More saber rattling by the official Kremlin mouthpiece, RT
RT, repeats and reinforces Putin's threat to use nuclear weapons if the Russian Federation faces military defeat on the battlefield.
Claiming that a Russian defeat in Ukraine is an existential threat to the Russian Federation, a defeat that that must be reversed with nuclear weapons, if all other options for achieving victory in Ukraine have fails.
In a contorted act of logical jujitsu, RT turns the responsibility for Russia using nuclear weapons onto the US.
…..So many of Russia’s so-called red lines being breached without consequence from the start of the Ukraine war have created an impression that Moscow is bluffing, so that when President Vladimir Putin recently issued another warning to Washington, saying that “it is not a bluff,” some people concluded that it was precisely that. Yet, as recent experience demonstrates, Putin’s words deserve to be taken more seriously.
I guess RT were referring to this Cuban missile crisis…
“The planners therefore faced a serious dilemma: they had in hand two somewhat different proposals from Khrushchev to end the threat of catastrophic war, and each would seem to any "rational man" to be a fair trade. How then to react?”
“One possibility would have been to breathe a sigh of relief that civilization could survive, to eagerly accept both offers and to announce that the US would adhere to international law and remove any threat to invade Cuba; and to carry forward the withdrawal of the obsolete missiles in Turkey and to carry forward the withdrawal of the obsolete missiles in Turkey, proceeding as planned to upgrade the nuclear threat against the Soviet Union to a far greater one, of course, only part of the global encirclement of Russia. But that was unthinkable.”
“…of course, the idea that the US should be restrained by international law was too ridiculous to merit consideration. As explained recently by the respected liberal commentator Matthew Yglesias, "one of the main functions of the international institutional order is precisely to legitimate the use of deadly military force by western powers"
But instead of decrying this state of international affairs, Whataboutists are all about using the example of the deadly military force exercised by the western powers, in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Guatemala etc. as an excuse for Russia and its allies to do the same. Even if it means supporting the use of nuclear weapons, even if it leads to genocide.
Putin’s war in Ukraine breaks the rules, but powerful states always do. Far from dying, a just global order remains to be built…
In announcing that Russia would intensify its eight of years aggression against Ukraine in the interests of “denazification” and protecting oppressed Russian speakers…..
…..the official position of the United States is that Russia is undermining a rule-based global order that supposedly has prevailed since the close of World War II.
….It is indisputable that, in practice, the rule-based global order evoked both by Russia’s critics and by Russians calling out the United States does not exist. Where was it in 2003? Where was it when NATO bombed Yugoslavia in 1999? When the United States bombed Libya in 1986? When the United States supported a coup in Honduras in 2009, or the coup in Iran in 1953? Where, for that matter, was it when Russia invaded Georgia in 2008, to muffled grumbling abroad? Russia has repeatedly targeted civilians in Syria while the rest of humanity yawns.
Whataboutists don't want a just global order, they want an unjust global order shared more equally between the rival imperialist powers, even if it takes world war to achieve it.
The defeat of Russian imperialism by the people of Ukraine and the people of Russia will be a victory for people everywhere and a defeat for imperialism everywhere.
Weapons of war, like all tools, need someone to wield them.
Weapons don't win wars, people do.
If people weren't fighting to free themselves from Russian imperialism, the Western imperialists would have no where to send their weapons.
With or without foreign military aid, the people of Algeria, the people of Vietnam, the people of Syria, the people of Ukraine will fight for their freedom regardless. Western supplied weapons have shortened the war in Ukraine that is all.
"The long arc of history bends towards justice"
Martin Luther King.
Western supplied weapons have shortened the long arc of history.
'Weapons don't win wars, people do'-tell that to the Nth American indians when they first encountered the Gatling gun…and to Maori when they first come across …muskets!
'Weapons don't win wars, people do'-tell that to the Nth American indians when they first encountered the Gatling gun…and to Maori when they first come across …muskets!
Blazer
You still need people willing to wield them, if they could get their hands on them, of course.
If the Maori and native Americans were happy with having their lands stolen and taken over, and didn't want to fight the invaders, it wouldn't matter how much weapons you gave them.
Because they couldn't get their hands on these weapons they were slaughtered and displaced by the invading British imperialists and colonialists
Now if the Maori and the Native Americans had been supplied with these weapons by a rival imperialist power opposed to the British Empire….
It would have been a different story.
Sort of dismantles your argument that Ukraine shouldn't be supplied weapons from the West.
Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things, that are decisive. The contest of strength is not only a contest of military and economic power, but also a contest of human power and morale. Military and economic power is necessarily wielded by people.
One of those rare UN speech that isn’t just hollow hyperbole and empty rhetoric….the Global South is once again showing the way forward for Leftists around the world.
Also check out the UN speech of Honduras’ new left-wing President Xiomara Castro. She denounced colonialism, “neoliberal injustice,” and corporate exploitation while calling for multipolarity….“Never again will we carry the stereotype of a banana republic.”
An unbelievably stupid reactionary economic policy…and in the face of a brutal winter that many millions of British citizens will probably never forget…it is hard to imagine any sane person enacting trickle down economics at this point, she has gone completely rouge.
Europe is looking more and more shaky as the weeks go by…Tuss (an actual nutter) a week or two ago, an actual Fascist just elected in Italy, disaster and suffering for everyone involved in the Ukraine…the extreme Right emboldened throughout Europe like it hasn’t been since the 1930’s…we are probably going to be watching one country after the next fall to the Right…things are starting to look extremely dangerous
The United Kingdom is really one long, sad tale of gross economic and political mismanagement by it's ruling class stretching back to the 1880s.
Britain being the first country to have a political revolution in the 17th century gave it the political institutions that were the basis that allowed it to be the first country to harness the industrial revolution and gain a great empire and huge wealth. It's failure to have a second political revolution of any sort post the Great War condemned it to a continuation of the muddling rule of an incompetent and increasingly ossified ruling class when radical political reforms was still possible.
Nowadays, the UK is rapidly decling into the status of an emerging market economy, and Kwasi Kwarteng has delivered the sort of budget you tend to get from emerging market economies – a looting of the public coffers in favour of an entrenched economic Latifundia built on rent taking and speculation buttressed by increasingly harsh and repressive policing and a sympathetic right wing popular media to maintain social order and justified by a fig leaf of naive, wishful-thinking, supply-side economics.
Some institutions decay faster or slower than others, so you've now got a situation where a completely decayed Conservative government of supply side fanatics is trying to do one thing, but as fast as they do it the less decayed Bank of England is doing the opposite. And all the while, the pound is crashing and British standards of living are going down the gurgler with it.
Oil product basket falls overall,due to demand destruction (volume decreases) as discretionary spend decreases.Diesel prices will remain high due to substitution for gas ( standby generators and oil fired power stations etc).
Freight rates fallen (container) and going back to pre pandemic levels ( us china 20k down to 3k) balanced by shipping slowing (speed reductions to reduce fuel cost).
Fert costs high,where imported,some building product decreases (extrusions etc) as demand reduction in Australia and asia.
China in big problems with debt issues (exposure to emerging markets) and debt to US banks,as US$ removes any doubt on Yuan being a reserve currency.
The big risks are with Super investments in growth products as opposed to value, here to attract investment interest rates need to be higher.
"As a result, the cost of everything – from oil to food to consumer goods to the technology we need to grow the economy – is going to skyrocket. Luckily, the prospect of a global slowdown is already pushing down the price of oil on world markets – but our fading currency will mean that none of the benefits will flow on through to Kiwi motorists. Finally, the rising price of imports will fuel inflation, thus posing a tricky decision for the Reserve Bank – should it keep on raising interest rates to curb inflation, or will the relentless hiking of the cost of investment succeed only in stopping economic growth in its tracks?"
This together with interest rates over 7% sounds like change of New Zealand government all by itself, and not much it can do about it.
The days of easy money are over,and will be for some time,as is spending into the unproductive sector as we need to rebalance the twin risks of a high current account deficit with a high rate of government debt.
Orr said productivity increases are needed,a better use of resources also.Information is poor with cpi being quarterly,fiscal updates sparse ,if large economies can impart the information monthly,so can NZ, this reduces shocks and can induce better redistribution.
NZ business also need to understand that cost plus pricing is costly for their business,and look to reduce debt rather then dividend or share buy backs etc.
On the other side of the coin,we are also coming into spring fully,with good growths and decreasing fresh food prices,the winter electricity maintenance is mostly over and there are no tight generation windows for 200 days.The busy manufacturing season for NZ with is primary focus sees more available electricity with solar,decreased residential use,and very large hydro storage at around 140% of historical vol.This will keep pricing low outside of high load windows.
Poisson-while the fall of the NZ$ versus the US dollar will push up some prices, most other countries currencies are also falling against the greenback, so this will not necessarily increase inflation significantly.
In any event, interest rates are not raised to protect currency values, they are raised to dampen inflation.
Interest rates and currency are entwined,Yesterday the flash crash in sterling was when markets in Asia opened,the only mechanism for reducing risk was currency depreciation,when the Uk debt markets opened,the flash crash was in the Gilts,and the pound appreciated.
here with the NZ$ we were closed so only currency valuations available as a risk relief valve,as interest rates increase on the secondary markets the kiwi should stabilise.
As stated earlier the NZ$ has appreciated with the NZ debt markets now open.and a .63% rise in currency with a 13b rise in the 2 yr bond and a 19b rise in the 10 yr bond.
As global demand drops, local storage capacity runs out and US allies respond to prodding from Washington and increase supply, India has stopped buying Russian oil. This REALLY turns the screws on Putin's war economy, as India had been one of the biggest customers for post-sanction Russian oil.
India is skipping this month because of freight costs.Its an entirely economic decision and does not mean it has ditched its neutrality.Meanwhile Sri Lanka ups its Russian imports, along with Myanmar, and of course China .I don't think skipping a few shipments is going to bring the Russian economy crashing to its knees.
And those Indian imports were also helping to keep other countries solvent
Indian sentiment began to turn away from Russia after the way they were basically stiffed by a chaotic extortion racket over the purchase of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya – Russia simply became a country it wasn't worth trying to do business with. Indian loss of faith in Russia as a reliable supplier of high quality weapons is why they decided to buy the French Rafale fighter.
The biggest catalyst for change though was the confrontation with China a couple of years ago and the jolting realisation that the Indian armed forces had little to no chance of winning a war of any kind with China. Since then they've shaken up an army locked into a regimental tradition that still includes much of the protocols and pomp of the Raj and they've looked at the reduction of Russia to a Chinese vassal and decided that buying not very good weapons from a dysfunctional gangster state that is completely beholden to their most likely enemy isn't a good idea.
As far as the Indian ruling elites are concerned the west has got the best weapons and the shopping is much better too, so why not go with the west?
I sympathise with your disappointment.I remember though when Pete Hodgson was in charge of climate change issues , back in the early 2000s, he was quietly begging grass roots climate activists to kick up a ruckus, so as to give him traction within his own party who were dragging their heels .Its up to us to really make climate change response an electoral issue, shaming all parties to act
Disappointment is not the word. Disdain is closer.
Attitude towards those that are adversely affected by their proposals or policies. Failure to spark public interest or discussions. Supporting knee-jerk National Policy Statements on productive soils, but not strongly advocating for one on climate change – which will have immediate effect on all local government planning documents, sending emails celebrating divisive policies or implying credit for other's achievement, performative political posturing, throwing feminists out of the party…etc.
As I said, disappointment is not the word.
I will not be persuaded by any form of: "…better than the alternative".
As a small party, they have some leeway to take risks, and represent people – not chase elections. They don't.
I would like to know the carbon footprint of puberty blockers, sex re-assignment surgery, sexual assaults in unisex changing rooms including filming under the stalls revisions of sexual re-assignment surgeries gone wrong, health issues due to wrong sex hormones and the likes.
Like seriously how much is that worth in carbon credits?
And how can those that no longer can be defined make a difference when they no longer exist in law and language?
I honestly would just like to see this question answered by someone.
Anyone. Really.
But i don't think the purple clad genderbread fairy of the Green Party would approve of such a question. Nor would the person from the Green Party who thinks that the 'c' word is empowering. Or the persons in the G and L Party who think sex work is work, and surrogacy is a money making venture for poor persons with child bearing abilities and who pretend that both are empowering to persons who have nothing else to sell other then their bodily orifices for sexual use by customers or the use of their reproductive organs and the selling of the children they birth.
I will totally never vote for any parties that have no issues with these things and / or promote these things as progressive.
Nor would I be keen to vote for a party whose leader stood up at a memorial for those who lost their lives in the Chch atrocity and acuse NZders of racism (when the murderer happened to be an Australian). I mean WTF. Terrible judgement. If we are all so racist, how come so many turned out in support of the muslim community
Interesting points Sabine. Not to mention the carbon foot print on those massive prothetic breasts………
The Greens and Labour lost my vote over the gender ideology stuff. What that did is open my eyes to all the non delivery that is the Labour Govt.
The increase of the PMC and their salaries and the disdain they treat health professionals with are just further nails in the coffin.
Having watched submissions on the gender self id bill, I cannot bring myself to vote for a party that believe mad things such as sex is on a spectrum. And your transphobic if you don't want a male person in your change room
Sometimes we cast votes to be on record that we support a person or party. And i did that in 2016 were i voted for the green party in support of Metiria Turei.
In 2020 i voted for a third party as my questions of 'where too' when confronted wit the slogan of 'lets keep moving' was not answered.
And sometimes we cast votes to be on record that this is not happening in my name. And this will happen this time around.
This shit is not happening with my support. And anyone who votes for any party that does support that shit must then live with the fact that that too was something they supported with their voice/vote.
Never mind all the shit that has happened in Rotorua in the last three years. 11% local unemployment. LOL, and i am to vote for this? Lol. So it might be different for you in Dunedin, maybe you are actually having a sane person running, but some of us are not so lucky. It is shite, shite or shite, only dif the color of the shite.
I agree. Also voted in support of Metiria Turei, even while thinking to myself, it looks like the Green Party supported the policy behind the public statement, and then collectively all took several steps back, when the pushback was immediate and negative.
Leaving her isolated, undefended and ultimately, ejected.
Looking back, I should've taken more note of this incident. The integrity of the organisation was shown here. Good political strategy no doubt, but not appealing to me.
Yes, that was a watershed moment for the Green Party, but they dropped her faster then they would have dropped a hot potato. It was an interesting time, and in hindsight, an innocent time. I still thought that voting actually matters. The last few years have made it quite clear that no, voting matters very little, and just because it shines does not mean it ain't cat – gold. Buyer beware.
Humpty Dumpty would be a perfect candidate for any party.
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less." "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things." "The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master – that's all."
The Māori Party are talking about how to live/adapt to the coming environmental changes coming.
They seem to be the only one with some sensible ideas on how to cope with the shit storm which is on our door step. We 'ant reversing the temperature any time soon, and the facts are we a locked into 2 degrees, possibly more.
I am not aware of what the Maori Party are saying on CC.
I am really unsure about them as I watched them interviewed and one of the things the said was that they would abolished prisons. This seems naive to me.
Ok, well I think I understand why the radicalisation away from the left is so pervasive. If you won't vote to stop a Nact government, then what is the point? Please don't tell me that Nact and L/G/Mp are the same.
Please tell us where anyone here said that N / A are the same?
And please tell me why you think that Legalize Aotearoa and Social Credit are not on the left.
If the L party looses, if the G party loses anymore support from the public, it is up to L and G to do some soulsearching (if they still have such a thing) and act accordingly. Personally i think neither party is able to do that, ego is all they have, and thus chances are they will eat humble pie at election night because they are so full of themselves that they can not read the room.
But the fear of it will be worse? I live in a town that is dead, full of homeless people with no where to go and no jobs to be had, 11% unemployment and mixed sex going to be everywhere. Worse? Define worse.
Please tell us where anyone here said that N / A are the same?
It's a common position on the left Sabine. I was pre-empting someone running that superficial argument.
And please tell me why you think that Legalize Aotearoa and Social Credit are not on the left.
No idea if LA is left or not. SC are. I didn't say they're not. I haven't made any comment about LA or SC.
I am however starting to wonder if someone can call themselves lw if they won't vote to stop a Nact government.
if the L party looses, if the G party loses anymore support from the public, it is up to L and G to do some soulsearching (if they still have such a thing) and act accordingly. Personally i think neither party is able to do that, ego is all they have, and thus chances are they will eat humble pie at election night because they are so full of themselves that they can not read the room.
Elections in NZ are won by the middle. Swing voters. This is how Labour got the majority in 2020. That is very unlikely to happen again. Polling is showing that the middle has shifted to Nat a bit (L/R blocs are neck and neck).
Labour are a centre left neoliberal party, and they act accordingly. They have to deal with the pragmatics of that swing vote.
The GP are largely dependent on liberal voters, those that swing between GP and Lab.
So please tell me what soul searching you want them to do, and what actions you think they can/should take. Details please, because that was the point of the opening tweet, to have a discussion about the various ways in which radical change could play out.
I'm asking this because it's easy to throw out a bunch of rhetoric about what L/G should do (we all do it), but I want to see deeper thinking of those ideas grounded in real politik and how parliament, government and elections function.
Sounds like you would rather have a NACT govt upholding self-ID than a L/G/Mp one.
Just for the record, i never voted to keep someone out of government. I vote to get someone into government.
That's nice. Meanwhile, outside of your principles, voting for SC or ALCP is a defacto vote for Nact. I don't make the rules, that's just how it works. If you're ok with Nact, then vote however you like. If you value things like beneficiaries, housing, climate, ecology, vote on the left for parties that will be in parliament.
Molly-the Greens are not in government and so have little power over the CC policies of this government.
If people vote Green at the next election such that a coalition something like Lab 34/Gr 10/MP 4 takes power then the Greens will be able to greatly influence CC policies.
It follows that you should continue to vote Green. (Unless your hatred of the Greens gender policies over-rides you climate concerns, which frankly would be silly)
"It follows that you should continue to vote Green. (Unless your hatred of the Greens gender policies over-rides you climate concerns, which frankly would be silly)"
The Green Party approach does not alleviate my climate concerns. It heightens them. They are ineffective, timid – often don't spook the horses – simplistic proposals that ignore impacts, and assume a lot. Their housing policies and inequality proposals are similar. Their policies extend the problem, they don’t resolve them. Even worse, they often give the impression that something is being done to solve, allowing focus to move on.
Oh, yes. Wanting coherent, effective proposals on what I consider important is "silly".
I will refrain from telling you what I believe your political priorities to be and who to vote for. Because, quite frankly, I'm not that arrogant.
Vote for parties that soothe your concerns and make you feel good if that is your priority.
If, for even a moment, you think that the Natz and Act will come up with better climate change policies and so deserve your vote – well, I've got a bridge for sale!
"The attempts to shame voters into casting votes for particular parties – by use of terms such as racist, bigot, silly can provoke resistance and have a negative effect on many. I try to avoid an emotive response to such shenanigans, and stick to process."
Tony, I don't know whether it's my personality, or the fact that over the years I have dealt with children I love, attempting this technique at various times, but my reaction to this approach is that it is juvenile, and has demonstrably failed in many elections in various countries in recent years.
If a party with clear policies on my priorities is available, it is likely that party is the one that will receive my party vote. Attempts to shame elicit a 'meh', if I can at all be bothered to respond. So, meh.
You get to make your own vote depending on your stated sole priority: ie. Natz and Act will NOT come up with better climate change policies, and regardless of what I think of your selection process, that is your right.
I was suggesting you are naive to reject a party because ALL their policies do not jell with your wishes/hopes.
To my way of thinking, a vote for a very minor party with no hope a getting into parliament is a wasted vote – though I do accept that is the nature of our representative system.
To me, that only leaves the 5 'big' parties and much as I think Labour has fallen far short of my expectations (and I suspect most on the left would agree), when I glance across at the Natz and Act, Labour and the Greens are my only viable alternatives. I have party voted Green for the last three elections, though I live in ChCh Central and vote Labour.
To miss use Margaret Thatcher’s (I think) phrase – there is no alternative! TINA.
Sometimes a wasted vote is good for the consience of the voter. Some of us have not voted for the current government ever, not once and not twice. So those of us can not make this current government fail. They never had 'our' vote.
Last, there are more parties then L/N/A/G and people can and should vote for them if they believe that they are representive of them and their ideas, and fwiw, if people don't vote for the small parties i.e. The Greens 🙂 or TPM 🙂 then they have no reason to exist and we could go back to a FPP system. And where is the fun in that. And would L win on its own again in 2023 without support from some of the 'vote wasting ' small parties?
Believe me, the last thing I would like to see is a sole Labour govt. We need the Green and Te Pati Maori in coalition with Labour to drag the party left!
Perhaps you might refrain from telling me what I meant. After all, I'm not responsible for how you react to what I say. I certainly can't help it if you feel defensive!
"Perhaps you might refrain from telling me what I meant. After all, I'm not responsible for how you react to what I say. I certainly can't help it if you feel defensive!"
Sure, Tony. I guess you come from the school of DoAsISay, not DoAsIDo.
Unless you have something persuasive to add about any of the parties policies… let's call this vote drive unsuccessful… and leave it there.
I'll do what I usually do. I'll bring to mind all the work and comments of political parties during the last term (and more) and then I'll visit their policy pages, as they near the election. By that time, those policies should be as good as they can get them. I'll ignore the polls, and vote for those whose policies align (with the proviso that policies are clear) and who are the most trustworthy.
The pool of options is getter smaller every election.
Agree also with Sabine’s comment above, to not support any parties whose policies cause active harm. And to the use of my vote to signal protest.
Currently my vote sits with Legalize Aotearoa. For all the good reasons that L and G ignore. Business creation. Tax income. Removing the plant from the crimes act into the agricultural act ( a bit like abortion was moved from crime to health), make use a health issue, free up Police time to go after bigger fish, take pressure of Justice, remove people from Home D or Prison if they are in it for growing/selling/using.
L/G/N/A can all do the same, in fact i am surprised that ACT is not running with legal/tolerated weed. I would have thought it would be part of the ueber liberal / libertarian crowd.
I can't actually see a more reasonable way of allocating a vote, to be honest.
The attempts to shame voters into casting votes for particular parties – by use of terms such as racist, bigot, silly can provoke resistance and have a negative effect on many. I try to avoid an emotive response to such shenanigans, and stick to process.
By the by, did I recall you mentioning that you were on Twitter?
Damn, I've only been active in the last few months. Surprisingly, not yet on the block. But apparently shadow banned or deboosted according to a couple of messages I've received.
Seems to be the only place to get information and have discussions about certain topics, so it took me a while to get over my social media aversion.
the tweet wasn't about who people vote for. It was about the idea that the Greens could usefully go full Turei. I'm interesting in your thoughts on that.
Turei herself went full Turei on poverty and inequality. She correctly said that the benefit cuts of the 90's were inhuman and as a solo parent she found a way of getting round them to secure some extra income. This triggered 'respectable' commentators into denunciation of her as a benefit cheat. So-called benefit cheats (aka extra-legal rational self-maximisers) are a fantastic wedge issue for the right. No issue could be better for turning parts of the working class and natural left voters against each other. So strategically, it was a bad issue to go full-Turei on.
Would going full Turei on climate change be any different? Probably not. Remember Izzy Cook from a few days ago and remember XR in the UK getting criticism for disrupting working class people from getting to work and earning a crust. They would be pilloried for hypocrisy – with Taxpayers Union goons going through their rubbish looking for -plastic packaging or evidence of excessive food miles, or whatever. If you are going to demand that the rich live a bit more like the poor, expect the full wrath of their economic, political and media power. Keeping the activists at arms length is more likely to be successful in the long run – even though the odds are low and declining.
"So strategically, it was a bad issue to go full-Turei on."
Depends what the strategy was. If the strategy was to purge all the older Green politicians whose focus was on environment and poverty, then the strategy was successful.
If the strategy was about poverty, then the decision to make Turei's public announcement, should have anticipated the obvious pushback and have had strategies and stories ready to counteract that push. They didn't. They instead murmured "How sad, how terrible…" and used her as a signal that they were not ALL benefit bludgers.
"Probably not. Remember Izzy Cook from a few days ago and remember XR in the UK getting criticism for disrupting working class people from getting to work and earning a crust. "
This is not about raising the issue. The SS4C incident was about non-preparation, and the XR targets are sometimes off the mark. Disruption (and possible harm) to random members of the public, is smug at best, alienating at worst. There are multiple targets of those in power, that are ignored.
Acknowledge those mistakes, learn from them and move on.
As co-leader James Shaw represents and speaks for the party. "firmed up 'their strategy' to back Labour in 2023…the Greens can improve Ms Ardern's government' That is a stated intent to be in coalition government with Labour.
"Can improve" is by no means the same as "will commit to joining coalition"
Shaw is on record from your own link about how his own members distrust being in government. Hes also on record acknowledging he hasn’t taken key activists with him. That is why the confirmation of ‘go into government’ is a long way from ‘can improve’.
"Some old-school activists want the Greens to rip up the deal and campaign in opposition" However..
"There's absolutely no appetite amongst our voters for change of government"
"There are (Greens) who are concerned at the compromises associated with being in government … and that you could, from a place of opposition, be more effective by shifting public opinion and putting pressure on the political system.
"I sit at the other end of the spectrum. And I think the majority of members do. As a political party, our job is to get into government and to make change that way."
Julie Anne Genter backs Shaw saying "If we were polling four per cent and climate change wasn't an issue people were concerned about, I would be like, 'This is not working, we need to walk away from the agreement'…"Things are looking pretty good. It's looking like the plan is working"
They need to state not just which of Labour or National they'd prefer, or just "confidence and supply" from the crossbenches.
They need to be all in. That would tell me they are prepared.
Prepared for what?
Every election the Greens reiterate that they won't form govt with National. It's a decision made at the membership level, not something the caucus can change (technically I think there is some way they could but it would be suicide). Afaik it would be something that went through and AGM.
So it's a given that the only government formation option is Labour.
As for the cross-benches, unless there is some unforseen turn of events, as I said above, I think it's highly unlikely that the Greens would go into an election doing anything other than affirming they want to be in government with Labour.
That's not a free ride for Labour mind, it's an intention that if the numbers are there this is the GP preference. They will want to be a part of the government with Ministers and shit, and that stuff gets worked out post-election.
Don't give me your bullshit about "free ride". The Greens have done nothing but free ride off Labour for years.
your regular reactionary antipathy towards the Greens aside, you were asking for commitment, and I was pointing out that the Greens aren't going to guarantee support for Labour. It will depend on numbers and what happens in the election. Just like with any other party.
But, for the third time: GP won't go with Nat, they will support a Lab govt, they're already committed to this. It's a long play from the Greens and it started before Labour were on board. It's not a guarantee, because the GP will have to see what's on the table. Just like any other party.
And, the Green Party (ie members) has a lot of say in what happens. Shaw can't decide how things go.
One of the strengths of the Greens used to be that they were not addicted to the sinecures of power, which let them maintain the coherence of their policies without compromise. I associate that stance more with Jeanette than with Metiria, for all that I approved of her initiative.
I stopped supporting the Greens as they abandoned environmental issues for social stances probably better left to Labour: migration & gender activism that negatively impact ordinary New Zealanders.
The entitlement is strong in these thieving pricks.
The British royal family has given broadcasters in the UK a deadline of today to pick just one hour of footage they would like to keep for future use from the Queen’s funeral and the King’s proclamation ceremony, despite the fact that millions of people already saw it all livestreamed on several platforms, according to a new report from the Guardian.
[…]
Where does that leave online coverage, something you’d assume could live on the web forever? The royal family already had at least five short clips from the Queen’s memorial and funeral services at Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle purged from UK media websites, according to the Guardian, though longer streams still survive for those who know where to look.
[…]
No, the royal family would like to make sure you don’t see things like King Charles III impatiently making one of his servants take away a pen holder at the desk where he proclaimed himself king. In the video, which went viral on social media, Charles looks like an entitled prick, which is precisely the kind of video the royal family doesn’t want circulating after losing the queen—a woman often compared to a neighborly grandmother and a much softer image for a group of people who are hoarding immense stolen wealth.
So this happened in Italy, whilst Poland has already gone their, Spain looks next, then probably Sweden. So these guys are on our side? Then who the hell are we? As far right and post fascist as them?
It's a fascist love in, on one side this mob, on the other the Russians.
Really want to ignore South America and central Africa their Ad? Left wing governments all over the place, looks like even Brazil may go back to the hard left.
Seems like no one has posted this in the Open Mike for the last few days – a piece by Al Jazeera about the Corbyn-era anti-Semitism crisis in the UK's Labour party:
I have listened to/watched two and a half hours of this so far. It is crystal clear that Corbyn (who has fought racism all of his political life) was ousted by shady and ruthless pro-Israel people and groups, and that this has the blessing of Starmer.
If I was back living in the UK Starmer's Labour would never get my vote.
“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
Corbyn only ever had one chance – to catch everyone by surprise in 2017. Having got close in 2017, he was never going to get another opportunity. The vilification ramped up after that. If he'd won in 2017, it would have been riveting to see how far the establishment went to remove him and whether they would have disgraced themselves by botching it somehow. Though the metronomic precision of the Queen's funeral suggests that the execution would have been near-flawless.
"People should flood their gardens and create bogs in order to stop the effects of drought and reverse biodiversity loss, according to the head of Natural England.
Tony Juniper, who leads the government quango, said that concreted-over front gardens, and backyards which do not hold much water, could contribute to sewage spills into waterways as surface water runs off the hard or dry surfaces.
Japan’s government on Monday banned the export of materials that may be used for chemical weapons to 21 Russian organizations, including science laboratories. The measure was approved by the Cabinet following a decision by Group of Seven foreign ministers last week.
I expect our Police to act within the law – rather than illegally gaining access to surveillance cameras in an attempt to track people by reporting a non-existent crime.
Police have confirmed that by inventing a crime and falsely listing the vehicles as "stolen" it allowed access to the powerful tracking capabilities of the privately owned systems.
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said the situation concerns him, saying he expects police to act inside the law at all times.
I'm 100% with Roberson on this one.
While I recognized the desire of the police, at the time, to track people they believed were breaching the quarantine regulations – there are legal avenues for them to follow to achieve this goal.
Its a bad look alright but to be fair to the police, it was the beginning of the pandemic which was a time of uncertainty and fear because nobody knew at that point what the outcome was going to be. The police were on the front line and it must have been a stressful time. That’s when mistakes are made.
My guess is, they believed the situation warranted an immediate response regardless of other considerations because of that uncertainty.
As it turned out the whole emotively charged drama was unnecessary because the young women had been given permission to enter Northland – albeit as it turned out erroneously. I have some compassion for the person who made the mistake in the first place. They must have felt terrible and probably hid under a rock for a few weeks. 😯
It's a bridge too far for me, Anne.
If the police can choose not to abide by the law, then how can we condemn the criminals for doing the same thing?
They had legal alternatives – to achieve the same goal (tracking the people they believed at the time were illegal quarantine evaders) – and chose not to use them.
We can be kind, and put that down to the stress of the pandemic. But when the first reaction is to break the law, rather than find a way to achieve your goals within the law, you have to wonder at the culture.
Costco is really not a premium venue. It is a discounter, offering (hopefully) cheaper alternatives. To the extent that it weakens the supermarket duopoly, that may be a good thing – but Costcos success is emblematic of the failure of neoliberalism to be the rising tide that lifts all boats. Kiwis need discounters because of the gross and sustained failure of Rogergnomics. It has utterly failed.
Yes – the same way that so many people need the cheap imported stuff at The Warehouse because they no longer work in well-paying jobs in local manufacturing or the like, but instead in minimum wage hospitality and retail jobs in places like The Warehouse. i.e. we need what it provides only because it exists in the first place.
"Research shows that club store prices can be 22.5% lower than traditional supermarkets.
Already, Costco’s store-adjacent petrol station in Auckland, which opened in April, has had a significant impact on fuel prices in the neighbouring community.
As the world’s third largest retailer, Costco has significant buying power to support its everyday low pricing strategy.
Costco buys in bulk, allowing the store to achieve economies of scale creating savings which can then be passed on to members. The company limits the mark-up on merchandise to between 14 and 15% above costs. "
You also have to be afford to buy (and be able to store and use within the product lifespan) quite large batches of goods.
It might make financial sense for large families and/or people clubbing together to group purchase (as some currently do for Gilmores, etc.).
It's also possible that small retail (dairies, etc.) might be able to shop there, rather than at supermarkets (I know that there's discussion about wholesale access for retail shops – but I remain deeply cynical that it will ever eventuate).
I find our local 'Reduced to Clear' good – nice round trip walk of ~90 minutes earlier today. Not a substitute for supermarket shopping, but an inexpensive supplement.
I shop at one as well – though not within walking distance – about 20 minutes drive away. I bundle a trip there every month or so, with other necessary road trips in that direction.
It's a bit like op-shopping – you never know what is going to turn up on sale.
I think having Costco here is a good thing for many reasons.
If we're to let corporations take over we could do a lot worse, like Amazon.
"Costco is often cited as one of the world’s most ethical companies. It has been called a “testimony to ethical capitalism” in large part due to its company practices and treatment of employees."
"Our research highlights many ethical issues for Amazon, including climate change, environmental reporting, habitats & resources, pollutions and toxics, arms & military supply, human rights, worker's rights, supply chain management, irresponsible marketing, animal rights, animal testing, factory farming, use of controverial technologies, political activies, and anti-social finance."
Yeah I get that. Some people love being first in though. And the promise of reduced prices in these trying times, pretty attractive…
Or (Satire) a damning indictment of DOC's park upkeep, that people would rather go camping in shop doorways.
Costco already sells NZ goods in their stores offshore, and now they're here, will be checking out what else we've got. That's good for our producers and manufacturers. Meanwhile providing good jobs with good prospects and good money.
Whereas Amazon is good for NZ like a boa constrictor is good for rodents.
The People's Champion vs The People's Prosecutor: It is the news media’s job to elicit information from politicians – not to prosecute them. Peters’ promise to sort out TVNZ should be believed. If he finds himself in a position to carry out his threat, then it will only be because ...
Buzz from the Beehive The headline on a ministerial press statement curiously expresses the government’s position when it declares: Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers. Is it not enough to declare just one commitment? Or is the government’s commitment to pay equity being declared sector by ...
There have been 53 New Zealand Parliaments so far. The 39th of them was elected in 1978. It was a parliament of 92 MPs, most of them men. The New Zealand Music Awards that year named John RowlesMale Vocalist of the Year and — after a short twelve months ...
Aotearoa has a cost of living crisis. And one of the major drivers of this crisis is the supermarket duopoly, who gouge every dollar they can out of us. Last year, the Commerce Commission found that the duopoly was in fact anti-competititve, giving the government social licence to fix the ...
Familiarity breeds consent. If you repeat the line “six years of economic mis-management” about 10,000 times, it sounds like the received wisdom, whatever the evidence to the contrary. Yes, the global pandemic and the global surge in inflation that came in its wake occurred here as well – but if ...
Michael Bassett writes – Without so much as batting an eyelid, Chris Hipkins told an audience on Saturday that there had been “more racism” in this election campaign than ever before. And he blamed it on the opposition parties, National, Act and New Zealand First. In those ...
While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Brian Easton writes – Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for ...
“You can't really undo what happens during childhood”, said the director of the Dunedin longitudinal study. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR:Richie Poulton, the director of the world-leading Dunedin longitudinal study showing how devastating poverty in early life is, died yesterday. With his final words, he lamented the lack ...
This is a guest post from reader Peter N As many of us know, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi are well into progressing works on the northwestern interim “busway” with services to kick off in just over a month from now on Sunday 12th November 2023. Some of the ...
Hi,Before we talk about weird schools people choose to send their kids to, a few things on my mind. I adored the Ask Me Anything we did last week. Thanks for taking part. I love answering your weird and nosy questions, even questions about beans.I am excited and scared as Mister ...
A National government would make spending cuts on a scale not seen since the 1990 – 96 Bolger government.That much was confirmed with the release of their Fiscal Plan on Friday.Government spending is currently high as a percentage of GDP — as high as it was during the Muldoon ...
Chris Hipkins down with Covid, at least for 5 days isolation, National continue to obfuscate, ACT continues to double-down on the poor and Winston… well, he’s being Winston really. Voters beware: this week could be even more infuriating than the last. No Party is what they used to be ...
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisationThe renowned US ...
On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
“‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.Chris Trotter writes –THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
Buzz from the BeehiveOh, dear. We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent. They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1. What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
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Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
Labour’s Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the leaders’ debate on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of the pundits rated him the winner against National’s Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New Zealanders start casting their ballots? The problem for Hipkins is that voters are all too ...
Buzz from the BeehiveNot long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
The D&W analysisMichael Grimshaw writes – Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes- Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving.They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
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Alex Holland writes – In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
The Facts has posted – KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
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Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
Voters are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris Hipkins’ valiant rearguard action. So where are they heading? Clearly not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that the outcome will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a few weeks ago was ...
Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out.Graham Adams writes – With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR:National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
Labour is in it for you. This election Kiwis will decide what kind of country they want New Zealand to be, who they trust to have their back, and how we can be better, together. This election matters. View our full Manifesto below. ...
The National Party's U-turn on water reform has left local councils high and dry and will drive up Kiwi's rates bills, Labour Party Local Government Spokesperson Kieran McAnulty says. ...
A re-elected Labour Party will continue to tackle discriminations still faced by members of the Rainbow community in areas ranging from surrogacy and adoption to blood donation. ...
National’s fiscal plan has failed to fill the massive fiscal hole in its dodgy tax scheme, it will mean more cuts to public services, more children being put into poverty and an end to action on climate change. ...
New Zealand First Policy Announcement:Law and Order New Zealand First believes that keeping society safe should be the priority of law-and-order policies. Every New Zealander deserves to feel safe, secure, and have their person and property respected. That is why New Zealand First continues to fix the flaws in ...
In last night’s leaders debate Labour Leader Chris Hipkins referred toaquote without giving any explanation of its content, which was about the ‘disease of co-governance’ that is perpetuated by the Māori elite, and he said it was racist. Then, without even examining the content, National leader Christopher Luxon agreed with ...
In last night’s leaders debate Labour Leader Chris Hipkins referred toaquote without giving any explanation of its content, which was about the ‘disease of co-governance’ that is perpetuated by the Māori elite, and he said it was racist. Then, without even examining the content, National leader Christopher Luxon agreed with ...
After years of criticising the Government on law and order, National have embarrassed themselves by conceding they have no new ideas and instead copied Labour’s Police policy announced three weeks ago, Labour Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen says. ...
Labour’s fiscal plan will continue its focus on carefully managing the books while protecting critical public services like health and education and investing to deliver high wage jobs and a low carbon economy. ...
New Zealand First today is announcing a policy on adjusting the rules and restrictions around access to the Job Seeker Benefit.New Zealand First’s policy is to introduce a capped time-period for any person to access the Job Seeker Benefit during their lifetime. Any individual will have the ability to access the Job Seeker ...
New Zealand First today is announcing a policy on adjusting the rules and restrictions around access to the Job Seeker Benefit.New Zealand First’s policy is to introduce a capped time-period for any person to access the Job Seeker Benefit during their lifetime. Any individual will have the ability to access the Job Seeker ...
National’s cuts to funding for beneficiaries will once again leave children and their parents with less, Spokesperson for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said. ...
The Green Party will double the Best Start payment and make it available for every child under three years of age - and it will be paid for with a fair tax system. ...
Labour will fund more medicines for more New Zealanders by investing over $1 billion of new funding into Pharmac if re-elected, Chris Hipkins announced today. ...
Labour has just announced a policy to increase Pharmac funding by $1billion over four years to fund additional medicines.With the current Pharmac budget of $1.2billion per year and needing a further $213million, by Minister Verrall’s own admission, just to keep up with current costs - then this is nothing ...
Labour has just announced a policy to increase Pharmac funding by $1billion over four years to fund additional medicines.With the current Pharmac budget of $1.2billion per year and needing a further $213million, by Minister Verrall’s own admission, just to keep up with current costs - then this is nothing ...
This matter begins with the Pike River investigation being inadequate, inexplicably lengthy, and after millions of dollars, the evidence that should have been placed before the public still has not been. We have always believed that Pike River isacrime scene, and thataproper investigation would have come to that conclusion. Blue ...
This matter begins with the Pike River investigation being inadequate, inexplicably lengthy, and after millions of dollars, the evidence that should have been placed before the public still has not been. We have always believed that Pike River isacrime scene, and thataproper investigation would have come to that conclusion. Blue ...
New Zealand faces a stark choice this election – vote for Labour to continue to confront the climate emergency with eyes wide open or bury your head in the sand alongside Christopher Luxon. ...
Labour is supercharging its plan to solve the public housing shortfall created by National, promising another 6,000 homes on top of what has already been committed says Labour Housing spokesperson Dr Megan Woods. ...
Labour will back migrant working families by introducing a 10-year multiple-entry parents’ and grandparents’ Super Visa, and make good on the Dawn Raids apology by providing a one-off visa for overstayers who have been in the country ten years or more, Labour’s Immigration Spokesperson Andrew Little says. ...
The Green Party is today welcoming Labour coming to the table to ensure an amnesty for overstayers, but only the Greens will ensure immigration settings actually reflect the reality of people who have been failed by our immigration system. ...
The Green Party is calling on Auckland Council to do more to protect urban trees and housing developer Aedifice Property Group to restore and replant the native forest it cleared, and protect all the remaining trees on Ngahere Road in Pukekohe after a significant number of native trees were cut ...
Latest Police data shows monthly ram raids have hit a two-year low, laying waste to Christopher Luxon’s false claim that there are two ram raids a day says Labour’s Police Spokesperson Ginny Andersen. ...
Free and healthy school lunches will be here to stay if Labour is re-elected, guaranteeing food for our kids who need it most and significant cost saving for parents. ...
The next Labour Government will build a new hospital in Hawke’s Bay, Labour leader Chris Hipkins and Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall announced. ...
The Green Party will keep up the fight to support exploited migrant workers, including pushing to end single employer visas, after the government picked up Green recommendations to improve immigration settings. ...
Green Party co leader James Shaw visited a home in Auckland today that has been upgraded with a wide range of energy improvements, similar to those that would be supported through the Green Party’s Clean Power Payment. ...
The Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s presence in New York today at the United Nations General Assembly is a contempt of New Zealand’s “caretaker government” convention. Despite the long-standing caretaker convention, Minister Mahuta is today at the UN to sign a highly contentious “Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement”, delivering a ...
The Pre-Election Fiscal Update Changes EverythingWithin an hour of this speech there is going to be a debate between the political parties that the media, under MMP, still think are the only parties that matter in this campaign. Both of those parties are riddled with inexperience, as evidenced by ...
National and ACT's tax plans don't add up, and that means deep cuts to the public services New Zealanders rely on, says Labour Campaign Chair Megan Woods. ...
New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today. Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today. “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
“If Kiwis want to see Chris Hipkins really held to account next week at the Press Leader’s Debate, I’ll take Christopher Luxon’s place and do it,” says ACT Leader David Seymour. “Who knows, this might be exactly the change voters who were ...
National's Auckland Central candidate says he assumes he was filmed at a restaurant and the video shared by a gang member because of his party's stance on gangs. Follow the latest with RNZ's live blog. ...
With 12 days to go, Labour and National are locked in rhetorical combat over the Press debate, which had been scheduled to take place before a live audience of 2,000 in Christchurch tomorrow night. Chris Hipkins’ positive test for Covid-19 meant a rush to reschedule, but that appears to have ...
By Khalia Strong of Pacific Media Network Dozens of Pacific Islanders and Palagi defied the bitterly cold wind and rain for a peaceful “remember the Dawn Raids” march along Auckland’s Ponsonby Road at the weekend. The Savali ole Filemu march recognised the anxiety which currently faces overstayers, and the pain ...
The organisers of a high-profile leaders' election debate say they worked to the last minute to find another date and it's "extremely disappointing" it has proved to be in vain. ...
Labour and National’s campaign chairs have come out swinging following the cancellation of an election debate between party leaders that was due to go ahead tomorrow Labour says National is chickening out after the party confirmed Christopher Luxon had no free evenings between now and the election to participate in The ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on New Zealand First to release costings for each of their policies citing fears that they could cost more than Labour’s election spending spree. When questioned by Jack Tame on TVNZ’s Q + A yesterday ...
A leading advocacy group and philanthropic foundation have put pen to paper on a significant funding agreement for ongoing work towards universal dental in Aotearoa New Zealand. Clare Foundation is today announcing a major three-year funding agreement ...
Over the weekend The Press reportedmultiplestories about toxic culture, resignations and cashflow issues at Christchurch’s Court Theatre. Sam Brooks explains what this means for the theatre itself and theatre in NZ on the whole.What is the Court Theatre?The Court Theatre is the country’s largest theatre company ...
A palate cleanser to top off a busy day in politics. Auckland Council announced that it has purchased 1.6 hectares of land for $12.37m on Hill Road to extend the Auckland Gardens. In a statement, mayor Wayne Brown said that a large land acquisition is a difficult time to make ...
Alongside the cost of living and crime, Jack Tame is emerging as a critical issue in election 2023.There is no better tool to compare pledges this election than Policy.nz. It is disappointing to see, however, as of the time of writing, at least one glaring omission: Jack Tame. As ...
The next planned showdown between Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon in Christchurch appears to have been scrapped after no alternative date could be agreed to by the major parties. Labour said that while Hipkins’ Covid diagnosis meant he could not participate in The Press debate tomorrow as planned, alternative dates ...
Details on the plan remain vague, with the party suggesting a new supermarket chain "could" be given loans or the government could help secure land for them. ...
National says its candidates and volunteers have faced threats from gang members, while ACT says such concerns should be dealt with quietly by police rather than in public. ...
Greenpeace is issuing a "please explain" to the Green Party after action on agricultural emissions was left off its list of policy priorities, released yesterday. "The dairy industry is New Zealand’s biggest polluter, responsible for driving ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Aside from humans, dingoes are Australia’s largest land-based predator. They are arguably our most maligned, misunderstood, and mismanaged native species. But evidence suggests this iconic ...
Is this the most indecent produce ever to make it to novelty auction in NZ?They’re firm, fuzzy and ready to go. In their profile photo, the two excited kiwifruit are perfectly poised on what appears to be a white leather couch, showing off their best angles in a way ...
Grant Robertson’s claim that there is a ‘hole’ in the funding as of a result of scraping Three Waters is nonsense on stilts. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says: “Grant Robertson is trying to frame opponents of Three Waters ...
We have published some information about a performance audit we are carrying out to examine the effectiveness of government arrangements to address child poverty. Reducing child poverty is a priority for the government. Achieving the legislative ...
What are you going to be watching this week? We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+.The biggies Our Flag Means Death (season two on Neon from October 6) From Stewart Sowman-Lund’s story on why ...
It’s Monday, October 2nd and welcome to The Spinoff’s election live updates. There are just 12 days to go! I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund, on deck from Auckland. Get in touch with me on[email protected]Find more about the political parties at Policy.nz The agenda With Chris Hipkins out with ...
There are only 12 days until the 2023 New Zealand General Election – but you can start voting today! “Change never happens at the pace we think it should. It happens over years of people joining together, strategizing, sharing, and pulling all the ...
The Labour Party’s accused National leader Christopher Luxon of “taking advantage of Chris Hipkins’s sickness”. In a statement, Labour’s campaign chair Megan Woods said that Luxon was trying to “slip out” of an agreed debate in Christchurch that had been scheduled for tomorrow night. With Hipkins out of action with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas White, Senior lecturer, University of Sydney Shutterstock The brain is an evolutionary marvel. By shifting the control of sensing and behaviour to this central organ, animals (including us) are able to flexibly respond and flourish in unpredictable environments. One ...
Jubi News in Jayapura The Indonesia Art Movement has collaborated with the Monj Hen Wani Community and environmental advocates in Papua to organise the “Arumbay Tonotwiyat” — the Women’s Forest People’s Party. The event took place beneath the lush canopy of Enggros village’s mangrove forest Abepura District, Jayapura City last ...
Seniors and Superannuation: · NZ First will keep the age of National Superannuation entitlement at 65 years and the current 66% of net average wage maintained, and not lowered by shifting the link to inflation. · NZ First will fund rates relief for ...
Wellington ( Monday, 2 October 2023 ) - The New Zealand Initiative welcomed today’s announcement that a re-elected Labour government would ease the path for new grocers to enter the New Zealand market. But it also warned against subsidising entry. The ...
Yesterday’s fiery Q&A interview with Winston Peters saw the New Zealand First leader give host Jack Tame a range of unusual nicknames, including that he was a “dirt merchant” and “corrupt”. But National’s Christopher Luxon, who may be forced to work with Peters after October 14, wouldn’t go into detail ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ann Kayis-Kumar, Associate Professor, UNSW Sydney ATO Why do I suddenly owe tax this year? This is one of the most Googled questions in Australia right now. And rightly so. Ever since Australia’s transition to self-assessment for ...
2 October, 2023 An internal University of Auckland survey has once again confirmed concerns that the Free Speech Union has raised for several years: academic freedom is under fire in New Zealand. This is a serious issue, but our leaders have their ...
After testing positive yesterday for Covid-19, Chris Hipkins “is still feeling quite unwell”, according to a spokesperson. “He’s undertaking limited duties today, but aiming to pick up more things remotely from tomorrow, such as his morning media round.” Hipkins, who has come down with the virus for the second time, will ...
On Wednesday, the winner of the 2023 APRA Silver Scroll Award will be announced. Here, the five shortlisted nominees – Marlon Williams, Tiny Ruins, The Beths, UMO and Tom Scott – spread the love for each other’s songs.Liz Stokes of The Beths on ‘Friday Night @ The Liquor ...
Responding to the Labour Party’s announcement that they intend to subsidise grocery stores to try and enable competition in New Zealand’s grocery sector, Taxpayers’ Union Policy Adviser, James Ross, said: “There is a lack of competition in New ...
The Zero Waste Network is ramping up calls for the next government to institute an immediate moratorium on incineration of mixed solid waste following a packed out community meeting in Te Awamutu where an incinerator is being proposed. “There ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Labrousse, Chercheuse en écologie polaire, Sorbonne Université Sara Labrousse/French Polar Institute, CC BY-SA The long-term future looks bleak for Emperor penguins, but our new research shows some birds may be able to survive in certain conditions, depending on where ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Labrousse, Chercheuse en écologie polaire, Sorbonne Université Sara Labrousse/French Polar Institute, CC BY-SA The long-term future looks bleak for Emperor penguins, but our new research shows some birds may be able to survive in certain conditions, depending on where ...
“The PMC Project” . . . a 2016 short documentary about the centre by then student journalist and Pacific Media Watch editor Alistar Kata.Pacific Media Watch An award-winning website with an archive of thousands of Pacific news reports, videos, images and research abstracts regarded as a pioneering initiative for ...
“The PMC Project” . . . a 2016 short documentary about the centre by then student journalist and Pacific Media Watch editor Alistar Kata.Pacific Media Watch An award-winning website with an archive of thousands of Pacific news reports, videos, images and research abstracts regarded as a pioneering initiative for ...
New Zealand Police are once again showing a political bias in the lead-up to the election. A press release from the 28th of September titled 10,000th person signs up to the Firearms Registry was celebrating the minority of firearms license holders ...
A Labour-led government would support new supermarket retailers to enter the market, said consumer affairs spokesperson Duncan Webb in a press release. Citing how Sanitarium has removed Weet Bix from budget retailer The Warehouse, Webb said assissting potential new supermarket “could include finance, making sure land is available, regulatory changes, ...
This election day, The Spinoff will once again be bringing you nothing but live pupdates until 7pm. In 2020, we showcased big dogs, small dogs, long dogs, short dogs, hairy dogs, happy dogs, nervy dogs, silly dogs, stylish dogs, sleeping dogs, pissing dogs and not-really-dog dogs exercising their democratic right – ...
Our two major parties’ health spokespeople say they know how to create a more sustainable health system. Labour’s Ayesha Verrall and National’s Shane Reti talk to Zahra Shahtahmasebi about the different paths they would walk.Ayesha Verrall’s health philosophy is to invest in keeping New Zealanders well and out of ...
With just 12 days until polling day, you can now cast your early vote in Election 2023. “Voting places will be open before election day in convenient locations including shopping areas, transport hubs, kura, marae, community halls and sports clubs, to make it easy for people to vote as they ...
Early voting has opened and we’re now less than two weeks out from election day. With the prime minister out of action until Friday with Covid-19, here’s how the campaign’s looking this Monday. In Auckland today, there will be a Labour Party commerce announcement with Duncan Webb. Out of ...
Small crowds of mainly seniors have been gathering at public meetings in community halls to hear New Zealand First leader Winston Peters speak and ask him questions. ...
Standard advance voting for the 2023 general election starts today. We walk you through the process from start to finish. How do I vote? You go to a voting place during the voting period and tick a piece of paper. Simple! I am very literally-minded and have further questions. Fire ...
Surging demand has forced a government shared ownership scheme to close its doors to prospective borrowers, Newshub’s Zane Small reports. The Kāinga Ora-backed First Home Partner scheme, which offered a path to home ownership for prospective first home buyers with low deposits, is now fully subscribed. It has more than 410 ...
Christopher Luxon has pushed back against “conspiracy theory arguments” during a two-hour appearance on Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking breakfast. Hosking read out what he called a “stupid” question from a listener about the “20-minute city” theory, using it to ask Luxon how much “nuttiness” was out on the campaign trail. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Shutterstock Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are in dire straits. With the market in a severe downturn, it’s safe to assume the NFT bubble has well and truly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Strangio, Emeritus professor of politics, Monash University It was Robert Menzies, father of the modern Liberal Party, who famously remarked: “to get an affirmative vote from the Australian people on a referendum proposal is the labour of Hercules”. Menzies knew ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tara Crandon, Psychologist and PhD Candidate, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute When we think of spring, we might imagine rebirth and renewal that comes with the warmer weather and longer days. It’s usually a time to celebrate, flock to spring flower festivals ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Skarbek, CEO, Climateworks Centre This article is part of a series by The Conversation, Getting to Zero, examining Australia’s energy transition. The marks of industry have forever changed the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, edged by the Blue Mountains ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judith Brett, Emeritus Professor of Politics, La Trobe University UnsplashThis article is part of a series by The Conversation, Getting to Zero, examining Australia’s energy transition. When I was first asked to write an opening piece in The Conversation’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Penny Van Bergen, Head of School of Education and Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Wollongong Pixabay/Pexels With school and university exams looming, students will be thinking about how they can maximise their learning. Memory is a key part of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harrington, Senior Lecturer in English and Cultural Studies, University of Canterbury SBS/Paramount+/Binge If you’ve made your way through our September picks and are looking for something new, this month’s streaming picks have something for everyone. There is a ...
A huge government-subsidised barge is being seen as a boon for mineral exports and coastal shipping The West Coast’s first bulk shipment of heavy mineral sands sets sail for Asia on October 3 marking a major milestone for the region’s fledgling industry. The 26,000 tonnes of ore concentrate from Westland Mineral ...
With the third scheduled leaders’ debate up in the air as a result of Chris Hipkins’ sudden Covid diagnosis, a senior National MP has suggested a possible alternative: could the deputy leaders debate? Hipkins and Christopher Luxon were meant to participate in The Press debate from Christchurch tomorrow night. Both ...
It really couldn’t have come at a worse time, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Labour leader laid low by lurgy There’s no good time for a prime minister on the ...
The Labour Party is having to find new options on the campaign trail now that its leader Chris Hipkins is isolating with Covid-19. Follow the latest with RNZ's live blog. ...
The Wairarapa MP talks to Stewart Sowman-Lund about his commitment to the regions – and why he definitely doesn’t want to be prime minister.It’s a cold and blustery day in central Hawke’s Bay, but Labour minister and Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty has still attracted a small group of prospective ...
The Wairarapa MP talks to Stewart Sowman-Lund about his commitment to the regions – and why he definitely doesn’t want to be prime minister.It’s a cold and blustery day in central Hawke’s Bay, but Labour minister and Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty has still attracted a small group of prospective ...
As advance voting gets under way, the signs point to a significant drop in participation, reckons Toby Manhire.‘It seems to me from a distance,” said former Tory minister Rory Stewart, beginning a question to Chris Hipkins, “maybe this is very unfair –” Doubt it, Rory, carry on. “That when ...
As advance voting gets under way, the signs point to a significant drop in participation, reckons Toby Manhire.‘It seems to me from a distance,” said former Tory minister Rory Stewart, beginning a question to Chris Hipkins, “maybe this is very unfair –” Doubt it, Rory, carry on. “That when ...
Don't put those winter clothes away just because sunnier days are predicted – El Niño blows both hot and cold A New Zealand summer with potential cold snaps and lots of rain, coupled with sun and hot, record-breaking temperatures. What, come again? That's what's forecast for this summer – if the ...
Aaron Smale goes back to his grandmother’s home town and finds a community weighed down by weather disasters and decisions of the past that have a region broken. A series on the slow destruction and devastating impact of the pine industry on Tairawhiti. You know you’re there when you catch a ...
The latest Jonathon Pie rant!
He could quite easily be talking about Luxon and the Natz – they (the Tories and the Natz) share so many values (Luxon said so in a tweet!)
https://twitter.com/ArrestJK/status/1574374319475433472
More saber rattling by the official Kremlin mouthpiece, RT
RT, repeats and reinforces Putin's threat to use nuclear weapons if the Russian Federation faces military defeat on the battlefield.
Claiming that a Russian defeat in Ukraine is an existential threat to the Russian Federation, a defeat that that must be reversed with nuclear weapons, if all other options for achieving victory in Ukraine have fails.
In a contorted act of logical jujitsu, RT turns the responsibility for Russia using nuclear weapons onto the US.
I guess RT were referring to this Cuban missile crisis…
“The planners therefore faced a serious dilemma: they had in hand two somewhat different proposals from Khrushchev to end the threat of catastrophic war, and each would seem to any "rational man" to be a fair trade. How then to react?”
“One possibility would have been to breathe a sigh of relief that civilization could survive, to eagerly accept both offers and to announce that the US would adhere to international law and remove any threat to invade Cuba; and to carry forward the withdrawal of the obsolete missiles in Turkey and to carry forward the withdrawal of the obsolete missiles in Turkey, proceeding as planned to upgrade the nuclear threat against the Soviet Union to a far greater one, of course, only part of the global encirclement of Russia. But that was unthinkable.”
“…of course, the idea that the US should be restrained by international law was too ridiculous to merit consideration. As explained recently by the respected liberal commentator Matthew Yglesias, "one of the main functions of the international institutional order is precisely to legitimate the use of deadly military force by western powers"
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/oct/15/cuban-missile-crisis-russian-roulette
‘
What is it, about whataboutists?
“one of the main functions of the international institutional order is precisely to legitimate the use of deadly military force by western powers”
Matthew Yglesias
I wouldn't disagree with that.
But instead of decrying this state of international affairs, Whataboutists are all about using the example of the deadly military force exercised by the western powers, in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Guatemala etc. as an excuse for Russia and its allies to do the same. Even if it means supporting the use of nuclear weapons, even if it leads to genocide.
"…..a just global order remains to be built."
Whataboutists don't want a just global order, they want an unjust global order shared more equally between the rival imperialist powers, even if it takes world war to achieve it.
The defeat of Russian imperialism by the people of Ukraine and the people of Russia will be a victory for people everywhere and a defeat for imperialism everywhere.
5 Russian Enlistment Offices Hit By Arson Attacks – Reports
Down with all imperialists and colonialists.
Slava Ukraine
RT turns the responsibility for Russia using nuclear weapons onto the US.
It is US weaponry that is winning in Ukraine. Ukrainians, as far as the US is concerned, are just cannon fodder.
‘
"It is US weaponry that is winning in Ukraine."
mikesh
What a load of rubbish.
Weapons of war, like all tools, need someone to wield them.
Weapons don't win wars, people do.
If people weren't fighting to free themselves from Russian imperialism, the Western imperialists would have no where to send their weapons.
With or without foreign military aid, the people of Algeria, the people of Vietnam, the people of Syria, the people of Ukraine will fight for their freedom regardless. Western supplied weapons have shortened the war in Ukraine that is all.
"The long arc of history bends towards justice"
Martin Luther King.
Western supplied weapons have shortened the long arc of history.
'Weapons don't win wars, people do'-tell that to the Nth American indians when they first encountered the Gatling gun…and to Maori when they first come across …muskets!
'Weapons don't win wars, people do'-tell that to the Nth American indians when they first encountered the Gatling gun…and to Maori when they first come across …muskets!
Blazer
You still need people willing to wield them, if they could get their hands on them, of course.
If the Maori and native Americans were happy with having their lands stolen and taken over, and didn't want to fight the invaders, it wouldn't matter how much weapons you gave them.
Because they couldn't get their hands on these weapons they were slaughtered and displaced by the invading British imperialists and colonialists
Now if the Maori and the Native Americans had been supplied with these weapons by a rival imperialist power opposed to the British Empire….
It would have been a different story.
Sort of dismantles your argument that Ukraine shouldn't be supplied weapons from the West.
Don't you think?
No I don't Jenny.
It's obvious that people need to utilise weapons….
It's a bit like you turning up to a gunfight with…a knife.
"It is US weaponry that is winning in Ukraine."
mikesh
What a load of rubbish
He aha te mea nui o te ao?
One of those rare UN speech that isn’t just hollow hyperbole and empty rhetoric….the Global South is once again showing the way forward for Leftists around the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbiIoIAgxws
Also check out the UN speech of Honduras’ new left-wing President Xiomara Castro. She denounced colonialism, “neoliberal injustice,” and corporate exploitation while calling for multipolarity….“Never again will we carry the stereotype of a banana republic.”
https://multipolarista.com/2022/09/22/un-speech-honduras-xiomara-castro/
Will lower taxes lead to a stronger economy in the UK?
Why is the value of the British pound falling and what is a mini budget? (openaccessgovernment.org)
Let's see what this economy looks like after 6 months.
Signs aren't good.
An unbelievably stupid reactionary economic policy…and in the face of a brutal winter that many millions of British citizens will probably never forget…it is hard to imagine any sane person enacting trickle down economics at this point, she has gone completely rouge.
Europe is looking more and more shaky as the weeks go by…Tuss (an actual nutter) a week or two ago, an actual Fascist just elected in Italy, disaster and suffering for everyone involved in the Ukraine…the extreme Right emboldened throughout Europe like it hasn’t been since the 1930’s…we are probably going to be watching one country after the next fall to the Right…things are starting to look extremely dangerous
The United Kingdom is really one long, sad tale of gross economic and political mismanagement by it's ruling class stretching back to the 1880s.
Britain being the first country to have a political revolution in the 17th century gave it the political institutions that were the basis that allowed it to be the first country to harness the industrial revolution and gain a great empire and huge wealth. It's failure to have a second political revolution of any sort post the Great War condemned it to a continuation of the muddling rule of an incompetent and increasingly ossified ruling class when radical political reforms was still possible.
Nowadays, the UK is rapidly decling into the status of an emerging market economy, and Kwasi Kwarteng has delivered the sort of budget you tend to get from emerging market economies – a looting of the public coffers in favour of an entrenched economic Latifundia built on rent taking and speculation buttressed by increasingly harsh and repressive policing and a sympathetic right wing popular media to maintain social order and justified by a fig leaf of naive, wishful-thinking, supply-side economics.
Some institutions decay faster or slower than others, so you've now got a situation where a completely decayed Conservative government of supply side fanatics is trying to do one thing, but as fast as they do it the less decayed Bank of England is doing the opposite. And all the while, the pound is crashing and British standards of living are going down the gurgler with it.
NZ$ fell 2% overnight,now trading at .5628,interest rates will rise accordingly.
The flash crashes in the UK,and globally will have left some hedge funds with big losses on long positions.
Here 9% mortgages by new year are real possibilities.as bank margins on lending are at record lows ( .4% in 2 yr).
What are you observing in price trades our key commodities like:
– Oil, diesel, and petrol
– Fertiliser, PKE
– Basket of imports
I am just guessing that if our $$ fall is that bad and likely to stay that way, we are in for one scream of a Christmas.
Oil product basket falls overall,due to demand destruction (volume decreases) as discretionary spend decreases.Diesel prices will remain high due to substitution for gas ( standby generators and oil fired power stations etc).
Freight rates fallen (container) and going back to pre pandemic levels ( us china 20k down to 3k) balanced by shipping slowing (speed reductions to reduce fuel cost).
Fert costs high,where imported,some building product decreases (extrusions etc) as demand reduction in Australia and asia.
China in big problems with debt issues (exposure to emerging markets) and debt to US banks,as US$ removes any doubt on Yuan being a reserve currency.
The big risks are with Super investments in growth products as opposed to value, here to attract investment interest rates need to be higher.
Plenty of Kiwisavers pretty unhappy already.
Gordon Campbell will not be the last to comment on the British shock impact for us:
Gordon Campbell on what Britain’s tax cutting spree means for us – werewolf
"As a result, the cost of everything – from oil to food to consumer goods to the technology we need to grow the economy – is going to skyrocket. Luckily, the prospect of a global slowdown is already pushing down the price of oil on world markets – but our fading currency will mean that none of the benefits will flow on through to Kiwi motorists. Finally, the rising price of imports will fuel inflation, thus posing a tricky decision for the Reserve Bank – should it keep on raising interest rates to curb inflation, or will the relentless hiking of the cost of investment succeed only in stopping economic growth in its tracks?"
This together with interest rates over 7% sounds like change of New Zealand government all by itself, and not much it can do about it.
The days of easy money are over,and will be for some time,as is spending into the unproductive sector as we need to rebalance the twin risks of a high current account deficit with a high rate of government debt.
Orr said productivity increases are needed,a better use of resources also.Information is poor with cpi being quarterly,fiscal updates sparse ,if large economies can impart the information monthly,so can NZ, this reduces shocks and can induce better redistribution.
NZ business also need to understand that cost plus pricing is costly for their business,and look to reduce debt rather then dividend or share buy backs etc.
On the other side of the coin,we are also coming into spring fully,with good growths and decreasing fresh food prices,the winter electricity maintenance is mostly over and there are no tight generation windows for 200 days.The busy manufacturing season for NZ with is primary focus sees more available electricity with solar,decreased residential use,and very large hydro storage at around 140% of historical vol.This will keep pricing low outside of high load windows.
Poisson-while the fall of the NZ$ versus the US dollar will push up some prices, most other countries currencies are also falling against the greenback, so this will not necessarily increase inflation significantly.
In any event, interest rates are not raised to protect currency values, they are raised to dampen inflation.
Interest rates and currency are entwined,Yesterday the flash crash in sterling was when markets in Asia opened,the only mechanism for reducing risk was currency depreciation,when the Uk debt markets opened,the flash crash was in the Gilts,and the pound appreciated.
here with the NZ$ we were closed so only currency valuations available as a risk relief valve,as interest rates increase on the secondary markets the kiwi should stabilise.
The other part of the currency exchange is it makes trips overseas more expensive for activists,and makes NZ cheap for tourists from the US or AUS.
As stated earlier the NZ$ has appreciated with the NZ debt markets now open.and a .63% rise in currency with a 13b rise in the 2 yr bond and a 19b rise in the 10 yr bond.
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/statistics/series/exchange-and-interest-rates/wholesale-interest-rates
Unfortunately the USD is what everyone wants/needs so it will…and likely disproportionately
A nighmare in the making for home owners.
https://twitter.com/EdConwaySky/status/1574329155138818051
https://twitter.com/EdConwaySky/status/1574430982907871233
As global demand drops, local storage capacity runs out and US allies respond to prodding from Washington and increase supply, India has stopped buying Russian oil. This REALLY turns the screws on Putin's war economy, as India had been one of the biggest customers for post-sanction Russian oil.
It is going to hurt Russia to no end to not sell their oil to countries who have no oil. Ditto for Gas.
India is skipping this month because of freight costs.Its an entirely economic decision and does not mean it has ditched its neutrality.Meanwhile Sri Lanka ups its Russian imports, along with Myanmar, and of course China .I don't think skipping a few shipments is going to bring the Russian economy crashing to its knees.
And those Indian imports were also helping to keep other countries solvent
https://www.asiafinancial.com/india-is-likely-reselling-russian-oil-to-west-claims-study
"….Its an entirely economic decision and does not mean it has ditched its neutrality…"
The wider picture is India is ditching Russia as an ally and moving closer to the West.
Also, “freight costs” might not entirely be the result of the invisible hand…
Paraphrasing Bill Maher "Wake me up when they leave SCO"
Indian sentiment began to turn away from Russia after the way they were basically stiffed by a chaotic extortion racket over the purchase of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya – Russia simply became a country it wasn't worth trying to do business with. Indian loss of faith in Russia as a reliable supplier of high quality weapons is why they decided to buy the French Rafale fighter.
The biggest catalyst for change though was the confrontation with China a couple of years ago and the jolting realisation that the Indian armed forces had little to no chance of winning a war of any kind with China. Since then they've shaken up an army locked into a regimental tradition that still includes much of the protocols and pomp of the Raj and they've looked at the reduction of Russia to a Chinese vassal and decided that buying not very good weapons from a dysfunctional gangster state that is completely beholden to their most likely enemy isn't a good idea.
As far as the Indian ruling elites are concerned the west has got the best weapons and the shopping is much better too, so why not go with the west?
Standardistas might want to hash this one out, because it comes up here too. Six tweets, starting below. Comment here or on twitter.
https://twitter.com/wekatweets/status/1574505732543680512
On the grounds of my sex. Nope.
Greens have lost all four eligible voters in this household.
Not just because of their promotion of gender ideology, but their inadequate analysis and proposals on climate change, housing and inequality.
I sympathise with your disappointment.I remember though when Pete Hodgson was in charge of climate change issues , back in the early 2000s, he was quietly begging grass roots climate activists to kick up a ruckus, so as to give him traction within his own party who were dragging their heels .Its up to us to really make climate change response an electoral issue, shaming all parties to act
Disappointment is not the word. Disdain is closer.
Attitude towards those that are adversely affected by their proposals or policies. Failure to spark public interest or discussions. Supporting knee-jerk National Policy Statements on productive soils, but not strongly advocating for one on climate change – which will have immediate effect on all local government planning documents, sending emails celebrating divisive policies or implying credit for other's achievement, performative political posturing, throwing feminists out of the party…etc.
As I said, disappointment is not the word.
I will not be persuaded by any form of: "…better than the alternative".
As a small party, they have some leeway to take risks, and represent people – not chase elections. They don't.
I would like to know the carbon footprint of puberty blockers, sex re-assignment surgery, sexual assaults in unisex changing rooms including filming under the stalls revisions of sexual re-assignment surgeries gone wrong, health issues due to wrong sex hormones and the likes.
Like seriously how much is that worth in carbon credits?
And how can those that no longer can be defined make a difference when they no longer exist in law and language?
I just can't see the appeal of the Green Party in it's current form.
I honestly would just like to see this question answered by someone.
Anyone. Really.
But i don't think the purple clad genderbread fairy of the Green Party would approve of such a question. Nor would the person from the Green Party who thinks that the 'c' word is empowering. Or the persons in the G and L Party who think sex work is work, and surrogacy is a money making venture for poor persons with child bearing abilities and who pretend that both are empowering to persons who have nothing else to sell other then their bodily orifices for sexual use by customers or the use of their reproductive organs and the selling of the children they birth.
I will totally never vote for any parties that have no issues with these things and / or promote these things as progressive.
Hear, hear Sabine. Couldn't agree more.
Nor would I be keen to vote for a party whose leader stood up at a memorial for those who lost their lives in the Chch atrocity and acuse NZders of racism (when the murderer happened to be an Australian). I mean WTF. Terrible judgement. If we are all so racist, how come so many turned out in support of the muslim community
Interesting points Sabine. Not to mention the carbon foot print on those massive prothetic breasts………
The Greens and Labour lost my vote over the gender ideology stuff. What that did is open my eyes to all the non delivery that is the Labour Govt.
The increase of the PMC and their salaries and the disdain they treat health professionals with are just further nails in the coffin.
Having watched submissions on the gender self id bill, I cannot bring myself to vote for a party that believe mad things such as sex is on a spectrum. And your transphobic if you don't want a male person in your change room
who will you vote for? Do you think any other party doesn't support self ID?
Legalise Aotearoa
Social Credit
humpty dumpty
my dog
my cat
Sometimes we cast votes to be on record that we support a person or party. And i did that in 2016 were i voted for the green party in support of Metiria Turei.
In 2020 i voted for a third party as my questions of 'where too' when confronted wit the slogan of 'lets keep moving' was not answered.
And sometimes we cast votes to be on record that this is not happening in my name. And this will happen this time around.
This shit is not happening with my support. And anyone who votes for any party that does support that shit must then live with the fact that that too was something they supported with their voice/vote.
Never mind all the shit that has happened in Rotorua in the last three years. 11% local unemployment. LOL, and i am to vote for this? Lol. So it might be different for you in Dunedin, maybe you are actually having a sane person running, but some of us are not so lucky. It is shite, shite or shite, only dif the color of the shite.
I agree. Also voted in support of Metiria Turei, even while thinking to myself, it looks like the Green Party supported the policy behind the public statement, and then collectively all took several steps back, when the pushback was immediate and negative.
Leaving her isolated, undefended and ultimately, ejected.
Looking back, I should've taken more note of this incident. The integrity of the organisation was shown here. Good political strategy no doubt, but not appealing to me.
Yes, that was a watershed moment for the Green Party, but they dropped her faster then they would have dropped a hot potato. It was an interesting time, and in hindsight, an innocent time. I still thought that voting actually matters. The last few years have made it quite clear that no, voting matters very little, and just because it shines does not mean it ain't cat – gold. Buyer beware.
I have not decided who I will vote for yet.
(Humpty Dumpty sounds like an interesting choice though Sabine).
If I don't vote, it will be a deliberate choice.
I am struggling to decide who to vote for in my local body elections.
Humpty Dumpty would be a perfect candidate for any party.
The Māori Party are talking about how to live/adapt to the coming environmental changes coming.
They seem to be the only one with some sensible ideas on how to cope with the shit storm which is on our door step. We 'ant reversing the temperature any time soon, and the facts are we a locked into 2 degrees, possibly more.
I am not aware of what the Maori Party are saying on CC.
I am really unsure about them as I watched them interviewed and one of the things the said was that they would abolished prisons. This seems naive to me.
Ok, well I think I understand why the radicalisation away from the left is so pervasive. If you won't vote to stop a Nact government, then what is the point? Please don't tell me that Nact and L/G/Mp are the same.
Please tell us where anyone here said that N / A are the same?
And please tell me why you think that Legalize Aotearoa and Social Credit are not on the left.
If the L party looses, if the G party loses anymore support from the public, it is up to L and G to do some soulsearching (if they still have such a thing) and act accordingly. Personally i think neither party is able to do that, ego is all they have, and thus chances are they will eat humble pie at election night because they are so full of themselves that they can not read the room.
But the fear of it will be worse? I live in a town that is dead, full of homeless people with no where to go and no jobs to be had, 11% unemployment and mixed sex going to be everywhere. Worse? Define worse.
It's a common position on the left Sabine. I was pre-empting someone running that superficial argument.
No idea if LA is left or not. SC are. I didn't say they're not. I haven't made any comment about LA or SC.
I am however starting to wonder if someone can call themselves lw if they won't vote to stop a Nact government.
Elections in NZ are won by the middle. Swing voters. This is how Labour got the majority in 2020. That is very unlikely to happen again. Polling is showing that the middle has shifted to Nat a bit (L/R blocs are neck and neck).
Labour are a centre left neoliberal party, and they act accordingly. They have to deal with the pragmatics of that swing vote.
The GP are largely dependent on liberal voters, those that swing between GP and Lab.
So please tell me what soul searching you want them to do, and what actions you think they can/should take. Details please, because that was the point of the opening tweet, to have a discussion about the various ways in which radical change could play out.
I'm asking this because it's easy to throw out a bunch of rhetoric about what L/G should do (we all do it), but I want to see deeper thinking of those ideas grounded in real politik and how parliament, government and elections function.
remove self id.
that is one thing they could do. But they will not.
Just for the record, i never voted to keep someone out of government. I vote to get someone into government.
Sounds like you would rather have a NACT govt upholding self-ID than a L/G/Mp one.
That's nice. Meanwhile, outside of your principles, voting for SC or ALCP is a defacto vote for Nact. I don't make the rules, that's just how it works. If you're ok with Nact, then vote however you like. If you value things like beneficiaries, housing, climate, ecology, vote on the left for parties that will be in parliament.
Molly-the Greens are not in government and so have little power over the CC policies of this government.
If people vote Green at the next election such that a coalition something like Lab 34/Gr 10/MP 4 takes power then the Greens will be able to greatly influence CC policies.
It follows that you should continue to vote Green. (Unless your hatred of the Greens gender policies over-rides you climate concerns, which frankly would be silly)
Read above.
"It follows that you should continue to vote Green. (Unless your hatred of the Greens gender policies over-rides you climate concerns, which frankly would be silly)"
The Green Party approach does not alleviate my climate concerns. It heightens them. They are ineffective, timid – often don't spook the horses – simplistic proposals that ignore impacts, and assume a lot. Their housing policies and inequality proposals are similar. Their policies extend the problem, they don’t resolve them. Even worse, they often give the impression that something is being done to solve, allowing focus to move on.
Oh, yes. Wanting coherent, effective proposals on what I consider important is "silly".
I will refrain from telling you what I believe your political priorities to be and who to vote for. Because, quite frankly, I'm not that arrogant.
Vote for parties that soothe your concerns and make you feel good if that is your priority.
If, for even a moment, you think that the Natz and Act will come up with better climate change policies and so deserve your vote – well, I've got a bridge for sale!
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27-09-2022/#comment-1912547
"The attempts to shame voters into casting votes for particular parties – by use of terms such as racist, bigot, silly can provoke resistance and have a negative effect on many. I try to avoid an emotive response to such shenanigans, and stick to process."
Tony, I don't know whether it's my personality, or the fact that over the years I have dealt with children I love, attempting this technique at various times, but my reaction to this approach is that it is juvenile, and has demonstrably failed in many elections in various countries in recent years.
If a party with clear policies on my priorities is available, it is likely that party is the one that will receive my party vote. Attempts to shame elicit a 'meh', if I can at all be bothered to respond. So, meh.
You get to make your own vote depending on your stated sole priority: ie. Natz and Act will NOT come up with better climate change policies, and regardless of what I think of your selection process, that is your right.
I was suggesting you are naive to reject a party because ALL their policies do not jell with your wishes/hopes.
To my way of thinking, a vote for a very minor party with no hope a getting into parliament is a wasted vote – though I do accept that is the nature of our representative system.
To me, that only leaves the 5 'big' parties and much as I think Labour has fallen far short of my expectations (and I suspect most on the left would agree), when I glance across at the Natz and Act, Labour and the Greens are my only viable alternatives. I have party voted Green for the last three elections, though I live in ChCh Central and vote Labour.
To miss use Margaret Thatcher’s (I think) phrase – there is no alternative! TINA.
Sometimes a wasted vote is good for the consience of the voter. Some of us have not voted for the current government ever, not once and not twice. So those of us can not make this current government fail. They never had 'our' vote.
Last, there are more parties then L/N/A/G and people can and should vote for them if they believe that they are representive of them and their ideas, and fwiw, if people don't vote for the small parties i.e. The Greens 🙂 or TPM 🙂 then they have no reason to exist and we could go back to a FPP system. And where is the fun in that. And would L win on its own again in 2023 without support from some of the 'vote wasting ' small parties?
Believe me, the last thing I would like to see is a sole Labour govt. We need the Green and Te Pati Maori in coalition with Labour to drag the party left!
Ah so you agree some votes for third parties are not wasted. That is good.
"I was suggesting you are naive to reject a party because ALL their policies do not jell with your wishes/hopes."
No, you weren't. But I'll let you keep that, without making the honest comment you deserve.
You have absolutely no idea of my wishes and hopes, nor how I have analysed policy.
So, can you refrain from telling me who to vote for according to you, and I will refrain from having to find acceptable written words in response.
Perhaps you might refrain from telling me what I meant. After all, I'm not responsible for how you react to what I say. I certainly can't help it if you feel defensive!
"Perhaps you might refrain from telling me what I meant. After all, I'm not responsible for how you react to what I say. I certainly can't help it if you feel defensive!"
Sure, Tony. I guess you come from the school of DoAsISay, not DoAsIDo.
Unless you have something persuasive to add about any of the parties policies… let's call this vote drive unsuccessful… and leave it there.
??? and ?
Who will you vote for?
I'll do what I usually do. I'll bring to mind all the work and comments of political parties during the last term (and more) and then I'll visit their policy pages, as they near the election. By that time, those policies should be as good as they can get them. I'll ignore the polls, and vote for those whose policies align (with the proviso that policies are clear) and who are the most trustworthy.
The pool of options is getter smaller every election.
Agree also with Sabine’s comment above, to not support any parties whose policies cause active harm. And to the use of my vote to signal protest.
(If Sabine’s dog does stand for election, that may be where my vote ends up.)
this generally is my process.
read up,
listen to talks, go to meetings
and then vote for the least evil among them.
Currently my vote sits with Legalize Aotearoa. For all the good reasons that L and G ignore. Business creation. Tax income. Removing the plant from the crimes act into the agricultural act ( a bit like abortion was moved from crime to health), make use a health issue, free up Police time to go after bigger fish, take pressure of Justice, remove people from Home D or Prison if they are in it for growing/selling/using.
L/G/N/A can all do the same, in fact i am surprised that ACT is not running with legal/tolerated weed. I would have thought it would be part of the ueber liberal / libertarian crowd.
I can't actually see a more reasonable way of allocating a vote, to be honest.
The attempts to shame voters into casting votes for particular parties – by use of terms such as racist, bigot, silly can provoke resistance and have a negative effect on many. I try to avoid an emotive response to such shenanigans, and stick to process.
By the by, did I recall you mentioning that you were on Twitter?
I am in the twitter poo box cause i am not deleting my tweets. 🙂
I can live with that.
Damn, I've only been active in the last few months. Surprisingly, not yet on the block. But apparently shadow banned or deboosted according to a couple of messages I've received.
Seems to be the only place to get information and have discussions about certain topics, so it took me a while to get over my social media aversion.
based on what is currently known about policy, who would you vote for?
the tweet wasn't about who people vote for. It was about the idea that the Greens could usefully go full Turei. I'm interesting in your thoughts on that.
they had since 2016 to do that.
Turei herself went full Turei on poverty and inequality. She correctly said that the benefit cuts of the 90's were inhuman and as a solo parent she found a way of getting round them to secure some extra income. This triggered 'respectable' commentators into denunciation of her as a benefit cheat. So-called benefit cheats (aka extra-legal rational self-maximisers) are a fantastic wedge issue for the right. No issue could be better for turning parts of the working class and natural left voters against each other. So strategically, it was a bad issue to go full-Turei on.
Would going full Turei on climate change be any different? Probably not. Remember Izzy Cook from a few days ago and remember XR in the UK getting criticism for disrupting working class people from getting to work and earning a crust. They would be pilloried for hypocrisy – with Taxpayers Union goons going through their rubbish looking for -plastic packaging or evidence of excessive food miles, or whatever. If you are going to demand that the rich live a bit more like the poor, expect the full wrath of their economic, political and media power. Keeping the activists at arms length is more likely to be successful in the long run – even though the odds are low and declining.
"So strategically, it was a bad issue to go full-Turei on."
Depends what the strategy was. If the strategy was to purge all the older Green politicians whose focus was on environment and poverty, then the strategy was successful.
If the strategy was about poverty, then the decision to make Turei's public announcement, should have anticipated the obvious pushback and have had strategies and stories ready to counteract that push. They didn't. They instead murmured "How sad, how terrible…" and used her as a signal that they were not ALL benefit bludgers.
"Probably not. Remember Izzy Cook from a few days ago and remember XR in the UK getting criticism for disrupting working class people from getting to work and earning a crust. "
This is not about raising the issue. The SS4C incident was about non-preparation, and the XR targets are sometimes off the mark. Disruption (and possible harm) to random members of the public, is smug at best, alienating at worst. There are multiple targets of those in power, that are ignored.
Acknowledge those mistakes, learn from them and move on.
We're pretty keen on Shaw in our network. There isn't a Labour equivalent.
In 2023 Greens should state whether they are going to be part of government. That would show the commitment we'd need.
I'd be very surprised if that wasn't their position, and if they didn't make it very clear. It's what they do in election year.
They need to state not just which of Labour or National they'd prefer, or just "confidence and supply" from the crossbenches.
They need to be all in. That would tell me they are prepared.
Then they are prepared. See 7.3.3
No that is James Shaw is prepared. Pretty big difference.
I'm looking for a stated intent to be in coalition government.
Linking to the Greens at their flakiest is a bad idea if you want Labour people to come over.
As co-leader James Shaw represents and speaks for the party. "firmed up 'their strategy' to back Labour in 2023…the Greens can improve Ms Ardern's government' That is a stated intent to be in coalition government with Labour.
"Can improve" is by no means the same as "will commit to joining coalition"
Shaw is on record from your own link about how his own members distrust being in government. Hes also on record acknowledging he hasn’t taken key activists with him. That is why the confirmation of ‘go into government’ is a long way from ‘can improve’.
I’d say he’s learnt that the hard way.
"Some old-school activists want the Greens to rip up the deal and campaign in opposition" However..
"There's absolutely no appetite amongst our voters for change of government"
"There are (Greens) who are concerned at the compromises associated with being in government … and that you could, from a place of opposition, be more effective by shifting public opinion and putting pressure on the political system.
"I sit at the other end of the spectrum. And I think the majority of members do. As a political party, our job is to get into government and to make change that way."
Julie Anne Genter backs Shaw saying "If we were polling four per cent and climate change wasn't an issue people were concerned about, I would be like, 'This is not working, we need to walk away from the agreement'…"Things are looking pretty good. It's looking like the plan is working"
Prepared for what?
Every election the Greens reiterate that they won't form govt with National. It's a decision made at the membership level, not something the caucus can change (technically I think there is some way they could but it would be suicide). Afaik it would be something that went through and AGM.
So it's a given that the only government formation option is Labour.
As for the cross-benches, unless there is some unforseen turn of events, as I said above, I think it's highly unlikely that the Greens would go into an election doing anything other than affirming they want to be in government with Labour.
That's not a free ride for Labour mind, it's an intention that if the numbers are there this is the GP preference. They will want to be a part of the government with Ministers and shit, and that stuff gets worked out post-election.
Prepared to commit.
Don't give me your bullshit about "free ride". The Greens have done nothing but free ride off Labour for years.
If the Greens want to attract Labour voters, they have most of next year how to do it.
your regular reactionary antipathy towards the Greens aside, you were asking for commitment, and I was pointing out that the Greens aren't going to guarantee support for Labour. It will depend on numbers and what happens in the election. Just like with any other party.
But, for the third time: GP won't go with Nat, they will support a Lab govt, they're already committed to this. It's a long play from the Greens and it started before Labour were on board. It's not a guarantee, because the GP will have to see what's on the table. Just like any other party.
And, the Green Party (ie members) has a lot of say in what happens. Shaw can't decide how things go.
'Mr Shaw said the leadership debate firmed up their strategy to back Labour in 2023, arguing the Greens can improve Ms Ardern's government'.
https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7905703/nz-greens-back-ardern-labour-at-2023-poll/
Not likely to get an actual intent to be in government with Labour until close to election day.
'firmed up their strategy to back Labour in 2023' is pretty clear.
Good for left or right alignment, nothing more.
If Shaw wants to bring Labour voters over the fence he knows he'll need to be more convincing. Let alone more convincing to his own Delegates.
I thought winning 97% of the vote was convincing.
'Mr Shaw is taking his return to the co-leadership less as a personal victory, and more as a show of support for his approach to politics'.
One of the strengths of the Greens used to be that they were not addicted to the sinecures of power, which let them maintain the coherence of their policies without compromise. I associate that stance more with Jeanette than with Metiria, for all that I approved of her initiative.
I stopped supporting the Greens as they abandoned environmental issues for social stances probably better left to Labour: migration & gender activism that negatively impact ordinary New Zealanders.
who will you vote for then if not the Greens?
I may not vote at all.
I require better options than these.
Can you please explain that further?
The entitlement is strong in these thieving pricks.
The British royal family has given broadcasters in the UK a deadline of today to pick just one hour of footage they would like to keep for future use from the Queen’s funeral and the King’s proclamation ceremony, despite the fact that millions of people already saw it all livestreamed on several platforms, according to a new report from the Guardian.
[…]
Where does that leave online coverage, something you’d assume could live on the web forever? The royal family already had at least five short clips from the Queen’s memorial and funeral services at Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle purged from UK media websites, according to the Guardian, though longer streams still survive for those who know where to look.
[…]
No, the royal family would like to make sure you don’t see things like King Charles III impatiently making one of his servants take away a pen holder at the desk where he proclaimed himself king. In the video, which went viral on social media, Charles looks like an entitled prick, which is precisely the kind of video the royal family doesn’t want circulating after losing the queen—a woman often compared to a neighborly grandmother and a much softer image for a group of people who are hoarding immense stolen wealth.
https://gizmodo.com/uk-bbc-censor-weird-royals-king-charles-queen-elizabeth-1849579697
So this happened in Italy, whilst Poland has already gone their, Spain looks next, then probably Sweden. So these guys are on our side? Then who the hell are we? As far right and post fascist as them?
It's a fascist love in, on one side this mob, on the other the Russians.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/brothers-of-italy-neo-fascist-group-wins-big-in-italy/BWVZTQLAB3Q5ESYPNELOBO4RUU/
We're going to have to engage with all remaining democracies, while they are still democracies.
It's not like there's a global expansion in the left or in democracy itself.
Really want to ignore South America and central Africa their Ad? Left wing governments all over the place, looks like even Brazil may go back to the hard left.
Left+Democratic that's the trouble.
Neither stable in South America, certainly unstable in combo.
Meloni is connected to Bannon. They were interviewed together by The Guardian in 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX2twSMMdHs&t=773s
Seems like no one has posted this in the Open Mike for the last few days – a piece by Al Jazeera about the Corbyn-era anti-Semitism crisis in the UK's Labour party:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/25/what-really-happened-during-labours-anti-semitism-crisis
I have listened to/watched two and a half hours of this so far. It is crystal clear that Corbyn (who has fought racism all of his political life) was ousted by shady and ruthless pro-Israel people and groups, and that this has the blessing of Starmer.
If I was back living in the UK Starmer's Labour would never get my vote.
Brilliant work by aljazeera.
What did Malcolm X say again…
“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
Malcolm X was spot on with that.
Yes – it shows two things – Israel has no problem with stymying democratic representation in other countries.
And Starmer is a treacherous pos with about as many redeeming features as Roger Douglas.
Corbyn only ever had one chance – to catch everyone by surprise in 2017. Having got close in 2017, he was never going to get another opportunity. The vilification ramped up after that. If he'd won in 2017, it would have been riveting to see how far the establishment went to remove him and whether they would have disgraced themselves by botching it somehow. Though the metronomic precision of the Queen's funeral suggests that the execution would have been near-flawless.
On the same page..there..
"Experts say ditching concrete and creating mini wetlands could help water systems cope better with effects of extreme weather"
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/25/flood-gardens-to-combat-drought-and-biodiversity-loss-says-natural-england
"People should flood their gardens and create bogs in order to stop the effects of drought and reverse biodiversity loss, according to the head of Natural England.
Tony Juniper, who leads the government quango, said that concreted-over front gardens, and backyards which do not hold much water, could contribute to sewage spills into waterways as surface water runs off the hard or dry surfaces.
He recommended that people turn their gardens into wetlands, which can hold water and prevent run-off. This would also create habitats for many creatures."
I doubt spying was the issue.
https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1574423072400375809
Japan’s government on Monday banned the export of materials that may be used for chemical weapons to 21 Russian organizations, including science laboratories. The measure was approved by the Cabinet following a decision by Group of Seven foreign ministers last week.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-japan-global-trade-nuclear-weapons-81f3a7fdd121028852ec58f0ca5fd2af
I suppose they will edit and correct eventually, but this is the level of accuracy you get from the NZ Herald online:
Another political opinion poll is due out tonight, the 1 News Kantar poll, which in August had National on 48 per cent and Labour on 44 per cent.
Wrong and wrong. Hopeless.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pm-jacinda-ardern-speaks-to-media-after-cabinet-meets/EKYW5Z47CPCXMU5CHW2XYC7PB4/
Ha – the NZ Herald, typing one Key to the right, as per usual.
If this is as reported (and I have no good reason to doubt it), I find it absolutely shocking
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/police-used-false-information-to-access-powerful-network-of-surveillance-cameras/BEVYOQHF3N5VAED3CD7LXSPTAU/?c_id=1&objectid=12554548&ref=rss
I expect our Police to act within the law – rather than illegally gaining access to surveillance cameras in an attempt to track people by reporting a non-existent crime.
I'm 100% with Roberson on this one.
While I recognized the desire of the police, at the time, to track people they believed were breaching the quarantine regulations – there are legal avenues for them to follow to achieve this goal.
Its a bad look alright but to be fair to the police, it was the beginning of the pandemic which was a time of uncertainty and fear because nobody knew at that point what the outcome was going to be. The police were on the front line and it must have been a stressful time. That’s when mistakes are made.
My guess is, they believed the situation warranted an immediate response regardless of other considerations because of that uncertainty.
As it turned out the whole emotively charged drama was unnecessary because the young women had been given permission to enter Northland – albeit as it turned out erroneously. I have some compassion for the person who made the mistake in the first place. They must have felt terrible and probably hid under a rock for a few weeks. 😯
It's a bridge too far for me, Anne.
If the police can choose not to abide by the law, then how can we condemn the criminals for doing the same thing?
They had legal alternatives – to achieve the same goal (tracking the people they believed at the time were illegal quarantine evaders) – and chose not to use them.
We can be kind, and put that down to the stress of the pandemic. But when the first reaction is to break the law, rather than find a way to achieve your goals within the law, you have to wonder at the culture.
Fair enough. Don't think it will happen again.
In London they camped out for the Funeral, here we camp out to be first into Costco
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/camping-out-at-costco-fans-plan-to-get-to-west-auckland-early-ahead-of-opening-day/WBQEEKWRYWLJKAJQKN6QNUL2WY/?c_id=1&objectid=12554833&ref=rss
The insanity of consumerism…..
Costco is really not a premium venue. It is a discounter, offering (hopefully) cheaper alternatives. To the extent that it weakens the supermarket duopoly, that may be a good thing – but Costcos success is emblematic of the failure of neoliberalism to be the rising tide that lifts all boats. Kiwis need discounters because of the gross and sustained failure of Rogergnomics. It has utterly failed.
Yes – the same way that so many people need the cheap imported stuff at The Warehouse because they no longer work in well-paying jobs in local manufacturing or the like, but instead in minimum wage hospitality and retail jobs in places like The Warehouse. i.e. we need what it provides only because it exists in the first place.
How much is the member ship fee?
$60/yr.- Membership
Random recent NZ article about benefits:
https://www.thehits.co.nz/the-latest/here-are-four-expert-tips-for-getting-your-moneys-worth-from-costco-in-new-zealand/
Oh boy. a membership fee to get access to discount food distribution center. We have out progressed us. Aldi on steroids.
You also have to be afford to buy (and be able to store and use within the product lifespan) quite large batches of goods.
It might make financial sense for large families and/or people clubbing together to group purchase (as some currently do for Gilmores, etc.).
It's also possible that small retail (dairies, etc.) might be able to shop there, rather than at supermarkets (I know that there's discussion about wholesale access for retail shops – but I remain deeply cynical that it will ever eventuate).
I find our local 'Reduced to Clear' good – nice round trip walk of ~90 minutes earlier today. Not a substitute for supermarket shopping, but an inexpensive supplement.
I shop at one as well – though not within walking distance – about 20 minutes drive away. I bundle a trip there every month or so, with other necessary road trips in that direction.
It's a bit like op-shopping – you never know what is going to turn up on sale.
I think having Costco here is a good thing for many reasons.
If we're to let corporations take over we could do a lot worse, like Amazon.
"Costco is often cited as one of the world’s most ethical companies. It has been called a “testimony to ethical capitalism” in large part due to its company practices and treatment of employees."
https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/case-study/the-costco-model
"Our research highlights many ethical issues for Amazon, including climate change, environmental reporting, habitats & resources, pollutions and toxics, arms & military supply, human rights, worker's rights, supply chain management, irresponsible marketing, animal rights, animal testing, factory farming, use of controverial technologies, political activies, and anti-social finance."
https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/company-profile/amazoncom-inc
I haven't done any research into Costco and/or whether or not it's a good thing for our economic environment.
I suspect there are arguments both ways.
It was the idea of people queueing to be first through the doors which struck me as bizarre. Perhaps I'm just not queue minded 😉
Yeah I get that. Some people love being first in though. And the promise of reduced prices in these trying times, pretty attractive…
Or (Satire) a damning indictment of DOC's park upkeep, that people would rather go camping in shop doorways.
Costco already sells NZ goods in their stores offshore, and now they're here, will be checking out what else we've got. That's good for our producers and manufacturers. Meanwhile providing good jobs with good prospects and good money.
Whereas Amazon is good for NZ like a boa constrictor is good for rodents.