Open mike 26/08/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 26th, 2016 - 140 comments
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openmikeOpen mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

140 comments on “Open mike 26/08/2016 ”

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  1. TheExtremist 1
    26 August 2016 at 8:15 am

    As I am the first (yay!) let me propose an idea… lets try have a day without Trump vs. Reality. Now I know I am guilty of prodding the pro-Trumpers but I never start these discussions.
    Lets focus on how we can change NZ’s political landscape and where National has let us all down (i.e. with everything).

    Also, I don’t know how many of you are hip-hop fans but this DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels is a monster of a tune with an epic video:

    Happy Friday yo!

    • Andre 1.1
      26 August 2016 at 8:53 am

      Sorry, I know you asked for a no-Trump day, but this is too good not to share.

      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ann-coulter-book-launch_us_57be9461e4b02673444e79f4?section=&

      • TheExtremist 1.1.1
        26 August 2016 at 9:14 am

        Doesn’t matter what I ask for – this is Open Mike. I have no control 🙂

        Oh and Coulter is completely unhinged

        • weka 1.1.1.1
          26 August 2016 at 10:26 am

          How to ensure a day of debate focussed on Trump? Suggest we talk about other things* 😉

          Herding cats mate.

          *it was a good idea though, although I’m over talking about Nationall too. Talking about what we do is more attractive.

          • Robert Guyton 1.1.1.1.1
            26 August 2016 at 10:43 am

            weka @*

            Agree most effusively!

          • Andre 1.1.1.1.2
            26 August 2016 at 10:45 am

            Herding cats is easy. All ya gotta do is manage their food.

            • Anne 1.1.1.1.2.1
              26 August 2016 at 11:10 am

              Here’s a go. We’ll talk about cats.

              I have a problem. Felt sorry for a local black stray so have been leaving a small bowl of cat biscuits in the garage each evening. Trouble is, it must be an un-neutered tom and he’s started peeing on things in the garage. I can’t stop feeding him now because it would be cruel. I can’t adopt him (and have him done) as I have a large, beautiful ginger girl who sleeps 20 hours a day on her own sheepskin rug and would not allow another feline to set foot in her house. Now there’s another cat vying for the biscuit bowl and I’m worried I might become known as – God forbid – the “local cat lady”. 😯

              What to do?

              • TheExtremist …
                26 August 2016 at 11:35 am

                That’s a tough one. It’s hard eh. You want to look after the poor creature but can’t realistically.

                Makes me feel sad 🙁

              • weka …
                26 August 2016 at 11:35 am

                Do you have a local cat rescue group? They can provide a trap, advice and support, and will probably pay for the neutering. They can probably rehome if the cat isn’t feral.

                SPCA might help too. Or come vets have stray cat funds to get cats fixed. The big issue is to get it neutered so it doesn’t add to the feral cat population, and so it isn’t fighting with other cats.

              • Andre …
                26 August 2016 at 11:36 am

                Well, I’d go ahead and catnap him and have him done anyway. Even if he’s got a human slave elsewhere in the neighbourhood, it’s pretty antisocial for a tom to be freely wandering around in full possession of his nuts. Probably won’t stop him peeing on everything, tho. I s’pose to cover my ass I’d check with the local SPCA or Citizens Advice Bureau just what the laws were around that.

                I’d go and build a little shelter outside the garage to put the food in, rather than letting him in the garage. Then if he got friendly over time, I’d consider seeing if I could introduce him into the house. There’s plenty of advice on the web how to introduce cats without them hating each other.

                Same for the second stray.

                It’s too late, you’re probably already the crazy cat lady. Own it.

              • McFlock …
                26 August 2016 at 12:36 pm

                I reckon four or more cats is the level for local notability.

                Two is fine 🙂

                • Andre …
                  26 August 2016 at 12:43 pm

                  How many before you become the crazy cat guy? I’ve been as high as three and nobody said anything (that I know of).

                  • McFlock …
                    26 August 2016 at 12:55 pm

                    Four again. I think it’s gender neutral.

                    Unless the number of people in your household outnumbers the number of cats, in which case you’ll probably be overheard talking to humans just as much as to felines.

                    But if you have pets in addition to the cats, especially exotic ones like huge rabbits or a llama, you’ll just be known as the family with the zoo.

              • Brigid …
                26 August 2016 at 12:44 pm

                Don’t forget the cat just regards you as ‘staff’. If you stop feeding it, it wont be cruel. The cat will just move on to the next free meal place (It’s probably got half a dozen around the neighbourhood anyway).

                So there ya go. Problem solved.

                Also, that it’s spraying, doesn’t mean it’s not neutered, just that it’s marking your garage as it’s own.

                • Anne …
                  26 August 2016 at 1:25 pm

                  (It’s probably got half a dozen around the neighbourhood anyway).

                  Don’t think so Brigid. It was very thin. I’ve solved the spraying problem. It’s confined to a table and chair so I drape an old towel over them each day. Remove towel each morning and hang outside, then at end of week wash them and start over again.

                  I live opposite two schools and it is known people dump their cats there when they no longer want them or they’re shifting somewhere they can’t take them. Too lazy to take them to the SPCA or some other cat agency who might be able to re-home them.

                  • Karen …
                    26 August 2016 at 2:07 pm

                    I think I’d have had to admit to cat lady status about 20 years ago when I was feeding 8 strays! There seems to be a sign outside our house that only cats see that indicates a potential home as I have taken in many strays over the years – never once needed to go out and get a cat. I always trap them and get them neutered – it is the only way to control the cat population. Currently have three.

                    Hint for stopping cats spraying – get some citronella from the chemist and put a couple of drops into water then wipe the surface of anywhere the cat has sprayed. Cats hate the smell and will stop spraying in that area.

                    • Anne …
                      26 August 2016 at 3:49 pm

                      Thanks for that Karen. I will definitely try the citronella. It’s good for sprinkling into stagnant water (drains etc.) to prevent mosquitos from breeding too.

                    • Leftie …
                      26 August 2016 at 6:20 pm

                      You’re a very nice person too Karen, people like you and Anne are heroes in my book. Thanks so much for the advice. 🙂

                  • Leftie …
                    26 August 2016 at 6:15 pm

                    Abandoned and neglected animals need all the support that they can get. Like I said, you are a very nice person Anne 🙂

              • Outdoor …
                26 August 2016 at 8:09 pm

                Ask Gareth Morgan

          • TheExtremist 1.1.1.1.3
            26 August 2016 at 10:58 am

            Yeah I wanted to talk about music to start with. Ah well

            • Andre 1.1.1.1.3.1
              26 August 2016 at 4:09 pm

              Music to Trump to cats to mosquitos. Not bad for a single sub-thread.

              • In Vino …
                26 August 2016 at 7:41 pm

                Actually, I came in to view the controversial, the trolling, etc, and was quite intrigued with this.

    • Puckish Rogue 1.2
      26 August 2016 at 9:01 am

      I’m still just gobsmacked that the best candidates the US can throw up (good choice of words) is Clinton v Trump

      No way either of them should be anywhere near the presidency

      • Stuart Munro 1.2.1
        26 August 2016 at 9:23 am

        Yes, they have much in common with the Key Kleptocracy.

        • Puckish Rogue 1.2.1.1
          26 August 2016 at 9:33 am

          No they really don’t. John Key is popular PM that the people of NZ keep voting back in, is someone that manages to make NZ punch well above its weight, especially in trade, manages to maintain cordial relationships with many, much larger economies and will soon win his fourth election

          So no not much in common at all

          • Stuart Munro 1.2.1.1.1
            26 August 2016 at 9:50 am

            Key resembles Trump – a shoddy charlatan with an interest in girls his daughter’s age, no vision for anything but self enrichment, and incapable of telling the truth about anything. They are media products – they don’t represent their people or anything of value.

            “A normal person must
            dismiss them with disgust
            and weep for those who trusted them”

            • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.1.1.1
              26 August 2016 at 10:04 am

              What kind of two bit analysis is that?; Key is an Investment Bankster at heart, and Clinton is a highly paid apparatchik of the Hedge Fund and Investment Banking Wall St crowd.

              • Stuart Munro …
                26 August 2016 at 10:11 am

                Hillary’s vices do not redeem Trump.

                • TheExtremist …
                  26 August 2016 at 10:18 am

                  Exactly. Succinct and to the point.

                  Seen Trumps new advisors? Steve Bannon from the alt-right movement (read alt-right as white nationalist, hardcore conservatives) and Darth Vader of the US media Roger Ailes (currently embroiled in major sexual harrasement scandals).

              • Leftie …
                26 August 2016 at 10:43 am

                John Key is a greedy, lying crook at heart and has shown being a money trader is not good PM material.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.2
            26 August 2016 at 10:06 am

            No they really don’t.

            Yes, they really do. They both live on Planet Key for starters.

            is someone that manages to make NZ punch well above its weight

            No, he’s destroying NZ as the increasing poverty and homelessness proves.

            manages to maintain cordial relationships with many, much larger economies

            Through lies and deception to the people of NZ he makes it look like he’s maintaining cordial relationships.

            • Puckish Rogue 1.2.1.1.2.1
              26 August 2016 at 10:26 am

              Yes, they really do. They both live on Planet Key for starters.

              – No they don’t

              No, he’s destroying NZ as the increasing poverty and homelessness proves.

              – Nope, increasing poverty is happening due to increasing population

              Through lies and deception to the people of NZ he makes it look like he’s maintaining cordial relationships.

              – No hes not a unionist

              • Draco T Bastard …
                26 August 2016 at 10:40 am

                No they don’t

                They both hold the same delusional mindset as Key so, yes they do.

                Nope, increasing poverty is happening due to increasing population

                Besides that it’s somewhat more complicated than that guess who’s got the immigration flood gates wide open?

                No hes not a unionist

                I’ve never seen a union lie whereas there’s over 400 documented lies from John Key.

              • Robert Guyton …
                26 August 2016 at 10:46 am

                No, no, no and no, nope, nope and nope.

                All a righty apologist needs to know in order to debate, nope, nope, nopedy-nope.

          • swordfish 1.2.1.1.3
            26 August 2016 at 10:29 am

            Young Master Puckers: “John Key is popular PM”

            Not so much these days, young man. Key’s Net Favourability ratings are now pretty damn close to zero (meaning as many voters hold Unfavourable as Favourable views of him). Meanwhile, he’s now consistently polling below 40% as Preferred PM. So, basically, the thrill has gone for voters, he’s lost his Mojo (and saying But look at Andrew’s numbers ! won’t disguise this new, cold hard reality).

            Having said that, it’s true that, by comparison with the deeply-disliked Hillary and Trumpie, Key’s mediocre ratings don’t look quite so bad.

            • Puckish Rogue 1.2.1.1.3.1
              26 August 2016 at 10:39 am

              Would you agree though that in comparison to any other leader of a NZ political party that he could still be considered popular and if not why not?

              Yeah I know it sounds like an antagonistic reply but I am genuinely interested in your view on this

              • arkie …
                26 August 2016 at 11:02 am

                You have just done exactly what swordfish said you would do and they’re right, it’s not disguising reality. Obviously Key is still ‘more popular’ but he’s trending down, which was exactly swordfish’s point that you’ve decided to ignore. So not so much antagonistic as it is a predictable distraction attempt.

                • Puckish Rogue …
                  26 August 2016 at 11:10 am

                  Not really though I can how you might take that. Key is trending downwards yes but I think it really does matter to take into account the level from which hes descending in comparison to the level at which his opponents are currently at.

                  For instance if Key is at 40% and falling and little is at 7% and static then its going to take quite a while for Little and Key to be close and probably not before the next election

                  • Robert Guyton …
                    26 August 2016 at 11:17 am

                    The “smelly soap” thing is going to cling.

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      26 August 2016 at 11:30 am

                      Actually I disagree on this (surprise surprise) the people who dislike Key have already made up their minds about this, same as the people who like Key and the rest of the population will just be going m’eh about it, I mean its The Edge they have form in doing stupid things anyway

              • swordfish …
                26 August 2016 at 11:23 am

                “Yeah I know it sounds like an antagonistic reply”

                I’ve never known you to be antagonistic, Puckers. You’re a relatively congenial, relaxed, laid back sort of a bloke. One might almost say: a kind of “Puckish Rogue”.

                On the one hand, it’s self-evident that Key is well ahead in the Preferred PM stakes. But that’s just one measure. By no means a trivial matter, but arguably not the be-all and end-all either.

                On net Favourability, Little has equalled or found himself marginally ahead of Key over the last 18 months. That’s not to say more people positively Favour Little than Key. They don’t. But more voters hold a positive rather than Negative view of Little (albeit with a fairly large Unsure component – which is natural for an Opposition Leader). By contrast, Key is now a Polariser in the way that Muldoon once was. He’s still Favoured by a marginally greater number of voters than Little is, but by the same token he’s also managed to alienate a significantly larger number of voters than the Opposition Leader.

                So, at one and the same time, New Zealand’s answer to The Man of La Mancha manages to be both more popular than Little (larger %) and yet also more disliked (larger %).

                Interestingly, Winnie’s moved back into Favourable territory in recent years. Voter perceptions of him had been quite negative during the latter part of the Clark Govt and early stages of Key’s first term. (Goes hand-in-hand, of course, with NZF’s recent revival)

                • Puckish Rogue …
                  26 August 2016 at 11:27 am

                  The interesting thing about communicating through words only is how easy it is for the other person to get the wrong idea of what you’re saying.

                  That’s some good points, I don’t suppose you have Helen Clarks numbers handy because I’d assume she was quite…polarising herself?

                  • swordfish …
                    26 August 2016 at 12:11 pm

                    >

                    UMR – Leader Favourability Ratings
                    (Key vs Clark at same stage in Govt cycle)

                    Net Positive Ratings

                    …………………..John Key…….vs……. Helen Clark

                    2013 …………… + 19 ………………………. + 30 ……………. 2004

                    2014 …………… + 27 ………………………. + 30………………2005

                    2015 … (1/2) .. + 19 ………………………. + 28 ……………. 2006…. (1/2)

                    2015 … (2/2) …+ 13 ………………………. + 22 ……………. 2006 …. (2/2)

                    Key’s net rating is now down in low single figures.

                    >
                    >

                    Reid Research – Leader Performance Ratings
                    (Key vs Clark at same stage in Govt cycle)

                    Net Positive Ratings
                    (Unfortunately, I don’t have much post-2013 Reid Research data for Key on this particular measure – just one or two bits and pieces. So, I’ll restrict it to Key’s first term)

                    …………………. John Key …. vs …… Helen Clark

                    2011 …………… + 55 …………………….. + 59 …………… 2002

                    2012 ……………. + 30 …………………… + 48 …………… 2003

                    2013 ……………. + 25 …………………… + 39 ……….. … 2004

                    So, you can see that Clark’s numbers were superior to Key’s and she wasn’t quite the polariser that some might assume. Mind you, probably fair to say she tended to be respected rather than liked.

                    • Stuart Munro …
                      26 August 2016 at 12:27 pm

                      I’m not sure it was Clark per se, that made the change.

                      There was:
                      a contentious or unpopular anti-smacking bill
                      The strange journey of Chris Carter
                      A pledge card that wasn’t the vote winner its authors imagined

                      Leader appeal or charisma can be important, but it cannot redeem conspicuous non-performance indefinitely.

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      26 August 2016 at 12:44 pm

                      She is/was a strong leader

                    • Stuart Munro …
                      26 August 2016 at 12:48 pm

                      Weak characters demand strong leaders. The biggest joke is on Russia.

                    • Ad …
                      26 August 2016 at 2:07 pm

                      Be still me heart I thought you were about to do Key V LIttle ratings.

                  • Graeme …
                    26 August 2016 at 12:50 pm

                    Stuart, we can also add to that list,

                    The world turning to shit in rather spectacular fashion.

                    That would have taken out any third term government, of any stripe, in New Zealand.

      • alwyn 1.2.2
        26 August 2016 at 9:27 am

        Those candidates certainly tend to ruin ones faith in primaries as a way to choose candidates don’t they?
        Perhaps you should nominate the people who you think should have been chosen.
        Looking only at the people who did run I think the best choices would have been Martin O’Malley from Maryland and John Kasich from Ohio.
        I don’t think you can suggest people who never attempted to get the nomination. Therefore I don’t count people like Senator Warren, who refused to run, or anyone who withdrew before the first primary.

      • arkie 1.2.3
        26 August 2016 at 9:54 am

        Only 9% of eligible voters actually chose either of them. The primary system is incredibly flawed, they should all be open and unrestricted.

        http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/08/01/us/elections/nine-percent-of-america-selected-trump-and-clinton.html?_r=0

        • alwyn 1.2.3.1
          26 August 2016 at 10:24 am

          Can we have an open, unrestricted primary system in New Zealand?
          Imagine if anyone at all could vote in the election of a party leader, which is really the equivalent of the US Presidential primaries.
          We would end up with John Key being elected as leader of the Labour Party as well as the National Party. It would probably give them a much better chance in the General Election of course.
          Some States in the US used to allow this. In 1946 Earl Warren ran in, and won, the primaries of the Republican, Democrat and Progressive parties. He thus ran virtually unopposed in the election.

          • arkie 1.2.3.1.1
            26 August 2016 at 10:47 am

            Primaries aren’t like voting for the leader of a party. There is no point to them in a parliamentary system.

            Earl Warren was running for Governor, and cross-filing (running in more that one party primary) was abolished in 1959, so it’s a historical anomaly really.

            • alwyn 1.2.3.1.1.1
              26 August 2016 at 12:03 pm

              They have them in the US for Congress don’t they Are you meaning to say it is not a parliamentary system?
              “so it’s a historical anomaly really”
              Well yes. You did notice that I said “Some States in the US used to allow this”. I didn’t want anyone to think it was still possible.

              • arkie …
                26 August 2016 at 1:23 pm

                Yes, both houses of the Congress of the United States have primaries, and yes it is not a Parliamentary system, and yes, I was reiterating that cross-filing hasn’t worked like that for more than 50 years.

    • s y d 1.3
      26 August 2016 at 9:21 am

      mean vid, sick tune, great ending

      edit – reply to the extremist, but won’t let me

    • Reddelusion 1.4
      26 August 2016 at 9:47 am

      Go trump ( the Barbara Streisand affect, sorry 😀)

      Trump is jackass but he does not pretend to be anything else, Hillary in turn is a completely different matter, allegedly corrupt to the core

      • Colonial Viper 1.4.1
        26 August 2016 at 10:00 am

        As I said, Hillary has had 30 years practice hiding who she actually is and what she actually thinks. Trump is just getting started.

        • marty mars 1.4.1.1
          26 August 2016 at 11:19 am

          yep, you said… ho hum – so nice you want to get trump up to the speed of clinton (who you hate with a vengeance) – just shows how disconnected with reality you are.

          • TheExtremist 1.4.1.1.1
            26 August 2016 at 11:30 am

            CV hates Clinton so much his reality has warped into supporting a man who has a white nationalist as his campaign manager.

            • Puckish Rogue 1.4.1.1.1.1
              26 August 2016 at 11:35 am

              Who is more likely to lead the USA into another war, Clinton who already has form in this area or Trump who it seems like he wants to move a more isolationist agenda?

              • Stuart Munro …
                26 August 2016 at 12:08 pm

                Trump is very thick with Putin.

                I don’t want world war III, but I don’t want Putin overrunning eastern Europe like he’s just signed Ribbentrop II either.

              • marty mars …
                26 August 2016 at 12:41 pm

                trump is a liar with political inexperience, clinton is a liar with political experience – as cv notes above. Anyone trusting trump is delusional. To say he is more or less likely to do anything is really dreaming – he is a liar, a bigot, a shallow thinker, a kneejerker – oh and he won’t lead the yanks to war – total delusion and idiocy puck

                • Puckish Rogue …
                  26 August 2016 at 12:50 pm

                  You did note I stated “seems” didn’t you…

                  • marty mars …
                    26 August 2016 at 1:10 pm

                    seems makes it seem like a nothing comment – I imbued more substance into it than that

                    nice that we agree 🙂 do you agree that we agree?

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      26 August 2016 at 1:21 pm

                      So who, in your opinion, is most likely to start a war, Clinton or Trump?

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      26 August 2016 at 1:32 pm

                      Fair enough

                    • marty mars …
                      26 August 2016 at 1:44 pm

                      come on mate – tell me about the screaming lambs now

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      26 August 2016 at 1:52 pm

                      I personally think that, due to her prior actions, Clinton would likely start a war before Trump

                    • marty mars …
                      26 August 2016 at 2:05 pm

                      cool, we disagree – sorta good cos I struggle when I find I agree with anyone other than a righteous left winger

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      26 August 2016 at 2:22 pm

                      For what its worth I suspect there’s more then a few lefties that would probably agree with me on this

                    • McFlock …
                      26 August 2016 at 2:51 pm

                      Personally, I reckon Clinton and Trump are equally likely to increase US military combat deployments somewhere in the world, most likely Syria, but several spots in Africa and maybe the philipines.

                      My concern with Trump is that his lumbering oafishness and narcissistic bombast will spark a major confrontation between nuclear powers. If he doesn’t kick off india and pakistan, or nuke someone off his own bat, then his plan to boost NATO forces under different command structures increases the probability of a flashpoint between putin and EU.

                      Even though SthK and Japan will tell him to get fucked when he demands they build their own nukes, the fact that he even floated the idea means that he has no idea about the geopolitical situation he wants to be a key decisionmaker in.

                      So “start a war” is even odds. “Start the last war” and Trump is far more likely to do it that Clinton, imo.

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      26 August 2016 at 3:02 pm

                      Outing people is seriously not cool but they know who they are

                    • marty mars …
                      26 August 2016 at 3:25 pm

                      This sums up my view of trump and war

                      “…Trump has said a lot of scary (and racist) things on the campaign trail, from calling undocumented immigrants rapists to saying he’d ban Muslims from the country to urging supporters at his rallies to attack protesters.
                      But his answer Tuesday night was especially terrifying; it revealed what it means to put an ignorant blowhard with a head full of jagged rocks in charge of enough munitions to blow up the entire world several times over.
                      Let’s go through his answer. If you didn’t see it in real time, know that you should experience the stomach-churning terror you feel when you climb that first hill on an especially tall roller coaster…

                      …Hewitt: “Of the three legs of the triad, though, do you have a priority? I want to go to Sen. Rubio after that and ask him.”
                      Trump: “I think – I think, for me, nuclear is just the power, the devastation is very important to me.”
                      The devastation is very important to him. That flailing nonsense is the best Trump can manage. A reasonably well-informed fifth grader could come up with something better.
                      The problem isn’t simply that Trump doesn’t have detailed plans to make sure our nuclear weapons are safely maintained. The problem is that he doesn’t understand even the most basic premise of a relatively simple question. He couldn’t muster a “I’ll make sure we have the most modern, best nuclear arsenal the world has ever seen,” because he didn’t know what he was being asked.
                      Imagine handing over the nuclear codes to a man with the comprehension skills of Donald J. Trump. Do you honestly believe he would understand the consequences of using them? Trump is obsessed with tough-guy machismo. How much provocation does he need to press that button?…”

                      http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/trumps-terrifying-nuke-answer-at-the-debate-should-end-his-campaign-but-it-wont-20151216

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      26 August 2016 at 3:38 pm

                      Clinton is far more likely to start minor wars around the world (Syria, Libya, etc.) , and she is far more likely to accidentally start a big fucking war (China, Russia, both) with her neocons friends ramping up the rhetoric in order to raise both tensions and defense procurement contracts.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      26 August 2016 at 3:49 pm

                      As for people saying that Trump is more likely to press the button.

                      Your ignorance is massive.

                      Obama has green lit the development of a whole new generation of “more useable” low yield precision nuclear weapons which are promised to – get this – cause less environmental damage.

                      Hillary and her neocon associates actually consider that a nuclear war might be winnable with these kinds of new weapons.

                      http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/12/science/as-us-modernizes-nuclear-weapons-smaller-leaves-some-uneasy.html

                    • marty mars …
                      26 August 2016 at 3:58 pm

                      your opinions have very low cred in my book because of your fawning of trump – it has sort of coloured my view of even the things you write that make sense – for instance your cc posts when you support a denier – can’t compute that one and given up trying – btw the difference argument you use to justify the above are rubbish so please don’t waste space with it here.

                      btw – I just think you’ve jumped the shark – no personal animosity though, although you can pontificate a bit but then I have my own wee foibles too so all good 🙂

                    • McFlock …
                      26 August 2016 at 4:07 pm

                      Hillary and her neocon associates actually consider that a nuclear war might be winnable with these kinds of new weapons.

                      Your link has absolutely nothing to do with that assertion, nor does it give any indication of what Clinton’s advice to Obama was while he was making that decision.

                      More to the point, in terms of threats to world peace how does the B21 package compare with Trump’s desire to discard the nuclear non-proliferation treaty?

                    • Lanthanide …
                      26 August 2016 at 6:11 pm

                      I think anyone who is talking about whether Clinton or Trump would be more likely to start a war, and especially anyone talking about their stance on nuclear weapons, needs to watch this interview:
                      http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/03/trump-asks-why-us-cant-use-nukes-msnbcs-joe-scarborough-reports.html

                      “Several months ago, a foreign policy expert on the international level went to advise Donald Trump. And three times [Trump] asked about the use of nuclear weapons. Three times he asked at one point if we had them why can’t we use them,” Scarborough said on his “Morning Joe” program.

                      He seems stupider than Palin, if that were possible.

                      I guess the top brass of the military could choose to resign on the spot, rather than accede to his orders if they would put the US in greater danger.

    • Rosie 1.5
      26 August 2016 at 3:17 pm

      Extremist. That’s an exceptionally powerful fantastic new video/mini movie from DJ Shadow and run the jewels.

      I put it up on my faceblab page yesterday instead of here because I thought some one might find it offensive.

      This track is a banger!!! The video says alot about our useless elite powerful masters

  2. ianmac 2
    26 August 2016 at 9:15 am

    Talking of Clinton, this funny clip was interesting. The zoomed in image of a Secret Service man standing beside Clinton and holding a thing which was allegedly an emergency hyperdermic. Off we go again on health issues.
    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11700526

  3. The Chairman 3
    26 August 2016 at 9:47 am

    A long way off or a few weeks away?

    Drones were extremely dangerous machines which had the potential to kill people if they collided with a vehicle.

    The razor sharp rotor blades could also inflict severe injury or death said X-craft Enterprises director Philip Solaris.

    X-craft is a CAA approved drone operator providing emergency, forestry, commercial, farming and survey services using fixed wing and multi-rotor drones.

    Solaris said pizza delivery by drones was a long way off due to strict Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations and health and safety laws.

    Transport Minister Simon Bridges said the (Domino’s drone delivery) trial was a valuable opportunity for the CAA.

    New aviation rules came into effect in August last year to regulate and enable the use of drones for recreational and commercial purposes in New Zealand.

    CAA spokeswoman Philippa Lagan said because Domino’s application was under consideration, it could not comment publicly on it.

    Domino’s will be able to fly pizza deliveries later this year if its application to carry out operation is approved, she said.

    A decision was expected to be made in a few weeks’ time.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/83529739/dominos-using-drones-to-deliver-pizza-to-new-zealand-homes

    Thoughts?

    • Ad 3.1
      26 August 2016 at 9:54 am

      A sci fi tech guy called Solaris!
      Universe just Moebius-ghosted its own machine.

    • Colonial Viper 3.2
      26 August 2016 at 10:02 am

      Pizza delivery girl jobs on the line due to tech. Retraining I guess is the answer (lol)

    • Halfcrown 3.3
      26 August 2016 at 7:23 pm

      My thoughts

      Al-Jazeera has a documentary on at the moment called Drone. It is about the scary manufacture and use by Obama and others of drones killing innocent civilians.
      Henry interviewed some dick from Domino Pizza’s, who was explaining the new proposed drone delivery service. Henry asked this guy how would they be so accurate in the delivery and this twat said it uses military technology to make sure it gets to where it should go. On TV1 News last night prat Bridges was foaming at the mouth how WUNDEROUSE this was going to be.

      An open message to Dominoe Pizza’s,

      First, shove your Pizza’s right up your arse. Also, since a kid I have been a dead shot with a catapult, and my property is a no-fly zone.

  4. Colonial Viper 4
    26 August 2016 at 10:03 am

    UK Labour boycotts G4S, G4S refuses to provide security for Labour Conference, Labour Conference may need to be cancelled

    This is a first grade f-up in progress.

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/25/labour-conference-in-peril-g4s-will-not-provide-security

  5. ianmac 5
    26 August 2016 at 10:23 am

    “Corrections has been ordered to reconsider its decision not to allow journalist Mike White to report on the first-ever meeting between Gerard Hope and Scott Watson.”
    Good show chaps.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700533

  6. Draco T Bastard 6
    26 August 2016 at 10:57 am

    Surprise! Fake Babies Actually Make Kids Think Teenage Motherhood is Awesome

    But in a new study, Australian researchers found that the exercise is doing more harm than good—when they compared girls in Australia who participated in the program to girls who did not, eight percent of the girls who carried the doll gave birth at least once while they were still in high school, compared with four percent of girls in the control group who never worked with the doll. Rates of pregnancy overall were higher in girls who used the infant simulator—nine percent had at least one abortion, where the control group’s rate was six percent.

    Oops 😈

  7. Robert Guyton 7
    26 August 2016 at 11:10 am

    Wanna win?

    ” Movements for social change that want to win always take each temporary defeat as a learning experience, draw lessons from the failure, and change their tactics, strategy, and framing of the issue based on those lessons, then fling themselves back into the struggle with a better chance at victory. They also look at other movements that succeed and ask themselves, “How can we do the same thing with our cause?” Movements for social change that respond to failure by reaching for excuses and trying to convince themselves and everyone else that the battle could never have been won in the first place, on the other hand, get a shallow grave and a water-color epitaph.”

    • Robert Guyton 7.1
      26 August 2016 at 11:14 am

      It’s about climate change.

      “And the movement against anthropogenic climate change? If you’ve been following along, dear reader, you’ll already have noticed that it fell victim to all four of the bad habits just enumerated—the four horsepersons, if you will, of the apocalyptic failure of radicalism in our time. It allowed itself to be distracted from its core purpose by a flurry of piggybacking interests; it got turned into a captive constituency of the Democratic Party; it suffers from a bad case of purity politics, in which (to raise a point I’ve made before) anyone who questions the capacity of renewable resources to replace fossil fuels, without conservation taking up much of the slack, is denounced as a denialist; and it has consistently pandered to the privileged, pursuing policies that benefit the well-to-do at the expense of the working poor. Those bad habits helped foster the specific mistakes I enumerated in my earlier post-mortem on climate change activism, and led the movement to crushing defeat.”

      http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2016/08/learning-from-failure-modest.html

      • Ad 7.1.1
        26 August 2016 at 2:17 pm

        “Archdruid – by a long way the wankiest name ever for a blogger – is the biggest Cassandra out there. They revel in the idea of defeat, because it absolves them of agency and hence the responsibility for action in the actual world.

        The climate change activists are winning. The deniers are a fringe who get ridiculed. Almost all world governments are aligned on goals that were never deemed agreeable. Who knows whether we meet them, but that’s a different point to persuasion. Spare me from this wank about “crushing defeat”.

        Give yourselves a break on environmentalism as well. No MSM media outlet directly celebrates environmental destruction anymore.

        Same goes for water quality in New Zealand – we are seeing a really rapid turnaround in commentary, and there’s more to come. Just reflect back to the kind of coverage environmentalists got in the 1980s and 1990s, not that long ago.

        • marty mars 7.1.1.1
          26 August 2016 at 2:28 pm

          YOU are SO judgmental – and you base it on malformed understandings, deliberate mistruths and incomplete nay childish interpretations of what you think is coming up. Because let’s be honest, you haven’t really read much of the archdruid have you, the name even is anathema to you because of your christian beliefs. You know as little of JMG as you do the Māori King – yet you are oh so quick to try and put the boot in – sad and pathetic or just your loving belief system???

  8. Rodel 8
    26 August 2016 at 11:12 am

    Happened to read this about Fox News’s Sean Hannity in the New York Times-

    “Mr. Hannity’s show has all the trappings of traditional television news — the anchor desk, the graphics and the patina of authority that comes with being part of a news organization…..But because Mr. Hannity is “not a journalist,” he apparently feels free to work in the full service of his candidate without having to abide by journalism’s general requirements for substantiation and prohibitions…….”

    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/22/business/media/sean-hannity-turns-adviser-in-the-service-of-donald-trump.html

    And thought- one could substitute ‘Hoskings’ for ‘Hannity’.
    just saying….

    • TC 8.1
      26 August 2016 at 1:40 pm

      Or Henry, Gower, Soper, williams, smith etc etc

      • Rodel 8.1.1
        26 August 2016 at 5:12 pm

        TC yes but I think those on your list regard themselves as journalists (I dunno who Williams and Smith are).
        The main difference being Hoskings has stated that he’s not a journalist so like Hannity he assumes carte lanche

  9. Red Hand 9
    26 August 2016 at 11:53 am

    Contrast this news with the situation in NZ

    “There was a record German budget surplus (18.5bn Euros and +1.2% of German GDP) after Q2 growth of 0.4%…. “The run of surpluses has allowed Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble to increase state spending on roads, housing and digital infrastructure ahead of federal elections in 2017, while sticking to his goal of running a balanced budget.” (Reuters)”

    A government that can do this would get my support. “increase state spending on roads, housing and digital infrastructure”, but in NZ prioritise state spending on education, housing and health. Get on with it !!!!!

    • b waghorn 9.1
      26 August 2016 at 12:12 pm

      I’d say thats possible because they don’t bribe their voters with tax breaks .

      From wikipedia
      ”Income tax rate in 2015[edit]
      No income tax is charged on the basic allowance, which is €8,354 for unmarried persons and €16,708 for jointly assessed married couples. Beyond this threshold, the marginal tax rate increases linearly from 14% to 24% for a taxable income of €13,469 (€26,938 for married couples). In the subsequent interval up to a taxable income of €52,881 (€105,762 for married couples), the marginal tax rate increases linearly from 24% to 42%. The last change of rates occurs at a taxable income of €250,730 (€501,460 for married couples) when the marginal tax rate jumps from 42% to 45%. The course of the marginal tax rate and the resulting average tax rate are depicted in the graph to the right.”

  10. Observer Tokoroa 10
    26 August 2016 at 12:58 pm

    .
    .Hillary Clinton.

    . How does she do It ? A confident list of alleged faults is held against Hillary, including hidden crimes, massive corruptions; money laundering, plus a highly retarded mind, coupled with constant (non proven) serious deformations of her self abused body and numerous illnesses.

    It surprises me that Protestant Fundamentalist weirdos have not burned the witch at the stake.

    It further surprises me that Hillary is condemned without defence here on The Standard.

    But of course, New Zealand is full of rednecks that spend their life destroying competent women. They bash women up. Why,because unlike Hillary, they are perfect. Better than that, they are Males.
    .

    • Rodel 10.1
      26 August 2016 at 5:23 pm

      I don’t mind Hillary and out of all the contenders I hope she becomes president.

      In the minds of the impressionable,Trump’s propagandist meme generator has successfully implanted ‘crooked Hillary’, ‘weak Hillary’, ‘mentally unstable Hillary’ and is now working on ‘sick Hillary’.
      I wonder what’s the next adjective he’ll use? Oestrogenic? menopausal? OMG he might even call her womanly!

      • Garibaldi 10.1.1
        26 August 2016 at 5:44 pm

        As has been stated so many times, neither candidate is suitable . What a crazy thread today. How come rape culture didn’t pop up ?

      • Observer Tokoroa 10.1.2
        26 August 2016 at 7:01 pm

        ‘
        . + 100 Rodel

        . I see the trolls have woken up. It amazes me that they don’t like women. Neither does their redneck hero.
        .
        . Their entire life is a fantasy. A two yr old fantasy.
        .

        .

    • One Two 10.2
      26 August 2016 at 5:47 pm

      Hillary and Bill Clinton are failed human beings!

      Morally and ethically in serious default, both having committed, and been complicit in war crimes around the world

      The Clinton cartel murder count is in the millions between them and their counterparts The Bush family cartel

      If you’re comfortable sweeping what little you might have bothered to read regarding history under the mat, thats your choice, but don’t be so ridiculous as to use gender bias as a smear against those who can see the criminality oozing from every pore of Hillarys skin

      Learn some techniques that can help you critically evaluate information in a more decerning manner

      Your frequency is low

  11. Observer Tokoroa 11
    26 August 2016 at 6:45 pm

    .
    One Two
    Nothing wrong with your counting.

    . The Trump could soon have his finger on the Nuclear Bomb.

    . Then your tortured worries over Hillary could soon be over eh. Everything will be so much better One Two. Won’t it?

    .You detest the Clintons. Who else do you loath. ? don’t be shy. Spit it out. Go on.
    .
    Three cheers for the loathers and the haters – rednecks all of them.

    .

    .

  12. Chooky 12
    26 August 2016 at 10:22 pm

    Advice from Aunty Chooky

    Talking about spooks in your iphone….(time to go back to landlines and watch out for strange men up telegraph poles?)…in other words keep your iphone under the sofa and OFF!

    ‘Apple upgrades security after alleged Israeli group’s spyware attack on Arab activist’

    https://www.rt.com/usa/357233-apple-security-israeli-spyware/

    “A botched hack attempt using “sophisticated spyware package” allegedly tailored by an Israeli group on the iPhone of an Arab activist has triggered Apple to issue an “important” security update for its mobile operating system, iOS.

    The attackers tried to lure Ahmed Mansoor, a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based human rights activist, with text messages embedding a suspicious link to “secrets” about detainees tortured in Arab jails.

    Not a stranger to his government’s crackdown, from imprisonment and travel bans to spying, Mansoor did not take the bait, but instead sent it to the Canada-based security lab.

    “It was a wise move,” Citizen Lab said in a release. “Mansoor’s unfortunate experiences are the gift that won’t stop giving.”…

    …”If Mansoor clicked on that link with “secrets,” his iPhone would have been turned into a “sophisticated bugging device,” and UAE security agencies would be able to turn on his iPhone’s camera and microphone, record his and everything surrounding Mansoor.

    “They would have been able to log his emails and calls — even those that are encrypted end-to-end. And, of course, they would have been able to track his precise whereabouts,” Citizen Lab said.

    The developer behind what the Lookout team called “the most sophisticated attack we’ve seen on any endpoint” is believed to be an Israeli-based, US-owned NSO Group that speaks of itself as a “cyber war” company.

    It is known to have participated in a similar attack on a Mexican journalist, who reported on corruption by Mexico’s head of state and an unknown target or targets in Kenya…

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    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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