$ 22 a week
‘Poverty, illness and living on less than the minimum wage.
The last time there was fresh produce on the table was more than two years ago.
After covering her basic expenses, Lynlie Beazley survives on just $22 per week and sometimes she sleeps on an empty stomach.
The west Auckland resident described herself as the “face of poverty” in the country.’
I read through Marie Brady’s paper on Chinese influence in NZ. Without being xenophobic, I’d be surprised if Winston went with National seeing how deeply they are funded by Chinese government front entities. But also how would he go with Labour, as there are some questionable involvements there too? I’m also surprised that there hasn’t been more journalistic enquiry, or maybe I’m not surprised.
“Denmark’s Housing for All policy is built on the belief that affordable, decent, quality housing for people from all income levels is the foundation of a healthy family and harmonious community.
We want that too. There’s a clamour for change, for breaking out of our traditional approach, to look fresh. Let’s become a nation of home makers who collaborate on devising a made in New Zealand housing accord that respects the dream for everyone here to have a decent place to call home and to participate on an even footing as a valued member of a living, nurturing democracy.”
Would have been nice to have said that two weeks ago Michael, or did granny hold on to it for a while.
But still, it’s the way forward. We’ve got a housing trust in Queenstown which is working, so far. Would be nice if it could have kept it’s charitable status but that’s a call for a new government to sort out to encourage more housing options.
I had a most disturbing conversation just now with a new immigrant (as in arrived since 2008) Fillipino guy I work with who basically is almost literally violently opposed to ANYONE but National being the government. He hates the idea of a coalition (coalitions are “a fucking weak clown show”) and as far as he is concerned Labour is unsetting the apple cart of of his carefully cultivated connections via church to National party people in his electorate. Now, this guy is a voting resident. It reinforced to me that a) only citizens should be able to vote, and b) citizenship shouldn’t just be a matter of timeserving then swearing an oath to the Queen, but should involve some sort of compulsory civics course – especially if you have come here from a third world shit hole run by a lunatic like the Phillipines is.
I am still taken aback at how angry this guy is at the idea Labour might form the next government, he just didn’t seem to grasp the point of democracy.
Not at all surprising – but as you know already, you are opening yourself up to the xenophobic label.
There’s been a couple of interesting MSM articles in the past about the numbers of people coming and being granted PR by country – eg UK US Aus China etc.
What there hasn’t been is the number of applications DECLINED (by country) – i.e. even as a percentage of the number of applications received by country.
That would show what a complete farce the points system is. It’d also be interesting to see it by year (for the past nine years).
A very good signal that National has successfully captured yet another immigrant sector away from Labour. They had no other home, and National selected Filipinos – the one in New Lynn came within 1800 votes of taking a seat that Labour had held since the seat was formed after World War 2.
After 9 years of Natz I think it would be very revealing to know the voting behaviour of all our “hand picked” immigrants. 90% of the ones I know are greedy me-me’s.
The Electoral Commission has NO WAY of knowing whether enrolled voters are even eligible to vote.
There is no data matching with Department of Internal Affairs, nor Immigration NZ.
There is no requirement to declare yourself a citizen or a permanent resident on the enrolment forms.
There are NO checks and balances to ascertain whether people who are enrolled to vote, are even eligible to do so.
There are specific concrete examples I am aware of, where immigrants, on student visa, work visa, and tourist visas, have enrolled to vote and have done so.
They have done this because they are aware that there is no ability for their vote to be discarded. All that is required is their name, and an address. They provide the address of a long term friend / family member and they get away with it.
I think we should restrict voting to just citizens only. Failing that, restricting it to citizens only, and permanent residents who have been here since 1973.
Voting is a privilege. Not a right. The fact we allow every Tom, Wing and Patel to vote without checking their credentials makes a complete mockery and a farce of our democratic rights.
If 500,000 immigrants over the last 9 years have registered to vote, and have done so, imaging the skewing effect that would have on our proportional representation.
There is a lack of understanding in the nuances of our political history by immigrants. The example of the filipino above, who clearly hasn’t lived in NZ under a Labour government, would have NO idea how good they actually are for NZ as a whole.
The whole system as it is right now, is far too open for abuse. NZ is only of only FIVE countries that allow non-citizens to vote. We share this ridiculous situation with:
Is it fair to say to someone in the Far North “Don’t bitch about there being no employment up there, uproot yourself from your whanau, go to Christchurch, you’ll get a job there”. Is it just as fair to say to the person described should Labour form a government, “Don’t bitch, go somewhere else”? Without being called racist or xenophobic?
Re- the Filipino guy. Think I might be able to help you there.
Here’s what I understand has been going on:
Paulo Garcia – the former Filipino Consul General and National’s candidate in New Lynn – spent the past few weeks/months travelling around the country bad mouthing Labour big time. He used his connections to the Filipino Catholic Church groups to facilitate his campaigning. Our candidate on the Shore, Romy Udanga also travelled the country trying to reassure the Filipino communities they had nothing to fear from Labour. I don’t know the outcome, but I gather things turned nasty presumably when Garcia discovered Romy was also talking to the communities.
Born to rule authoritarian types again. Btw, Romy Uganda’s academic qualifications far outstripped the Nat. man so that wouldn’t have helped.
From your post he did not see to be against democracy, only against coalitions. It is a position that people can take, even if it is a bit unrealistic.
Obviously he prefers National. So do 46% of the voters who voted. He might hold those views strongly. But you only have to read this site to see that many people do, at least on the internet.
Maybe we generally expect people to be more circumspect when face to face in person.
Personally I would like to see less invective on the internet. Just because someone has a different view does not make them evil or criminal, and there is no need to make such accusations.
Not actually aimed at you, but I am sure you have read such posts on this and other political sites.
He preferred National because he was brainwashed into believing National good… everybody else bad. He has no knowledge or understanding of the NZ political system and its history. Naturally the Nat government would like to keep it that way.
If we are to have all these immigrants coming into the country then it is incumbent on the government of the day to introduce a civics course they must attend before being granted NZ citizenship. Of course we know that’s the last thing National will agree to because the more ignorant they remain the better for National eh?
We can’t have these immigrants ‘getting learned’ can we. They might get uppity and start voting for the Labour Party. (sarc)
Anne – you don’t need to be a citizen to vote. Hell, you don’t even need to be a resident given the lack of checks and balances in place to determine a voters eligibility.
It is wrong that many thousands of individuals in this country are given the same voting rights as NZ citizens when half of them can’t even speak the language let alone have any idea what they’re voting for. They are screwing and skewering out election outcomes and that is not acceptable.They should have to attend a civics course at the least before being allowed on the electoral roll. Once they understand our political system they become eligible to vote in our elections.
On this matter alone it is essential NZ First go with Labour so that the issue will be dealt with once and for all. National might pay lip service to doing something about it, but they never will because it is not in their interest to do anything.
To be honest, I don’t think many politicians are even aware that this rort is taking place.
Like I said, there is nothing in place for the Electoral Commission to ascertain an enrolled voters eligibility. It’s why there are foreign students enrolling to vote (and are voting) despite not being eligible to do so.
It’s because they know that the Electoral Commission don’t have any way of knowing whether they are enrolling correctly eligible people.
We run an honesty system when it comes to voting rights in this country.
At least for citizenship applications there is a kind of civics course that covers the democracy and the rule of law. However, it is a reasonable point that it should also apply to permanent residency, given that permanent residents can vote after 12 months.
Which on international terms is very generous. Maybe 3 year PR would be better to qualify for the vote.
I agree with you John Anderson @4.6.1.2.1
The 12 month period before becoming eligible to vote goes back many decades to a time when 90% of our immigrants came from English speaking nations with democratically elected governments similar to our own.
However, the scenario has dramatically changed in the past 10 years and it is imperative the law applying to voting rights is accordingly amended. Your suggestion they be required to have gained eligibility for citizenship before they can vote in NZ is the obvious answer.
The point is, Wayne, is that people who are here since 2008, and come from foreign cultures, generally have a mindset that the “governing power” is what let them into the country, and so they “reward” them for doing so.
No thought is given to the actual realities of the effect that governing power has on the long term. In the case of National, it is bereft of long term ideas. Muldoon was the last National MP that was able to think long term. We didn’t get a long term government after him, until 2000 when Labour set up Kiwibank, Kiwisaver and the NZ superannuation fund
I haven’t seen any long term policies enacted by National. All their policies and laws since 2008 have been short termist, insular, and never focused on the long term.
Businesses can get away with 2 – 5 year short term thinking. Governments should be focused on 20 years out, with minor meddling when required on short term policy settings.
As for the 46% – given that the Electoral Commission allows anyone to register, without any checks and balances in place to determine said eligbility, are you surprised we have foreign students registering to vote? Nothing is stopping them as they know the Electoral Commission have no way of knowing the visa status of people who enrol. It’s all done on an honesty basis, and to be honest, honesty seems to be in short supply when it comes to people who are “backing bill”
Most countries reserve voting as a privilege, not a right.
I agree with the franchise. Just not to every man and his bastard dog.
If you want to vote, become a citizen. Prove your allegiance.
Permanent residency is not allegiance. Nor is being able to rort the electoral system knowing that the Electoral Commission have no way of knowing whether people who are registering to vote even have the right to.
They don’t even ask if you’re a permanent resident or a citizen ffs.
I registered a fake person last night. Signed it, sent it through. I have no doubt that new person will end up on the electoral roll.
I think Winston knows this all too well.
I don’t agree with him on simplistic solutions regarding immigration, but the situation – especially during the Gnat’s reign has caused real problems for all to see.
Bollocks to residents having to prove allegience. Get the lazy bum stay at home citizen voters to prove it first by participating in their own democracy.
As a permanent resident for nigh on 20 years I’m no more a kiwi now than I was when I got off the plane, but as a law abiding tax payer ever since, it would be a travesty to remove my voting rights.
The travesty was giving you voting rights without requiring you become a citizen first. As I’m fairly sure whatever other countries you’re a citizen of require. I was permanent resident here for around 15 years and voted in two elections before becoming a citizen and it certainly felt weird to me.
Given the right, that’s correct.
It may be the case for new residents in the future, or the eligibility period increased, but it would I’m sure it’s never going to be taken away from me, so moot.
But let us not get all xenophobic just because of national’s imported blue dragons. That’s a different argument altogether.
Just out of curiosity if it came down to it, would there be a downside to you of becoming an NZ citizen? Such as having to give up your citizenship of another country or worldwide tax or pension implications? There weren’t any in my case since my other nationality is US and I would never have any interest in taking any kind of position where that dual nationality might raise eyebrows.
Labour /greens should stay away from anything more than c and f from nzf , at only a 1 to at best 3 seat majority the risk is too high of one of the loons in nzf bring down the house , and labour will be the one blamed ,
Not so sure about that. Waka jumpers are not well regarded in NZ. If the coalition collapsed because NZF as a party pulled out, maybe. But a couple of MPs jumping to National? I think they’re be scorned, not Labour.
Perhaps you can explain how you are going to bring this scenario about.
Who is going to be able to persuade Winston to provide C & S to a Labour Green Government when he gets nothing at all from them? Even the Green Party who have prostituted themselves to Labour aren’t willing to do such a thing.
Even if Winston was willing to do so his party members will not be at all happy.
They are far more likely to jump- ship and support National than they are to stay with Winston First.
i’m of the fuck im the nats can have him mindset ,in saying that winston may want it as he could back policy he likes from both sides that way while insureing stable gov .
a three way is too unstable , when they only just get enough seats, of course a lab nzf with greens in c and s is the other mix and would surely be on more than one parties mind .
Well…another typical Waikato spring morning. There was a bit of rain overnight, not that its needed as there’s green, green, green as far as the eye can see. Grass is growing faster than the cows could possibly eat it so why the fuck has the neighbouring dairy farmer (~1000 cows) got his irrigation boom going full blast????
They had the chopper in last week spreading some kind of fertiliser, so I guess they’re making sure that all of it is properly sluiced off and into the Waipa River, just over the fence from the boom.
When you think about it…no surprise that these people are stupid enough to think the CEO of their company is worth paying $4000 per hour.
Think about that next time some whining dairy farmer gets on the radio claiming poverty.
“Today, agriculture in New Zealand is bankrupt, as it was in 1985. Then it was an economic failure, particularly in the sheep industry. The sector was propped up by $1.2 billion of taxpayer funding under the Supplementary Minimum Price regime, most of it paid out in just two years to 1984. Adjusted for inflation, that would be $4b today.
No…its water. Not even a hint of shit. Besides, the farm has a newish pond for the cowshed waste and I’m pretty sure the regs wouldn’t allow discharge in any fashion so close to the river.
However, this is the Waikato, where the regulations are loosely enforced.
beatie….thanks for the link and thank goodness the fb page is open so those of us who don’t do facebook can read the story.
i have no doubt at all that this happened the way described.
I have encountered the exact same response from farmers and farm workers (I have a theory about required IQ levels for farm workers), albeit not over contamination of waterways.
A brave stand, and wise to take photos…but consider perhaps a go pro set up, discretely mounted, so you can record visual and sound.
I too got the line from the Regional Council and CAA that photos must be taken to properly identify the offender and any vehicle being used in commission of the offense. Back 7 years ago I’d have to trespass on the cocky’s land to photgraph identification marks….noticed just last week that these craft now have the ID numbers prominently displayed on the side of the aircraft. Makes my job much easier and marks a small but significant advance for us.
I know the Mokihinui, have caught fish at the river mouth and have relatives in the area.
Unfortunately down here the Regional Council are a big part of the problem. Comprised of farmers and gold miners who police themselves and their cronies by way of wet bus-ticket fines and penalties (if any)
When you live long enouh you see it all. I’ve seen political parties born grow and die like the MP . I’ve heard every political excuse out.
For me the greens dropped the ball. I don’t agree that MT outing herself was some massive thing. She wanted out she is out. The greens have lost support – no great win there. The green supporters underminned their only hope labour – not smart imo. The greens will never go into talks with the gnats – must keep the purity pure. Over it. Some will say you weren’t a proper green anyway and that is true. I’m sick of bullshit for sure.
New Zealand is well overdue for a new political party to form.
The Greens have a chance to recover, but also the chance to die at .9% away from parliamentary death. A coalition with either government coalition will probably kill them because their membership tends to wilt at the first sign of compromise.
Labour has lost much of its base within the immigrant community and among core urban seats in Auckland. They have lost the massive Chinese community which is over 25% of some electorates and over 20% in others.
United is dead.
The Maori Party: weeping at its tangi.
Act: put a fork in it.
Mana: splat.
Democrats: couldn’t fill a phonebox.
Conservative Party: unressurectable
That’s a reasonable-scale sized democratic wreckage for one election.
National stand astride our political world – renewed, refreshed, well funded, achieving little, delivering the small state.
TOP may well be the one that makes it – the y have all the Green policies and more, but they have the willingness to coalition with whomever will get the most of those policies in.
That doesn’t mean some evil will beset us like the Alternative for Germany people.
It means New Zealand is well overdue for a new political party to form that will guide that rag-tag battlefleet of waifs and strays and turn it into something new and strong.
That kind of arrogance in the face of a really poor result will see the Greens go the same was as the other parties listed. No political party is immortal, and like companies, they either grow safely, or they stagnate and die.
We collectively voted for change. I did. You did.
So how come we deride the ideas espoused by TOP?
We should be a fertile ground for ideas to improve our lot rather than become National-like in a stolid hanging on to the status quo.
(I have it on good authority that the Labour tax working group have Guaranteed Universal Income on their consideration list.)
Some of Morgan’s ideas are harmful. When I see pro TOP people engaging meaningfully on that I’ll be more willing to talk about the good ideas that have.
Btw would you be ok with TOP supporting National over L/G if they’d got 5%?
Leave the Green movement alone all you nay sayers. It is a far stronger movement than you can write off just like that. Look to our founding principles and realize there will always be support if there is no betrayal.
We will not become centrists, we will not go into coalition with hard line free market Capitalists.
“Some of Morgan’s ideas are harmful.” That is like saying that the ideas of any or all parties are “harmful.” That is no way to start a discussion.
I did not vote for TOP but I see the future as being vitally in need of some very different ways of managing society. But those new ideas will not get a hearing if we deny them before they are uttered. Some see the outspoken Morganisms as denial of any reasoned ideas. Not so.
Morgan was quoted yesterday as saying he’d be in negotiating with national already had they got 5%. Hope that isn’t lost on the idiot fringe on the left who were seduced by his moustache and fake left policies.
When AD says a new party needs to form, the by product of his apparent on going sustained attack on the greens, is to create a new coalition partner for the nasty party.
He never fooled me, zero sincerity and his past actions on Property speculation, selling businesses etc is all you needed to extrapolate where he would end up.
I’m not talking about ideas so much, as organisational structures. They are difficult to build, and will not be easily wiped away with one election – look at NZF – sat one term out, but kept working away from the main arena.
The Greens have a well-organised system, strong membership…. and they are still in the House. They they are not going anywhere soon.
There is strong support among some Maori for the Mp. It’s not going to die that quickly.
ACT has been slowly dying.
There is room for new parties, but they require a significant operating group, a well worked out philosophy, and a sense of relevance.
We are in a time of change. All 4 main parties in the current mix will be undergoing some change. People are done with the neoliberal philosophy, especially many of the young.
TOP belongs to the neoliberal wave when guys with money have tried to be a dominant force in politics. Change is coming.
To me green left is the way forward for the future.
But time will tell – my feeling is TOP, and the Internet Party (and Mana) will slowly die – they do not have the organisational or community involvement.
The Mp and the GP will continue, but may be somewhat reshaped. As will Labour and the Nats.
There is room for a strong left wing party, and a strong right wing one. They may develop over the next few years – but they will be reformations of some remnants of past parties – Alliance, Conservatives, maybe blue-environmentalists (lets not call them blue-greens as political greens are about more than just the environment).
The maori party can come back as a proper socialist party, nobody else is and it’s a natural fit to overall benefit all of Maoridom.
IMO nothing less than that will appease their base who punished them over state house sales, supporting the gutting of NZ by voting with nact and having arrogant leaders like Flavell/Fox.
Yep divide and conquer. Possibly they may have found their Mana again. But labour had some sorting out to do and they did it. Tough times ahead for many of us.
I have pretty mixed feelings about Labour getting all the Maori seats.
Few of Labour’s Maori MPs are strong politicians with the capacity to bang the table and get great dividends for Maori.
I have no idea if TOP will rise of fail, but your instinct about a capitalist environmental party is a possibility.
II think the National capture of the Chinese vote will become more powerful than the Labour capture of the Maori vote. But therein is also the potential for more ethnically-based splinter parties to emerge out of Auckland.
Ad
It appears that we need a dynamic leader that sounds rather like Hitler? Looking at the old but not totally out-dated Marien’s Guide to Public Policy Proposers you appear to be a Primitive Populist with the view that we are dominated by pointy-headed pseudo-intellectuals with proposal is to throw out briefcases and restore common sense.
But your solution is totally pragmatic based on what will win government power, which is in parallel with National. Is there no other way that you can conceive that would serve the half of NZ that wants thoughtful change that would better most of the people and the environment?
Charisma should not be mistaken for a sad slippery-slope argument towards totalitarianism. It’s a necessary element for any successful movement, full stop.
I am not currently in the mood for idealism while the coalition is formed, because that is precisely the time where really tough compromises are formed into deals to run an actual country. We campaign in poetry, we govern in prose.
For TOP to make it there’s a few things that will need to change.
Morgan needs to understand that gratuitous offensiveness as a political strategy only has a chance if it’s pandering to some base impulses, and the audience you’re seeking is strongly driven by those base impulses. Being gratuitously offensive about murdering moggies or “lipstick on a pig” comments aren’t going to attract the audience he’s seeking.
TOP needs to have a serious think about their CCT and whether that’s a policy that’s important enough to them that they’re willing to die in a ditch for it. It never really got publicity or critiqued, outside of “they want to tax people to live in their own homes”. But it’s got many other serious flaws that never got examined at all. If TOP ever really looks like it might break 5%, it will be torn to shreds over the CCT. It will certainly instantly put off any blue-green that takes a close look at it and starts thinking through the implications.
If anyone wants to emulate Winston Peters they need only start a “Renters and Home Buyers Party”. The nation has become divided on housing and there’s a big gap in the market for a party that puts renters and first home buyers first. You could count on at least 15% of the vote.
The newish Chinese immigrants by and large I imagine do not want immigration curbs, that’s why all the Chinese Commmunist Government money is going to the Nats.
If you think all those big donations from Chinese Government part owned ” NZ” companies are coming out of individuals own pockets you are dreaming.
And it is not racism when you are at war. We should be fighting for our survival as an independent country, but only one country knows we are in a war.
Guns have been replaced by money and influence.
I speculate that the current ‘take a knee’ actions in US nfl could catch on and be a clarion call across the nation.
As a protest against: institutional racism, growing inequality, the president….
On my OE, I went to a rodeo in Phoenix, Arizona.
This was at the time of Bush War One, early ’90’s.
A white stallion entered the arena with the rider bearing the stars and stripes.
After a short propaganda monologue lauding American might, the national anthem started (akin to the scene in borat).
We were young, idealistic and refused to stand.
Our host was mortified, and we left early.
On the way out he essentially said ‘I appreciate your right to protest, but a rodeo isn’t the place to express it’.
I remember the intense fury of my young civilian contractor colleagues at a US Army base at the news that Aussie soldiers by the pool had remained seated when the bugle for the flag ceremony was blowing, instead of standing to attention. They looked on me as a near-enough Australian so wanted me to tell them what was up wtih those guys who were lucky they didn’t get physically assaulted. It wasn’t really possible to explain the general disdain for nationalistic bullshit felt in our part of the world without giving offence, so I just pointed out I wouldn’t stand to attention for my own country’s flag, let alone someone else’s. They were horrified, but did accept from that point that antipodeans are unpatriotic barbarians who don’t stand to attention if they have a choice about it, so all’s well that ends well…
I remember a few builder mates of mine telling me of the time they went over to the states to watch the indie 500 and a bit of the Nascar series.
The anthem came on, everyone stood except the kiwis, not because they had a political agenda but because they weren’t American.
It was soon made clear that you better be standing and singing with pride otherwise you will be shot.
It’s a different world over there and it pays to be aware of the cultural differences.
One of the guys got arrested as a vagrant in one of the small towns because he was wearing work shorts and jandals, the Sheriff was all
“I don’t care where you’re from boy, you’re in America now, don’t dress like a god damn hobo!”
It’s a different world over there and it pays to be aware of the cultural differences.
Oh, sure – same as how you don’t want to be wearing a tank top and shorts showing off your tattoos and body piercings in Kuwait. You don’t pretend to be a conservative out of politeness, but because the locals are likely to get violent if you don’t. For all its self-proclaimed love of individual freedom, American culture is little different from other countries where the population consists of religious conservatives – authoritarian to a high degree.
USA has been indoctrinating and glamorising the military into sports and public events via their national anthem etc for a very long time. Thrilled we don’t do that here.
Well it is a hard one for a border post, more for the government to handle and I see that she is going to go to government.
I also see that Harvard University has cancelled a fellowship because she is classed as a felon. They would not want to harm their brand. And they seem to be the leader in teaching the pure theories of neo lib economics and the free market to politicians and aspiring leaders. Wouldn’t want to besmirch the image.
Wow interesting juxtaposition of weka and Anthony R posts.
Also interesting is this Standford University course on how to hone your mind and know what you really want to do and get a feeling of achievement. Obviously for most of us we don’t have a feeling of achievement. A new way of working and thinking and visualising the possible and the desirable is needed.
The Weiner gets 21 months in the slammer for sexting a minor. Can we add on 50 years for his contribution to delivering us T. Rump (officially known as Tyrannosaurus Arse)? Please?
I suspect that Hoskings is increasingly deranged. Seriously. His outpourings are getting hysterical. The Media no doubt need his style but that says more about the desperation of the Media.
Would there be any advantage in the Greens and Labour respectively asking their supporters to give their party vote to their party but their electoral vote to one specified candidate from one of the two parties. E.g. In Nelson Labour voters give their party vote to Labour but their candidate vote to the Green candidate.
There’s only a benefit if there’s a specific candidate you want to keep out (that isn’t certain to get in on a list) and a split left vote might let that candidate win. Such as the hairdo from Ohariu. Or Paulo Garcia in New Lynn.
In addition to the niche pro Andre mentioned, the con is that it gets portrayed as a hypocritical dirty deal that ends up doing more damage to the overall party vote than the advantage of beating candidate T.
E.g. you stop ACT getting an orphan MP, but lose 2% between greens and lab, which equals 2 or 3 labgrn list mps. Not much point to it.
Are we still talking about electorate MPs in rotten boroughs?
The best way is to beat the national patsy hands down.
the second best way is to make the number of patsies irrelevant to the outcome of the election, such as this time (apparently). The nats will knife their patsies themselves.
The absolute worst way is to horse-trade electorate fights between parties – nobody likes being treated like a bargaining chip, and it looks as corrupt as the nats are.
I believe the Green Party had a bequest that was conditional on them standing a candidate that took a serious tilt at unseating Nick Smith, and that candidate was Matt Lawrey.
Go figure, the only two left National thinks it could work with. No wonder Boag, Hooten think only the one party, with the largest vote should rule, all others bow down. Media Q&A PANEL backed up this myth, largest party must rule.
Welcome to one party MMP NATION. Wholely supported by the supine NZ MEDIA.
BTW: I guess that most people around here values your opinion about as much as I do. I deleted 8 comments before I found one that anyone had actually commented on. ]
Now let’s not be to hard on Theo of fonterra because I’m sure he’s not a neo liberal first point is milk in schools next there factory staff get good money and it’s a 20 billion dollar any were else and he would be on 50 million and the fonterra setup makes it a price maker and not a price taker nuff said
Points taken. But whether Fonterra is a price maker or taker and does some good things to be well regarded, it is excessive money for the CEO and this trend is an international one as you say. And further the criticism of putting most of our biccies in one churn is that Fonterra is in the commodity market with its skim milk, and we definitely are not price makers in that market.
I like Gordon Campbell’s whimsical observations about Joyce over on Scoop.
This is how he starts. Amusing.
Gordon Campbell: PPPs are Steven Joyce’s new imaginary friend
Like the kid in that Bruce Willis movie who could see dead people, Finance Minister Steven Joyce can see stuff (like holes in Labour budgets) that no-one else can see. So maybe it shouldn’t be all that surprising that Joyce can also see ‘efficiencies’ …More»
The problem to solve is how does one process millions of ltr of milk at peak production before it turns to yogurt one can not accurately forecast the weather so one can not accurately forecast peak production so during peak production some milk gets turned into milk powder.
Because we have a seasonal based Dairy system which is timed for peak grass production we have times when we have a shit load of milk .
Unlike other countries that feed all there cows rations in a feed bin. So they have a flat line milk supply which is easy to plan for.
But those systems are more vulnerable to price fluctuations I.E they go tits up when the milk price drops to much .
Our grass based system are more resilient to price fluctuations and the grass based milk is better nutritional and that is the reason why the REST of the World is envious of our Dairy industry Ka Pai
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – 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 politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
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 ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
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. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
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. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
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 ...
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The two faces of inequality in New Zealand.
$160 000 a week
‘Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings earned a total of $8.32 million in 2017, a 57 per cent jump from last year. ‘
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/97212718/fonterra-ceo-theo-spierings-paid-832m-this-year
$ 22 a week
‘Poverty, illness and living on less than the minimum wage.
The last time there was fresh produce on the table was more than two years ago.
After covering her basic expenses, Lynlie Beazley survives on just $22 per week and sometimes she sleeps on an empty stomach.
The west Auckland resident described herself as the “face of poverty” in the country.’
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/western-leader/96992301/poverty-illness-and-living-on-less-than-the-minimum-wage
And 46% of New Zealanders voted to maintain the status quo.
There are words for people like that.
although I wonder how many of the 46% believed the promises of hospitals and halved poverty this time?
46%? Where did you get that figure?
That’s right Brigid, Nowhere near 46% when you count the non voters and spoiled votes.
I read through Marie Brady’s paper on Chinese influence in NZ. Without being xenophobic, I’d be surprised if Winston went with National seeing how deeply they are funded by Chinese government front entities. But also how would he go with Labour, as there are some questionable involvements there too? I’m also surprised that there hasn’t been more journalistic enquiry, or maybe I’m not surprised.
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/for_website_magicweaponsanne-mariesbradyseptember2017.pdf
Yes good point that dailey, well thought out.
Strange days indeed. Michael Barnett is chief executive of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce seems to have had an epiphany on housing.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11926368
“Denmark’s Housing for All policy is built on the belief that affordable, decent, quality housing for people from all income levels is the foundation of a healthy family and harmonious community.
We want that too. There’s a clamour for change, for breaking out of our traditional approach, to look fresh. Let’s become a nation of home makers who collaborate on devising a made in New Zealand housing accord that respects the dream for everyone here to have a decent place to call home and to participate on an even footing as a valued member of a living, nurturing democracy.”
Would have been nice to have said that two weeks ago Michael, or did granny hold on to it for a while.
But still, it’s the way forward. We’ve got a housing trust in Queenstown which is working, so far. Would be nice if it could have kept it’s charitable status but that’s a call for a new government to sort out to encourage more housing options.
Pity Michael Barnett didn’t bark about his wishes for more ‘affordable’ housing before the election!!
But that may have damaged national even further then.
I had a most disturbing conversation just now with a new immigrant (as in arrived since 2008) Fillipino guy I work with who basically is almost literally violently opposed to ANYONE but National being the government. He hates the idea of a coalition (coalitions are “a fucking weak clown show”) and as far as he is concerned Labour is unsetting the apple cart of of his carefully cultivated connections via church to National party people in his electorate. Now, this guy is a voting resident. It reinforced to me that a) only citizens should be able to vote, and b) citizenship shouldn’t just be a matter of timeserving then swearing an oath to the Queen, but should involve some sort of compulsory civics course – especially if you have come here from a third world shit hole run by a lunatic like the Phillipines is.
I am still taken aback at how angry this guy is at the idea Labour might form the next government, he just didn’t seem to grasp the point of democracy.
Not at all surprising – but as you know already, you are opening yourself up to the xenophobic label.
There’s been a couple of interesting MSM articles in the past about the numbers of people coming and being granted PR by country – eg UK US Aus China etc.
What there hasn’t been is the number of applications DECLINED (by country) – i.e. even as a percentage of the number of applications received by country.
That would show what a complete farce the points system is. It’d also be interesting to see it by year (for the past nine years).
A very good signal that National has successfully captured yet another immigrant sector away from Labour. They had no other home, and National selected Filipinos – the one in New Lynn came within 1800 votes of taking a seat that Labour had held since the seat was formed after World War 2.
After 9 years of Natz I think it would be very revealing to know the voting behaviour of all our “hand picked” immigrants. 90% of the ones I know are greedy me-me’s.
There’s something even more insidious to this
The Electoral Commission has NO WAY of knowing whether enrolled voters are even eligible to vote.
There is no data matching with Department of Internal Affairs, nor Immigration NZ.
There is no requirement to declare yourself a citizen or a permanent resident on the enrolment forms.
There are NO checks and balances to ascertain whether people who are enrolled to vote, are even eligible to do so.
There are specific concrete examples I am aware of, where immigrants, on student visa, work visa, and tourist visas, have enrolled to vote and have done so.
They have done this because they are aware that there is no ability for their vote to be discarded. All that is required is their name, and an address. They provide the address of a long term friend / family member and they get away with it.
I think we should restrict voting to just citizens only. Failing that, restricting it to citizens only, and permanent residents who have been here since 1973.
Voting is a privilege. Not a right. The fact we allow every Tom, Wing and Patel to vote without checking their credentials makes a complete mockery and a farce of our democratic rights.
If 500,000 immigrants over the last 9 years have registered to vote, and have done so, imaging the skewing effect that would have on our proportional representation.
There is a lack of understanding in the nuances of our political history by immigrants. The example of the filipino above, who clearly hasn’t lived in NZ under a Labour government, would have NO idea how good they actually are for NZ as a whole.
The whole system as it is right now, is far too open for abuse. NZ is only of only FIVE countries that allow non-citizens to vote. We share this ridiculous situation with:
Malawi
Ecuador
Paraguay and;
Chile.
Such illustrious company we keep.
wow!! I seem to remember an article where Winston talked about this voting factor and the pensions. How it could easily be rorted.
Is it fair to say to someone in the Far North “Don’t bitch about there being no employment up there, uproot yourself from your whanau, go to Christchurch, you’ll get a job there”. Is it just as fair to say to the person described should Labour form a government, “Don’t bitch, go somewhere else”? Without being called racist or xenophobic?
Re- the Filipino guy. Think I might be able to help you there.
Here’s what I understand has been going on:
Paulo Garcia – the former Filipino Consul General and National’s candidate in New Lynn – spent the past few weeks/months travelling around the country bad mouthing Labour big time. He used his connections to the Filipino Catholic Church groups to facilitate his campaigning. Our candidate on the Shore, Romy Udanga also travelled the country trying to reassure the Filipino communities they had nothing to fear from Labour. I don’t know the outcome, but I gather things turned nasty presumably when Garcia discovered Romy was also talking to the communities.
Born to rule authoritarian types again. Btw, Romy Uganda’s academic qualifications far outstripped the Nat. man so that wouldn’t have helped.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/95869217/abortion-goes-against-his-conscience-says-nationals-new-lynn-candidate
Sanctuary,
From your post he did not see to be against democracy, only against coalitions. It is a position that people can take, even if it is a bit unrealistic.
Obviously he prefers National. So do 46% of the voters who voted. He might hold those views strongly. But you only have to read this site to see that many people do, at least on the internet.
Maybe we generally expect people to be more circumspect when face to face in person.
Personally I would like to see less invective on the internet. Just because someone has a different view does not make them evil or criminal, and there is no need to make such accusations.
Not actually aimed at you, but I am sure you have read such posts on this and other political sites.
Obviously he prefers National.
He preferred National because he was brainwashed into believing National good… everybody else bad. He has no knowledge or understanding of the NZ political system and its history. Naturally the Nat government would like to keep it that way.
If we are to have all these immigrants coming into the country then it is incumbent on the government of the day to introduce a civics course they must attend before being granted NZ citizenship. Of course we know that’s the last thing National will agree to because the more ignorant they remain the better for National eh?
We can’t have these immigrants ‘getting learned’ can we. They might get uppity and start voting for the Labour Party. (sarc)
Anne – you don’t need to be a citizen to vote. Hell, you don’t even need to be a resident given the lack of checks and balances in place to determine a voters eligibility.
Thanks for the correction. You’re right.
It is wrong that many thousands of individuals in this country are given the same voting rights as NZ citizens when half of them can’t even speak the language let alone have any idea what they’re voting for. They are screwing and skewering out election outcomes and that is not acceptable.They should have to attend a civics course at the least before being allowed on the electoral roll. Once they understand our political system they become eligible to vote in our elections.
On this matter alone it is essential NZ First go with Labour so that the issue will be dealt with once and for all. National might pay lip service to doing something about it, but they never will because it is not in their interest to do anything.
To be honest, I don’t think many politicians are even aware that this rort is taking place.
Like I said, there is nothing in place for the Electoral Commission to ascertain an enrolled voters eligibility. It’s why there are foreign students enrolling to vote (and are voting) despite not being eligible to do so.
It’s because they know that the Electoral Commission don’t have any way of knowing whether they are enrolling correctly eligible people.
We run an honesty system when it comes to voting rights in this country.
It’s completely bizarre.
Anne,
At least for citizenship applications there is a kind of civics course that covers the democracy and the rule of law. However, it is a reasonable point that it should also apply to permanent residency, given that permanent residents can vote after 12 months.
Which on international terms is very generous. Maybe 3 year PR would be better to qualify for the vote.
The question is, why should permanent residents get the right to vote after 12 months?
Surely an equivalent length of time to that required to live in NZ before applying for citizenship should be apropos?
I agree with you John Anderson @4.6.1.2.1
The 12 month period before becoming eligible to vote goes back many decades to a time when 90% of our immigrants came from English speaking nations with democratically elected governments similar to our own.
However, the scenario has dramatically changed in the past 10 years and it is imperative the law applying to voting rights is accordingly amended. Your suggestion they be required to have gained eligibility for citizenship before they can vote in NZ is the obvious answer.
The point is, Wayne, is that people who are here since 2008, and come from foreign cultures, generally have a mindset that the “governing power” is what let them into the country, and so they “reward” them for doing so.
No thought is given to the actual realities of the effect that governing power has on the long term. In the case of National, it is bereft of long term ideas. Muldoon was the last National MP that was able to think long term. We didn’t get a long term government after him, until 2000 when Labour set up Kiwibank, Kiwisaver and the NZ superannuation fund
I haven’t seen any long term policies enacted by National. All their policies and laws since 2008 have been short termist, insular, and never focused on the long term.
Businesses can get away with 2 – 5 year short term thinking. Governments should be focused on 20 years out, with minor meddling when required on short term policy settings.
As for the 46% – given that the Electoral Commission allows anyone to register, without any checks and balances in place to determine said eligbility, are you surprised we have foreign students registering to vote? Nothing is stopping them as they know the Electoral Commission have no way of knowing the visa status of people who enrol. It’s all done on an honesty basis, and to be honest, honesty seems to be in short supply when it comes to people who are “backing bill”
Which is why National opened the gates and let every Tom, Wing and Patel in.
Just wondered who Peter Theil voted for. 🙂
Be fair. At least Thiel took out citizenship, even though he’s barely even visited us for a few brief moments.
Just wondered who Peter Theil voted for.
Yep. I wondered that too. Guess he was the voter which give ACT their 0.1 % average – he and Seymour, Prebble and a handful of underlings.
Sanc, how does it feel to be singing from the same page as David Farrar?
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2017/07/nz_unusual_in_allowing_non_citizens_to_vote.html
It fucks with my head big time, that’s for sure.
Farrar isn’t wrong.
Most countries reserve voting as a privilege, not a right.
I agree with the franchise. Just not to every man and his bastard dog.
If you want to vote, become a citizen. Prove your allegiance.
Permanent residency is not allegiance. Nor is being able to rort the electoral system knowing that the Electoral Commission have no way of knowing whether people who are registering to vote even have the right to.
They don’t even ask if you’re a permanent resident or a citizen ffs.
I registered a fake person last night. Signed it, sent it through. I have no doubt that new person will end up on the electoral roll.
Does Winston know this???
You’d think he’d be all over it like the proverbial…
I think Winston knows this all too well.
I don’t agree with him on simplistic solutions regarding immigration, but the situation – especially during the Gnat’s reign has caused real problems for all to see.
Bollocks to residents having to prove allegience. Get the lazy bum stay at home citizen voters to prove it first by participating in their own democracy.
As a permanent resident for nigh on 20 years I’m no more a kiwi now than I was when I got off the plane, but as a law abiding tax payer ever since, it would be a travesty to remove my voting rights.
The travesty was giving you voting rights without requiring you become a citizen first. As I’m fairly sure whatever other countries you’re a citizen of require. I was permanent resident here for around 15 years and voted in two elections before becoming a citizen and it certainly felt weird to me.
Given the right, that’s correct.
It may be the case for new residents in the future, or the eligibility period increased, but it would I’m sure it’s never going to be taken away from me, so moot.
But let us not get all xenophobic just because of national’s imported blue dragons. That’s a different argument altogether.
Just out of curiosity if it came down to it, would there be a downside to you of becoming an NZ citizen? Such as having to give up your citizenship of another country or worldwide tax or pension implications? There weren’t any in my case since my other nationality is US and I would never have any interest in taking any kind of position where that dual nationality might raise eyebrows.
I’ve no real desire to be citizen, even though I meet the current criteria as set out by immigration, but sure the cost of applying is a barrier.
Perhaps it should be automatic, or at least the option given, after a set period of law abiding spent time .
Even David can’t be wrong all the time, just 95% of it.
A broken clock is right two times a day.
unless it’s digital 🙂
Thanks for sharing this at post 4 with us sanctuary much appreciated.
So it appears that these immigrants are schooled in immigration matters by this government before?
When I immigrated to canada many years ago we were sent to an ‘induction’ course’ as we arrived there.
Labour /greens should stay away from anything more than c and f from nzf , at only a 1 to at best 3 seat majority the risk is too high of one of the loons in nzf bring down the house , and labour will be the one blamed ,
Why would Labour be blamed for NZF waka jumpers?
if coalition collapsed most would blame the biggest party imho
Not so sure about that. Waka jumpers are not well regarded in NZ. If the coalition collapsed because NZF as a party pulled out, maybe. But a couple of MPs jumping to National? I think they’re be scorned, not Labour.
Perhaps you can explain how you are going to bring this scenario about.
Who is going to be able to persuade Winston to provide C & S to a Labour Green Government when he gets nothing at all from them? Even the Green Party who have prostituted themselves to Labour aren’t willing to do such a thing.
Even if Winston was willing to do so his party members will not be at all happy.
They are far more likely to jump- ship and support National than they are to stay with Winston First.
i’m of the fuck im the nats can have him mindset ,in saying that winston may want it as he could back policy he likes from both sides that way while insureing stable gov .
a three way is too unstable , when they only just get enough seats, of course a lab nzf with greens in c and s is the other mix and would surely be on more than one parties mind .
“of course a lab nzf with greens in c and s is the other mix and would surely be on more than one parties mind .”
That might be true but I don’t think that the Greens are one of the parties considering it. From a James Shaw interview.
“The Green Party would be unlikely to sign up to that kind of deal,” he told The AM Show on Monday. “We are in politics in order to make change.”
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/09/greens-unlikely-to-back-labour-nz-first-from-outside-the-tent.html
He sounded a little more obliging a couple of days ago but I think he realised what a hole he was digging and what it would enable Winston to demand.
Well…another typical Waikato spring morning. There was a bit of rain overnight, not that its needed as there’s green, green, green as far as the eye can see. Grass is growing faster than the cows could possibly eat it so why the fuck has the neighbouring dairy farmer (~1000 cows) got his irrigation boom going full blast????
They had the chopper in last week spreading some kind of fertiliser, so I guess they’re making sure that all of it is properly sluiced off and into the Waipa River, just over the fence from the boom.
When you think about it…no surprise that these people are stupid enough to think the CEO of their company is worth paying $4000 per hour.
Think about that next time some whining dairy farmer gets on the radio claiming poverty.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/country/340179/farmers-batten-down-their-hatches-post-election
The only reason they are crying poverty is their debt levels are so high ?
Could very well be.
But whose fault is that?
We’re talking about a group who flag wave for the right…the parties of personal responsibility and all that.
And Bankrupt!
“Today, agriculture in New Zealand is bankrupt, as it was in 1985. Then it was an economic failure, particularly in the sheep industry. The sector was propped up by $1.2 billion of taxpayer funding under the Supplementary Minimum Price regime, most of it paid out in just two years to 1984. Adjusted for inflation, that would be $4b today.
Rod Oram explains why here:
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/09/25/49857/rod-oram-farmings-bankrupt-time-for-natural-capital
is it a big one or a little one . if it’s little ish it’s most likely spreading the cowshed waste , which has pretty strict regs you will find .
No…its water. Not even a hint of shit. Besides, the farm has a newish pond for the cowshed waste and I’m pretty sure the regs wouldn’t allow discharge in any fashion so close to the river.
However, this is the Waikato, where the regulations are loosely enforced.
Meanwhile down here on the West Coast this shit is happening,
https://www.facebook.com/CleanupOurWaterways/posts/1439821476101015?pnref=story
beatie….thanks for the link and thank goodness the fb page is open so those of us who don’t do facebook can read the story.
i have no doubt at all that this happened the way described.
I have encountered the exact same response from farmers and farm workers (I have a theory about required IQ levels for farm workers), albeit not over contamination of waterways.
A brave stand, and wise to take photos…but consider perhaps a go pro set up, discretely mounted, so you can record visual and sound.
I too got the line from the Regional Council and CAA that photos must be taken to properly identify the offender and any vehicle being used in commission of the offense. Back 7 years ago I’d have to trespass on the cocky’s land to photgraph identification marks….noticed just last week that these craft now have the ID numbers prominently displayed on the side of the aircraft. Makes my job much easier and marks a small but significant advance for us.
I know the Mokihinui, have caught fish at the river mouth and have relatives in the area.
Thanks to CleanUpOurWaterways for the commitment.
kia kaha.
Unfortunately down here the Regional Council are a big part of the problem. Comprised of farmers and gold miners who police themselves and their cronies by way of wet bus-ticket fines and penalties (if any)
When you live long enouh you see it all. I’ve seen political parties born grow and die like the MP . I’ve heard every political excuse out.
For me the greens dropped the ball. I don’t agree that MT outing herself was some massive thing. She wanted out she is out. The greens have lost support – no great win there. The green supporters underminned their only hope labour – not smart imo. The greens will never go into talks with the gnats – must keep the purity pure. Over it. Some will say you weren’t a proper green anyway and that is true. I’m sick of bullshit for sure.
New Zealand is well overdue for a new political party to form.
The Greens have a chance to recover, but also the chance to die at .9% away from parliamentary death. A coalition with either government coalition will probably kill them because their membership tends to wilt at the first sign of compromise.
Labour has lost much of its base within the immigrant community and among core urban seats in Auckland. They have lost the massive Chinese community which is over 25% of some electorates and over 20% in others.
United is dead.
The Maori Party: weeping at its tangi.
Act: put a fork in it.
Mana: splat.
Democrats: couldn’t fill a phonebox.
Conservative Party: unressurectable
That’s a reasonable-scale sized democratic wreckage for one election.
National stand astride our political world – renewed, refreshed, well funded, achieving little, delivering the small state.
TOP may well be the one that makes it – the y have all the Green policies and more, but they have the willingness to coalition with whomever will get the most of those policies in.
That doesn’t mean some evil will beset us like the Alternative for Germany people.
It means New Zealand is well overdue for a new political party to form that will guide that rag-tag battlefleet of waifs and strays and turn it into something new and strong.
Hahahaha – TOP makes it over the Greens? Way to let your bias get in the way of logic.
The GP is a well organised party – with a philosophy of process and substance, and world wide connections.
TOP is a one man’s vanity project.
That kind of arrogance in the face of a really poor result will see the Greens go the same was as the other parties listed. No political party is immortal, and like companies, they either grow safely, or they stagnate and die.
We collectively voted for change. I did. You did.
So how come we deride the ideas espoused by TOP?
We should be a fertile ground for ideas to improve our lot rather than become National-like in a stolid hanging on to the status quo.
(I have it on good authority that the Labour tax working group have Guaranteed Universal Income on their consideration list.)
Some of Morgan’s ideas are harmful. When I see pro TOP people engaging meaningfully on that I’ll be more willing to talk about the good ideas that have.
Btw would you be ok with TOP supporting National over L/G if they’d got 5%?
Leave the Green movement alone all you nay sayers. It is a far stronger movement than you can write off just like that. Look to our founding principles and realize there will always be support if there is no betrayal.
We will not become centrists, we will not go into coalition with hard line free market Capitalists.
“Look to our founding principles and realize there will always be support if there is no betrayal.”
This.
Agreed
“Some of Morgan’s ideas are harmful.” That is like saying that the ideas of any or all parties are “harmful.” That is no way to start a discussion.
I did not vote for TOP but I see the future as being vitally in need of some very different ways of managing society. But those new ideas will not get a hearing if we deny them before they are uttered. Some see the outspoken Morganisms as denial of any reasoned ideas. Not so.
Morgan was quoted yesterday as saying he’d be in negotiating with national already had they got 5%. Hope that isn’t lost on the idiot fringe on the left who were seduced by his moustache and fake left policies.
When AD says a new party needs to form, the by product of his apparent on going sustained attack on the greens, is to create a new coalition partner for the nasty party.
Nice try, but no thanks, comrade Plastic.
He never fooled me, zero sincerity and his past actions on Property speculation, selling businesses etc is all you needed to extrapolate where he would end up.
Two ticks to that
Heh.
I suspect the Maori Party will reform.
I’m not talking about ideas so much, as organisational structures. They are difficult to build, and will not be easily wiped away with one election – look at NZF – sat one term out, but kept working away from the main arena.
The Greens have a well-organised system, strong membership…. and they are still in the House. They they are not going anywhere soon.
There is strong support among some Maori for the Mp. It’s not going to die that quickly.
ACT has been slowly dying.
There is room for new parties, but they require a significant operating group, a well worked out philosophy, and a sense of relevance.
We are in a time of change. All 4 main parties in the current mix will be undergoing some change. People are done with the neoliberal philosophy, especially many of the young.
TOP belongs to the neoliberal wave when guys with money have tried to be a dominant force in politics. Change is coming.
There may be a place for a capitalist environmental party – by the way, Green politics does lean left. It includes environmentalism (sometimes called ecological wisdom), social justice, anti-violence, and grass roots democracy.
That is not the more narrow, caring capitalist environmentalism of TOP. It does lean to the right in it’s MO and underlying principles.
Green parties around the world embrace social democracy and lean left.
To me green left is the way forward for the future.
But time will tell – my feeling is TOP, and the Internet Party (and Mana) will slowly die – they do not have the organisational or community involvement.
The Mp and the GP will continue, but may be somewhat reshaped. As will Labour and the Nats.
There is room for a strong left wing party, and a strong right wing one. They may develop over the next few years – but they will be reformations of some remnants of past parties – Alliance, Conservatives, maybe blue-environmentalists (lets not call them blue-greens as political greens are about more than just the environment).
The maori party can come back as a proper socialist party, nobody else is and it’s a natural fit to overall benefit all of Maoridom.
IMO nothing less than that will appease their base who punished them over state house sales, supporting the gutting of NZ by voting with nact and having arrogant leaders like Flavell/Fox.
Yep divide and conquer. Possibly they may have found their Mana again. But labour had some sorting out to do and they did it. Tough times ahead for many of us.
I have pretty mixed feelings about Labour getting all the Maori seats.
Few of Labour’s Maori MPs are strong politicians with the capacity to bang the table and get great dividends for Maori.
I have no idea if TOP will rise of fail, but your instinct about a capitalist environmental party is a possibility.
II think the National capture of the Chinese vote will become more powerful than the Labour capture of the Maori vote. But therein is also the potential for more ethnically-based splinter parties to emerge out of Auckland.
A new political party? ffs this fantasy is popular. Seems to be the go to strategy for everyone without any actual ideas.
And Māori. Does make sense for us and so that is what will happen.
Ad
It appears that we need a dynamic leader that sounds rather like Hitler? Looking at the old but not totally out-dated Marien’s Guide to Public Policy Proposers you appear to be a Primitive Populist with the view that we are dominated by pointy-headed pseudo-intellectuals with proposal is to throw out briefcases and restore common sense.
But your solution is totally pragmatic based on what will win government power, which is in parallel with National. Is there no other way that you can conceive that would serve the half of NZ that wants thoughtful change that would better most of the people and the environment?
Charisma should not be mistaken for a sad slippery-slope argument towards totalitarianism. It’s a necessary element for any successful movement, full stop.
I am not currently in the mood for idealism while the coalition is formed, because that is precisely the time where really tough compromises are formed into deals to run an actual country. We campaign in poetry, we govern in prose.
We campaign in poetry, we govern in broken English.
Well said Ad, TOP are a likely winner if they stick around and as politics as we know it changes.
For TOP to make it there’s a few things that will need to change.
Morgan needs to understand that gratuitous offensiveness as a political strategy only has a chance if it’s pandering to some base impulses, and the audience you’re seeking is strongly driven by those base impulses. Being gratuitously offensive about murdering moggies or “lipstick on a pig” comments aren’t going to attract the audience he’s seeking.
TOP needs to have a serious think about their CCT and whether that’s a policy that’s important enough to them that they’re willing to die in a ditch for it. It never really got publicity or critiqued, outside of “they want to tax people to live in their own homes”. But it’s got many other serious flaws that never got examined at all. If TOP ever really looks like it might break 5%, it will be torn to shreds over the CCT. It will certainly instantly put off any blue-green that takes a close look at it and starts thinking through the implications.
Agree. Anything that smells anti-female will die fast and hard in this media environment.
Its still quite possible that TOP will fold since it depends on the funding of one person.
If anyone wants to emulate Winston Peters they need only start a “Renters and Home Buyers Party”. The nation has become divided on housing and there’s a big gap in the market for a party that puts renters and first home buyers first. You could count on at least 15% of the vote.
The newish Chinese immigrants by and large I imagine do not want immigration curbs, that’s why all the Chinese Commmunist Government money is going to the Nats.
If you think all those big donations from Chinese Government part owned ” NZ” companies are coming out of individuals own pockets you are dreaming.
And it is not racism when you are at war. We should be fighting for our survival as an independent country, but only one country knows we are in a war.
Guns have been replaced by money and influence.
I speculate that the current ‘take a knee’ actions in US nfl could catch on and be a clarion call across the nation.
As a protest against: institutional racism, growing inequality, the president….
On my OE, I went to a rodeo in Phoenix, Arizona.
This was at the time of Bush War One, early ’90’s.
A white stallion entered the arena with the rider bearing the stars and stripes.
After a short propaganda monologue lauding American might, the national anthem started (akin to the scene in borat).
We were young, idealistic and refused to stand.
Our host was mortified, and we left early.
On the way out he essentially said ‘I appreciate your right to protest, but a rodeo isn’t the place to express it’.
How embarrassing for your host.
Typical left winger though, absolutely no situational awareness and the social graces of an angry drunk who’s shit themselves.
You were lucky you weren’t beaten within an inch of your life, hopefully, you’ve matured and have a bit more nous.
I remember the intense fury of my young civilian contractor colleagues at a US Army base at the news that Aussie soldiers by the pool had remained seated when the bugle for the flag ceremony was blowing, instead of standing to attention. They looked on me as a near-enough Australian so wanted me to tell them what was up wtih those guys who were lucky they didn’t get physically assaulted. It wasn’t really possible to explain the general disdain for nationalistic bullshit felt in our part of the world without giving offence, so I just pointed out I wouldn’t stand to attention for my own country’s flag, let alone someone else’s. They were horrified, but did accept from that point that antipodeans are unpatriotic barbarians who don’t stand to attention if they have a choice about it, so all’s well that ends well…
I remember a few builder mates of mine telling me of the time they went over to the states to watch the indie 500 and a bit of the Nascar series.
The anthem came on, everyone stood except the kiwis, not because they had a political agenda but because they weren’t American.
It was soon made clear that you better be standing and singing with pride otherwise you will be shot.
It’s a different world over there and it pays to be aware of the cultural differences.
One of the guys got arrested as a vagrant in one of the small towns because he was wearing work shorts and jandals, the Sheriff was all
“I don’t care where you’re from boy, you’re in America now, don’t dress like a god damn hobo!”
It’s a different world over there and it pays to be aware of the cultural differences.
Oh, sure – same as how you don’t want to be wearing a tank top and shorts showing off your tattoos and body piercings in Kuwait. You don’t pretend to be a conservative out of politeness, but because the locals are likely to get violent if you don’t. For all its self-proclaimed love of individual freedom, American culture is little different from other countries where the population consists of religious conservatives – authoritarian to a high degree.
So BM are you quite happy for this Country to keep going the American way ? Of course you are, you vote National.
“beaten within an inch of your life”
By whom, typical right wingers?
For not standing up?
BM, your thinking is rotten.
USA has been indoctrinating and glamorising the military into sports and public events via their national anthem etc for a very long time. Thrilled we don’t do that here.
In times of conflict, when the mainstream news media already tend to pound the drums of war, having sports audiences repeatedly exposed to pro-military messaging tilts the playing field further still.
For anyone who still thinks Canada is a shining example of the liberal left:
https://www.rt.com/news/404570-chelsea-manning-canada-ban/
Well it is a hard one for a border post, more for the government to handle and I see that she is going to go to government.
I also see that Harvard University has cancelled a fellowship because she is classed as a felon. They would not want to harm their brand. And they seem to be the leader in teaching the pure theories of neo lib economics and the free market to politicians and aspiring leaders. Wouldn’t want to besmirch the image.
Wow interesting juxtaposition of weka and Anthony R posts.
Also interesting is this Standford University course on how to hone your mind and know what you really want to do and get a feeling of achievement. Obviously for most of us we don’t have a feeling of achievement. A new way of working and thinking and visualising the possible and the desirable is needed.
It’s a long read, perhaps to break up into available time spots. If you find something good that applies to you and helps tell us all about it.
I would like to know and learn from anyone else. And I think many of us are gagging for ideas of how to be, feel more effective.
https://www.fastcompany.com/3044043/stanfords-most-popular-class-isnt-computer-science-its-something-much-m
I don’t see it happening. Politics in NZ are far too extreme and polarised.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Polarised between people who are duped by the National Party’s lies, and people who aren’t.
The Weiner gets 21 months in the slammer for sexting a minor. Can we add on 50 years for his contribution to delivering us T. Rump (officially known as Tyrannosaurus Arse)? Please?
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/25/politics/anthony-weiner-sentencing/index.html
Going out to mow the lawn. Might have to remove dog crap.So I practised first by reading this:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11926482
I suspect that Hoskings is increasingly deranged. Seriously. His outpourings are getting hysterical. The Media no doubt need his style but that says more about the desperation of the Media.
Ha Ha fucking Ha, I really really like that. Excellent.
Strategic Voting – serious question.
Would there be any advantage in the Greens and Labour respectively asking their supporters to give their party vote to their party but their electoral vote to one specified candidate from one of the two parties. E.g. In Nelson Labour voters give their party vote to Labour but their candidate vote to the Green candidate.
What are the pros and cons?
There’s only a benefit if there’s a specific candidate you want to keep out (that isn’t certain to get in on a list) and a split left vote might let that candidate win. Such as the hairdo from Ohariu. Or Paulo Garcia in New Lynn.
In Nelson another pro would be the greens getting an electorate and all the money and resources and profile that go with it.
I have been wondering why an ‘accommodation’ wasn’t made in Nelson.
In addition to the niche pro Andre mentioned, the con is that it gets portrayed as a hypocritical dirty deal that ends up doing more damage to the overall party vote than the advantage of beating candidate T.
E.g. you stop ACT getting an orphan MP, but lose 2% between greens and lab, which equals 2 or 3 labgrn list mps. Not much point to it.
OK, so if you accept that the left vote gets split amongst Green and Labour the best way forward is to get National voters to change sides?
Are we still talking about electorate MPs in rotten boroughs?
The best way is to beat the national patsy hands down.
the second best way is to make the number of patsies irrelevant to the outcome of the election, such as this time (apparently). The nats will knife their patsies themselves.
The absolute worst way is to horse-trade electorate fights between parties – nobody likes being treated like a bargaining chip, and it looks as corrupt as the nats are.
I believe the Green Party had a bequest that was conditional on them standing a candidate that took a serious tilt at unseating Nick Smith, and that candidate was Matt Lawrey.
Survivor island. Key gone, Turei, Dunne, Farvel, Little. Whose left? Peters and Shaw.
Go figure, the only two left National thinks it could work with. No wonder Boag, Hooten think only the one party, with the largest vote should rule, all others bow down. Media Q&A PANEL backed up this myth, largest party must rule.
Welcome to one party MMP NATION. Wholely supported by the supine NZ MEDIA.
[lprent: Answer https://thestandard.org.nz/metiria-tureis-legacy/#comment-1392256
BTW: I guess that most people around here values your opinion about as much as I do. I deleted 8 comments before I found one that anyone had actually commented on. ]
Little isn’t gone!!!
Now let’s not be to hard on Theo of fonterra because I’m sure he’s not a neo liberal first point is milk in schools next there factory staff get good money and it’s a 20 billion dollar any were else and he would be on 50 million and the fonterra setup makes it a price maker and not a price taker nuff said
Points taken. But whether Fonterra is a price maker or taker and does some good things to be well regarded, it is excessive money for the CEO and this trend is an international one as you say. And further the criticism of putting most of our biccies in one churn is that Fonterra is in the commodity market with its skim milk, and we definitely are not price makers in that market.
I like Gordon Campbell’s whimsical observations about Joyce over on Scoop.
This is how he starts. Amusing.
Gordon Campbell: PPPs are Steven Joyce’s new imaginary friend
Like the kid in that Bruce Willis movie who could see dead people, Finance Minister Steven Joyce can see stuff (like holes in Labour budgets) that no-one else can see. So maybe it shouldn’t be all that surprising that Joyce can also see ‘efficiencies’ …More»
The problem to solve is how does one process millions of ltr of milk at peak production before it turns to yogurt one can not accurately forecast the weather so one can not accurately forecast peak production so during peak production some milk gets turned into milk powder.
Because we have a seasonal based Dairy system which is timed for peak grass production we have times when we have a shit load of milk .
Unlike other countries that feed all there cows rations in a feed bin. So they have a flat line milk supply which is easy to plan for.
But those systems are more vulnerable to price fluctuations I.E they go tits up when the milk price drops to much .
Our grass based system are more resilient to price fluctuations and the grass based milk is better nutritional and that is the reason why the REST of the World is envious of our Dairy industry Ka Pai