Really disappointed with the ferociousness of attacks on the Green Party from comments on this site, The Daily Blog and others over Red Peak. It’s as if the level of work the Green Party has put in over the past seven years in fighting this govt counts for nothing. For example a good number of Greens spent many hours collecting signatures for the Keep Our Assets petition. It’s time for a lot of people to take a chill pill on this subject and at least be a little bit less derogatory. We are all in this together and there where things like protecting workers rights where the Greens stand right beside Labour.
I don’t think people are trying to attack the Green party, more their decision to wade in, boots and all and help Key.
We saw Labour do this on Surveillance, taking a fiasco and antidemocratic law and then, being enabled by Labour to endorse it. In a smaller way Labour and TPP by not saying clearly NO.
The same is happening here with the Greens. By collaborating in a flawed and stupid process to change the flag they are enabling Key and scaring their voters by thinking OH MY GOD they Greens don’t get it! Why can’t they see they are being manipulated?
It is a waste of time and effort as the flag will not be changed anyway. So the Greens are just falling into a trap, wasting time and money, instead of focusing on how to collaborate with other opposition and get rid of this corrupt government once and for all and concentrate on REAL things, TPP, zero hour contracts, climate change, our waterways being degraded, our assets sold off, etc
Thats what we want the Greens to do and Labour NOT get into Nat LIte issues of flag changes and Panda purchases.
They have lost respect from within their own support as well.
A number will get over it, but some will clearly note it, using the backlash as an example if the Party ever considers to again cross the line.
The Greens and Labour should have both stayed far away from Key’s desire to change the flag.
They should have focused on the more important issues we face.
Instead, they both decided to partake, fueling the fire, resulting in them both being burnt.
Polls suggest they will both require to work together. This newly created rift negatively impacts on the public perception the two Parties are aligned.
The ones gaining here is Key and his Party. Thanks to the pair of them, Key’s flag desire has been given far more media hype. While his opposition now distrust and squabble amongst themselves.
This can cause people to lose faith in the opposition and NOT VOTE. That is the number 1 goal of rightwing parties to reduce people’s faith in democracy and therefore refuse to vote.
It is a clear manipulation from National to the Greens and Labour.
You can’t win all the votes, but you can disable your opposition by undermining them to cause their voters NOT TO VOTE. And get in by default.
That is the clear strategy of the Natz strategists.
When you throw in the latest brouhaha about ‘red peak’ turning into a swastika perhaps the Greens band wagon jumping wasn’t so wise after all.
Besides if you try and get the Greens and Labour to all publicly hold hands and sing kum bay ya then all it does is push the issues underground where they fester like a plastered wound.
James Shaw said the additional cost of adding the Red Peak flag was not a significant concern and I agree with him. Being the facilitator for the inclusion of an option that was outside of the jacked-up “panel” process is admirable, in my view and the Greens will benefit from showing that they can spot opportunities like that and act on them. Increasing the choices available to the public is a positive action by the Greens. Their brand has been advanced through their proactive, democracy-enhancing action to add another option. The Greens, in my opinion, do not act to disadvantage their partners on any level, despite being the recipients of such treatment on a regular basis. They did not and will not try to slip into the blue tent. They have their own and pitch it where their members and reliable ideological foundation require them to.
The angst expressed here over their tidy action over Red Peak reflects insecurity that’s not shared by those who have an establ;shed confidence in the Green Party and her trajectory, in my view.
Despite being unhappy with the GP actions I do feel the need to point out that there is considerable difference between micromanaging messages and one’s actions via obsessive internal polling, and responding to a movement arising out of the people that conventional polling shows is popular.
the brand has indeed been advanced – toward the great bland middle – nice one greens. Green + blue + red = black, a hole with sides steep but but at least the greens will get some votes out of it and their advocates, like Hawking radiation, still emit.
Sorry Robert I know you do good stuff but my keyboard needed to talk 🙂
Reading Klein’s book shows there is a need for radical and immediate action if we are to prevent catastrophic climate change.
The New Zealand Green Party seems to favour just another form of consumerism and capitalism.
Not good enough.
Shaw is ruining the Green Party.
“Increasing the choices available to the public is a positive action by the Greens.”
I don’t think it is (for reasons I’ve posted on other threads about the flag change process).
The Green Party are undoubtedly a political force for social justice and environmental awareness and action. But that doesn’t mean they should not be criticised for making a bad policy implementation process worse.
Greater choices available in the referendum was not, and is not, the policy problem that needed solving. There is nothing positive in process terms about having more options available. If anything it just compounds the problems with the process.
And this criticism applies equally to any Labour MP who advocated for the inclusion of Red Peak in the options.
I think those who favour ‘Red Peak’ seem to be confusing having something available as an option (the ends) with a proper process (the means). For me – especially when it comes to constitutional symbols of nationhood – the integrity of the means has to take precedence over preferences for particular outcomes (ends).
After all, I imagine a lot of people wanted something with a fern on it so why would anyone criticise the original four options if the popularity of particular options in the referendum was all that mattered? Yet the Green Party appears to have adopted the position that there was something wrong with the process leading to those four options – despite the fact that at least three of the options would likely have had more than 50,000 people voting for them (if the UMR polls that swordfish references on another thread are any guide).
This process should have been one that was at least nominally acceptable to as great a proportion of the population as possible. You don’t get that with a highly distorted and unfair process.
Sticking Red Peak into the process worsens that unfairness and distortion, it does not reduce it.
People will inevitably lobby for their preferred option in this sort of haphazard and entirely unprincipled flag change process but that lobbying should not then be formalised through ad hoc legislation. At a bare minimum, any lobbying for Red Peak should have been done before the options were decided, not after.
I say all of this not to support the original four options or process. Quite the opposite. It has been a continuing debacle to the point that I think it would be cause for national shame if we ended up changing the flag as a result of this ‘process’ (and I have no sentimental, or other, attachment to the current flag).
And frankly I really don’t care how ragingly popular a new flag might be. Even huge popularity of the final choice would in no way vindicate the process – and that is the problem in a nutshell.
That’s because it is the process of why and how we come to decide – and not the design of the piece of cloth we end up with – that most substantively reflects what we are as a nation.
Ad@3:21 – well said.
Hi Puddleglum (lovely character, he. Clive Staples created some very memorable ones, scenes too; Mr Tumnus’ ransacked cave, the lilied sea…)
Behind all of the machinations; the flag, the TPPA, the cancellation of votes for prisoners, oil exploration licenses et al, is a sizeable frustration at being deceived and manipulated. The swift and effective move that put the non-Key option onto the flag-table was hugely encouraging for people who feel desperate for a win of some kind. The grip this government has over the direction and results across the board was weakened by Shaw’s intervention, I believe, and great heart can be taken from that and attributed to the Greens. It’s a small thing, but a big signal. Flag, schmag – it’s the greater game that counts. Parallel moves, out-of-step strategies are needed to break a winning formula. I like Shaw’s move.
Truth and MSM reporting in this country are not the same thing. Remember headline, headline – anything to make our leader John Key look good and drive a wedge through opposition party co operation is the object.
If you want to know why John Key is still looking quite popular that is why – lying and misinformation and smearing and negative reporting of the other parties.
But – the point is, why do the opposition fall for it and make themselves targets by helping Key?
the cold blob is a worry and I don’t mean a politician (that’ll be too easy)
It is, for our home planet, an extremely warm year.
Indeed, last week we learned from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that the first eight months of 2015 were the hottest such stretch yet recorded for the globe’s surface land and oceans, based on temperature records going back to 1880. It’s just the latest evidence that we are, indeed, on course for a record-breaking warm year in 2015.
Yet, if you look closely, there’s one part of the planet that is bucking the trend. In the North Atlantic Ocean south of Greenland and Iceland, the ocean surface has seen very cold temperatures for the past eight months:
What’s up with that?
First of all, it’s no error…
… some scientists suspect that the cooling seen in these maps is no fluke but, rather, part of a process that has been long feared by climate researchers — the slowing of Atlantic Ocean circulation.
I like the phrase “dream age” in this context (‘we must be dreaming if we think we can carry on like this’) but was this just a ‘lucky’ auto correct or deliberate?
Today her opinion is going on about her own ageing process (sorry no link yet) which is supremely ironic given her rep for gouging at old white men.
Maybe she is worried her opinions will become less worthy as she ages (guess what Beck Eleven – wisdom comes with age. You should be aware of that by now).
What was one of the main reasons we dropped out of the Australian Commonwealth at the last minute over a century ago?
Racial intolerance? Or concerns over potential Maori treatment?
That cartoon is basically saying everyone from the 1900’s to 1950’s was a racist prick, is that actually true? Some is, and what about now, all gone? A bit bloody simplistic.
Chis Rocks thoughts on the state of race relations from New Yorker Interview…
“When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it’s all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people were crazy. Now they’re not as crazy. To say that black people have made progress would be to say they deserve what happened to them before…
So, to say Obama is progress is saying that he’s the first black person that is qualified to be president. That’s not black progress. That’s white progress. There’s been black people qualified to be president for hundreds of years. If you saw Tina Turner and Ike having a lovely breakfast over there, would you say their relationship’s improved? Some people would. But a smart person would go, “Oh, he stopped punching her in the face.” It’s not up to her. Ike and Tina Turner’s relationship has nothing to do with Tina Turner. Nothing. It just doesn’t. The question is, you know, my kids are smart, educated, beautiful, polite children. There have been smart, educated, beautiful, polite black children for hundreds of years. The advantage that my children have is that my children are encountering the nicest white people that America has ever produced. Let’s hope America keeps producing nicer white people”
The most expensive mortgage term currently is …. Floating around 6%, which is 0.5% more expensive than fixing for 5 years !!!! With expectations that the OCR is to drop further from its current 2.75% and this will have been included in any yield curves of the banks and partially priced into any mid to long term fixed rate.
Why is the bank pricing out floating mortgages ? http://www.mortgagerates.co.nz/
A hypothetical reason would be.
The bank expects that the OCR will be cut, and that fixed interest rates will drop in the next year or so.
If that is their belief they would want as many people as possible to convert to long term fixed rates now. Then you are going to be locked into higher rates than might be normal next year.
The way to encourage you to lock in? Make the floating rate much higher.
That is purely a hypothetical answer of course. I’m not involved with the mortgage providing part of any bank and I’m not in the market for one so I don’t actually know what they might be planning.
In an ex work place of mine there was a strong union, pro-women and pro-Maori. Wages and conditions were good but a rival union who didn’t like the pro-women, pro-maori parts started up .
The CEO was delighted and nurtured the new union, eventually giving better conditions to its members.New employees sadly but naturally chose to belong to the union with better conditions. and it grew bigger.
Now the CEO now presides over a weakened split work force, conditions are deteriorating for all workers and the CEO is laughing all the way on overseas trips.
Sounds a bit like the simple but effective divide and rule strategy of our current CEO-PM. He’s so good at it. Our opposition frogs don’t seem to realise they’re being boiled.
In an ex work place of mine there was a strong union, pro-women and pro-Maori. Wages and conditions were good but a rival union who didn’t like the pro-women, pro-maori parts started up .
The CEO was delighted and nurtured the new union, eventually giving better conditions to its members.New employees sadly but naturally chose to belong to the union with better conditions. and it grew bigger.
Now the CEO now presides over a weakened split work force, conditions are deteriorating for all workers and the CEO is laughing all the way on overseas trips.
Sounds a bit like the simple but effective divide and rule strategy of our current CEO-PM. He’s so good at it. Our opposition frogs don’t seem to realise they’re being boiled.
PS ..Just remembered ..At one stage the CEO introduced a new ‘improved’ company logo and encouraged employee debate..but no pandas.
Key and National were going to sign no matter what. Their job isn’t to do what’s right for NZ but what the corporations, especially US corporations, want them to do which is to sell out NZ for their profit.
Anne Tolley admitted this morning: “It’s pretty hard to survive on a benefit.”
But, as usual, Lisa Owen failed to follow up. The Nation, TV3, Saturday 26 September 2015
patsy /ˈpatsi/ n. a person who is easily taken advantage of, swindled, deceived, coerced, persuaded, etc.; sucker.
This morning Lisa Owen interviewed—or, more accurately, provided a pretty much unobstructed free platform for—the Social Development minister Anne Tolley. Owen asked her whether it was desirable that most of the CYFS-approved foster families were themselves on a benefit. Mustering all the gravitas she could, Mrs Tolley intoned: “It’s pretty hard to survive on a benefit.”
Sadly, Lisa Owen lacked the nous to press her on that remarkable admission.
A little later, she asked Mrs Tolley about reports of the Key regime’s plans to “outsource” child welfare services to companies like Serco. Mrs Tolley, who seems to have not been listening to the prime minister or his henchmen lately, was adamant that nothing of the sort was being discussed….
HON. ANNE TOLLEY:[speaking in as low a tone as possible, in order to convey honesty and seriousness] Let’s put it to rest. This is a state responsibility. There’s been no talk in government about outsourcing. … I’m firmly on the side of the children.
Again, Lisa Owen, who obviously does little or no research for these interviews, failed to confront her with any recent statements by Key or Steven Joyce or Bill English that directly contradict those words.
It seems to have passed without more than a murmur, dumped on a day when distractions abound, but the Nacts released the so called results of the study done?.
From the little I could gather they seem to have taken the 1991-1992 birth cohort and worked out who got NCEA, who ended up on unemployment etc etc. How they did it was all very, very vague but I gained the impression that they had mined every government data base and matched up the data they had on individuals presumably by name & date of birth. If you didn’t immigation & emmigration would flaw the results.
That or even anything like that would be an horrific gross invasion of privacy for that cohort. Why are there not more questions about it? Not only that but I suspect they picked the youngest cohort they could where most now have an IRD no but are not fully integrated into adult life – so I can speculate that the iRD are involved. I’d like to hear more about this
Fine by me as long as the data is scrubbed before humans get it – to complete this accurately, it only needs a specified range of dates of birth (i.e. all people born in NZ between dates X and Y), not actual dates.
We’ve been doing a Census for however long, and this is a better tool.
So essentially spying on a cohort of New Zealanders is okay so long as you only get results with names removed? and the range of birth dates only? People move in and out of the country and you may have only one risk factor attached to each person in the survey so you are going to be looking deeper at the data than that.
Anyway if this is such a great idea why don’t we model which taxpayers are the most likely to avoid or evade tax over certain dollar amounts and slap some IRD staffers down in their office to monitor them .. now there would be a profitable exercise
Tolley is turning into a surprisingly compassionate voice in her Cabinet.
Her interviews are solid, her handling of MSD is good compared to her woeful performance in Education in the previous term.
Quite astonishing that it’s Roche that’s getting any traction against her, rather than the Labour spokesperson.
After a month of really good hits against the government in agriculture, corrections, and trade, Ministers below 4 in Cabinet are regathering and re-stabilising. Not good.
” Let’s put it to rest. This is a state responsibility. There’s been no talk in government about outsourcing. … I’m firmly on the side of the children.”
Didn’t someone say something about not believing anything until it has been officially denied?
Didn’t someone say something about not believing anything until it has been officially denied?
That was Count Otto von Bismarck originally, although it’s usually credited to the late great Claud Cockburn.
I fear that Mrs Tolley’s words will eventually be classified along with the following quote by her erstwhile colleague John Banks: “I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. And never, ever would I ever knowingly sign a false electoral return. Never ever would I ever.”
Did John Key get up to the same “swinanigans” as David Cameron?
I urge anyone interested in the subject of human-porcine relations to click on the following link and look at the comment by a YouTuber who rejoices in the moniker “Flesh”. It was written one year ago, long before last week’s explosive revelations about the British prime minister David “Snooty” Cameron….
A ‘Grumpy’ John Key On Q & A To Answer To Allegations That He Lied About Knowing Of Kim Dotcom
Rituals are used by the privileged to ensure their puppets are controlled.
The puppets know that if they fail to follow their instructions these secrets will be revealed.
What has Cameron failed to do?
What are Key’s directives?
I don’t think Cameron is being blackmailed over those revelations. It’s something that was beyond his control. Balling* a dead pig is probably one of the more benign activities of the Bullingdon set.
What’s interesting here is the way these revelations have been handled. On Paul Henry’s godawful television show, a ticker kept referring to “bizarre allegations”. The fools on radio and in print in this country obediently parrot the label “Pig-gate”, which serves to trivialize the issue.
Just imagine how the commentariat in the U.K. and this country would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had been revealed to have “balled” a dead pig.
* Yes, it’s an appalling Americanism, but I like it!
For me it’s a timely read following the revelation that weirdo researchers shot pigs for medico legal research as a consequence of our soft touch ethics regime. That had made me reflect that in spite of the obvious obscenity of the unscientific experiment, the pigs will suffer less than most of their contemporaries.
Another Guardian writer, George Monbiot, has aptly identified our cognitive dissonance on factory farming: ”Even as we search for meaning and purpose, we want to be told that our actions are inconsequential. We seek reassurance that we are significant, but that what we do is not”. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/19/chicken-welfare-human-health-meat
This was not microcredit’s intended poverty reduction so much as the intensification of poverty, suffering and deprivation among the very poorest communities forced into informal sector work. Even worse, social tensions were greatly exacerbated thanks to hyper-competition and the aggressive taking of clients away from existing businesses, while ethnically-motivated business turf wars inevitably began to rear their ugly head too.
Competition comes to…
…destroy yet another society.
When are we going to wake up to the fact that competition is bad for our society?
Competition is required at some level, if not just to inspire people.
Microcredit in its original form was commendable, but from the article – is “commercialisation” the problem?
“A further intractable problem with microcredit in South Africa is related to the extensive commercialisation that was introduced into the global microcredit industry in order to make it financially self-sustaining.”
Mmmmm… anyone smell a bankster? And what the fuck does ‘financially self-sustaining’ mean? Totally separate from economically or morally self-sustaining for the end user.
DTB- ++ competition inspires in rugby, tennis, golf-even choosing an idiotic flag but never, never, where human needs , food, clothing shelter, safety or kid’s lives are involved- unless of course you are a jungle animal without a developed cerebral cortex…(read..tory ).
“but never, never, where human needs , food, clothing shelter, safety or kid’s lives are involved- unless of course you are a jungle animal without a developed cerebral cortex…(read..tory )”
Great article!
one in the eye for TearFund, World Vision and other worthies who thought this policy was the breakthrough killer financial app for liberating women.
I honestly cannot believe that nobody reading or commenting on TS missed this great opportunity to call the Assistant Minister for Social Development a blatant LIAR and guilty of misleading the House of Representatives:
She asked about details about the Sole Parent Employment Service and also Mental Health Employment Service, run on a trial basis for over a year now, and where NO real data has been made available about their supposed “success”. She asked for a response to conflicting, worrying details she appears to have received by way of an OIA request.
As for the answer by Jo Goodhew, Associate Minister, she was LYING and misleading the House!
She claims there is no obligation for mental health suffering or sole parents to take part in the employment referral programs that MSD now use through outsourced, contracted service providers. The truth is that officially there is no obligation for mental health sufferers on health related benefits to join the MHES, being the Mental Health Employment Service, but there is an obligation for sole parents to participate, as the following shows: http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/documents/forms/sole-parent-support-obligations-and-privacy-form.pdf
There is most clearly an OBLIGATION to take part in such measures, that assist a person that receives the Sole Parent Benefit to get employment. See 2. for part time work obligations!
“take part in any other activities that Work and Income refer me to, such as attend any job training courses, seminars, work experience or work assessments (including rehabilitation, but not medical treatment) that will improve my work readiness or help me get work”
So in denying there is an obligation, that it is supposed to be all voluntary is untrue, and hence Jo Goodhew mislead Parliament, which is a serious matter.
More on this whole BS that continues to go on about welfare and the refusal by MSD to reveal info, even via OIA requests, read this:
Sadly we get endless misinformation, and not even Carmel Sepuloni bothered challenging the Associate Minister for the BS she told Parliament and the public. As for the mental health sufferers, they may be told to have a choice to take part, but there is still and implicit expectation put to them by case managers.
You will sadly find many links to certain info on relevant websites in those posts disabled now, as MSD and other key vested interest parties seem to be doing all to keep the public misinformed about what really goes on.
I wish some here would bother following all this up, but beneficiaries do not deserve any much attention these days. On the Nation on TV 3 today, even Ann Tolley admitted in an interview that it was very hard to live off a benefit, when commenting on CYFS care children put into homes of mostly beneficiary foster parents.
The so-called “opposition” in NZ cannot be much of a “force” to reckon with, when they totally miss such opportunities. They do NOT deserve to be a government in waiting if they do not even do their damned homework, I am afraid.
They are now cutting per head benefits payments for refugees, if any here may be interested. But most Kiwis are totally disconnected with what goes on outside this country, I fear.
No wonder we’re disconnected with what goes on outside this country. I don’t know how many people still watch the telly news but it’s incredible how little overseas news we do get, and how brief the few overseas items are.
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Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
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Really disappointed with the ferociousness of attacks on the Green Party from comments on this site, The Daily Blog and others over Red Peak. It’s as if the level of work the Green Party has put in over the past seven years in fighting this govt counts for nothing. For example a good number of Greens spent many hours collecting signatures for the Keep Our Assets petition. It’s time for a lot of people to take a chill pill on this subject and at least be a little bit less derogatory. We are all in this together and there where things like protecting workers rights where the Greens stand right beside Labour.
Turning a straw-poll into legislation is at least as stupid as bringing dead fish to Parliament. The derision comes with the territory.
I don’t think people are trying to attack the Green party, more their decision to wade in, boots and all and help Key.
We saw Labour do this on Surveillance, taking a fiasco and antidemocratic law and then, being enabled by Labour to endorse it. In a smaller way Labour and TPP by not saying clearly NO.
The same is happening here with the Greens. By collaborating in a flawed and stupid process to change the flag they are enabling Key and scaring their voters by thinking OH MY GOD they Greens don’t get it! Why can’t they see they are being manipulated?
It is a waste of time and effort as the flag will not be changed anyway. So the Greens are just falling into a trap, wasting time and money, instead of focusing on how to collaborate with other opposition and get rid of this corrupt government once and for all and concentrate on REAL things, TPP, zero hour contracts, climate change, our waterways being degraded, our assets sold off, etc
Thats what we want the Greens to do and Labour NOT get into Nat LIte issues of flag changes and Panda purchases.
For every action there is a reaction, Esoteric Pineapples.
All the Greens represent, relationships fostered and good work done undermined by one action (in the eyes of some).
An unintended consequence or one that should have been foreseen?
What is done is done. Can it be put right? Lessons to be learned?
United we stand, divided we fall.
They lost a lot of my respect over this.
They have lost respect from within their own support as well.
A number will get over it, but some will clearly note it, using the backlash as an example if the Party ever considers to again cross the line.
The Greens and Labour should have both stayed far away from Key’s desire to change the flag.
They should have focused on the more important issues we face.
Instead, they both decided to partake, fueling the fire, resulting in them both being burnt.
Polls suggest they will both require to work together. This newly created rift negatively impacts on the public perception the two Parties are aligned.
The ones gaining here is Key and his Party. Thanks to the pair of them, Key’s flag desire has been given far more media hype. While his opposition now distrust and squabble amongst themselves.
+100
The Greens and Labour should talk about poverty, inequality and climate change.
+1 Chairman
This can cause people to lose faith in the opposition and NOT VOTE. That is the number 1 goal of rightwing parties to reduce people’s faith in democracy and therefore refuse to vote.
It is a clear manipulation from National to the Greens and Labour.
You can’t win all the votes, but you can disable your opposition by undermining them to cause their voters NOT TO VOTE. And get in by default.
That is the clear strategy of the Natz strategists.
+1
It hasn’t changed that much: they’re still the worst possible party apart from all the other ones.
It doesn’t help when the petition itself has been shown to be flawed with multiple entries from fictitious people.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11518994
When you throw in the latest brouhaha about ‘red peak’ turning into a swastika perhaps the Greens band wagon jumping wasn’t so wise after all.
Besides if you try and get the Greens and Labour to all publicly hold hands and sing kum bay ya then all it does is push the issues underground where they fester like a plastered wound.
Strangely i respected them more out of it.
They played a short term game well.
Shaw’s political balls just dropped.
When he gets up to bat again, trust me Labour will be paying attention.
Yes they did all that Esoteric, and got my attention, and then they went and lost the plot on bunch of corporate logos, sorry flags.
Sorry but it’s the principle, they went and chose backroom deal undemocratic bollocks.
Back to being loopo crystalogists.
James Shaw said the additional cost of adding the Red Peak flag was not a significant concern and I agree with him. Being the facilitator for the inclusion of an option that was outside of the jacked-up “panel” process is admirable, in my view and the Greens will benefit from showing that they can spot opportunities like that and act on them. Increasing the choices available to the public is a positive action by the Greens. Their brand has been advanced through their proactive, democracy-enhancing action to add another option. The Greens, in my opinion, do not act to disadvantage their partners on any level, despite being the recipients of such treatment on a regular basis. They did not and will not try to slip into the blue tent. They have their own and pitch it where their members and reliable ideological foundation require them to.
The angst expressed here over their tidy action over Red Peak reflects insecurity that’s not shared by those who have an establ;shed confidence in the Green Party and her trajectory, in my view.
“Spotting opportunities” – I am uneasy 🙁
How is democracy “enhanced” by adding last-minute clauses to flawed legislation, on the basis of a social media campaign?
Key is rightly criticised for being poll-driven. Sauce for the Tory goose goes equally well with the Green gander.
Despite being unhappy with the GP actions I do feel the need to point out that there is considerable difference between micromanaging messages and one’s actions via obsessive internal polling, and responding to a movement arising out of the people that conventional polling shows is popular.
James Shaw should read Naomi Klein’s ‘This Changes Everything.’
Capitalism is the problem.
Were not going to be able to reform capitalism, but Country Calendar from August 22 does show a viable alternative. Show is ondemand.
the brand has indeed been advanced – toward the great bland middle – nice one greens. Green + blue + red = black, a hole with sides steep but but at least the greens will get some votes out of it and their advocates, like Hawking radiation, still emit.
Sorry Robert I know you do good stuff but my keyboard needed to talk 🙂
Reading Klein’s book shows there is a need for radical and immediate action if we are to prevent catastrophic climate change.
The New Zealand Green Party seems to favour just another form of consumerism and capitalism.
Not good enough.
Shaw is ruining the Green Party.
“The New Zealand Green Party seems to favour just another form of consumerism and capitalism.”
Perhaps you should read actual GP policy and what Shaw really says. To me it looks like you are getting your information about the GP from the MSM.
“Shaw is ruining the Green Party.”
The party chose Shaw, not the other way round. Stop and consider why that might be.
Call me Consumerist Capitalist Splitter, but I’d vote for him, and donate.
Hell he can have my baby.
Hi Robert Guyton,
“Increasing the choices available to the public is a positive action by the Greens.”
I don’t think it is (for reasons I’ve posted on other threads about the flag change process).
The Green Party are undoubtedly a political force for social justice and environmental awareness and action. But that doesn’t mean they should not be criticised for making a bad policy implementation process worse.
Greater choices available in the referendum was not, and is not, the policy problem that needed solving. There is nothing positive in process terms about having more options available. If anything it just compounds the problems with the process.
And this criticism applies equally to any Labour MP who advocated for the inclusion of Red Peak in the options.
I think those who favour ‘Red Peak’ seem to be confusing having something available as an option (the ends) with a proper process (the means). For me – especially when it comes to constitutional symbols of nationhood – the integrity of the means has to take precedence over preferences for particular outcomes (ends).
After all, I imagine a lot of people wanted something with a fern on it so why would anyone criticise the original four options if the popularity of particular options in the referendum was all that mattered? Yet the Green Party appears to have adopted the position that there was something wrong with the process leading to those four options – despite the fact that at least three of the options would likely have had more than 50,000 people voting for them (if the UMR polls that swordfish references on another thread are any guide).
This process should have been one that was at least nominally acceptable to as great a proportion of the population as possible. You don’t get that with a highly distorted and unfair process.
Sticking Red Peak into the process worsens that unfairness and distortion, it does not reduce it.
People will inevitably lobby for their preferred option in this sort of haphazard and entirely unprincipled flag change process but that lobbying should not then be formalised through ad hoc legislation. At a bare minimum, any lobbying for Red Peak should have been done before the options were decided, not after.
I say all of this not to support the original four options or process. Quite the opposite. It has been a continuing debacle to the point that I think it would be cause for national shame if we ended up changing the flag as a result of this ‘process’ (and I have no sentimental, or other, attachment to the current flag).
And frankly I really don’t care how ragingly popular a new flag might be. Even huge popularity of the final choice would in no way vindicate the process – and that is the problem in a nutshell.
That’s because it is the process of why and how we come to decide – and not the design of the piece of cloth we end up with – that most substantively reflects what we are as a nation.
Ad@3:21 – well said.
Hi Puddleglum (lovely character, he. Clive Staples created some very memorable ones, scenes too; Mr Tumnus’ ransacked cave, the lilied sea…)
Behind all of the machinations; the flag, the TPPA, the cancellation of votes for prisoners, oil exploration licenses et al, is a sizeable frustration at being deceived and manipulated. The swift and effective move that put the non-Key option onto the flag-table was hugely encouraging for people who feel desperate for a win of some kind. The grip this government has over the direction and results across the board was weakened by Shaw’s intervention, I believe, and great heart can be taken from that and attributed to the Greens. It’s a small thing, but a big signal. Flag, schmag – it’s the greater game that counts. Parallel moves, out-of-step strategies are needed to break a winning formula. I like Shaw’s move.
Parliament wasting more time on this disraction is one cost.
At the moment, we are being encouraged to talk about the flag and the All Blacks.
And yet we could we weeks from being tied up by the TPPA.
It is scary to see how people can be so easily hoodwinked.
+1
“Parliament wasting more time on this disraction is one cost.
At the moment, we are being encouraged to talk about the flag and the All Blacks.
And yet we could we weeks from being tied up by the TPPA.
It is scary to see how people can be so easily hoodwinked.”
+1000%
Red Peak was a brilliant strategy to keep people talking about flags.
Can any one explain HOW adding one line and changing a couple of words on the flag referendum can cost $400,000
Especially as no printing has been done yet?
Taxpayers are being ripped off?
Truth and MSM reporting in this country are not the same thing. Remember headline, headline – anything to make our leader John Key look good and drive a wedge through opposition party co operation is the object.
If you want to know why John Key is still looking quite popular that is why – lying and misinformation and smearing and negative reporting of the other parties.
But – the point is, why do the opposition fall for it and make themselves targets by helping Key?
Apparently, according to dompost, there has be an amount of supporting material printed already.
the cold blob is a worry and I don’t mean a politician (that’ll be too easy)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/09/24/why-some-scientists-are-worried-about-a-cold-blob-in-the-north-atlantic-ocean/
another canary has dropped dead
And New Zealand fiddles while Rome burns.
To be honest, we shouldn’t even go to Paris in December – we’ll cause more dream age than help.
Shameful.
I like the phrase “dream age” in this context (‘we must be dreaming if we think we can carry on like this’) but was this just a ‘lucky’ auto correct or deliberate?
scary.
Some may recall a few days ago a long thread about opinionist Beck Eleven and her rabid anti-old white men views. See http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-22092015/#comment-1073082 and in particular http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/columnists/beck-eleven/8227168/Time-to-ban-the-rants-of-men-aged-over-50
Today her opinion is going on about her own ageing process (sorry no link yet) which is supremely ironic given her rep for gouging at old white men.
Maybe she is worried her opinions will become less worthy as she ages (guess what Beck Eleven – wisdom comes with age. You should be aware of that by now).
Frikkin’ idiot young white woman
plus ca change
Wisdom does NOT always come with age – a stupid young person usually grows into a stupid old person.
fuck move on man there is a FLAG fucken debate and we might be getting some fucken PANDAS why can’t you let go and contribute to REAL issues
ha ha, quite so ..
turning into a nice day – might head out for a fish instead of bashing my head against a keyboard …
enjoy
MM-Heh! good one
Unfortunately, many old people disprove that adage.
The Pencilsword: Goodbye Old Zealand…
http://thewireless.co.nz/articles/the-pencilsword-goodbye-old-zealand
that is as loaded with intolerance as that about which they complain – just like beck eleven
fuck the old white men
fuck tolerance and compassion and understanding
fuck you
Yup, those fucken old white pricks.
What was one of the main reasons we dropped out of the Australian Commonwealth at the last minute over a century ago?
Racial intolerance? Or concerns over potential Maori treatment?
That cartoon is basically saying everyone from the 1900’s to 1950’s was a racist prick, is that actually true? Some is, and what about now, all gone? A bit bloody simplistic.
Chis Rocks thoughts on the state of race relations from New Yorker Interview…
“When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it’s all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people were crazy. Now they’re not as crazy. To say that black people have made progress would be to say they deserve what happened to them before…
So, to say Obama is progress is saying that he’s the first black person that is qualified to be president. That’s not black progress. That’s white progress. There’s been black people qualified to be president for hundreds of years. If you saw Tina Turner and Ike having a lovely breakfast over there, would you say their relationship’s improved? Some people would. But a smart person would go, “Oh, he stopped punching her in the face.” It’s not up to her. Ike and Tina Turner’s relationship has nothing to do with Tina Turner. Nothing. It just doesn’t. The question is, you know, my kids are smart, educated, beautiful, polite children. There have been smart, educated, beautiful, polite black children for hundreds of years. The advantage that my children have is that my children are encountering the nicest white people that America has ever produced. Let’s hope America keeps producing nicer white people”
Brilliant! Thanks for that, katipo.
What??
The most expensive mortgage term currently is …. Floating around 6%, which is 0.5% more expensive than fixing for 5 years !!!! With expectations that the OCR is to drop further from its current 2.75% and this will have been included in any yield curves of the banks and partially priced into any mid to long term fixed rate.
Why is the bank pricing out floating mortgages ?
http://www.mortgagerates.co.nz/
A hypothetical reason would be.
The bank expects that the OCR will be cut, and that fixed interest rates will drop in the next year or so.
If that is their belief they would want as many people as possible to convert to long term fixed rates now. Then you are going to be locked into higher rates than might be normal next year.
The way to encourage you to lock in? Make the floating rate much higher.
That is purely a hypothetical answer of course. I’m not involved with the mortgage providing part of any bank and I’m not in the market for one so I don’t actually know what they might be planning.
In an ex work place of mine there was a strong union, pro-women and pro-Maori. Wages and conditions were good but a rival union who didn’t like the pro-women, pro-maori parts started up .
The CEO was delighted and nurtured the new union, eventually giving better conditions to its members.New employees sadly but naturally chose to belong to the union with better conditions. and it grew bigger.
Now the CEO now presides over a weakened split work force, conditions are deteriorating for all workers and the CEO is laughing all the way on overseas trips.
Sounds a bit like the simple but effective divide and rule strategy of our current CEO-PM. He’s so good at it. Our opposition frogs don’t seem to realise they’re being boiled.
In an ex work place of mine there was a strong union, pro-women and pro-Maori. Wages and conditions were good but a rival union who didn’t like the pro-women, pro-maori parts started up .
The CEO was delighted and nurtured the new union, eventually giving better conditions to its members.New employees sadly but naturally chose to belong to the union with better conditions. and it grew bigger.
Now the CEO now presides over a weakened split work force, conditions are deteriorating for all workers and the CEO is laughing all the way on overseas trips.
Sounds a bit like the simple but effective divide and rule strategy of our current CEO-PM. He’s so good at it. Our opposition frogs don’t seem to realise they’re being boiled.
PS ..Just remembered ..At one stage the CEO introduced a new ‘improved’ company logo and encouraged employee debate..but no pandas.
whoops! meant just the PS as an edit.
Dont piss about Rodel.
Name and shame.
you do your posts. I’ll do mine/
‘Terrorist’ stone throwers.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11519350
‘Radical’ murderers.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11490628
Just lovely NatziYahoo !
Interesting euphemism by the Herald.
For ‘clamps down’ read ‘shoots.’
The Government’s previous stance was that New Zealand would not sign the TPPA if the dairy deal was not a good one.
Now it’s: the end deal would “hopefully land in the right place,” but would be “the very best we can do,” Key said
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/72421487/trade-minister-admits-tppa-inadequate-on-dairy
Unless the best we can do equates to a good deal, it sounds like a softening of position.
Key and National were going to sign no matter what. Their job isn’t to do what’s right for NZ but what the corporations, especially US corporations, want them to do which is to sell out NZ for their profit.
Serco, Warner Bros, Rio Tinto, Anardarko, Sky City, Solid Energy, Fletchers, the company that owned the Rena, and many more.
Theres countless others under the radar too like property developers that have profited from National as well.
No doubt. However, they have to carefully balance throwing the farming voting block under a bus while also catering to the multinationals.
Losing support of the farming block could cost the Party the next election.
When the Last Tree Is Cut Down, the Last Fish Eaten, and the Last Stream Poisoned, You Will Realize That You Cannot Eat Money
Seen that quote around for awhile now but the history given at the link fills it out quite a bit more.
Anne Tolley admitted this morning: “It’s pretty hard to survive on a benefit.”
But, as usual, Lisa Owen failed to follow up.
The Nation, TV3, Saturday 26 September 2015
patsy /ˈpatsi/ n. a person who is easily taken advantage of, swindled, deceived, coerced, persuaded, etc.; sucker.
This morning Lisa Owen interviewed—or, more accurately, provided a pretty much unobstructed free platform for—the Social Development minister Anne Tolley. Owen asked her whether it was desirable that most of the CYFS-approved foster families were themselves on a benefit. Mustering all the gravitas she could, Mrs Tolley intoned: “It’s pretty hard to survive on a benefit.”
Sadly, Lisa Owen lacked the nous to press her on that remarkable admission.
A little later, she asked Mrs Tolley about reports of the Key regime’s plans to “outsource” child welfare services to companies like Serco. Mrs Tolley, who seems to have not been listening to the prime minister or his henchmen lately, was adamant that nothing of the sort was being discussed….
HON. ANNE TOLLEY: [speaking in as low a tone as possible, in order to convey honesty and seriousness] Let’s put it to rest. This is a state responsibility. There’s been no talk in government about outsourcing. … I’m firmly on the side of the children.
Again, Lisa Owen, who obviously does little or no research for these interviews, failed to confront her with any recent statements by Key or Steven Joyce or Bill English that directly contradict those words.
Bill English is pushing ahead with big data and predictive analytics, said to play a leading role in the imminent changes to the delivery of care.
It seems to have passed without more than a murmur, dumped on a day when distractions abound, but the Nacts released the so called results of the study done?.
From the little I could gather they seem to have taken the 1991-1992 birth cohort and worked out who got NCEA, who ended up on unemployment etc etc. How they did it was all very, very vague but I gained the impression that they had mined every government data base and matched up the data they had on individuals presumably by name & date of birth. If you didn’t immigation & emmigration would flaw the results.
That or even anything like that would be an horrific gross invasion of privacy for that cohort. Why are there not more questions about it? Not only that but I suspect they picked the youngest cohort they could where most now have an IRD no but are not fully integrated into adult life – so I can speculate that the iRD are involved. I’d like to hear more about this
http://werewolf.co.nz/2015/09/big-data-big-problems/
Fine by me as long as the data is scrubbed before humans get it – to complete this accurately, it only needs a specified range of dates of birth (i.e. all people born in NZ between dates X and Y), not actual dates.
We’ve been doing a Census for however long, and this is a better tool.
So essentially spying on a cohort of New Zealanders is okay so long as you only get results with names removed? and the range of birth dates only? People move in and out of the country and you may have only one risk factor attached to each person in the survey so you are going to be looking deeper at the data than that.
Anyway if this is such a great idea why don’t we model which taxpayers are the most likely to avoid or evade tax over certain dollar amounts and slap some IRD staffers down in their office to monitor them .. now there would be a profitable exercise
Tolley is turning into a surprisingly compassionate voice in her Cabinet.
Her interviews are solid, her handling of MSD is good compared to her woeful performance in Education in the previous term.
Quite astonishing that it’s Roche that’s getting any traction against her, rather than the Labour spokesperson.
After a month of really good hits against the government in agriculture, corrections, and trade, Ministers below 4 in Cabinet are regathering and re-stabilising. Not good.
” Let’s put it to rest. This is a state responsibility. There’s been no talk in government about outsourcing. … I’m firmly on the side of the children.”
Didn’t someone say something about not believing anything until it has been officially denied?
Didn’t someone say something about not believing anything until it has been officially denied?
That was Count Otto von Bismarck originally, although it’s usually credited to the late great Claud Cockburn.
I fear that Mrs Tolley’s words will eventually be classified along with the following quote by her erstwhile colleague John Banks: “I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. And never, ever would I ever knowingly sign a false electoral return. Never ever would I ever.”
Did John Key get up to the same “swinanigans” as David Cameron?
I urge anyone interested in the subject of human-porcine relations to click on the following link and look at the comment by a YouTuber who rejoices in the moniker “Flesh”. It was written one year ago, long before last week’s explosive revelations about the British prime minister David “Snooty” Cameron….
A ‘Grumpy’ John Key On Q & A To Answer To Allegations That He Lied About Knowing Of Kim Dotcom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0apI5nlPJyI&lc=z120gbnhanfgtlfje04cizlpzmamwvmx3l00k
Rituals are used by the privileged to ensure their puppets are controlled.
The puppets know that if they fail to follow their instructions these secrets will be revealed.
What has Cameron failed to do?
What are Key’s directives?
I don’t think Cameron is being blackmailed over those revelations. It’s something that was beyond his control. Balling* a dead pig is probably one of the more benign activities of the Bullingdon set.
What’s interesting here is the way these revelations have been handled. On Paul Henry’s godawful television show, a ticker kept referring to “bizarre allegations”. The fools on radio and in print in this country obediently parrot the label “Pig-gate”, which serves to trivialize the issue.
Just imagine how the commentariat in the U.K. and this country would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had been revealed to have “balled” a dead pig.
* Yes, it’s an appalling Americanism, but I like it!
Why factory farming is one of history’s worst crimes:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/25/industrial-farming-one-worst-crimes-history-ethical-question
For me it’s a timely read following the revelation that weirdo researchers shot pigs for medico legal research as a consequence of our soft touch ethics regime. That had made me reflect that in spite of the obvious obscenity of the unscientific experiment, the pigs will suffer less than most of their contemporaries.
Another Guardian writer, George Monbiot, has aptly identified our cognitive dissonance on factory farming: ”Even as we search for meaning and purpose, we want to be told that our actions are inconsequential. We seek reassurance that we are significant, but that what we do is not”.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/19/chicken-welfare-human-health-meat
Microcredit has been a disaster for the poorest in South Africa
Competition comes to…
…destroy yet another society.
When are we going to wake up to the fact that competition is bad for our society?
Competition is required at some level, if not just to inspire people.
Microcredit in its original form was commendable, but from the article – is “commercialisation” the problem?
“A further intractable problem with microcredit in South Africa is related to the extensive commercialisation that was introduced into the global microcredit industry in order to make it financially self-sustaining.”
Mmmmm… anyone smell a bankster? And what the fuck does ‘financially self-sustaining’ mean? Totally separate from economically or morally self-sustaining for the end user.
Nope, not even a little bit. Cooperation wins there too.
DTB- ++ competition inspires in rugby, tennis, golf-even choosing an idiotic flag but never, never, where human needs , food, clothing shelter, safety or kid’s lives are involved- unless of course you are a jungle animal without a developed cerebral cortex…(read..tory ).
“but never, never, where human needs , food, clothing shelter, safety or kid’s lives are involved- unless of course you are a jungle animal without a developed cerebral cortex…(read..tory )”
+1
Great article!
one in the eye for TearFund, World Vision and other worthies who thought this policy was the breakthrough killer financial app for liberating women.
I honestly cannot believe that nobody reading or commenting on TS missed this great opportunity to call the Assistant Minister for Social Development a blatant LIAR and guilty of misleading the House of Representatives:
Carmel Sepuloni asked this question in the House (17 Sept. 2015):
http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/video/39670
She asked about details about the Sole Parent Employment Service and also Mental Health Employment Service, run on a trial basis for over a year now, and where NO real data has been made available about their supposed “success”. She asked for a response to conflicting, worrying details she appears to have received by way of an OIA request.
As for the answer by Jo Goodhew, Associate Minister, she was LYING and misleading the House!
First see her details here, on the glossy Parliament website:
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/jo-goodhew
She claims there is no obligation for mental health suffering or sole parents to take part in the employment referral programs that MSD now use through outsourced, contracted service providers. The truth is that officially there is no obligation for mental health sufferers on health related benefits to join the MHES, being the Mental Health Employment Service, but there is an obligation for sole parents to participate, as the following shows:
http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/documents/forms/sole-parent-support-obligations-and-privacy-form.pdf
There is most clearly an OBLIGATION to take part in such measures, that assist a person that receives the Sole Parent Benefit to get employment. See 2. for part time work obligations!
“take part in any other activities that Work and Income refer me to, such as attend any job training courses, seminars, work experience or work assessments (including rehabilitation, but not medical treatment) that will improve my work readiness or help me get work”
So in denying there is an obligation, that it is supposed to be all voluntary is untrue, and hence Jo Goodhew mislead Parliament, which is a serious matter.
More on this whole BS that continues to go on about welfare and the refusal by MSD to reveal info, even via OIA requests, read this:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/04/10/mental-health-and-sole-parent-employment-services-msd-withholds-o-i-a-information-that-may-prove-their-trials-a-failure/
We are also told endless porkies about the supposed “evidence” justifying the extreme work ability focus now used:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/msd-and-dr-david-bratt-present-misleading-evidence-claiming-worklessness-causes-poor-health/
Sadly we get endless misinformation, and not even Carmel Sepuloni bothered challenging the Associate Minister for the BS she told Parliament and the public. As for the mental health sufferers, they may be told to have a choice to take part, but there is still and implicit expectation put to them by case managers.
You will sadly find many links to certain info on relevant websites in those posts disabled now, as MSD and other key vested interest parties seem to be doing all to keep the public misinformed about what really goes on.
I wish some here would bother following all this up, but beneficiaries do not deserve any much attention these days. On the Nation on TV 3 today, even Ann Tolley admitted in an interview that it was very hard to live off a benefit, when commenting on CYFS care children put into homes of mostly beneficiary foster parents.
A nation of shame I call NZ now.
The so-called “opposition” in NZ cannot be much of a “force” to reckon with, when they totally miss such opportunities. They do NOT deserve to be a government in waiting if they do not even do their damned homework, I am afraid.
How “welcoming” and “friendly” are Merkel and Germany really towards refugees, remembering past comments?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdCNmr3XEvg
They are now cutting per head benefits payments for refugees, if any here may be interested. But most Kiwis are totally disconnected with what goes on outside this country, I fear.
No wonder we’re disconnected with what goes on outside this country. I don’t know how many people still watch the telly news but it’s incredible how little overseas news we do get, and how brief the few overseas items are.
i cannot believe the new agenda by the “western nations” to address the middle east crisis, they are incompetent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhRznfps2W4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51XDO16Jpzg
This is what goes on, peace will not be found, something stronger will be needed.