Another beautiful sunny morning in North Welly. Not sposed to last though. I can see grey clouds moving in from norwest. A week of gardening & lawn maintenance, some new plants in, including marigolds, so a couple of warm rainy days will be just the ticket. 👍🏼 🐧
Rapid antigen tests (RATs) are nowhere near as accurate as traditional RT-PCR tests when it comes to detecting the virus behind COVID-19 but they have their place, Kiwi scientists behind a new study say.
The Government announced on Thursday an end to its year-and-a-half-long ban on point-of-care RATs. Associate MInister of Health Ayesha Verrall said while we were trying to eliminate the virus "the cost of missing a case was too high", so the Government wanted every test to be via the ultra-accurate but slow RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, or PCR), a type of nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).
I just don't know what to say in response to India Willoughby.
I am sorry she got trolled for her appearance, but it doesn't seem to have given her any empathy. These "butch lesbians" should be free to dress how they want, knowing they are lesbian and knowing the are women, not men.
and as always, one of the core problems here is how to talk about this without throwing trans people generally under the bus. Women need to be free to talk about what is going on, and the active suppression of that has led to a really skewed debate. So I will spell it out: not all trans women (obviously)*, and trans people have the same right to human rights as everyone else (also obviously). Supporting trans people in their rights is part of progressive politics. The above isn't progressive.
That gender identity politics now positions itself as speaking for trans people is part of the problem, because there is no way in hell that women are going to let the above tweet stand without challenge. Lefties and liberals need to get a grip and step up and push back on that bullshit instead of attacking gender critical feminists.
*or men for that matter, which apparently still needs spelling out.
Women need to be free to talk about what is going on, and the active suppression of that has led to a really skewed debate. So I will spell it out: not all trans women (obviously)*, and trans people have the same right to human rights as everyone else (also obviously). Supporting trans people in their rights is part of progressive politics. The above isn't progressive.
I agree. I've stopped posting along the lines of this obvious paragraph because it is ignored, but it remains true.
The arrogance of telling women how to women, seems a common thread in protests and other silencing actions. Seems to be done without any sense of irony or self-awareness.
I read that they were trolled in the Wikipaedia link.
Have been thinking about India's comments some more. Its like they are trying to erase lesbians, the butch ones anyway. The implication is they are really trans women who don't have the guts to become men. What a bloody cheek.
To be honest, I find this very offensive. I grew up with someone who was what we called a tom boy. Hated dresses, dolls, wanted to do all the "boy" things. There was never any real pressure on her to be more girly. It was very much accepted. And what a surprize she grew up to be lesbian. Not quite butch, but always clear she was a girl then a women…….not a man or boy. She's a women and is being her self with clothes, sexual orientation etc.
I try to stay out of the trans wars. Except when I see this. Men fucking ragging on women for not living up to their expectations? Despicable behaviour from someone who wouldn’t want to be picked on for their appearance.
Sadly shows how far trans rights have moved from feminism and lgb rights
Brother-in-law's father died yesterday after being hospitalised with Covid. (Treatment they gave caused internal bleeding which they were unable to stop. Will be looking to see if gets recorded as a Covid fatality.)
These statistics will be given faces for many of us over the coming months, I'm sure.
Don't know really, family still reeling. Family were isolating at home after one member tested positive. AFAIK, three household members tested positive, with the Dad going in for hospital care.
Posted initially just to say that many of us will have faces to go along with these numbers that are released each day. It is likely a few of us will have personal connections with the statistics.
So sorry. Was thoughtless of me to query you about that.
I truly hope Jacinda re thinks the plan to open the border. The new variant has mutated to such a degree I wont be surprised if they find the vaccine has little effect on it.
And you're right. It will, if it hasn't already, be affecting us all personally before long
Molly, so very sorry to hear that. Yes you are correct. Some of us feel "safe" in our bubble, but that is likely to be tested in the next while, and we will watch the numbers with growing anxiety. This is always a worry for family already on treatment for other conditions. A terrible tragedy for your family. Keep well Molly, and thank you for your brave post. I suggest a family video of the life, so family too young now will see their relative.
Sympathy from our family to yours Molly.
That's devastating Molly. I hope your family find a good way of gathering all that was good about that person and sharing it. Funerals at this time are such stunted affairs.
Sad news for you and your family Molly. I hope this brings you all together in both sorrow and hope. Look after each other – and know that we're here for you too if needed.
There is smoke in the air and rubble on ground after days of rioting and arson attacks in Solomon Islands capital of Honiara.
Businesses, schools and even the Prime Minister's residence were set alight and looted by protesters during three straight days of civil unrest.
Now people are struggling to restock food supplies, and there are queues at ATMs and petrol stations as the extent of the crisis begins to take its toll.
So while the ADF will be present at the request of the Solomon govt, the irony is that this is a pro-CPP govt. At the same time there are many hundreds of PRC citizens who are understandably looking for protection and possibly evacuation. If the PRC sends ships into Honiara for this purpose it will demand close cooperation with the ADF to avoid misunderstanding and confrontation.
And right now close cooperation between Canberra and Beijing is a big ask. The risks of this escalating must be of deep concern to everyone in the South Pacific right now.
Where is mao smith in all of this? Surely this is the work of western imperialist agitators who no have no understanding of the benevolence the ccp can bestow on its “friends” and those minorities “in its historical realms”
To be fair this crisis lies at a very messy intersection between tribalism, a weak government, and a geopolitical landscape in turmoil. If this one falls apart it won't be pretty and NZ will not remain aloof.
This is interesting, a group with long term monitoring and data in regards to heart health has seen significant increases in markers that infer increased risk of heart issues post vaccination.
Without gainsaying or pre-empting any conclusions on this – this is just an abstract and lacks some important data.
The way I look at signals like this is that they should not be ignored. If there is only a small, say 10% chance, of the eventual paper being correct – it would have very severe implications. On the other hand it's too soon to call on it.
working the phone for somebody else is what a corporate shill does. luxom doesnt even want an election on tuesday, wants to be made boss without asking. needs to get on with privatising things. big corp needs a mouthpiece.
Stephen D (10) … That would guarantee a Luxon/Key Nat leadership, because Key would be pulling Luxon's strings from behind the scenes no doubt. If Luxon is allowing someone else to do his work for him at this stage, then he’s weak!
After quitting the game halfway through a term in 2016 and as a past Nat leader and former PM, Key needs to butt out doing anyone’s 's lobbying for leader.
"If Luxon is allowing someone else to do his work for him at this stage, then he’s weak!"
Totally agree. A strong PM – regardless of their political leanings – earns the right to be elected after proving their mettle for the job.
Two PM's on opposite sides – Rob Muldoon and Helen Clark are cases in point. I despised Muldoon but acknowledge he earned the right to be elected in 1975. So did Helen Clark in 1999.
If Luxon thinks he can just walk into the job by relying on someone else to do the running for him then he is not fit to be a PM.
[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.]
[Your problem now is that not only will I ban you from all my posts if you troll like that again, but you are now on my radar for being a troll generally. I want disagreement under my posts, but it has to relate to the post and mean something. This is a political blog, we expect people to make political arguments and engage in debate. If you want to drop random reckons that suggest you didn’t even bother reading a post, try FB and see how you get on. You try and bait me again over feminism instead of posting something meaningful, expect a ban site wide. – weka]
The default defence…'trolling'…my allegation of femmesplaining relies 100% on your criteria of what 'mansplaining' is.
I realise now, that when you start threads,they are only for the 'faithful'…I can tell you, I have no wish to comment on any topic you originate ,on the basis that you will use your power as a moderator in an extremely prejudicial and blatantly, oppressive ,intolerance of people who do not accept your viewpoint.
you're certainly entitled to your opinions Blazer, and you can by and large express them on this site. What you can't do is troll, and calling a feminist on her post post a femmesplainer without saying how or why is in fact trolling. There's no substance there to respond to, there's no politics, there's just a lazily thrown out slur.
Mansplaining is a known phenomenon. If you want coin the term 'femmesplainer' you have to be able to explain what it means.
And, seeing as how you brought it up, sexism isn't symmetrical in the way you imply. Just because mansplaining is a thing, doesn't mean that there is automatically such a thing as femmesplaining. That you think I was doing the female equivalent of mansplaining, instead of setting boundaries on my own post, tells me you don't actually understand what mansplaining is.
You came into my post, made an assertion that didn't make sense on the context of the post, I pointed this out the problem and your next comment wasn't to talk about the politics you had raised or I had written about, but to instead take a pop at me, that my post wasn't clearly written.
The reason I don't tolerate this kind off approach on my posts is because it is well known in feminism and it's just a basic derail.
You are also wrong to believe that you cannot disagree with me. You can, you just need to have an actual argument. Put one up and then I'll respect what you are saying even if I disagree. There are plenty of people in that thread that I disagree with, but it's only you that got mod attention. Consider that it's about what you did.
1-'femmesplaining'-'mansplaining' is a known phenomenom…really..so you believe in equality I presume=the criteria you applied to accuse someone of …'mansplaining' can logically be applied to its equal and opposite..'femmesplaining'..whether or not you accept that as ..'known' is completely moot.
2-'made an assertion that didn't make sense on the context of the post'
That is merely your OPINION..nothing more ,nothing..less.,
' because it is well known in feminism and it's just a basic derail.'
O.K please understand that what is 'well known in feminism' is NOT well known in …general.
'There are plenty of people in that thread that I disagree with, but it's only you that got mod attention'=what relevance is that!
Your reply to Gezza was quite benign compared to your response to me.
Quite frankly the you are guilty of the very crimes you rail against as a feminist..imo.
Not most people, imo. Women are simply starting their own businesses & young women are noticing that that’s the way to get around the male-centric gender pay gap, for example. Work for a female boss.
In the Public Service there’s a requirement for 50% of CEOs to be female. My stay i hospital showed as many doctors are females as males. I don’t think there’s a gender pay gap there. As I found, when I decided to copy my thank you email to the ward doctors and staff and ancillary staff who looked after me during my recent two week stint in Welly Hospital, to the CEO of Wellington’s CCDHB, THE CEOs a woman.
But weka’s right, if you comment & its only to attack someone (or e.g. childishly call them a nasty name like “roll-on deodorant” based on their appearance, not their politics or policies) you probably won’t last long here.
Supporters of the law say their goal is to save the life of every embryo, regardless of the circumstances of conception.
“We never advocate taking a life of an unborn child unless it is necessary to protect the life of a woman,” said Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life.
Even in cases of rape or incest, “we don’t advocate for taking the life of an unborn child for the crime of the father,” he said.
The law’s supporters say that it provides sufficient leeway for physicians to act if a mother’s life or bodily functions are compromised, and they insist those cases are rare.
Dr. Ingrid Skop, an obstetrician in San Antonio who belongs to the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said that even a girl as young as 9 or 10, impregnated by a father or a brother, could carry a baby to term without health risks.
“If she is developed enough to be menstruating and become pregnant, and reached sexual maturity, she can safely give birth to a baby,” Dr. Skop said.
The only way you can lose your immunity in Russia is if you're caught with either a dead elk or a live reporter.
Russia’s State Duma has voted to deprive a Communist MP of his immunity from prosecution after police found the dismembered remains of an elk in the boot of his car.
Valery Rashkin, who recently led protests against the Kremlin over alleged election fraud, could face criminal charges for illegal hunting and may also be stripped of his seat in parliament.
Police say officers discovered the animal remains during a traffic stop in the Saratov region in October. Rashkin also faces punishment for refusing to take a breathalyser test, Russian prosecutors said.
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
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:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
https://vimeo.com/405249883
Another beautiful sunny morning in North Welly. Not sposed to last though. I can see grey clouds moving in from norwest. A week of gardening & lawn maintenance, some new plants in, including marigolds, so a couple of warm rainy days will be just the ticket. 👍🏼 🐧
He sounds very content.
He was, Patricia.
Boss Tui. He sang in that tree for hours. Most unusual. Usually they fly between trees for relatively short singing performances.
Countering rapid antigen tests (RATs) are nowhere near as accurate – they're accurate enough when it matters.
https://twitter.com/michaelmina_lab/status/1436738065620471817
https://twitter.com/WesElyMD/status/1462966813805977602
Rapid antigen tests (RATs) are nowhere near as accurate as traditional RT-PCR tests when it comes to detecting the virus behind COVID-19 but they have their place, Kiwi scientists behind a new study say.
The Government announced on Thursday an end to its year-and-a-half-long ban on point-of-care RATs. Associate MInister of Health Ayesha Verrall said while we were trying to eliminate the virus "the cost of missing a case was too high", so the Government wanted every test to be via the ultra-accurate but slow RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, or PCR), a type of nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/11/coronavirus-rapid-antigen-testing-misses-more-than-half-of-positive-cases-kiwi-study.html?
Prominent trans activist says it out loud:
https://twitter.com/janeclarejones/status/1464317195140448273
India Willoughby is a UK tv celebrity and presenter.
I just don't know what to say in response to India Willoughby.
I am sorry she got trolled for her appearance, but it doesn't seem to have given her any empathy. These "butch lesbians" should be free to dress how they want, knowing they are lesbian and knowing the are women, not men.
Willoughby is the epitome of the male/TW subculture colonisation of women as a class. Male pattern gaslighting in that tweet.
and as always, one of the core problems here is how to talk about this without throwing trans people generally under the bus. Women need to be free to talk about what is going on, and the active suppression of that has led to a really skewed debate. So I will spell it out: not all trans women (obviously)*, and trans people have the same right to human rights as everyone else (also obviously). Supporting trans people in their rights is part of progressive politics. The above isn't progressive.
That gender identity politics now positions itself as speaking for trans people is part of the problem, because there is no way in hell that women are going to let the above tweet stand without challenge. Lefties and liberals need to get a grip and step up and push back on that bullshit instead of attacking gender critical feminists.
*or men for that matter, which apparently still needs spelling out.
I agree. I've stopped posting along the lines of this obvious paragraph because it is ignored, but it remains true.
The arrogance of telling women how to women, seems a common thread in protests and other silencing actions. Seems to be done without any sense of irony or self-awareness.
Trolled for her appearance?
I read that they were trolled in the Wikipaedia link.
Have been thinking about India's comments some more. Its like they are trying to erase lesbians, the butch ones anyway. The implication is they are really trans women who don't have the guts to become men. What a bloody cheek.
To be honest, I find this very offensive. I grew up with someone who was what we called a tom boy. Hated dresses, dolls, wanted to do all the "boy" things. There was never any real pressure on her to be more girly. It was very much accepted. And what a surprize she grew up to be lesbian. Not quite butch, but always clear she was a girl then a women…….not a man or boy. She's a women and is being her self with clothes, sexual orientation etc.
I try to stay out of the trans wars. Except when I see this. Men fucking ragging on women for not living up to their expectations? Despicable behaviour from someone who wouldn’t want to be picked on for their appearance.
Sadly shows how far trans rights have moved from feminism and lgb rights
Brother-in-law's father died yesterday after being hospitalised with Covid. (Treatment they gave caused internal bleeding which they were unable to stop. Will be looking to see if gets recorded as a Covid fatality.)
These statistics will be given faces for many of us over the coming months, I'm sure.
What was the treatment? Anti clotting medication?
Don't know really, family still reeling. Family were isolating at home after one member tested positive. AFAIK, three household members tested positive, with the Dad going in for hospital care.
Posted initially just to say that many of us will have faces to go along with these numbers that are released each day. It is likely a few of us will have personal connections with the statistics.
So sorry. Was thoughtless of me to query you about that.
I truly hope Jacinda re thinks the plan to open the border. The new variant has mutated to such a degree I wont be surprised if they find the vaccine has little effect on it.
And you're right. It will, if it hasn't already, be affecting us all personally before long
thanks for this insight Molly. Hope everyone else is doing ok.
Thanks everyone. Your kind thoughts are appreciated.
Molly, so very sorry to hear that. Yes you are correct. Some of us feel "safe" in our bubble, but that is likely to be tested in the next while, and we will watch the numbers with growing anxiety. This is always a worry for family already on treatment for other conditions. A terrible tragedy for your family. Keep well Molly, and thank you for your brave post. I suggest a family video of the life, so family too young now will see their relative.
Sympathy from our family to yours Molly.
That's devastating Molly. I hope your family find a good way of gathering all that was good about that person and sharing it. Funerals at this time are such stunted affairs.
"Funerals at this time are such stunted affairs."
They truly are. My favourite brother inlaw died recently. I cold only watch by video link which was appallingly badly recorded. It was just horrible.
Condolences Molly. So sorry for the loss your whanau has suffered.
Hell, that's awful … sympathy & best wishes from my family, Molly.
Sad news for you and your family Molly. I hope this brings you all together in both sorrow and hope. Look after each other – and know that we're here for you too if needed.
So very sorry to hear Molly. Condolences to your family
Bad news Molly
Devastating for close family members
Sorry for your loss.
Seems lately that every day deaths are announced. Grim times.
Interesting, I like the clear statement
https://youtu.be/1Gh5pNg3NOw
Absolutely right, Ben & Fw.
A significant crisis is unravelling in our own backyard:
This has a very messy and byzantine backstory.
So while the ADF will be present at the request of the Solomon govt, the irony is that this is a pro-CPP govt. At the same time there are many hundreds of PRC citizens who are understandably looking for protection and possibly evacuation. If the PRC sends ships into Honiara for this purpose it will demand close cooperation with the ADF to avoid misunderstanding and confrontation.
And right now close cooperation between Canberra and Beijing is a big ask. The risks of this escalating must be of deep concern to everyone in the South Pacific right now.
Looks like a scene setter for more Canberra/Beijing relationship tensions.
Was dumbfounded that Darwin leased their port to China in 2015 for 99 years.
No one seemed too concerned then…as for…now!
Where is mao smith in all of this? Surely this is the work of western imperialist agitators who no have no understanding of the benevolence the ccp can bestow on its “friends” and those minorities “in its historical realms”
To be fair this crisis lies at a very messy intersection between tribalism, a weak government, and a geopolitical landscape in turmoil. If this one falls apart it won't be pretty and NZ will not remain aloof.
This is interesting, a group with long term monitoring and data in regards to heart health has seen significant increases in markers that infer increased risk of heart issues post vaccination.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circ.144.suppl_1.10712
It would be interesting if a comparison was done amongst people who have caught covid.
A rise in endothelial inflammatory markers or a dangerous and potentially fatal endothelial disease….?
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/41/32/3038/5901158
Maybe a double whammy from both Joe.
Wow, we would be gonners with our problems … explains why people hang on but then succumb.
Without gainsaying or pre-empting any conclusions on this – this is just an abstract and lacks some important data.
The way I look at signals like this is that they should not be ignored. If there is only a small, say 10% chance, of the eventual paper being correct – it would have very severe implications. On the other hand it's too soon to call on it.
A bit of a gold rush at the moment for scientists and researchers wanting to make their mark
There'll be a lot of wheat and chaff to sort through
But it does seem that the short period (up to 2 weeks) monitoring for heart issues may not be enough.
I do hope this won't be neglected in the rush to get everyone vaccinated
Could anyone posting here who read this premium article in The Herald today give us a precis or summary?
The great divide: Why are NZ interest rates so much higher than Australia?
Re the new variant Nu (B.1.1.529).
https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1464234680379662336?s=20
Interesting that John Key is working the phones for Luxon.
Luxon himself isn’t.
working the phone for somebody else is what a corporate shill does. luxom doesnt even want an election on tuesday, wants to be made boss without asking. needs to get on with privatising things. big corp needs a mouthpiece.
Stephen D (10) … That would guarantee a Luxon/Key Nat leadership, because Key would be pulling Luxon's strings from behind the scenes no doubt. If Luxon is allowing someone else to do his work for him at this stage, then he’s weak!
After quitting the game halfway through a term in 2016 and as a past Nat leader and former PM, Key needs to butt out doing anyone’s 's lobbying for leader.
key is only doing what he is told . key doesnt pull strings, ponytails are his limit. he has always worked for big corp, and still does.
"If Luxon is allowing someone else to do his work for him at this stage, then he’s weak!"
Totally agree. A strong PM – regardless of their political leanings – earns the right to be elected after proving their mettle for the job.
Two PM's on opposite sides – Rob Muldoon and Helen Clark are cases in point. I despised Muldoon but acknowledge he earned the right to be elected in 1975. So did Helen Clark in 1999.
If Luxon thinks he can just walk into the job by relying on someone else to do the running for him then he is not fit to be a PM.
Key has now denied that he has done this. Other Nats say he did.
So to sum up, they're still a bunch of liars, divided.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300464783/national-party-leadership-john-key-says-he-wasnt-making-calls-for-luxon
Guilty of femmesplaining.Leave your thread now.
[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.]
[Your problem now is that not only will I ban you from all my posts if you troll like that again, but you are now on my radar for being a troll generally. I want disagreement under my posts, but it has to relate to the post and mean something. This is a political blog, we expect people to make political arguments and engage in debate. If you want to drop random reckons that suggest you didn’t even bother reading a post, try FB and see how you get on. You try and bait me again over feminism instead of posting something meaningful, expect a ban site wide. – weka]
mod note.
The default defence…'trolling'…my allegation of femmesplaining relies 100% on your criteria of what 'mansplaining' is.
I realise now, that when you start threads,they are only for the 'faithful'…I can tell you, I have no wish to comment on any topic you originate ,on the basis that you will use your power as a moderator in an extremely prejudicial and blatantly, oppressive ,intolerance of people who do not accept your viewpoint.
you're certainly entitled to your opinions Blazer, and you can by and large express them on this site. What you can't do is troll, and calling a feminist on her post post a femmesplainer without saying how or why is in fact trolling. There's no substance there to respond to, there's no politics, there's just a lazily thrown out slur.
Mansplaining is a known phenomenon. If you want coin the term 'femmesplainer' you have to be able to explain what it means.
And, seeing as how you brought it up, sexism isn't symmetrical in the way you imply. Just because mansplaining is a thing, doesn't mean that there is automatically such a thing as femmesplaining. That you think I was doing the female equivalent of mansplaining, instead of setting boundaries on my own post, tells me you don't actually understand what mansplaining is.
You came into my post, made an assertion that didn't make sense on the context of the post, I pointed this out the problem and your next comment wasn't to talk about the politics you had raised or I had written about, but to instead take a pop at me, that my post wasn't clearly written.
The reason I don't tolerate this kind off approach on my posts is because it is well known in feminism and it's just a basic derail.
You are also wrong to believe that you cannot disagree with me. You can, you just need to have an actual argument. Put one up and then I'll respect what you are saying even if I disagree. There are plenty of people in that thread that I disagree with, but it's only you that got mod attention. Consider that it's about what you did.
1-'femmesplaining'-'mansplaining' is a known phenomenom…really..so you believe in equality I presume=the criteria you applied to accuse someone of …'mansplaining' can logically be applied to its equal and opposite..'femmesplaining'..whether or not you accept that as ..'known' is completely moot.
2-'made an assertion that didn't make sense on the context of the post'
That is merely your OPINION..nothing more ,nothing..less.,
' because it is well known in feminism and it's just a basic derail.'
O.K please understand that what is 'well known in feminism' is NOT well known in …general.
'There are plenty of people in that thread that I disagree with, but it's only you that got mod attention'=what relevance is that!
Your reply to Gezza was quite benign compared to your response to me.
Quite frankly the you are guilty of the very crimes you rail against as a feminist..imo.
ok, well I did try. /
pathetic=try ..harder.
No point in your adopting your counterpunching technique here, imo, B. It too quickly deteriorates into hooflungdung shit fights you can’t win here.
Interesting perspectives in this Guardian article – which also covers femmesplaining or womansplaining:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/06/is-the-term-mansplaining-sexist-google-autocomplete
Interesting link…Gezza.
The reality is …'who cares'!
Outside of here – this blog, you mean?
Not most people, imo. Women are simply starting their own businesses & young women are noticing that that’s the way to get around the male-centric gender pay gap, for example. Work for a female boss.
In the Public Service there’s a requirement for 50% of CEOs to be female. My stay i hospital showed as many doctors are females as males. I don’t think there’s a gender pay gap there. As I found, when I decided to copy my thank you email to the ward doctors and staff and ancillary staff who looked after me during my recent two week stint in Welly Hospital, to the CEO of Wellington’s CCDHB, THE CEOs a woman.
But weka’s right, if you comment & its only to attack someone (or e.g. childishly call them a nasty name like “roll-on deodorant” based on their appearance, not their politics or policies) you probably won’t last long here.
Fucking sad, 'Murica.
Aunt Lydia is real.
Supporters of the law say their goal is to save the life of every embryo, regardless of the circumstances of conception.
“We never advocate taking a life of an unborn child unless it is necessary to protect the life of a woman,” said Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life.
Even in cases of rape or incest, “we don’t advocate for taking the life of an unborn child for the crime of the father,” he said.
The law’s supporters say that it provides sufficient leeway for physicians to act if a mother’s life or bodily functions are compromised, and they insist those cases are rare.
Dr. Ingrid Skop, an obstetrician in San Antonio who belongs to the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said that even a girl as young as 9 or 10, impregnated by a father or a brother, could carry a baby to term without health risks.
“If she is developed enough to be menstruating and become pregnant, and reached sexual maturity, she can safely give birth to a baby,” Dr. Skop said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/26/health/texas-abortion-law-risky-pregnancy.html
https://archive.li/aHKKn
The only way you can lose your immunity in Russia is if you're caught with either a dead elk or a live reporter.
Russia’s State Duma has voted to deprive a Communist MP of his immunity from prosecution after police found the dismembered remains of an elk in the boot of his car.
Valery Rashkin, who recently led protests against the Kremlin over alleged election fraud, could face criminal charges for illegal hunting and may also be stripped of his seat in parliament.
Police say officers discovered the animal remains during a traffic stop in the Saratov region in October. Rashkin also faces punishment for refusing to take a breathalyser test, Russian prosecutors said.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/25/kremlin-critic-found-with-dead-elk-in-car-is-stripped-of-immunity?
Chilled
https://twitter.com/genderoftheday/status/1464486913348304898
wunderbar…
https://youtu.be/TvyDKkMYEZ0