Who, in Labour, came up with the genius strategy of telling people to reduce their costs by having five minute showers and doing cold clothes washes? A campaign that will apparently cost $2.8 million of tax payers money.
This really is treating voters as if they are stupid, and appearing to be out of touch with the pressures people are under who may have had their mortgage rates triple, or may be facing much higher rent and grocery costs.
As if most of us haven't worked these savings methods already.
This can only backfire as far as I can see, as I don't think many will appreciate being told how to "suck eggs".
I presume you are one of the half dozen people still buying those old and inefficient light bulbs – just to "stick it to the Libs"? Like the water efficient shower heads that everybody uses these days – and understands the reasons why, we see National fighting any progress on energy or resource efficiency despite the climate changes all around us.
Nothing inherently wrong with the advice to take five minute showers etc to reduce power costs.
It is just that it is akin to the sort of advice parents would give their five year olds. And the government is spending nearly $3 million of tax payers money to do it.
Alan. Remember the National Party TV ads in the early 2000s that turned a "save power Electricity Dept "advice to limit the showers/smaller shower heads? Of course Helen Clark had nothing to do with the advice but Nats told the world that it was Nanny State. Remember the TV vision of Te Radar getting into a shower with two others under a huge stream of water from multiple shower heads?
I am not criticising the content of the message. Just the fact that the government is implying people are too stupid not to have worked this out already.
So that means in 2009, the National govt thought that people were too stupid to work it out for themselves, so they spent $4 million on a campaign to educate New Zealanders on energy efficiency.
I don't remember that campaign specifically. But, if it was akin to "now children, if you use less hot water it will cost less in power to heat it", then I would say that was wasted as well.
Look, you could be totally right, and National may have done exactly the same, or even done it worse than Labour is now.
But, whataboutism doesn't change the fact that a lot of kiwis will be pissed off now about being told to do basic things that they are probably doing anyway, as if it is some as if it was deep mystical wisdom.
Again that is just your opinion. You wouldn't know what a lot of the public thinks. It is not about 'whtaboutism'. National may have? National did have a similar campaign in 2009. Instead of wasting time making up pointless assumptions, you could have just read the link provided.
"The Prime Minister says the Government will continue with its programme of partial asset sales, despite a majority voting against the policy in a citizens initiated referendum"
National spent a fortune selling our assets and then "The government raised a lower-than-expected $4.7 billion from the sales of stakes in Mighty River Power, Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy and Air New Zealand"
"National Party energy spokeswoman Barbara Kuriger said the party was discussing its “Bradford reforms” of the industry and was open to the idea of structural separation"
Where do you think the line should be drawn, someone like whale oil (you know the guy that was in with the key government) would glady make an ai of Hipkins saying something untrue.
An interesting conversation on RNZ with the author of a book on the current (not future) real-world effects of AI bias when scraping informational content.
‘ “I’m 55 years of age. If I go to a hospital that’s leaning on an algorithm built using what’s called ‘Frankenstein’ data sets, which is data cobbled together from all different sources and not representing the proper spread of the population, I’m likely to be refused a ventilator. It will be given to someone who is 30 because they’re viewed as being more productive to society rather than an older person who’s over 50.” ‘
Medical resource allocation is done all the time, and you know it.
Imagine if the entire corpus of human medical knowledge were able to be applied to every medical decision you need, every second, and in seconds.
Rather than one (usually male) mind giving you allocation decisions based on their training two decades ago in one institution. When you can get an appointment every three months.
I merely extracted a quote from the RNZ blurb, which clearly thought it of interest, so that readers here could see what sort of issues might be involved. The interview discussion is in fact broad-ranging.
And the EU has a draft proposal for ethical limitations on the use of AI in potential garm and control.
" Risk based approach to AI – Prohibited AI practices
The rules follow a risk-based approach and establish obligations for providers and users depending on the level of risk the AI can generate. AI systems with an unacceptable level of risk to people’s safety would be strictly prohibited, including systems that deploy subliminal or purposefully manipulative techniques, exploit people’s vulnerabilities or are used for social scoring (classifying people based on their social behaviour, socio-economic status, personal characteristics). "
The previous article I posted also talked about mandatory watermarking of published AI images [and audio?].
"[MEPs] also added AI systems to influence voters in political campaigns and in recommender systems used by social media platforms (with more than 45 million users under the Digital Services Act) to the high-risk list".
This is AI used to implement things like micro-targetting of susceptible sub-populations in the electorate with political advertising. Why bother with big attack ads in the visible media when you can spot-drop a tailored message to the floating voters?
Much cheaper, essentially invisible to the wider public, and highly effective politicking.
The point of the EU legislation is not malicious State actors, rather transparency of European political parties in their electoral advertising strategies. And the target is algorithmic advertising strategies pushed by ‘social media companies’; twitter, facebook, webo, which act within that polity. The companies become responsible for policing. Don’t forget, Elon Musk turned off parts of twitter in respnse to Ergodan in Turkey’s current election.
Your deep distrust and one-sided view of TS Mods, incl. me, has been noted.
I won’t moderate you this time for your direct attack on my integrity that’s evidence-free.
I will also ignore this time your absurd idea that I would engage with you to trick & trap you into a ban – your comment(s) left much to challenge & critique, which you seem to take some issue with.
I won’t moderate you this time for your direct attack on my integrity that’s evidence-free.
Your ban on Liberty Belle was in my view a recent evidence point. You raised increasingly obtuse quibbles with that commenter until you have created a plausible scenario to reach for the ban hammer. Whether you were doing this intentionally is beside the point.
This is the reason why it used to be considered bad form to moderate a thread you were also commenting on. It worked well enough when there was a team of others willing to intervene as reasonably disinterested arbiters.
But there have been only two moderators here for quite a few years, effectively a duopoly determining how the site is run, and noted for carefully curating content they do not like. Not healthy.
[I suggested that you drop this attack line here & now, which sadly, you ignored.
You’re attacking my integrity as a Moderator and arguing about my specific moderation of another commenter that’s none of your business, as you’re no longer a Mod here – you quit. This is a self-martyrdom offence here on TS and you know it.
You started this attack line under a Guest-Post, which is doubling down on your stupidity – I have moved it to OM to stop polluting the Guest Post with your inane claims about me and moderation in general.
It was a strawman fallacy because I wasn’t moderating [you] under the Guest Post nor anywhere near moderating [you] – it was your cowardly copout and your refusal to continue engaging with me as a commenter in a genuine discussion (at least I thought it was).
The two main Mods are not “carefully curating content they do not like” nor are they “determining how the site is run” – one of the Mods sometimes sets more stringent boundaries for commenting under some of their own Posts, which every Author here is entitled to. These are false accusations – I wonder what the SYSOP Lprent has to say about these absurd claims of yours.
You’ve left this site in a huff & a puff before, because you do not want to accept some of the changes that you personally do not like, and then came back, more than once IIRC, i.e., this pattern behaviour seems to be a reoccurring one. However, if you continue undermining Mods and arguing like a vexatious litigator with and/or about Mods/moderation, I will do it for you, without hesitation and there won’t be a comeback on your terms, this time. You’re out of line and need to stop this. This is your warning – Incognito]
Actually RedLogix, I find there is a surprising diversity of views on TS site for most topics, from political commentators who often scavenge scuttle-butt crumbs from the NACT's table, to Social Justice Warriors lamenting Labour's lack of workers' revolution. And each of those posters often has interesting ideas on other topics.
The broad political spectrum may reflect the political drift in posters to The Standard since it was first set up, as set out in TS About.
"The Standard newspaper – from where our masthead comes – was founded by labour movement activists in the 1930s. They used it as a vehicle to share their views with a broader audience – a perspective they felt the mainstream media was representing poorly. We think the same is true today." Key phrase LABOUR MOVEMENT ACTIVISTS.
But the drift is OK, because it allows discourse instead of echo-chamber. I guess this place is the equivalent to me of a good verbal thrash down at the pub over the weeks' news with an assortment of odders and sodders.
Which does not excuse the TS equivalent of drunken boors.
I've spotted evidence for old-school Marxist-Leninists and fervent believers of fascist conspiracies. How much further do you think it needs to stretch?
Yes I think you are mostly on point there. A diversity of views has always been a point of difference here at TS and this is something I have consistently defended for years. I was one of the first handful of commenters here when Lynn started the site in 2007 – literally I was here a week later. I am sure more than a few people wish it were otherwise – but there you go.
As this was a site that allowed real-time commenting and encouraged the flow of the debate – moderation was originally focussed on protecting this flow from being disrupted by bad behaviour. Pointless abuse, trolling, drop and run, and blatant racism or sexism – generally falling into the 'arsehole' category quickly attracted the wrong attention and was dealt to.
It took more than a few years to evolve an effective team culture on this- and of course nothing was ever perfect. We all fucked up more than once.
At that time usually there was a randomly rotating group of authors who moderated when they felt inspired to do so. It was sometimes messy but it usually focused on moderating the behaviour not the opinion. In my view we've drifted some distance from that ideal in recent times.
Oooh look. A factual article about who produced and suggested accelerating the Auckland flood protection plans. Let's see – engineers rapidly updated their 30-year plan; council approved it, councillors have their opinions on implementation issues; mayor says he thinks it's a great idea, and takes it to central government (that's good, that's his job)…
This describes what happened before Wayne Brown's media splash about 'his' fast-track plans. Classic big-noting, as I thought.
Today, I announced Labour’s first policy of the 2023 election campaign. A Chris-Hipkins-led Government will keep the Superannuation Age of Eligibility at 65 years and over.
We’re also keeping the Winter Energy Payment in place permanently to support Kiwis and their whānau in the winter months, where household budgets are particularly stretched.
New Zealand has one of the simplest superannuation schemes in the world. It’s universal and generous, and as long as we keep paying into the Super Fund it’s also affordable.
Research tells us there is little appetite amongst Kiwis for a means-testing regime or changing the age of eligibility, which is why we’re committed to keeping Super universal from age 65.
National and ACT superannuation policies are out of touch and put New Zealander’s retirement savings at risk. Their plans to lift the age of eligibility and cut Government contributions to KiwiSaver will reduce New Zealanders' retirement savings. This will have an especially detrimental impact on disadvantaged women, Māori and Pasifika.
We’re drawing a clear distinction between Labour and the Coalition of Cuts – we will not be toying with the age of eligibility. Under Labour, Superannuation will remain accessible, affordable and equitable.
Unlike the Coalition of Cuts, we believe NZ Super, contributions to the Super Fund, and full Government contributions to KiwiSaver, are essential and affordable. We also believe that the Winter Energy Payment is too valuable to lose.
In this election, New Zealanders have a clear choice when it comes to support and security in retirement. The cuts that National and ACT make will have real-life consequences for people.
Head in the sand stuff from labour, every western country knows that the eligibility age for super must go up, otherwise it will be unaffordable and will collapse.
The OECD has made this perfectly clear in numerous reports. Even France, that bastion of progressive politics, has recognized this and has increased the age of eligibility.
Only if it is accompanied by strong workplace legislation that protects older workers. Otherwise you just finish up with a cohort of people in their 50's and 60's relying on state support anyhow. Nothing much changes.
Still given that some people are predicting that generative AI might eliminate 60% of all existing jobs over the next few years – all this might be a moot point at best.
Head in the sand stuff from labour, every western country knows that the eligibility age for super must go up, otherwise it will be unaffordable and will collapse.
No not really – you might want go have a wee look at a age pyramid of NZ. We are not the same as the rest of the western world – we have children and immigration which promotes having children, as such, we have reasonably healthy looking age pyramid.
Sorry to burst your bubble but it's not apples to apples when it comes to populations, and we are not as bad as the rest of the OECD. Far from it, we are not a Japan.
Really bad reporting by the newsroom, but then again, they are not know for being able to read graphs, nor for their analysis of data.
There is a high risk of error in assessing our future demographics – we have a higher rate of emigration and immigration than most. And that might include Kiwis going to Oz when they retire.
NZ Super from five percent of GDP in 2021 to 7.7 percent in 2060, while healthcare spending would rise from 6.9 percent of GDP in 2021 to 10.6 percent in 2060.
Labour's position was that with the Cullen Fund it was affordable. National under Key-English did not contribute to this and so Labour said it was no longer affordable on that course. Labour back in government restored finding into the Fund and have continued with their former age 65 policy (something the coalition with NZF would have required anyhow).
Of course, if National have no intention of contributing to a future cost now, then of course on their course it would become unaffordable more quickly. But that is because they prioritise tax cuts – over both such future expense planning and infrastructure investment.
Given the time of savings sort of expires by c2030 (it gets invested to provide a revenue stream to government for a decade or 2 or 3 and then gets wound down over a decade), it's becoming a moot point.
For mine we have no real idea about the effect of long COVID yet, nor of AI on employment and productivity. We can delay a call to 2030 whether to raise the age after 2040 and with more knowledge of the right course.
The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
Buzz from the BeehiveTolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
Don Brash writes – There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
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Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
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TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
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Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos Chris Trotter writes – TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
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Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
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Open access notablesA Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future:Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
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Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
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The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
Seen comments on social media about eating bugs? Byron Clark explains the short history of our latest conspiracy. “No, Bill Gates nor Klaus Schwab has not funded the research done here,” reads an August 2023 Facebook post from Otago Locusts, the first farm in Aotearoa rearing insects for human consumption. ...
Rural post is essential but expensive, and residents are worried about its future. It’s 9.30am on a Monday morning in rural Manawatū, and farmer Mairi Whittle is on an all-terrain vehicle with her two young sons. After moving sheep from one slope to another, she swings by the letterbox. Opening ...
Opinion: Unfortunately, the term ‘woke’ is back in the news and for the most stupid of reasons: Act leader David Seymour is now designating certain types of food as ‘woke’ or not. As the Government makes cuts to school lunches, let us consider what ‘woke’ might mean here. ...
Analysis: The Government’s decision to return to a mega-style prison seems to be missing a clear business case The post Mega-prison’s missing business case appeared first on Newsroom. ...
New Zealand authors hate houseplants. They are frightened of them, have nightmares about them, regard them as bad omens; they are afraid, too, of the responsibility of caring for them, and think of them as an alien species that will take over the selfish planet of their interior lives. There ...
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More than 160 languages are spoken in New Zealand. Week-long events celebrate the unique languages heard across the country, and this week the focus is on the Rotuman language. According to Unesco, the Rotuman language is listed as endangered along with four other Pacific languages – Tokelauan, Niuean, Cook Islands ...
China’s massive military buildup and aggressive actions in the South China Sea are creating “volatility” that the controversial Aukus pact can help counter, the UK’s top diplomat in New Zealand says. British High Commissioner Iona Thomas will deliver a speech to the NZ Institute of International Affairs on Tuesday evening, ...
Remediating Mt Ruapehu if things go pear-shaped could cost more than $80m – and the new operators aren’t on the hook for any of it The post DoC responsible for $87.5m Ruapehu remediation appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The third Chalmers’ budget will deliver a surplus of $9.3 billion for this financial year – the second successive surplus of the Albanese government. This will be the first time there have been back-to-back ...
RNZ News A New Zealand pro-Palestinian protester who climbed onto the roof of the Christchurch City Council building has been handcuffed and taken away in a police car. About 20 protesters gathered near the Christchurch Art Gallery today. Officers were called to the scene near Worcester Boulevard about 11.20am, and ...
The Council for International Development (CID) presented a compelling case to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committees this week at Parliament, urging the New Zealand Government to significantly boost its Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Greenhow, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Bond University In recent years, a growing number of professional athletes are medically retiring from sport, particularly in some of Australia’s most popular football codes. In April, Collingwood player Nathan Murphy, 24, medically retired ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Scott, Professor of Health Economics, Monash University David Fuentes Prieto/Shutterstock Deciding whether to wait and see if your health condition improves or go to a GP can be a difficult task. You might be unsure about where to go, whom ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jess Carniel, Associate professor in Humanities, University of Southern Queensland Every year claims to be the most controversial year in the Eurovision Song Contest’s history, but it will take a lot to beat the 68th contest. The 2024 Eurovision contest, which took ...
A provision in the proposed fast-track law allowing previous court rulings against consents to be put aside would be a 'travesty of justice', they say. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Schmidt, Professor of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney Last week, a huge solar flare sent a wave of energetic particles from the Sun surging out through space. Over the weekend, the wave reached Earth, and people around the world enjoyed the sight of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Ordway, Associate Professor Sport Management and Sport Integrity Lead, University of Canberra Sport has a role to play in creating a culture of respect, yet women in sport are often seen as “less than” on almost every measure: salaries, sponsorship, broadcasting, ...
The Waitangi Tribunal’s summons to sitting Minister Karen Chhour as part of its inquiry into the Government’s plans to amend the Oranga Tamariki Act was lawful, the Court of Appeal has found. The ruling runs counter to a judgment by the High Court three weeks ago, in which Justice Andru ...
The PSA is holding a snap protest at 8am, Tuesday 14 May outside the National Library in Wellington against the decision to not continue funding digitising the national archives. ...
Ahead of the final episode of Fair Go, some of the show’s former presenters look back at what the iconic consumer affairs series meant to them. Fair Go, as former presenter Haydn Jones puts it, was “the show nobody wanted to appear on”. You either had to be ripped off ...
Didn’t see the amazing and exquisite southern lights over the weekend? You’re not alone: Shanti Mathias has some tips on how to cope. Not to gloat, but I had a very lovely weekend. I went for a long bike ride in the sunshine. I read a magazine on the back ...
At the time of the offending, Mr Ape ran Hoop Star Basketball Academy and submitted fraudulent grant applications that represented over $75,000 in fictitious costs. ...
Local authority financial statistics provide information on the annual performance of core non-trading activities of all New Zealand's territorial and regional councils. ...
Kāinga Ora’s debt problem is serious – but so is the urgent need for more affordable homes, says poverty campaigner Alan Johnson. As Kāinga Ora cancels projects and sells land previously earmarked for development, it’s clear that two issues are set to dominate the public housing narrative over the next ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist A National Union of Workers (NUW) official is hopeful Fiji Water employees who have been on strike for almost a week will return to work shortly. Last Tuesday, a group of workers for Fiji Water went on strike over pay disputes at the multi-million ...
True to form, Wellington City Council’s consultation has been a flop. If they’ve been recording residents’ answers incorrectly, then the only option is to go back to the drawing board and start public consultations again from scratch. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Clement, Lecturer in Visual Art and McGlade Gallery Director, Australian Catholic University Tracey Clement, Impossible Numbers.Tracey Clement I slip the needle through a small loop of black thread, pull it tight and snip. Done. I have just tied off the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jochen Kaempf, Associate Professor of Natural Sciences (Oceanography), Flinders University Gonzalo Buzonni/Shutterstock From around 1996 to 2010, Australia was gripped by the millennium drought. As water shortages bit hard, most of Australia’s capital cities built large seawater desalination plants – Sydney, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria O’Sullivan, Associate Professor of Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Students have been protesting on university campuses across Australia for several weeks now, calling on their institutions to cut ties with weapons manufacturers supplying arms to Israel. Some have noted their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Hail, Adjunct Associate Professor, Torrens University Australia Wolfilser/ShutterstockThis article is part one of The Conversation’s “Business Basics” series where we ask leading experts to discuss key concepts in business, economics and finance. For the most part, economists continue ...
Big business is pouring eye-watering sums into parties on the political right. Max Rashbrooke wonders what it’s getting in return. A couple of years ago, a National Party contact told me it had “never been easier” to get big donations from businesses. Anger about the Covid-era “fortress New Zealand” policy, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin O’Brien, Associate Professor, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University University campuses around the world have become the site of tiny tent cities in recent weeks, with student activists protesting the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Though the protests on ...
In this extract from The Bulletin, Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the proposed law and the ongoing concern about it. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Where we’re at with the fast-track ...
The revamped school lunch programme is budgeting $3 per lunch, rather than the current $8. But is it really so simple to cut costs? Shanti Mathias investigates. Last week, associate education minister and Act Party leader David Seymour announced the government’s revamped school lunch programme, which will provide food to ...
Exactly 100 years ago, on the eve of another Paris Olympics, young Kiwi Gwitha Shand was the talk of the swimming world. The 19-year-old from Christchurch had broken the world record in the 440-yard freestyle multiple times leading up to the 1924 Olympics, and was described in newspapers as one ...
The New Zealand book trade is still reeling after the shock news that Penguin has axed its head of publishing. The redundancy comes just as the biggest week of the year in New Zealand literature is set to take place. The winners of the Ockham national book awards are announced ...
A rest home with a concierge, iced tea fountain, hybrid Jaguars to drive, and caviar on the menu. That’s not imaginary or from some far-flung country – it’s reality here in Aotearoa. Oceania Healthcare just officially opened ‘The Helier’ – a retirement apartment and aged-care complex in the Auckland suburb ...
The USA and China are beefing, Winston Peters is getting sued by some Australian guy, and Helen Clark and Don Brash are friends now? Here’s everything you need to know about Aukus but were too afraid to ask. What is Aukus?Aukus, which stands for Australia, the United Kingdom, and ...
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Opinion: The cold weather and spikes in power demand have been well handled by the electricity system The post No need to shock with a fake crisis appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Asia Pacific Report About 1000 people in Aotearoa New Zealand gathered for a two-hour rally in central Auckland today and marched down Queen Street and returned to Aotea Square to mark the Nakba three days early — and protest over Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. They called for an immediate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As it looks to an election next year when holding up Labor’s female vote will be vital, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has declared Tuesday will bring “a budget for mums and middle Australia”. “The primary ...
By Repeka Nasiko in Suva “Justice has won,” says Fiji’s acting Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku following the sentencing of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho. Speaking to The Fiji Times, Rabuku said that while they welcomed the judgment by acting Chief Justice Salesi ...
The foreign affairs minister has landed in Solomon Islands for the first leg of his Pacific tour, and an audience with the newly elected Prime Minister. ...
On an unusually hot night in January 2019, a little boy’s lifeless body was found face up in a small town’s sewage oxidation pond. To the police, it was an open and shut case: three-year-old Lachlan Jones had run away from his home in the Southland town of Gore, climbed ...
PNG Post-Courier New Zealand High Commissioner Peter Zwart and PNG Defence Minister Dr Billy Joseph welcomed a C-130 Hercules to Port Moresby this week to support Papua New Guinea’s response to the March 24 earthquake and recent severe flooding. “Papua New Guinea has requested New Zealand’s assistance to transport emergency ...
Grub Street King Luxon rode through the streets Of King’s Landing, and was troubled By the sight of hungry urchins in the mud. “Who would be the best of my Lords To deal with this negative optic?” He pondered. The answer came to him instantly. “Seymour!” he said to himself. ...
“The Bill does not provide environmental protection, good quality decision making, certainty, public participation or speed. It should be withdrawn.” ...
RNZ News Television New Zealand has breached its collective agreement with the E tū union when deciding on discontinuing programmes, the Employment Relations Authority has ruled. It was announced in March that 68 staff members who work for news programmes Midday and Tonight, consumer justice programme Fair Go, current affairs ...
https://i.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/132077510/under-fire-offset-company-prematurely-claims-a-global-watchdogs-green-light
Another day another dodgy carbon credit story, easy money attracts grifters like shit attracts flies.
Any and all carbon taxs must be collected by the government and spent in this country on reduction and mitigation .
Who, in Labour, came up with the genius strategy of telling people to reduce their costs by having five minute showers and doing cold clothes washes? A campaign that will apparently cost $2.8 million of tax payers money.
This really is treating voters as if they are stupid, and appearing to be out of touch with the pressures people are under who may have had their mortgage rates triple, or may be facing much higher rent and grocery costs.
As if most of us haven't worked these savings methods already.
This can only backfire as far as I can see, as I don't think many will appreciate being told how to "suck eggs".
The one thing Labour won't do is dismantle neoliberalism.
So they tinker away….
The only silly thing about it is it's given those in constant angry opposition mode something to beat labour over the head with it.
Governments have been running these sort of campaigns for ever.
Yes, remember Helen's light bulb advice?
That was real winner, the electorate loved it, more of that please Labour.
Sound advise, unbelievable that idiots got them selves lathered up about ,but hay right wing voters tend to be angry people.
I presume you are one of the half dozen people still buying those old and inefficient light bulbs – just to "stick it to the Libs"? Like the water efficient shower heads that everybody uses these days – and understands the reasons why, we see National fighting any progress on energy or resource efficiency despite the climate changes all around us.
ah, no, it was being told to suck eggs that pissed people off
I think it's 'how to suck eggs'..
There is a difference..
Nothing inherently wrong with the advice to take five minute showers etc to reduce power costs.
It is just that it is akin to the sort of advice parents would give their five year olds. And the government is spending nearly $3 million of tax payers money to do it.
Didn't Labour want the shower heads and light bulbs changed under Dame Helen Clarke.
But notice that all this has happened and didn't actually require the government giving condescending advice to do it.
People worked out for themselves it was a good idea. Who would have thought.
Don't you believe it TS. Many people are unaware of how to save power.
Helen Clark is not a Dame and that is all one needs to know about your comment.
Maybe you need to get out more, some people get not much more than genes from their parents
Energy efficient light bulbs and shower heads are commonplace now. Labour was right.
Alan. Remember the National Party TV ads in the early 2000s that turned a "save power Electricity Dept "advice to limit the showers/smaller shower heads? Of course Helen Clark had nothing to do with the advice but Nats told the world that it was Nanny State. Remember the TV vision of Te Radar getting into a shower with two others under a huge stream of water from multiple shower heads?
Sure it worked but typically dishonest.
bwaghorn
I am not criticising the content of the message. Just the fact that the government is implying people are too stupid not to have worked this out already.
So that means in 2009, the National govt thought that people were too stupid to work it out for themselves, so they spent $4 million on a campaign to educate New Zealanders on energy efficiency.
I don't remember that campaign specifically. But, if it was akin to "now children, if you use less hot water it will cost less in power to heat it", then I would say that was wasted as well.
How can you form any opinion on it if you can't remember National's energy-efficient campaign? I put a link to the article at 2.3.
Look, you could be totally right, and National may have done exactly the same, or even done it worse than Labour is now.
But, whataboutism doesn't change the fact that a lot of kiwis will be pissed off now about being told to do basic things that they are probably doing anyway, as if it is some as if it was deep mystical wisdom.
Again that is just your opinion. You wouldn't know what a lot of the public thinks. It is not about 'whtaboutism'. National may have? National did have a similar campaign in 2009. Instead of wasting time making up pointless assumptions, you could have just read the link provided.
"former Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee in 2009 announced a television campaign to help Kiwis increase energy efficiency. It cost $4 million"
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/05/government-s-campaign-suggesting-shorter-showers-to-save-money-costing-2-8-million.html
The fourth National government privatized the electricity industry to facilitate competition and deliver lower power prices.
"Power rise leaves Bradford red-faced"
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/power-rise-leaves-bradford-red-faced/QUX3MH7YECMNGLRPRCWVXUHW6M/
"The Prime Minister says the Government will continue with its programme of partial asset sales, despite a majority voting against the policy in a citizens initiated referendum"
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/230858/asset-sales-will-go-ahead,-says-key
National spent a fortune selling our assets and then "The government raised a lower-than-expected $4.7 billion from the sales of stakes in Mighty River Power, Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy and Air New Zealand"
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/285835/have-asset-sale-funds-gone-where-promised
"National Party energy spokeswoman Barbara Kuriger said the party was discussing its “Bradford reforms” of the industry and was open to the idea of structural separation"
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/125444715/national-taking-fresh-look-at-power-market-as-flick-asks-public-to-revolt
I reckon the reason why Natz are using ARTIFICIAL intelligence, is they have NO natural intelligence.
Lol agree.
Or they are early-adopters of latest technology. Next time around everyone will be doing it.
Or maybe just desperate. National's fast & furious attempt was a bit of a flop.
"AI era: Regulation required"
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/486951/ai-era-regulation-required-to-protect-workers-council-of-trade-unions-says
New Strategy marks next step in NZ’s digital journey
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-strategy-marks-next-step-nz%E2%80%99s-digital-journey
"Or maybe just desperate."
The polls say no.
All of them, some, or just one?
The polls are basically neck and neck. Luxon is still tanking.
Really? Proof of that would be surprising. Oh, you mean like the Hanna Barbera Cartoons of Cossack Dancers? That kind of AI.???
The real Cossacks, had they emigrated to NZ, would most likely have voted National anyway.
Where do you think the line should be drawn, someone like whale oil (you know the guy that was in with the key government) would glady make an ai of Hipkins saying something untrue.
Good point.
An interesting conversation on RNZ with the author of a book on the current (not future) real-world effects of AI bias when scraping informational content.
‘ “I’m 55 years of age. If I go to a hospital that’s leaning on an algorithm built using what’s called ‘Frankenstein’ data sets, which is data cobbled together from all different sources and not representing the proper spread of the population, I’m likely to be refused a ventilator. It will be given to someone who is 30 because they’re viewed as being more productive to society rather than an older person who’s over 50.” ‘
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018891823/tracey-spicer-how-ai-backs-up-gender-biases
Medical resource allocation is done all the time, and you know it.
Imagine if the entire corpus of human medical knowledge were able to be applied to every medical decision you need, every second, and in seconds.
Rather than one (usually male) mind giving you allocation decisions based on their training two decades ago in one institution. When you can get an appointment every three months.
I merely extracted a quote from the RNZ blurb, which clearly thought it of interest, so that readers here could see what sort of issues might be involved. The interview discussion is in fact broad-ranging.
And the EU has a draft proposal for ethical limitations on the use of AI in potential garm and control.
" Risk based approach to AI – Prohibited AI practices
The rules follow a risk-based approach and establish obligations for providers and users depending on the level of risk the AI can generate. AI systems with an unacceptable level of risk to people’s safety would be strictly prohibited, including systems that deploy subliminal or purposefully manipulative techniques, exploit people’s vulnerabilities or are used for social scoring (classifying people based on their social behaviour, socio-economic status, personal characteristics). "
The previous article I posted also talked about mandatory watermarking of published AI images [and audio?].
EU draft rules on AI use
"[MEPs] also added AI systems to influence voters in political campaigns and in recommender systems used by social media platforms (with more than 45 million users under the Digital Services Act) to the high-risk list".
This is AI used to implement things like micro-targetting of susceptible sub-populations in the electorate with political advertising. Why bother with big attack ads in the visible media when you can spot-drop a tailored message to the floating voters?
Much cheaper, essentially invisible to the wider public, and highly effective politicking.
How is this particularly different to the highly targeted ads we get through algorithms since at least 2016?
A worthy initiative. Do you imagine the Chinese will pay it attention?
The point of the EU legislation is not malicious State actors, rather transparency of European political parties in their electoral advertising strategies. And the target is algorithmic advertising strategies pushed by ‘social media companies’; twitter, facebook, webo, which act within that polity. The companies become responsible for policing. Don’t forget, Elon Musk turned off parts of twitter in respnse to Ergodan in Turkey’s current election.
Yes you have a point there – the CCP scarcely needs to covertly manipulate their electorate.
It's a dangerous world. I do hope Luxon takes no unnecessary risks with his shadow cabinet.
Yes Stuart. You have given Luxon fair warning. Simeon's teeth are small but sharp.
I know better than to argue with a moderator determined to be right.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Sad cowardly copout!
Don’t start what you cannot finish.
You are the one with the power here, and given your recent track record in provoking commenters so that you find it convenient to ban them – yeah nah.
Your deep distrust and one-sided view of TS Mods, incl. me, has been noted.
I won’t moderate you this time for your direct attack on my integrity that’s evidence-free.
I will also ignore this time your absurd idea that I would engage with you to trick & trap you into a ban – your comment(s) left much to challenge & critique, which you seem to take some issue with.
I’d suggest that you drop this line here & now.
Your ban on Liberty Belle was in my view a recent evidence point. You raised increasingly obtuse quibbles with that commenter until you have created a plausible scenario to reach for the ban hammer. Whether you were doing this intentionally is beside the point.
This is the reason why it used to be considered bad form to moderate a thread you were also commenting on. It worked well enough when there was a team of others willing to intervene as reasonably disinterested arbiters.
But there have been only two moderators here for quite a few years, effectively a duopoly determining how the site is run, and noted for carefully curating content they do not like. Not healthy.
[I suggested that you drop this attack line here & now, which sadly, you ignored.
You’re attacking my integrity as a Moderator and arguing about my specific moderation of another commenter that’s none of your business, as you’re no longer a Mod here – you quit. This is a self-martyrdom offence here on TS and you know it.
You started this attack line under a Guest-Post, which is doubling down on your stupidity – I have moved it to OM to stop polluting the Guest Post with your inane claims about me and moderation in general.
It was a strawman fallacy because I wasn’t moderating [you] under the Guest Post nor anywhere near moderating [you] – it was your cowardly copout and your refusal to continue engaging with me as a commenter in a genuine discussion (at least I thought it was).
The two main Mods are not “carefully curating content they do not like” nor are they “determining how the site is run” – one of the Mods sometimes sets more stringent boundaries for commenting under some of their own Posts, which every Author here is entitled to. These are false accusations – I wonder what the SYSOP Lprent has to say about these absurd claims of yours.
You’ve left this site in a huff & a puff before, because you do not want to accept some of the changes that you personally do not like, and then came back, more than once IIRC, i.e., this pattern behaviour seems to be a reoccurring one. However, if you continue undermining Mods and arguing like a vexatious litigator with and/or about Mods/moderation, I will do it for you, without hesitation and there won’t be a comeback on your terms, this time. You’re out of line and need to stop this. This is your warning – Incognito]
Actually RedLogix, I find there is a surprising diversity of views on TS site for most topics, from political commentators who often scavenge scuttle-butt crumbs from the NACT's table, to Social Justice Warriors lamenting Labour's lack of workers' revolution. And each of those posters often has interesting ideas on other topics.
The broad political spectrum may reflect the political drift in posters to The Standard since it was first set up, as set out in TS About.
"The Standard newspaper – from where our masthead comes – was founded by labour movement activists in the 1930s. They used it as a vehicle to share their views with a broader audience – a perspective they felt the mainstream media was representing poorly. We think the same is true today." Key phrase LABOUR MOVEMENT ACTIVISTS.
But the drift is OK, because it allows discourse instead of echo-chamber. I guess this place is the equivalent to me of a good verbal thrash down at the pub over the weeks' news with an assortment of odders and sodders.
Which does not excuse the TS equivalent of drunken boors.
Broad political spectrum on the standard
Thank you very much ,,, best laugh I've had all day.
I've spotted evidence for old-school Marxist-Leninists and fervent believers of fascist conspiracies. How much further do you think it needs to stretch?
Yes I think you are mostly on point there. A diversity of views has always been a point of difference here at TS and this is something I have consistently defended for years. I was one of the first handful of commenters here when Lynn started the site in 2007 – literally I was here a week later. I am sure more than a few people wish it were otherwise – but there you go.
As this was a site that allowed real-time commenting and encouraged the flow of the debate – moderation was originally focussed on protecting this flow from being disrupted by bad behaviour. Pointless abuse, trolling, drop and run, and blatant racism or sexism – generally falling into the 'arsehole' category quickly attracted the wrong attention and was dealt to.
It took more than a few years to evolve an effective team culture on this- and of course nothing was ever perfect. We all fucked up more than once.
At that time usually there was a randomly rotating group of authors who moderated when they felt inspired to do so. It was sometimes messy but it usually focused on moderating the behaviour not the opinion. In my view we've drifted some distance from that ideal in recent times.
Mod note
Newsroom article on Auckland's flood protection fast-track
Oooh look. A factual article about who produced and suggested accelerating the Auckland flood protection plans. Let's see – engineers rapidly updated their 30-year plan; council approved it, councillors have their opinions on implementation issues; mayor says he thinks it's a great idea, and takes it to central government (that's good, that's his job)…
This describes what happened before Wayne Brown's media splash about 'his' fast-track plans. Classic big-noting, as I thought.
Carmel Sepuloni @ Labour conference:
Kia ora
Today, I announced Labour’s first policy of the 2023 election campaign. A Chris-Hipkins-led Government will keep the Superannuation Age of Eligibility at 65 years and over.
We’re also keeping the Winter Energy Payment in place permanently to support Kiwis and their whānau in the winter months, where household budgets are particularly stretched.
New Zealand has one of the simplest superannuation schemes in the world. It’s universal and generous, and as long as we keep paying into the Super Fund it’s also affordable.
Research tells us there is little appetite amongst Kiwis for a means-testing regime or changing the age of eligibility, which is why we’re committed to keeping Super universal from age 65.
National and ACT superannuation policies are out of touch and put New Zealander’s retirement savings at risk. Their plans to lift the age of eligibility and cut Government contributions to KiwiSaver will reduce New Zealanders' retirement savings. This will have an especially detrimental impact on disadvantaged women, Māori and Pasifika.
We’re drawing a clear distinction between Labour and the Coalition of Cuts – we will not be toying with the age of eligibility. Under Labour, Superannuation will remain accessible, affordable and equitable.
Unlike the Coalition of Cuts, we believe NZ Super, contributions to the Super Fund, and full Government contributions to KiwiSaver, are essential and affordable. We also believe that the Winter Energy Payment is too valuable to lose.
In this election, New Zealanders have a clear choice when it comes to support and security in retirement. The cuts that National and ACT make will have real-life consequences for people.
Head in the sand stuff from labour, every western country knows that the eligibility age for super must go up, otherwise it will be unaffordable and will collapse.
The OECD has made this perfectly clear in numerous reports. Even France, that bastion of progressive politics, has recognized this and has increased the age of eligibility.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/oecd-to-nz-raise-pension-age-to-prevent-super-shock
Only if it is accompanied by strong workplace legislation that protects older workers. Otherwise you just finish up with a cohort of people in their 50's and 60's relying on state support anyhow. Nothing much changes.
Still given that some people are predicting that generative AI might eliminate 60% of all existing jobs over the next few years – all this might be a moot point at best.
yes, agreed
No not really – you might want go have a wee look at a age pyramid of NZ. We are not the same as the rest of the western world – we have children and immigration which promotes having children, as such, we have reasonably healthy looking age pyramid.
Sorry to burst your bubble but it's not apples to apples when it comes to populations, and we are not as bad as the rest of the OECD. Far from it, we are not a Japan.
Really bad reporting by the newsroom, but then again, they are not know for being able to read graphs, nor for their analysis of data.
yes, you are right and the OECD is wrong.
There is a high risk of error in assessing our future demographics – we have a higher rate of emigration and immigration than most. And that might include Kiwis going to Oz when they retire.
Labour's position was that with the Cullen Fund it was affordable. National under Key-English did not contribute to this and so Labour said it was no longer affordable on that course. Labour back in government restored finding into the Fund and have continued with their former age 65 policy (something the coalition with NZF would have required anyhow).
Of course, if National have no intention of contributing to a future cost now, then of course on their course it would become unaffordable more quickly. But that is because they prioritise tax cuts – over both such future expense planning and infrastructure investment.
Given the time of savings sort of expires by c2030 (it gets invested to provide a revenue stream to government for a decade or 2 or 3 and then gets wound down over a decade), it's becoming a moot point.
For mine we have no real idea about the effect of long COVID yet, nor of AI on employment and productivity. We can delay a call to 2030 whether to raise the age after 2040 and with more knowledge of the right course.
Where is Robert these days. ?
This clown could get his knees under the cabinet table.
//
@dbseymour
Tonight’s 1News poll shows we can end Labour’s reign of woke terror, and ACT and National can win and deliver real change.
https://twitter.com/dbseymour/status/1661624541033148418
The comment thread on that tweet is worth exploring…
There is some very funny stuff in there..
A great quote on woke from Kathy burke:
'i'd rather be woke that an ignorant fucken twat'
That Seymourism/oxymoron would be risible…if he was not serious ?. (although it can be hard to tell..the Rimmer effect an all : )
Still, a Nact govt….would absolutely be a Coalition of Chaos for the majority of NZ. Incl most of the sad numbnuts who "support" them……