Open mike 26/09/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:23 am, September 26th, 2013 - 88 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step right up to the mike…

88 comments on “Open mike 26/09/2013 ”

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  1. Sanctuary 1
    26 September 2013 at 9:39 am

    I see the Herald’s editorial writers are now spluttering about politicians actually running the country rather than leaving it to faceless technocrats in the reserve bank. There is a consistant anti-democratic theme in the Herald’s editorials – democracy can only be allowed if it doesn’t change the existing elite structures in NZ.

  2. North 2
    26 September 2013 at 9:39 am

    Today’s Open Mike popped up while I was busy below:

    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-25092013/#comment-701714

  3. Belladonna 3
    26 September 2013 at 10:10 am

    Finding it difficult to access this site. It states Reason: Exceeded the maximum global requests per minute for crawlers or humans. This is untrue – could it be Matthew Hooton or some other reason!!

    [lprent: Thanks I’d left that at 3 per minute froma single source while I was diagnosing the outages yesterday. Reset back to 15 per minute. ]

  5. karol 5
    26 September 2013 at 12:01 pm

    Hahahahah!

    Very good post by Andrew Geddis on yesterday’s NZ Herald anonymous editorial. It begins:

    Some nameless person at the New Zealand Herald thinks either Labour or the Greens are going to have to support National after the 2014 election. And that person gets a salary to write this sort of stuff!

    I don’t normally read anonymous postings on the internet, but yesterday’s NZ Herald editorial about the prospect of a “coalition of the losers” government forming post 2014 has been brought to my attention. It’s a topic that both Tim Watkin and I have posted on before, but the Herald’s treatment of it is so annoying that I’m revisiting it in a cut-paste-and-comment format.

  6. greywarbler 6
    26 September 2013 at 12:12 pm

    There is discussion about investing in NZ enterprise and the Americas Cup great effort is an example of what we can do. We didn’t win but we were only about 50 seconds behind and the boat didn’t split in half.

    We should be doing more ground breaking innovative stuff. We might even get a winning boat – or better make one that is sea-breaking for transporting our produce and carrying passengers when the price goes up on present transport.

    What about encouraging investors to put 10% of their investments into new development and rising stars. Fun, excitement, being close to the action with regular updates on what may be happening in their portfolios. Investors made to feel important, and knowing there are risks but that they are up there with the smart ones who actually are exploring new products and ideas with a commercial promise. Get togethers with nibbles and large screens about ground-breaking stuff that we are attempting, doing, and what is being done internationally. Know more than your average NZr.

    Get that excitement that people have felt about yachting and insert it into the country’s development, draw up rational scenarios and pilot plans, and light the touchpaper.

  7. aerobubble 7
    26 September 2013 at 12:46 pm

    Ten thoughts….
    i.) Put an Australia, a Brit, some US and NZer’s up against Team NZ and they win, sure isn’t that always the way? The wider the pool of talent and money wins.
    ii.) 8 straight wins with two highly competitive boats, okay no that can happen, sure, its not like team NZ almost capsized, money has been know to buy…
    iii.) Relief, America’s cup not going to Littleton.
    iv.) The history of the America Cup is the history of rich rule twisting,
    v.) WTF, a two point advantage, what were they trying to do, scruple team NZ by given Team USA a man down, its well known in football that a man down spurs the team to victory.
    vi.) Ooops, sorry Key no 3% bounce.
    vii.) Wow, those boats were mostly built in NZ,
    viii.) As an expat living in NZ, I’m proud of my country men, and NZ for building boats to win in.
    ix.) What no women on board?
    x.) Why are these boats so expensive, had they been cheaper, there could be catamaran races all over the world? Those boats rock, and the rules would be able to be altered to maximize their coolness.

  8. Chooky 8
    26 September 2013 at 12:47 pm

    +1 Greywarbler….Great racing and great sport.!…seems like American aeronautics stablising technology won in the end though

    ….and all the more important why we should putting more investment into R&D, ICT and protecting intellectual copyright…… and not allowing it to be traded away with the TTPA.

    • bad12 8.1
      26 September 2013 at 3:03 pm

      Here i was thinking that TeamNZ was slowed down by the weight of all that filthy lucre, i could of sworn i heard the sound of screeching brakes in one of the races as Dean and the crew overtook the opposition boat,

      Looking at the specs tho shows that Aotearoa aint fitted with brakes so we will just have to take it as Dean said, that it was a ‘mistake’ to not continue with the overtaking instead tacking off into bad air…

      • Chooky 8.1.1
        26 September 2013 at 6:15 pm

        @bad12….yes it was a weird mistake…but I guess hindsight is not foresight?….but it still seemed a weird tack when one is speeding ahead at terrific rate of knots and seems to be winning (to amateurs at least)

        ….the one good thing about all this is that John key and Joyce don’t get their mugshots taken with the cup!….smile

        • bad12 8.1.1.1
          26 September 2013 at 6:28 pm

          Considering all the other ‘mistakes’ and trying not to be too critical, it would appear that either Dean aint the sailor everyone thinks He is, or…

          Was interesting to listen to the bloke that built the American boat, He said on TV3 News tonight that the aero-nautical foiling gear was on the boat from the time it was built, makes me wonder how after all those months of testing that boat suddenly grew wings for the 2nd half of the regatta,

          i have to ask myself if i was paid a million to win that cup how much would it take to make me lose it…

          • Chooky 8.1.1.1.1
            26 September 2013 at 8:29 pm

            @bad 12…now you are getting confusing……It was fun in the first half ….and ‘all at sea’ and lots of ‘silly mistakes’ in the second half …..plus a big aeroplane booster gidget came into play…the hidden technological wizardry brought out by the Oracle multi billionaire…..

            …although I prefer yachting races to rugby…. I certainly wouldn’t gamble on this one ….however I know one mad coot who is kicking himself he didnt….but hindsight is all (unless of course one has foresight)

            • bad12 8.1.1.1.1.1
              26 September 2013 at 10:56 pm

              i blame myself, ,my guilt therefore knows no bounds,(snigger), i commented the other week that their boat was a lemon and they couldn’t sail it for s**t,

              After that they won all the races…

  9. fender 9
    26 September 2013 at 1:47 pm

    I wonder if John Key also goes by the name Darrell Read

    • Rogue Trooper 9.1
      26 September 2013 at 6:46 pm

      Homegrown Fraudsters; we learn them well, and then they become bankers or Tory politicians.

  10. tracey 10
    26 September 2013 at 2:11 pm

    Auckland council is talking about ways to honour team nz. As a ratepayer can I just say NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    they lost. They gave it their best shot… or is the idea for ratepayers to fork out for it so crowds will spend money in queen st? If thats the reason alex swny can pay.

    • amirite 10.1
      26 September 2013 at 2:15 pm

      +1 I mean, what the fuck? They lost, that’s it, go away.

    • bad12 10.2
      26 September 2013 at 2:28 pm

      Just watched ‘the Hairdo’ speaking in the Parliament with a motion of praise for ‘TeamNZ$’, time to regroup and get together an even better team says wee Petey,

      i take that as code for lets toss even more of the taxpayers cash into the abyss, meanwhile in South Auckland another family moved into the garage out the back of a cousins place because of the dire shortage of State Houses…

    • millsy 10.3
      26 September 2013 at 9:02 pm

      Time for Messiah-boy to rule out any contribution to ETNZ for another challenge.

  11. amirite 11
    26 September 2013 at 2:14 pm

    Maryan Street has withdrawn her voluntary Euthanasia bill. Understandable, because in the election year the Right would jump on it like rabid dogs, and we’d be hearing of Labour’s termination camps for the elderly and similar rubbish to no end.

    • bad12 11.1
      26 September 2013 at 2:33 pm

      Yes extremely divisive, Slippery the PM is actually a supporter of euthanasia, one ex Australian Head of State actually went so far as to state He supports it as those wanting to euthanize were at the end of their useful economic life…

  12. Bob 12
    26 September 2013 at 3:37 pm

    Just saw a great comment on stuff about Climate Change and thought I would share it here: “Why do so many who believe the Science on Global Warming deny the Science on Nuclear power, Fracking and Genetic Engineering? All the arguments on Scientific consensus, peer review, weight of evidence and data cherry picking work both ways. Either show consistency or accept others rights to the freedom of enquiry.”

    • bad12 12.1
      26 September 2013 at 4:06 pm

      Fukishima, Chernyobel, 3 Mile Island, safe as houses…

      • jaymam 12.1.1
        26 September 2013 at 4:54 pm

        Well hardly anyone died in those accidents, while millions of people die of cold because we don’t have enough global warming and they can’t afford the increased power prices due to the carbon taxes! 🙂

      • Chooky 12.1.2
        26 September 2013 at 10:15 pm

        @bad 12….re “safe as houses”

        NZ butter went funny about the time of the 3 Mile Island….i think the Yanks exported it here and we called it ‘2 Flags’….housewives were complaining all over the country that their cakes were turning out funny….even although they had been using the same recipes for years….meanwhile back at 3 Mile Island cows were lying down with their legs in the air….and a lot of people felt a wee bit sick and were queuing up at the hospitals

        ….the Russians refused the butter and said the Americans should eat their own butter

        ….there was a film festival doco on it at the time….and that was around about the time we switched to margarine….

    • Molly 12.2
      26 September 2013 at 7:31 pm

      There is overwhelming consistency on scientific review on Climate Change – the main discrepancy is in the reporting and media space…. and the constant repetition of that 3% by comments such as yours.

      By “Science on Nuclear power, fracking and genetic engineering” I guess you mean scientific studies on the safety of those three. Given the lack of impartiality of most of those studies, and their limited scope it is of no surprise to me that independent scientists think their conclusions are misguided.

      Your call for consistency is admirable, you need to apply it to your examples.

  14. jaymam 14
    26 September 2013 at 4:50 pm

    John Key has been ridiculed as a “galloping colonial clot” for his photo shoot with the royal family in Balmoral:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9213754/Keys-royal-snaps-ruffle-feathers

    • felix 14.1
      26 September 2013 at 6:17 pm

      One of the people in that photo looks very, very happy to be seen with the other.

      Only one, mind.

      And the newspaper was merciless in its description of New Zealand’s 38th Prime Minister.

      “He is totally chuffed to bits, glowing nuclear pink with pleasure, at being snapped with the Queen in her private sitting room.

      “She, on the other hand, has her head bowed, deep in thought. Perhaps she is having second thoughts about letting this galloping colonial clot through the front door?” the Daily Mail reported.

      …

      The Daily Mail said Key sounded like he was filing a report for TripAdvisor when he wrote “They were extremely generous hosts and we had a fantastic weekend.”

      Didn’t take long for the British press to get the measure of him. What’s taking our lot so long?

      • bad12 14.1.1
        26 September 2013 at 6:56 pm

        Lolz, Parliaments question time will be a treat of questions about Galloping Colonial Clots when Slippery gets back from the gallivant,

        Pity there’s a 2 week recess coming up…

    • RedBaronCV 14.2
      26 September 2013 at 10:13 pm

      They stuff the corgis after they have finished with them???? Made my day.. Is this the fate of all their visitors when they reach the end of the line..

  15. dv 15
    26 September 2013 at 5:04 pm

    JAYMAN
    >>Well hardly anyone died in those accidents
    FUKISHIMA
    news.discovery.com/…/fukushima-radioactive-plume-reach-us-130901.h…‎
    Sep 1, 2013 – The known death toll came to 15,848 with 3,305 missing

    15,848 with 3,305 missing

    CHERNOBYL
    http://www.globalresearch.ca/new-book-concludes-chernobyl-death-toll-985-000-mostly-from-cancer/20908

    985,000

    Glad it was only a few Jayman

    • jaymam 15.1
      26 September 2013 at 6:08 pm

      Well that’s the Russians for you. The Yanks and Brits know how to build them properly.
      Any other strawmen you’d like me to put up for you?

      • The Al1en 15.1.1
        26 September 2013 at 6:23 pm

        They just don’t know how to decommission, how much it costs to decommission, how to fund decommission or how to safely store contaminants that remain deadly toxic for many thousands of years.

        While waiting for ultra efficient green energy sources, the smartest money is on building shit loads of wind turbines in the meantime, which to some may look unsightly, but as nimby arguments go, much less tumour inducing and easily removed.

      • McFlock 15.1.2
        26 September 2013 at 8:18 pm

        Um – Fukushima reactors number 1,2 and 6 were supplied by General Electric.

        What was that about the Yanks building them properly?

        • jaymam 15.1.2.1
          26 September 2013 at 8:47 pm

          You’d better find someone else to argue with. While I am trained in nuclear physics, I don’t like any of the current reactor designs. And nuclear is probably never an option for NZ. I like tidal and hydro and geothermal power. I’d like to go off the grid one day.

          • Rogue Trooper 15.1.2.1.1
            26 September 2013 at 9:12 pm

            just how “trained” exactly.

          • The Al1en 15.1.2.1.2
            26 September 2013 at 9:23 pm

            “You’d better find someone else to argue with”

            Because you can’t back up comments like “hardly anyone died in those accidents, while millions of people die of cold because we don’t have enough global warming”

            “I am trained in nuclear physics”

            And you can’t spell I’m a qualified fu*ktard and retarded climate change denier

            • jaymam 15.1.2.1.2.1
              26 September 2013 at 10:03 pm

              You fool – you mised the 🙂 in message 12.1.1, where I was pretending to be a nuke proponent.
              I did do nuclear physics for my science degree, and I have worked on a couple of nuclear accelerators and much engineering. I know how things can go wrong.
              P.S. there are no climate change deniers. Nobody denies climate change.

              • The Al1en …
                26 September 2013 at 10:17 pm

                If you say you were pretending to be a nuke proponent, and the 🙂 is an indicator of this, then I guess I have to take you at your word.

                Next time I use the climate change denier tag I’ll be sure to preface it with ‘man made’ to avoid any misunderstanding, because we all know they exist.

        • Colonial Viper 15.1.2.2
          26 September 2013 at 8:52 pm

          What was that about the Yanks building them properly?

          These designs date back to the start of the Vietnam War. And the Japanese operator has been cutting corners on operation and maintenance. Well, not so much cutting corners as simply lopping off whole limbs.

          • jaymam 15.1.2.2.1
            26 September 2013 at 9:22 pm

            They all cut corners – the French have been caught falsifying fuel rod mesurements, the Brits shoot bits of plutonium on to their beaches and change the name of their nuke generator when it has an embarrassing accident.
            I think a safe enough nuclear design will be invented in a few hundred years – around about the time fossil fuel starts getting expensive.

            • The Al1en 15.1.2.2.1.1
              26 September 2013 at 9:26 pm

              “and they can’t afford the increased power prices due to the carbon taxes!”

              ” in a few hundred years – around about the time fossil fuel starts getting expensive.”

              Make your mind up 🙂

            • Colonial Viper 15.1.2.2.1.2
              26 September 2013 at 9:33 pm

              Affordable oil and gas disappears in 20-25 years, is my pick.

  16. chris73 16
    26 September 2013 at 5:04 pm

    http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2013/09/john-banks-talks-willie-jackon-partnership-schools/#axzz2fePyI63t

    Willie Jackson (that well-known mouth piece of the right) interviews John Banks, you’ll should listen

    • Te Reo Putake 16.1
      26 September 2013 at 5:11 pm

      Why?

      • McFlock 16.1.1
        26 September 2013 at 5:18 pm

        Probably because he agrees with what he chose to hear, or the spin the cetacean put on it. Just a guess, because I didn’t listen to it – I might have done were it not on the cetacean’s site.

        I’m considering it possible that WJ would be intrigued by the supposed wider freedom that charter schools have, from a context of self determination (similar to Whanau Ora), rather than focusing strictly on how shit most of them are in practise.

        Did they manage to address the issues around quality of education, I wonder.

        • chris73 16.1.1.1
          26 September 2013 at 5:22 pm

          “Just a guess, because I didn’t listen to it”

          – Of course I understand, you have your opinions and you don’t want to hear anything that might ackshully change your mind…well done

          • McFlock 16.1.1.1.1
            26 September 2013 at 5:32 pm

            nah mate, I prefer to minimise the tory crabs left in my cache. Saves them tracking me down via ip etc (no, I wouldn’t put that past the odious windbag).

            If you have a non-propogandist link to the interview, I’d be intrigued to see how far off I am.

      • chris73 16.1.2
        26 September 2013 at 5:19 pm

        You miight learn something about John Banks motivations

    • millsy 16.2
      26 September 2013 at 9:55 pm

      It all seems to be about privatising education provision.

  17. Morrissey 17
    26 September 2013 at 5:34 pm

    Bolivia to sue United States for war crimes
    Morales calls on Latin American nations to withdraw ambassadors
    by ETHAN JURY, September 24, 2013

    As the drive for “humanitarian” intervention in Syria has turned international attention towards the hypocrisy and violence of U.S. foreign policy, Bolivian president Evo Morales has announced his intent to file a lawsuit against the United States government for crimes against humanity.

    The announcement came as a direct response to the denial of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro’s jet from entering U.S. airspace on his way to bi-lateral talks in China this week, and only two months after Morales’ own plane was forced to land in Vienna on suspicion that whistleblower Edward Snowden was on board.

    “The U.S. cannot be allowed to continue with its policy of intimidation and blockading of presidential flights,” stressed Morales during a press conference in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz.

    These latest transgressions come following the revelation of widespread spying on several Latin American countries by the National Security Association. Morales has called an emergency meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to address the issue of neo-colonial intimidation in the region, but his impending lawsuit is a wider condemnation of the impunity and violence of North American imperialism around the world.

    “We are preparing a lawsuit against Barack Obama to condemn him for crimes against humanity,” said Morales. He has called for CELAC members to withdraw their ambassadors from the United States and for members of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas (ALBA) to boycott the next United Nations meeting.

    The Obama administration has sent predator drones to kill hundreds of innocent civilians in Yemen and Pakistan, has defended the use of torture tactics on prisoners of war, and has continued to financially support the colonial state of Israel and other oppressive regimes. The administration’s recent drive for unilateral war on Syria highlights U.S. violations of international law in the interest of empire.

    As the U.S. government continue to spread death and violence around the world, it will be crucially important for members of the world community to follow Bolivia’s example and stand in solidarity against the beast of imperialism.

    http://www.pslweb.org/liberationnews/news/bolivia-to-sue-united-states.html

  18. ScottGN 18
    26 September 2013 at 6:12 pm

    Just got polled by Roy Morgan. Usual stuff – voting intentions for next year, NZ right track/wrong track. Most pressing issue facing the world. Where do I listen to the radio, etc. Took forever. One of us was doing the interview with english as a second language.

  19. Rogue Trooper 19
    26 September 2013 at 6:37 pm

    Team NZ Challenge cost- 110M Euro
    Oracle US cost – that + 10%
    -Source, Russel Coutts, RNZ Checkpoint.

    was a learning experience; the crew that learnt the most, won. (limits on exchange parts etc), although it appears the parts sourced from NZ late in the piece contributed to the overall superiority of Oracle. Oh well… 😀

  20. bad12 20
    26 September 2013 at 6:39 pm

    POS Tau Henare, your a real POS, Henare on 3 news tonight asked if He had any sympathy for the Parliaments cleaners who made submissions befor the select committee today on proposed labour law changes,

    ”If She doesn’t want the job She should give it to someone else”, hope your down the bottom of National’s list for the 2014 election Tau, that comment shows you for what you are, simply Scum…

  21. Steve 21
    26 September 2013 at 6:44 pm

    Tua Henare is a sociopath who really has no place in NZ society – let alone Parliament.

    He believes a toilet cleaner who broke down while giving evidence to a select committee because she’s fearful that a law change will put her job in jeopardy should “get another job”.

    Angry, mean fwit. This man? is a disgrace.

    P.S. This interview was in TV3 news but no link online as yet – will post if they put it up.

  22. Rogue Trooper 22
    26 September 2013 at 9:40 pm

    one Jack is Master

  23. Penny Bright 23
    26 September 2013 at 10:17 pm

    What is the considered opinions of ‘The Standard’ folk, on UN Agenda 21?

    Time for a bit more debate?
    ___________________________________________________________________________

    Do ‘Generation Zero’ deserve an “E” (S) for “Environmental (Sheepishness)”?

    For apparently supporting the corporate GREENWASH UN Agenda 21 – which I vigorously oppose?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11130105

    Promising free public transport has not been enough to win Auckland mayoral candidate John Minto a top score from youth organisation Generation Zero on that and issues such as climate change.

    Mr Minto got a B grade, putting him above candidates John Palino (C+), Uesifili UNasa (C) and Penny Bright (E), but below Mayor Len Brown’s A-.

    The group, which interviewed mayoral and council candidates focusing heavily on an alternative plan for a “congestion-free” network of public transport ahead of new roads, rated Mr Brown “a competent champion for getting Auckland’s transport moving in the right direction”.

    But it found Mr Minto “overly focused on creating free public transport without showing a convincing understanding of implications.”

    It marked Mr Palino down for weak support of its network plan, despite his showing enthusiasm for less reliance on more motorways.

    Ms Bright’s E grade followed an alleged failure to answer most of the group’s 14 questions.”
    ____________________________________________________________________________

    http://localelections.generationzero.org.nz/…/penny-bright

    errrr….. I DID answer the Generation Zero questions, but I don’t think they liked my opposition to the corporate GREENWASH UN Agenda 21, which they apparently support?

    How many people, and those in Generation Zero, in particular, actually understand that UN Agenda 21 is a massive corporate ‘GREENWASH’?

    http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/…

    Sustainable Development in the 21st century (SD21)
    Review of implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Principles

    Agenda 21 did not address the interconnectedness of the various goals, because it was not “allowed” to examine the economic system itself.

    Nor did it explore the fundamental drivers of sectoral and inter-country outcomes, which include:

    • the role of corporations, and multi-national corporations (MNCs) in particular;
    • the role and impacts of trade and globalisation;
    • the role of international economic governance in helping steer the whole system;
    _________________________________________________________

    I may be many things but a ‘SHEEP’ is not one of them.

    Like the global capitalist economic system is not controlled by multi-national companies?

    DUH?

    Like multi-national companies are not the main ones responsible for polluting and destroying the planet?

    Through this corporate UN Agenda 21 ‘GREENWASH’ they try to spin it that the planet is a mess – that it’s we the peoples’ fault and it’s OUR job to clean up it up?

    Wakey wakey folks!

    Generation Zero supporters may like to ‘SEEK TRUTH FROM FACTS’ and check this out?
    ____________________________________________________________________________

    If Generation Zero support UN Agenda 21 (which is my understanding) – then I am VERY proud of my ‘score’.

    Also – how many Generation Zero supporters are aware that the root cause of corruption is privatisation?

    That in 2010 – the global procurement market was $14 TRILLION – of which $2.5 TRILLION was estimated to be lost to bribery and corruption?

    Don’t you think that $2,500 BILLION might help to feed, clothe, shelter and water a few poor people? (I got these figures from the 2010 Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference, which I attended, as an independent, anti-corruption ‘whistle-blower’ from New Zealand) .

    ‘Her Warship’

    Penny Bright
    ‘Anti-corruption/ anti-privatisation campaigner’
    2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate

    http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz

  24. miravox 24
    26 September 2013 at 11:12 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/9214236/Wankerish_Ryall doesn’t get what disabled means

    It’s the wording that gets me – I shouldn’t have to figure out what they really mean…

    Health Minister Tony Ryall said the Funded Family Care notice published today sets out the eligibility criteria and conditions for how disabled adults were to be allocated their share of $92 million in Government funding to employ family carers, who will be paid $13.75 an hour to look after them.

    “The notice clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of the disabled person, the family member providing care, Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) organisations and the Ministry of Health,” Ryall said.

    He said the Government had worked with representatives of the disability and carers’ community to develop the notice.

    “If disabled people would like a family member to be their paid carer, they should read the notice and accompanying operational policy on the ministry website, and then contact their local NASC to be assessed.’’

    If disabled people would ‘like’ to be cared for by a family member? (Actually, I reckon there are a whole heap of them who would ‘like’ to be able to care for themselves. I know I did when I had a long-term bout of disability).
    All disabled people are fully aware of their responsibilities?
    All disabled people can read a notice and operational policy?
    All disabled people can contact pick up a phone / log on to the internet / get down the road to contact their local NASC?

    So if disabled people can’t do one or more of these things they cannot be assessed. Why does Mr Ryall think they’re being cared for? Lifestyle choice?

    Carers, who can help disabled people do some of these things, and do other of these things for them, are once again invisible to NAct in this press release.

    Crass.

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  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    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 Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    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 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    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

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