Day two of Huaweigate. As Prime Minister, it’s important not to comment on security matters, but it is an opportunity to look like Jason Bourne.
“”I haven’t had any information that would concern me this morning…we have very deep intelligence links, we operate in an environment where we have very good information.”
Well informed operators’ donkey deep intelligence links notwithstanding, you have to admire the meaningless ambiguity of the first remark.
Green MP Gareth Hughes said Parliament’s security and intelligence committee should investigate.
“If there are these security concerns, that’s the appropriate forum to look into it.”
The state was handing over a significant amount of money in broadband contracts – $1 billion in total – and should satisfy itself that “we are not being snooped on by the Chinese Government”, he said.
Greens seem to have a bit of a “pick on the Chinese” obsession. That’s curious as both have some communist roots.
If we are worried about being snooped on by technology providers shouldn’t we be suspicious of all provider countries?
What if a country like the US ended up with too much business influence on selective arrests and shutting down of competitive companies?
A lot of our international communications come and go via Australia. Perhaps they attach sublimal messages like:
“Move to Australia. Move to Australia.”
“Don’t catch up with our wages.”
“Use the Auckland wharfies as a test for how to deal to ours”.
And Finland, well, who knows what all those little Nokias tell them?
1. Greens are not obsessed with Chinese. Your rascist dog whistle is disgraceful.
2. Greens do not have communist roots. They are from the environmental movement, you should learn some politics it can be fun and helps when you enter debates.
3. Every lefty that I know is suspicious about all technology providers, including the Americans.
4. If the US has too much business influence it is a bad thing.
5. The only person appearing to receive subliminal messages is you. You should seek professional help.
6. And Finland, wonderful country, wonderful people with a determination to have the best education system in the world. Something we should aim for.
Having traded with the Finns they, like the Norwegians, are very dour people with no sense of humour, unless they are plastered, which takes little to do.
I understand that Brownass’s comments are correct re murder rate, unemployment and GDP.
Checkout website for finland.
So? In each case of Brownlee’s cherry picked statistics the differences are low when you consider that Finland extends into the artic whereas we’re blessed with a nice temperate climate and the easy farming to build our economy on. They did it despite their climate with more efficiency as anyone who has dealt with the tech from Finland is aware.
It was noticeable for instance that Brownlee said that we spent more on education, without also pointing out that we get worse results. Since he is part of a government that is intent on producing increasing how bad the results are, I guess it is hardly surprising that he forgot that.
The satirist above is right about our sheep, brownlee’s BMI, and that Brownlee is a complete dumbarse fuckwit. Of course those are also cherry picked and I don’t like being kiwi’s being defined internationally by such a dickhead as out leader of parliament like Brownlee.
Having traded with the Finns they, like the Norwegians, are very dour people with no sense of humour, unless they are plastered, which takes little to do.
Ah well, I am not a businessman! But I do have Finnish friends, and one in particular, was very very funny – but his sense of humour was dry and perhaps a wee bit subtle for you..
(I am just hearing the Finnish comedian talking to Brownlee – hilarious! “We have Nokia – you have sheep. We have Angry Birds, you have sheep”)
The greens are pretty consistent on this stuff. Where do they stand on Echelon for example?
Instead of just smearing them by implying they are racist communists, why not address the issues.
The Australians think there is sometrhing untoward, enough so thatthey risk a diplomatic incident about it. Do you not think that is something we should at least look into?
“If a company has significant intellectual property that the Chinese and Russians are interested in, and you go over there with mobile devices, your devices will get penetrated,” said Joel F. Brenner, formerly the top counterintelligence official in the office of the director of national intelligence.
Theft of trade secrets was long the work of insiders — corporate moles or disgruntled employees. But it has become easier to steal information remotely because of the Internet, the proliferation of smartphones and the inclination of employees to plug their personal devices into workplace networks and cart proprietary information around. Hackers’ preferred modus operandi, security experts say, is to break into employees’ portable devices and leapfrog into employers’ networks — stealing secrets while leaving nary a trace.
Facts are very hard to come by in this arena. No doubt there is an element of paranoia in the West; equally though the complete lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the Chinese (and other governments) justifies taking a cautious approach.
Frankly the problem is these days is that no-one, anywhere can assume that they have not been penetrated. While proven cyber-attacks on infra-structure, as per the Stuxnet on the Iranian uranium enrichment facilities are so far rare, by far the most valuable targets would generally have to be commercial. All sorts of commercial and intellectual property that you and I would find boring and tedious, suddenly becomes very useful to the right person in the right context. And much of this information is very loosely secured.
Moreover with the immense complexity of modern devices it is exceedingly difficult for end-users or even experts, to assure themselve that their systems have not been penetrated or riddled with back-doors.
There are one hell of lot more very open questions than answers in this field at the moment, and I’m not confident that things will ever improve much in my lifetime.
Your first comment certainly didn’t seem to say you agreed with the Greens. It looked like you were dismissing their concerns, but that’s only because of the way you phrased it.
Perhaps when you agree with someone, you shouldn’t go out of your way to be nasty towards them, and that way people won’t get confused as to what you are saying.
I think, particularly considering what is common here, you may be overplaying the ‘nastiness’ thing a tad?
There are well known communist influences within the NZ Green Party.
The Greens have been vocal against things like Chinese ownership of NZ land. And trade deals. And Russel Norman has a bit of a history of anti-Chinese protesting and flag disputes.
Do you think these are all just isolated cases and the Greens anti-ness is balanced across a wide range of countries?
Am I flagged on automoderation? My posts seem to be ‘awaiting moderation’ this morning.
[lprent: Nope. They weren’t there when I looked so I suspect that you were just getting caught in delays to akismet from our server. When it fails to get a fast enough response the system automatically moderates it and then retries a short time later. If gets success within a some time/attempts it also auto-releases it.
The two times I’ve looked at it, it looks like the actual delay was in the routing out of NZ rather than at the akismet server. ]
I often post similar here and SB (and also blog) – it’s a good way of comparing responses.
You seem ultra sensitve PB. You’ve used the ‘nasty’ word again, and ‘smear’, how long have you been coming here? From yesterday:
Over time, you tend to become – to some degree – influenced by the company you keep. If you are by nature a normal well-adjusted individual, then frequenting The Standard too much will, over a period of months, negatively influence you and change you for the worse.
Pete, you insinuated that the Greens were acting out of some sort of anti-Chinese prejudice, ie, that they are racist, and dragged ‘commun1sm’ into it. The intent of that was clear enough without you using the watermelon phrase over at KB.
So your repsonse to the issue raised was simply that the Greens are racist commun1sts.
I think that’s pretty nasty.
And again, I’m not attacking you for being nasty, but for being a hypocrite.
How does that make me a hypocrite?
Once again, you simply ignore the argument being made, and resort to attacking the speaker.
Haha, accusing me of “attacking the speaker”. Here.
“I’m not attacking you for being nasty,” no, of course not, how many comments have you posted today using the nasty word? Your very first one was “Why so nasty Pete?”
Sorry, I hadn’t realised you were joking. You have a nasty sense of humour,.
I think, particularly considering what is common here, you may be overplaying the ‘nastiness’ thing a tad?
Not at all pete. You are the one that regularly decries what you call ‘nastiness’ You have made many comments attacking ‘the left’ for it’s ‘nastiness’. You pop in here, call everyone nasty, and pop over to KB and talk about how ‘nasty’ everyone is to you here.
I don’t think I’m ‘overplaying’ it even a little bit. I’m simply pointing out a fact.
There are well known communist influences within the NZ Green Party.
Really?
So the fact that some members of the greens used to be communist means there are currently ‘communist influences within the NZ Green Party’? Could you point to where the Green party has advocated the nationalisation of the means of production ad exchange, or the abolishment of private property as a concept, or the establshment of a one party state?
What about Peter Dunnes party? Shouls we examone the political beliefs of evry candidate and MP they have ever had, looking at what they believed in their early years and talk about what that currently tells us about United Futures ‘influences’? I don’t think that would make sense, unless one was looking to make a nasty little smear.
The Greens have been vocal against things like Chinese ownership of NZ land. And trade deals. And Russel Norman has a bit of a history of anti-Chinese protesting and flag disputes.
Do you think these are all just isolated cases and the Greens anti-ness is balanced across a wide range of countries?
They aren’t isolated cases, you are isolating them. the greens have policies about things like military occupations, soveriegnty, self determination, free trade and the like. And yes, they are consistent about them.
You are ignoring that fact in order to make your little attack about racist communists. Trevor Louden would be proud of you.
The first school PPP has been announced. Learning Infrastructure Limited has the nod to enter into negotiations to build two schools in Hobsonville.
One of the directors of this company is David McConnell, a St Stephens Ave fellow resident with the Prime Minister and a Committee for Auckland member as well as being the chair of ATEED and heavily involved in the McConnell group.
The aim is to achieve value for money but in this case the value is thought to be 1% over the course of the contract. Makes you wonder why they are bothering.
KEY TO CHALLENGE OTHER COUNTRIES TO REDUCE NUCLEAR STOCKS http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10794836
…Prime Minister John Key says he will use his four minute speaking slot at the Nuclear Security Summit today to challenge other countries to do more to reduce their stocks of nuclear materials and weapons…
Why doesn’t he go the whole hog and invite the nations of the world to follow the “proud-of-our-position” example and declare themselves Nuclear Free.
Well let’s wait until we hear what he’s got to say, but i’m guessing it will not be something that might upset th US. Has jk ever spoken from the heart about why he is opposed to nuclear powered warships & weapons? I can’t help thinking that when he committed national to retain the law to keep nuclear warships out, it was a political slither to appease the majority of nz public. Do you think he’s got the guts or smarts to make an empassioned speech persuading all non-nuclear nations to join NZ in becoming nuclear free and to totally oppose nuclear powered or equipped warships? No, I think his 4 minutes on the world stage is not going to light any fires.
Why Labour could easily fund their election campaigns without selling-out to big business. But won’t:
Tithing. Even now, a ten to 15 percent tithe on MP salaries could bring in 500,000. (I haven’t done exact sums because I can’t be arsed researching how much each one “earns”.) The fact that these representatives prefer to grease-up and be indebted to the oligarchs says it all.
I do realise a bit more than this is required, but it wouldn’t require moving mountains to raise the rest.
Living up the road as I was at the time, I heard the explosion that killed Ernie Abbott. It still rankles that the Police appeared to put in the minimum possible effort in investigating the killing. Presumably they didn’t see killing a unionist as much of a crime, anyway. Happily, that wouldn’t be the case nowadays and the Police will cheerfully devote massive resources to helping National win elections, sorry, investigate crimes involving teapots.
Presumably they didn’t see killing a unionist as much of a crime, anyway.
I think that’s quite a nasty ‘presumption’ aimed at the police.
The killing of Ernie Abbott was terrible, even if killing him was unintentional the bombing was terrible regardless.
I presume the police would have done as much as they can to solve the murder. PB’s link refers to a “lengthy police investigations”. And…
A $25,000 reward – then the largest ever put up in New Zealand – was offered for information that led to the capture of those responsible for the bombing. This was doubled to $50,000 in 1985.
Not everything is nasty, Pete, though I suppose being in the backseat of Peter Dunne’s car that time may have left a nasty taste in your mouth that still affects your perception.
The coppers putting up a reward is an indication that they have no clues about who planted the bomb. That’s because they never put a proper effort into finding the killer in the first place. Their initial response was to blame other unionists and they refused to monitor movements at the airports, despite a strong rumour that the killer was flown in from Sydney to do the job. Their efforts were decried as pitiful at the time, and they really, really tried hard to do nothing. Because, as I noted, they didn’t think unionists dying was such a big deal. That atitude was also evident in the killing of Christine Clark a few years back. They had to be shamed into laying charges and even then, they let him get away with a wet bus ticket style conviction.
“In the lead-up to the crisis, the Reserve Bank kept warning the banks about how they were running their business,” he remembers.
“Every time [governor Alan] Bollard came out and warned them, he would get a visit from each of the bank heads from Australia, who would tell Bollard, in no uncertain terms, not to tell them how to run their business.”
Translated that says the Aussies were bullying the head of our Reserve Bank. What’s left unsaid is what kind of threats they made; there had to be threats to fit that scenario.
We will all learn what the Greens are after the 2014 election when Labour has to go into coalition with the Greens.
Unfortuantely Labour will not get enough seats to govern alone.
The Winston Party will be history. Hone will do anything.
So it will be left to the Greens to take the reins to do whatever they want.
There has been some talk about the future of trade once peak oil takes in particular less trade and heading back to wind and steam power.
I tend to think that we will see nuclear powered super freighters come to the fore, the tech is there and I’m sure that there will be a tipping point where it becomes cheaper than bunker oil burning ships.
At a guess i would say they would be able to make much larger freighters than the current ones judging by the size of aircraft carriers etc.
I suspect that this will be the end of our non nuclear status or it will most certainly put a lot of pressure on it.
What becomes of the waste is anyone’s guess. Dump site on mars?
I tend to think that we will see nuclear powered super freighters come to the fore, the tech is there and I’m sure that there will be a tipping point where it becomes cheaper than bunker oil burning ships.
.
Wow. You’re “sure” that there will be a “tipping point”???
Just like when its too expensive to run trucks on diesel there will be a “tipping point” to start putting nuclear reactors in trucks?
Sorry mate it’s SF fantasy you are proposing, just like your refuse dump site on Mars. There isn’t the money nor the physical resources and infrastructure around to build hundreds of nuclear powered freight ships.
Coal steamers and sail ships are the way it will go.
Gareth, I will take a kindly viewpoint on your nuclear idea because there are a lot of people out there who believe this type of thing is a goer, a techno cure. Would that it was real and true as well, it would be fantastic news.
BUT….there is always a but. Conventional nuclear is all that’s available now and it has two very bad things that work against it.
One is EROEI (Google it)..unfortunately all the fuel and energy you use to get the iron, heavy metals, uranium, the processing etc etc, embedded energy totals etc and the energy return is not good. We would be better off just using the fuel / energy conventionally, we would go further.
Another is that spent fuel rods need to be stored in controlled for many thousands of years before they are stable…cost who knows…that also requires politically stable conditions…how long did the longest know polity yet last.. Rome…where did they go?
I didn’t see any vegies, I also didn’t see any childproof fence around the swimming pool. Having the pool open to the house is not allowed, as my daughter found out and had to put a fence between the house and pool, even though it was closer to the house than Johnny’s. Does the ACC have different rules for different suburbs?
Obviously different rules and expectations. If you read the article I linked to, Janice, Key lives in a huge mansion with a separate pool house yet his bodyguards were having to live in a camper van. This was an old article and things may have changed, but somehow I doubt it-especially after the revelations about his parliamentary cleaner.
I’ve never said that you shouldn’t be nasty, I’ve simply said that you are, and that you seem to be unaware of that.
Pot. Kettle. Black, PB.. Man you are sometimes extremely nasty and potty-mouthed. I’ve copped shit storms from you for daring to disagree, and so has PG, not that I usually agree with him…
I don’t deny that I’m nasty sometimes though. Pete however, makes great play about the nastiness he finds here.
The discussion today was more like:
Pot goes on and on about kettle being black and how disappointing that is, and how if kettles would only refrain from being so blackity black black black, pots like him would like them more
Kettle says “Umm, you’re black.That’s kind of hypocritical there”
Pot responds by saying ” Woah, you called me black, what a hypocrite, you’re as black as, you’re being black right now. Why are calling me black, that’s so black of you?”
Change Pot for pete, kettle for me, and black for nasty, and you’ve got how I see this ‘debate’.
Vicky, what is really nasty is the results of the types of things PG and other RWNJs ascribe as good policy etc. They own the ideas, impose them on us and it gets personal.
An example. PGs beloved Peter Dunne votes for the Nat sell off of assets, power prices go up and some oldies can no longer afford to stay warm. Thats nasty. Its real, and its personal.
So when I and others sound nasty, well thats just tough tit. Harden up and call a spade a spade, I for one cant be bothered wussing around with nasty tyrants like PG.
They include offers to share content and to join advertising deals, and show studios attempting to strike deals.
A Warner Bros staff member sought an automated upload service, with an email asking: “We would like to upload our content all at once instead of one video at a time.”
The site that they were trying to get deals with? MegaUpLoad.
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 ...
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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 ...
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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, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
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 ...
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’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
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 ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
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 ...
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 ...
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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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 ...
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“”I haven’t had any information that would concern me this morning…we have very deep intelligence links, we operate in an environment where we have very good information.”
Well informed operators’ donkey deep intelligence links notwithstanding, you have to admire the meaningless ambiguity of the first remark.
From the same article:
Greens seem to have a bit of a “pick on the Chinese” obsession. That’s curious as both have some communist roots.
If we are worried about being snooped on by technology providers shouldn’t we be suspicious of all provider countries?
What if a country like the US ended up with too much business influence on selective arrests and shutting down of competitive companies?
A lot of our international communications come and go via Australia. Perhaps they attach sublimal messages like:
“Move to Australia. Move to Australia.”
“Don’t catch up with our wages.”
“Use the Auckland wharfies as a test for how to deal to ours”.
And Finland, well, who knows what all those little Nokias tell them?
Petey, petey, petey, petey …
Off on your morning troll I see.
1. Greens are not obsessed with Chinese. Your rascist dog whistle is disgraceful.
2. Greens do not have communist roots. They are from the environmental movement, you should learn some politics it can be fun and helps when you enter debates.
3. Every lefty that I know is suspicious about all technology providers, including the Americans.
4. If the US has too much business influence it is a bad thing.
5. The only person appearing to receive subliminal messages is you. You should seek professional help.
6. And Finland, wonderful country, wonderful people with a determination to have the best education system in the world. Something we should aim for.
Having traded with the Finns they, like the Norwegians, are very dour people with no sense of humour, unless they are plastered, which takes little to do.
I understand that Brownass’s comments are correct re murder rate, unemployment and GDP.
Checkout website for finland.
So? In each case of Brownlee’s cherry picked statistics the differences are low when you consider that Finland extends into the artic whereas we’re blessed with a nice temperate climate and the easy farming to build our economy on. They did it despite their climate with more efficiency as anyone who has dealt with the tech from Finland is aware.
It was noticeable for instance that Brownlee said that we spent more on education, without also pointing out that we get worse results. Since he is part of a government that is intent on producing increasing how bad the results are, I guess it is hardly surprising that he forgot that.
The satirist above is right about our sheep, brownlee’s BMI, and that Brownlee is a complete dumbarse fuckwit. Of course those are also cherry picked and I don’t like being kiwi’s being defined internationally by such a dickhead as out leader of parliament like Brownlee.
Ah well, I am not a businessman! But I do have Finnish friends, and one in particular, was very very funny – but his sense of humour was dry and perhaps a wee bit subtle for you..
(I am just hearing the Finnish comedian talking to Brownlee – hilarious! “We have Nokia – you have sheep. We have Angry Birds, you have sheep”)
Why so nasty Pete?
The greens are pretty consistent on this stuff. Where do they stand on Echelon for example?
Instead of just smearing them by implying they are racist communists, why not address the issues.
The Australians think there is sometrhing untoward, enough so thatthey risk a diplomatic incident about it. Do you not think that is something we should at least look into?
PG,
You may want to peruse this cautionary tale from the NYT:
Facts are very hard to come by in this arena. No doubt there is an element of paranoia in the West; equally though the complete lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the Chinese (and other governments) justifies taking a cautious approach.
Frankly the problem is these days is that no-one, anywhere can assume that they have not been penetrated. While proven cyber-attacks on infra-structure, as per the Stuxnet on the Iranian uranium enrichment facilities are so far rare, by far the most valuable targets would generally have to be commercial. All sorts of commercial and intellectual property that you and I would find boring and tedious, suddenly becomes very useful to the right person in the right context. And much of this information is very loosely secured.
Moreover with the immense complexity of modern devices it is exceedingly difficult for end-users or even experts, to assure themselve that their systems have not been penetrated or riddled with back-doors.
There are one hell of lot more very open questions than answers in this field at the moment, and I’m not confident that things will ever improve much in my lifetime.
You get it, I agree with your comments, I have much the same concerns. But maybe you could explain more simply to MS.
More nastiness Pete? 🙁
Your first comment certainly didn’t seem to say you agreed with the Greens. It looked like you were dismissing their concerns, but that’s only because of the way you phrased it.
Perhaps when you agree with someone, you shouldn’t go out of your way to be nasty towards them, and that way people won’t get confused as to what you are saying.
Just a thought.
I think, particularly considering what is common here, you may be overplaying the ‘nastiness’ thing a tad?
There are well known communist influences within the NZ Green Party.
The Greens have been vocal against things like Chinese ownership of NZ land. And trade deals. And Russel Norman has a bit of a history of anti-Chinese protesting and flag disputes.
Do you think these are all just isolated cases and the Greens anti-ness is balanced across a wide range of countries?
Oxymoron “Pete George – I think”
The Greens have been vocal against things like foreign ownership of NZ land. And fair trade deals.
There – FIFY Pete.
Am I flagged on automoderation? My posts seem to be ‘awaiting moderation’ this morning.
[lprent: Nope. They weren’t there when I looked so I suspect that you were just getting caught in delays to akismet from our server. When it fails to get a fast enough response the system automatically moderates it and then retries a short time later. If gets success within a some time/attempts it also auto-releases it.
The two times I’ve looked at it, it looks like the actual delay was in the routing out of NZ rather than at the akismet server. ]
It is the machine Petey, it is out to get you …
PS the repeated use of the word “Commun1st” will also do it.
This sort of obsessional behavior went out in the 1970s. Or so I thought …
KBs general debate thread, and Pete jumps right in with his nasty little smear, speaking to the choir, hoping for an ‘attaboy’.
I often post similar here and SB (and also blog) – it’s a good way of comparing responses.
You seem ultra sensitve PB. You’ve used the ‘nasty’ word again, and ‘smear’, how long have you been coming here? From yesterday:
I insisted I was strong enough to resist.
What is your point pete?
I’m saying you are an un self aware hypocrit, who complains about nastiness while smearing and attacking people here all the time.
As an example, I’ve used your attack on the Greens here.
I’ve never said that you shouldn’t be nasty, I’ve simply said that you are, and that you seem to be unaware of that.
It’s an argument, with a conclusion. that being “Pete’s constant attacks on people here about ‘nastiness’ are hypocritical hogwash”
what is it that you are trying to say? That I’m a hypocrite?
nb: I’m not attacking you for being nasty, I’m calling you a hypocrite.
You might have a point if what I said was nasty. I made general (and relatively mild) political comments with no personal attacks.
However your continued accusations of nastiness directed at me could easily be seen as, well, a bit nasty. And hypocritical.
Pete, you insinuated that the Greens were acting out of some sort of anti-Chinese prejudice, ie, that they are racist, and dragged ‘commun1sm’ into it. The intent of that was clear enough without you using the watermelon phrase over at KB.
So your repsonse to the issue raised was simply that the Greens are racist commun1sts.
I think that’s pretty nasty.
And again, I’m not attacking you for being nasty, but for being a hypocrite.
How does that make me a hypocrite?
Once again, you simply ignore the argument being made, and resort to attacking the speaker.
Just as you do, all day, every day.
Haha, accusing me of “attacking the speaker”. Here.
“I’m not attacking you for being nasty,” no, of course not, how many comments have you posted today using the nasty word? Your very first one was “Why so nasty Pete?”
Sorry, I hadn’t realised you were joking. You have a nasty sense of humour,.
He’s not attacking you for being nasty, Pete, he’s stating the bleeding obvious: that you say some awful nasty things here on a very regular basis.
That’s not attacking you any more than I’m attacking the sky by calling it blue.
Once gain, yuo’ve missed the point, but I’ll not go over it again.
But just to clear, are you saying that calling someone nasty, is itself, nasty?
I think, particularly considering what is common here, you may be overplaying the ‘nastiness’ thing a tad?
Not at all pete. You are the one that regularly decries what you call ‘nastiness’ You have made many comments attacking ‘the left’ for it’s ‘nastiness’. You pop in here, call everyone nasty, and pop over to KB and talk about how ‘nasty’ everyone is to you here.
I don’t think I’m ‘overplaying’ it even a little bit. I’m simply pointing out a fact.
There are well known communist influences within the NZ Green Party.
Really?
So the fact that some members of the greens used to be communist means there are currently ‘communist influences within the NZ Green Party’? Could you point to where the Green party has advocated the nationalisation of the means of production ad exchange, or the abolishment of private property as a concept, or the establshment of a one party state?
What about Peter Dunnes party? Shouls we examone the political beliefs of evry candidate and MP they have ever had, looking at what they believed in their early years and talk about what that currently tells us about United Futures ‘influences’? I don’t think that would make sense, unless one was looking to make a nasty little smear.
The Greens have been vocal against things like Chinese ownership of NZ land. And trade deals. And Russel Norman has a bit of a history of anti-Chinese protesting and flag disputes.
Do you think these are all just isolated cases and the Greens anti-ness is balanced across a wide range of countries?
They aren’t isolated cases, you are isolating them. the greens have policies about things like military occupations, soveriegnty, self determination, free trade and the like. And yes, they are consistent about them.
You are ignoring that fact in order to make your little attack about racist communists. Trevor Louden would be proud of you.
Perhaps you could try responding to this post Pete, explaining why you ignored the Greens policies in favour of assuming an anti-chinese bias.
The first school PPP has been announced. Learning Infrastructure Limited has the nod to enter into negotiations to build two schools in Hobsonville.
One of the directors of this company is David McConnell, a St Stephens Ave fellow resident with the Prime Minister and a Committee for Auckland member as well as being the chair of ATEED and heavily involved in the McConnell group.
The aim is to achieve value for money but in this case the value is thought to be
1% over the course of the contract. Makes you wonder why they are bothering.
More public money for their private objectives, got any more public assets they could have also?
Education for profit.
education for one of key’s neighbour’s profit, it looks like.
Exactly.
KEY TO CHALLENGE OTHER COUNTRIES TO REDUCE NUCLEAR STOCKS
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10794836
…Prime Minister John Key says he will use his four minute speaking slot at the Nuclear Security Summit today to challenge other countries to do more to reduce their stocks of nuclear materials and weapons…
Why doesn’t he go the whole hog and invite the nations of the world to follow the “proud-of-our-position” example and declare themselves Nuclear Free.
Well let’s wait until we hear what he’s got to say, but i’m guessing it will not be something that might upset th US. Has jk ever spoken from the heart about why he is opposed to nuclear powered warships & weapons? I can’t help thinking that when he committed national to retain the law to keep nuclear warships out, it was a political slither to appease the majority of nz public. Do you think he’s got the guts or smarts to make an empassioned speech persuading all non-nuclear nations to join NZ in becoming nuclear free and to totally oppose nuclear powered or equipped warships? No, I think his 4 minutes on the world stage is not going to light any fires.
“Has jk ever spoken from the heart… “ …Nope, he doesn’t have one.
I think rosy could very well be right…
“No, I think his 4 minutes on the world stage is not going to light any fires”
It is 4 minutes on the global stage though, and that is, really what egomaniacs love most!
Just as a complete aside:
Another international effort has been made to help the POAL workers. This time from Labourstart.
Here is their petition to Len Brown to sign. Some may feel cyncial about this but it’s worth a crack isn’t it?
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=1329&src=lsmm
Why Labour could easily fund their election campaigns without selling-out to big business. But won’t:
Tithing. Even now, a ten to 15 percent tithe on MP salaries could bring in 500,000. (I haven’t done exact sums because I can’t be arsed researching how much each one “earns”.) The fact that these representatives prefer to grease-up and be indebted to the oligarchs says it all.
I do realise a bit more than this is required, but it wouldn’t require moving mountains to raise the rest.
The MP’s already contribute at levels similar to that and campaigns cost a hell of a lot more than $500,000. Any other half thought out ideas?
You’re saying Labour MP’s kicked in about $500,000? to last year’s election campaign
Won’t bother even asking for a link. How much did Labour spend on its whole campaign outside of allotted parliamentary funds again?
I don’t believe you.
Labour spent 1.75 million.
You’re saying MP’s contributed nearly a third of the whole budget?
I didn’t see Team Macmillan BMW donating $150K to the Labour Party. Did you?
I should bloody hope not…..
…..But the way things stand, frankly, it wouldn’t surprise me if they did.
Kind of sad for labour really, given that they set up the original deal.
Yeah but they did give ol’ Shonky and co about 50 grand didn’t they?
Ernie Abbott, killed, 27.3.84. RIP
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/wellington-trades-hall-bombing
Living up the road as I was at the time, I heard the explosion that killed Ernie Abbott. It still rankles that the Police appeared to put in the minimum possible effort in investigating the killing. Presumably they didn’t see killing a unionist as much of a crime, anyway. Happily, that wouldn’t be the case nowadays and the Police will cheerfully devote massive resources to helping National win elections, sorry, investigate crimes involving teapots.
Presumably they didn’t see killing a unionist as much of a crime, anyway.
I think that’s quite a nasty ‘presumption’ aimed at the police.
The killing of Ernie Abbott was terrible, even if killing him was unintentional the bombing was terrible regardless.
I presume the police would have done as much as they can to solve the murder. PB’s link refers to a “lengthy police investigations”. And…
…suggests the level of intent to try and solve it.
Not everything is nasty, Pete, though I suppose being in the backseat of Peter Dunne’s car that time may have left a nasty taste in your mouth that still affects your perception.
The coppers putting up a reward is an indication that they have no clues about who planted the bomb. That’s because they never put a proper effort into finding the killer in the first place. Their initial response was to blame other unionists and they refused to monitor movements at the airports, despite a strong rumour that the killer was flown in from Sydney to do the job. Their efforts were decried as pitiful at the time, and they really, really tried hard to do nothing. Because, as I noted, they didn’t think unionists dying was such a big deal. That atitude was also evident in the killing of Christine Clark a few years back. They had to be shamed into laying charges and even then, they let him get away with a wet bus ticket style conviction.
A brief glimpse behind the scenes of the Reserve Bank;
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10793869
This is the interesting part;
“In the lead-up to the crisis, the Reserve Bank kept warning the banks about how they were running their business,” he remembers.
“Every time [governor Alan] Bollard came out and warned them, he would get a visit from each of the bank heads from Australia, who would tell Bollard, in no uncertain terms, not to tell them how to run their business.”
Translated that says the Aussies were bullying the head of our Reserve Bank. What’s left unsaid is what kind of threats they made; there had to be threats to fit that scenario.
What is the Minister of Tourism doing about this?
hundreds sleeping at Chch airport
Being comfortable and relaxed basking in his ego on the world stage, it’s why he took the job.
Nothing he’s just off playing at being an important person.
So is Key back for work today?
Couple of important questions for him to answer in the house, so probably not. And he takes every Thursday off, so that’s definitely out.
Reckon we might get ONE day of participation in democracy from the lazy pompous sack o shite this week or will he be too busy in Hawaii tomorrow?
We will all learn what the Greens are after the 2014 election when Labour has to go into coalition with the Greens.
Unfortuantely Labour will not get enough seats to govern alone.
The Winston Party will be history. Hone will do anything.
So it will be left to the Greens to take the reins to do whatever they want.
And who said you guys were slow learners.
There has been some talk about the future of trade once peak oil takes in particular less trade and heading back to wind and steam power.
I tend to think that we will see nuclear powered super freighters come to the fore, the tech is there and I’m sure that there will be a tipping point where it becomes cheaper than bunker oil burning ships.
At a guess i would say they would be able to make much larger freighters than the current ones judging by the size of aircraft carriers etc.
I suspect that this will be the end of our non nuclear status or it will most certainly put a lot of pressure on it.
What becomes of the waste is anyone’s guess. Dump site on mars?
.
Wow. You’re “sure” that there will be a “tipping point”???
Just like when its too expensive to run trucks on diesel there will be a “tipping point” to start putting nuclear reactors in trucks?
Sorry mate it’s SF fantasy you are proposing, just like your refuse dump site on Mars. There isn’t the money nor the physical resources and infrastructure around to build hundreds of nuclear powered freight ships.
Coal steamers and sail ships are the way it will go.
Gareth, I will take a kindly viewpoint on your nuclear idea because there are a lot of people out there who believe this type of thing is a goer, a techno cure. Would that it was real and true as well, it would be fantastic news.
BUT….there is always a but. Conventional nuclear is all that’s available now and it has two very bad things that work against it.
One is EROEI (Google it)..unfortunately all the fuel and energy you use to get the iron, heavy metals, uranium, the processing etc etc, embedded energy totals etc and the energy return is not good. We would be better off just using the fuel / energy conventionally, we would go further.
Another is that spent fuel rods need to be stored in controlled for many thousands of years before they are stable…cost who knows…that also requires politically stable conditions…how long did the longest know polity yet last.. Rome…where did they go?
Plus I will be surprised if affordable world uranium stocks last 30 years at current (let alone increasing) usage
I have just invented a new game, it’s called spot the veges in John Key’s garden:
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/politics-and-pumpkins.html
I didn’t see any vegies, I also didn’t see any childproof fence around the swimming pool. Having the pool open to the house is not allowed, as my daughter found out and had to put a fence between the house and pool, even though it was closer to the house than Johnny’s. Does the ACC have different rules for different suburbs?
Obviously different rules and expectations. If you read the article I linked to, Janice, Key lives in a huge mansion with a separate pool house yet his bodyguards were having to live in a camper van. This was an old article and things may have changed, but somehow I doubt it-especially after the revelations about his parliamentary cleaner.
Perhaps we should start a new game called “Spot the Pool Fence” 🙂
Pot. Kettle. Black, PB.. Man you are sometimes extremely nasty and potty-mouthed. I’ve copped shit storms from you for daring to disagree, and so has PG, not that I usually agree with him…
I don’t deny that I’m nasty sometimes though. Pete however, makes great play about the nastiness he finds here.
The discussion today was more like:
Pot goes on and on about kettle being black and how disappointing that is, and how if kettles would only refrain from being so blackity black black black, pots like him would like them more
Kettle says “Umm, you’re black.That’s kind of hypocritical there”
Pot responds by saying ” Woah, you called me black, what a hypocrite, you’re as black as, you’re being black right now. Why are calling me black, that’s so black of you?”
Change Pot for pete, kettle for me, and black for nasty, and you’ve got how I see this ‘debate’.
someone once told me that patience was a virtue. would that apply here?
There’s another saying about making a virtue out of a necessity 😉
Vicky, what is really nasty is the results of the types of things PG and other RWNJs ascribe as good policy etc. They own the ideas, impose them on us and it gets personal.
An example. PGs beloved Peter Dunne votes for the Nat sell off of assets, power prices go up and some oldies can no longer afford to stay warm. Thats nasty. Its real, and its personal.
So when I and others sound nasty, well thats just tough tit. Harden up and call a spade a spade, I for one cant be bothered wussing around with nasty tyrants like PG.
Ooops
The site that they were trying to get deals with? MegaUpLoad.