I have learned to assume the worst of our politicians…its easier that way as it avoids that awful feeling of betrayal when manifesto promises are broken and hopes for a kinder and more fair New Zealand are dashed…again.
Heavy sigh this am as the Natrad Bedwetters Club featured the news of Green Party Co Leader James Shaw's announcement of an $11.7 million handout to a Taranaki private school.
…and those millions would have gone a long way towards rectifying some of the infrastructure issues faced by many Taranaki schools. Some of these issues involve leaky, damp buildings which is ironic as the major business magnates behind this private school made their fortune from selling ventilation systems.
Doubly ironic as I clearly remember a phone conversation with a telemarketer for said company. He waffled on about cold and damp and how much I needed a home ventilation system to circulate the air around our home. I politely informed helpful gentleman that we already had a ventilation system…windows and doors…
I digress. The cynic in me suspects that James, the co -leader of the party I had just about committed to voting for again, thinks the average Joe or Jane will hear "Green" and assume all is sound and ethically well with this funding and it must fit within the Party's code. Big mistake, James.
The alternative is possibly worse. James has turned traitor and has decided to torpedo the last political party that had any semblance of a social conscience.
Your final sentence is nonsense, Rosemary. Funding a school is a laudable action. The question is; does it contravene Green Party policy and if so, how concerned should we be about that. I'd be very interested to hear from The Greens and James especially, for their explanation, before scuppering the boat I float in.
Suspend your judgement till you have heard from those most closely involved, I reckon. Funding a school is not a damning act, it's a well-intentioned, widely supported action. The Greens did say ‘Public funding for private schools should be phased out and transferred to public schools,” (says the party’s current education policy.) but there's nothing yet to prevent them doing so. It is though, at this point, an awkward situation. I certainly don't see it as a "debacle" or even the echo of one.
Mr Guyton, I am well acquainted with the Green policies, but thank you for the link. Others here may find it helpful, although I suspicion the reading of manifesto and policy statements do not always feature as preparation to casting one's precious vote.
I fear that even here, amoungst the assumed politcally aware, there is a tendency to vote "Labour" or "Green" or goddess forbid "NZ First" just because.
Hurry up James! Rattle your dags sunshine and please explain!
Someone tending toward voting Green is unlikely to swerve violently away at the news that The Greens facilitated funding for a school, I'd have thought!
Unless they're one of those people, and there are a few about, who look as hard as they can for any reason to avoid voting lab/grn, so they can back a sub 1% party and cling to the notion they're doing the right thing by the country, even though every wasted vote brings the prospect of a nat led government closer.
"James is proud and loud over this" doesn't seem like a "back-room deal" then does it, or something The Greens wished to slip in unnoticed by the public. Seems kinda "up-front" wouldn't ya say?
Many of those people, The Al1en, are presently backing Billy Te Kihaka's conspiracy party now, and loudly declaring that The Greens have sold out to the Man, or whatever. I hear "The Greens support the use of 1080 so it's all over between me and Them!" and so on, levering their exit around any one of a hundred issues The Greens are "ignoring", 5G, compulsory vaccination, mask-wearing, and so on and so on. It's a phenomenon of the startlable-Left, unfortunately. Gotta learn to live with it. For people who profess to support The Greens to immediately declare, "I'm off" at the news of this school support, fits that picture, imo. Consequently, I agree with the sentiment of your comment.
Might need to do another post on 1080 and what the GP actually say on that.
I kind of understand the reactionary, emotional vote, but I mostly don't get it. We have to have someone in parliament and government, who should that be this time? It's not a hard thing to figure out, despite any disappointments along the way (and I have my own about the Greens).
The expectation that a political party could perfectly represent the needs of anyone at all, is a pipe-dream. Those who toy-toss at the slightest bump in the road seem flakey to me. Will they just as easily return to the fold if the next issue suits them better, or will they stay stubbornly out in the cold because "the party" betrayed them? This issue is de minimis, in my opinion, in the big picture; I compare it with National's most recent "the water quality regulations will be gone by lunchtime" scandal and ask myself, wtf are Green supporters thinking, throwing in the towel at the sniff of something they don't agree with (or fully understand)? Funding for a school!?! The horror!!!
I was listening yesterday to a group of young Maori men discussing Billy TK and his prophecies. Very disturbing that they have taken as Gospel his comments about 5 G / Covid conspiracies etc. They feel that because Billy TK is a great musician then he must be correct about the "ride to hell we are currently on". I fear for the vulnerable young people of NZ.
I attended a meeting of such people last night, Patricia. I don't recommend such an experience. I have been engaging in discussion/dialogue/debate with various (younger) people in my town over "Billy" and his ways, pointing out his efforts to align with Hanna Tamaki (spurned) and Jamie-Lee Ross (accepted) as well as his most recent expulsion from the White Ribbon movement because of his "separation from reality", or some such. I mentioned the very poor turnout at the Auckland "5G and everything else" march, which contradicted the followers claims that "the uprising is massive and will turn the country on its head", and have, as yet, made zero progress, despite my careful strategising and genuine concern for their wellbeing
Someone tending toward voting Green is unlikely to swerve violently away at the news that The Greens facilitated funding for a school, I'd have thought!
But it is not just any old school is it Robert?
It is a very special Private School for the offspring of the Very Wealthy of Aotearoa, and especially Overseas.
At a time when state schools are desperate for funding for remedial work to be done…which would surely have the potential to employ as many, if not more than just this one school.
Paul Goulter, NZEI Te Riu Roa national secretary said it came as a “complete surprise”.
“This comes as a complete surprise to us given the Greens’ own clear policy against public funding of private schools.
“We just can’t understand why the Government would go ahead and fund a private school with public money at a time when public schools in the Taranaki region are crying out for this type of investment,” he said.
The sheer scale of the funding is significant. When the Government announced a $400 million package to upgrade New Zealand’s ageing public school infrastructure, it was capped at $400,000. The grant to the Green School would be enough to fund nearly 30 schools at that rate.
Just up the road from Green School, New Plymouth Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools each received $400,000.
It's shit like this that makes me think of myself as a labour voter who sometimes goes green, rather than a green voter. Funding a private school is fucked, but because it has "green" in the name they'll throw out the socioeconomic principles they allegedly have.
Basically, a comprehensive and holistic platform is compromised for a single pet project because they like the vibe. Private education is capitalist, and capitalism is the enemy of the environment. An elitist enviro-wank school is the equivalent of champagne socialism.
Labour supported the choice via their local candidate.
We still don't know if the Greens wanted this, or if there wasn't much choice. I can't imagine the Greens would choose this over funding state schools or any number of other projects, so I'm guessing it came from the Infrastructure Reference Group in charge of the shovel-ready projects. That's run by Twyford and Jones afaik.
Labour are predictable in their policy blindspots.
The Greens tend to be pretty solid, then do a random announcement on some issue.
Apparently Shaw announced it as a minister – fair call, maybe it's a all-govt thing, but I've difficulty seeing which portfolio makes him the responsible cheerleader for this decisions. Associate minister of finance? Surely they could have given the role of announcing this project to someone else, given that it's in direct contradiction to Green policy?
still guessing, but yes Assoc Finance portfolio, *and the GP (according to Hipkins) advocated for it, but I'm betting it was from a pool of projects that Twyford and Jones had shortlisted.
So if the Greens had the opportunity to lobby for specific projects for the fund, and it was a choice between say a new road/coal fired power plant or a private school that has a strong green focus, what would they do?
Might still be a politically naive thing to have done of course, instead of choosing nothing.
Totally speculating here, because I'm just so sick of the whole purity politics stuff, as well as the jumping to conclusions before we even know what happened.
If people want the Greens to stick to their kaupapa the best way to ensure that is to give them more power in government. We will never get a GP or any party that is perfect for us, but I just do not believe that this idea came from the Greens originally when they would be more naturally interested in actual green projects.
and, if it turns out the Greens chose this over all the worthy green projects needing done that wouldn't have made it past Twyford and Jones, then I will rightly condemn the Greens too. I'll still vote for them though, because climate change is going to monkeys of us all for a very long time after purity ceases to be a pressing concern. Oh yeah, and because their welfare policy outstrips anything else in parliament. And their fresh water policy. And most things when it comes down to it.
If they had a list of crappy projects, they should have chosen nothing. The projects would have been done one way or the other, it's not like the Greens could have vetoed the entire list.
Or at least let Jones and Twyford announce their crappy projects.
yes, probably. But we have no idea what happened, so I'd rather wait before slagging off the Greens or changing my vote or whatever. If people want to change their vote because the Greens aren't political players, they can do that, but it's a different thing, and we still need them in govt. It's not like they have policies that will intentionally keep lots of people in poverty, that would be Labour.
at the least Shaw is bungling the PR on this. No idea if that’s because he thinks funding this school is a brilliant idea and has completely misread the room, or if there’s something more pragmatic going on.
I guess the issue for me with the discussion is why people would throw out the lovely policy, along with lots of other lovely policy, over this one thing. Not least because that means voting for a party that won’t be in parliament or one that will but has worse policy. I understand the principle of the thing thing (I have my own bottom lines), but this looks like something else. Post brewing about how people still don’t trust the Greens and look for any weakness as proof of that.
Yeah I agree with that – anyone who's an enthusiastic supporter of the Greens and then ditches it because of one decision is being a bit precious, at best, in the current NZ political climate.
But then there's more the "meh, what the hell" voter. By which I mean that up to the election I look at policy and the people involved (grassroots as well as the parliamentarians), but my vote might be up in the air between a couple of parties, and it just depends on what the polls think the result will be and what my preferred result might be. I don't really know for sure what I will tick while I'm picking up the forms, and might be inclined to do something different when I leave the polling station.
I mean, I know I won't be voting National, but say labgrn looks pretty solid, maybe I won't vote either if there's a <1% party on the left – give them an extra vote, and thereby a tiny little bit more credibility. Dunno who any decent trace-element parties at the moment are, though, but there's a couple of months yet.
How often will a local candidate not support spending government money in their district? I mean, a west coast Green candidate might oppose the government subsidising the start up of a coal mine, or a Nat might object to a bit of funding to entice the Worldwide Collective Association of Socialist Parties to set up headquarters in their district. But short of something like that, a local politician will always support more jerbs in their district funded by the government.
I've been aware of this school for sometime. One of the investors is a brother of an acquaintance of mine, and as she is involved in childhood education she was invited to go and view the site and meet the founders last year.
The idea and the kaupapa make for good soundbites, but primarily from my perspective – as Rosemary suspects – it is a school that is intended to create opportunities for green entrepreneurs. And the "green" aspect is fluid.
If our society is dedicated to providing a good, quality universal education, that priority needs to be achieved first before educational funding such as this is allocated.
We are nowhere near providing a good, quality universal education. We should focus on that.
"it is a school that is intended to create opportunities for green entrepreneurs."
And that's a bad thing???
Surely, it's a school for the promotion of environmentally-friendly learning, yes? A school for children? You're attacking the worth of the school, but I would think its value and values were closely looked-at by James Shaw et al before they swung in to support the funding of it; who to believe, who to trust???
"Surely all schools should be funded to deliver such laudable learnings Robert?"
Well, yes, Rosemary but should all other progress stall until that happens? Shall we cancel the Enviroschools programme till every school has signed on? How would that work?
why, have the Green nothing to say about this in the government of which they are part?
or is it simply dumb and tone deaf to announce the waste of some 10 millions to a private school, while other schools in NZ are build of shacks? Oh, its the green focus of that school? Well if that is the case I hope that the Green Party will promote teh idea that all the other schools in NZ specifically the public schools should get the same amount to 'teach green focus' in school.
fucks sake. The GP don't control either the Education funding or the Shovel funding. That's NZF and Labour.
Looks like the GP fucked up on this, either via their PR or by their decision on the project. Tell you what, don't vote for them, or vote Labour, that will get you a way better govt /drippingsarc
And ffs, go and learn how government actually works, because this fairy dust, magic wand shit is tedious.
You missed an important part in my comment Robert: And the "green" aspect is fluid.
" Surely, it's a school for the promotion of environmentally-friendly learning, yes? A school for children? "
No surely about it. It is promoted as…
And it is accessible only to a small number of monied students. Our government funding for environmental education should be able to be accessed by all.
Do I trust James Shaw is not the question. I can see where his perspective lies from actions like this.
Cripes Molly the country has to move in different directions than in the past. Better education is not just returning to what we had in the 1980/90s but something that fits our needs today, more machine-minds and tech, less jobs, poor wages etc. We need to learn less about how to criticise and more on how to thing creatively and practically. Good on the Greens, if they get started then they can tune up to what is needed, change the tune, fine-tune. And at the same time ensure everyone can read, understand what they read, discuss its effect, learn psychology and how to get on with each other, and look up any facts needed on google.
Thanks for talking us down to earth quietly Robert G. I thought we were leaving Ground Zero by too far a distance there.
Thinking of getting high, has everyone else caught up with the fact that dirigibles are the thing being worked on around Europe? This was a piece from The Telegraph. I stop at the paywall, might do occasional donations though as they give gen that I don't always get here.
The UK, a leader in the airship revival, is going head to head with France in an escalating global race. Zeppelins and dirigible airships are now promising to provide the future of green transport, and if all goes well, as Ambrose Evans-Pritchard writes in this fascinating column, we will be able to hop virtuously from Liverpool to Belfast in point-to-point travel.
Shaw's only comment seems to be that the spend will result in 200 jobs. What rubbish. These jobs will be temporary jobs while the build happens and not permanent new jobs. Every indication is that because the word "Green" is in the title of the school that this is the reason the funding – which equates apparently to $200k per pupil – was granted. A shonky and suspect decision.
@ Rosemary McDonald , Thanks for writing that response to this shameful hypocrisy, it saves me the time of writing pretty much the same thing.
Funnily enough I had just said on Sunday here on open mike (6.2.1.) that I would probably vote Greens, but lamented the day the Greens didn't choose Bradford as co leader, mainly because of her deeply held values and uncrossable lines in the sand…well this episode just proves that point, Shaw is a pragmatic centrist who is (like so many greens) willfully blind to the class war that rages all around him, and like all centrists end up entrenching a class based society further.
They lost your vote because they funded a school? They did indicate that, "‘Public funding for private schools should be phased out and transferred to public schools," – the term, "phased out" doesn't mean "immediately ceased", so their support does not baldly contravene their policy as is being claimed here and on Kiwiblog.
Again, they lost your vote because they funded a school?
Was it an evil school? A school that teaches subversive, anti-Kiwi values? A school that is nothing more than a front for…whatever?
But I'm guessing the justifications you have given us this morning are the same the Green Party will trot out. And those of us lesser mortals are just closet righties if we have a problem with this gross corporate welfare.
I have a pile of sleeper sized maccy to cut and wrestle into raised garden beds today…I've said my piece.
A tune for your day Sir…you've sung the Green's hymn well.
I'm teasing, Rosemary. And "we" is plural, not singular. In any case, some time in the corner, thinking about what you have done, will do you no harm . I'm going to do the same, except I'll do it outside and prune apple trees instead. It would be good to have some more comment from The Greens before we wade deeper into the issue.
Robert – are you aware that many teachers feel very strongly about state money being generously thrown at private schools? This particular private school charges over $20,000 per NZ student, and over $40,000 per foreign student…
This is against the spirit of Green Education Policy. When The Alliance disappeared, I, as a teacher, looked at all the parties' Education policies, liked the Greens' the most, and have party-voted Green since.
I am now in doubt. I will definitely continue my donations to Greenpeace, but I now wonder about Party vote Green. How are the Greens going to make 5% by losing any of their considerable teacher support? I do not want to waste my Party vote on a party that does not seem bothered about failing to reach 5%.
Greens need to do some damage control about this, I fear. Ill-considered..
the 5% issue existed before this, and it's entirely on left wing voters whether the GP are in parliament or not after the election. Ditto in government.
If this is a real deal breaker for you, I'd be interested to know what Labour's policy is.
In Vino – yes, and as an ex-teacher (early childhood, primary, secondary, special needs and tertiary) I feel the same way. My only argument here is for restraint around dumping on the Party before their reasons have been published. Do you know why The Greens have made this decision that surely must have tested their attachment to their policy and principles? My experience is that they don't do anything thoughtlessly. I'd like to hear what they have to say on the issue. My immediate reaction is not one I'm arguing for, as I need to hear what James and co. have to say. Perhaps they have reneged, perhaps they have rationalised their action for the furtherance of their principles; that's what I'd like to know. Thick as molasses, my decision-making machinery!
Understood, Robert, but I think some gesture of damage control will be needed for the more short-fused and less contemplative types that there are in many school staff-rooms. I hope that James Shaw can come up with something convincing.
It is an irony that Righties attack the Greens for being 'red on the inside', but the Greens then do something that would actually please the Righties, rather than their own supporters.
To me this looks like something that appeals to a small (but possibly vocal) segment of hard-core Greens. It's possible Shaw himself is firmly in that segment. But those in the Greens that made the decision to push for this totally misread how the wider public would take it.
For instance, the opportunity to (fairly) cry "hypocrisy" is always going to trump any positive feelings the right may have over any Green support for a private initiative.
I agree entirely, In Vino and would add "the more short-fused and less contemplative types" here on The Standard and across the comment-o-sphere. It'll be gleeful fun for The Greens' opponents to whip this up but it disturbs me when up-till-now supporters turn-tail so easily before the discussion has been had. Avoiding this sort of gotcha moment close to an election is, in my view, impossible; look at how many National has suffered recently! This single instance for The Greens, whether earned or not, should be measured against those various scandals/outrages. Given also, that The Greens are in Government and actually doing things, rather than say, The ACT Party who do nothing but gripe and are therefore harder to "expose", it's to be expected that a storm of some sort would whip up. This one, where the worst charge that might stick is one of hypocrisy, shouldn't really phase Green supporters, or those who were "considering" voting Green. The damage control will indeed be needed, even if the damage wasn't self-inflicted, but instead, manufactured from without. I'm as keen as anyone to hear a response from James Shaw but significantly less keen to throw in my Green towel and march indignantly off
nope, cause there is really nothing that would make wasting this much tax payer money on one PRIVATE school good and decent, specifically in these times where everyone else is supposed to do with less, some with nothing, and here the Green Party is giving 10 millions away for bumkins. But they get to feel all ‘Green’.
John Hardy's Green Schools are in fact not inline with "Kiwi Values"…being a touch expensive..hence the large percentage of overseas pupils..and I don't mean kids from the pacific islands…. We in fact already have schools that cover the whole plethora of "Kiwi Values" many of which include environmental and social aspects of which you might approve.
They are all desperate for funding for these programmes…infact with increased funding even more schools would embrace the very programmes we urgently need to educate ALL our NZ youngsters.
John Hardys Green Schools are well patronised by some very wealthy individuals..who I am sure could philanthropically fund his vision to their hearts content. Failing that they could organise a cake raffle…
They have also lost my vote, because it's a fucking private school. I don't care if they promote left wing views if you send your kids to private school you should pay for everything.
By the sounds of it, the parents are paying plenty enough "for it". Perhaps there is benefit in supporting the establishment of such a school, for the wider community? Assisting them over the initial "bump" with money that will indeed stimulate the economy through jobs, will benefit everyone through creating a precedent for green public schools and I expect that's what The Greens have deduced. Your reaction, "public school or bust" sounds … reactionary.
It might not be just one thing. For those of us looking at which party has the least unattractive pile of peaches and dead rats to choke down in order to vote for them, this may be the big dead rat tossed on top that pushes the overall balance away from the Greens.
Yep. But it's expected behaviour for the other parties, so it doesn't change their pile. Whereas for the Greens it removes the peach labelled "principle" and adds a dead rat labelled "featherbedding their special buddies".
"Green School CEO Chris Edwards has thanked Green Party co-leader and Associate Finance Minister James Shaw for his support. "
Shaw's "support"? Is that what Shaw gave? You mean, this wasn't a Green initiative, driven through Parliament relentlessly, in contradiction to the Green's kaupapa? That in fact, Shaw supported something along the way? It gets even worse for the duplicitous Greens – support! Scandalous!
You could find an objection to any one project. The point is it's a portfolio of infrastructure and construction projects that’s designed to keep the economy rolling in that field
Reading the Stuff piece, questions I have are this:
given this comes from Shaw as a Minister and not Shaw as GP co-leader, did the Labour/NZF caucus approve this project?
given the funding was for shovel-ready projects, what were the constraints on that?
who was in the decision making process? who decided which shovel-ready projects would be approved?
why are so many lefties unaware of how government actually works?
why are so many lefties expecting a level of purity from the Greens and unwilling to figure out the compromises involved in being in government?
Sounds like it was a Green push, not someone else's they agreed to as a governing compromise:
During today’s 1pm Covid-19 update, Hipkins addressed the funding, saying the Green Party “advocated quite strongly” for it. “It was one of their ‘wins’, if you like, from the shovel ready projects… It’s not necessarily a project that I would have prioritised.”
1. The GP had free reign to choose whatever projects they wanted?
2. The fund was restricted to a set pool of projects and/or criteria, and the GP had to choose from those?
If it's the former, I would definitely have major concerns about why the GP chose this over many, many other things. But this seems unlikely. Good stick to beat the Greens with though.
If you end up with the time stamp for todays' covid briefing and Hipkins' comment, I'd be interested.
I've done a bit searching on the web, including on the Greens website, and found nothing yet that makes me feel this was a good decision. Or even anything hinting it might have been a good decision. Shaw directly explaining it hasn't turned up yet (if you want people to consider it, how about linking?) but I'll wait for something written to come out rather than listening to emotionally-manipulative low-fact-density blather.
"International education was until recently New Zealand's fourth largest export sector. It is obviously going through a very tough time right now as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
"This project not only secures 200 jobs in the near term, it also creates additional capacity for the time when people are able to travel more freely, enabling Taranaki to develop a thriving international education opportunity."
Shaw said the project would create hundreds of quality jobs.
"Meaning more people can continue to provide for their families whilst we weather the economic storm of the pandemic crisis. These jobs will provide a good day's pay, doing meaningful work, building a better future for Taranaki.
"The support we are providing will help Green School to meet growing demand from parents all over New Zealand, and the rest of the world, wanting to enrol their children. This will mean more families can take the opportunity to put down roots in Taranaki and contribute to the future growth of the region," Shaw said.
I'm not persuaded because it's not a green project. It's more of the same bullshit so beloved of the Nats, selling education to bring wealthy people here so we can relieve them of money and they'll spend lots more money buying property and businesses and stuff. But the Greens have hopped on board because of the enviro-wank (thanks McFlock) positioning of the school as their sales proposition.
I understood this money came out of the Regional pot, not the Education or Green vote? Personally I am for Public Education, but in a democracy I do support choice. I thought buildings and maintenance were provided by the State?
That funding comes with strings, which were meant to prevent them from using their fees to get better teacher:student ratios than state schools, etc. Not quite the same thing.
Robert asked whether Integrated schools receive Government funding and the answer is yes. Never said that it was the same thing though because you are right, it isn’t the same as for State schools. I have no time or interest in elaborating on the differences (a major one is the State doesn’t own the buildings & land of Integrated schools); somebody else can or Robert can use Google 😉
@Robert you got any basis for suggesting it will be paid back? In all the articles I've seen so far there has been a complete absence of any words or even hints about repayment. But plenty of words like given and granted etc usually used in the context of a non-repayable gift.
You're quite right, Andre – I'd seen something earlier in the day, before visiting The Standard, which read: "
peterwn
“So their official policy is to ban public funding of private schools (ie the 25% subsidy per student)”.
The Government gets back 60% of that subsidy in GST (yes, parents of private school pupils do pay GST on their fees) so in reality it is only a 10% subsidy." Not quite the same thing, but perhaps a little salve to the dreadful wound.
Why oh why can you anti-people not expand your minds about this Green Party move. Nothing you have ever thought of up till now has saved us from getting to this end moment in our world's and country's progress/regress. You set too big a store by your ethics, values, standards or whatever you choose to call them.
There are broad principles to steer by, but sometimes it is better to include something that may be different than Green Party principles. They aren't a church, po-faced about humanity fitting in with its dicta; the Greens are a Party trying to turn things around for people AND the planet so both have a future that is not dire. They need our support and our help not our pin-pricking platitudes.
the beige suits of all parties in government can abstain and it is counted as a vote. Why are people supposed to choose between useless, corrupt and uninspired?
That is how i see the parties, Labour – mostly useless, National, mostly corrupt, and the greens – mostly uninspired.
oh because y'all are afraid of Judith Collins? Wow, now that is really not a good 'please vote for Labour or the Greens' point.
Before i move to my reply you can dial down your knee jerk Green Party defence…the foot belongs to the Gov.
Read the 'company' promo.that targets the international monied cliental from the international market…it will never be available to the local kiwi kid down the road….FFS, if you are incapable of recognising the appalling hypocrisy of funding this project when both public education and health providers are decrying the lack of resources then you are delusional.
These types of mindless decisions will cost the incumbents far more votes than Judith and Gerry's carping about Covid
The funding doesn't come from the education budget, does it? Nor the health budget. It comes from the budget that's for job creation and infrastructure development in response to Covid 19. Seems appropriate.
"Tell that to the state school teacher that cant get a teacher aide to assist with severely dysfunctional students because resources."
What would that achieve, Pat? The money for teacher aides comes from a completely seperate budget which will not be affected at all by the spending from the one being considered here. They are seperate, unconnected issues.
Therein lies your problem Robert….you are thinking like an accountant….voters will not separate the funding streams (and nor should they) …its a question of priorities and funding the desires of the offspring of the (offshore) wealthy dosnt trump the basic needs of the locals
personally no…if theres funding available it should go to the area of greatest need first…and private schools for the children of wealthy foreigners (even if climate conscious) are way down the list of needs
But even more importantly will be how the state employed educators and the parents of the students view it…and theres a lot more of them
"it will never be available to the local kiwi kid down the road"
A successful "green" school, one that blazes the green-learning trail, risks being a front-footer, trials programmes for the first time, produces well-greened learners who will go out into the world better equiped to mend the environmental and social harms we are experiencing now, will benefit "the local kiwi kid down the road", or at least will potentially, in ways that haven't been discussed here at all. There's been a great deal of outrage at the perceived exclusiveness and privilege involved, as is to be expected from Green supporters; we've always hated on private schools, but perhaps we might pause a while to hear The Greens rationale for their decision, what their decision was, how large the part they played in the decision and whether they had considered the sort of reaction that's evident here.
How pray tell does lavishly funding a private educational venture WHILE restricting support to a desperate public education sector grow the Green Party vote?….I would suggest the effect is the exact opposite.
However as stated earlier this is not confined to the Green Party
So you think that the Greens should have said to Labour "no we will withhold support for your stimulus package because we can't see any green shovel ready projects that fit with our sensibilities"?
If this is not confined to the Green Party then why have you been so quite about Labour?
An innovative school with an deep green kaupapa, perhaps the deepest in the country so far, shouldn't get enthusiastic support from The Green's?
And, to quote weka:
“Labour candidate for New Plymouth Glen Bennett said the announcement was important for the Taranaki economy and job creation.
He said although it is a private school, the funding wasn’t taking away from public schools as it was an investment in infrastructure rather than education.
“The expansion of the school will bring more students and their families into Taranaki, adding to our economy.”
I'm not at all, In Vino, nor do I gratuitously support funding a private school. I'm simply saying, let's see what The Greens say before we condemn or applaud them. I generally trust the actions they take and recognise that they are constrained, directed and thwarted by their coalition partners, so when something like this comes up and the pile-ons begin, I like to keep my powder dry till I can see the whites in the eyes of whoever is at the centre of the issue. So to speak.
Yep – I see your point, but I was also noticing echos from the past.. (Not your echoes.)
I really hope James can do a good job of explaining this.
Who else will I vote for? Only the least of all evils that is assured of getting over 5%, ie, Labour. But that will be only to keep the Nats out. Not because i have found something better than the Greens.
"The alternative is possibly worse. James has turned traitor and has decided to torpedo the last political party that had any semblance of a social conscience."
Co-leaders of the Green Party don't have that kind of power.
snort. The left has long wanted the GP to be the left's political conscience. Should have supported it better while it had the chance. If the GP has gone mainstream, that's because that's where it's getting support from.
Labour candidate for New Plymouth Glen Bennett is pleased with the announcement.
Labour candidate for New Plymouth Glen Bennett said the announcement was important for the Taranaki economy and job creation.
He said although it is a private school, the funding wasn't taking away from public schools as it was an investment in infrastructure rather than education.
“The expansion of the school will bring more students and their families into Taranaki, adding to our economy.
The citation is wrong at $117 million. No wonder we get false news. It should be $11.7 million. It's on a par with Sir Joseph Ward's 1928 election gaffe misreading 70 million pounds borrowed over 10 years to become 70 million pounds borrowed in one year. Factors of 10 do matter!
$11.7 million appears to be correctly used throughout the article.
Decimal points tend to get left out of URLs. Presumably because they have meaning to the software, rather than just being another alphanumeric character for making a name.
Thanks, Andre, for the URL explanation. It's like reading headlines only? In this case, I did read the article. (The URL writer could have left out the .7 and just stated 11 million, surely?)
Looks like stuff URLs are just the headline with all punctuation stripped out. That would be easy to write code to do automatically. It would take a bit more work to write code to determine that something isn't a full stop but is instead a decimal point and strip out the numbers after it.
Just as well I'm not a headline writer for Stuff. I'd be trying really hard to see what kind of unintended consequences I could get to show up in the URLs.
Nope, it is still taking form the taxpayer who may or may not have children in private schools to fund a private for profit business.
the best these guys should get is a wage subsidy when next the country goes to lockdown level 4. Nothing more nothing less, like any other business in NZ.
That's right, Sabine. I too baulk at the spending of public money on private projects such as this. However, the story has not been fully told by those most closely involved, so I'm reserving my ire or praise until I know the details, hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak. If only others would do the same but I know as well as any other that this is the period of wild reckonings and snappy responses online whenever there's a political event, such as this is purported to be.
i actually don't care about these guys sitting down now trying to fix up a narrative to make this pig look less like a pig with smeared lipstick all over the place.
We have homeless in this country, this 10 million could have done a great job of building some hovels for these guys.
We have a lot of unemployed people currently , and we will have more at the end of this week, month , year with nothing to replace these jobs in the near future.
we have a shortage of lab staff, testing station etc, and this money could have done great there.
But we are wasting it on a school for a supposed green wash that the children in my family will never go to because we can't afford the 'private school fees' nor yours as you too will be too poor. In the meantime the girls in south auckland don't go to school cause their schools don't have funding for female hygiene products and thus when they are menstruating they stay home. (and don't tell me of the courageous little scheme of providing a few schools in the waikato region with a few tampons to feel good, cause ain't good enough)
So for what its worth, the leader of the green party can throw a ten liter bucket of green color at this and it will still stink to high heavens and it will cost the Greens more then the labour party and thus it was dumb.
This morning, David has two of his special stats driven posts. In one he claims a private Green School is being funded by the Green Party to the tune of $100,000/student and nearby state schools just $330/student.
In the other he claims high speed rail between Hamilton and Auckland would require platforms 750m long. He bases that conclusion on a claim the cost of capital for the project would be 6%.
Now, Twyford isn't a very good politician and I shook my head when he released this rail study the other day knowing that the likes of Farrar would jump all over it, but…
…here's an article which examines "the ways arguments using quantitative analysis fool people into accepting misinformation to suit particular agendas".
The public's inability to spot BS, presented often in the guise of statistical analysis, is an increasing threat to democracy in a data-driven world, according to the author of a new book.
"Question the source of information – who’s telling me this – and how do they know it, and what are they trying to sell me?" (the author) says.
I immediately though of our friend on the far right, David Farrar, who regularly uses his special form of statistical analysis to spread BS for political purposes.
I am proud of NZders. According to this poll they see through the unrelentingly media reports and realise how lucky we are. Last might N Z had slipped even further down the covid metre to 143.
Thanks for the link to those heartening poll results anker.
"Overall trust in the Government’s handling of the pandemic had slightly declined following the Auckland community outbreak and subsequent lockdown, but remained very high – falling from 82 per cent in mid-July to 79 [± 2.7] per cent in late-August."
Rather than join the team of almost five million, our opposition National party's main election campaign strategy under Collins' leadership is to undermine public trust in the Government. In normal times this would be politically pragmatic, but in these extraordinary times it just comes across as small-minded, and more than a little dangerous to us all.
Ross, Falloon, Walker, Woodhouse, Boag, Bridges, Muller, Collins – it’s all about trust.
Anker "It also showed that 64 per cent of those surveyed back the Prime Minister to handle the pandemic in general, compared with 18 per cent for Judith Collins. Over a third (36 per cent) of those who said they voted for National in 2017 now backed Ardern over Collins."
The election is all over bar the shouting….unless there is another serious Covid outbreak.
If you didn't believe blacks got treated differently to whites by the police in parts of the US these two videos are mind-boggling in showing that they do.
This white guy shoots three people at least, the public are telling the police he is the shooter and the police ask the shooter, still holding his gun, for directions to the injured and tell him to get off the road.
Warning: It does show him shooting people but not in a bloody, gory way. It is simply shocking.
No Weka posting defending her beloved Green Party, must be awaiting instructions on how to spin this….although it's going to be a tough sell to dance on the head of that particular pin.
Ohhh look, Judith has done this/said that…will do this/do that!
Now, has everyone forgotten about the money donated to that private school by the Greens yet?
Answer: NO!
[lprent: Idiots who don’t read the policy about falsely ascribing hidden motivations to authors are never right and are to be despised. You know better – so this is your warning.
Banned for 2 weeks. ]
Ground troops armed with (I hope) tasers arrest violent and dangerous criminal with the assistance of the Eagle helicopter.
Comforting that this footage exists for the Constabulary to promulgate…we'd hate to think that we were not safe.
(btw. The criminal is a car thief ffs, armed with a torch. Did he want to get court?)
The loudest noises about attrition as a result of the pandemic have come from the hospitality industry. The tourist industry, despite its cries of desperation and predictions of doom and gloom in the beginning, appears now to be enjoying steady times and has become less publicity seeking.
I would have thought that the hospitality industry is actually a "nice to have." Eating out is certainly not an essential and as for that coffee and muffin, at least one of our service stations, does a pretty good job of satisfying a craving for caffeine.
We often hear the patronising calls for those on meagre incomes to practice a bit of disciplined shopping and "relearning" cooking at home on a budget. Perhaps those same lecturers should spend a little more time using their eye-level ovens and ceramic hobs rather than feeling the need to be waited on. Eating out in the 70's and 80's was a treat and the sit-down coffee shops a novelty.
In the fullness of Covid Time, there will still be cafes, bars and restaurants. They just will owned and staffed by different people. Your breakfast coffee and muffin will be safe.
Eating, food are the main areas providing employment in a stripped down economy such as ours after opening our borders to all comers has socked our small enterprises on the chin. I don't know what you do logie 97 but does it involve thinking kindly about our country and the rest of humanity here besides yourself.
I do not wish to add fuel to the fire. I commented here as a result of comments sought by the media from those in the hospitality industries as a result of Level 3 in Auckland. On Monday I wrote the following comment on TS and is the context I put today's comment.
quote… Various media channels have sought the views of business leaders in Auckland to what the affects of extending Level 3 'til Sunday will be. And Chamber of Commerce Barnett appeared to be reading from a prepared-script-of-anticipation. Also spokespeople for the hospitality industry, in unison, have said that it is going to be catastrophic and that there will be massive permanent closures as a result.
I hope the media channels will seek these same people out again in a fortnight or so to get their assessments and to check if their predictions were anywhere even close…unquote
it is a nice to have that employes hundreds of thousand people in this country via direct employment – chefs, baristas, waiters/waitresses and then down the line, butchers, bakers, grocery stores, council fees, government fees, taxes in form of GST, Payee and so on and so forth and pretty quickly you have a huge segment of hte working population making a living of it and then you might ask yourself, is it really only a nice to have.
Mind for everyone not working in this industry and making a living of it, it of course may matter not that these people are slowly but surely all losing their jobs, and for a while to be – considering that Covid (or any other pandemic) will be with us for a while. But it they may start re-considering or else try to apply their 'nice to have' to any other industry they may consider 'nice to have'.
One of the industry that i think is nice to have but that could go the way of the dodo would be the booze makers and shops that sell it. Why? I don't drink. 🙂 Also, female hygiene products, i don't need them, surely they are only a nice to have, people can use toilet paper. Doctors, a nice to have thing, for those that can afford it. Schools, ditto i don't need them, nice to have now go away. Roading, i like trains, so fuck roading. Nice to have but not needed, we have rail. 🙂
If we were to look at everything as a nice to have vs, something that was created by others to earn a living, we might end up all in ditch with no food, cause nice to have ….but i don't want to pay for it.
So-called green entrepreneurs are Darth Vaders who have succumbed to the Dark Side of Capitalism and Class War.
The binary thinking is strong with people; there is no sensing of the good underneath and behind the mask (persona). Showing or experiencing both sides is a sign of weakness and needs to be stomped on; 100% pure is the Holy Grail.
Only when you integrate both sides, you become whole. At least some in the Green Party are further down the track with this than others are but they are despised for it and it could lead to their downfall and that of the Party.
If the Resistance is too strong then any attempts at integration and transcendence will be met by defensive mechanisms and (overly) aggressive hostility against change. In such cases, it is best to leave people be and get on with their lives as they know it [no pun] AKA BAU or SSDD and provide them with some illusory control over (their) existence.
It is my lifelong struggle – journey is too neutral and uphill battle too aggressive & destructive – to accept things as they are rather than the way I want them to be.
Thanks for that. In my dotage, I find a quick dip into Montaigne will usually furnish a useful aphorism or quotation to help in that struggle. e.g. "..not being able to govern events, I govern myself."
Ah, but the leader from within can emerge gloriously like a phoenix. And that is what is needed from thinking old people, to find the reserves, the depths, to nurture a new shoot and be reborn so to speak.
It's a spiritual thing and grows on experience, hope and belief out of the muck all around and past all the toxins till it can find light and flower. And I am talking about reality here. I think this is happening. I read books about others' experiences during past times of difficulty, and wonderful people arose strongly and amazingly.
So keep going, you have the reserves if you have come this far and the difficulties encountered will only sharpen your steel – to change images and similes etc.
…dotted everywhere,
Ironic points of light
Flash out wherever the Just
Exchange their messages:
May I, composed like them
Of Eros and of dust,
Beleaguered by the same
Negation and despair,
Show an affirming flame.
I’m afraid any phoenix would suffocate in my tiny mental cage. I think it is better to wait until the cage has rusted away enough to pulverise into rusty-brown dust. It may not happen in my lifetime.
We all have to go Harry Potterish. In the books Harry and all the Hogwarts kids had to just adjust their minds and walk though a brick wall to get to their railway platform. I think I know its number so hope to see you there.
I heard the interview and thought it was downright bullying. MH spoke over Jacinda and didn't let her finish sentences. It was a very disturbing and accusatory interview. Then later in the week speaking to Grant Robertson there were no challenges at all ; all very chatty and matey. MH was subdued and almost submissive. Maybe he doesn't like women in positions of power ?
The Hosk went too far with Jacinda. I bet ZB was inundated with complaints. He was told to pull his horns in or else? Robertson got the new Hosk which might, if we're lucky, last a couple of weeks.
The now-famous sweatshirt also belonged to Glendining, who had kept it from the 1990s.
Different world now. If it was from sometime in the last decade, where it came from might be relevant. But its actual origin is far enough removed from Swarbrick and other current Greens that it can only be of interest to tragic obsessives. And trolls.
Can remember similar Green sweat shirts on sale down at the Vic and Cook Street Markets in the good old days. Local people working hard all week manufacturing the shirts and they'd all be gone over the weekend. Very flexible market in those days ; demand dictated the sweat shirts that would be made over the next week. Not many people wandering round in National or Labour shirts in those days.
The fact that National chose the day that the Christchurch mosque shooter is getting sentenced to launch their small business policy probably tells you everything about how they think it’s going to go down with the public.
Total insensitivity and dissonance from Judith and c/o. But to be expected….cuts for workers, ruin Kiwisaver, and then……. who has this magic money to spend in their businesses?? ….same old tired failed policies that saw people living in cars.
Judith's new expert Goldsmith running finance ; the doctor of history digs up old policy, snips pieces here and there and glues them back into a new piece of policy.
Seems Judith guarantees she won't be gone by lunchtime because there won't be a lunchtime.
On a trip to the home of the Labour party in Blackball, I saw a reference to the miner's strike on the issue of a 30 minute crib- a 30 minute lunchtime for the workers.
National want to return to the 19th century and starve-all stuff all worker's rights.
I've only been able to vote since 2011 so I'm not sure how labour in govt campaigns vs labour in opposition, but is there going to be any policy manifesto or announcements or is the manifesto the same as 2017 until all of it gets made law?
It's becoming incredibly frustrating and depressing that labours not releasing policy it seems arrogant.
Unless labours not running on policy so when they make reforms they can say oh we never said we wouldn't do this , this and this but I feel like it's more they are afraid to release policy because they are so polling so well that releasing policies could turn some people off.
It’s becoming incredibly frustrating and depressing that labours not releasing policy it seems arrogant.
It isn’t arrogant. It is a political reality for the major parties in a MMP environment.
This was also the case for the arrogant National party in 2011, 2014, and 2017. You can find posts here deploring the arrogance of the government party not releasing substantive policy going back to 2007.
You can also find comments running back through to the early 1990s in the usenet forums like alt.politics.nz.
I’d point out by way of comparison that so far the National party policies this election have mostly consisted of bullet points and a few reasonably vague paragraphs promising to reconsider things at some point in the future. All of it uncosted and with vague promises of money appearing out of thin air.
Mostly it is the minor parties that release policies – mostly because they know that they will never have a chance to do more (at best) than try to add a few of them in a cut down form to a coalition agreement.
The major parties know that
They can’t promise anything with certainty when they are almost certainly going to have to trade parts of it to make a coalition agreement(s).
NZ governments are almost completely exposed to massive risks from unexpected offshore problems. That is because we are a trading nation with a tiny local economy. The last time I worked for a company that did more than 10% of their business inside NZ was in 1995. I’ve worked for 5 private sector companies since then. Most profitable companies in NZ, and therefore their employees incomes, are directly or closely directly exposed to offshore winds – from export prices to exchange rates in exports and imports. Making policy decisions at a government level when you’re guessing at overall revenue (taxes and fees) and costs (like welfare rolls) is largely an exercise in futility. You only have to look at effects on our local economy and government of the covid-19 in 2020, the GFC in 2008, the twin tower bombings in 2001, the Asian market ‘flu’ in 1997-8, etc etc over the last 30 years to see this.
That anything concrete that major parties promise as policy has to be vague and surrounded with caveats that look like dithering to simpletons. Besides, if it is a 10 year project as most of them are, and the government is unable to deliver in a 3 year term, it will be spun as a ‘broken promise’ for the headlines. So why bother announcing policies that can be measured against that daft and short-sighted yardstick.
So there is no incentive to make any concrete promises beyond minor ones and vague hand waving about longer term ones. Those kinds of concrete policy announcements really belong back at the era of a completely controlled economy with border tariffs, limits on the amount of money you could take or send off shore, and very very limited export industries (essentially the farming sector with limited processing).
The National party just indulged in their typical waving of hands with roading projects that will take decades to pursue to completion, are known to have incredibly bad returns on investment (as in they cost vastly more than they could ever return), and have no funding sources as it would exceed revenue targeted at the NZTA. They were clearly made up on the back of a envelope targeting the more stupid voters in their favoured electorates and with nice sound bites for even thicker journalists like Mike (the moron) Hosking.
The probability of any of those projects ever happening is extremely low. Is that the kind of ‘policy’ you’d like – useless pie in the sky for the credulous? Will that make you satisfied as a policy announcement? You’d have to be as thick as pigshit (or a died in the wool National supporter) to be satisfied with that.
Personally I prefer what Labour has been doing. Making policy announcements, giving timetables and budgets for them, about what they are planning to do over the next few years. Then pointing out directions where they’d like to head. There are a lot of the latter around. You can find them on the Labour party website, or the Greens website, of the NZF and even the Act website.
What you will mostly see on National’s website isn’t policy. It is just slogans for news headlines saying we’ll remove this regulation, or we’ll throw $4 billion at something without saying where they’ll fund it from or even why it is important in the future a decade down the line. It really is hard to see National has any policy at all. But I guess that could just be because they have have had 3 radical shift in their dithering direction in the past months and haven’t managed to write any coherent directions. They sound like your kind of ‘policies’.
Perhaps you should invest in getting yourself a slightly better political and economic education rather than whining about something that hasn’t happened for decades. Then at least you won’t sound quite so much like a political dimwit.
A union representing medical laboratory workers says members taking part in partial strike action are being sent home without pay.
The company, Southern Community Laboratories, says none of those suspended are involved in Covid-19 testing.
But the union says employees who have been working long hours and extra shifts testing Covid samples are affected.
More than 700 workers at private laboratories around the country have issued strike notices for a 24-hour full withdrawal of labour from Friday, 4 September.
Five people associated with the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship have tested positive in the last two to three days.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield urged anyone who was at the services held at the church on Stoddard Road on the 8, 9 and 11 August and a wedding on 7 August to isolate and seek a test.
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Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...
Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...
String-Pulling in the Dark: For the democratic process to be meaningful it must also be public. WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE in New Zealand’s politicians and journalists steadily declining, restoring those virtues poses a daunting challenge. Just how daunting is made clear by comparing the way politicians and journalists treated New Zealanders ...
Dear Nicola Willis, thank you for letting us know in so many words that the swingeing austerity hasn't worked.By in so many words I mean the bit where you said, Here is a sea of red ink in which we are drowning after twelve months of savage cost cutting and ...
The Open Government Partnership is a multilateral organisation committed to advancing open government. Countries which join are supposed to co-create regular action plans with civil society, committing to making verifiable improvements in transparency, accountability, participation, or technology and innovation for the above. And they're held to account through an Independent ...
Today I tuned into something strange: a press conference that didn’t make my stomach churn or the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Which was strange, because it was about the torture of children. It was the announcement by Erica Stanford — on her own, unusually ...
This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...
The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...
Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...
We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
This year has been a big one for me personally and professionally. The firm won the Litigation and Disputes Resolution Firm of the year award on November 28 and I was an Excellence Finalist in the category of firm leader for a firm with under 100 staff. I was also ...
Opinion: In 2024, 64 countries were scheduled to hold different types of national elections this year for an array of offices.Some of these, of course, were more democratic than others, but it made for a bumper year for election nerds like me.Incumbents had a bad year – more than three ...
Pacific Media Watch Five Palestinian journalists have been killed in a new Israeli strike near a hospital in central Gaza after four reporters were killed last week, reports Al Jazeera citing authorities and media in the besieged enclave. The journalists from the Al-Quds Today channel were covering events near al-Awda ...
RNZ Pacific A large 7.3 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila , shortly after 3pm NZT today. The US Geological Survey says the quake was recorded at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles). Locals have been sharing footage of serious damage to infrastructure ...
By Victor Barreiro Jr in Manila Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, bishop of Kalookan, has condemned the state of Israel on Christmas Eve for its relentless attacks on Gaza that have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. “I can’t think of any other people in the world who live in darkness ...
By Cheerieann Wilson in Suva Veteran journalist and editor Stanley Simpson has spoken about the enduring power of storytelling and its role in shaping Fiji’s identity. Reflecting on his journey at the launch of FijiNikua, a magazine launched by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka on Christmas Eve, Simpson shared personal anecdotes ...
Summer reissue: From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter ...
Summer reissue: David Hill remembers an old friend, who you’ve probably never heard of. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. Doug (I’ll call him ...
Summer reissue: I watched all 46 of Tom Cruise’s films over the past 12 months. The question on everyone’s lips: why?The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be ...
Summer reissue: In recent years, checking online for a green tick has become a necessary habit for Aucklanders heading to the beach. Shanti Mathias tags along with the team tasked with testing the water for pollution – and figuring out how to stop it. The Spinoff needs to double the ...
Summer reissue: After two decades of promised redevelopment, Johnsonville Shopping Centre remains neglected and half empty. Joel MacManus searches for answers in the decaying suburban mall. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter ...
Comment: I’ve been digging up dirt over the past few weekends. I plan to dig up more over summer.As global geo-politics heats up, I’ve impulsively turned to tending my wee patch of the world. The world is complex and messy. But I’m determined my quarter acre won’t be. Apparently, this is ...
Winston Peters was 47 when he founded NZ First. David Seymour is 41. “It’s probably unlikely I’ll still be in Parliament when I’m 47,” he tells Newsroom.“I always said, I have no intention of being a Member of Parliament when I’m 70-something.”In saying that, Seymour has already exceeded his own ...
Asia Pacific ReportSilent Night is a well-known Christmas carol that tells of a peaceful and silent night in Bethlehem, referring to the first Christmas more than 2000 years ago. It is now 2024, and it was again a silent night in Bethlehem last night, reports Al Jazeera’s Nisa Ibrahim. ...
Summer resissue: Has the country changed all that much in three decades? Loveni Enari compares his two New Zealands. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member ...
Summer reissue: Alex Casey goes on a killer journey aboard the Tormore Express.The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.It was a dark and ...
Summer reissue: Speed puzzling is like a marathon for the mind – intense, demanding, surprisingly exhausting. But does turning it into a sport destroy it as a relaxing pastime? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read ...
Summer reissue: In October, we counted down the top 100 New Zealand TV shows of the 21st century so far (read more about the process here). Here’s the list in full, for your holiday reading pleasure. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue ...
Summer reissue: Told in one crucial moment from every year, by The Spinoff’s founder Duncan Greive. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.2014: An ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 25 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Mike Smith’s “ambitious” climate claim against Attorney-General Judith Collins.Smith, a Māori climate activist, and Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahu elder, appealed a High Court decision that found his claims against the Crown – that its action on climate change was inadequate – untenable.The Appeal Court’s ...
Trish McKelvey is listed 139 times in the index of the New Zealand women’s cricket tome The Warm Sun On My Face, authored by Trevor Auger and Adrienne Simpson.She wrote the foreword for the book and headlines two chapters addressing crucial events in the evolution of the sport.McKelvey’s appointment as New Zealand ...
Summer reissue: The New Zealand comedy legend takes us through her life in television, including the time she hugged Elton John and the unshakeable legacy of a girl named Lyn. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please ...
Summer reissue: You really won’t guess how it ends. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. First published October 4, 2024. Parliament’s Economic Development, Science ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary-Rose McLaren, Professor of Teaching and Learning and Head of Program, Early Childhood Education, Victoria University Collin Quinn Lomax/ Shutterstock Some years ago, my daughter was set a maths problem: how much does it cost to drive a family of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine E. Wood, Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of Technology Asier Romero/ Shutterstock Christmas is coming, and with it many challenges for parents of young children. You likely have one festive event after another, late nights, party ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Nicole Driessen, Postdoctoral Researcher in Radio Astronomy, University of Sydney Tayla Walsh/Pexels With billions of children around the world anxiously waiting for their presents, Father Christmas (or Santa) and his reindeer must be travelling at breakneck speeds to deliver them ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Higgins, Professor & Director, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University Feeling unsure about your child going to a sleepover is completely normal. You might be worried about how well you know the host family, how they manage supervision or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney Exactly 50 years ago, on Christmas Eve 1974, Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin and left a trail of devastation. It remains one of the most destructive natural events in Australia’s history. Wind ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Irmine Keta Rotimi, Doctoral Candidate, Marketing and International Business department, Auckland University of Technology Videos of children opening boxes of toys and playing with them have become a feature of online marketing – making stars out of children as young as two. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Nicholas, Lecturer in Dance and Performance Science, Edith Cowan University Tatyana Vyc/Shutterstock Once the end-of-year dance concert and term wrap up for the year it is important to take a break. Both physical and mental rest are important and taking ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kit MacFarlane, Lecturer, Creative Writing and Literature, University of South Australia Capitol Records For those looking to introduce some musical conflict into the holidays, Bob Dylan’s Christmas in the Heart remains a great choice in its 15th anniversary – like it ...
Opinion: It was February 2024 when my friends started getting in touch with me to suggest I run for the Tauranga City Council mayoralty. At the time, the council was governed by four Government-appointed commissioners, who had been in their roles since 2021. Their terms were coming to an end ...
Kinda tough break for the Republican Convention to be shunted off news cycle by a massive climatic event on the Louisiana-Texas border.
Almost like the earth was a Speaker.
Landfall right slap between New Orleans and Houston. A few hundred km either way could've been much worse.
Entropy.
I have learned to assume the worst of our politicians…its easier that way as it avoids that awful feeling of betrayal when manifesto promises are broken and hopes for a kinder and more fair New Zealand are dashed…again.
Heavy sigh this am as the Natrad Bedwetters Club featured the news of Green Party Co Leader James Shaw's announcement of an $11.7 million handout to a Taranaki private school.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300092266/greens-caught-bending-party-policy-to-grant-117m-to-private-school-in-taranaki
Needless to say sometime State-funded schools are not happy…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018761330/teachers-fume-at-govt-s-11-point-7m-handout-to-private-green-school
…and those millions would have gone a long way towards rectifying some of the infrastructure issues faced by many Taranaki schools. Some of these issues involve leaky, damp buildings which is ironic as the major business magnates behind this private school made their fortune from selling ventilation systems.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/121938943/the-taranaki-parents-out-to-change-how-we-school-our-kids
Doubly ironic as I clearly remember a phone conversation with a telemarketer for said company. He waffled on about cold and damp and how much I needed a home ventilation system to circulate the air around our home. I politely informed helpful gentleman that we already had a ventilation system…windows and doors…
I digress. The cynic in me suspects that James, the co -leader of the party I had just about committed to voting for again, thinks the average Joe or Jane will hear "Green" and assume all is sound and ethically well with this funding and it must fit within the Party's code. Big mistake, James.
The alternative is possibly worse. James has turned traitor and has decided to torpedo the last political party that had any semblance of a social conscience.
I'm with you there, Rosemary.
Your final sentence is nonsense, Rosemary. Funding a school is a laudable action. The question is; does it contravene Green Party policy and if so, how concerned should we be about that. I'd be very interested to hear from The Greens and James especially, for their explanation, before scuppering the boat I float in.
I'd be very interested to hear from The Greens and James especially, for their explanation …
I too await their explanation with bated breath.
“… before scuppering the boat …”
Too late, I fear.
Echoes of the Metiria debacle. Female co -leader attracts wider support, then along come the Party menfolk to crap all over the gains.
Greens…their own worst enemy since Rod and Jeanette.
"Too late, I fear."
Suspend your judgement till you have heard from those most closely involved, I reckon. Funding a school is not a damning act, it's a well-intentioned, widely supported action. The Greens did say ‘Public funding for private schools should be phased out and transferred to public schools,” (says the party’s current education policy.) but there's nothing yet to prevent them doing so. It is though, at this point, an awkward situation. I certainly don't see it as a "debacle" or even the echo of one.
Mr Guyton, I am well acquainted with the Green policies, but thank you for the link. Others here may find it helpful, although I suspicion the reading of manifesto and policy statements do not always feature as preparation to casting one's precious vote.
I fear that even here, amoungst the assumed politcally aware, there is a tendency to vote "Labour" or "Green" or goddess forbid "NZ First" just because.
Hurry up James! Rattle your dags sunshine and please explain!
Someone tending toward voting Green is unlikely to swerve violently away at the news that The Greens facilitated funding for a school, I'd have thought!
Unless they're one of those people, and there are a few about, who look as hard as they can for any reason to avoid voting lab/grn, so they can back a sub 1% party and cling to the notion they're doing the right thing by the country, even though every wasted vote brings the prospect of a nat led government closer.
Worse than right wingers to me.
Unless they're one of those people, and there are a few about, who look as hard as they can for any reason to avoid voting lab/grn …
Err…there's no need for a search. James is proud and loud over this.
Worse than right wingers to me.
Thanks for that. So pleased to see rabid tribalism alive and well.
"James is proud and loud over this" doesn't seem like a "back-room deal" then does it, or something The Greens wished to slip in unnoticed by the public. Seems kinda "up-front" wouldn't ya say?
Many of those people, The Al1en, are presently backing Billy Te Kihaka's conspiracy party now, and loudly declaring that The Greens have sold out to the Man, or whatever. I hear "The Greens support the use of 1080 so it's all over between me and Them!" and so on, levering their exit around any one of a hundred issues The Greens are "ignoring", 5G, compulsory vaccination, mask-wearing, and so on and so on. It's a phenomenon of the startlable-Left, unfortunately. Gotta learn to live with it. For people who profess to support The Greens to immediately declare, "I'm off" at the news of this school support, fits that picture, imo. Consequently, I agree with the sentiment of your comment.
Might need to do another post on 1080 and what the GP actually say on that.
I kind of understand the reactionary, emotional vote, but I mostly don't get it. We have to have someone in parliament and government, who should that be this time? It's not a hard thing to figure out, despite any disappointments along the way (and I have my own about the Greens).
The expectation that a political party could perfectly represent the needs of anyone at all, is a pipe-dream. Those who toy-toss at the slightest bump in the road seem flakey to me. Will they just as easily return to the fold if the next issue suits them better, or will they stay stubbornly out in the cold because "the party" betrayed them? This issue is de minimis, in my opinion, in the big picture; I compare it with National's most recent "the water quality regulations will be gone by lunchtime" scandal and ask myself, wtf are Green supporters thinking, throwing in the towel at the sniff of something they don't agree with (or fully understand)? Funding for a school!?! The horror!!!
I was listening yesterday to a group of young Maori men discussing Billy TK and his prophecies. Very disturbing that they have taken as Gospel his comments about 5 G / Covid conspiracies etc. They feel that because Billy TK is a great musician then he must be correct about the "ride to hell we are currently on". I fear for the vulnerable young people of NZ.
I attended a meeting of such people last night, Patricia. I don't recommend such an experience. I have been engaging in discussion/dialogue/debate with various (younger) people in my town over "Billy" and his ways, pointing out his efforts to align with Hanna Tamaki (spurned) and Jamie-Lee Ross (accepted) as well as his most recent expulsion from the White Ribbon movement because of his "separation from reality", or some such. I mentioned the very poor turnout at the Auckland "5G and everything else" march, which contradicted the followers claims that "the uprising is massive and will turn the country on its head", and have, as yet, made zero progress, despite my careful strategising and genuine concern for their wellbeing
Someone tending toward voting Green is unlikely to swerve violently away at the news that The Greens facilitated funding for a school, I'd have thought!
But it is not just any old school is it Robert?
It is a very special Private School for the offspring of the Very Wealthy of Aotearoa, and especially Overseas.
At a time when state schools are desperate for funding for remedial work to be done…which would surely have the potential to employ as many, if not more than just this one school.
Paul Goulter, NZEI Te Riu Roa national secretary said it came as a “complete surprise”.
“This comes as a complete surprise to us given the Greens’ own clear policy against public funding of private schools.
“We just can’t understand why the Government would go ahead and fund a private school with public money at a time when public schools in the Taranaki region are crying out for this type of investment,” he said.
The sheer scale of the funding is significant. When the Government announced a $400 million package to upgrade New Zealand’s ageing public school infrastructure, it was capped at $400,000. The grant to the Green School would be enough to fund nearly 30 schools at that rate.
Just up the road from Green School, New Plymouth Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools each received $400,000.
Not a violent swerve, but less inclination.
It's shit like this that makes me think of myself as a labour voter who sometimes goes green, rather than a green voter. Funding a private school is fucked, but because it has "green" in the name they'll throw out the socioeconomic principles they allegedly have.
Basically, a comprehensive and holistic platform is compromised for a single pet project because they like the vibe. Private education is capitalist, and capitalism is the enemy of the environment. An elitist enviro-wank school is the equivalent of champagne socialism.
Labour supported the choice via their local candidate.
We still don't know if the Greens wanted this, or if there wasn't much choice. I can't imagine the Greens would choose this over funding state schools or any number of other projects, so I'm guessing it came from the Infrastructure Reference Group in charge of the shovel-ready projects. That's run by Twyford and Jones afaik.
Labour are predictable in their policy blindspots.
The Greens tend to be pretty solid, then do a random announcement on some issue.
Apparently Shaw announced it as a minister – fair call, maybe it's a all-govt thing, but I've difficulty seeing which portfolio makes him the responsible cheerleader for this decisions. Associate minister of finance? Surely they could have given the role of announcing this project to someone else, given that it's in direct contradiction to Green policy?
still guessing, but yes Assoc Finance portfolio, *and the GP (according to Hipkins) advocated for it, but I'm betting it was from a pool of projects that Twyford and Jones had shortlisted.
So if the Greens had the opportunity to lobby for specific projects for the fund, and it was a choice between say a new road/coal fired power plant or a private school that has a strong green focus, what would they do?
Might still be a politically naive thing to have done of course, instead of choosing nothing.
Totally speculating here, because I'm just so sick of the whole purity politics stuff, as well as the jumping to conclusions before we even know what happened.
If people want the Greens to stick to their kaupapa the best way to ensure that is to give them more power in government. We will never get a GP or any party that is perfect for us, but I just do not believe that this idea came from the Greens originally when they would be more naturally interested in actual green projects.
and, if it turns out the Greens chose this over all the worthy green projects needing done that wouldn't have made it past Twyford and Jones, then I will rightly condemn the Greens too. I'll still vote for them though, because climate change is going to monkeys of us all for a very long time after purity ceases to be a pressing concern. Oh yeah, and because their welfare policy outstrips anything else in parliament. And their fresh water policy. And most things when it comes down to it.
If they had a list of crappy projects, they should have chosen nothing. The projects would have been done one way or the other, it's not like the Greens could have vetoed the entire list.
Or at least let Jones and Twyford announce their crappy projects.
yes, probably. But we have no idea what happened, so I'd rather wait before slagging off the Greens or changing my vote or whatever. If people want to change their vote because the Greens aren't political players, they can do that, but it's a different thing, and we still need them in govt. It's not like they have policies that will intentionally keep lots of people in poverty, that would be Labour.
Oh, Green policies are lovely.
If they stuck to them, it's be nice. Like I say, Labour's imperfections are well-advertised and predictable.
GP education policy on private schools hasn't changed afaik. What GP policies have changed?
The policy is still lovely.
Shaw shilling millions in funding for a private school isn't consistent with the policy, is it?
at the least Shaw is bungling the PR on this. No idea if that’s because he thinks funding this school is a brilliant idea and has completely misread the room, or if there’s something more pragmatic going on.
I guess the issue for me with the discussion is why people would throw out the lovely policy, along with lots of other lovely policy, over this one thing. Not least because that means voting for a party that won’t be in parliament or one that will but has worse policy. I understand the principle of the thing thing (I have my own bottom lines), but this looks like something else. Post brewing about how people still don’t trust the Greens and look for any weakness as proof of that.
Yeah I agree with that – anyone who's an enthusiastic supporter of the Greens and then ditches it because of one decision is being a bit precious, at best, in the current NZ political climate.
But then there's more the "meh, what the hell" voter. By which I mean that up to the election I look at policy and the people involved (grassroots as well as the parliamentarians), but my vote might be up in the air between a couple of parties, and it just depends on what the polls think the result will be and what my preferred result might be. I don't really know for sure what I will tick while I'm picking up the forms, and might be inclined to do something different when I leave the polling station.
I mean, I know I won't be voting National, but say labgrn looks pretty solid, maybe I won't vote either if there's a <1% party on the left – give them an extra vote, and thereby a tiny little bit more credibility. Dunno who any decent trace-element parties at the moment are, though, but there's a couple of months yet.
How often will a local candidate not support spending government money in their district? I mean, a west coast Green candidate might oppose the government subsidising the start up of a coal mine, or a Nat might object to a bit of funding to entice the Worldwide Collective Association of Socialist Parties to set up headquarters in their district. But short of something like that, a local politician will always support more jerbs in their district funded by the government.
I've been aware of this school for sometime. One of the investors is a brother of an acquaintance of mine, and as she is involved in childhood education she was invited to go and view the site and meet the founders last year.
The idea and the kaupapa make for good soundbites, but primarily from my perspective – as Rosemary suspects – it is a school that is intended to create opportunities for green entrepreneurs. And the "green" aspect is fluid.
If our society is dedicated to providing a good, quality universal education, that priority needs to be achieved first before educational funding such as this is allocated.
We are nowhere near providing a good, quality universal education. We should focus on that.
"it is a school that is intended to create opportunities for green entrepreneurs."
And that's a bad thing???
Surely, it's a school for the promotion of environmentally-friendly learning, yes? A school for children? You're attacking the worth of the school, but I would think its value and values were closely looked-at by James Shaw et al before they swung in to support the funding of it; who to believe, who to trust???
…i's a school for the promotion of environmentally-friendly learning, yes?
Surely all schools should be funded to deliver such laudable learnings Robert?
…who to believe, who to trust???
The discerning amoung us are struggling with that…
"Surely all schools should be funded to deliver such laudable learnings Robert?"
Well, yes, Rosemary but should all other progress stall until that happens? Shall we cancel the Enviroschools programme till every school has signed on? How would that work?
"Surely all schools should be funded to deliver such laudable learnings Robert?"
Might want to talk with Labour and NZF about that.
why, have the Green nothing to say about this in the government of which they are part?
or is it simply dumb and tone deaf to announce the waste of some 10 millions to a private school, while other schools in NZ are build of shacks? Oh, its the green focus of that school? Well if that is the case I hope that the Green Party will promote teh idea that all the other schools in NZ specifically the public schools should get the same amount to 'teach green focus' in school.
We are all in this together, right?
fucks sake. The GP don't control either the Education funding or the Shovel funding. That's NZF and Labour.
Looks like the GP fucked up on this, either via their PR or by their decision on the project. Tell you what, don't vote for them, or vote Labour, that will get you a way better govt /drippingsarc
And ffs, go and learn how government actually works, because this fairy dust, magic wand shit is tedious.
You missed an important part in my comment Robert: And the "green" aspect is fluid.
" Surely, it's a school for the promotion of environmentally-friendly learning, yes? A school for children? "
No surely about it. It is promoted as…
And it is accessible only to a small number of monied students. Our government funding for environmental education should be able to be accessed by all.
Do I trust James Shaw is not the question. I can see where his perspective lies from actions like this.
what is Shaw's perspective that you see? I'm struggling to see any perspective myself.
Cripes Molly the country has to move in different directions than in the past. Better education is not just returning to what we had in the 1980/90s but something that fits our needs today, more machine-minds and tech, less jobs, poor wages etc. We need to learn less about how to criticise and more on how to thing creatively and practically. Good on the Greens, if they get started then they can tune up to what is needed, change the tune, fine-tune. And at the same time ensure everyone can read, understand what they read, discuss its effect, learn psychology and how to get on with each other, and look up any facts needed on google.
Thanks for talking us down to earth quietly Robert G. I thought we were leaving Ground Zero by too far a distance there.
Thinking of getting high, has everyone else caught up with the fact that dirigibles are the thing being worked on around Europe? This was a piece from The Telegraph. I stop at the paywall, might do occasional donations though as they give gen that I don't always get here.
The UK, a leader in the airship revival, is going head to head with France in an escalating global race. Zeppelins and dirigible airships are now promising to provide the future of green transport, and if all goes well, as Ambrose Evans-Pritchard writes in this fascinating column, we will be able to hop virtuously from Liverpool to Belfast in point-to-point travel.
Shaw's only comment seems to be that the spend will result in 200 jobs. What rubbish. These jobs will be temporary jobs while the build happens and not permanent new jobs. Every indication is that because the word "Green" is in the title of the school that this is the reason the funding – which equates apparently to $200k per pupil – was granted. A shonky and suspect decision.
Goodgrief: relying on anti-Green David Farrar's assessments is not sound.
@ Rosemary McDonald , Thanks for writing that response to this shameful hypocrisy, it saves me the time of writing pretty much the same thing.
Funnily enough I had just said on Sunday here on open mike (6.2.1.) that I would probably vote Greens, but lamented the day the Greens didn't choose Bradford as co leader, mainly because of her deeply held values and uncrossable lines in the sand…well this episode just proves that point, Shaw is a pragmatic centrist who is (like so many greens) willfully blind to the class war that rages all around him, and like all centrists end up entrenching a class based society further.
They just lost my vote that's for sure.
They lost your vote because they funded a school? They did indicate that, "‘Public funding for private schools should be phased out and transferred to public schools," – the term, "phased out" doesn't mean "immediately ceased", so their support does not baldly contravene their policy as is being claimed here and on Kiwiblog.
Again, they lost your vote because they funded a school?
Was it an evil school? A school that teaches subversive, anti-Kiwi values? A school that is nothing more than a front for…whatever?
They lost your vote because they funded a school?
No they lost my ( and others) vote because the funded a private school…or didn't you get that part?…to the tune of $100,000 (or more) per student.
Elitism at it’s most pure…John Key would be proud of this one… yuk.
Not interested to hear why?
Yes Robert…I am very interested to hear why?
But I'm guessing the justifications you have given us this morning are the same the Green Party will trot out. And those of us lesser mortals are just closet righties if we have a problem with this gross corporate welfare.
I have a pile of sleeper sized maccy to cut and wrestle into raised garden beds today…I've said my piece.
A tune for your day Sir…you've sung the Green's hymn well.
"Yes Robert…I am very interested to hear why?"
Shall we wait until we have heard, before we throw our toys from the cot?
"But I'm guessing the justifications you have given us this morning are the same the Green Party will trot out."
Guessing? That's not a great platform to throw your toys from; a guess.
Reactionary, but?
…before we throw our toys from the cot …
You're implying I am having some kind of toddler meltdown Robert?
So much for constructive discourse. I shall go sit in the naughty corner.
I'm teasing, Rosemary. And "we" is plural, not singular. In any case, some time in the corner, thinking about what you have done, will do you no harm . I'm going to do the same, except I'll do it outside and prune apple trees instead. It would be good to have some more comment from The Greens before we wade deeper into the issue.
Robert – are you aware that many teachers feel very strongly about state money being generously thrown at private schools? This particular private school charges over $20,000 per NZ student, and over $40,000 per foreign student…
This is against the spirit of Green Education Policy. When The Alliance disappeared, I, as a teacher, looked at all the parties' Education policies, liked the Greens' the most, and have party-voted Green since.
I am now in doubt. I will definitely continue my donations to Greenpeace, but I now wonder about Party vote Green. How are the Greens going to make 5% by losing any of their considerable teacher support? I do not want to waste my Party vote on a party that does not seem bothered about failing to reach 5%.
Greens need to do some damage control about this, I fear. Ill-considered..
the 5% issue existed before this, and it's entirely on left wing voters whether the GP are in parliament or not after the election. Ditto in government.
If this is a real deal breaker for you, I'd be interested to know what Labour's policy is.
In Vino – yes, and as an ex-teacher (early childhood, primary, secondary, special needs and tertiary) I feel the same way. My only argument here is for restraint around dumping on the Party before their reasons have been published. Do you know why The Greens have made this decision that surely must have tested their attachment to their policy and principles? My experience is that they don't do anything thoughtlessly. I'd like to hear what they have to say on the issue. My immediate reaction is not one I'm arguing for, as I need to hear what James and co. have to say. Perhaps they have reneged, perhaps they have rationalised their action for the furtherance of their principles; that's what I'd like to know. Thick as molasses, my decision-making machinery!
Understood, Robert, but I think some gesture of damage control will be needed for the more short-fused and less contemplative types that there are in many school staff-rooms. I hope that James Shaw can come up with something convincing.
It is an irony that Righties attack the Greens for being 'red on the inside', but the Greens then do something that would actually please the Righties, rather than their own supporters.
To me this looks like something that appeals to a small (but possibly vocal) segment of hard-core Greens. It's possible Shaw himself is firmly in that segment. But those in the Greens that made the decision to push for this totally misread how the wider public would take it.
For instance, the opportunity to (fairly) cry "hypocrisy" is always going to trump any positive feelings the right may have over any Green support for a private initiative.
I agree entirely, In Vino and would add "the more short-fused and less contemplative types" here on The Standard and across the comment-o-sphere. It'll be gleeful fun for The Greens' opponents to whip this up but it disturbs me when up-till-now supporters turn-tail so easily before the discussion has been had. Avoiding this sort of gotcha moment close to an election is, in my view, impossible; look at how many National has suffered recently! This single instance for The Greens, whether earned or not, should be measured against those various scandals/outrages. Given also, that The Greens are in Government and actually doing things, rather than say, The ACT Party who do nothing but gripe and are therefore harder to "expose", it's to be expected that a storm of some sort would whip up. This one, where the worst charge that might stick is one of hypocrisy, shouldn't really phase Green supporters, or those who were "considering" voting Green. The damage control will indeed be needed, even if the damage wasn't self-inflicted, but instead, manufactured from without. I'm as keen as anyone to hear a response from James Shaw but significantly less keen to throw in my Green towel and march indignantly off
nope, cause there is really nothing that would make wasting this much tax payer money on one PRIVATE school good and decent, specifically in these times where everyone else is supposed to do with less, some with nothing, and here the Green Party is giving 10 millions away for bumkins. But they get to feel all ‘Green’.
Oh Adrian T. you are too good for this world.
John Hardy's Green Schools are in fact not inline with "Kiwi Values"…being a touch expensive..hence the large percentage of overseas pupils..and I don't mean kids from the pacific islands…. We in fact already have schools that cover the whole plethora of "Kiwi Values" many of which include environmental and social aspects of which you might approve.
They are all desperate for funding for these programmes…infact with increased funding even more schools would embrace the very programmes we urgently need to educate ALL our NZ youngsters.
John Hardys Green Schools are well patronised by some very wealthy individuals..who I am sure could philanthropically fund his vision to their hearts content. Failing that they could organise a cake raffle…
They have also lost my vote, because it's a fucking private school. I don't care if they promote left wing views if you send your kids to private school you should pay for everything.
By the sounds of it, the parents are paying plenty enough "for it". Perhaps there is benefit in supporting the establishment of such a school, for the wider community? Assisting them over the initial "bump" with money that will indeed stimulate the economy through jobs, will benefit everyone through creating a precedent for green public schools and I expect that's what The Greens have deduced. Your reaction, "public school or bust" sounds … reactionary.
They lost your vote because they funded a school?
It might not be just one thing. For those of us looking at which party has the least unattractive pile of peaches and dead rats to choke down in order to vote for them, this may be the big dead rat tossed on top that pushes the overall balance away from the Greens.
This dosnt just taint the Greens however…this reflects poorly on all the governing parties
Yep. But it's expected behaviour for the other parties, so it doesn't change their pile. Whereas for the Greens it removes the peach labelled "principle" and adds a dead rat labelled "featherbedding their special buddies".
Have you listened to Shaw's explanation for the decision, or are you going off half-cocked?
Did James give an interview about this? I’ve only seen his Press Release as Associate Finance Minister.
I haven't heard anything yet. Maybe we could reserve our judgement/condemnation till we do?
Ta
Am thinking about doing a post on this 🙂
That would be a good thing, Incognito.
The Greens won't lose my party vote over this, but I hope Shaw isn't having a Metiria melting moment, and that he stays put.
How will National attack this decision to support a private school to the tune of $11,400,000 – that's almost half a flag referendum!
"Green School CEO Chris Edwards has thanked Green Party co-leader and Associate Finance Minister James Shaw for his support. "
Shaw's "support"? Is that what Shaw gave? You mean, this wasn't a Green initiative, driven through Parliament relentlessly, in contradiction to the Green's kaupapa? That in fact, Shaw supported something along the way? It gets even worse for the duplicitous Greens – support! Scandalous!
Reading the Stuff piece, questions I have are this:
given this comes from Shaw as a Minister and not Shaw as GP co-leader, did the Labour/NZF caucus approve this project?
given the funding was for shovel-ready projects, what were the constraints on that?
who was in the decision making process? who decided which shovel-ready projects would be approved?
why are so many lefties unaware of how government actually works?
why are so many lefties expecting a level of purity from the Greens and unwilling to figure out the compromises involved in being in government?
also, democracy in NZ would be *far better served if the public had the same access to politician's words as journos.
Sounds like it was a Green push, not someone else's they agreed to as a governing compromise:
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/27-08-2020/green-party-under-fire-for-11m-public-funding-of-private-green-school/
thanks Andre.
What's more likely:
1. The GP had free reign to choose whatever projects they wanted?
2. The fund was restricted to a set pool of projects and/or criteria, and the GP had to choose from those?
If it's the former, I would definitely have major concerns about why the GP chose this over many, many other things. But this seems unlikely. Good stick to beat the Greens with though.
If you end up with the time stamp for todays' covid briefing and Hipkins' comment, I'd be interested.
haven't had time to look at this yet, but…
https://twitter.com/serenity22/status/1298824038698033153
That post is being overtaken by other commitments 🙁
I've done a bit searching on the web, including on the Greens website, and found nothing yet that makes me feel this was a good decision. Or even anything hinting it might have been a good decision. Shaw directly explaining it hasn't turned up yet (if you want people to consider it, how about linking?) but I'll wait for something written to come out rather than listening to emotionally-manipulative low-fact-density blather.
"I'll wait for something written to come out rather than listening to emotionally-manipulative low-fact-density blather."
Good call. Me too.
Nope. Not persuasive.
Not persuasive? You mean, you were not persuaded, Andre; what are your reasons?
I'm not persuaded because it's not a green project. It's more of the same bullshit so beloved of the Nats, selling education to bring wealthy people here so we can relieve them of money and they'll spend lots more money buying property and businesses and stuff. But the Greens have hopped on board because of the enviro-wank (thanks McFlock) positioning of the school as their sales proposition.
I understood this money came out of the Regional pot, not the Education or Green vote? Personally I am for Public Education, but in a democracy I do support choice. I thought buildings and maintenance were provided by the State?
hoping a journalist who knows the ins and outs will cover this.
Private schools are already, and have been for yonks, assisted by "government money" – Catholic schools, for example. Why not a green school?
Catholic schools are integrated schools: they are not for those who can afford over $20,000 fees per student.
Do they receive Government funding, I wonder?
Yes, they do.
Well…I was just saying…
That funding comes with strings, which were meant to prevent them from using their fees to get better teacher:student ratios than state schools, etc. Not quite the same thing.
Robert asked whether Integrated schools receive Government funding and the answer is yes. Never said that it was the same thing though because you are right, it isn’t the same as for State schools. I have no time or interest in elaborating on the differences (a major one is the State doesn’t own the buildings & land of Integrated schools); somebody else can or Robert can use Google 😉
Given that they're state schools, it would be a bit surprising if they weren't.
Most of the funding being offered to the green school has to be paid back, yes?
@Robert you got any basis for suggesting it will be paid back? In all the articles I've seen so far there has been a complete absence of any words or even hints about repayment. But plenty of words like given and granted etc usually used in the context of a non-repayable gift.
You're quite right, Andre – I'd seen something earlier in the day, before visiting The Standard, which read: "
peterwn
“So their official policy is to ban public funding of private schools (ie the 25% subsidy per student)”.
The Government gets back 60% of that subsidy in GST (yes, parents of private school pupils do pay GST on their fees) so in reality it is only a 10% subsidy." Not quite the same thing, but perhaps a little salve to the dreadful wound.
Why oh why do they insist on shooting themselves in the foot?
https://greenschool.nz/admissions/
Why oh why can you anti-people not expand your minds about this Green Party move. Nothing you have ever thought of up till now has saved us from getting to this end moment in our world's and country's progress/regress. You set too big a store by your ethics, values, standards or whatever you choose to call them.
There are broad principles to steer by, but sometimes it is better to include something that may be different than Green Party principles. They aren't a church, po-faced about humanity fitting in with its dicta; the Greens are a Party trying to turn things around for people AND the planet so both have a future that is not dire. They need our support and our help not our pin-pricking platitudes.
How is that shooting in the foot?
Like Robert, I’m intrigued to know who all the outraged "Green voters" withdrawing their support will now vote for…
No one.
Very constructive….. Not.
well, it is a choice tho.
the beige suits of all parties in government can abstain and it is counted as a vote. Why are people supposed to choose between useless, corrupt and uninspired?
That is how i see the parties, Labour – mostly useless, National, mostly corrupt, and the greens – mostly uninspired.
oh because y'all are afraid of Judith Collins? Wow, now that is really not a good 'please vote for Labour or the Greens' point.
As late as June, I was fully expecting to vote Green. Now I really don't know, it's likely I've tipped over to Labour.
Before i move to my reply you can dial down your knee jerk Green Party defence…the foot belongs to the Gov.
Read the 'company' promo.that targets the international monied cliental from the international market…it will never be available to the local kiwi kid down the road….FFS, if you are incapable of recognising the appalling hypocrisy of funding this project when both public education and health providers are decrying the lack of resources then you are delusional.
These types of mindless decisions will cost the incumbents far more votes than Judith and Gerry's carping about Covid
The funding doesn't come from the education budget, does it? Nor the health budget. It comes from the budget that's for job creation and infrastructure development in response to Covid 19. Seems appropriate.
Good grief…it dosnt matter where the funding comes from…it comes from the public purse.
Tell that to the state school teacher that cant get a teacher aide to assist with severely dysfunctional students because resources.
This is a private venture that seeks private profit from offshore…let them fund it
"Tell that to the state school teacher that cant get a teacher aide to assist with severely dysfunctional students because resources."
What would that achieve, Pat? The money for teacher aides comes from a completely seperate budget which will not be affected at all by the spending from the one being considered here. They are seperate, unconnected issues.
Therein lies your problem Robert….you are thinking like an accountant….voters will not separate the funding streams (and nor should they) …its a question of priorities and funding the desires of the offspring of the (offshore) wealthy dosnt trump the basic needs of the locals
But we thoughtful commenters on TS will seperate the funding streams, won't we?
personally no…if theres funding available it should go to the area of greatest need first…and private schools for the children of wealthy foreigners (even if climate conscious) are way down the list of needs
But even more importantly will be how the state employed educators and the parents of the students view it…and theres a lot more of them
"it will never be available to the local kiwi kid down the road"
A successful "green" school, one that blazes the green-learning trail, risks being a front-footer, trials programmes for the first time, produces well-greened learners who will go out into the world better equiped to mend the environmental and social harms we are experiencing now, will benefit "the local kiwi kid down the road", or at least will potentially, in ways that haven't been discussed here at all. There's been a great deal of outrage at the perceived exclusiveness and privilege involved, as is to be expected from Green supporters; we've always hated on private schools, but perhaps we might pause a while to hear The Greens rationale for their decision, what their decision was, how large the part they played in the decision and whether they had considered the sort of reaction that's evident here.
If its going to be a trailblazing success then it wont need public funding….certainly when there is so much need in the state education system.
you are clutching at (synthetic) straws now Robert
yeh lets just stay in the green change slow lane. No need for anything but the market really. oh..
If the Gov wants to speed up change to a "Green economy' then there are a million more effective things they could do (that they are not)
It is not Green led government. If you want that then you need to help them get a lot more votes.
James had to pick something greenish from a pile of "shovel ready" projects. The money could be spent on more roads instead.
"It is not Green led government. If you want that then you need to help them get a lot more votes."
relevance??
K?
How pray tell does lavishly funding a private educational venture WHILE restricting support to a desperate public education sector grow the Green Party vote?….I would suggest the effect is the exact opposite.
However as stated earlier this is not confined to the Green Party
So you think that the Greens should have said to Labour "no we will withhold support for your stimulus package because we can't see any green shovel ready projects that fit with our sensibilities"?
If this is not confined to the Green Party then why have you been so quite about Labour?
"If this is not confined to the Green Party then why have you been so quite about Labour?"
Suggest you do some research
An innovative school with an deep green kaupapa, perhaps the deepest in the country so far, shouldn't get enthusiastic support from The Green's?
And, to quote weka:
“Labour candidate for New Plymouth Glen Bennett said the announcement was important for the Taranaki economy and job creation.
He said although it is a private school, the funding wasn’t taking away from public schools as it was an investment in infrastructure rather than education.
“The expansion of the school will bring more students and their families into Taranaki, adding to our economy.”
the kaupapa is debatable…and the support dosnt need to be financial
I don't want to niggle, Robert but you sound suspiciously like one of those apologists for Charter Schools at times…
I'm not at all, In Vino, nor do I gratuitously support funding a private school. I'm simply saying, let's see what The Greens say before we condemn or applaud them. I generally trust the actions they take and recognise that they are constrained, directed and thwarted by their coalition partners, so when something like this comes up and the pile-ons begin, I like to keep my powder dry till I can see the whites in the eyes of whoever is at the centre of the issue. So to speak.
Yep – I see your point, but I was also noticing echos from the past.. (Not your echoes.)
I really hope James can do a good job of explaining this.
Who else will I vote for? Only the least of all evils that is assured of getting over 5%, ie, Labour. But that will be only to keep the Nats out. Not because i have found something better than the Greens.
"The alternative is possibly worse. James has turned traitor and has decided to torpedo the last political party that had any semblance of a social conscience."
Co-leaders of the Green Party don't have that kind of power.
"the last political party that had any semblance of a social conscience."
Commenters here are pulling their support over this issue, for "the last political party that had any semblance of a social conscience."
Who then, will they vote for?
snort. The left has long wanted the GP to be the left's political conscience. Should have supported it better while it had the chance. If the GP has gone mainstream, that's because that's where it's getting support from.
"Who then, will they vote for?"
Oh dear, Labour thought it was a good idea too.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/122568117/new-zealands-first-private-green-school-gets-117-million-from-government-for-campus-expansion
Slim pickings now for those in pursuit of purity.
The citation is wrong at $117 million. No wonder we get false news. It should be $11.7 million. It's on a par with Sir Joseph Ward's 1928 election gaffe misreading 70 million pounds borrowed over 10 years to become 70 million pounds borrowed in one year. Factors of 10 do matter!
$11.7 million appears to be correctly used throughout the article.
Decimal points tend to get left out of URLs. Presumably because they have meaning to the software, rather than just being another alphanumeric character for making a name.
Thanks, Andre, for the URL explanation. It's like reading headlines only? In this case, I did read the article. (The URL writer could have left out the .7 and just stated 11 million, surely?)
Looks like stuff URLs are just the headline with all punctuation stripped out. That would be easy to write code to do automatically. It would take a bit more work to write code to determine that something isn't a full stop but is instead a decimal point and strip out the numbers after it.
This is done automatically without human supervision of the end product? No-one to proof read and approve?
Quite likely.
Just as well I'm not a headline writer for Stuff. I'd be trying really hard to see what kind of unintended consequences I could get to show up in the URLs.
Who owns this school?
a couple. An easy thing to look up.
The Devil’s Spawn AKA wealthy capitalists. \sarc
Foreign owners subsidised by the government. Excellent.
It does seem very Min Jin Lee.
"He said although it is a private school, the funding wasn't taking away from public schools "
Some of the arguments against this project are being snuffed-out as the day progresses..
it's a principle of the thing thing I think. Which I agree with, just not convinced this was the Greens' idea.
Nope, it is still taking form the taxpayer who may or may not have children in private schools to fund a private for profit business.
the best these guys should get is a wage subsidy when next the country goes to lockdown level 4. Nothing more nothing less, like any other business in NZ.
That's right, Sabine. I too baulk at the spending of public money on private projects such as this. However, the story has not been fully told by those most closely involved, so I'm reserving my ire or praise until I know the details, hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak. If only others would do the same but I know as well as any other that this is the period of wild reckonings and snappy responses online whenever there's a political event, such as this is purported to be.
i actually don't care about these guys sitting down now trying to fix up a narrative to make this pig look less like a pig with smeared lipstick all over the place.
We have homeless in this country, this 10 million could have done a great job of building some hovels for these guys.
We have a lot of unemployed people currently , and we will have more at the end of this week, month , year with nothing to replace these jobs in the near future.
we have a shortage of lab staff, testing station etc, and this money could have done great there.
But we are wasting it on a school for a supposed green wash that the children in my family will never go to because we can't afford the 'private school fees' nor yours as you too will be too poor. In the meantime the girls in south auckland don't go to school cause their schools don't have funding for female hygiene products and thus when they are menstruating they stay home. (and don't tell me of the courageous little scheme of providing a few schools in the waikato region with a few tampons to feel good, cause ain't good enough)
So for what its worth, the leader of the green party can throw a ten liter bucket of green color at this and it will still stink to high heavens and it will cost the Greens more then the labour party and thus it was dumb.
dumb. tonedeaf. smug. dumb.
So why aren't you venting at Labour? Do you support any "shovel ready" projects in the stimulus project?
Farrar watch:
This morning, David has two of his special stats driven posts. In one he claims a private Green School is being funded by the Green Party to the tune of $100,000/student and nearby state schools just $330/student.
In the other he claims high speed rail between Hamilton and Auckland would require platforms 750m long. He bases that conclusion on a claim the cost of capital for the project would be 6%.
Now, Twyford isn't a very good politician and I shook my head when he released this rail study the other day knowing that the likes of Farrar would jump all over it, but…
…here's an article which examines "the ways arguments using quantitative analysis fool people into accepting misinformation to suit particular agendas".
I immediately though of our friend on the far right, David Farrar, who regularly uses his special form of statistical analysis to spread BS for political purposes.
Carl Bergstrom, How to Spot BS
https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018761053
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300092282/election-2020-public-still-backing-government-and-jacinda-ardern-despite-second-outbreak-new-poll-shows
I am proud of NZders. According to this poll they see through the unrelentingly media reports and realise how lucky we are. Last might N Z had slipped even further down the covid metre to 143.
Thanks for the link to those heartening poll results anker.
Rather than join the team of almost five million, our opposition National party's main election campaign strategy under Collins' leadership is to undermine public trust in the Government. In normal times this would be politically pragmatic, but in these extraordinary times it just comes across as small-minded, and more than a little dangerous to us all.
Ross, Falloon, Walker, Woodhouse, Boag, Bridges, Muller, Collins – it’s all about trust.
Watch those eyebrows folks.
'…in these extraordinary times it just comes across as small-minded, and more than a little dangerous to us all.'
I've been wondering when the campaign strategy from this version of the National Party will come across as dangerous enough to define as treason.
Anker
"It also showed that 64 per cent of those surveyed back the Prime Minister to handle the pandemic in general, compared with 18 per cent for Judith Collins. Over a third (36 per cent) of those who said they voted for National in 2017 now backed Ardern over Collins."
The election is all over bar the shouting….unless there is another serious Covid outbreak.
If you didn't believe blacks got treated differently to whites by the police in parts of the US these two videos are mind-boggling in showing that they do.
This white guy shoots three people at least, the public are telling the police he is the shooter and the police ask the shooter, still holding his gun, for directions to the injured and tell him to get off the road.
Warning: It does show him shooting people but not in a bloody, gory way. It is simply shocking.
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/xg8pxj/a-17-year-old-aspiring-cop-has-been-charged-with-murder-in-kenosha?fbclid=IwAR2aJDO-lF5cPipuNXVb4LD678hWZrm8yh7chKQc6TicQcAeKeykyoWHcDs
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300092251/live-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-and-megan-woods-making-announcement-on-covid19-vaccine-progress
Ad was saying the govt needed to come up with something fresh on Open Mike
No Weka posting defending her beloved Green Party, must be awaiting instructions on how to spin this….although it's going to be a tough sell to dance on the head of that particular pin.
Ohhh look, Judith has done this/said that…will do this/do that!
Now, has everyone forgotten about the money donated to that private school by the Greens yet?
Answer: NO!
[lprent: Idiots who don’t read the policy about falsely ascribing hidden motivations to authors are never right and are to be despised. You know better – so this is your warning.
Banned for 2 weeks. ]
[You were supposed to be permanently banned (see https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-12-09-2019/#comment-1654747). However, somehow this didn’t happen and I have now rectified the situation – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 10:14 AM.
"No worries, we've got this."
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12359909
Ground troops armed with (I hope) tasers arrest violent and dangerous criminal with the assistance of the Eagle helicopter.
Comforting that this footage exists for the Constabulary to promulgate…we'd hate to think that we were not safe.
(btw. The criminal is a car thief ffs, armed with a torch. Did he want to get court?)
The loudest noises about attrition as a result of the pandemic have come from the hospitality industry. The tourist industry, despite its cries of desperation and predictions of doom and gloom in the beginning, appears now to be enjoying steady times and has become less publicity seeking.
I would have thought that the hospitality industry is actually a "nice to have." Eating out is certainly not an essential and as for that coffee and muffin, at least one of our service stations, does a pretty good job of satisfying a craving for caffeine.
We often hear the patronising calls for those on meagre incomes to practice a bit of disciplined shopping and "relearning" cooking at home on a budget. Perhaps those same lecturers should spend a little more time using their eye-level ovens and ceramic hobs rather than feeling the need to be waited on. Eating out in the 70's and 80's was a treat and the sit-down coffee shops a novelty.
In the fullness of Covid Time, there will still be cafes, bars and restaurants. They just will owned and staffed by different people. Your breakfast coffee and muffin will be safe.
Nature, and capitalism abhors a vacuum.
Eating, food are the main areas providing employment in a stripped down economy such as ours after opening our borders to all comers has socked our small enterprises on the chin. I don't know what you do logie 97 but does it involve thinking kindly about our country and the rest of humanity here besides yourself.
I do not wish to add fuel to the fire. I commented here as a result of comments sought by the media from those in the hospitality industries as a result of Level 3 in Auckland. On Monday I wrote the following comment on TS and is the context I put today's comment.
quote… Various media channels have sought the views of business leaders in Auckland to what the affects of extending Level 3 'til Sunday will be. And Chamber of Commerce Barnett appeared to be reading from a prepared-script-of-anticipation. Also spokespeople for the hospitality industry, in unison, have said that it is going to be catastrophic and that there will be massive permanent closures as a result.
I hope the media channels will seek these same people out again in a fortnight or so to get their assessments and to check if their predictions were anywhere even close…unquote
I hope this clarifies somewhat.
it is a nice to have that employes hundreds of thousand people in this country via direct employment – chefs, baristas, waiters/waitresses and then down the line, butchers, bakers, grocery stores, council fees, government fees, taxes in form of GST, Payee and so on and so forth and pretty quickly you have a huge segment of hte working population making a living of it and then you might ask yourself, is it really only a nice to have.
Mind for everyone not working in this industry and making a living of it, it of course may matter not that these people are slowly but surely all losing their jobs, and for a while to be – considering that Covid (or any other pandemic) will be with us for a while. But it they may start re-considering or else try to apply their 'nice to have' to any other industry they may consider 'nice to have'.
One of the industry that i think is nice to have but that could go the way of the dodo would be the booze makers and shops that sell it. Why? I don't drink. 🙂 Also, female hygiene products, i don't need them, surely they are only a nice to have, people can use toilet paper. Doctors, a nice to have thing, for those that can afford it. Schools, ditto i don't need them, nice to have now go away. Roading, i like trains, so fuck roading. Nice to have but not needed, we have rail. 🙂
If we were to look at everything as a nice to have vs, something that was created by others to earn a living, we might end up all in ditch with no food, cause nice to have ….but i don't want to pay for it.
Sabine, please see my comment 9.1.1.1. I hope it clarifies somewhat.
So-called green entrepreneurs are Darth Vaders who have succumbed to the Dark Side of Capitalism and Class War.
The binary thinking is strong with people; there is no sensing of the good underneath and behind the mask (persona). Showing or experiencing both sides is a sign of weakness and needs to be stomped on; 100% pure is the Holy Grail.
Only when you integrate both sides, you become whole. At least some in the Green Party are further down the track with this than others are but they are despised for it and it could lead to their downfall and that of the Party.
If the Resistance is too strong then any attempts at integration and transcendence will be met by defensive mechanisms and (overly) aggressive hostility against change. In such cases, it is best to leave people be and get on with their lives as they know it [no pun] AKA BAU or SSDD and provide them with some illusory control over (their) existence.
It is my lifelong struggle – journey is too neutral and uphill battle too aggressive & destructive – to accept things as they are rather than the way I want them to be.
"It is my lifelong struggle …"
Thanks for that. In my dotage, I find a quick dip into Montaigne will usually furnish a useful aphorism or quotation to help in that struggle. e.g. "..not being able to govern events, I govern myself."
My self-governance is … a shambles. I need a new leader.
Rest assured, your new leader will be the same as the old leader
Ah, but the leader from within can emerge gloriously like a phoenix. And that is what is needed from thinking old people, to find the reserves, the depths, to nurture a new shoot and be reborn so to speak.
It's a spiritual thing and grows on experience, hope and belief out of the muck all around and past all the toxins till it can find light and flower. And I am talking about reality here. I think this is happening. I read books about others' experiences during past times of difficulty, and wonderful people arose strongly and amazingly.
So keep going, you have the reserves if you have come this far and the difficulties encountered will only sharpen your steel – to change images and similes etc.
I’m afraid any phoenix would suffocate in my tiny mental cage. I think it is better to wait until the cage has rusted away enough to pulverise into rusty-brown dust. It may not happen in my lifetime.
We all have to go Harry Potterish. In the books Harry and all the Hogwarts kids had to just adjust their minds and walk though a brick wall to get to their railway platform. I think I know its number so hope to see you there.
I don't know about his politics, but that Ray White bloke has loads of hoardings up all over the place, you could vote for him to take over. lol
You mean sell my soul to the highest bidder? That would almost be as bad as voting for the Green Party 😀
He'd probably get more votes than those idiot conspiracy theory parties soon to be favoured by the fringe faction of the ‘Dafydd left’ ™
– Willie Jackson
"Angry mouth" Hosking. I like it.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/08/willie-jackson-hits-out-at-mike-hosking-for-rude-interview-with-jacinda-ardern-over-covid-19-response.html
I wouldn't even call him a shock jock. He's just an idiot.
I heard the interview and thought it was downright bullying. MH spoke over Jacinda and didn't let her finish sentences. It was a very disturbing and accusatory interview. Then later in the week speaking to Grant Robertson there were no challenges at all ; all very chatty and matey. MH was subdued and almost submissive. Maybe he doesn't like women in positions of power ?
You can be sure he doesn't like women in positions of power. Particularly ones who don't subscribe to his peculiar view of the world.
The Hosk went too far with Jacinda. I bet ZB was inundated with complaints. He was told to pull his horns in or else? Robertson got the new Hosk which might, if we're lucky, last a couple of weeks.
As angry mouth Mike's voice gets smaller it grows more desperate.
He'll quit ZB in the event of a Labour led government. They all do.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/fashion/122578671/the-story-behind-green-mp-chle-swarbricks-iconic-sweatshirt
Would be interesting to know where it's made.
" finding a local manufacturer who could reproduce the original sweatshirt…"
I mean the original one.
Different world now. If it was from sometime in the last decade, where it came from might be relevant. But its actual origin is far enough removed from Swarbrick and other current Greens that it can only be of interest to tragic obsessives. And trolls.
…or historians. FIFY
… a subset of tragic obsessives.
Can remember similar Green sweat shirts on sale down at the Vic and Cook Street Markets in the good old days. Local people working hard all week manufacturing the shirts and they'd all be gone over the weekend. Very flexible market in those days ; demand dictated the sweat shirts that would be made over the next week. Not many people wandering round in National or Labour shirts in those days.
The fact that National chose the day that the Christchurch mosque shooter is getting sentenced to launch their small business policy probably tells you everything about how they think it’s going to go down with the public.
Total insensitivity and dissonance from Judith and c/o. But to be expected….cuts for workers, ruin Kiwisaver, and then……. who has this magic money to spend in their businesses?? ….same old tired failed policies that saw people living in cars.
Nats' small Business plan announced.
The new sales spin ," we won't be raising taxes."
Judith's new expert Goldsmith running finance ; the doctor of history digs up old policy, snips pieces here and there and glues them back into a new piece of policy.
Seems Judith guarantees she won't be gone by lunchtime because there won't be a lunchtime.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300092612/90day-trials-would-return-but-lunchtime-gone-by-lunchtime-under-national-small-business-policy?cid=app-android
On a trip to the home of the Labour party in Blackball, I saw a reference to the miner's strike on the issue of a 30 minute crib- a 30 minute lunchtime for the workers.
National want to return to the 19th century and starve-all stuff all worker's rights.
I've only been able to vote since 2011 so I'm not sure how labour in govt campaigns vs labour in opposition, but is there going to be any policy manifesto or announcements or is the manifesto the same as 2017 until all of it gets made law?
It's becoming incredibly frustrating and depressing that labours not releasing policy it seems arrogant.
Unless labours not running on policy so when they make reforms they can say oh we never said we wouldn't do this , this and this but I feel like it's more they are afraid to release policy because they are so polling so well that releasing policies could turn some people off.
It isn’t arrogant. It is a political reality for the major parties in a MMP environment.
This was also the case for the arrogant National party in 2011, 2014, and 2017. You can find posts here deploring the arrogance of the government party not releasing substantive policy going back to 2007.
You can also find comments running back through to the early 1990s in the usenet forums like alt.politics.nz.
I’d point out by way of comparison that so far the National party policies this election have mostly consisted of bullet points and a few reasonably vague paragraphs promising to reconsider things at some point in the future. All of it uncosted and with vague promises of money appearing out of thin air.
Mostly it is the minor parties that release policies – mostly because they know that they will never have a chance to do more (at best) than try to add a few of them in a cut down form to a coalition agreement.
The major parties know that
NZ governments are almost completely exposed to massive risks from unexpected offshore problems. That is because we are a trading nation with a tiny local economy. The last time I worked for a company that did more than 10% of their business inside NZ was in 1995. I’ve worked for 5 private sector companies since then. Most profitable companies in NZ, and therefore their employees incomes, are directly or closely directly exposed to offshore winds – from export prices to exchange rates in exports and imports. Making policy decisions at a government level when you’re guessing at overall revenue (taxes and fees) and costs (like welfare rolls) is largely an exercise in futility. You only have to look at effects on our local economy and government of the covid-19 in 2020, the GFC in 2008, the twin tower bombings in 2001, the Asian market ‘flu’ in 1997-8, etc etc over the last 30 years to see this.
That anything concrete that major parties promise as policy has to be vague and surrounded with caveats that look like dithering to simpletons. Besides, if it is a 10 year project as most of them are, and the government is unable to deliver in a 3 year term, it will be spun as a ‘broken promise’ for the headlines. So why bother announcing policies that can be measured against that daft and short-sighted yardstick.
So there is no incentive to make any concrete promises beyond minor ones and vague hand waving about longer term ones. Those kinds of concrete policy announcements really belong back at the era of a completely controlled economy with border tariffs, limits on the amount of money you could take or send off shore, and very very limited export industries (essentially the farming sector with limited processing).
The National party just indulged in their typical waving of hands with roading projects that will take decades to pursue to completion, are known to have incredibly bad returns on investment (as in they cost vastly more than they could ever return), and have no funding sources as it would exceed revenue targeted at the NZTA. They were clearly made up on the back of a envelope targeting the more stupid voters in their favoured electorates and with nice sound bites for even thicker journalists like Mike (the moron) Hosking.
The probability of any of those projects ever happening is extremely low. Is that the kind of ‘policy’ you’d like – useless pie in the sky for the credulous? Will that make you satisfied as a policy announcement? You’d have to be as thick as pigshit (or a died in the wool National supporter) to be satisfied with that.
Personally I prefer what Labour has been doing. Making policy announcements, giving timetables and budgets for them, about what they are planning to do over the next few years. Then pointing out directions where they’d like to head. There are a lot of the latter around. You can find them on the Labour party website, or the Greens website, of the NZF and even the Act website.
What you will mostly see on National’s website isn’t policy. It is just slogans for news headlines saying we’ll remove this regulation, or we’ll throw $4 billion at something without saying where they’ll fund it from or even why it is important in the future a decade down the line. It really is hard to see National has any policy at all. But I guess that could just be because they have have had 3 radical shift in their dithering direction in the past months and haven’t managed to write any coherent directions. They sound like your kind of ‘policies’.
Perhaps you should invest in getting yourself a slightly better political and economic education rather than whining about something that hasn’t happened for decades. Then at least you won’t sound quite so much like a political dimwit.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/424539/covid-19-updates-in-new-zealand-and-the-world-on-27-august
A union representing medical laboratory workers says members taking part in partial strike action are being sent home without pay.
The company, Southern Community Laboratories, says none of those suspended are involved in Covid-19 testing.
But the union says employees who have been working long hours and extra shifts testing Covid samples are affected.
More than 700 workers at private laboratories around the country have issued strike notices for a 24-hour full withdrawal of labour from Friday, 4 September.
AND
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/424549/mt-roskill-covid-19-mini-cluster-concerning-to-see-ahead-of-level-2-move-dr-siouxsie-wiles
Five people associated with the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship have tested positive in the last two to three days.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield urged anyone who was at the services held at the church on Stoddard Road on the 8, 9 and 11 August and a wedding on 7 August to isolate and seek a test.