No Right Turn’s take on Natz and NZ First bene bashing:
“But then, its not supposed to make sense, let alone work. It's just supposed to be performatively cruel, to attract the votes of vicious arseholes who can only feel good from the suffering of those "below" them. And when some other government has to clean up the resulting social mess, that's all the better, because that can then be criticised as "cuddles" and "waste", and they're off for another round on the cruelty wagon.”
Nothing like some raw meat for the tory faithful–a good old Bennie Bash usually suffices to get them snarling. In reality in the 21st century punitive, sadistic, welfare should be done away with and replaced with a basic income for all citizens, abated by tax as you earn more.
Unemployment is not a moral failure–it is an intentional feature of capitalism and finance capital to put downward pressure on wages and worker organisation and fight backs. Even if there are some who do not want to work who could blame them with such an ugly system of exploitation?
The funny old thing with a lot of Natzos who demonise other citizens is that they are “Bennies” too, on National Superannuation and Winter Heating payments.
One thing is for sure old torys always vote, whether driven to the booth or tottering in on walking frames. That will be the tragedy of this Election–alienation and low voter turnout from younger people and those living off shore.
Some seem to be salivating for the oppression that the Epson Twerker wants to visit on fellow AO/NZers including Māori especially–but mark these words–we are in for some heavy duty social unrest and anarchy.
Ten days ago in an interview with ACT’s David Seymour, Jack Tame pointed out that last year 4,000 benefit cases were investigated for fraud, of those just 33 resulted in criminal prosecutions. We spent $50 million investigating benefit fraud in that period and found total over payments of only $2.3 million.
Asked to provide evidence sanctions could help support beneficiaries into work, she referred to the WEAG's report: "One of their comments in their conclusion says they can be effective in encouraging movement from benefits to work".
The report itself does not appear to say this, however.
And Luxon…
Luxon told Morning Report that it was not fair to say this was a policy that was getting tough on beneficiaries, instead of being based on evidence.
"But economists have criticised the policy, saying the revenue assumptions are unrealistic. National wants to get $2.9 billion from the tax over four years to fund its $14.6b tax plan. But economists warn the actual revenue could come in $2.1 billion short"
Over 4 years the foreign house buyers tax is short $2.1 billion according to most economists. It will probably only raise $210m per year not $740m. (4 x $530m=$2.12 billion).
But what the Herald isn't saying is that there are other massive holes in the tax plan that will require huge cuts in public services, benefits etc for it to be funded.
And how is National going to fund its proposed, and chronically expensive, 13 major road projects?
He [Luxon] did not answer when asked whether he believed Peters would allow the tax to survive coalition negotiations.
“I am very confident we will deliver low- and middle-income tax relief. People out there who are waking up this morning, slogging their guts out, going off to work, paying their taxes, getting their kids to school, taking on a second job, cannot get ahead,” he said.
Luxon then said he would actually be doing his foreign buyers’ tax.
Luxon seems concerned about the plight of low-income Kiwis (if not the "bottom feeders") – but the Willux tax relief package massively favours the already wealthy?
Luxon does have several eggs in the investment property basket, so re-heating the property market would suit him, and some wealthy Nat donors, down to the ground. Bloody pirates – bottom feeders the lot of them.
If Luxon can pay for his tax cuts without the foreign buyers tax, what then is the purpose of allowing foreign buyers back? The answer seems simple: to re-inflate the housing market, reward existing property owners with unearned net wealth increases, and make landlordism a sure bet.
as the person that wrote the post, I’m suggesting that we don’t have a fight between lefties under a post encouraging people to vote left.
The term cooker does get used as a pejorative on TS. I agree with gsays that this is a problem. While the origins of the word aren’t pejorative, the term itself sounds like a slur and it now gets used in that way. Soft weaponising.
this is certainly one of the issues that the left has in winning this election. They will vote NZF instead and it's game over if NZF get above 5%.
I really don't understand this liberal idea that the left can afford to say only the people we approve of should vote left. It's just not possible to win elections that way. We're in the minority, we need swing and centrist voters.
Where our hope lies is in providing good examples of progressive and inclusive culture so that people can see our values matter and we walk the talk. This is how we will convince mainstream NZ to move left again. Ostracising people simply reduces the pool of people who can become progressive. And in the case of the Freedom movement people, it pushes them to the right and FR.
There's an image..urrgh! . I had thought bask as in, an old..lion, well past his prime..making friendly with hyenas ?. Hmm.. No that was the Lion King movie
)
I would be expecting Peters to be front and centre in meeting the protestors (on prime-time TV). And doing what he does so well acknowledging their 'pain' (while not actually promising to do anything at all about it).
Man never met a PR media op that he didn't like.
He'll be hoping that this one garners him an extra 1% of votes…..
National's desire to bring back its "three strikes" penal policy finds a parallel in its desire to bring in a "traffic light" system (basically just a variant on three strikes) to punish those naughty bennies who don't want to work
We have Louise Upston on Morning Report yesterday saying that traffic light system is very necessary even though her party thinks that 85% of beneficiaries are abiding by the rules. She then brings up some example of work shy beneficiaries turning up to job interviews in their pyjamas, obviously looking to be rejected for the job.
So it is necessary to start swinging the cosh because 15% buck the system? If it was, say, over 50% then perhaps you might think its justifiable but 15%? Well f…. me, how bad is that? pretty low really, but it isn't good enough for National, they are prepared to make all beneficiaries feel like leeches because of a few that play up.
National also fails to consider the consequences of the traffic lights policy. Who will ultimately suffer? It won't be the indolent themselves, it will be their dependants. I guess there would be a fair number of Work and Income staff who will sigh with frustration with National's announced policy. Deja vu.
National will give us three strikes, traffic lights and faster cars.
And that, apparently, is the main thing. But why continue to insist that we should take Willis and Luxon at their word, when they've clearly been caught out trying to scam the voters.
Foreign Buyers Tax: A Mismatch Between Expectations and Reality The Importance of Transparent Policymaking
While the shortfall in the proposed tax revenue may not significantly impact the government deficits, it serves as a testament to the politicians’ approach to policy making and their transparency in responding to criticism. Even though the National party, being an opposition party, may not have the same resources as the Government to form its policy, critics argue that it should invest in thorough analysis using the donations it receives.
Hmm – donations the Nats receive. Might relaxing the ban on foreigners buying Kiwi homes be a way of rewarding the donors?
DKM National haven't been honest on the state of the economy their costings for the Wellsford Tuhoi highway at $2.3 billion is $2 billion short plus with annual maintenence at$400 million to keep this slip prone section open with climate change bringing floods once every other year making this road uneconomical and unaffordable!Police numbers increasing by only 77 per year National are cutting police numbers per head of population.National are lying every body needs to be talking about Nationals spin.
How many foreign buyers are going to pay 20% above market price.Then Winston will cancel that plus Nationals tax cuts
National are painting themselves into a corner,Now Luxon is blabbering loudly but not answering any questions.looking less trustable as the campaign goes on.
Predictably Western media/govt recent whitewashing of the well known Far Right extremist elements within both the Ukrainian military and politics, ends up with the Canadian House of Commons, including Trudeau, giving several standing ovations to a former member of the Nazi 14th Waffen SS Division ‘Galicia’…a Ukrainian Volunteer (80,000+) unit, commanded by several notorious German SS commanders, a unit well known for it’s outrageous brutality against both civilians and prisoners.
Also predictably, The Guardian piece on this sordid affair today only mentions the Polish civilians massacred by these monsters once, then spends almost the rest of the article focused on the Jewish civilians massacred…make of that what you will.
Then of course, true to form, The Guardian concludes its piece with this none too subtle ‘don't worry, some Nazi’s are alright’ deflection…
“On the issue of the Galicia division, the commission’s head, Jules Deschênes, ruled that members “should not be indicted as a group”. “The members of Galicia division were individually screened for security purposes before admission to Canada. Charges of war crimes of Galicia division have never been substantiated, either in 1950 when they were first preferred, or in 1984 when they were renewed, or before this commission.”
WHITEWASHING THE SS: THE ATTEMPT TO RE-WRITE THE HISTORY OF HITLER’S COLLABORATORS
“The 14th Division of the Ukrainian SS surrounded the village Huta Pieniacka from three sides,” the report to Poland’s government- in-exile explained. “The people were gathered in the church or shot in the houses. Those gathered in the church – men, women and children – were taken outside in groups, children killed in front of their parents. Some men and women were shot in the cemetery, others were gathered in barns where they were shot.”
As we all know…'You lay down with dogs you get up with fleas'…..the staff at the Guardian are so infested with fleas now, that it is the readers of that rag who should probably now start worrying about getting itchy.
Thank you for posting Adrian, the story reminds me of the Ukranian Azov nazis who forced over a hundred Russian speaking Ukrainians into the building in Odessa, set fire to it and shot those trying to escape the flames in 2014. I notice the Ukraine supporters have gone very quiet on here since things turned out so badly with the so called counter offensive and the realization that 85 percent of the Worlds population support Russia in their fight against the empire of lies aka USA.
That Odessa fire you refer to was started within the building by those who were inside, by spilling materials they brought inside with them.
As for the counteroffensive going badly, it IS going – and going persistently, which is impressive considering the lack of air support and the terrible conditions.
Lastly I think there's a better contender for the 'empire of lies' title than the USA.
Coventrie you are either a liar or very badly misinformed in regards to Odessa, Name another empire that lies like USA, there are none. If you are interested in the actual situation with the counter offensive I suggest you listen to Larry Davidson an ex CIA analyst or retired and decorated Colonel Douglas MacGregor phd or Ray McGovern another ex CIA analyst, all of whom have good intel and analysis of the SMO.
The scramble to exonerate Waffen SS has been illuminating
It's all about Holodomor you see.
Apparently not only were the Russians responsible for that, but children and babies of Roma,Poles and Jews also had to pay the price and be barbarically slaughtered , in ways that turned the hardened stomachs of even German Nazis
Will read all your comments as such from here on out nazi.
[And here we are again.
Will read all your comments as such from here on out nazi.
Reading is all you will be doing for a week because your last few comments have been nothing but name calling and ‘pig-fucker’ accusations that can no longer be considered robust debate and only as attempts to flame – Incognito]
"I am very happy to support Ukraine if you think that makes me a Nazi apologist is all i can say."
You are in good company, one of your fellow war-porn enthusiasts commented how happy they were that young Russian soldiers were being killed. In the same missive they claimed to be progressive!
Barfly we are part of the club of 85 percent of the Worlds population who recognize Americas role in the Ukraine tragedy. Do you know who Victoria Nuland is and her role in the 2014 coup against the democratically elected Government of Viktor Yanukovych? She boasted about spending 6 billion dollars to bring about regime change there, She has killed the Country and NZ is assisting USA in Ukraine.
Well Tony shouldn't you be celebrating the the 83rd year since the USSR eliminated 22,000 Polish Nazis Army Officers, Policemen and members of the 'gasp' intelligentsia. In the non-russophile world it was called.
Well Barfly, shouldn't you be celebrating NATOs brutal and murderous invasion of Libya? Why on earth are you suggesting I would celebrate such an atrocity. You do understand that the USSR no longer exists right? Let's stick to the topic instead of muddying the waters with nonsense ..
The Nazi Party ceased to exist 78 years ago that doesn't seem to stop you from yodelling "Nazi" all day long and your fawning sychophantic russophilia is an exercise in delusion IMO.
Oh and by the way it’s a f***ing War no matter what Putin the tiny calls it
It was a tad bewildering a day or so ago to read about ok Nazi's and not ok ones.
I was tempted to offer the idea that the only bad ones were at the Wellies occupation and at Posie Parker rallies. I figured it would have added more heat than light though…
"Our examination of Labour’s various policy commitments confirms that the line-by-line costings provided to Infometrics can be met within the fiscal settings outlined in PREFU," the economics consultancy firm said."
As for National's plans, we have this. One economist, Brad Olsen, who says that their plans could work bur also the figures of their critics are also realistic. Other economists have critical doubts.
The other great difference is that National's figures are still not released for scrutiny. We have to rely on Willis and Luxon's credibility…….
Willis also said Infometrics economist Brad Olsen believed the estimates were plausible while other economists shared the party's view that taxing foreign buyers would be a good thing to do.
Olsen has told RNZ today National's costings could be made to work by assuming a much larger proportion of foreign buyers purchase $2m-plus properties, however, the figures provided by the economists challenging the costings were also "realistic".
Perhaps in the next year or so if NAct-NZF are the Government, it will be too late for the voters to complain that the then Govt is way out with its numbers. "Ooops," mutters Nicola. "It didn't work out quite the way we said but never mind. We will work out a different plan." And after a brief mumble the voters will move on.
To not disclose their figures means they do not trust them, or they have manipulated or manufactured the numbers. That is cynical because they do not fear the consequences of their dishonesty. They think they can get away with it. To disclose their figures would show their economic incompetence at best, their dishonesty and real intent at worst.
When you’ve maxed the mortgage, the credit card, the HP and even the pay day lender is no longer interested, at least you can always fall back on Labours fiscal plan.
And when you've taken the piss and had your little laugh, there remains that little problem that Labour's plan is tenable and verified independently, whereas National's plan is still on the back of an envelope somewhere it deserves to be- in a rubbish bin, presumably, because we haven't seen it.
The 6th Labour government has made some efforts to keep inequality in check.
Has Labour worsened inequality? [13 June 2023]
There is no neat story to say that Labour has increased or decreased inequality, in toto – but then life is not much given to neat stories. Instead, a narrative can be pieced together from a few key strands.
First, income poverty has clearly decreased overall, thanks in large part to the billions poured into the welfare system, although life is probably worse for the very poorest. Second, income disparities between the rich and the rest have fallen, although perhaps less so if capital gains were included. Third, the Covid response was a mixed bag, inequality-wise.
And, fourth, the government has not, any more than its predecessors, managed to solve the problems of the housing market, with the consequence that wealth inequality has – at a minimum – not improved, and in some specific senses worsened. Labour’s record has been, in a word, imperfect – but also, in the round, rather better than most of its critics, and popular opinion, would currently allow.
Some wealthy Kiwis (e.g. Luxon, Willis, NAct donors) will be absolutely wetting themselves at the prospect of more wealth flowing their way under a NAct govt.
Aotearoa top 10 in global inequality index, but tax system’s inequality impact 136th [12 October 2022]
“The inequality index shows Aotearoa is doing pretty well overall, but there is still work to be done. The fact that rich and poor countries alike have exacerbated an explosion of economic inequality since the outbreak of the pandemic from 2020 is unacceptable.
…
“Tax is one of the most powerful tools we have to fight inequality. It is disappointing to see New Zealand’s tax system contributing to the gap between the rich and poor. Especially in these extraordinary times, tax is crucial to boosting government resources to support welfare systems and public services.
Almost unnoticed amongst National's hamfisted promises to reduce red tape is one to scrap laws around the Conduct of Financial Institutions Act. This act is basically to put a brake on unethical or poor conduct of financial institutions and insurance companies.
By RNZ's figures some $150 million has been refunded to customers because of this important piece of legislation. Although not specifically stated, I would reckon a large part of this would be the rip off instance finance high interest lenders who had a field day ripping off the desperate before it was enacted.
Now National wants to scrap it. Obviously National does not care about ethical business and has no interest in protecting the vulnerable from rip off merchants.
I hope Labour and the Greens will pick up on this.
National's pathetic tough on Crime while only adding 300 police over 4 years that's a decrease in police numbers as population increase is much bigger.
Population increase at about 100,000 per year that is much less police per head given 77 per 100,000 means 1 extra police per 12,300 people which means less police per head of population.
I think National are banking on a mass exodus starting 15 October to Australia and further overseas , sending back 501s, Australian criminals in NZ, as well as out of work civil servants, rugby and netball coaches, pyjama-wearing beneficiaries, road-cone manufacturers, shearers, shepherds, woke socialists, virtue-signallers, vegans and the gluten-intolerant.
Invited in will be foreign home buyers, so long as they don't live here, apocalypse avoiders, American hidey-hole seekers, mates, one percenters seeking fresh opportunities for wealth, plunder and tax breaks, and consumers of MacDonalds, Starbucks and Kentucky Fries.
Notice how heavily Nact depend on the people's feelings that crime is bad. This is aided by Media playing loud and detailed about the crimes. And after the Election there will be a backpeddling. Crime will get "better" because the gangs can't wear patches. Will it count if patches are smaller or in tattoos?
And of course that is why they can't produce the numbers for their tax cuts. Neither the numbers not the logic actually exist or if they do, they must be kept hidden because they will prove the exact opposite outcome to what the Nats are claiming.
And talking of crime… there's a major incident underway in the vicinity of the Lincoln Rd offramp on Auckland's north western motorway. Gun shots are being exchanged according to witnesses.
That'll have NAct's and NZ First's hearts beating with excitement.
The past 15 years have actually seen a dramatic decline in youth crime, which the Ministry of Justice classifies as criminal offences by anyone under the age of 17.
In 2007, over 5000 young people in Aotearoa were charged for crimes. Last year that had fallen to 1416 individuals – a 78% drop.
A “big debate” about "the technical numbers" eh? If only.
'Poor' Nicola can't even justify her working for the Nat's projected revenue from their 15% foreign buyer tax scam – if anyone still believes her numbers then they probably also believe Willis will resign as promised.
I would like to see some of Robert Reichs youtube videos on inequality corporate monopolization etc.How the Rich are playing the squeezed middle classes for fools.
Sorry, I can't find the link, but apparently the Medical General Practices are in dire straits due to chronic under-funding which has gone on for years according to Newshub's leading story this evening. So, c.mon Chippy – revisit your tax policy, and bring in a decent wealth tax, PLEASE.
Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
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Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
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One of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...
Buzz from the Beehive The new government was being sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found …. Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...
Michael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...
The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item: Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki: “Section ...
A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on FridayRoutinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023. Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chiefExclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website,Point of Order turned today to Scoop’sLatest Parliament Headlines for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
“And there’ll be no shortage of ‘events’ to test Luxon’s political skills. David Seymour wants a referendum on the Treaty. Winston wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Labour’s handling of the Covid crisis. Talk about cans of worms!”LAURIE AND LES were very fond of their local. It was nothing ...
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Misinformation is debated everywhere and has justifiably sparked concerns. It can polarise the public, reduce health-protective behaviours such as mask wearing and vaccination, and erode trust in science. Much of misinformation is spread not ...
A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is not even an entry in Wikipedia. ...
So New Zealand has a brand-spanking new right-wing government. Not just any new government either. A formal majority coalition, of the sort last seen in 1996-1998 (our governmental arrangements for the past quarter of a century have been varying flavours of minority coalition or single-party minority, with great emphasis ...
And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the tree with its gold ribbon but can turn out to be nothing more than a big box holding a voucher for socks, so it ...
So, after weeks of negotiations, we finally have a government, with a three-party cabinet and a time-sharing deputy PM arrangement. Newsroom's Marc Daalder has put the various coalition documents online, and I've been reading through them. A few things stand out: Luxon doesn't want to do any work, ...
Nothing says strong and stable like having your government announcement delayed by a day because one of your deputies wants to remind everyone, but mostly you, who wears the trousers. It was all a bit embarrassing yesterday with the parties descending on Wellington before pulling out of proceedings. There are ...
Winston Peters will be Deputy PM for the first half of the Coalition Government’s three-year term, with David Seymour being Deputy PM for the second half. Photo montage by Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR:PM-Elect Christopher Luxon has announced the formation of a joint National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government with a ...
THERE ARE SOME SONGS that seem to come from a place that is at once in and out of the world. Written by men and women who, for a brief moment, are granted access to that strange, collective compendium of human experience that comes from, and belongs to, all the ...
By scrapping Aotearoa’s world-leading smokefree laws, this government is sacrificing Māori lives to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. Not only is this plan revolting, but it doesn’t add up. Treasury has estimated that the reversal of smokefree laws to pay for tax cuts will cost our health system $5.25bn, ...
Figures showing National needs to find another $900 million for landlords highlights the mess this coalition Government is in less than a week into the job. ...
Community organisations, mana whenua and the Greens have written to the incoming Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to call for the progression without delay of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill. ...
"On behalf of the Labour Party I would like to congratulate Christopher Luxon on his appointment as Prime Minister,” Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
NZ First has gotten their wish to ‘take our country back’ to the 1800s with a policy program that will white-wash Aotearoa and erase tangata whenua rights. By disestablishing the Māori Health Authority this Government has condemned Māori to die seven years earlier than Pākehā. By removing Treaty obligations from ...
Te Pāti Māori have called for the resignation of the Ministry of Foreign and Trade chief executive Chris Seed following his decision to erase te reo Māori from government communications. While the country still waits for a new government to be formed, Mr Seed took it upon himself to undermine ...
The New Zealand Labour Party is urgently calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel to put a halt to the appalling attacks and violence, so that a journey to a lasting peace can begin, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alistair Woodward, Professor, School of Population Health, University of Auckland Climate change has many effects, but one of the most significant will feature for the first time at COP28 – its impact on human health. Now under way in Dubai, the latest ...
Commenting on proposals to reduce Auckland’s refuse collection from weekly to fortnightly, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman, Jordan Williams, said: “Auckland Council’s finances are in dire straits, and clearly serious savings need to be ...
Former National cabinet minister Hekia Parata has resigned from the Royal Commission into the Covid-19 pandemic. She departed the commission on November 15, ahead of the formation of the new government but after the overall election result was known. The National-led coalition has announced it will look to introduce a ...
E tū, the biggest private sector union in Aotearoa New Zealand, is shocked to learn that the National Party’s coalition agreement with ACT would see planned tax breaks for landlords brought forward, costing at least $900 million according to analysis ...
RNZ political reporter Katie Scotcher, Newhub's political editor Jenna Lynch, and the New Zealand Herald's deputy political editor, Thomas Coughlan discuss the coalition government's first week in charge. ...
On Tuesday, MPs will be required to pledge an oath of allegiance to ‘ His Majesty King Charles the Third, His heirs and successors’ before they can be officially sworn into Parliament. This is symbolic of the colonial power that Parliament places ...
Auckland’s new professional football franchise has less than a year to assemble a squad that’s not just competitive, but capable of winning over the city’s fickle fans. Whose signatures should they be hunting?Professional football is returning to Auckland. Billionaire American businessman Bill Foley, owner of NHL champions the Las ...
As a new climate loss and damage fund is operationalised on the first day of the COP28 UN climate conference, Greenpeace Aotearoa is condemning the New Zealand Government’s decision to restart offshore fossil fuel exploration, which will only lead to more ...
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists have settled their pay negotiations with Te Whatu Ora ending months of bargaining and industrial action. More than 90 per cent of polled ASMS members voted to accept Te Whatu Ora’s latest pay offer ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists and media workers have criticised comments made by Aotearoa New Zealand’s newly-elected Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters — who claimed that a 2020 Labour government media funding initiative constituted “bribery” — as a threat to media freedom. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reports that it ...
ANALYSIS:By Tristan Dunning, University of Queensland, and Martin Kear, University of Sydney While the world remains fixated on the devastating October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, there has been a pronounced — and mostly unnoticed — escalation in violence against Palestinians in ...
ANALYSIS:By Terence Wood In the wake of New Zealand’s recent election, and subsequent coalition negotiations, Winston Peters has emerged as New Zealand’s Foreign Minister again. I’ve never been able to adequately explain why a populist politician leading a party called New Zealand First would have an interest in a ...
NZME, the owners of the Herald, has been fined close to $200,000 after a “magnetic puzzle toy” sold through its Grabone service was deemed to be unsafe. The fine is an increase on the $88,000 penalty previous imposed by the court after the Commerce Commission appealed the decision. In a ...
On Saturday 2 December, pro-choice supporters will rally and march to defend abortion rights and to counter anti-choice conservatives. The rally starts at 1pm at Te Aro Park (Dixon/Manners) with speakers in the Park before marching. ...
The Reserve Bank surprised everyone this week by warning it may have to raise interest rates again to force inflation down, effectively eliminating the prospect of major mortgage rate cuts over the coming summer. In this week’s episode of When the Facts Change, Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr joins Bernard ...
Ōtepoti supporters of Restore Passenger Rail will slowly walk from the Railway Station to the Octagon on Monday morning, in support of their campaign’s demands that the new Government restores a nationwide passenger rail service and provides ...
Dame Jacinda Ardern observed after she stood down as Prime Minister that "Government isn’t just what you do, it's how you make people feel". While an interesting insight into how she viewed the purpose of government (and, some would argue, an ...
As the show prepares for its final episode, we look back at some of the weird and wonderful moments from the last six years of The Project NZ. The Project NZ burst into the 7pm slot in February 2017, and has since served us everything from Lizzo’s opinion on cheese ...
J Day Is Auckland’s Annual Celebration Of Our Kiwi Cannabis Culture And A Protest Against Prohibition, Held In Albert Park Every Year Since 1992. NORML and friends presents the 31st Annual J Day, usually held on the first Saturday in May every year ...
E Tipu e Rea Whānau Services are deeply concerned at the new Government's plan to scrap Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. As an organisation that works with teenage parents and their tamariki who have a history of state intervention, we know ...
Auckland is considering a move that would reduce kerbside rubbish collections to once a fortnight. It’s part of a council plan to drastically reduce the amount of rubbish produced by households, supported by the recent city-wide rollout of food scrap bins expected to reduce up to 41% of bin contents by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mike W. Morley, Associate Professor and Director, Flinders Microarchaeology Laboratory, Flinders University In June, researchers led by palaeoanthropologist Lee Berger published sensational claims about an extinct human species called Homo naledi online and in the Netflix documentary Unknown: Cave of Bones. They ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Merja Myllylahti, Senior Lecturer, Co-Director Research Centre for Journalism, Media & Democracy, Auckland University of Technology According to a recent survey by the News Media Association, 90% of editors in the United Kingdom “believe that Google and Meta pose an existential threat ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Scott, Associate Professor (Adjunct), Science Communication, University of Notre Dame Australia Shutterstock It’s getting towards the time of the year when you might feel more overwhelmed than usual. There are work projects to finish and perhaps exams in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Wescott, Lecturer in Education, Monash University This week a new report said there was a “curriculum problem” in Australia. Education consultancy group Learning First found the science curriculum lacked depth and breadth and had major problems with sequencing and clarity. While ...
The new government has reiterated its commitment to build a stronger relationship with India. Trade minister Todd McClay will visit the country before the end of the month for a whirlwind trip to meet with his counterpart, reports Thomas Coughlan at the Herald. “I will be working with prime minister ...
The PM says deep spending cuts are needed to fix the ‘economic vandalism’ of the previous government. But Luxon and Willis are already running up some big bills of their own, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In his first week on the job, new Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell is visiting cyclone and flood-ravaged regions to hear what they need from the government. ...
They’re cold, they’re caffeinated and they’re classier than an energy drink – iced coffee in a can has gone from novelty to normal in Aotearoa in record time. We tasted 25 to sort the morning must-haves from the mediocre mud water. Just a few short years ago, coffee in a ...
Many news consumers feel a responsibility to bear witness to all sorts of distressing images and events. But deciding to tune out instead doesn’t make you a bad person, writes counsellor Ross Palethorpe. Our attention is demanded everywhere. We are exhorted to witness, to not look away, to act, in ...
With a call for petroleum companies and the nations of the world to work together to solve the climate crisis, the United Arab Emirates’ controversial choice of President of COP28, opened the UN’s annual climate negotiations in Dubai yesterday. “Colleagues, let history reflect the fact that this is the ...
The coalition agreements contain many actions on the environment - most of them regressive and some that could take NZ back decades, writes environmentalist Gary Taylor The post New Government crashes environment appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Call it inflation, call it rising cost of living or call it “cozzie livs” as our Aussie friends now do. But it’s impacting different cities around the world very differently. The dry Aussie vernacular disguises a real problem in their biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, which price rises have ...
Opinion: The costs of living in New Zealand have been in the news for decades, with particular attention paid to food and housing. Food costs have been mostly blamed on the supermarket duopoly. The economics of the production and distribution of food and associated international commerce relationships and the ...
FICTION 1 The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner (Hachette, $37.99) A free copy of the wildly popular novel about a wartime shipboard romance was up for grabs in last week’s giveaway contest. Readers were asked to recount a shipboard romance in their own lives or someone they knew. ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 1 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s been a big few years for usage of New Zealand’s rail network, according to KiwiRail executives, who have reported unprecedented interest from freight customers as capital investment mounts. But they highlight the need for big jobs such as separating passenger and freight lines and bolstering the rail corridor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Peter Dutton has his tail up, but he’s being careful to manage expectations. As the opposition celebrates its suddenly improved fortunes, Dutton told the party room this week that inevitably the government would recalibrate over ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute A Senate committee has investigated why so many Australians are missing out on dental care and made 35 recommendations for reform. By far the most sweeping is the call for universal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lester Munson, Non-resident fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Henry Kissinger was the ultimate champion of the United States’ foreign policy battles. The former US secretary of state died on November 29 2023 after living for a century. The ...
Coldplay will become the first musical act to play three nights at Auckland’s Eden Park when they visit the country in a year’s time. The band has just announced a third and final show at the venue as part of their global and seemingly never-ending Music of the Spheres world ...
A genuine news story quickly became a springboard for rumour and speculation, with one councillor at the centre of it. Wellington mayor Tory Whanau has a problem with alcohol. She has made that public and is clearly embarrassed. Whanau’s public behaviour was first called into questionin July after reports of ...
In light of the Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters’ recent comments about the media, a group of journalists who serve as E tū delegates say these claims are misinformed. Mr Peters has claimed the Public Interest Journalism Fund was a government “bribe” ...
RNZ News New Zealand’s opposition Labour Party has announced its shadow cabinet to face off against the conservative coalition government. The party endorsed Chris Hipkins as leader and voted Carmel Sepuloni as deputy earlier this month. Sepuloni is also Pacific Peoples minister. Many of the roles are a continuation of ...
It’s been a big few years for usage of New Zealand’s rail network, according to KiwiRail executives who have reported unprecedented interest from freight customers as capital investment mounts. But at the same time, they caution the need for big jobs like separating passenger and freight lines and bolstering ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Thompson, Associate Professor of Media Studies, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Winston Peters had only just been sworn in as deputy prime minister when his long-standing antipathy to the news media emerged in the form of a serious ...
The Animal Justice Party Aotearoa New Zealand (AJPANZ) is joining forces with our friends across the ditch to lead a global protest against sportswear giant Adidas. AJPANZ has peaceful protests set to take place in Auckland and Christchurch this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A parliamentary inquiry has delivered a scathing indictment of Australia’s employment services, finding it does not serve the interests of job seekers or employers and urging the privatised system be partially wound back. A rigid ...
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has unveiled a proposal he says will encourage more uptake of public transport around the city. He’d like to see a $50 cap on public transport costs per person per week, which would cover bus, rail and inner harbour ferry services. “We need to get the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stacy Carter, Professor and Director, Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values, University of Wollongong Shutterstock Artificial intelligence (AI) is already being used in health care. AI can look for patterns in medical images to help diagnose disease. It ...
New Zealand’s new Government created international headlines this week for its decision to reverse the world’s first smoking ‘generation ban’. Now another major u-turn is on the cards, as New Zealand pledges to overturn the world-leading ...
The Others Way returns for 2023 at a bunch of venues on and around Auckland’s Karangahape Road on Friday night. Here’s who you can catch, where and when.The Others Way is, in general, a pretty chaotic music festival, spread over a number of venues in the busy Karangahape Road ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is offering to redesign logos for any renamed government departments for free in an effort to save taxpayers money following concerns that requiring a name change of government departments will give them an excuse to ...
The former justice minister Kiri Allan has revealed she pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to accompany a police officer in order to test a grey area in the law. Allan’s case, which related to a political career-ending car crash in July, was set to be heard in ...
New Zealand Disability Support Network is seeking assurance that disabled New Zealanders are a priority for the new government after being omitted from their 100 day plan. “Disability support providers wondering how they’ll survive financially, underpaid ...
The Taxpayers’ Union can today reveal that Grant Robertson’s attendance at the Rugby World Cup final in Paris cost taxpayers $39,605. Included in the cost was more than $32,000 in business class flights and more than $5000 in accommodation costs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney Earth’s surface is the living skin of our planet – it connects the physical, chemical and biological systems. Over geological time, this surface evolves. Rivers fragment the landscape into an environmentally diverse range of habitats. ...
For the eighth year, people in prisons will be receiving handmade holiday cards from strangers on the outside.Next to me, Amir* has drawn a beautiful streak of green across the front of a card. “Shit”, he says. The streak was intended to be the stem of a pōhutukawa, but ...
Former Invercargill mayor and national icon Tim Shadbolt will lend his name to the terminal at Invercargill Airport. The city’s councillors have agreed to pay tribute to Shadbolt’s eight-term tenure as mayor. He was first elected in 1993 and, aside from one term, held the position consistently until 2022. “Sir ...
Anna Galvan admits she’s not great on details. The former Silver Fern struggles to pinpoint a specific match that stands out to her, despite a career spanning 17 years in the elite game and 13 tests for her country. But ask the proud Cantabrian a strategic question on ...
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has unveiled a portfolio and list reshuffle as his party readies to hold the new coalition government to account. The line-up brought ministerial experience that National, Act and NZ First lacked, said Hipkins, and included six women and four men in the top 10. “I am ...
Two baby kiwi are the first to be born in the Wellington wild for over 150 years. The Capital Kiwi Project has, for more than five years, run a 4,600-strong stoat trap in the hills south-west of Wellington. Once predators had been deemed under control, 11 North Island brown kiwi ...
Wellington mayor Tory Whanau is off work with Covid-19, the day after admitting to an alcohol issue following media questions. Whanau told RNZ she was seeking “professional help” after reports of drunken behaviour in public, with the Herald reporting that a video “may be” circulating in the public domain. Today, ...
Not everyone needs to follow a tertiary pathway. But for those who do, a degree could well be ‘the experience of a lifetime’.In today’s job market, it’s hard not to feel a little hopeless. As entire industries go through massive change, it can be difficult for new entrants to ...
‘Tis the season for predictions – and TV1 is already salivating over their latest poll, appearing on the news tonight.
OK, I’ll play the game:
National – down slightly to about 37%. The absurdity of Natz tax cuts begins to sink in!
Labour – up slightly to about 29%, but still within the margin of error.
Act – firmly anchored on about 9%. The wheels are beginning to fall off the extreme right wagon.
Greens – hovering around 15% or more. Consolidating the fact this election is about climate!
Te Paarti Maori – still around 3%.
NZ First – around 5% – and the headlines will be all about Winnie the kingmaker!
I like your numbers Tony V.
And TOP , who will work with either main party ?
Postscript:
National continues to drop, and this trend will continue.
Act has stalled, and will drop to around 9% on Election night.
As a leftie, I hoped for better from Labour. But the Greens went up in the TV1 poll. This will continue. And TPM will do better.
But, as predicted, the lead was all about Winnie!
Competing on cruelty:
No Right Turn’s take on Natz and NZ First bene bashing:
“But then, its not supposed to make sense, let alone work. It's just supposed to be performatively cruel, to attract the votes of vicious arseholes who can only feel good from the suffering of those "below" them. And when some other government has to clean up the resulting social mess, that's all the better, because that can then be criticised as "cuddles" and "waste", and they're off for another round on the cruelty wagon.”
No Right Turn – from the side bar.
Nothing like some raw meat for the tory faithful–a good old Bennie Bash usually suffices to get them snarling. In reality in the 21st century punitive, sadistic, welfare should be done away with and replaced with a basic income for all citizens, abated by tax as you earn more.
Unemployment is not a moral failure–it is an intentional feature of capitalism and finance capital to put downward pressure on wages and worker organisation and fight backs. Even if there are some who do not want to work who could blame them with such an ugly system of exploitation?
The funny old thing with a lot of Natzos who demonise other citizens is that they are “Bennies” too, on National Superannuation and Winter Heating payments.
One thing is for sure old torys always vote, whether driven to the booth or tottering in on walking frames. That will be the tragedy of this Election–alienation and low voter turnout from younger people and those living off shore.
Some seem to be salivating for the oppression that the Epson Twerker wants to visit on fellow AO/NZers including Māori especially–but mark these words–we are in for some heavy duty social unrest and anarchy.
And Luxon will know that it won't do any good. How cruel and cynical is that! His voice has the confidence of a denier.
I doubt it'd a vote winner, the people who get worked up about benefits, already vote national And act
Luxon getting down to the basics on RNZ right now…
https://nickrockel.substack.com/p/bennie-bashing
From the "cruel to be kind" hymn book. Not so much the "Good" Book
Oh really? Love? And Louise ..Upston leading with this..reckon
Hey Luxon, Louise Upston, David Seymour and the rest of your creep crew. NZ can do without your kind of "love".
Anyone who is on the lower end..needs to get motivated..to VOTE !
Sounds suspiciously like Nat MP Mr Woodhouse’s “homeless man” using a COVID hotel Crowne Plaza facility…
Well there you go !. I had thought that exactly, but just..left it out.
Nats dog whistling to the Bene bashers..for all their worth.
More "pearls" aka reckons, from Louise Upston..
And Luxon…
Yeah, its based on "love" .
Anyone on a Benefit ..Vote Left !
“Sounds suspiciously like Nat MP Mr Woodhouse’s “homeless man” using a COVID hotel Crowne Plaza facility…”
Same guy. He took the free hotel pyjamas and bathrobe and scarpered. Been wearing them ever since. Resourceful dude – I would have hired him.
It’s a LOL from me AB…
The Herald today:
"But economists have criticised the policy, saying the revenue assumptions are unrealistic. National wants to get $2.9 billion from the tax over four years to fund its $14.6b tax plan. But economists warn the actual revenue could come in $2.1 billion short"
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-peters-wants-to-see-nationals-costings-before-joining-govt-mini-budget-before-christmas-luxon-says-tax-cuts-absolutely-affordable-without-foreign-buyers-tax/2647LDYJOFHLXIXHF4NYCDA7JE/
Over 4 years the foreign house buyers tax is short $2.1 billion according to most economists. It will probably only raise $210m per year not $740m. (4 x $530m=$2.12 billion).
But what the Herald isn't saying is that there are other massive holes in the tax plan that will require huge cuts in public services, benefits etc for it to be funded.
And how is National going to fund its proposed, and chronically expensive, 13 major road projects?
Luxon seems concerned about the plight of low-income Kiwis (if not the "bottom feeders") – but the Willux tax relief package massively favours the already wealthy?
Luxon does have several eggs in the investment property basket, so re-heating the property market would suit him, and some wealthy Nat donors, down to the ground. Bloody pirates – bottom feeders the lot of them.
If Luxon can pay for his tax cuts without the foreign buyers tax, what then is the purpose of allowing foreign buyers back? The answer seems simple: to re-inflate the housing market, reward existing property owners with unearned net wealth increases, and make landlordism a sure bet.
No one was mentioning "cooker" until..gsays. And no I wont respond again in this Post.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
as the person that wrote the post, I’m suggesting that we don’t have a fight between lefties under a post encouraging people to vote left.
The term cooker does get used as a pejorative on TS. I agree with gsays that this is a problem. While the origins of the word aren’t pejorative, the term itself sounds like a slur and it now gets used in that way. Soft weaponising.
https://thestandard.org.nz/search/cooker/?search_posts=true&search_sortby=date
https://thestandard.org.nz/search/cooker/?search_comments=true&search_sortby=date
Why does it matter? NZF are making hay out of it while they can, which in turn causes further divisions among people that care about NZ.
"Cooker" (which I incidentally hadnt heard of till seen on the Standard )
Cooker to me is Sue Grey, Liz Gunn, VFF, Counterspin, et al.They and the people they speak for are not anyone..I want to associate with. Ever.
this is certainly one of the issues that the left has in winning this election. They will vote NZF instead and it's game over if NZF get above 5%.
I really don't understand this liberal idea that the left can afford to say only the people we approve of should vote left. It's just not possible to win elections that way. We're in the minority, we need swing and centrist voters.
Where our hope lies is in providing good examples of progressive and inclusive culture so that people can see our values matter and we walk the talk. This is how we will convince mainstream NZ to move left again. Ostracising people simply reduces the pool of people who can become progressive. And in the case of the Freedom movement people, it pushes them to the right and FR.
You can do that. I am not ever going to. Instead I would sooner encourage young people to enrol and vote. As I linked on Daily Review.
The real Voices of Freedom.
Edit..I am..and certainly have, been doing my utmost to promote the Left.and Solidarity. Incl here on the Standard.
ok, but as I pointed out, there aren't enough of the people you like for the left to win the election.
Luxon loves slogans, maybe "Work will set you free" would suit his Benefit beliefs.
I wonder how many RW politicians wouldn't know it's origin /shuidder
Good to see the Police planning better for this next Wellington protest influx tomorrow.
But what will Winston do with it?
Bask ?
Wallow?
glory in it.
There's an image..urrgh! . I had thought bask as in, an old..lion, well past his prime..making friendly with hyenas ?. Hmm.. No that was the Lion King movie
)
Wallow it is.
I would be expecting Peters to be front and centre in meeting the protestors (on prime-time TV). And doing what he does so well acknowledging their 'pain' (while not actually promising to do anything at all about it).
Man never met a PR media op that he didn't like.
He'll be hoping that this one garners him an extra 1% of votes…..
Perhaps Chippy could supply the protesters with free sausage rolls.
Trump it
Bullshit tamiki was playing down numbers on te news , I'm expecting a flop.
Well they are constituents after all.
Way more engaged in the political process than most.
National's desire to bring back its "three strikes" penal policy finds a parallel in its desire to bring in a "traffic light" system (basically just a variant on three strikes) to punish those naughty bennies who don't want to work
We have Louise Upston on Morning Report yesterday saying that traffic light system is very necessary even though her party thinks that 85% of beneficiaries are abiding by the rules. She then brings up some example of work shy beneficiaries turning up to job interviews in their pyjamas, obviously looking to be rejected for the job.
So it is necessary to start swinging the cosh because 15% buck the system? If it was, say, over 50% then perhaps you might think its justifiable but 15%? Well f…. me, how bad is that? pretty low really, but it isn't good enough for National, they are prepared to make all beneficiaries feel like leeches because of a few that play up.
National also fails to consider the consequences of the traffic lights policy. Who will ultimately suffer? It won't be the indolent themselves, it will be their dependants. I guess there would be a fair number of Work and Income staff who will sigh with frustration with National's announced policy. Deja vu.
National will give us three strikes, traffic lights and faster cars.
Yay!
And that, apparently, is the main thing. But why continue to insist that we should take Willis and Luxon at their word, when they've clearly been caught out trying to scam the voters.
Hmm – donations the Nats receive. Might relaxing the ban on foreigners buying Kiwi homes be a way of rewarding the donors?
DKM National haven't been honest on the state of the economy their costings for the Wellsford Tuhoi highway at $2.3 billion is $2 billion short plus with annual maintenence at$400 million to keep this slip prone section open with climate change bringing floods once every other year making this road uneconomical and unaffordable!Police numbers increasing by only 77 per year National are cutting police numbers per head of population.National are lying every body needs to be talking about Nationals spin.
How many foreign buyers are going to pay 20% above market price.Then Winston will cancel that plus Nationals tax cuts
National are painting themselves into a corner,Now Luxon is blabbering loudly but not answering any questions.looking less trustable as the campaign goes on.
Predictably Western media/govt recent whitewashing of the well known Far Right extremist elements within both the Ukrainian military and politics, ends up with the Canadian House of Commons, including Trudeau, giving several standing ovations to a former member of the Nazi 14th Waffen SS Division ‘Galicia’…a Ukrainian Volunteer (80,000+) unit, commanded by several notorious German SS commanders, a unit well known for it’s outrageous brutality against both civilians and prisoners.
Also predictably, The Guardian piece on this sordid affair today only mentions the Polish civilians massacred by these monsters once, then spends almost the rest of the article focused on the Jewish civilians massacred…make of that what you will.
Then of course, true to form, The Guardian concludes its piece with this none too subtle ‘don't worry, some Nazi’s are alright’ deflection…
“On the issue of the Galicia division, the commission’s head, Jules Deschênes, ruled that members “should not be indicted as a group”. “The members of Galicia division were individually screened for security purposes before admission to Canada. Charges of war crimes of Galicia division have never been substantiated, either in 1950 when they were first preferred, or in 1984 when they were renewed, or before this commission.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/25/canadas-house-speaker-apologises-after-praising-ukrainian-veteran-who-fought-for-nazis
WHITEWASHING THE SS: THE ATTEMPT TO RE-WRITE THE HISTORY OF HITLER’S COLLABORATORS
“The 14th Division of the Ukrainian SS surrounded the village Huta Pieniacka from three sides,” the report to Poland’s government- in-exile explained. “The people were gathered in the church or shot in the houses. Those gathered in the church – men, women and children – were taken outside in groups, children killed in front of their parents. Some men and women were shot in the cemetery, others were gathered in barns where they were shot.”
http://espritdecorps.ca/history-feature/whitewashing-the-ss-the-attempt-to-re-write-the-history-of-hitlers-collaborators
As we all know…'You lay down with dogs you get up with fleas'…..the staff at the Guardian are so infested with fleas now, that it is the readers of that rag who should probably now start worrying about getting itchy.
Thank you for posting Adrian, the story reminds me of the Ukranian Azov nazis who forced over a hundred Russian speaking Ukrainians into the building in Odessa, set fire to it and shot those trying to escape the flames in 2014. I notice the Ukraine supporters have gone very quiet on here since things turned out so badly with the so called counter offensive and the realization that 85 percent of the Worlds population support Russia in their fight against the empire of lies aka USA.
That Odessa fire you refer to was started within the building by those who were inside, by spilling materials they brought inside with them.
As for the counteroffensive going badly, it IS going – and going persistently, which is impressive considering the lack of air support and the terrible conditions.
Lastly I think there's a better contender for the 'empire of lies' title than the USA.
Coventrie you are either a liar or very badly misinformed in regards to Odessa, Name another empire that lies like USA, there are none. If you are interested in the actual situation with the counter offensive I suggest you listen to Larry Davidson an ex CIA analyst or retired and decorated Colonel Douglas MacGregor phd or Ray McGovern another ex CIA analyst, all of whom have good intel and analysis of the SMO.
The scramble to exonerate Waffen SS has been illuminating
It's all about Holodomor you see.
Apparently not only were the Russians responsible for that, but children and babies of Roma,Poles and Jews also had to pay the price and be barbarically slaughtered , in ways that turned the hardened stomachs of even German Nazis
You three need to start a club
So you're a nazi apologist now Barfly?
I am very happy to support Ukraine if you think that makes me a Nazi apologist
is all i can say.
A smiling nazi apologist – OK.
Will read all your comments as such from here on out nazi.
[And here we are again.
Reading is all you will be doing for a week because your last few comments have been nothing but name calling and ‘pig-fucker’ accusations that can no longer be considered robust debate and only as attempts to flame – Incognito]
Mod note
"I am very happy to support Ukraine if you think that makes me a Nazi apologist
is all i can say."
You are in good company, one of your fellow war-porn enthusiasts commented how happy they were that young Russian soldiers were being killed. In the same missive they claimed to be progressive!
Barfly we are part of the club of 85 percent of the Worlds population who recognize Americas role in the Ukraine tragedy. Do you know who Victoria Nuland is and her role in the 2014 coup against the democratically elected Government of Viktor Yanukovych? She boasted about spending 6 billion dollars to bring about regime change there, She has killed the Country and NZ is assisting USA in Ukraine.
Well Tony shouldn't you be celebrating the the 83rd year since the USSR eliminated 22,000 Polish
NazisArmy Officers, Policemen and members of the 'gasp' intelligentsia. In the non-russophile world it was called.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyn_massacre
Snowflake historical grievances to justify kill people today. How very Slobodan Milošević of you.
Well Barfly, shouldn't you be celebrating NATOs brutal and murderous invasion of Libya? Why on earth are you suggesting I would celebrate such an atrocity. You do understand that the USSR no longer exists right? Let's stick to the topic instead of muddying the waters with nonsense ..
The Nazi Party ceased to exist 78 years ago that doesn't seem to stop you from yodelling "Nazi" all day long and your fawning sychophantic russophilia is an exercise in delusion IMO.
Oh and by the way it’s a f***ing War no matter what Putin the tiny calls it
It was a tad bewildering a day or so ago to read about ok Nazi's and not ok ones.
I was tempted to offer the idea that the only bad ones were at the Wellies occupation and at Posie Parker rallies. I figured it would have added more heat than light though…
"Our examination of Labour’s various policy commitments confirms that the line-by-line costings provided to Infometrics can be met within the fiscal settings outlined in PREFU," the economics consultancy firm said."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300977960/nz-election-2023-live-labour-unveils-its-big-economic-plan
As for National's plans, we have this. One economist, Brad Olsen, who says that their plans could work bur also the figures of their critics are also realistic. Other economists have critical doubts.
The other great difference is that National's figures are still not released for scrutiny. We have to rely on Willis and Luxon's credibility…….
Willis also said Infometrics economist Brad Olsen believed the estimates were plausible while other economists shared the party's view that taxing foreign buyers would be a good thing to do.
Olsen has told RNZ today National's costings could be made to work by assuming a much larger proportion of foreign buyers purchase $2m-plus properties, however, the figures provided by the economists challenging the costings were also "realistic".
Perhaps in the next year or so if NAct-NZF are the Government, it will be too late for the voters to complain that the then Govt is way out with its numbers. "Ooops," mutters Nicola. "It didn't work out quite the way we said but never mind. We will work out a different plan." And after a brief mumble the voters will move on.
Cynical? Dishonest?
To not disclose their figures means they do not trust them, or they have manipulated or manufactured the numbers. That is cynical because they do not fear the consequences of their dishonesty. They think they can get away with it. To disclose their figures would show their economic incompetence at best, their dishonesty and real intent at worst.
They're not in it for you and me, ianmac.
When you’ve maxed the mortgage, the credit card, the HP and even the pay day lender is no longer interested, at least you can always fall back on Labours fiscal plan.
And when you've taken the piss and had your little laugh, there remains that little problem that Labour's plan is tenable and verified independently, whereas National's plan is still on the back of an envelope somewhere it deserves to be- in a rubbish bin, presumably, because we haven't seen it.
You know Jack …. we have one of the lowest debt levels in the OECD.Then we have one of the best preforming economies as well.
The 6th Labour government has made some efforts to keep inequality in check.
Some wealthy Kiwis (e.g. Luxon, Willis, NAct donors) will be absolutely wetting themselves at the prospect of more wealth flowing their way under a NAct govt.
Almost unnoticed amongst National's hamfisted promises to reduce red tape is one to scrap laws around the Conduct of Financial Institutions Act. This act is basically to put a brake on unethical or poor conduct of financial institutions and insurance companies.
By RNZ's figures some $150 million has been refunded to customers because of this important piece of legislation. Although not specifically stated, I would reckon a large part of this would be the rip off instance finance high interest lenders who had a field day ripping off the desperate before it was enacted.
Now National wants to scrap it. Obviously National does not care about ethical business and has no interest in protecting the vulnerable from rip off merchants.
I hope Labour and the Greens will pick up on this.
http://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018908710
Agree. This legislative reversal is chilling prospect for National and ACT to reverse accepted global standards of customer rights with banks.
Commerce Commission is right to flag this as a risk.
Can't wait to see if the main Aussie banks go over the National or ACT disclosure limit.
National's pathetic tough on Crime while only adding 300 police over 4 years that's a decrease in police numbers as population increase is much bigger.
I heard them boasting about how it would reduce the ratio from 180 to 170 people per policeman.
Gosh!
Population increase at about 100,000 per year that is much less police per head given 77 per 100,000 means 1 extra police per 12,300 people which means less police per head of population.
I think National are banking on a mass exodus starting 15 October to Australia and further overseas , sending back 501s, Australian criminals in NZ, as well as out of work civil servants, rugby and netball coaches, pyjama-wearing beneficiaries, road-cone manufacturers, shearers, shepherds, woke socialists, virtue-signallers, vegans and the gluten-intolerant.
Invited in will be foreign home buyers, so long as they don't live here, apocalypse avoiders, American hidey-hole seekers, mates, one percenters seeking fresh opportunities for wealth, plunder and tax breaks, and consumers of MacDonalds, Starbucks and Kentucky Fries.
Notice how heavily Nact depend on the people's feelings that crime is bad. This is aided by Media playing loud and detailed about the crimes. And after the Election there will be a backpeddling. Crime will get "better" because the gangs can't wear patches. Will it count if patches are smaller or in tattoos?
It has to be based on feelings, ianmac, because numbers and logic are not on their side which is why they can't even produce them.
And of course that is why they can't produce the numbers for their tax cuts. Neither the numbers not the logic actually exist or if they do, they must be kept hidden because they will prove the exact opposite outcome to what the Nats are claiming.
And talking of crime… there's a major incident underway in the vicinity of the Lincoln Rd offramp on Auckland's north western motorway. Gun shots are being exchanged according to witnesses.
That'll have NAct's and NZ First's hearts beating with excitement.
Both perception and reality matters.
Criminal gang membership really has gone up, from 4,900 to 8,900.
Gun crime gone up massively under this government.
Same with youth crime. Up huge over 2 terms.
"Acts intended to cause injury" are also definitely up under this government.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/the-whole-truth/130965380/the-whole-truth-has-violent-crime-gone-up-under-labour
No point talking about what tattoos signify these days.
Stop repeating their mistruths:
https://www.renews.co.nz/youth-crime-isnt-more-common-its-just-more-visible/
But arkie, it's all about "the vibe"
A “big debate” about "the technical numbers" eh? If only.
'Poor' Nicola can't even justify her working for the Nat's projected revenue from their 15% foreign buyer tax scam – if anyone still believes her numbers then they probably also believe Willis will resign as promised.
To echo arkie-
what are you basing gang membership numbers on?
Again- others get moderated for throwing unattributed stuff into a debate.
Getting an accurate number of active gang members is more difficult than national party tax costings.
Gang members don’t use swipe cards to let us know if they’re in or out.
Voting starts on Monday.
So hopefully we have got past the policy announcements and are into mobilisation.
Holy Cow leave it to the last moment why don't you.
Eastern Bay of Plenty agree deed of settlement for their Treaty claim when voting's about to start.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2309/S00148/te-whanau-a-apanui-and-the-crown-initial-deed-of-settlement.htm
Hard to see ACT+National pushing Treaty settlements if they win.
I would like to see some of Robert Reichs youtube videos on inequality corporate monopolization etc.How the Rich are playing the squeezed middle classes for fools.
Sorry, I can't find the link, but apparently the Medical General Practices are in dire straits due to chronic under-funding which has gone on for years according to Newshub's leading story this evening. So, c.mon Chippy – revisit your tax policy, and bring in a decent wealth tax, PLEASE.