Open mike 27/07/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 27th, 2022 - 103 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:


Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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

Step up to the mike …

103 comments on “Open mike 27/07/2022 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Incognito 1
    27 July 2022 at 9:02 am

    Was Andrea Vance a little liberal with the truth or did she ‘research’ just enough to suit her narrative?

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ex-collins-staffer-queries-vance-book-on-nats

    • observer 1.1
      27 July 2022 at 9:28 am

      That's a very good read, and appears disarmingly frank, and credible (though of course the writer has axes to grind).

      In particular, this confession should be sent to every journalist, and anyone else who wants to talk up National's economic credentials in future …

      Many people in National Leader's Office, the leader, other MPs and the campaign team privately agreed with criticisms of National’s debt target. More than one MP and senior staff said that we had a real issue with over economic narrative and credibility.

    • Belladonna 1.2
      27 July 2022 at 12:47 pm

      While the details change a bit – I think that both pieces outline a profound lack of trust between the senior leadership team in Parliament (and by extension their staffers), and really, really poor communication – both skills and the ability to actually talk to each other.

    • Chris 1.3
      27 July 2022 at 3:05 pm

      There's nothing in Johnson's piece that shows Vance was wrong. At best she merely highlights a difference of opinion; at worst there's nothing contradictory between what Johnson and Vance say.

      • Incognito 1.3.1
        27 July 2022 at 4:50 pm

        An insider gives a different account of events inside the tent and says the following about an outsider who was not even near the tent at the time:

        I believe there is much to challenge in Vance’s book.

        …

        There is only light coverage of the fiscal plan issue in the Vance book but what is said, […], completely misrepresents what actually happened.

        …

        This is totally wrong.

        …

        To suggest, as Andrea Vance does, […], is ridiculous.

        That’s more than a difference of opinions, it is a different set of accounts that make for quite a different story.

        This raises many questions about Vance’s version of accounts of what may or may not have happened inside the National Party tent and suggests, at least to me, that nothing should and can be taken at face value when it comes to political pundits writing political novels “packed with incident and drama, meanness and madness”, as Steve Braunias says.

  2. Molly 2
    27 July 2022 at 10:52 am

    No impact on women they said when changing legislation.

    #NoDebate was successful in framing questions for clarity and discussion on possible impacts as harmful 'debate'.

    Reported as "distasteful and repugnant" "concerns about the transgender community", rather than requests for confirmation of women's single-SEX spaces:

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/dunedin-mayor-slams-concerns-about-transgender-people-at-swimming-pool-as-repugnant/OGPQSUV7PPYKAK2AEZMN7UDJSM/

    Dunedin mayor Aaron Hawkins has called a woman's concerns about the transgender community "distasteful and repugnant" after her submission to the city council.

    Dunedin nurse Jennifer Scott was concerned about transgender women using the female changing rooms at Moana Pool.

    She asked for the council to ensure designated gender-based private areas, such as changing rooms and toilets, would be upheld in all facilities funded or owned by the council.

    After her submission, Hawkins, who appeared shaken, told Scott her submission was "hard to listen to, and it was at very least distasteful, if not repugnant".

    Lack of discussion and clarity has lead to inconsistent practice in the council owned facility.

    Councillor Jules Radich told Scott he was unaware Moana Pool staff were directing "anatomically male" patrons to use the female-designated changing rooms, and said he agreed the use was inappropriate.

    He asked how long the practice had been happening.

    Scott said transgender women were being directed to the family changing areas, but if a staff member was not aware of the situation, patrons would sometimes enter the women's changing room.

  3. Poission 3
    27 July 2022 at 11:48 am

    US vice president emancipates the pronoun.

    https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1551988896426328064

    • Sabine 3.1
      27 July 2022 at 4:12 pm

      Oh please let the 'assigned female at birth' in our government do the same every time they have an interview. Just for shits n giggles.

  4. Robert Guyton 4
    27 July 2022 at 12:14 pm

    James Shaw – candid, honest.

    "If I’m honest, I’ve found it hard to get the mix right between being a minister and a Co-leader and, quite clearly given the vote last weekend, I haven’t quite nailed it."

    https://www.facebook.com/JamesShawMP/posts/pfbid0U4SousyvYLe3szGfNyECnBP9YktsYi5BbiXJefiX74BBdyqyUZutK3p1si3aANB4l

    https://www.facebook.com/JamesShawMP/posts/616637403162496

    [non-embedded link added for those that can’t see the embed]

    • Sacha 4.1
      27 July 2022 at 12:16 pm

      link?

      • weka 4.1.1
        27 July 2022 at 1:06 pm

        it's there now.

        • Sacha 4.1.1.1
          27 July 2022 at 2:30 pm

          I'm not seeing it

          • Incognito 4.1.1.1.1
            27 July 2022 at 2:46 pm

            Neither can I, in the front end, but I know the link is there reading the comment in the back end. This is something weird I’ve come across many times and it seems to only affect FB links. Many times I wanted to growl people here for not linking when in fact the link is there but invisible to me!?

            • arkie 4.1.1.1.1.1
              27 July 2022 at 2:51 pm

              What appears to be an image is an embedded facebook post not unlike twitter embeds. If one clicks on the 'read more', the time stamp or facebook logo one can follow the link to it's origin on FB..

              • Incognito …
                27 July 2022 at 2:56 pm

                Nothing ‘appears’, there’s absolutely nothing to suggest even that there’s a link or whatever. All I can see is the comment text. As I said, it’s weird but I can live with it 😉

                • arkie …
                  27 July 2022 at 3:03 pm

                  Ah, that is very weird. Apologies.

                • Sacha …
                  27 July 2022 at 3:06 pm

                  I too can only see text, no image or link or placeholder.

                  Do not have a FB account so chances are it would show me nothing when I clicked through anyway.

                  Ah, can see and read the FB embed on the mobile theme of this site.

                  • Incognito …
                    27 July 2022 at 3:15 pm

                    You don’t need to have a FB account to see & click on FB links, same as you don’t need a Twitter account to click on links to Twitter/tweets. Worst thing that can happen is that you run into a login wall or something. I suspect it is something to do with browser and/or device security settings.

                    • Sacha …
                      1 August 2022 at 2:31 pm

                      Depending on the FB customer's privacy settings, some/many posts load blank for non-customers.

                      Whether the embed shows may/not be related to this.

                    • Incognito []
                      1 August 2022 at 2:37 pm

                      IIRC, I tested 2 different browsers on 2 different devices (PCs) and only 1/4 showed the FB link in the front-end. In the greater scheme of things I don’t rate this as a critical an important issue for TS.

                  • weka …
                    27 July 2022 at 3:18 pm

                    Ah, can see and read the FB embed on the mobile theme of this site.

                    What OS are you using?

            • weka 4.1.1.1.1.2
              27 July 2022 at 3:10 pm

              I could see it on my laptop earlier, can’t see it now on my phone.

              the embed of FB posts in comments is new yeah?

    • AB 4.2
      27 July 2022 at 3:11 pm

      Maybe Robert, though it could be difficult to convince people of that. They are perhaps more likely to misinterpret transparency as dysfunction – as CH Smith notes today:

      Nassim Taleb of Black Swan and Antifragile fame recently noted the critical role of transparency in systemic resilience. He observed that "a system seems all the more dysfunctional when it is transparent."
      In other words, when we see all the petty squabbling, the clash of competing self-interests and the conflicts arising from advocacy, we reckon that system is dysfunctional and doomed.
      But that is the healthy system, for what's at stake is visible to all, as is the process of all the stakeholders negotiating some agreement on how to proceed.
      Corruption requires opacity … Opaque hierarchical systems appear tranquil and well-managed because the conflicts, self-interest and corruption are hidden. But opacity and rigid hierarchies are systemic weaknesses…

      • Robert Guyton 4.2.1
        27 July 2022 at 3:23 pm

        That's right, AB and you are right to say, "it could be difficult to convince people of that" – that's the nub of the problem faced by any organisation. Discretion is the answer but not easy to employ successfully. Word-smithery helps also.

        • weka 4.2.1.1
          27 July 2022 at 3:30 pm

          it's a good post from Shaw. I fully expect people to interpret it with ill intent. Shaw being weak and acquiescing to the children etc.

    • Ad 4.3
      27 July 2022 at 3:45 pm

      Tuiono is the last not withdraw.

      Week could still get interesting.

      • weka 4.3.1
        27 July 2022 at 3:59 pm

        Has JAG said anything?

      • Robert Guyton 4.3.2
        27 July 2022 at 4:50 pm

        He visited our home recently and I showed him around the forest, then off to the cafe for lunch.

        I think we're in for a calm week.

    • Jimmy 4.4
      27 July 2022 at 4:49 pm

      Seems like Teanau Tuiono cant make up his mind! Does he seriously think he could beat James Shaw in a vote? As a centre right voter, I would laugh my ass off if he did.

      Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono 'considering' a tilt at co-leadership – NZ Herald

      • Incognito 4.4.1
        27 July 2022 at 5:00 pm

        Nothing wrong with a contest of opinions unless they want to create an echo chamber filled with group-think, i.e., a group-think tank.

      • Jester 4.4.2
        27 July 2022 at 7:25 pm

        Don't be stupid Jimmy, Tuiono won't stand against Shaw.

  5. pat 5
    27 July 2022 at 1:43 pm

    GRRRRR…..

    "The Government is forging ahead with its income insurance scheme despite concerns about a lack of transparency and the impact on low-income earners, hiring senior staff to move ahead with its delivery."

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/govt-hires-for-income-insurance-scheme-despite-timing-concerns

    Time for a workers party

    • Poission 5.1
      27 July 2022 at 1:55 pm

      Treasury projected a transfer to the government of 1.1 billion in the first 1/4 and 4.3 billion in the first full year for this new tax.

      They will remove the jobseekers benefit and there is a limit of sixth months in the insurance.

      • pat 5.1.1
        27 July 2022 at 2:01 pm

        I doubt even this lot would be suicidal enough to remove Jobseeker in the initial implementation (I dont discount it in the future however)…but its not about employment in any case…yet more deception from the bloody politicians.

        • Poission 5.1.1.1
          27 July 2022 at 2:06 pm

          Jobseekers is still there,what is the 4.7 billion for?.

          • pat 5.1.1.1.1
            27 July 2022 at 2:22 pm

            More fodder for the financial markets….all pyramid schemes need ongoing buy in.

            • Poission 5.1.1.1.1.1
              27 July 2022 at 2:32 pm

              Newsroom says 3.5b,treasury budget update says 4.7b

                                                            2025 2026

              ACC levies 4,073 4,463
              Income insurance levies – – 1100 4,700

              Also looks like a 10% increase in ACC levys (increased admin for insurance levy)

      • weka 5.1.2
        27 July 2022 at 3:12 pm

        There will be people not eligible so that can’t remove JS.

        • pat 5.1.2.1
          27 July 2022 at 3:17 pm

          They could…its only existed for less than a decade.

          • weka 5.1.2.1.1
            27 July 2022 at 3:26 pm

            let me rephrase. Labour won't remove JS because the insurance scheme won't cover everyone.

            Nact on the other hand…

            • pat 5.1.2.1.1.1
              27 July 2022 at 3:34 pm

              The details are yet to be announced….but the insurance scheme COULD cover unemployment and an alternative benefit(s) could cover illness/disability…as in days gone by.

              …but as said, this isnt about (un)employment.

              • weka …
                27 July 2022 at 3:38 pm

                from memory, the only people that would get it are those that pay into it and lose their jonb. So if you are a student and then you graduate and can't get a job, you would get JS, not the insurance.

                • pat …
                  27 July 2022 at 4:53 pm

                  As said the details are still unknown, but one of the concerns is also the possible ineligibility of the self employed.

                  These are the reasons I say if you are concerned about the impacts of unemployment this is NOT a scheme to address it….and that is because its not about unemployment.

                  • weka …
                    27 July 2022 at 6:19 pm

                    totally. It's Labour's plan to stop more people from slipping into the underclasses, while they leave a big chunk of people in the underclass.

                    • pat …
                      27 July 2022 at 6:28 pm

                      And remove the government (any government) one step away from pressure over unemployment implications…..meanwhile the investor class have their investments supported by worker inputs.

                      Neoliberalism writ large.

                    • weka …
                      27 July 2022 at 6:38 pm

                      yep. Will help with the neoliberal vote I guess.

            • arkie 5.1.2.1.1.2
              27 July 2022 at 3:42 pm

              I too feel that Labours seeming commitment to this income insurance scheme along with the two-tier COVID payments, does signal a lack of real concern for those on low incomes. How long have they had to action the WEAG recommendations?

              Child Poverty Action Group has expressed fears it would bake in pre-existing inequality and act as a regressive tax on lower-income families, while also undercutting any move towards long overdue reform of the welfare system.

              ‘A two-tier welfare system established under a social unemployment insurance scheme would likely exacerbate poor mental wellbeing among welfare benefit recipients and strengthen stigma for benefit recipients,’ CPAG social security spokesman Mike O’Brien said.

              https://www.newsroom.co.nz/robertson-looks-back-to-the-future-with-income-insurance-scheme

              • weka …
                27 July 2022 at 4:03 pm

                yep. Slap in the face for people that lost their jobs for health reasons and are subsisting on SLP, or worse, on JS. Five years and they can't even bring themselves to name those people outloud.

    • Sabine 5.2
      27 July 2022 at 4:17 pm

      Interesting. In Germany we have this system since ever.

      You pay x amount of your income into the unemployment tax. Your boss does the same. When unemployed one is entitled to 60% of their last net income for 6 month, then a review in which one has to prove that they did not find a job despite search and another 6 month is granted, after that it is Hartz 4 which is the equivalent of social welfare.

      This unemployment scheme is for all income groups. But it would make totally sense in NZ to only apply it to those that last need it. It would also make sense for Labour to create something that can very easily be perverted by National.

      • pat 5.2.1
        27 July 2022 at 5:12 pm

        Since Bismark apparently….and it has a number of differences from what has been outlined here (to date)….

        The Hartz laws represented the most important structural reforms since 1969. They were implemented between 2003 and 2005 and introduced the following measures:

        Hartz law I (2003) Required the salaried employees to register as job-seekers as soon as they became aware of the date of termination of their employment agreement; Established job recovery assistance measures, as well as the requalification measure mechanism intended for the older job-seekers; Enabled the job-seekers who hadn’t worked long enough to be entitled to the unemployment benefits to receive continuing training aid; Created temporary placement offices; Enabled the employment offices to entrust, by way of contract, the management of back-to-work jobs to third parties; Softened the regulation relating to dismissals; Required from the job-seekers a greater mobility, considered as appropriate.

        Hartz law II (2003) Established business start-up aid (creation of the self-employed status); Created service vouchers for domestic employment jobs; Amended certain provisions relating to mini-jobs and midi-jobs; Set the conditions for creating the future Job-Centers.

        Hartz law III (2004) Reorganized the employment public service

        Hartz law IV (2005) Reformed the unemployment benefit payment system: reduction of the length of time during which unemployment benefits are paid to 12 months (unemployment benefit I); Merged the long term unemployment benefit and the social aid into a single unemployment benefit II; Established a social aid reserved to the job-seekers unable to work.

        https://www.unedic.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/Insight_Germany-unemployment-insurance-system-ENG_decembre_2019.pdf

        Im unclear where the German premiums end up in that system…here the proposal is an ACC type investment fund.

        • Sabine 5.2.1.1
          28 July 2022 at 8:01 am

          Hartz IV was the final and most radical of these laws. It bound together all social welfare allowances – from day-to-day requirements, to school books to clothing, all of which had to be applied for separately – into one flat sum, and named it "Unemployment Benefit II." This became the allowance an unemployed person receives after their official "Unemployment Benefit I," an allowance based on their previous income, ran out after a certain period.

          Hartz IV centralized both these benefits through the Bundesagentur fuer Arbeit (Federal Labor Office), rather than separate regional offices. Its intention was to prioritize getting people back to work, in whatever form: temporary, part-time or full-time.

          https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/social-security/unemployment-benefits-germany-arbeitslosengeld#:~:text=Your%20benefit%20will%20be%2060,just%20like%20a%20regular%20wage.

          And of course what one gets today under Hartz4 as a lumpsum is less then what it was when one individually applied for 'fringe benefits'. Maybe that is what made that reform so 'important'. The reduction of services and pay out.

          Disclaimer: I have a disabled brother on HArtz4 who will every now end then be invited to the unemployment office to prove he is still disabled. Something he did not have to do before Hartz4.

          However unemployemnt pay outs in Germany are capped:

          ow much unemployment benefit I (Arbeitlosengeld I) will I get?

          The amount of benefit you receive is based on your average net pay in the 12 months before you became unemployed (known as the “assessment period”). Your benefit will be 60% of your previous average wage (or 67% if you have children), up to a maximum of 7.050 euros per month in West Germany and 6.750 euros in East Germany.

          Your benefit payments will then be subject to taxes and social security contributions, just like a regular wage. These will automatically be taken from your benefit by the employment office before it is transferred to your bank account at the end of each month. This includes deductions for:

          vs here in NZ were it on the surface seems that he only ones benefitting from this payout are the very well to do people in Government, NGO, Charities and the likes that may or may not lose jobs in the future if the government were to change. I am not sure as are many others here that it will benefit that Janitor or Service person from Poorland NZ.

          Both unemployment benefits and Hartz4 are granted by the Unemployment Agency, whilst there was a Socialwelfare Agency to deal with those that needed different aid in the past.

  6. Poission 6
    27 July 2022 at 2:15 pm

    Australia cpi comes in at 6.1 (the quarter at 1.8 down from 2.1)

    Food was 7.3.

    The next 1/4 will have the large electricity increases in it.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-27/inflation-figured-to-be-released/101269692

  7. Anne 7
    27 July 2022 at 3:54 pm

    Congratulations to Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

    He has announced that he has sent a directive to 14 Local Body Councils to fluoridate their water supplies. Great news. As a former School Dental Nurse this is a special concern for me.

    Through stupidity – and once again listening to disinformation – many councils have badly failed their communities and their children in particular. The rate of decay in children's teeth has skyrocketed in recent decades and that can lead to all manner of on-going health problems. Contrary to the claims of the nay-sayers, fluoridation is totally safe and the process is carried out under strict protocols.

    I expect the "Freedumb Crowd" to holler and shout. Let em scream. Sometimes for the health and safety of everybody, such directives and indeed legislation if required have to be made.

    • In Vino 7.1
      27 July 2022 at 7:06 pm

      Fully agree, Anne.

      In 1970 as a 1st-yr teacher, I asked a 3rd-form class who had a filling in their teeth. Only 2 or 3 raised a hand. My town had been adding fluoridating water for some years. When I was in the 3rd form, we all had mouths filled with amalgam..

      But since then my perception is that the great evil of SUGAR has doubled its input, and now even fluoride cannot cope.

      To take away the fluoride is idiotic.

      But to do nothing about excessive sugar everywhere is even more idiotic.

      Where is the reduce sugar campaign? Worn down by unfavourable coverage in capitalist media controlled by big companies like sugar manufacturers?

      • Anne 7.1.1
        27 July 2022 at 7:17 pm

        Where is the reduce sugar campaign? Worn down by unfavourable coverage in capitalist media controlled by big companies like sugar manufacturers?

        Another ugly side effect of neoliberalism. Money grubbing corporates and their equally grubby media counterparts dominating the discourse. I venture to suggest there is also a link to the internet which is awash with batshit crazy conspiracy theories.

    • Molly 7.2
      28 July 2022 at 8:39 am

      Anecdotal, but relevant.

      Rural water, so definitely no fluoride.

      All four children no fillings. Oldest now 26 years.

      Are there any downsides to universal fluoride in drinking water that people should be aware of?

      • Incognito 7.2.1
        28 July 2022 at 8:54 am

        Some people who drink and smoke all their lives live to a grand old age.

        https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2019/11/how-some-people-live-to-be-110-despite-smoking-and-drinking-their-way-through-life.html

        Are there any downsides to drinking and smoking that people should be aware of?

        • Sanctuary 7.2.1.1
          28 July 2022 at 8:58 am

          I plan to take up pipe smoking on my 90th birthday.

        • Molly 7.2.1.2
          28 July 2022 at 4:01 pm

          My FIL started smoking at 6, and kept on doing so till 93.

          His sister, adult smoker, developed throat cancer in her 70s.

          We used to joke about his lungs being leather bellows. When he died, we gave his almost full tobacco pack to his smoking buddy at the home – a grateful 92 yr old.

      • Rosemary McDonald 7.2.2
        28 July 2022 at 10:08 am

        Are there any downsides to universal fluoride in drinking water that people should be aware of?

        Thing is…such is the extremely polarised nature of the issue, any discussion of potential 'cons' is going to elicit the usual reaction from the 'pro' group. All is binary dontcha know.

        Wiki has a very good page on the issue…bearing in mind that only a 5.7 % of the human race has access to the benefits of artificial fluoridation through water supply. Some countries have naturally high levels of fluoride in the water and it has to be removed to make it safe.

        This page explores water fluoridation in various countries in some depth and is well worth a read. The one that caught my eye was what happened in Israel. From 2002 water fluridation was required by law…but this was repealed in 2014 on the grounds that…

        "Only some 1% of the water is used for drinking, while 99% of the water is intended for other uses (industry, agriculture, flushing toilets etc.). There is also scientific evidence that fluoride in large amounts can lead to damage to health. When fluoride is supplied via drinking water, there is no control regarding the amount of fluoride actually consumed, which could lead to excessive consumption. Supply of fluoridated water forces those who do not so wish to also consume water with added fluoride."[19] Many in the medical and dental communities in Israel criticized the decision as a mistake

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_by_country

        All very well putting fluoride in the water…but are you going to get your target demographic to drink it?

        Interestingly…our very own Mystery of Health has a flyer on Vitamin D during pregnancy.

        https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAQQw7AJahcKEwjgtIOIiZr5AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.govt.nz%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Fdocuments%2Ftopic_sheets%2Fvitamin-d-factsheet-dec20.pdf&psig=AOvVaw3h3EHtKN8FuQVBY36ZPXEH&ust=1659045640611031 (Sorry for the ugly link..but following the directive not to embed.)

        Low Vitamin D levels during pregnancy can lead to poor bones and teeth in the child. Is the checking of maternal Vitamin D SOP in New Zealand for all pregnant women?

        Its complicated…not binary at all.

        (Anecdotally Molly…three kids…youngest 30…rural raised on unfiltered tank water and bugger all fillings. While we didn't have a sugar ban…fizzy drinks were special occasion only and I most definitely never had them sucking on bottles of anything other than water. Likewise I ensured I ate healthy when pregnant. )

        • Robert Guyton 7.2.2.1
          28 July 2022 at 10:20 am

          "Thing is…such is the extremely polarised nature of the issue, any discussion of potential 'cons' is going to elicit the usual reaction from the 'pro' group. All is binary dontcha know."

          Thought you were going to talk about vaccines 🙂

          There's a pattern in your thinking, Rosemary!

      • Rosemary McDonald 7.2.3
        28 July 2022 at 10:46 am

        You might also be interested in comparing the % of public supplied fluoridated water in various regions with the % of 5 year olds with 0 fillings.

        https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/water/drinking-water-quality/access-to-fluoridated-drinking-water/

        https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/water/drinking-water-quality/oral-health-of-children/

        For instance, Counties/Manukau has 90-100% access to fluoridated water but the lowest % of 5 year olds with no fillings.

        It'd be handy if chucking a bunch of chemicals into the town supply would provide a universal fix…but it is not that simple.

      • Anne 7.2.4
        28 July 2022 at 10:59 am

        There was a section of rural NZ that had sufficient natural deposits present in their drinking water to be effective. I think it was somewhere in the South Island but have long forgotten the details. Whether it is still the case I don't know.

        High natural deposits are present in parts of Europe and at a high level of concentration. High concentration can cause white spots to appear on the enamel surface of teeth but that is not going to occur in NZ as the specified level of fluoride deposits are low by comparison.

        https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/code-practice-fluoridation-drinking-water-supplies-new-zealand#:~:text=The%20Code%20of%20Practice%20specifies,chemicals%20to%20drinking%2Dwater%20supplies

        It should be pointed out that fluoride exists naturally in streams and water ways. Its not some kind of man-made chemical.

        Edit: some people have naturally healthy teeth and gums. Good genes. Sounds like that was the case with your children Molly and no doubt they were brought up on a healthy diet too which is a big help.

        • Incognito 7.2.4.1
          28 July 2022 at 11:44 am

          I’ve heard of some rural folks cleaning their teeth with a handheld tool or device and some kind of white paste …

          • Poission 7.2.4.1.1
            28 July 2022 at 5:16 pm

            Yes but fluoride is a commie plot that robs you of your bodily fluids.

            • Incognito 7.2.4.1.1.1
              28 July 2022 at 5:36 pm

              The pure white paste is fine, of course. However, you must watch out for the ones with a red stripe; only use the ones with a blue stripe according to my dentist Dr Morpheus.

              • Poission …
                28 July 2022 at 6:00 pm

                Do the spectral regimes transform under rotation from the western hemisphere to the southern hemisphere ?

            • pat 7.2.4.1.1.2
              28 July 2022 at 5:43 pm

              Spicy Sweet Homemade Mouthwash

              On November 4, I wrote that I had finished up my last bottle of Act fluoride rinse and had decided not to replace it. Several dentists told me they didn’t think I needed it. However, I wasn’t just using the rinse for the fluoride; it had also served as my mouthwash for the last couple of years, leaving my breath minty fresh. Without it, I needed to find a plastic-free alternative, and since there are apparently no mouthwashes sold plastic-free these days, I decided to make my own.

              I found the following recipe on Mother Earth Living and tried it:

              Spicy Sweet Mouthwash

              This mouthwash requires a couple of weeks for the spices to steep in the alcohol.

          • Robert Guyton 7.2.4.1.2
            28 July 2022 at 5:52 pm

            Twig and baking soda – I know those people!

  8. left for dead 8
    27 July 2022 at 4:49 pm

    I'll bite (Freedumb)You may well be one of them,and/or it's been a very long time since you practiced. Fluoride is very good at killing "good bacteria",that is the problem needing addressed.

    Sorry can't/not linking,Google or any search engine will help.

    • Barfly 8.1
      27 July 2022 at 5:26 pm

      I was in High School in Tauranga when fluoride was added to the Tauranga water supply (around 50 years ago). I used to see the dentist every 6 months and every time I needed multiple fillings – after fluoride was added I needed One filling in the next two years. I believe it's lunacy that some local bodies still haven't adopted it.

    • Anne 8.2
      27 July 2022 at 6:44 pm

      "Fluoride is very good at killing "good bacteria"…

      Course “you're not goin to link”. Comes from some wingnut conspiracy theory to be sure!

      And why do you think you know more about dentistry than me? Are you a dentist?

      • weka 8.2.1
        28 July 2022 at 4:57 pm

        15 sec google.

        • Kills bacteria which cause cavities & gum disease – Fluoride doesn’t just help prevent cavities. It’s also antimicrobial, which means it can kill the bacteria in your mouth which contributes to issues like cavities and gum disease.

        https://www.knightpediatricdentistry.com/post/how-does-fluoride-help-oral-health

        The issue is whether the concentrations in town supply water are sufficient to have an effect. Or what effect they have when the water is being drunk every day.

    • dv 8.3
      28 July 2022 at 11:23 am

      Are you sure it was fluoride AND not Fluorine?

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    18 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    23 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-07-27T00:05:54+00:00