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.
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Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
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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.
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.