Yesterday I lifted a broken path out with a spade and a wheelbarrow. It took just over an hour.
Friday I met a Government contractor who, when I suggested a spade instead of a 3 ton digger looked horrified and said “But, that’s manual labor”.
Herein lies a very large problem. So called grown men, so called working men, who are in fact: babies. Where did they learn to be so shit?
Where I come from hard work is its own reward with fitness and pride coming as well as cash and camaraderie – it’s all good. Who is teaching people to be so shit?
Something seriously wrong when people are afraid of real work, then half of them go to the gym. Mentally ill?
It’s a class thing. Modern men drive machines, get out of their cars to exercise and keep strong, and get on an expensive mountain or touring bike, pedal or fancy Harley Davidson. They don’t pick up a yard broom to sweep leaves, you
point a mechanised blower at them. Manual work is for losers.
It’s the attitude that grew the turncoat treasonable Labour defectors, Douglas et al. That is how they convinced themselves they were being progressive.
Fuck I’ve grafted all my days but id take a digger over a spade any day . I work for an old falla who insists I drag sheep over the board instead of use the sheep handler .
Maybe you should live in a cave and walk every where as you obviously long for the good old days
Say that worker damages his back on the spade to the point he can’t do his job . His boss will have to let him go at some point ,80% of his wages is all acc will pay and it’s possible a chunk of his wages will be in nontaxable allowances so he may actually be down to 60% of his take home wage .
Now as he s not an all black or rich he’ll only get the minimum of medical help at it will take ages to get it .
I am with bwaghown in this debate, as I aklso was all my life a ‘graffter’ and now at 73 have a broken back shoulders, knees and hands.
I suffered from a hernia when I worked at manapouri as a electrician and got a type of hernia lifting a very large battery out of a tunnel drilling platform that no other machine nor digger could extract out of the craddle it was siiting in under the engine all while , the drillking platform was kept in oeration.
Later when I was in pain, at the surgeons clinic afterwards he said in Winton,
– “sir this is an injury that is so risky to operate on and I advise you learn to live with it, and not lift heavy objects any more” – I was 22 yrs old then.
Do not engage in heavy work or dangerous activities when you rely a ‘trade or activity’ – for income is my advice as you will be ruined by it.
Balance in everything. That ole’ farmer is no doubt the sort that is behind the determination of a significant group of farmers to not follow the sensible rules set by government with obvious negative outcomes and further does not treat his workers or his animals with respect.
Illustrative?….yes ,it appears overkill to use machinery for a job that is relatively easy to do by hand and yes there is risk of injury and worn bodies from manual labour….and then theres the ongoing complaints of the skill levels and costs of having work done.
Its a grey old world, perception is reality and theres always decisions to be made.
Excellent. It is good to get the perspective of others on this. I’ve grafted a few decades but I also switched it up a lot to keep myself interested and to rest some muscles while thrashing others. While due care and attention is required, there’s also an element of luck to not being knackered after hard graft. I put my back out under load one time, only twisted the slightest bit and that was me gone for months. Another time I’m hauling some gib and the wind caught it and twisted for me. Not good…
I loved getting in the trucks loading out rock concerts banging out 10, 20, 30 containers of gear and breaking tour records. Some of those boys I met died on the road. There’s an element of risk to anything really. But it’s a matter of pride being good at what you do. Those boys know how to graft. Graft hard at whatever you do what’s the point in being fucking mediocre.
Safety I get, these guys, nope.
This issue is also about grift, as well as graft. One contractor with the (3 1/2 ton, ~ $100 per hour) digger, and the truck to transport it. Another contractor, with a helper, to do the boxing. I’m hoping he’ll also lay the concrete… Maybe it is someone else I’m sure they’ll need to use a wheelbarrow at some stage the truck won’t fit down there so there’s that quandary (manual labor) for him. Maybe even a separate gravel contractor, then the pour. The concrete pour will be followed by an inspector and more than likely an inspector inspector. I am not kidding one bit.
When they painted (eaves, windows, under eaves): One lot put up the scaffold. Another lot trimmed (pulled out, while contracted not to) the plants. Another lot painted – Lack of basic cutting in, etc. Then an inspector. Then an inspectors inspector. Then they always try to bring the painter back to do something again to justify the inspectors inspector bullshit role. So you see a small job turns into a massive clusterfuck of nonsense – and billing.
When lifting concrete it’s actually easier than other heavy stuff that you can’t hit with a hammer when it’s too big. This was just over an hours work for one, there was two of them.
There’s certainly the risk of wrist injuries when trying to increase your pecs haha. But I’ve worked in a gym (cleaner, but got gym tickets and loads of time with trainers cos go hard when you’re there you know). I’ve done a shit ton of stuff…
I do agree with comments that life on the tools is harsh on bodies, and improvements in that direction can only be good.
Am I a dinosaur? Maybe. For the most part I’ve been able to call the shots on laboring where I’d do a stint get the cheque and go do something different once I’d had enough (styled after Barry Crump’s Sam Cash). So labor (mostly) kept me in great shape instead of taxed me. Perhaps I could exhibit the art of humping rocks at MOTAT.
A lot of work used to have decent contract rates, so you could go like the clappers to do x amount, then stop. Today, boss owns you for the hours, not the work. And the hours are long just to make ends meet. That’ll break a body. Rest is a crucial part of exercise.
Just not ALL day. Balance. I’m not totally against progress, just…
That’s right – no benefit. It could be done by machine without causing serious damage to the person doing it and be done faster.
Money, good relations, health, getting fit as.
Taking longer to get more money isn’t particularly efficient.
I’m pretty sure that the people who turn up to do the job will get on reasonably well.
It damages peoples health which is my point and the point of the articles I linked to. You’re just spouting belief that is wrong.
And what the fuck good is a worker who won’t work.
They do work – just not in the way you expect because things have moved on in the last several decades.
It is not a life threatening situation and requires no high tech. Just a bit of common sense and effort saved considerable wreckage of my gardens as well as time and money. This should be a contractors concern, not to unnecessarily trash the place.
However, ethically, I cannot deny that it needs to be people over property.
Ironic that.
I cede that saving backs is commendable practice.
I still think they’re a pack of shiftless mongrels, this job is to repair damage from 2 years back when the last lot were let in with a digger. No compensation for considerable property loss at the time, and now they tried to dig up a perfectly good driveway as well as the broken path. That’s when I’d had enough. Moved the concrete myself, enough, is enough.
I suspect many of us have acquaintances that are over 50 and have been building for most of their lives. Of the half dozen I know they all have 1 thing in common: Buggered backs. More than should wrestle with skin cancer issues. There seem to be many peripheral advantages to pre-fab house building.
Foul weather costs everyone money on a building site. Painters rained off etc. Health and Safety is much easier to manage when we’re keeping an eye on a factory rather than a suburb. Building outside in the depth of winter….yuck…warm factory, Nice! Neighbours don’t need to put up with the noise, mess, somebody else’s musical taste etc for 2-3 months. Can be built around the clock, 3 x 8 hour shifts every day, 7 days a week. Economy of scale, all costs come down when you’re buying building materials by the tonne and kilometre.
Your points about mechanization are important particularly if they are in a tight space or section as you describe. Sometimes hand-work is safest and most accurate.
If there were a machine that could do tie-ins for rebar and foundation/slab work we would definitely use them on our sites (construction of rail, motorways, water and wastewater plants, heavy marine etc). But right now there isn’t, even with using as much prefab offsite as we can.
But if I need jobs done on my section here in Titirangi I tend to specify as little machinery as possible – I would rather confine the impact as much as possible just as you are proposing.
Nothing like the good old days of work, so long as we also do the basics that decrease injury;
– make sure everyone is clear about their methodology and tasks
– set out the steps to take in a ‘toolbox talk’ at the beginning of each day
– Get them decent lunch so they don’t forget you
– Make sure everyone is wearing gloves and steel capped boots and strong pants and shirts (you know the drill)
– But still stay on the phone to the business and make your specifications and your cost control rigidly clear. It’s your show after all.
I’d say the real reason is the amount of money they can rip taxpayers off by getting in a digger at $150 an hour plus disposal plus this plus that. Money is more desirable than hard physical work.
I’ve had problems logging into and commenting on TS for a few months. Usually on the browser I use most (Firefox), but eventually it hits every browser.
Firefox on one or 2 laptops now regularly get bad request notices no matter how many times I clear the cache and history.
I logged in for this comment using the Vivaldi browser. But, I have pretty much given up commenting on TS. It’s just too much hassle.
Since the last break-down about a week ago I lost my details and have to insert them each time I comment. Some comments have also disappeared into spam bin. Mentioned it the other day and a few commenters confirmed they were having the same problem. I use Google Chrome.
Anne
You may already know about this. But for anyone who doesn’t, I too lost my embedded details and was entering each time. Then realised I could get in easier with the dropdown option so just put the first letter, it drops down and I click on appropriate info.
I found nothing that was helpful and you can believe when I say that I would have shared it here if I had 😉
I have to type in my details for each & every comment but I’ve also lost the ability to see who replied to my comments; the Replies option on the RH side is gone and only Comments and Opinions are available!?
I’ve tried different browsers with different settings (on a laptop) but so far no luck 🙁
It’s like digging a (small) hole manually each time 😉
Hi lprent
When you have time could you advise what you think is leading to our problems here. Jenny is wanting to talk about the latest political stuff and is getting paranoid that she can’t get through.
I have felt the same about things that I have written.
GCSB must have a lot of stuff that they want to trial.
I’m with Vodafone and using the very latest Firefox web browser.
I have to enter my details in the name and mail fields again every time I hit reply and no longer get to see that useful tab that would show me when someone has replied to one of my comments.
All the problems seemed to start after the website was unavailable for a day or two to me.
No problems Jenny I have had it as well. Clearing my browser history helped for a while.
It is strange though. I find if I tether to Vodafone or use some wireless networks it plays up but then when I use my work or home wireless networks it is fine.
The broadcasting/communication minister should be fired for this!!!!
We sufferd some similar inter-ruption also and what is happening over our internet services as in the last two days our service provider was called by us for disruption of services, several times.
We saw the stupid stuff over Clare Curran screwing up our plans for a new media channel so this is just a coontinuatiioon of these problems faced by us all because of failing communicatiion systems.
The big question on broacasting/communications right now is this;
Why did the PM Jacinda Ardern ‘eagerly’ dismiss the Minister of transport from his Air Transport portfolio when she didn’t fire Clare Curran as Minister of Broadcasting when she ‘communicated’ with those she was legally prevented not to communicate with with??????
Jacinda needs to fix this now because Clare Curran was the most destructive MP for the Labour coalition Government cause to allow them to setup a new public broadcasting channel that the new Government urgently needs most of all right to counter the negative tone of all the media coverage, as media is right now accusing all the issues around what the new government it doing???
Request Timeout
Server timeout waiting for the HTTP request from the client.
Apache/2.4.33 (Ubuntu) Server at thestandard.org.nz Port 443
What I am trying to show you, is that Greenpeace has had to cancel all protests against deep sea oil and gas drilling in New Zealand waters under threat of $200,000 fines.
This is being done under the Anadarko Amendment, the legislation brought in at the behest of the oil companies by the last National Government.
Why hasn’t Jacinda “the priness of our world climate change” cancelled the former national Government agreementn with this highly aggessive oil company Anadarko?
Are they afraid of showing us what faces us all under ISDS under TPP?
Jenny, I’ve found I can’t cut and paste anything more than http:// addies into the comment box, or I’ll get the whole time out as well. I’ve also noticed that I need to space out any links, with me writing stuff in between. And as a last kicker don’t have any text too close to a hyperlink.
See if that helps. I know the frustration, you are not alone.
No. It has nothing to do with links. I now seem to be permanetly getting
Bad Request
Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.
Size of a request header field exceeds server limit.
Apache/2.4.33 (Ubuntu) Server at thestandard.nz Port 443
I just tried to type a couple of sentences reply to you on Firefox, without logging in, and got the above.
It used to help clearing the cache and history (for a while), but after a while that didn’t seem to work either.
I get that response when I try to log in to TS on firefox.
I have logged in OK today and commenting here via Vivaldi
But continually trying to find work arounds becomes too tiresome.
PS: just cleared cache and history, closed firefox then reopened it and got the above message again just trying to access TS.
“What I am trying to show you, is that Greenpeace has had to cancel all protests against deep sea oil and gas drilling in New Zealand waters under threat of $200,000 fines.”
So all they have to do now is not break the law and they won’t get fined. Easy really.
Who was the young woman on today’s Q&A panel? When asked what her “miss of the week was” she said it was Phil Twyford and his behaviour on the aeroplane. “Not a good look” she said. If she thinks that is the most serious ‘miss’ of the week’ then she is uninformed and politically very naive. What was she doing there?
I think your wrong twyford was the biggest miss of the week . The nats are doing what opposition parties do (Just they a better at dirty than the others) but twyford was just plain dumb .
Spot on Robert. I noticed the usual suspects weren’t here today and conversations were passing back and forth and then James popped up and contributed … nothing. Except his usual negative, sniping trolling of course.
What the hell are you talking about? What’s “holier than thou” about critiquing a person who came across to me as a bit of a twit – or twat of you prefer. Apart from that, listen to who is talking. You spend your whole time critiquing and running down people on this site!
Could be one of those religious righties who believe national are god’s gift. The type who excuse homelessness and decaying infrastructure that kills New Zealanders because national are born again “winners” and are conservative like them. They just block out the continual lies that are preached to them I spose.
Some good stuff from Radionz Wallace Chapman this am.
life and society author interview
11:04 am today
Jeremy Heimans: the power of new power
From Sunday Morning, 11:04 am today
Listen duration 32′ :04″ http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018646695/jeremy-heimans-the-power-of-new-power
Jeremy Heimans is the co-author, with Henry Timms, of a book called “New Power” . He says Harvey Weinstein is a typical example of old power and the #metoo movement is an example of new power. Heimans says there’s been a fundamental shift in the balance of power in the world and we have major structural problems that could benefit from the kinds of mass participation and peer coordination that “new power” players know how to generate. He says “the facts just aren’t enough”.
****************************
Civil Defence environment
10:04 am today
Ann Brower: critical conscience
From Sunday Morning, 10:04 am today
Listen duration 32′ :18″ http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018646691/ann-brower-critical-conscience
On 31 May, Dr Ann Brower will deliver a lecture at the University of Canterbury, titled: A Little Guy’s Guide to Making a Difference after receiving the Critic and Conscience of Society Award earlier this month. Dr Brower is probably best known for her advocacy for more stringent regulation of earthquake-prone buildings, a campaign informed by her experience of being on a bus crushed by falling masonry in Christchurch’s 2011 earthquake. Twelve passengers died on or beside the bus. She’s also been prominent in highlighting high country land being transferred from Crown to private ownership.
Fucked if I know don’t watch much rugby .
Hadn’t noticed the rfu forcing Maori to play for them as the word taking implies. As for the haka didn’t the sort something out with Te Raprahas tribe a few years ago . ( wouldn’t bother me if they dropped the haka as once you’ve watched it for 40 odd years it’s lost it’s thrill )
ACC is undertaking a secretive review into the conduct of its chief executive and the organisation’s culture…
ACC chair Dame Paula Rebstock refused to discuss the investigation beyond a short statement, saying the allegations were “without merit”.
…
The allegations also asserted a flagship project to overhaul ACC was delivering only a fraction of the benefits originally claimed.
I had a quick look at Heidrick & Struggles’ website. The ‘about us’ section is showing “404 not found”, so obviously they didn’t spend our $100k on that.
I saw the National Media Party rorting is so bad, it has put in question New Zealand being kicked out of the 5 eyes for being a communist liability.
The change the flag, no record on land sales, flogging off the water, record immigration, spies in cabinet ‘elite’ network etc is clearly the culprit here.
NZ society needs honest lobbying via local custom driving govt. oversight & policy, formal employee firms as part of specialised product chains where necessary, and self-regulating business associations bound by autonomous democratic control in designating levels of conduct.
Capitalism has a place for lesser practises, but they should be a niche, not state run (or overrun as the case may be) monopolies.
Any truth to the rumour this government is going to open the doors wide to overseas buyers as long as they plant trees . I was told mp mcelvie addressed a fed farmers meeting and that was one of his talking points.
Last Friday it was 40 years since Day 507 when Bastion Point got stormed and the Ngati whatua protesters were arrested and their makeshift whare wrecked.
” The stand at Bastion Point is a prevailing benchmark for protest in Aotearoa, which led to the first successful retrospective claim hearing at the Waitangi Tribunal. It is a move that Joe Hawke, leader of the 1977 protest, has never regretted. “I went onto the Point, not to invite an arrest, but to arrest a wrong, and 40 years on, all of Ngāti Whātua are benefiting from that stand”, he said. ”
Ngati Whatua are now one of the largest landowners in downtown Auckland, so good on them.
If you ever find it, check out the documentary by Merata Mita: Takaparawha Day 507. It’s chilling. Anyone says racism was long gone in the 1950s, take a look at that one and weep.
I think their action, together with the Motonui Plant coastal decisions, were the things that really started the reconciliation process as we now know it. Helluva day, just watching Philip Sherry front that on the news.
You’re saying Bridges is toast. Thanks for that but we knew it already.
What’s more alarming for the Nats is the upcoming rapid turnover of leaders and the blood-letting which is about to commence in the impending series of power vacuums.
Your only faint hope is Nicola Willis as far as I can see and she’s only been in the game for a few short weeks. Several leader changes before she gets the nod I would think.
I’m not saying Bridges is toast. I simply made the point that it’s very difficult to predict elections based on a single poll two to two and a half years before the election.
I’m not impressed with Bridges, but it’s early days for him. National support holding up with give him a while to step up, but I haven’t seen that he has what it takes yet.
I don’t have any hopes, faint or otherwise, about future leaders of any party, nor of future elections.
I do hope the current Government does a good job generrally. There are some promising signs, and some concerning signs, and a lot yet unknown.
“Bridges is struggling be be seen or liked.” – Pete George
“I’m not saying Bridges is toast. I simply made the point that it’s very difficult to predict elections based on a single poll two to two and a half years before the election.” – Pete George
I don’t know what point you’re trying to make Robert.
Collins hasn’t had any success standing for leader so far and may or may not have any chance in the future. She may have decided to settle in as a support MP, or may still have ambitions. I have no idea, and i don’t know what her chances are.
It’s far too soon to know how Willis will go. Most MPs never get anywhere near being party leader, and almost all don’t make it to PM.
There’s as much certainty (none) of knowing whether Marama Davidson will help grow the Green Party, or deter vital support if they are to survive next election.
Sooo much uncertainty, Pete! Could be this or it could be that, might be up, might be down, maybe good, maybe bad – the only reasonable thing we can do is stay balanced, give everyone an equal chance, look at both sides, weigh up the arguments for as long as it takes to see they are the same underneath it all.
Aye.
Robert Guyton. I was halfway through a very similar comment on how many times Pete had equivocated;
“not impressed, but early days”
“has a while to step up, but (hasn’t got) what it takes yet”
“I don’t have any hopes”, then “I do hope”
“There are promising signs, and concerning signs”
“may or may not”
“may have decided to settle”, yet “may still have ambitions”
“It’s far too soon”
“There’s (no) certainty”
In fact Pete said the word ‘may’ 4 times in one short, beige paragraph.
I was going to post a comment like this but then suddenly became crushed by the weight of tan, and lost interest 🙂
PS. You might like this from the wiki page on beige:
Beige is notoriously difficult to produce in traditional offset CMYK printing due to the low levels of inks used on each plate; often it will print in purple or green and vary within a print run.
With NZ First below the threshold, it makes the Greens the king/Queen-maker. This is a shift from the situation where NZF was always shown as a PM-Maker during the last term of government.
I think Muttonbird’s point though, was, that barring a massive change of heart the Greens aren’t planning on installing any National Party leader PM anytime soon, especially Collins! So this poll, like all the polls since the election just continues to confirm National’s hapless position and puts Ardern fully in the drivers seat.
That’s right it’s dishonest reporting, the Greens aren’t a NZ First or Māori Party ‘kingmaker’ party that could go either way. They’re apparently our version of hard left. So only an idiot media would classify them as a potential coalition partner of the right wing nats.
Yes. There is zero chance of the Greens being king-maker because there is zero chance of them forming a government with National no matter how hard National party proxies try to make it so.
You can see why they are so very very desperate to sow the seeds of this narrative because the Labour/Greens bloc is now quite powerful.
For New Shub to pretend a National Green government is possible is further evidence the right wing media is attempting to invent this impossibility.
I wouldn’t necessarily blame the Greens if they didn’t immediately come out and destroy the idea but Marama Davidson must be seething it is even in print.
The other error is that they gift a seat to poor people hater, David Seymour. Surely at just 0% of the party vote even the many many bigots of Epsom will start to choke on what they are fed.
While they won’t go with the nats, the greens might be tempted to make Labour work as a minority government and look at things on an issue-by-issue basis. Threatening a snap election at any time.
If Labour want security, they need to work to keep the greens onside
The people of Epsom will continue to gift a seat to a poor-people hater until they are told not to by someone wearing a blue rosette. Even at 0.2% of the vote, it’s in their interest to deliver an overhang seat that will reliably support the Nats.
Being that Twyford doesn’t seem to want to take advice from anyone not on the opposite side of his mirror it won’t be long before he has to fall on his own sword
Collins is out there. She can’t be bargained with. She can’t be reasoned with. She doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And she absolutely will not stop, ever, until she becomes leader.
Statement by UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl, the Gaza Strip
Good morning,
Thank you for joining us for this press briefing.
My current visit took place in the aftermath of the weeks of protests and marches here in the Gaza Strip and the appalling impact of the events that followed.
Yesterday, I visited an UNRWA health centre in Khan Younis, a partner rehabilitation centre in Deir El-Balah and the Al-Shifa hospital. These were shocking and deeply disturbing visits.
Allow me to describe this is some detail, focusing on three main dimensions.
First, I truly believe that much of the world completely underestimates the extent of the disaster in human terms that occurred in the Gaza Strip since the marches began on 30 March.
117 people were killed by Israeli forces – of which 13 were children – and over 13,000 people were injured, of which an estimated 3,500 by live ammunition. Let me put this in context.
During the 51 days of the military assault in Gaza in 2014, approximately 12,000 people were injured. In other words, as many people or even slightly more were injured during a total of 7 days of protests than were injured during the full duration of the 2014 conflict. That is truly staggering.
During the visits, I was also struck not only by the number of injured but also by the nature of the injuries. The demonstrators had been systematically shot either in the lower limbs (shattering femurs, knees and ankles), in the abdomen, the back, or the head.
The pattern of small entry wounds and large exit wounds, indicates ammunition used caused severe damage to internal organs, muscle tissue and bones.
Both the staff or the MoPH hospitals, NGOs, and UNRWA clinics are struggling to deal with extremely complex wounds and care.
Second, the direct consequence of the number of injured and nature of wounds has brought the health-care system in Gaza to a breaking point. It is a health system already plagued by the multiple health pressures and severe medical stock limitations under regular circumstances.
What is the fair price for an item? So it can be made in NZ using NZ labour?
The charities selling second hand clothes complain at the rubbish that is put out to them to dispose of, so poorly looked after that they can’t sell them on. If we bought one thing and wore it for three seasons instead of three times, we could afford to pay more.
This shoe maker has been in business for 25 years. She has to sell up and carries on the remnant of her business with manufacturing done in China in a factory that seems ethically run. On line buying has also made an impact on her business she thinks. She sadly sold one machine that she imported for $1000’s to a tryer in another city for $100.
We need people in jobs, we need to support our own people, our country, if we want to have one that is. And we may need to save up for items instead of having instant cheap gratification. What do you think?
business
25 May 2018
Fast fashion kills Auckland shoemaker Minnie Cooper
From Checkpoint, 5:37 pm on 25 May 2018
Zac Fleming, Checkpoint Producer
zacflemng zac.fleming@radionz.co.nz
The usual cries will be heard about offshore exploitation, entrepreneur greed and supporting local production…..until they hear the price, then it all goes out the window.
Her parting comment in the interview is on the mark…..make do with less (and demand quality and long lived products)
My household has at least 20 pairs of Minnie Coopers. She had a good run.
But any clothing manufacturer still going in New Zealand is in a spiral as the skills aren’t being replaced. Zulu can’t even find them. Icebreaker’s long gone. Even Nom’d. And of course World can’t even lie straight let alone hem straight.
It’s ridiculous to try to hold more than the designers and owners in this country, because they are the only jobs that are rewarded properly by the global industry. We’ve long since lost any clustering effect apropos Porter that could have sustained comparative advantage.
I find that so depressing. We can’t lie down and let the world roll over us.
There are some good things being tried. We have to trial things from the grass roots up I think. We are just going round in ever-decreasing circles. And to join the competition from vast runs from overseas, plus low wages and conditions, we have the image of robots moving forward, slightly smiling and as dangerous as triffids.
I think we will have to turn NZ made stuff into a club that people join as core buyers saying they will buy one thing a year from certain manufacturers so they can get the loyalty effect and the buyers and manufacturers be alongside with a definite level of demand. Would you have agreed to this as customer of Minnie Cooper?
greywarshark. Never, in a million years, can most of us ever afford over three hundred bucks for a pair of shoes. Nice for you if you can…but most of us, no. If those who have been paying those eye watering sums for slippers are no longer doing so…take it up with them…but you’re probably not going to find many of those sort here on TS.
It is not about ‘instant cheap gratification’, its about limited incomes and kids to feed and clothe and school fees and power bills, and if there’s any savings they’ll go to the ‘coax the old car through the next warrant’ fund. Poncy boots are so far down the list…
I was a loyal member of a ‘buy NZ Club’ for foot wear. Commandos. Remember them? Bought one particular model for nearly three decades when it was first marketed as the quintessential roofers’ shoe. Comfortable, stable and truly non slip. Retailing at $39.95, they were at the upper limit of my budget, but I did save because having safe footing is vital when you’re having to move another fully grown human from bed to wheelchair etc two or three times a day.
Anyway..the buggers have doubled the price, and the quality it just not the same.
So its down to K-Mart and their $10 canvas throwaways.
Rosemary
There may have been cheaper footwear sold by Minnie Cooper. And I am not wealthy and have been quite poor so I’m not ignoring the issues of affordability. But the quite poor (above the level of being homeless, addicted or mentally sick and unemployable) are not the only people in NZ, and never will be. We are going through a slow Depression, and in the last one there were people who were not badly affected. So because something doesn’t apply to you or the people you know, doesn’t mean that the idea has no credibility.
Why are we so poor and destitute in NZ? Because our whole economy
has been sliced and diced by overseas cheap stuff and the direction that RW neolibs have taken us with determination, that is to low wages, ‘flexible-to-none’ hours, voluntary unionism and anti unionism by businesses. We have to think of how we are going to improve things for ourselves, and not just be charity cases patronised by self-centred, arrogant, callous people who are in the better-off category. And unfortunately these are the very same people who once were poor. The book Affluenza talks about the lure of continually wanting more, the driven psychology of aiming ‘to be the best you can be’ and and feeling superior and entitled once success is achieved, and finding fault with those who haven’t.
Nothing will change unless we apply our minds and do things differently from now, and also not try to return to what seems to have been a better time and way. What if the people who want good non-slip shoes find someone, perhaps retired and on superannuation and with time from pressing home or care duties, to run a Facebook page that keeps people in touch who have particular interests and wants. In your case you would say that you need certain shoes at about a certain price, others who know where these can be obtained would advise the group.
We are going to have to show some mettle or lose all the way in this country. I have tried to help particular groups and found they will hardly help themselves, they can’t make the effort, allow the present to swamp them and want a miracle to happen that will solve the situation. If we think of how few people come to this blog and talk over the problems and then come up with a project to improve things, not just with protest to various government agencies but with direct activity, do-it-yourself stuff,
the biggest task is to get people to set aside some time and whatever money they can afford and put their hands to the wheel. But that’s physical labour! And sitting on the fence chewing over the problems, or lining up with the outrage in-group is about where most of NZ is at I am afraid.
It is not impossible …indeed it wasnt so long ago that we did …however the culture change required from both (esp) consumers and manufacturers is such that it is highly unlikely…the easy option is exactly that.
Woman asks judge for $15M condo after deadbeat hubby skips town with mistress.
Great heading on that piece fender.
Everything has a label so it can be dismissed easily – one in the USA is deadbeat dad. She has been rich, married to a man with lots of money and now it is slipping away and she wants to ensure she stays rich, calling on the legal services and the law to assist her to have her rights for herself and children.
The label for so many of us in NZ is worthless, lazy, unproductive, unworthy and expressed as single parent, druggie, Maori, unemployable. Oh if only we poor people could claim our entitlement from the wealthy who have managed to screw us and disappear our jobs, our living wages, our affordable houses, our public services both affordable and accessible, our opportunity to have an enjoyable secure life, to hold our heads up and be pleased and proud with ourselves and our achievements.
The elite in NZ, the robber barons and their groupies, have ‘skipped town’ with our entitlement to share in the rockstar economy enabling us to have our rights for ourselves and children.
Good morning The Am Show Mark it was national that ran a circus and the way shonky ran the show was shocking his trick was to take putea from the poor and give it to the rich another trick of shonkys was he could tell a lie and everyone believed his lie even thought the truth was stearing them in the face.
Eco Maori is still assessing Bryce Edwards something keeps changing his view ?????????.
Duncan the meat from cows with that Bovine virus will be fine we use to eat the cows culled for TB back in the day .
I could survive 3 days in the wild but I learnt how to harvest the kai from te whenua in the Waiapu Vally my whano don’t realize how important the Waiapu Vally is to Maori tupuna history I have learnt these facts.
The abortion debate in Ireland is also about Whine rights Mana Whine ka pai.
You are right M8 hypocrisy runs rife in OUR society you just have a look at ———– and it pokes one in the eyes.
Ka kite ano
The Am Show Mark Sainsbury gambling on those pokie machines is a big scam the house always wins thats the way it all ways works with gambling if the house lost all the time they would go broke and be gone.
The poor people you see gambling are trying to win there way into a more prosperous life and odds are very low on one achieving that feat.
ka kite ano
When I read a artificial I scroll down and read the comments made by other people on the given topic The welfare overhaul panel of 11 they look like they have the credentials for the task this is a win for Te Green Party.
I can see the national trolls easy as trolls paid to stir up peoples emotions they start with a line saying they were or did vote for Labour but have changed there view so easy to read you trolls.
Its that bad at winz that people have to get a advocate just to get a benefit which should be guaranteed in a wealthy country like NZ NO.
Whats wrong with everyone having a healthy happy life style trolls tell me why yous don’t think other people have the right to be treated humanly .
If the story is true if someone is on a sickness benefit for seven years than that person is sick they are probable sick of being put down by employers put down by the system these people are not fortunate like me to have a thick skin and a strong mind as well I have this site and my tipunas genetics to help keep me off a benefit the sandflys are trying there hardest to push me onto one but I won’t give up.
So national trolls know this Eco Maori is watching you . Ka kite ano link is below.
Rodger I did not have the time to watch Dancing I have been to busy m8 now you have done good you know that saying if the horse bucks you off one just has to get back on m8 . I ;v been thrown off a horse many times I would catch my breath because most times one gets the wind knocked out of them when thrown off a horse and get back on it . Kia Kaha Rodger Ka kite ano
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 ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Yesterday I lifted a broken path out with a spade and a wheelbarrow. It took just over an hour.
Friday I met a Government contractor who, when I suggested a spade instead of a 3 ton digger looked horrified and said “But, that’s manual labor”.
Herein lies a very large problem. So called grown men, so called working men, who are in fact: babies. Where did they learn to be so shit?
Where I come from hard work is its own reward with fitness and pride coming as well as cash and camaraderie – it’s all good. Who is teaching people to be so shit?
Something seriously wrong when people are afraid of real work, then half of them go to the gym. Mentally ill?
Mental ill… no….. lazy maybe, or possibly the lack of an audience, unlike the gym.
It’s a class thing. Modern men drive machines, get out of their cars to exercise and keep strong, and get on an expensive mountain or touring bike, pedal or fancy Harley Davidson. They don’t pick up a yard broom to sweep leaves, you
point a mechanised blower at them. Manual work is for losers.
It’s the attitude that grew the turncoat treasonable Labour defectors, Douglas et al. That is how they convinced themselves they were being progressive.
Thanks, Grey for explaining, appreciate that 🙂
Was thinking later on that if I had a digger/access to one, or money was no issue then absolutely I would use it/hire a digger over a spade.
Depends on the tools available.
Fuck I’ve grafted all my days but id take a digger over a spade any day . I work for an old falla who insists I drag sheep over the board instead of use the sheep handler .
Maybe you should live in a cave and walk every where as you obviously long for the good old days
That’s why the work costs so much and takes so long waggy. Compliance issues with a spade would take up little smootharse time.
Say that worker damages his back on the spade to the point he can’t do his job . His boss will have to let him go at some point ,80% of his wages is all acc will pay and it’s possible a chunk of his wages will be in nontaxable allowances so he may actually be down to 60% of his take home wage .
Now as he s not an all black or rich he’ll only get the minimum of medical help at it will take ages to get it .
Say that worker drives the digger into overhead lines waggy. Or tips it into the ditch. Or backs out into traffic. Or ruptures a gas line.
I am with bwaghown in this debate, as I aklso was all my life a ‘graffter’ and now at 73 have a broken back shoulders, knees and hands.
I suffered from a hernia when I worked at manapouri as a electrician and got a type of hernia lifting a very large battery out of a tunnel drilling platform that no other machine nor digger could extract out of the craddle it was siiting in under the engine all while , the drillking platform was kept in oeration.
Later when I was in pain, at the surgeons clinic afterwards he said in Winton,
– “sir this is an injury that is so risky to operate on and I advise you learn to live with it, and not lift heavy objects any more” – I was 22 yrs old then.
Do not engage in heavy work or dangerous activities when you rely a ‘trade or activity’ – for income is my advice as you will be ruined by it.
Balance in everything. That ole’ farmer is no doubt the sort that is behind the determination of a significant group of farmers to not follow the sensible rules set by government with obvious negative outcomes and further does not treat his workers or his animals with respect.
Illustrative?….yes ,it appears overkill to use machinery for a job that is relatively easy to do by hand and yes there is risk of injury and worn bodies from manual labour….and then theres the ongoing complaints of the skill levels and costs of having work done.
Its a grey old world, perception is reality and theres always decisions to be made.
Excellent. It is good to get the perspective of others on this. I’ve grafted a few decades but I also switched it up a lot to keep myself interested and to rest some muscles while thrashing others. While due care and attention is required, there’s also an element of luck to not being knackered after hard graft. I put my back out under load one time, only twisted the slightest bit and that was me gone for months. Another time I’m hauling some gib and the wind caught it and twisted for me. Not good…
I loved getting in the trucks loading out rock concerts banging out 10, 20, 30 containers of gear and breaking tour records. Some of those boys I met died on the road. There’s an element of risk to anything really. But it’s a matter of pride being good at what you do. Those boys know how to graft. Graft hard at whatever you do what’s the point in being fucking mediocre.
Safety I get, these guys, nope.
This issue is also about grift, as well as graft. One contractor with the (3 1/2 ton, ~ $100 per hour) digger, and the truck to transport it. Another contractor, with a helper, to do the boxing. I’m hoping he’ll also lay the concrete… Maybe it is someone else I’m sure they’ll need to use a wheelbarrow at some stage the truck won’t fit down there so there’s that quandary (manual labor) for him. Maybe even a separate gravel contractor, then the pour. The concrete pour will be followed by an inspector and more than likely an inspector inspector. I am not kidding one bit.
When they painted (eaves, windows, under eaves): One lot put up the scaffold. Another lot trimmed (pulled out, while contracted not to) the plants. Another lot painted – Lack of basic cutting in, etc. Then an inspector. Then an inspectors inspector. Then they always try to bring the painter back to do something again to justify the inspectors inspector bullshit role. So you see a small job turns into a massive clusterfuck of nonsense – and billing.
When lifting concrete it’s actually easier than other heavy stuff that you can’t hit with a hammer when it’s too big. This was just over an hours work for one, there was two of them.
Not safety, softies.
“This issue is also about grift, as well as graft.”
Theres that…..and corporate advantage…and greywarshark’s point of manual work being for losers has its place as well.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions (and unintended(?) consequences)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11766950
oh the irony
There’s certainly the risk of wrist injuries when trying to increase your pecs haha. But I’ve worked in a gym (cleaner, but got gym tickets and loads of time with trainers cos go hard when you’re there you know). I’ve done a shit ton of stuff…
I do agree with comments that life on the tools is harsh on bodies, and improvements in that direction can only be good.
Am I a dinosaur? Maybe. For the most part I’ve been able to call the shots on laboring where I’d do a stint get the cheque and go do something different once I’d had enough (styled after Barry Crump’s Sam Cash). So labor (mostly) kept me in great shape instead of taxed me. Perhaps I could exhibit the art of humping rocks at MOTAT.
A lot of work used to have decent contract rates, so you could go like the clappers to do x amount, then stop. Today, boss owns you for the hours, not the work. And the hours are long just to make ends meet. That’ll break a body. Rest is a crucial part of exercise.
Just not ALL day. Balance. I’m not totally against progress, just…
YOU KIDS NEED TO GET OUT OF MY DAMN YARD!
DB
You would enjoy George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London if you haven’t read it.
It’s available on Gutenberg for Australia but don’t know if NZ allows it.
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks01/0100171h.html
This is Chapter 14. I found it good if I put it into Page preview for printing, and then easily adjust size of font and good for reading.
http://www.telelib.com/authors/O/OrwellGeorge/prose/DownandOut/downandout_14.html
“Whenever one pays more than, say, ten francs for a dish of meat in Paris, one may be certain that it has been fingered in this manner.”
So many amazing quotes. That is gold, thank you.
And I can see the first link too. Excellent.
And in the real world manual labour destroys people’s bodies and shortens their life:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2092511/
http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/19/physically-demanding-jobs-are-linked-to-higher-risk-of-heart-disease/
Why are you demanding that people sacrifice themselves for no benefit?
Sacrificing themselves for no benefit?
You also quoted me. Do you need a paraphrase?
Money, good relations, health, getting fit as. Exercise is also linked to many health benefits, there’s always a spectrum.
I aint asking them to go down the mines.
And what the fuck good is a worker who won’t work. Really?
That’s right – no benefit. It could be done by machine without causing serious damage to the person doing it and be done faster.
Taking longer to get more money isn’t particularly efficient.
I’m pretty sure that the people who turn up to do the job will get on reasonably well.
It damages peoples health which is my point and the point of the articles I linked to. You’re just spouting belief that is wrong.
They do work – just not in the way you expect because things have moved on in the last several decades.
It is not a life threatening situation and requires no high tech. Just a bit of common sense and effort saved considerable wreckage of my gardens as well as time and money. This should be a contractors concern, not to unnecessarily trash the place.
However, ethically, I cannot deny that it needs to be people over property.
Ironic that.
I cede that saving backs is commendable practice.
I still think they’re a pack of shiftless mongrels, this job is to repair damage from 2 years back when the last lot were let in with a digger. No compensation for considerable property loss at the time, and now they tried to dig up a perfectly good driveway as well as the broken path. That’s when I’d had enough. Moved the concrete myself, enough, is enough.
Common Sense is neither common nor sense.
To some degree yes.
And that is a concern. Someone is milking it which needs a proper investigation. But how to get one started and properly done?
I suspect many of us have acquaintances that are over 50 and have been building for most of their lives. Of the half dozen I know they all have 1 thing in common: Buggered backs. More than should wrestle with skin cancer issues. There seem to be many peripheral advantages to pre-fab house building.
Foul weather costs everyone money on a building site. Painters rained off etc. Health and Safety is much easier to manage when we’re keeping an eye on a factory rather than a suburb. Building outside in the depth of winter….yuck…warm factory, Nice! Neighbours don’t need to put up with the noise, mess, somebody else’s musical taste etc for 2-3 months. Can be built around the clock, 3 x 8 hour shifts every day, 7 days a week. Economy of scale, all costs come down when you’re buying building materials by the tonne and kilometre.
Lot of good points David.
I think I am pining for the ‘good old days’. Prefab building makes a lot of sense in the light of production and preservation of people.
And preservation of people is where my rant falls over.
There’s a line though – a nanny state if you will. I’ll throw blocks if I wanna!
Your points about mechanization are important particularly if they are in a tight space or section as you describe. Sometimes hand-work is safest and most accurate.
If there were a machine that could do tie-ins for rebar and foundation/slab work we would definitely use them on our sites (construction of rail, motorways, water and wastewater plants, heavy marine etc). But right now there isn’t, even with using as much prefab offsite as we can.
But if I need jobs done on my section here in Titirangi I tend to specify as little machinery as possible – I would rather confine the impact as much as possible just as you are proposing.
Nothing like the good old days of work, so long as we also do the basics that decrease injury;
– make sure everyone is clear about their methodology and tasks
– set out the steps to take in a ‘toolbox talk’ at the beginning of each day
– Get them decent lunch so they don’t forget you
– Make sure everyone is wearing gloves and steel capped boots and strong pants and shirts (you know the drill)
– But still stay on the phone to the business and make your specifications and your cost control rigidly clear. It’s your show after all.
And. Yet another skilled independent tradesman gets turned into a minimum wage factory worker.
Yay!
Done properly no persons would be involved in the construction.
Will need highly intelligent, well trained and well paid people to keep the factory going though.
I’d say the real reason is the amount of money they can rip taxpayers off by getting in a digger at $150 an hour plus disposal plus this plus that. Money is more desirable than hard physical work.
This fault preventing me making a comment about the New Zealand campaign against climate change and offshore oil and gas prospecting.
Will try again
Nope.
It seems that comments about Syria as well as deep sea oil protests are being captured by this fault.
Will try again.
Nope. No luck this time either.
Maybe I should take the hint and restrict myself to making comments about the Royal wedding.
Related comments:
I will not agree to self censorship
Request Timeout
Server timeout waiting for the HTTP request from the client.
Apache/2.4.33 (Ubuntu) Server at thestandard.org.nz Port 443
Related comments:
Dead Whales, Continued deep sea oil and gas exploration, Climate Change.
Which network do you use for your internet feed Jenny?
Telecom’s Spark email.
No change there.
This is the server I have always used.
I’ve had problems logging into and commenting on TS for a few months. Usually on the browser I use most (Firefox), but eventually it hits every browser.
Firefox on one or 2 laptops now regularly get bad request notices no matter how many times I clear the cache and history.
I logged in for this comment using the Vivaldi browser. But, I have pretty much given up commenting on TS. It’s just too much hassle.
And re your question to Jenny, micky. Spark IP.
Since the last break-down about a week ago I lost my details and have to insert them each time I comment. Some comments have also disappeared into spam bin. Mentioned it the other day and a few commenters confirmed they were having the same problem. I use Google Chrome.
I’m also Spark IP.
Anne
You may already know about this. But for anyone who doesn’t, I too lost my embedded details and was entering each time. Then realised I could get in easier with the dropdown option so just put the first letter, it drops down and I click on appropriate info.
@ greywarshark 27 May 2018 at 12:24 pm:
I suspect this is something to do with your browser settings and I’ll use this comment to test it out.
Edit: Nope, it didn’t work 🙁
Incognito
Unfortunately i have to learn my computer program management
on the run. So what do you find through your browser settings
check?
I struggle with damn technology. I can’t use my cellphone easily apparently because my little finger hasn’t enough area to
drive the system etc.
Hi greywarshark,
I found nothing that was helpful and you can believe when I say that I would have shared it here if I had 😉
I have to type in my details for each & every comment but I’ve also lost the ability to see who replied to my comments; the Replies option on the RH side is gone and only Comments and Opinions are available!?
I’ve tried different browsers with different settings (on a laptop) but so far no luck 🙁
It’s like digging a (small) hole manually each time 😉
Hi lprent
When you have time could you advise what you think is leading to our problems here. Jenny is wanting to talk about the latest political stuff and is getting paranoid that she can’t get through.
I have felt the same about things that I have written.
GCSB must have a lot of stuff that they want to trial.
I’m with Vodafone and using the very latest Firefox web browser.
I have to enter my details in the name and mail fields again every time I hit reply and no longer get to see that useful tab that would show me when someone has replied to one of my comments.
All the problems seemed to start after the website was unavailable for a day or two to me.
Thank you for your concern at all my travails MS.
You are an angel.
Lucifer?
Better the devil you know, aye.
No problems Jenny I have had it as well. Clearing my browser history helped for a while.
It is strange though. I find if I tether to Vodafone or use some wireless networks it plays up but then when I use my work or home wireless networks it is fine.
Will try again.
The broadcasting/communication minister should be fired for this!!!!
We sufferd some similar inter-ruption also and what is happening over our internet services as in the last two days our service provider was called by us for disruption of services, several times.
We saw the stupid stuff over Clare Curran screwing up our plans for a new media channel so this is just a coontinuatiioon of these problems faced by us all because of failing communicatiion systems.
The big question on broacasting/communications right now is this;
Why did the PM Jacinda Ardern ‘eagerly’ dismiss the Minister of transport from his Air Transport portfolio when she didn’t fire Clare Curran as Minister of Broadcasting when she ‘communicated’ with those she was legally prevented not to communicate with with??????
Jacinda needs to fix this now because Clare Curran was the most destructive MP for the Labour coalition Government cause to allow them to setup a new public broadcasting channel that the new Government urgently needs most of all right to counter the negative tone of all the media coverage, as media is right now accusing all the issues around what the new government it doing???
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018619322/new-government-new-plans-for-broadcasting
Nope no luck.
What I am trying to show you, is that Greenpeace has had to cancel all protests against deep sea oil and gas drilling in New Zealand waters under threat of $200,000 fines.
This is being done under the Anadarko Amendment, the legislation brought in at the behest of the oil companies by the last National Government.
Why hasn’t Jacinda “the priness of our world climate change” cancelled the former national Government agreementn with this highly aggessive oil company Anadarko?
Are they afraid of showing us what faces us all under ISDS under TPP?
Jenny, I’ve found I can’t cut and paste anything more than http:// addies into the comment box, or I’ll get the whole time out as well. I’ve also noticed that I need to space out any links, with me writing stuff in between. And as a last kicker don’t have any text too close to a hyperlink.
See if that helps. I know the frustration, you are not alone.
No. It has nothing to do with links.
Typing this without attempting to login
[k. For info, that one was sitting in pending. I’ve left a note for Lynn in the back end and referred him to this sub-thread.] – Bill
Thanks, Bill. yes. that’s what I typed on Firefox, without logging in, and got a bad request notice.
No. It has nothing to do with links. I now seem to be permanetly getting
I just tried to type a couple of sentences reply to you on Firefox, without logging in, and got the above.
It used to help clearing the cache and history (for a while), but after a while that didn’t seem to work either.
I get that response when I try to log in to TS on firefox.
I have logged in OK today and commenting here via Vivaldi
But continually trying to find work arounds becomes too tiresome.
PS: just cleared cache and history, closed firefox then reopened it and got the above message again just trying to access TS.
That error doesnt sound like a block from TS
Try chrome or IE
Or try to make sure you are only pasting the url and not other stuff
Has this gone on to Facebook set for public – world Jenny? It needs to be known by others.
“What I am trying to show you, is that Greenpeace has had to cancel all protests against deep sea oil and gas drilling in New Zealand waters under threat of $200,000 fines.”
So all they have to do now is not break the law and they won’t get fined. Easy really.
No answer eh?
I will fight for our freedom as our solders did for us as these greedy assholes like Anadarko will kill land rape a country to extract what they want.
Then leave it spoiled and polluted, – I dont want that for our children as I want to protect the planet for future generations.
Do you?
No answer eh?
I will fight for our freedom as our solders did for us as these greedy assholes like Anadarko will kill land rape a country to extract what they want.
Then leave it spoiled and polluted, – I dont want that for our children as I want to protect the planet for future generations.
Do you?
Who was the young woman on today’s Q&A panel? When asked what her “miss of the week was” she said it was Phil Twyford and his behaviour on the aeroplane. “Not a good look” she said. If she thinks that is the most serious ‘miss’ of the week’ then she is uninformed and politically very naive. What was she doing there?
What she was brought in to do by the sounds of things – misdirect from the major issues of the day.
I think your wrong twyford was the biggest miss of the week . The nats are doing what opposition parties do (Just they a better at dirty than the others) but twyford was just plain dumb .
So her opinion was wrong according to you. Therefore she is uninformed and niave.
Gee you sure got a case of “self importance” and holier than tho going on today Anne.
So Anne’s opinion is wrong according to you, James …
I reckon, 3 – 0.
You need to work on your trolling Robert.
At least put some effort in.
You joined the TS discussion today, James, just to tell Anne that she’s “got a case of self importance”?
Good effort.
Spot on Robert. I noticed the usual suspects weren’t here today and conversations were passing back and forth and then James popped up and contributed … nothing. Except his usual negative, sniping trolling of course.
Nope popped in here for a quick read – just happened that Anne’s self righteous comment stood out so I commented.
Oarsome!
What the hell are you talking about? What’s “holier than thou” about critiquing a person who came across to me as a bit of a twit – or twat of you prefer. Apart from that, listen to who is talking. You spend your whole time critiquing and running down people on this site!
Could be one of those religious righties who believe national are god’s gift. The type who excuse homelessness and decaying infrastructure that kills New Zealanders because national are born again “winners” and are conservative like them. They just block out the continual lies that are preached to them I spose.
Some good stuff from Radionz Wallace Chapman this am.
life and society author interview
11:04 am today
Jeremy Heimans: the power of new power
From Sunday Morning, 11:04 am today
Listen duration 32′ :04″
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018646695/jeremy-heimans-the-power-of-new-power
Jeremy Heimans is the co-author, with Henry Timms, of a book called “New Power” . He says Harvey Weinstein is a typical example of old power and the #metoo movement is an example of new power. Heimans says there’s been a fundamental shift in the balance of power in the world and we have major structural problems that could benefit from the kinds of mass participation and peer coordination that “new power” players know how to generate. He says “the facts just aren’t enough”.
****************************
Civil Defence environment
10:04 am today
Ann Brower: critical conscience
From Sunday Morning, 10:04 am today
Listen duration 32′ :18″
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018646691/ann-brower-critical-conscience
On 31 May, Dr Ann Brower will deliver a lecture at the University of Canterbury, titled: A Little Guy’s Guide to Making a Difference after receiving the Critic and Conscience of Society Award earlier this month. Dr Brower is probably best known for her advocacy for more stringent regulation of earthquake-prone buildings, a campaign informed by her experience of being on a bus crushed by falling masonry in Christchurch’s 2011 earthquake. Twelve passengers died on or beside the bus. She’s also been prominent in highlighting high country land being transferred from Crown to private ownership.
Begs the question, why is New Zealand Rugby so backwards in support of our indigenous culture?
Big ups to the AFL and all the families, artist and players involved in this.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-05-27/art-footy-and-indigenous-culture-collide
Hmmmm the Maori all blacks ? A race based team isn’t enough for you
And how much coverage do they get? We’ll take your haka and your best players thanks very much.
Fucked if I know don’t watch much rugby .
Hadn’t noticed the rfu forcing Maori to play for them as the word taking implies. As for the haka didn’t the sort something out with Te Raprahas tribe a few years ago . ( wouldn’t bother me if they dropped the haka as once you’ve watched it for 40 odd years it’s lost it’s thrill )
So how is “New Zealand Rugby so backwards in support of our indigenous culture? “?
What kind of shallow empty gesture did you have in mind addy? Bearing in mind the perils of cultural misappropriation.
Rebstock.
I had a quick look at Heidrick & Struggles’ website. The ‘about us’ section is showing “404 not found”, so obviously they didn’t spend our $100k on that.
Rebstock = hired gun
Results of fully anonymised staff surveys get pretty bracing.
Management won’t come out of this unscathed.
I saw the National Media Party rorting is so bad, it has put in question New Zealand being kicked out of the 5 eyes for being a communist liability.
The change the flag, no record on land sales, flogging off the water, record immigration, spies in cabinet ‘elite’ network etc is clearly the culprit here.
NZ society needs honest lobbying via local custom driving govt. oversight & policy, formal employee firms as part of specialised product chains where necessary, and self-regulating business associations bound by autonomous democratic control in designating levels of conduct.
Capitalism has a place for lesser practises, but they should be a niche, not state run (or overrun as the case may be) monopolies.
Any truth to the rumour this government is going to open the doors wide to overseas buyers as long as they plant trees . I was told mp mcelvie addressed a fed farmers meeting and that was one of his talking points.
Do you mean Ian McKelvie, National MP?
Yip sorry for the miss spell
No answer eh?
I will fight for our freedom as our solders did for us as these greedy assholes like Anadarko will kill land rape a country to extract what they want.
Then leave it spoiled and polluted, – I dont want that for our children as I want to protect the planet for future generations.
Do you?
Last Friday it was 40 years since Day 507 when Bastion Point got stormed and the Ngati whatua protesters were arrested and their makeshift whare wrecked.
” The stand at Bastion Point is a prevailing benchmark for protest in Aotearoa, which led to the first successful retrospective claim hearing at the Waitangi Tribunal. It is a move that Joe Hawke, leader of the 1977 protest, has never regretted. “I went onto the Point, not to invite an arrest, but to arrest a wrong, and 40 years on, all of Ngāti Whātua are benefiting from that stand”, he said. ”
http://ngatiwhatuaorakei.com/bastion-point-40-years
You can still see the ‘Not One More Acre!’ photographic exhibition at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
This clip from Te Karere a few years ago gives a sense of what this was like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cp5u75Lkzk
Also here, and there was the army on standby, air force helicopters in the air, and a navy ship close by just to intimidate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_CWQjghfBE
Ngati Whatua are now one of the largest landowners in downtown Auckland, so good on them.
If you ever find it, check out the documentary by Merata Mita: Takaparawha Day 507. It’s chilling. Anyone says racism was long gone in the 1950s, take a look at that one and weep.
I think their action, together with the Motonui Plant coastal decisions, were the things that really started the reconciliation process as we now know it. Helluva day, just watching Philip Sherry front that on the news.
The first poll since the budget, from Newshub/Reid Research:
– National 45.1% (up 0.6%)
– Labour 42.6% (up 0.3%)
– Greens 5.7% (down 0.3%)
– NZ First 2.4% (down 1.2%)
ACT, Maori Party and The Opportunities Party were not mentioned.
Preferred Prime Minister:
– Jacinda Ardern 40.2%
– Simon Bridges 9.0%
– Winston Peters 4.6%
– Judith Collins 3.7%
39% said Peters would do ok in the top job.
Boy, how matey are Judith Collins and Tova 0’Brien?
Preferred Prime Minister:
Jacinda Ardern 40.2%
Simon Bridges 9.0%
Go Simon you superstar!
I remember the days, just one year ago, when Andrew Little was hounded as a complete loser when on 7%.
Remember when Labour was written off two months before the election?
Remember when Greens were written off one month before the election?
It’s over two years until the next election.
You’re saying Bridges is toast. Thanks for that but we knew it already.
What’s more alarming for the Nats is the upcoming rapid turnover of leaders and the blood-letting which is about to commence in the impending series of power vacuums.
Your only faint hope is Nicola Willis as far as I can see and she’s only been in the game for a few short weeks. Several leader changes before she gets the nod I would think.
I’m not saying Bridges is toast. I simply made the point that it’s very difficult to predict elections based on a single poll two to two and a half years before the election.
I’m not impressed with Bridges, but it’s early days for him. National support holding up with give him a while to step up, but I haven’t seen that he has what it takes yet.
I don’t have any hopes, faint or otherwise, about future leaders of any party, nor of future elections.
I do hope the current Government does a good job generrally. There are some promising signs, and some concerning signs, and a lot yet unknown.
“Bridges is struggling be be seen or liked.” – Pete George
“I’m not saying Bridges is toast. I simply made the point that it’s very difficult to predict elections based on a single poll two to two and a half years before the election.” – Pete George
“Your only faint hope is Nicola Willis” – Muttonbird
“Judith Collins makes her debut – she has been the most prominent and effective Opposition MP, and liked by some in the National Party.” – Pete George
I don’t know what point you’re trying to make Robert.
Collins hasn’t had any success standing for leader so far and may or may not have any chance in the future. She may have decided to settle in as a support MP, or may still have ambitions. I have no idea, and i don’t know what her chances are.
It’s far too soon to know how Willis will go. Most MPs never get anywhere near being party leader, and almost all don’t make it to PM.
There’s as much certainty (none) of knowing whether Marama Davidson will help grow the Green Party, or deter vital support if they are to survive next election.
Sooo much uncertainty, Pete! Could be this or it could be that, might be up, might be down, maybe good, maybe bad – the only reasonable thing we can do is stay balanced, give everyone an equal chance, look at both sides, weigh up the arguments for as long as it takes to see they are the same underneath it all.
Aye.
Robert Guyton. I was halfway through a very similar comment on how many times Pete had equivocated;
“not impressed, but early days”
“has a while to step up, but (hasn’t got) what it takes yet”
“I don’t have any hopes”, then “I do hope”
“There are promising signs, and concerning signs”
“may or may not”
“may have decided to settle”, yet “may still have ambitions”
“It’s far too soon”
“There’s (no) certainty”
In fact Pete said the word ‘may’ 4 times in one short, beige paragraph.
I was going to post a comment like this but then suddenly became crushed by the weight of tan, and lost interest 🙂
PS. You might like this from the wiki page on beige:
Substitute inks with convictions.
“I was halfway through…”
🙂
Check out this graphic!
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/simon-bridges-failing-to-connect-with-voters-newshub-poll/_jcr_content/par/image_640870606.dynimg.full.q75.jpg/v1527401762952/D-POLL-GFX-SEATS-IN-THE-HOUSE-TOB-27-05.jpg
A couple of assumptions so wrong that you have to wonder if whoever did it is just trolling with the best of them.
They had to make the facts fit the preferred narrative somehow Muttonbird?
They’re not trolling, this is snubbery’s goal in life to invent support for national to make them look like they’re in the driver’s seat at all times.
As Ed said so aptly the other day, “the media is scum”.
With NZ First below the threshold, it makes the Greens the king/Queen-maker. This is a shift from the situation where NZF was always shown as a PM-Maker during the last term of government.
I think Muttonbird’s point though, was, that barring a massive change of heart the Greens aren’t planning on installing any National Party leader PM anytime soon, especially Collins! So this poll, like all the polls since the election just continues to confirm National’s hapless position and puts Ardern fully in the drivers seat.
That’s right it’s dishonest reporting, the Greens aren’t a NZ First or Māori Party ‘kingmaker’ party that could go either way. They’re apparently our version of hard left. So only an idiot media would classify them as a potential coalition partner of the right wing nats.
Yes. There is zero chance of the Greens being king-maker because there is zero chance of them forming a government with National no matter how hard National party proxies try to make it so.
You can see why they are so very very desperate to sow the seeds of this narrative because the Labour/Greens bloc is now quite powerful.
For New Shub to pretend a National Green government is possible is further evidence the right wing media is attempting to invent this impossibility.
I wouldn’t necessarily blame the Greens if they didn’t immediately come out and destroy the idea but Marama Davidson must be seething it is even in print.
The other error is that they gift a seat to poor people hater, David Seymour. Surely at just 0% of the party vote even the many many bigots of Epsom will start to choke on what they are fed.
While they won’t go with the nats, the greens might be tempted to make Labour work as a minority government and look at things on an issue-by-issue basis. Threatening a snap election at any time.
If Labour want security, they need to work to keep the greens onside
Agreed. However, there was only ever about a 5% chance NZF would go with National in the last few years, IMO.
It is interesting that the GP is becoming more indispensable to Labour than previously. And NZF seems to be on a slide.
The people of Epsom will continue to gift a seat to a poor-people hater until they are told not to by someone wearing a blue rosette. Even at 0.2% of the vote, it’s in their interest to deliver an overhang seat that will reliably support the Nats.
And I see that Jo Moir is already up with a piece on Stuff.
The Collins gang are getting ready to roll…
What the hell.
This country has issues.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/104238587/real-estate-agency-harcourts-staff-filmed-in-blackface-at-national-conference
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104248900/judith-collins-joins-preferred-pm-rankings–labour-greens-still-ahead
Yes!
First she’ll take out Twyford, second will be Bridges and last but not least Ardern, Collins coming for the crown!
Rotten swamp kauri or finished table top? When she knifes shouty, the electorate will judge.
But she’ll need more than a phone call and an overhead locker to knife Twyford.
Being that Twyford doesn’t seem to want to take advice from anyone not on the opposite side of his mirror it won’t be long before he has to fall on his own sword
lol we’ll see
With those words, Chris 73, you have formed the perfect basis of a greatly comedic irony.
Collins is out there. She can’t be bargained with. She can’t be reasoned with. She doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And she absolutely will not stop, ever, until she becomes leader.
Yup. She’s like a cancer in the nat caucus.
Chris she has hardly taken out Twyford. He’s just lost a relatively minor part of his workload and is probably quite grateful for that.
On an on-line poll the majority of people didn’t think Twyford should have lost his portfolio. It’s not that big
Something very unusual happened in the Occupied West Bank last week…
http://normanfinkelstein.com/2018/05/27/im-so-shattered-im-so-shaken-i-might-be-up-all-night-partying/
Statement by UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl, the Gaza Strip
Good morning,
Thank you for joining us for this press briefing.
My current visit took place in the aftermath of the weeks of protests and marches here in the Gaza Strip and the appalling impact of the events that followed.
Yesterday, I visited an UNRWA health centre in Khan Younis, a partner rehabilitation centre in Deir El-Balah and the Al-Shifa hospital. These were shocking and deeply disturbing visits.
Allow me to describe this is some detail, focusing on three main dimensions.
First, I truly believe that much of the world completely underestimates the extent of the disaster in human terms that occurred in the Gaza Strip since the marches began on 30 March.
117 people were killed by Israeli forces – of which 13 were children – and over 13,000 people were injured, of which an estimated 3,500 by live ammunition. Let me put this in context.
During the 51 days of the military assault in Gaza in 2014, approximately 12,000 people were injured. In other words, as many people or even slightly more were injured during a total of 7 days of protests than were injured during the full duration of the 2014 conflict. That is truly staggering.
During the visits, I was also struck not only by the number of injured but also by the nature of the injuries. The demonstrators had been systematically shot either in the lower limbs (shattering femurs, knees and ankles), in the abdomen, the back, or the head.
The pattern of small entry wounds and large exit wounds, indicates ammunition used caused severe damage to internal organs, muscle tissue and bones.
Both the staff or the MoPH hospitals, NGOs, and UNRWA clinics are struggling to deal with extremely complex wounds and care.
Second, the direct consequence of the number of injured and nature of wounds has brought the health-care system in Gaza to a breaking point. It is a health system already plagued by the multiple health pressures and severe medical stock limitations under regular circumstances.
……….
https://www.unrwausa.org/unrwa-usa-press-releases/2018/5/22/dehumanizing-an-entire-community-will-bring-no-peace
What is the fair price for an item? So it can be made in NZ using NZ labour?
The charities selling second hand clothes complain at the rubbish that is put out to them to dispose of, so poorly looked after that they can’t sell them on. If we bought one thing and wore it for three seasons instead of three times, we could afford to pay more.
This shoe maker has been in business for 25 years. She has to sell up and carries on the remnant of her business with manufacturing done in China in a factory that seems ethically run. On line buying has also made an impact on her business she thinks. She sadly sold one machine that she imported for $1000’s to a tryer in another city for $100.
We need people in jobs, we need to support our own people, our country, if we want to have one that is. And we may need to save up for items instead of having instant cheap gratification. What do you think?
business
25 May 2018
Fast fashion kills Auckland shoemaker Minnie Cooper
From Checkpoint, 5:37 pm on 25 May 2018
Zac Fleming, Checkpoint Producer
zacflemng zac.fleming@radionz.co.nz
After nearly 30 years, Auckland women’s shoe label Minnie Cooper has closed for good, citing fast fashion and no GST on online purchases as the final nails in its coffin.
Checkpoint visited Ms Cooper at Minnie Cooper’s former workshop today. Watch here:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018646562/fast-fashion-kills-auckland-shoemaker-minnie-cooper
The usual cries will be heard about offshore exploitation, entrepreneur greed and supporting local production…..until they hear the price, then it all goes out the window.
Her parting comment in the interview is on the mark…..make do with less (and demand quality and long lived products)
IT IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO SHARED LOCAL LOOP FRAMEWORK IN THE VALUE (IDENTITY) SYSTEMS OF SIGNIFICANCE. !!!
My household has at least 20 pairs of Minnie Coopers. She had a good run.
But any clothing manufacturer still going in New Zealand is in a spiral as the skills aren’t being replaced. Zulu can’t even find them. Icebreaker’s long gone. Even Nom’d. And of course World can’t even lie straight let alone hem straight.
It’s ridiculous to try to hold more than the designers and owners in this country, because they are the only jobs that are rewarded properly by the global industry. We’ve long since lost any clustering effect apropos Porter that could have sustained comparative advantage.
I find that so depressing. We can’t lie down and let the world roll over us.
There are some good things being tried. We have to trial things from the grass roots up I think. We are just going round in ever-decreasing circles. And to join the competition from vast runs from overseas, plus low wages and conditions, we have the image of robots moving forward, slightly smiling and as dangerous as triffids.
I think we will have to turn NZ made stuff into a club that people join as core buyers saying they will buy one thing a year from certain manufacturers so they can get the loyalty effect and the buyers and manufacturers be alongside with a definite level of demand. Would you have agreed to this as customer of Minnie Cooper?
greywarshark. Never, in a million years, can most of us ever afford over three hundred bucks for a pair of shoes. Nice for you if you can…but most of us, no. If those who have been paying those eye watering sums for slippers are no longer doing so…take it up with them…but you’re probably not going to find many of those sort here on TS.
It is not about ‘instant cheap gratification’, its about limited incomes and kids to feed and clothe and school fees and power bills, and if there’s any savings they’ll go to the ‘coax the old car through the next warrant’ fund. Poncy boots are so far down the list…
I was a loyal member of a ‘buy NZ Club’ for foot wear. Commandos. Remember them? Bought one particular model for nearly three decades when it was first marketed as the quintessential roofers’ shoe. Comfortable, stable and truly non slip. Retailing at $39.95, they were at the upper limit of my budget, but I did save because having safe footing is vital when you’re having to move another fully grown human from bed to wheelchair etc two or three times a day.
Anyway..the buggers have doubled the price, and the quality it just not the same.
So its down to K-Mart and their $10 canvas throwaways.
Rosemary
There may have been cheaper footwear sold by Minnie Cooper. And I am not wealthy and have been quite poor so I’m not ignoring the issues of affordability. But the quite poor (above the level of being homeless, addicted or mentally sick and unemployable) are not the only people in NZ, and never will be. We are going through a slow Depression, and in the last one there were people who were not badly affected. So because something doesn’t apply to you or the people you know, doesn’t mean that the idea has no credibility.
Why are we so poor and destitute in NZ? Because our whole economy
has been sliced and diced by overseas cheap stuff and the direction that RW neolibs have taken us with determination, that is to low wages, ‘flexible-to-none’ hours, voluntary unionism and anti unionism by businesses. We have to think of how we are going to improve things for ourselves, and not just be charity cases patronised by self-centred, arrogant, callous people who are in the better-off category. And unfortunately these are the very same people who once were poor. The book Affluenza talks about the lure of continually wanting more, the driven psychology of aiming ‘to be the best you can be’ and and feeling superior and entitled once success is achieved, and finding fault with those who haven’t.
Nothing will change unless we apply our minds and do things differently from now, and also not try to return to what seems to have been a better time and way. What if the people who want good non-slip shoes find someone, perhaps retired and on superannuation and with time from pressing home or care duties, to run a Facebook page that keeps people in touch who have particular interests and wants. In your case you would say that you need certain shoes at about a certain price, others who know where these can be obtained would advise the group.
We are going to have to show some mettle or lose all the way in this country. I have tried to help particular groups and found they will hardly help themselves, they can’t make the effort, allow the present to swamp them and want a miracle to happen that will solve the situation. If we think of how few people come to this blog and talk over the problems and then come up with a project to improve things, not just with protest to various government agencies but with direct activity, do-it-yourself stuff,
the biggest task is to get people to set aside some time and whatever money they can afford and put their hands to the wheel. But that’s physical labour! And sitting on the fence chewing over the problems, or lining up with the outrage in-group is about where most of NZ is at I am afraid.
It is not impossible …indeed it wasnt so long ago that we did …however the culture change required from both (esp) consumers and manufacturers is such that it is highly unlikely…the easy option is exactly that.
How did this Venezuelan couple get so rich so fast – they must have been overcharging for their insurance.?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/104246642/us-husband-and-wife-do-battle-over-fortune-stashed-away-in-new-zealand
He’s described as a banking and insurance magnate in this unflattering piece .
Woman asks judge for $15M condo after deadbeat hubby skips town with mistress.
Great heading on that piece fender.
Everything has a label so it can be dismissed easily – one in the USA is deadbeat dad. She has been rich, married to a man with lots of money and now it is slipping away and she wants to ensure she stays rich, calling on the legal services and the law to assist her to have her rights for herself and children.
The label for so many of us in NZ is worthless, lazy, unproductive, unworthy and expressed as single parent, druggie, Maori, unemployable. Oh if only we poor people could claim our entitlement from the wealthy who have managed to screw us and disappear our jobs, our living wages, our affordable houses, our public services both affordable and accessible, our opportunity to have an enjoyable secure life, to hold our heads up and be pleased and proud with ourselves and our achievements.
The elite in NZ, the robber barons and their groupies, have ‘skipped town’ with our entitlement to share in the rockstar economy enabling us to have our rights for ourselves and children.
I read “Collins made her first ever appearance as preferred prime minister with 3.7 per cent support, Newshub reported.”
And here and there I read thaty means she’s the next big thing, she’s going to lead National to victory in the next election.
What d’ya reckon, she’ll put Cameron Slater in as Human Rights Commissioner?
Good morning The Am Show Mark it was national that ran a circus and the way shonky ran the show was shocking his trick was to take putea from the poor and give it to the rich another trick of shonkys was he could tell a lie and everyone believed his lie even thought the truth was stearing them in the face.
Eco Maori is still assessing Bryce Edwards something keeps changing his view ?????????.
Duncan the meat from cows with that Bovine virus will be fine we use to eat the cows culled for TB back in the day .
I could survive 3 days in the wild but I learnt how to harvest the kai from te whenua in the Waiapu Vally my whano don’t realize how important the Waiapu Vally is to Maori tupuna history I have learnt these facts.
The abortion debate in Ireland is also about Whine rights Mana Whine ka pai.
You are right M8 hypocrisy runs rife in OUR society you just have a look at ———– and it pokes one in the eyes.
Ka kite ano
The Am Show Mark Sainsbury gambling on those pokie machines is a big scam the house always wins thats the way it all ways works with gambling if the house lost all the time they would go broke and be gone.
The poor people you see gambling are trying to win there way into a more prosperous life and odds are very low on one achieving that feat.
ka kite ano
When I read a artificial I scroll down and read the comments made by other people on the given topic The welfare overhaul panel of 11 they look like they have the credentials for the task this is a win for Te Green Party.
I can see the national trolls easy as trolls paid to stir up peoples emotions they start with a line saying they were or did vote for Labour but have changed there view so easy to read you trolls.
Its that bad at winz that people have to get a advocate just to get a benefit which should be guaranteed in a wealthy country like NZ NO.
Whats wrong with everyone having a healthy happy life style trolls tell me why yous don’t think other people have the right to be treated humanly .
If the story is true if someone is on a sickness benefit for seven years than that person is sick they are probable sick of being put down by employers put down by the system these people are not fortunate like me to have a thick skin and a strong mind as well I have this site and my tipunas genetics to help keep me off a benefit the sandflys are trying there hardest to push me onto one but I won’t give up.
So national trolls know this Eco Maori is watching you . Ka kite ano link is below.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104255326/government-appoints-11strong-advisory-panel-to-overhaul-welfare-system P.S Whats wrong with the wealty having a bit less to help all these people on the streets I see them everywere in Auckland enough said
Rodger I did not have the time to watch Dancing I have been to busy m8 now you have done good you know that saying if the horse bucks you off one just has to get back on m8 . I ;v been thrown off a horse many times I would catch my breath because most times one gets the wind knocked out of them when thrown off a horse and get back on it . Kia Kaha Rodger Ka kite ano