Japanese father, and the family relocated to the U.S. before her first birthday. She grew up in New York, where she met Seeger, and the couple married in 1943 when she was 21.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/toshi-seeger-wife-of-pete-seeger-dead-at-91-20130711#ixzz2aE97hden
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
I recently put up information about McCarthy and his tirade about communism and what a snake he was. Pete Seeger stood up to the bullying anti-democratic tactics then which are not too different in kind than what we face now. They both seem to have been very principled.
Wikipedia –
Jim Musselman (founder of Appleseed Recordings), longtime friend and record producer for Pete Seeger:
He was one of the few people who invoked the First Amendment in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA). Everyone else had said the Fifth Amendment, the right against self-incrimination, and then they were dismissed. What Pete did, and what some other very powerful people who had the guts and the intestinal fortitude to stand up to the committee and say, “I’m gonna invoke the First Amendment, the right of freedom of association….”
…I was actually in law school when I read the case of United States v. Seeger, and it really changed my life, because I saw the courage of what he had done and what some other people had done by invoking the First Amendment, saying, “We’re all Americans. We can associate with whoever we want to, and it doesn’t matter who we associate with.” That’s what the founding fathers set up democracy to be. So I just really feel it’s an important part of history that people need to remember.
Here’s a clip of Pete Seeger singing and playing guitar – The big muddy with Pete Seeger
“No one can remain insensitive to the inequalities that persist in the world!”
“I want a mess. We knew that in Rio there would be great disorder, but I want trouble in the dioceses!”
“You are often disappointed by facts that speak of corruption on the part of people who put their own interests before the common good,” Francis told the crowd. “To you and all, I repeat: Never yield to discouragement, do not lose trust, do not allow your hope to be extinguished.”
Francis blasted what he said was a “culture of selfishness and individualism” that permeates society today, demanding that those with money and power share their wealth and resources to fight hunger and poverty.
You heard him brothers and sisters. Even God wants a mess. Are you going to march and yell in defiance tomorrow? – or hobble supine to your graves under the corrupting tory yoke and take your children and their children with you. Be able to face that mirror: experience the strength of unity and righteous anger – act!
Some people wonder what the end game is for arseholes like our prime minister key – this video put up by Greenpeace shows just where his head is at – all of the bits of legislation from the GCSB downward, all of the agreements from TPPA downward, all of the asset selling, the demonisation of beneficiaries, all of the bullshit and lies are not random or accidental. This video outlines one of the major reasons for it all – money. Exploiting everything, especially the land, to make some money.
Societies don’t run on money, they run on hard work and resources and digging the resources up and selling them leaves us with no wealth. John Key’s plan to dig up sell our resources will destroy our society.
you saying it’s not a national party video, spylands? That it’s not John Key speaking to the camera? Or did you just decide it was bunk without looking at it?
“The overarching goal of the Government is to grow the New Zealand
economy to deliver greater prosperity, security and opportunities for
all New Zealanders.”
We’ve been growing the economy and over the time that we have, especially over the last 3 decades, poverty has increased and the majority of people are actually worse off. We don’t need to grow the economy to improve the conditions for most people, we need to distribute our resources better. Also, selling off all our resources as Key says we should do in the video will leave us destitute. Without those resources we don’t have an economy.
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“This might surprise you, Laurie, but I reckon Trump’s putting on a bloody impressive performance.”“GOODNESS ME, HANNAH, just look at all those Valentine’s Day cards!”“Occupational hazard, Laurie, the more beer I serve, the more my customers declare their undying love!”“Crikey! I had no idea business was so good.” Laurie squinted ...
In 2005, Labour repealed the long-standing principle of birthright citizenship in Aotearoa. Why? As with everything else Labour does, it all came down to austerity: "foreign mothers" were supposedly "coming to this country to give birth", and this was "put[ting] pressure on hospitals". Then-Immigration Minister George Hawkins explicitly gave this ...
And I just hope that you can forgive usBut everything must goAnd if you need an explanation, nationThen everything must goSongwriters: James Dean Bradfield / Sean Anthony Moore / Nicholas Allen Jones.Today, I’d like to talk about a couple of things that happened over the weekend:Brian Tamaki’s Library Invasion and ...
New reporting highlights how Brooke van Velden refuses to meet with the CTU but is happy to meet with fringe Australian-based unions. Van Velden is pursuing reckless changes to undermine the personal grievance system against the advice of her own officials. Engineering New Zealand are saying that hundreds of engineers ...
The NZCTU strongly supports the Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill. This Bill represents a positive step towards addressing serious issues around unlawful disparities in pay by protecting workers’ rights to discuss their pay and conditions. This Bill also provides welcome support for helping tackle the prevalent gender and ...
Years of hard work finally paid off last week as the country’s biggest and most important transport project, the City Rail Link reached a major milestone with the first test train making its way slowly though the tunnels for the first time. This is a fantastic achievement and it is ...
Engineers are pleading for the Government to free up funds to restart stalled projects. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, February 17 are:Engineering New Zealand CEO Richard Templer said yesterday hundreds of ...
It’s one of New Zealand’s great sustaining myths: the spirit of ANZAC, our mates across the ditch, the spirit of Earl’s Court, Antipodeans united against the world. It is also a myth; it is not reality. That much was clear from a series of speakers, including a former Australian Prime ...
Many people have been unsatisfied for years that things have not improved for them, some as individuals, many more however because their families are clearly putting in more work, for less money – and certainly far less purchase on society. This general discontent has grown exponentially since the GFC. ...
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 9, 2025 thru Sat, February 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
A ballot for a single member's bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill (Adrian Rurawhe) The bill would extend union rights to employees in triangular relationships, where they are (nominally) employed by one party, but ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
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 ...
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
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. ...
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 ...
Almost 40% of those departing NZ long-term are aged 18 to 30. What sort of country will they leave behind, asks Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Young people leading the charge out the door Last year saw ...
New Health Minister Simeon Brown is presiding over a list of resignations from high-ranking health officials that some say is a "bloodbath". What's going on? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Rickerby, Lecturer, School of Product Design, University of Canterbury The Poly-1. MOTAT , CC BY-NC Some 45 years ago, a team of staff and students at Wellington Polytechnic designed and built a desktop computer with an operating system customised for ...
The Forum has raised concerns regarding the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill, which, if enacted, will radically undermine existing human rights protections, Indigenous rights, and constitutional safeguards ...
The passage of time hasn’t been kind to Ngāi Tahu.When its High Court hearing over wai māori (freshwater) commenced last week, 52 months after the claim was filed, the tribe mourned the loss of two named first plaintiffs – Bishop Richard Wallace, of Makaawhio, and Theo Bunker, of Wairewa – ...
Margie Apa, Nicholas Jones, Diana Sarfati, the board of Health New Zealand … and will Lester Levy be next?The biggest names in our health service are tumbling like dominos.It’s been called a bloodbath and a crisis.What’s going on?Every day there’s a new story about shortages, patients having to wait for ...
Opinion: The coalition Government’s recent revisions to the business investor visa, officially the Active Investor Plus but commonly known as the ‘golden visa’, has put pay-for-residency back in the headlines. While many object to the commodification of citizenship implicit in this policy, questions should be asked about its potential as ...
One Christmas, to thank him for helping me hugely with my writing (on a mentor scheme), I sent Michael King a dark blue cashmere scarf. I chose it with the awful knowledge that he was battling cancer, and I somehow thought it might keep him warm and make him feel ...
Comment: Readers may recall the commentaries from academics that appeared on these pages as well as on many media outlets, alarmed and appalled by the disbanding of the Marsden panels for humanities and the social sciences.The Marsden Fund is a “blue skies” initiative established by Simon Upton in the 1990s. ...
Everything you missed from day five of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard seven hours of submissions. Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.An “insult to every one of our tīpuna” was the first advice the Justice Committee heard on the Treaty principles bill ...
The same councillors who decry excessive spending on pet projects just voted to pump millions of dollars into a greenhouse for flowers. On Thursday last week, Wellington City Council voted to consult on repairing Begonia House, the greenhouse for exotic flowers in Wellington Botanic Garden. The options for repairs range ...
It’s important to respect people’s right to free speech and peaceful assembly, but how much political deference is due when it isn’t peaceful? Commenting on Destiny Church members storming a children’s event at the Te Atatū library and community centre on Saturday, prime minister Christopher Luxon said it’s important to ...
Comment: US is capitulating to Moscow’s demands before negotiations over Ukraine even begin The post The day the West died appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Weasel words from Granny Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10903287
Extraordinary is it not ?
Granny Herald’s poacher turned gamekeeper ShonKey Python is to be permitted LEGALLY to enlist all the other poachers……..Granny incredulously paints her darling as gamekeeper redoubled.
Ah yes another of those unsigned editorials, probably authored by the pm’s office or CT etc
This whole GSCB farce shows how pissweak our media is, that Dunne is keys lackey and what contempt shonkey and crew have for democracy and yet anotger pack of lies he will skate away from . So nothing new really.
Isnt it great when you can just change the laws to suit your own agenda what a banana republic weve become.
Written by Roughan I reckon
He’s deputy editor isn’t he?
My God! David Shearer and Peter Dunne are in agreement.
From the Herald:
What wasn’t captured on the audio of the live footage, is that after David Cunliffe says; “And based upon what we have heard here tonight. I personally, and I am sure my caucus colleagues would be of the view that this legislation, must not, will not, and cannot stand.”
David Shearer corrects Cunliffe, (and others). Angrilly shouting out, “We will be having a review.”
(Maybe someone could enhance the audio to catch this exchange?)
http://thestandard.org.nz/gcsb-protests/#comment-668394
David S. is the voice of reason. The Leader is right in saying “we will be having a review”.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-24072013/#comment-667621
Can’t wait.
“David Shearer corrects Cunliffe, (and others). Angrilly shouting out, “We will be having a review.” ”
How do you know it was Shearer, Jenny? How do you know he was angry? Why is repeating Cunliffe’s words a correction?
Nah, I call bullshit.
I’ve listened to that part of the audio a couple of times and I didn’t pick Shearer as shouting anything. Will have another listen.
Jenny, can you please link to the Herald article.
What wasn’t captured on the audio of the live footage, is that after David Cunliffe says; “And based upon what we have heard here tonight. I personally, and I am sure my caucus colleagues would be of the view that this legislation, must not, will not, and cannot stand.”
That is in the live stream. Starts at 1:15:52.
At 1:16:50 someone does shout out from the side of the hall that Shearer is on, but it’s inaudible because the GP guy has started speaking. And someone was shouting during Cunliffe’s statement (the judge had to ask them to shut up). Were you there Jenny? Are sure it was Shearer? It seems unlikely.
Sheaerer denies it – tonight on 3 news where your comment here was quoted – how to spread false rumours…..?
And Jenny’s comment was called a “post”. Pathetic.
So in its entirety, this was … (drum roll) … a story about one person getting something wrong on the internet. And – that’s it.
Journalism’s a cushy job these days, isn’t? Who needs facts?
Yep. They just like conflict over depth and context. Here is the print version also calling it a post.
I HAD SEX WITH KATE MIDDLETON … 9 months ago!
(Now check tonight’s TV3 news update … “Doubts cast over Royal Baby”, a solid story based on exactly the same reliable source)
But it’s beyond parody now, the “news” is in the hands of a lazy hack saying “Friday, let’s knock off work early”. I’d be ashamed if I was working there.
Worth a complaint to the company?
Or John Key had Judith Collins baby, before their gender reassignment surgery!
Would make a great headline.
That one has the ring of truth to it, karol.
“a story about one person getting something wrong on the internet”
No, it was a story about a fucking idiot who should know better shit stirring and yet again undermining the left for her own perverse reasons.
Jenny, front up with some evidence that Shearer said what you said he did, or apologise to everyone who made that meeting so awesome and didn’t deserve to have it pissed on by the likes of you.
yep
Jebus! Jenny owes David Shearer an apology, big time. No doubt she’ll be contacting 3News ASAP to put them right. But, lordie, how lazy is Jono Hutchison? What a doofus.
3 News should apologise for cherry picking Jenny’s comment and ignoring all the subsequent comments saying Shearer can’t be heard yelling anything out.
Broadcasting Standards Authority complaint?
Go for it!
You are all talk.
He could have chosen some really insane stuff from the comments here and spun a story about how Labour was basically a bunch of tin foil hat wearers!
Obviously TV3 needs to be taught the difference between a post and a comment.
fleg messamand !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tr0ll
The video of the ‘story’. What a crock.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Cunliffe-takes-mic-at-anti-GCSB-meeting/tabid/370/articleID/306521/Default.aspx?ref=video_2012-11-22
That video is NOT what I saw on TV3. I vividly remember Shearer saying angrily “There will be a review”. Where’s the video of that?
Shouldn’t you be asking TV3 that? I’d like to see it too when you get it. Seems like one of those situations where some people see chemtrails where we see contrails.
TV3 video on demand for the evening news on 26 July 2013 does not work. All I get is that damn Dilmah advert.
Anyway I KNOW what I saw – Shearer being angry.
There are people who KNOW they saw the twin towers blown up by explosive demolitions, too. It doesn’t mean they were right.
arrrg, no, don’t mention that!!!
Yes, a deliberate attempt to derail the thread that is getting a bit past its used by date.
editorials have long since lost their credibility
Ah, the NZHerald doing it’s best to tell us that this National Party dictatorship is good for us.
Last night at the Mt Albert War Memorial Hall we saw something I have long prayed for……….public figures of impeccable provenance like retired Supreme Court judge Sir Ted Thomas QC and Dame Anne Salmond – going public in the face of the chicanery of “Bananas” ShonKey Python.
With every such instance ShonKey Python’s facile “I disagree” becomes more and more risible.
Which leads us to the live “Loyalty” question New Zealanders must address.
Is ShonKey Python truly a “Loyal” New Zealander ?
We know he’s “Royal” but is he “Loyal” ?
It’s long past time, these “high level NZ’ers”, begin to maike themselves highly visible, so it’s great to see it seems to be happening.
Key is not the NZ’er, he is a globalist!
North
I don’t believe key is a New Zealander at all. He was only born here. His family have no Kiwi history at all. His parents weren’t born here. I have no idea why he wanted to be pm of NZ but it certainly doesn’t appear to be for the good of the country. Can’t wait to see him go.
I agree.
He’s so adept at concealing and lying that it is impossible to tell what his true motivations are.
He’s the ultimate hollow man.
It will be interesting to watch what he does after he leaves politics (hopefully soon!).
So you think any child born of immigrants aren’t NZers, well you can fuck right off with your bullshit and go join NZfirst
Yeah Shonkey is Loyal.
He’s Loyal to the Almighty Dollar.
He’s Loyal to the USA.
He’s Loyal to his Hollywood mates.
He’s Loyal to the rich listers.
And he is DISLOYAL to the hard working Kiwi who’s just trying to get ahead!
“Last night at the Mt Albert War Memorial Hall we saw something I have long prayed for……….public figures of impeccable provenance like retired Supreme Court judge Sir Ted Thomas QC and Dame Anne Salmond – going public in the face of the chicanery of “Bananas” ShonKey Python.”
It was a joy to behold. Why is this not happening more?
Because we have second rate parachutists posing as politicians keeping the talented and principled out.
Mediocrity Watch
No. 3: JEREMY WELLS
“What evidence is there that secondhand smoking does any harm? Where is the evidence? WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? The science is flimsy.”
—Jeremy (Newsboy) Wells, “The Week in Review”, NewstalkZB, Friday 26 July 2013, 8:25 a.m.
Mediocrity Watch aims to keep you informed of—or, to quote the epically mediocre Simon Dallow, to be “right across”—the shoddiest, least professional, most insulting journalism from all over the world, but especially New Zealand. It is produced by DeakerWatch®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
Check out these other third-raters….
No. 2 Gavin Gray: “…never been any problems associated with the name King George.”
No. 1 Susie Ferguson: “If, as you say, this has all been done before, why do it all again?”
Morrissey, I look forward to a future note of yours dedicated to the epically moaning, whinging, and mediocre Kim Hill. Keep up the good work.
Morrissey, I look forward to a future note of yours dedicated to the epically moaning, whinging, and mediocre Kim Hill.
I have strongly criticized Kim Hill in the past. I thought she was foolish and unprepared when she interviewed John Pilger on television a decade ago; he memorably castigated her for reflexively and thoughtlessly rehashing the most extreme government propaganda….
http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/face-to-face-with-kim-hill-john-pilger-2003
She is also given to occasionally making glib and foolish statements. “Just read one Chomsky book and you don’t have to read any others. They’re all the same,” she joked one day on her radio programme. Now I know, and you know, that is not true, and she is not that stupid or lazy; that’s the sort of thing that “Sir” Paul Holmes (RIP) or Graeme Hunt (RIP) or Mike Hosking or “Populuxe1” would have said. But she said it, and even as a joke it is a foolish and ridiculous thing to say.
But, on the other hand, you have to recognize that, since the retirement of Ian Fraser, Kim Hill is by far this country’s best interviewer. For sheer breadth of knowledge, and persistence, and verbal ability, she is in a class of her own. She has memorably exposed villains such as Jeffrey Archer, William Shawcross, and John Howard. Perhaps the best thing she ever did was when she subjected Dr. Brian Edwards to a dose of his own medicine and made him squirm uncomfortably for half an hour in an interview that might have qualified as a war crime if poor old Edwards had recovered from the shock and humiliation in time to file a charge at The Hague.
She can be annoying, I grant you, Santi—but if you’re looking for the fourth rate, the mediocre, the substandard, the useless, then you look at people like Jeremy Wells and his interlocutors on “The Week In Review” this morning—Wendyl Nissen and Susan Wood. And practically everyone else on that appalling station.
Even if you, like me, can’t stand her at times, you have to admit that Kim Hill is far, far superior to most others on radio. Hell, she even reads my emails out occasionally!
Keep up the good work.
Thank you, my friend! I always enjoy your contributions.
Possible that Wells was taking the piss?
Possible that Wells was taking the piss?
He probably was. But I am sick of so-called “ironists” trying to be funny. The guy should be stating his opinions frankly and honestly. I realize that that programme—that station—-is not serious, and is trying to “entertain” at all times, but whether or not Jeremy Wells was serious, he did say those words in an ostensibly (if not actually) serious discussion.
whoooooosh
whoooooosh
?????
So, this is what political integrity looks like…?
Gee another Harawira in court, theres a big surprise…integrity nope just more posturing and grandstanding
The lack of integrity lies behind you WS, trying looking around fool.
The Harawhiras are a big family of crooks and thugs. No brains, just brawn. Nothing else.
Oh santi what a load of rubbish – sure they are a big family but they have a lot of brains as well as brawn as shown by Hone leading the poised Mana Party – poised to make a real difference after the next election. On the other hand you are a proven liar and idiot and you display a distinct lack of brains, almost zombie like in your repetition of rubbish – that shows what a sad piece of shit you are.
what difference is Hone going to make after the next election? Oh right you think Labour, Greens, NZfirst and Mana will form a grand coilition
Good luck with that
No I don’t think that. More chance of the gnats and labour forming that – The Greens and NZFirst won’t work imo at least not in the way your comment implies.
What difference???, fools like you never see it coming until it’s far to late, there is no guarantee that NZFirst will gain the 5% needed to get back into the next Parliament,
Winston is way past His best and the years of fine living are starting to take their toll,
The Mana Party based upon the 2011 election result need a mere 1894 votes to take the Waiariki electorate and based upon Mana’s polling in the recent by-election will romp home in that seat with ease,
Roy Morgan is now polling the Mana Party at 1% of the party vote and a mere 1.2%,(a few thousand votes),and Mana will have another MP in the next Parliament off of it’s list,
Hone Harawira on His own in the 2015 Parliament might not make much difference, 3 Mana Party MP’s in that Parliament will make all the difference…
Civil disobedience, as displayed by Hone Harawira in support of the Glen Innes HousingNZ tenants being evicted by the state to make way for the grandiose palaces of the middle class has long been a feature of political movements everywhere,
Without civil disobedience we would have neither ‘women voting’, ‘nuke free NZ’ or ‘non-racist rugby tours’, to name 3 issues that spring to mind,
Big Ups to Hone for supporting those who have no other voice, i hope to see 2 more Mana Party MP’s in the 2014 Parliament and with Mana polling 1% of the party vote a list MP is only a few thousand party votes for Mana away,
Point 2 percent is all it will take and this far out from November 2014 it’s looking more certain that Mana will get my party vote…
+1
I agree with you, but we wouldn’t have non-racist rugby tours without civil disobedience? Was it NZRFU policy to only have racist tours before then?
Yes, when it came to South Africa. We also allowed them to limit our selections for tours to RSA to white only players, with one or two ‘honorary whites’ to fill out the squad. English cricket took a principled stand against this in 1968 over Basil D’Oliveira being refused entry to apartheid South Africa, but the All Black squad that toured the following year was selected on racial lines to keep the hosts happy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Oliveira_affair
During that period it was also the policy of the South African rugby union to select players to tour New Zealand on the basis that those selected were white…
I know that I was being slightly facetious in that it seems strange to take credit for it to be the only reason we have non-racist tours of Australia and the home nations.
That isn’t what the credit is being claimed for. It was specific to RSA rugby tours.
Do you have anything to add apart from just one line? Political integrity in NZ has slipped by a huge degree, across the board. The fact he was there standing up for someone else’s constituents, who needed that support speaks to me that his integrity is far superior to a lot of other pollies. Whether you agree with his stand or not, you must admire the fact he made a stand! But hey, don’t let the facts get in the way of your prejudice. Numpty.
Sorry, heading out the door when I wrote it and left it brief. Obviously too much so – was admiring his stand for the people of Glen Innes – not being facetious.
Lake North Pole.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2013/07/north-pole-has-melted-lake/67577/
The thing that caught my attention was Key’s comment that
“we can afford another earthquake”. Run that past us again, John ?
According to current knowledge an earthquake “is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake
I don’t see that we have much choice in the matter. According to a recent Australian PM, “s**t happens”. The ancients used to call it fate. However you frame it, you pick up the pieces and carry on.
Key’s implication that we have some choice in earthquake affordability is either a symptom of grandiosity or a non-scientific belief system. It may be a poor choice of words, but it does not engender confidence in his crisis management skills.
I’m guessing he means if another major earthquake it NZ will be able to handle it but hey if you want to link it to something else entirely go right ahead
Such as ..
Alcibiades, without seeing the comment in context (got a link?), it’s hard to say what he meant (and he’s probably being slippery anyway). But I’m guessing he means we can afford to rebuild. Which we can’t if it’s a big quake in somewhere like Welly.
It was a press conference I saw on TV1 before he left for another trip abroad. I would not describe it as ‘slippery’, but certainly an unfortunate choice of words. It implies that there has been serious consideration of abandoning Wellington in a worst case scenario .. as though Aotearoa / New Zealand starts somewhere north of the Bombay hills.
Oh Slippery will just ‘write a cheque’, which is what He told the news-media when they asked our Prime Minister how the 2nd crossing of the Auckland harbor would be paid for,
The fact that none of the media pilloried the Slippery little liar over such glib bull-s**t has become par for the course and hardly reflects the fourth estate in any shade of ‘a good light,
Might as well rename the whole pack as the Fifth Column…
It’s the delusional belief, held by politicians, economists and rich people, that money is a resource.
Abbott has never been Australian PM, recently or otherwise. If he does get elected, it will be real proof that shit happens.
Well if this is true. then 1984 and Minority Report is on it’s way, and this time it’s for real.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Predicting-crime-before-it-happens/tabid/1771/articleID/306188/Default.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minority_Report_%28film%29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four
Seems the GCSB is not well written because new software like this has major repercussions for ordinary New Zealanders.
It’s a long held objective by the so called ruling elite, that every action/interaction will be monitored and controlled, this is not conspiracy, it is already happening.
The technology has existed long enough, and the legislative clamp down currently making the public view, is the only insight the plebs will get to see. The back end is not going to be exposed to the plebs!
Once the plug is pulled on cash money, and every transaction handled virtually, then the loop is closed, and the final remnants of what people believed, were freedoms, will be lost and gone, forever!
Until people realize the danger their lives are in, there is almost 0% chance to prevent it, that time was past last century.
So while many of those who have been ignorantly fighting to label such happenings, as conspiracy, they have been missing opportunity to engage, and aim their energy at the appropriate location.
It’s why quite simply, so called conspiracy theorists, are not a danger, they are in fact an early warning system, in many cases, a desperate call to action.
The best places to be in years to come, are 3rd world and developing countries, with nations such as NZ, finished. It is my supposition, that NZ will be the first nation, to fall!
One could argue, the fall, has already happened, without a fight!
That’s dismal muzza. I think you will find that many in NZ have been thinking about this, including how to communicate without using electronics. The best hope for NZ in the face of PO/AGW/GFC is to relocalise. This applies in the face of the surveillance society too.
If cash gets done away with, people will set up alternate economic systems. Already happening, alongside barter and trade. It won’t take so much to get those things scaled up to the community level.
And you still have to pay tax on them.
Only if you are trading in something that would otherwise bring you your main income. Someone who is a mechanic should technically declare alternate income if they trade their mechanical skills, but not if they’re baby sitting. Haven’t seen an analysis of how many people do actually declare though.
People don’t have to pay tax on swapping veges across the back fence.
Sooner or later IRD and the government will come down hard on the bartering system because people are using it to avoid taxes and there won’t any bartering left. I read an article last year about IRD looking at it.
Also, if your income disappears and it turns out that you’re doing odd jobs for barter it’s going to look like that is your main income at which point IRD will give you a tax bill.
Interesting. So does the IRD have the legal capacity to collect vegetables?
/shrug
I do believe that they can ascertain market value and tax you on that though.
AFAIK they’re after people that are avoiding paying tax on what would otherwise be main income (and fair enough too). They don’t care about vege swaps and such. If someone is self-employed and their income drops suddenly for no obvious reason, then it makes sense of IRD to have a look. I doubt that they will be going after teens mowing lawns for their grandparents though. Where the line in between is, I’m not sure but I think the govt will have its hands full going after the main income tax avoiders.
As for coming down hard on barter and trade, the vast majority happens outside of spheres that the govt can see. That will never change, I expect it to increase.
And what you and muzza were talking about was getting completely out of the monetary system which would bring the government down on you. As I say, the lack of paying taxes would raise flags.
Sorry Draco, what do you think the IRD is going to do? Come down on you or your neighbour when you volunteer to look after the neighbours kids one day a week?
Let’s see how long that government lasts.
Raise flags, sure.
But what are they going to do, take 20% of my potatoes and 20% of my neighbour’s grapefruit?
For the sake of argument, let’s try applying the “assume market rates” model.
My neighbour and I aren’t paying each other a vege salary or fruit wages, so paye doesn’t apply. If anything the relationship is between two food-producing businesses, neither of which make any profit.
So what “income” would they be taxing, exactly?
x kg potatoes =$y. That’s income and can be taxed (theoretically). I’m guessing at the self-employed rate.
There are two things in this discussion. One is that IRD (and WINZ incidentally) do consider barter/trade form one’s main job to be income. However, there are obviously many people in NZ who earn some or a lot of cash income under the table, and IRD is largely powerless against that, so it’s hard to see IRD going after the people trading unless they are being very obvious about it.
The second thing is low level barter/trade eg veges over the back fence, or trading services for goods etc. Can’t see IRD caring about that.
I think that green dollar systems etc got targeted by IRD when professionals and tradies started doing business and not declaring it. AFAIK timebanks are still exempt, but not sure how long that will last (the loophole is that all time trades are equal, rather than being assigned a money equivalent value. So a lawyer’s hour is worth the same as a cleaner’s hour. Not sure that IRD could argue income as dollar value there).
You’ve missed my point, weka.
Business income is taxed on profit, not turnover.
Neither my neighbour nor I are left with any profit after the transaction. There are no potatoes to tax as they’ve been used to buy grapefruit and vise-versa.
Hi Weka,
I know from past comment that you’re actively involved in the initiatives at a local level, which is definately the way to go.
Should have added, local/rural NZ, its the cities which are going to take the hardest hit.
Keep updates coming as to the systems that you’re involved with, its always nice to hear, what will unlikely be ready in the MSM.
Have a good weekend.
Amongst the most trusted networks, the gift economy is going to take off. Barter is boring, slow and inflexible in comparison.
I’m also on the look out for the appearance of community currencies and time banks.
CV
Thoughts –
What’s the gift society actually? Have you a link that talks about this and time banks and runs through community currency methods.
We do need taxes to provide public services. Including police and army.
Many people don’t understand exactly how community systems work. Let people who haven’t clear rules and explanations get control and they serve up a mash of things they have learned in the mainstream currency and ideas where some system worked in some location at some time, and you have unproved theories running a system that will eventually become unhinged.
Only a thought out system with rules that cover everything will work. And not be run by committees otherwise you just get new people with scrambled ideas that will unravel the working system, or fiddle with it till its so weak it will fall over.
I have to apologise in advance, these don’t all answer your questions that directly amd the videos are long but will be helpful overall.
There is a very deep understanding of why and how community currency systems work and don’t work. In modern monetary theory the joke is – it’s not difficult to issue a new kind of money – the difficulty is in getting people to accept it.
This is only true in the current monetary system where governments have given up their long standing rights to issue money themselves, instead handing that right to the banks.
This entire talk by Orlov is very good, he does spend a few minutes in the middle of it talking about the gift economy.
http://fora.tv/2009/02/13/Dmitry_Orlov_Social_Collapse_Best_Practices
L Randall Wray on full employment and the government issue of currency
Worgl community currency experiment
http://alt-money.tribe.net/thread/70e5eb29-853d-44ca-9faa-b789d1757037
http://www.lietaer.com/2010/03/the-worgl-experiment/
http://www.timebank.org.nz/
http://www.lyttelton.net.nz/timebank
CV
Much appreciated. You bring good stuff, joe90 etc too. I do like to do more than just make rude remarks about politicians and RWNJs and discuss who will be in next to continue or slow our slide downwards. Too much time spent on negativity probably gives one cancer, or the flu! So stay healthy by thinking positively and learning is what I’m clinging to!
Nothing wrong with a cashless society – just so long as the banking system has been pulled out of the banks control.
You love making systems more fragile don’t you. What is up with that?
One way or another we need to account for the resources we use against the resources we have. Both muzza, Weka and now you are suggesting that we don’t and that path must result in the collapse of society because we will run out of resources.
“One way or another we need to account for the resources we use against the resources we have. Both muzza, Weka and now you are suggesting that we don’t”
I’m not suggesting that. I think much should be devolved to the local level, because in a post-carbon world it’s the resources in your landbase that matter. Locals should be ‘accounting’ for what happens in their rohe. But not entirely, I still see a role for govt in that too.
“and that path must result in the collapse of society because we will run out of resources.”
If you think that’s what I’ve been suggesting all this time then you’ve misunderstood. My argument is actually the opposite. But I don’t believe that governments will make the changes necessary to work within our natural limits until something forces them to do so (eg collapse).
“The best places to be in years to come, are 3rd world and developing countries, with nations such as NZ, finished.”
Your logic is flawed mate – remember you said that rudd was correct and that Australia should look after aussies and that some people will die and that is just too bad – under your scenario YOU will die and are you telling me (if you actually believe what you write) that you won’t seek out a 3rd world country to try to live in? Why should they let you in when you wouldn’t let them in? It seems to me that you have given up, well some of us haven’t given up and we will fight to retain the values we believe in.
Hey Marty,
Rudds decision was the right one for mine, but that does not imply that those inside Australian boarders are going to have an easy time, or gain anything from the decision, far from it I suspect.
You managed to conflate a couple of points, but thats more down to me not expressing myself fully on this digital medium.
I think its a different view here in AKL, Marty. While no doubt there is great things happening up and around here, I would think that its the smaller centers, and rural NZ, where the action is happening, such as doen your way.
I’ve not given up, but I am growing tired of waiting for the penny to drop far enough, with some more of the folk up here, such that they visibly express their distaste at whats going on in NZ, and get on with claiming back, what is being taken away!
There are some encouraging signs like the meeting last night, and some activities tomorrow, from all accounts.
Have a good weekend, Marty.
Thanks for not giving up muzza we need all the good people we can get. (we as in the collective us) You have a good weekend too.
Copy that Marty, and agree with you 100%!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10903324
More bad news for the left
Seems to me it’s bad news for your Conservative mates.
Well no because its the left that break the electoral laws more than the left
I’m with Bearded Git on this, law changes like Collins is talking about will hurt the right more.
You are quite short sighted, why do you think Collins is doing this?
Because Colin Craig takes her votes; she wants national to be the sort of party that would be supported by the people who would vote for the Conservatives. If the Conservatives survive, National will become less like Collins and more like Joyce.
Also, she’s an idiot who lives in a bubble.
Collins thinks that she needs to do this now, in case national get kicked out next term? Butbutbut I thought the nats were going to be a four-term government…
I was and still am a Cuniliffe supporter but if Shearer is the Leader I believe that we have to get in behind him, but I must admit it is bloody frustrating. This morning on Natrad Shearer said about GCS Bill.
” We do not think that this is good policy.”
Oh for fucks sake, while Shearer has to take responsibility for what he says it must be fucking useless advisors that are not doing the job. It should have been “We in the Labour party think that this is really BAD policy” . Never, never use positive language about policy that you are opposing. If he is resisting training he needs a kick up the arse like Helen got before she was turned into a winner. The only thing in his defence is that the platitudinous language is what you use when dealing with heavily armed arseholes that he used to talk to. But it’s time to drop it and time to start verbally tearing our homegrown arseholes new ones.
This is better
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10903651
Better but this is bad:
What he should be saying is that, upon immediate swearing in to government, they will be repealing the law and going to the status quo ante and initiating a full review.
If it’s bad law you get rid of it ASAP. If you don’t you’re saying that it’s not actually bad law.
And this is also bad
Stuff has now put up an article on Labour’s latest position http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8968737/Labour-We-ll-dump-GCSB-bill
BUT – not one mention of Shearer in the entire article. Merely “a Labour spokeman” .
Did Sheepy Shearer say this about the GCSB proposed ‘laws’? ‘we do not think that this is a good policy.’
Translation – I’ll hit you with a piece of cooked spaghetti if you bring it in even though that is messy and extreme. And if we get in after the election, my Party will always advise the citizens with no criminal records or who have had no welfare assistance before we listen in to them.
Good one, Brian !
and for a bit of humour…
http://www.thecivilian.co.nz/study-finds-that-every-prime-minister-was-worst-prime-minister/
“when dealing with heavily armed arseholes that he used to talk to”
– You mean when he had the backing of the UN military behind him?
Who are you talking to?
When did it become so hard for people to use the reply button?
I did but for some reason it didn’t work
No, but when some mujahaddin had a gun to his and his wife’s heads in his office in Baghdad ( I think ) and he talked them down and got their particular problem sorted. That was one of the reasons that The Herald called him NZer of the Year. Now they think that NZ’s Bullshitter of the Year is their main man.
1400 tremors, quakes in Cook Strait. It is good news that we still have communications going okay isn’t it? The cables seem to have coped with the movement.
It’d most likely be the termination points that would be damaged in an earthquake. The cables rest on the seafloor, but they’re basically like a big long rope: put a rope in a bucket and shake the bucket around and the rope will be tossed about but will land on the ground eventually.
In another lively public meeting last night the SMBA (St Mary’s Bay Association) voted to support in principle a pedestrian and bicycle over the harbour bridge!
Still a large amout of Nimbyism amongst some of the older members of the SMBA, but great to finally see a change. The leading cycle crossing advocate, Brendan Doherty, was elected to the council.
An amusing part was when the chair asked members not to discuss the meeting on social media! (Found this out on twitter, the moment he said it!)
If anyone who lives in St Mary’s Bay or Northcote Point or elsewhere wants to get involved a facebook page has been set up.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/274733862663691/
This matter is also freqently discussed on the Auckland Transport blog.
I think we have to watch that most of the comments aren’t just refuting these RWNJs that come here. They take up valuable space with under 10% of their opinions being anything other than what a toddler could repeat from listening to a parent, just parroting stuff. There seems to be a crowd of little biting flies at the moment taking pleasure from not adding anything useful but deflecting thought from the important topics.
The death has been announced of Toshi Seeger 70 years married to the great Peter.
Socialists and Pacifists /both.
Here is a very nice photo of Toshi and Pete Seeger. http://hollywoodlife.com/2013/07/11/toshi-seeger-dead-pete-seeger/
From Rollingstone
“Without Toshi’s counsel and support, and always outspoken and direct opinions, it’s clear to anyone who ever met these two remarkable people that, without Toshi, Pete would never have had the foundation and freedom to do the work that made him so legendary,” said Sing Out, a magazine she and Seeger helped cofound in 1950.
She was born in Munich to an American mother and Japanese father, and the family relocated to the U.S. before her first birthday. She grew up in New York, where she met Seeger, and the couple married in 1943 when she was 21.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/toshi-seeger-wife-of-pete-seeger-dead-at-91-20130711#ixzz2aE97hden
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
I recently put up information about McCarthy and his tirade about communism and what a snake he was. Pete Seeger stood up to the bullying anti-democratic tactics then which are not too different in kind than what we face now. They both seem to have been very principled.
Wikipedia –
Jim Musselman (founder of Appleseed Recordings), longtime friend and record producer for Pete Seeger:
He was one of the few people who invoked the First Amendment in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA). Everyone else had said the Fifth Amendment, the right against self-incrimination, and then they were dismissed. What Pete did, and what some other very powerful people who had the guts and the intestinal fortitude to stand up to the committee and say, “I’m gonna invoke the First Amendment, the right of freedom of association….”
…I was actually in law school when I read the case of United States v. Seeger, and it really changed my life, because I saw the courage of what he had done and what some other people had done by invoking the First Amendment, saying, “We’re all Americans. We can associate with whoever we want to, and it doesn’t matter who we associate with.” That’s what the founding fathers set up democracy to be. So I just really feel it’s an important part of history that people need to remember.
Here’s a clip of Pete Seeger singing and playing guitar – The big muddy with Pete Seeger
This is why we have to take with a grain of salt anything from the oil industry and their veiled lobbyists
http://i.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/8969170/Oil-giant-destroyed-spill-evidence
$200,000 fine, a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket.
That’s what all the fines levied against business are.
“No one can remain insensitive to the inequalities that persist in the world!”
“I want a mess. We knew that in Rio there would be great disorder, but I want trouble in the dioceses!”
“You are often disappointed by facts that speak of corruption on the part of people who put their own interests before the common good,” Francis told the crowd. “To you and all, I repeat: Never yield to discouragement, do not lose trust, do not allow your hope to be extinguished.”
Francis blasted what he said was a “culture of selfishness and individualism” that permeates society today, demanding that those with money and power share their wealth and resources to fight hunger and poverty.
You heard him brothers and sisters. Even God wants a mess. Are you going to march and yell in defiance tomorrow? – or hobble supine to your graves under the corrupting tory yoke and take your children and their children with you. Be able to face that mirror: experience the strength of unity and righteous anger – act!
Some people wonder what the end game is for arseholes like our prime minister key – this video put up by Greenpeace shows just where his head is at – all of the bits of legislation from the GCSB downward, all of the agreements from TPPA downward, all of the asset selling, the demonisation of beneficiaries, all of the bullshit and lies are not random or accidental. This video outlines one of the major reasons for it all – money. Exploiting everything, especially the land, to make some money.
http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/blog/this-really-is-the-prime-minister-of-new-zeal/blog/46070/
Societies don’t run on money, they run on hard work and resources and digging the resources up and selling them leaves us with no wealth. John Key’s plan to dig up sell our resources will destroy our society.
Oh yay because Greenpeace is so credible.
you saying it’s not a national party video, spylands? That it’s not John Key speaking to the camera? Or did you just decide it was bunk without looking at it?
Yes I watched the video. It looked like a NZ Inc PR video for potential investors. Can’t see what the issue is.
Thankfully, it’s clear that you’re not much of a judge of these things.
“Yes I watched the video. It looked like a NZ Inc PR video for potential investors.”
Next time try it with the sound on, dickhead.
It’s PR alright, not aimed at investors but at us, the current owners.
So what is your issue with the video? And it IS aimed at investors.
It is also very similar to the promotional material that other OECD countries produce.
http://www.austrade.gov.au/Invest/Opportunities-by-Sector/Resources
It is simply a core function of government. The role of the Government is to promote higher living standards. Trade and investment are key.\
To see anything wrong with this video is anti growth and a bit paranoid.
You’re the only paranoid growth commenting here.
“The role of the Government is to promote higher living standards”
Whatever makes you think that? A citation would be good.
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/media-speeches/speeches/livingstandards/sp-livingstandards-paper.pdf
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/abouttreasury/higherlivingstandards
“The overarching goal of the Government is to grow the New Zealand
economy to deliver greater prosperity, security and opportunities for
all New Zealanders.”
http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/energy/pdf-docs-library/energy-strategies/nz-energy-strategy-lr.pdf
I could keep going but I think there is ample evidence that the Government is not actually trying to make people worse off.
just lucky then, I guess.
We’ve been growing the economy and over the time that we have, especially over the last 3 decades, poverty has increased and the majority of people are actually worse off. We don’t need to grow the economy to improve the conditions for most people, we need to distribute our resources better. Also, selling off all our resources as Key says we should do in the video will leave us destitute. Without those resources we don’t have an economy.
“And it IS aimed at investors”
Then you still haven’t watched it, moran.
No it is a Government video. Big difference.
Umm, yep.
Unless you have some evidence that suggests they aren’t, of course.
It’s a hell of a lot more credible than you as all your rantings have proved. Absolutely nothing you’ve said relates to reality at all.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVERSATION 2013 – SUBMIT, SUBMIT
See Constitutional Conversation advertisement above and check out all you need to know.
Please send your submission by 5pm 31 July 2013.
Get thinking with a quiz on each of five Topics.
1 The Constitution http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/NZC_QuizSheet.doc
2 The Bill of Rights http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/BOR_QuizSheet.doc
3 The Treaty of Waitangi http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/TOW_QuizSheet.doc
4 Maori Representation http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/MOR_QuizSheet.doc
5 Electoral Matters http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/ELM_QuizSheet.doc
Thanks for those, RT. Will be making a submission over the weekend.