“New papers reveal just how much the Government conceded to Warner Bros. to ensure the Hobbit movies were made in New Zealand.
The papers, obtained under the Official Information Act, also show the Government was less than forthcoming with the public about the reasons for changing employment law to keep the Hollywood studio happy.
The Government did a deal with Warners in October 2010 to ensure the movies were made in this country, amid fears a dispute with actors would force them to be made elsewhere. But the papers reveal an agreement had already been signed ending the dispute and the Government knew that.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly says at the time, the Government blamed the dispute for the law changes …”
I wonder if it is time to review the complaint of privilege made against Brownlee for misleading the house? Brownlee claimed on October 26 2010 that the boycott was the main cause of the uncertainty over The Hobbit
And I wonder if this will cause Gosman to review the strongly held views he had on the dispute?
The facts were revealed shortly after the whole affair, I remember reading it in The Standard. The MSM of course were not interested. From then on whenever I mention their names I have called them Scumbag Jackson and Scumbag Taylor, and then explain why.
The euthanasia debate in Dunedin last night was to a packed theatre, and all speakers made very worthwhile contributions on a difficult and touchy issue – “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: A Discussion We Need to Have”.
I hope the video will be made available, it will be a good reference for the ongoing discussions.
I’ve seen and heard little of Maryan Street as an MP, but she came across well promoting her proposed “end of life choices” private member’s Bill.
Waiting for the apology due to Helen Kelly from Peter Jackson, Paul Holmes, John Key, Richard Taylor and 99% of the New Zealand news media, as she is proved right over the secret Key Govt/Warner Bros deals, now some of the official papers have been released. The actors’ union issue was settled before the anti-union campaign, such as the stage managed march in Wellington, even got under way.
All credit to Helen Kelly maintaining her dignity throughout this thoroughly despicable situation. I hear The Hobbit has been given poor reviews. Divine justice perhaps!
A relatively innocuous entertaining little fantasy book has been tainted for good by Lord Jackson’s greed–two movies from one slim volume? Geddowda here…..
Lord J can park his Hobbits where the sun don’t shine, up his Sopwith Camel’s exhaust perhaps.
Well done Helen Kelly and Actors members. Shame on the techies and ‘Cur’ Richard Taylor.
An appology won’t be coming any time soon, if this article is anything to go by. Confusing article, with the authors striving to skew the arguments in Brownlee’s favour.
But surely this is damning! Who gives a business entity, in the middle of an indiustrial dispute, copies of cabinet notes on the issue?
The documents show Kiwi director Sir Peter Jackson, who received personal post-Cabinet briefings from Brownlee, rated the union vetting of foreign actors as one of only two “key issues” in the debate.
Days before Prime Minister John Key announced a deal had been cut with Warners to keep The Hobbit production in New Zealand, Sir Peter emailed Brownlee’s office about visas for foreign actors.
[…]
Sir Peter received a quick response to his email which informed him that Brownlee planned to speak with Warners the following day about “what decisions have been made”.
“We have and can continue to give Warners a guarantee that we will back casting decisions through immigration processes. In the end, the New Zealand Government – and not any other party – will determine who can enter the country.”
Sir Peter said this was “news they [Warners] have been waiting for” which he would pass on to Los Angeles immediately.
Besides the status of self-employed contractors – which dominated public debate at the time of the dispute – “vetting” of foreign actors by Actors’ Equity was the other “key issue” he raised.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said “the immigration issue” had been “kept hidden” as part of discussions with Warners.
“Alongside the change in [employment] law, the $30m [in tax credits], they agreed to remove opportunity for New Zealand performers to work,” Kelly said.
“New Zealanders wouldn’t have liked to know that our borders were being opened up … what is the benefit to New Zealand? [Actors’ Equity] were working to have some standards around immigration in the industry.”
This sentence is written as if what Brownlee says is fact:
New Zealand’s dynamic and vibrant film industry was “built off the back of the genius of Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop and the many people that work for their organisations”.
No matter that Brownlee ignores all the work by people who made other significant movies and TV programmes, from Shortland Street (whatever you think of it, it has been a training ground for many in the industry – ditto for the Xena-Hercules-Spartacus productions, and movies like Whale Rider, Utu, Goodbye Porkpie, Smash Palace, The Navigator, Desperate Remedies, In My father’s Den, Sione’s Wedding, etc, etc…. etc, etc)
Sad to see that so many people in the insecure film industry were happy to be participants in attacks on their own job security, such as in that professionally run march through Wellington against worker’s rights, after the dispute between actors and producers had been settled.
Reckon it’s about time he Trottered off somewhere nice and quiet and shut the fuck up about everything for a long time. And take that useless prick Pagani too.
Unfortunately, this seems to have gathered a bit of momentum. Which seems completely crazy, given how far it is until the election and that another leadership change would be tantamount to an admission that they haven’t got a fucking clue.
Which reminds me, has anyone seen Irish since this?
Relax, everyone. He is fine. I was momentarily concerned that he had been replaced with a doppelganger, but, after reading the post, I am pretty sure it is him.
Shearer is fucking awful on tv. And not much better in parliament.
How likeable he is, whether he has the common touch or a million other things is irrelevent if he comes across as unprepared, stumbling over his words or vague.
Key, in my opinion, is a half-wit with a smile and a wave. But he can present himself. And the 15-30 secs on the news each night is all the heaving masses see, and they like it.
OK, I just don’t get it! Why do Standardistas all hate Trotter and Shearer? I’ve already seen for myself, and mentioned here (to a resounding silence!) how Shearer’s words are distorted… both by the msn (no surprises there!) and Standardistas, which makes me sad.
Now, that Bowalley Road has finally loaded (I wish I could afford broadband!) I see that Trotter is writing against Shearer… So, WTF? Most here hate Trotter, and they also hate Shearer and call them both right wing, which is pretty insulting. So, what gives?
Like Trotter, the Stuff article mentioned indications of some disquiet amongst Labour people/Caucus. But the Stuff article was written by Tracy Watkins who is no friend to Labour or the left.
I don’t know how much insider knowledge Bomber is using, when writing some of the explicit tensions within Labour.
I was a cautious supporter of Shearer as leader, and I have to say, that I am a little bit worried about his tendency to take the Labour party down the Blairite road, however a leadership change now would be futile. Labour can choose Robertson (who IMO is better off in a number 2 type position), and then what happens when Labour doesnt rise in the polls? Jacinda Ardern? Andrew Little, Trevor Mallard? The last thing Labour needs is a revolving door leadership. And anyway, the god-botherers will have a field day with Robertson as leader.I can imagine Family First and the Society for Protection of Commnity Standards denigrating him almost every day about hot gay orgies in the beehive, and ‘gay propaganda’ in our schools.
Anyway, I dont know what you lot are on, but I have/had no faith in David Cunliffe’s ability to stick to Labour principles as a hypothetical leader. Firstly, he signed up to National’s purging of the public service, just before the election, and secondly, a few years ago, as Health Minister, he said in an interview that he had private health insurance. IMO any health minister who has private health insurance is not that all committed to a public health service in this country.
Frankly I’d be pretty surprised if anyone in the Labour caucus didn’t have private health insurance. Our public hospitals are dangerous. Certainly those medical professionals who work in public health (and can afford it) go private.
I’d love to see Labour representatives who weren’t part of the elite. People who live as most of us do. Our public hospitals would be miles safer if those who made the funding and other decisons about them (and their families) were forced to rely on them with no special treatment within them.
But that’s a pipe dream. Labour stopped representing the people a long time ago.
Our public hospitals are dangerous. Certainly those medical professionals who work in public health (and can afford it) go private.
That is absolutely not true. Thanks to my GP getting ahead of herself, I have had to spend longer at Auckland City Hospital this year than I have for a long time. The only danger I have found there is that the place is a maze, it always takes me a long time to find my way out!
My son is a health professional, he works at Welly Hospital on Ward 6 South (Cardiothoracic) and he does not have, and does not want to have health insurance. It’s not necessary. I have complete confidence in the public system as do my son and his colleagues.
That’s nice Vicky.
But certainly not my experience – quite the reverse.
I’ll have to take your word for it that your son and his colleagues have “complete faith” in the public health system. The many health professionals I know certainly do not.
Btw – might pay to watch the amount of detail you are giving in your comments – assuming you want you and your son to remain anonymous.
Welcome to Vicky’s world, js, where her personal experience is absolutely universal and pointing out it isn’t makes you a gigantic Christian-bashing bully or something.
Btw – might pay to watch the amount of detail you are giving in your comments – assuming you want you and your son to remain anonymous.
I am not that fussed, really! L., is not the only male nurse on 6 South, (and I do know that they all have faith in the system, being part of it and all! 🙂 ) I am sorry your experience has been otherwise, but ours (including my sisters and their kids) has been excellent…
Pay no attention to QoT, after all that’s what she desperately craves – attention! Hence her total lack of useful contribution to the discussion, just her/his usual bitchery against me… 😀
And pay no attention to Vicky32, after all that’s what she desperately craves – seeing as how she’s the one who *frequently* refers to me in comment threads I haven’t participated in, and continues to find it ~hilarious~ to try baiting me by pretending she doesn’t know what gender I identify as.
I had the opportunity recently to hear David Shearer speak again. He is a genuinely lovely man, as Phil Goff was before him. His speech was similar to his candidate speech back in November. His back story is impressive (we heard it yet again). For someone who has led teams delivering aid to war torn countries, you would expect his manner to be considered and measured. It is. You would also expect some fire in his belly on certain issues, because lets face it, we are staring down the barrel at some huge changes which will affect New Zealand for ever. But his approach is a softly, softly one. At times it can be painful to hear, as you want him to stop waffling and say something inspirational.
Grant was at the meeting too. He politely interrupting David when he felt he could make a better, more positive contribution. It gave the impression that Shearer is not his own man.
Right now we need strong leadership to counter attack the never ending calamities that the Key government is foisting on this country. Every day there is a new one.
The Labour Caucus was wrong when they chose Shearer/Robinson. Time to own up and have another leadership challenge. For the sake of the Party. This time ensure that the broad membership have a role in the decision making. We were not heard the last time…despite the obvious choice that was presented to us at the leadership candidate meetings.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 6.1
I totally agree with your sentiments Molly Polly – I rejoined the party ‘again’ last year, hoping for a better result. I was extremely disappointed with the leadership change. I still am firmly of the opinion that David Cunliffe should be the leader – the present leadership is simply not functioning and the polls are reflecting this malaise. My renewal invoice is sitting my my unpaid accounts and I’m not about to renew my membership at present – I’m very disillusioned with the state of politics in our country at present, but I’m also worried about the attitude of my fellow citizens to what this government is doing – if they think the direction we’re hurtling towards is OK, well, I’m left pretty speechless.
Wow Jilly Bee, you could be my doppelganger! This is my situation exactly! I even made the effort to attend and hear the ‘candidates’, with Cunliffe and Mahuta my definite choice. I recently donated to Stand UP, from a link on the Standard. Had I been sure of Labour my money would have gone to them.
+1 and me too – joined for the first time after Goff and Cunliffe’s showing during the election campaign, but my renewal notice is still sitting in the ‘to do’ file – disappointed, I am.
This is interesting – aren’t we (women) a target market for Shearer? to stop us swooning over the god of masculinity that is Key?
Or maybe we already vote left so don’t really figure in the calculations.
We are not swinging voters…we are tribal Labour and have been for ever and probably always will be because we share the same Labour values. Despite the leadership change, I really wanted Shearer to prove that my instincts were wrong. Right now it feels like a slow motion train wreck in action…and has done so for sometime. I’m sick of pretending that everything is wonderful and by some miracle it’s going to come right. With the right leader it will…so I’m hanging in there.
“…Dr Schellinck, who runs a company called Focal Research Consultants, is regarded as a world expert in mining information from loyalty cards as a means of better understanding those who use them.”
So focal research is more about data mining than solving problem gambling – although being a smart man Dr Schellinck and his cohorts know that this kind of information gathering is not so popular with the public when used in other environments like analysing peoples supermarket purchases.
Why? because principally this kind of technology has been used to maximise revenue for the client/ vendor.
The answer for Focal Research? get involved in gambling research and tobacco control measures meanwhile continuing to promote the invasive information gathering technologies which would otherwise face reasonable resistance. Voilà: transformed into ‘the good guys’
There appears to be a movement afoot which in the spirit of ‘pre-crime’ is attempting to label or typecast people though behavioural analysis techniques. It is concerning to see that the focus is on perceived failings/ shortcomings of the individual rather than on creating a society and environments which create healthy people. Proponents for this kind of approach claim the power of the clairvoyant and adopt the fervour of the zealot when it comes to identifying problem people, but are conspicuously silent on the issue of problem environments and the impact of the problem values of neo- liberalism.
The 90 minute assessment conducted on three-year-olds appeared to predict future problem gambling as well as much more complex behavioural assessments, the study said. […]
Toddlers who exhibited a lack of emotional control were also more prone to poor physical health, criminality and alcohol and other substance abuse, the study said.”
No pressure kids, but you had better do well on that test, otherwise you might find in hard to escape the box that you get put in.
Moody pre-schoolers, problem gamblers Trumpets the Herald today – pushing exactly the kind of attitude which is later singled out for criticism in the article:
Associate Professor Peter Adams, of the Auckland University Centre for Gambling Studies, said there was a risk the gambling industry would use the research to claim availability of gambling was “less of an issue than what happens under the bonnet of the person”.
“I would argue that with any risk factors, the environment is a key factor as to whether it becomes problematic.”
What is ‘normal’ exactly? Studies have shown that consumerism and advertising create a perpetual state of dissatisfaction and anxiety. Relative social status via monetary wealth and its trappings underpin many people’s perception of worth or happiness – consciously or unconsciously. Is it ‘normal’ to adapt to these conditions or more ‘normal’ to struggle with them? A functional analysis of individual adaption points to the capacity to thrive in a given set of circumstances – but at what point to we look beyond the individuals’ capacity and on to the capacity of the circumstances/ society to create thriving lives?
The predictive power of behavioural analysis has obvious limitations, and the risks of sweeping generalisations are great. In our eagerness to understand problems let us not forget to examine the assumptions and values of our society and the environments that we have created for people. Nothing exists in isolation.
Yes Gos, there is method in their madness and its your money. And like the fool you are you blithely turn your stupid eye elsewhere as the finance gang who back the Republicans, the Nats and the rest of the thieving classes take your money and mine. Being an idiot is one thing, getting done in the pocket by your own “mates” is stupendously Darwinian.
I remember all the BS about the world cooling as well. I’m just glad that I’m opened minded enough to listen to the actualdata rather than cling to misreporting from journalists.
No, “that blog” is where to go if you want to have real discussions about:
a) climate change isn’t happening
b) climate change has always happened, so what
c) climate change is a conspiracy to force world government on us
d) all science on climate change, evolution and birth certificates is a fraud
Good to see that the Office of the Ombudsman released papers on the Warner Bros which now vindicates Helen Kelly. Cabinet papers need to be released on the Sky City tendering process for a national convention centre.
John(the convicted)Banks raving about the ‘urgent’ need to raise the age of National Superannuation to 67,
(Yeah sure John you and Slippery have removed all the small change outta the pockets of the Have Nots to pay for the Haves obscene tax cuts and deliberately f**ked the economy while you did that, now you want the working poor who cannot save for their retirement to work even longer to cover up the mess),
I wonder where it comes from this absolutely Bullshit call to raise the age of eligibility for the Pension,
Oh thats right,from the Treasury Wonks who have got what figures right in their economic predictions recently,
Raising the age of eligibility for the Pension is simply more of the intergenerational theft that the neo-libs seem to find so attractive as economic policy,and, what the hell Phill Goff was doing going into the 2011 election campaign promising to do such I will never be able to figure out,
Looking at all the distractions on various threads (and yes, I’m guilty of buying into them and perpetuating them from time to time), it strikes me as an idea to have a ‘Side Issues’ post alongside ‘Open Mike’ that posters could move meandering off topic discussions to. Some of them do have merit. But aren’t relevent to the post.
Absently thinking. Or maybe in future posts I put up (if it’s technically possible within the edit options) I’ll just shift off topic discussions that pop up to ‘Open Mike’
I thought ‘Open Mike’ was here for the random discussions to take place and save on the other ‘Posts’ being hijacked and dragged of topic,
Doing such,dragging discussion away from the actual topic is one of the ‘tricks’ used by the ‘right’ to shut down discussion and/or criticism of National’s policy,although in the past few days there has been so much ‘bad news’ from within the present Government the few commentor’s from the ‘right’ have been inundated by the flood and being essentially lazy havnt been able to muster the energy to hijack all the Posted threads,
I think Open Mike does a good and I quite enjoy having to read the whole thing to get into what various people are thinking at any given time…
Doing such,dragging discussion away from the actual topic is one of the ‘tricks’ used by the ‘right’ to shut down discussion and/or..
I guess I’m just playing with ways that might shut down any ‘shutting down’ while leaving the moved discussion/debate/argument in tact. And yes, ‘Open Mike’ functions well.
Sounds sensible line to take Bill. The archival material will be denser on the subject. I have asked for the occasional post to be deleted after copying it and shifting it to the right area. If I got shifted to Open Mike when off topic I guess I couldn’t complain. Would you shift the ‘flame wars’ too?
Firstly I don’t know if editing/moderating functions will allow for the shifting of comments from one post heading to another easily. And the last thing I want to do is ‘play’ with the functions to find out 🙂 . I’m only kind of playing with possible possibilties as it were. And I definately wouldn’t want to mess with someones elses post and the comments it attracts.
But if parts of a thread go ‘off track’, either through misdirection or irrelevent argument, then I reckon it’s it would be quite reasonable for authors (where they have moderating/editing powers) to shift those sections of the thread elsewhere…Open Mike or another dedicated post heading…so that relevent comments don’t get crowded out.
It kind of depends in part on the actual nature of the post too. Sometimes it matters less than other times and I’d have no problem foot noting any post I did with a red amber or green ‘flag’ so that commenters were aware of the desired level of focus for their comments .
And sure, a comment that is going awry could be edited so the commenter was alerted that they either had to produce a follow up comment to bring things back on track or have it moved.
About now I would like to take a minute of reflection and perhaps to ask of the Prime Minister ”Hows it hanging there Slippery” ”Still the job of ya dreams mate,or is it all starting to look like some sort of Friday night horror”,
Have to say,hang in there Slippery mate dont lose ya bottle just yet,hell just when you manage to smother the insane internal power rush fueled fighting and backstabbing in your own mob someone else shoves something ugly in the works likely to bring down a Government,
Stay with us wont you Slippery, watch as that other John whines,weasels,and,weakens into tears of abject failure beaten upon the alter of His own dishonesty until He slinks in disgrace from the gaze of us all,
Know one thing Mr Prime Minister the same fate awaits you…
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A Different Kind Of Vibe: In the days and weeks ahead, as the Hipkins ministry takes shape, the only question that matters is whether New Zealand’s new prime minister possesses both the wisdom and the courage to correct his party’s currently suicidal political course. If Chris “Chippy” Hipkins is able to steer ...
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Following the surprise resignation of Jacinda Ardern last week, her replacement, Chis Hipkins, has said: Over the coming week, Cabinet will be making decisions on reining in some programs and projects that aren’t essential right now That messaging is similar to what Jacinda Ardern said late last year and as ...
Much of what will mark the early days of Chris Hipkins’ Prime Ministership would have happened anyway. By December, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister were making it clear the summer break and early days of this year were going to be spent on a reset of government policy. ...
Going to try to get into the blogging thing again (ha!) what with an election coming up and all that. So today I thought I'd start small and simple, by merely tackling the world's (second) richest man.I'm no fan of Elon Musk. You don't want to know why, but I'll ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 15, 2023 thru Sat, Jan 21, 2023. Story of the Week State of the climate: How the world warmed in 2022With a new year underway, most of the climate data for ...
Well, that was a disappointment. As of today, the New Zealand Labour Caucus opted for Chris Hipkins as our new Prime Minister, and I cannot help but let loose a cynical cackle. ...
Get ready for a major political reset once Chris Hipkins is sworn in as Prime Minister this week. Labour’s new leader is likely to push the Government to the right economically, and do his best to jettison the damaging perceptions that Labour has become “too woke” on social issues. Overall, ...
Things have gone sideways… and it’s only the third week of January? It was political earthquake time. For some the Prime Minister made a truly significant announcement. For others – did you have this on your bingo card? – a body double did so (sit tight, you’ll understand later, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Because our hard-working Ministers of the Crown are engaged in Labour Party caucus stuff in Napier, no doubt jockeying to ensure they keep their jobs or get a better one, Point of Order was not surprised to find no fresh news on the Beehive website this ...
By the end of 2019, Jacinda Ardern was a political superstar heading towards an election defeat. She was an icon, internationally beloved, on track to be an ex-prime minister before the age of forty. It was the year of the Christchurch terror attack when Ardern’s response to the atrocity saw ...
People complain about their jobs being meaningless. Does it matter?David Graeber, author of Bullshit Jobs: The Rise of Pointless Work and What We Can Do About It, would have smiled at Elon Musk’s sacking half the Twitter workforce. Musk seems to be confirming the main thesis of the book, that ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes: Should New Zealand have a snap election? That’s one of the questions arising out of the chaos of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s shock resignation. There’s an increased realisation that everything has changed, and the old plans and assumptions for election year have suddenly evaporated. ...
Should New Zealand have a snap election? That’s one of the questions arising out of the chaos of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s shock resignation. There’s an increased realisation that everything has changed, and the old plans and assumptions for election year have suddenly evaporated. So, although Ardern has named an ...
I warned about the trap of virtue signaling in my article Virtue signaling over Ukraine. This video is still relevant – but have we moved on since then? The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was universally condemned at the time. Or was it? Certainly, the political atmosphere ...
Earlier this week Point of Order carried a post by Geoffrey Miller on how Japan under a new security blueprint is doubling its defence spending. The plans see Japan buying up advanced weaponry – including long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US – and spending more on ...
Anyone else suffering back-to-work-blues? We’re battling, but still upright. Haere tonu! Today’s cover image is of sunset over Tirohanga Whānui Bridge, sourced from Twitter. The week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Jolisa pondered the fate of AT’s ‘Statements of Imagination’. Tuesday’s post was a guest post by Grady ...
Open access notables Bad news delivered by an all-star cast of familiar researchers: Another Year of Record Heat for the Oceans. From the abstract: In 2022, the world’s oceans, as given by OHC, were again the hottest in the historical record and exceeded the previous 2021 record maximum. According to IAP/CAS data, ...
The resignation of Jacinda Ardern has already made more global headlines than you might expect for that of the PM of a small commonwealth nation like say Sierra Leone (population 6.5 million) or Singapore (population 5.5 million). But international observers might not be too surprised by Ardern’s announcement that ...
One of my earliest political memories is the resignation of Prime Minister David Lange in August 1989. I remember this because of a brown felt-tipped pen drawing I did of the Beehive, the building that houses the Executive of the New Zealand Government. More than thirty years later, we ...
Buzz from the Beehive Hard on the heels of our Buzz from the Beehive earlier today, the PM has made two announcements – the 2023 general election will be held on Saturday 14 October and she will not be campaigning to win a third term as Prime Minister. She will ...
Jacinda Ardern had an outsized impact on New Zealand’s international relations. While all Prime Ministers travel internationally, Ardern’s calendar was fuller than most. Ardern’s first major foreign trip came within weeks of her election in 2017, to the APEC summit in Vietnam. The meeting gave Ardern her first in-person encounter ...
She gave it her all. No New Zealand Prime Minister has ever dominated the political scene at home as she has done, or has established an international profile to match hers. No New Zealand Prime Minister has had to confront such a sequence of domestic and international catastrophes – from ...
Jacinda Ardern's shock resignation announcement today has left a lot of us with a lot of complicated feelings. In my case, while I've been highly critical of Ardern's government, I'm still sorry to see her go. We've had far too many terrible things happen during her term as Prime Minister ...
The decision by Jacinda Ardern to end her term as Prime Minister on February 7 has come as a stunning surprise. It turns the task of a centre-left government winning re-election this year from difficult to nigh on impossible. No-one else among the Labour caucus has Ardern’s ability to explain ...
Jacinda Ardern’s first press conference as Labour leader in August 2017 was a defining moment in the past decade of New Zealand politics. A young woman (by the standards of politics) who had long been tipped for higher office, she had underperformed as a minister and Andrew Little’s noble resignation ...
The tools exist to help families with surging costs – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...
Members of Parliament for the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand have today written to Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Khamenei to condemn the ongoing violence and killing of women’s rights and democracy protesters, and to call on him to intervene immediately. ...
As the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the Government, through NEMA, is able to step up support for those affected by flooding in Auckland. “I’d urge people to follow the advice of authorities and check Auckland Emergency Management for the latest information. As always, the Government ...
Ka papā te whatitiri, Hikohiko ana te uira, wāhi rua mai ana rā runga mai o Huruiki maunga Kua hinga te māreikura o te Nota, a Titewhai Harawira Nā reira, e te kahurangi, takoto, e moe Ka mōwai koa a Whakapara, kua uhia te Tai Tokerau e te kapua pōuri ...
Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment, has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding and damaged caused by Cyclone Hale in the Tairāwhiti region. Up to $500,000 will be made available to employ job seekers to support the clean-up. We are still investigating whether other parts ...
The 2023 General Election will be held on Saturday 14 October 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “Announcing the election date early in the year provides New Zealanders with certainty and has become the practice of this Government and the previous one, and I believe is best practice,” Jacinda ...
Jacinda Ardern has announced she will step down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. Her resignation will take effect on the appointment of a new Prime Minister. A caucus vote to elect a new Party Leader will occur in 3 days’ time on Sunday the 22nd of ...
The Government is maintaining its strong trade focus in 2023 with Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visiting Europe this week to discuss the role of agricultural trade in climate change and food security, WTO reform and New Zealand agricultural innovation. Damien O’Connor will travel tomorrow to Switzerland to attend the ...
The Government has extended its medium-scale classification of Cyclone Hale to the Wairarapa after assessing storm damage to the eastern coastline of the region. “We’re making up to $80,000 available to the East Coast Rural Support Trust to help farmers and growers recover from the significant damage in the region,” ...
The Government is making an initial contribution of $150,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Tairāwhiti following ex-Tropical Cyclone Hale, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “While Cyclone Hale has caused widespread heavy rain, flooding and high winds across many parts of the North Island, Tairāwhiti ...
Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor has classified this week’s Cyclone Hale that caused significant flood damage across the Tairāwhiti/Gisborne District as a medium-scale adverse event, unlocking Government support for farmers and growers. “We’re making up to $100,000 available to help coordinate efforts as farmers and growers recover from the heavy ...
A vaccine for people at risk of mpox (Monkeypox) will be available if prescribed by a medical practitioner to people who meet eligibility criteria from Monday 16 January, says Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall. 5,000 vials of the vaccine have been obtained, enough for up to 20,000 ...
RNZ News Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has acknowledged the way Aucklanders have come together and opened their homes to those in need, with the New Zealand government focused on providing the resources needed to get the city back up and running. The new prime minister — just four days into ...
RNZ News Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty has asked for communication on support after the severe thunderstorm in Auckland to be stepped up. It comes after a Civil Defence warning text failed to be sent out, and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown told RNZ they will be reviewing the response, ...
RNZ News Three people are dead and at least one person is missing following the flooding overnight in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. About 1000 people were still stranded today after Auckland Airport was closed last night because of flooding of the arrival and departure foyers. Flights were cancelled for ...
Wayne Brown has doubled down on his decision last night to shun the media until close to midnight and only order a state of emergency at 9.30pm. In a defensive display to the media this afternoon, the Auckland mayor was questioned on comments other councillors made last night, including some ...
Prime minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed there are three deaths linked to the extreme weather event in Auckland over the past 24 hours. There is also at least one person missing. Speaking at a press conference in Auckland, Hipkins said the priority was to make sure Aucklanders were safe, housed ...
*This story was first published on The Conversation and is republished with permission*Until New Zealand's stormwater drain system adapts to our rising climate, it will never be able to cope with the level of flooding seen in Auckland on Friday night, writes James Renwick The extraordinary flood event Auckland experienced ...
Chris Hipkins has experienced his first major event as prime minister, just days into his tenure. He’s spent the day in Auckland alongside emergency services, surveying the damage and assessing next steps. He’s due to speak at 3.15pm alongside Auckland mayor Wayne Brown. Thanks to Stuff, here is a livestream. ...
Due to the “unprecedented weather event” in Auckland, organisers have confirmed the “heartbreaking decision” to cancel this year’s Laneway Festival. “We were so excited to deliver this show to our biggest crowd ever in New Zealand, our team has been working around the clock to do everything they can to ...
With the rain easing for a moment, many will be beginning the arduous task of cleaning out their flooded property. Auckland council has release advice for cleaning up after a flood. Cleaning up after a flood It is important to clean and dry your house and everything in it. Floodwater ...
Air New Zealand Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer Captain David Morgan says the airline’s domestic flights in and out of Auckland resumed from 12pm today as Auckland Airport re-opens. But he said with a backlog of flights and customers, the priority is those who need to travel urgently. “Those ...
Festival-goers holding on hope for Laneway, set to take place at Western Springs on Monday, will have to wait a bit longer for an official update. A brief post on Facebook this afternoon stated: “Safety is Laneway Festival’s number one priority. With the large weather event Auckland is currently experiencing, ...
Wayne Brown has defended the timing of a declaration of a state of emergency last night following record rainfall in Auckland. “The state of emergency is a prescribed process, it’s quite formal, and I had to wait until I had the official request from the emergency management centre. The moment ...
After the 11th hour cancellation last night, Elton John has cancelled the second concert of his farewell tour at Mt Smart, which had been scheduled for this evening. In a statement, John said: “Following the instruction of the emergency services, we have no option but to cancel tonight’s show in ...
The member of parliament for Mt Albert, Jacinda Ardern, has posted a message on Facebook following the flooding in Auckland. “I’m very conscious that it’s been a while since I posted, and there have been a few big things happening. But today the most important thing is everyone’s wellbeing and ...
Flooding of the runway, the check-in and arrivals areas on the ground floor and surrounding roads has disrupted operations at Auckland International, halting all departures until at least 5pm today, with no arrivals before 4:30am tomorrow. “People are asked not to come to the International Terminal at this time for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Victoria Park near the Auckland CBD on January 27.Getty Images The extraordinary flood event Auckland experienced on the night of January 27, the eve of the ...
New Zealand’s largest insurance group, IAG, says it is on track to receive more than 1,100 claims from Aucklanders by lunchtime after the city was deluged in the wettest day on record. Those claims, said the group which includes AMI, State and NZI Insurance, span property damage to homes and ...
The rampant flooding in Auckland didn’t just detonate its provincial public holiday weekend – it coincided with the biggest weekend of the year to date for live events. A pair of Elton John concerts at Mt Smart stadium had a combined capacity of over 80,000, while both Laneway at Western ...
Auckland is beginning a clean-up after its wettest day since records began. “Auckland was clobbered on Friday,” said emergency management duty controller Andrew Clark. “We won’t start to get a good idea of numbers affected until later today and, even then, this will take time, with information still coming in ...
The prime minister, Chris Hipkins, is travelling to Auckland after devastating floods hit the city overnight. With the airport out of operation until at least midday, he is landing at Whenuapai air base on a New Zealand Defence Force Hercules aircraft from Wellington. ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has arrived in Auckland for a daylong visit to the city following its catastrophic flood on Friday night. Flying in an Air Force Hercules to Whenuapai, Hipkins will spend roughly three hours on the ground assessing flood damage in the city before returning. He will receive ...
A quirk of timing left all Auckland’s institutions on the back foot. But social media, particularly TikTok, graphically showed just how bad the situation was. Late afternoon on a Friday is known as time to quietly drop bad news. You have the plausible deniability of it happening during work hours, ...
It’s a common sight during summer. It’s also a recipe for disaster.I recently drove with my family from New Plymouth to Tāmaki Makaurau and, just like how I lost count of how many cows I saw on the way, I lost count of how many cars had a passenger ...
Opinion - Election year has begun with a bang, and already the punditry and speculation are ramping up, but Grant Duncan warns not to treat polls as gospel. ...
New Zealand’s new prime minister, Chris Hipkins, is formally facing down an emergency just a few days after being sworn in, summoning the National Crisis Management Centre to the Beehive. The Beehive Bunker is being stood up to help with coordination of the emergency response in Auckland. I’ve asked ...
Analysis - Jacinda Ardern is one of New Zealand's most historically significant leaders. But she did not achieve the grand vision for Aotearoa her outsized rhetoric promised. ...
Brits abroad can be an asset to Aotearoa - but only if we make an effort to engage with te ao Māori, writes Scottish expat Fran Barclay Earlier this week, the UK High Commissioner signalled a promising intention to address the barriers facing young Māori and Pasifika who aspire to ...
"They want the Māoris out": provincial life in NZShe hadn’t learned to shut her mouth. Howard was tired of Councillor Kemp harping on and on and on. He pushed himself deeper into the boardroom chair and leaned back as far as he could force it. This woman had ranted ...
Positive affirmation quotes often aren’t helpful for tāngata whai ora. But taking the piss out of them can be. Early in January, on the first day of what would be a week of staying in bed with the curtains pulled, I put a disappointingaffirmations Instagram post up on my stories. ...
Ellen Rykers visits Mahakirau Forest Estate, ‘a crown jewel in the Coromandel Range’, where pest control is serious business.This is an excerpt from our weekly environment newsletter Future Proof – sign up here. The Mahakirau Forest Estate is not your average subdivision. Enter through its tall ...
As Auckland tackles severe floods and the city’s airport emerges from a deluge on both the runway and in terminals, Air New Zealand has confirmed that no flights will leave or arrive before noon on Saturday at the earliest. In a statement, the airline said anyone booked for a flight ...
RNZ News Mayor Wayne Brown has shut down criticism that he was too slow in declaring a state of emergency after severe flooding in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. In a media stand-up late on Friday evening, Brown said he was following advice from experts and as soon as they ...
The Prime Minister has gone down to the Beehive bunker to help coordinate the emergency response, as the Insurance Council warns some Aucklanders whose homes and business are flooded face very hard times ahead. Jonathan Milne reports.Comment: Standing by the south-western motorway, I watched in dismay as hundreds of cars ...
A state of emergency has been declared in Auckland as severe weather causes major flooding across much of the city. It’s expected the rain will continue into the morning. This post will be updated as more information is shared.What does a state of emergency mean? A state of emergency ...
Auckland’s mayor Wayne Brown said he declared an emergency in Auckland as soon as he possibly could – and he made the decision without listening to the “clamour” of the public. There has been some criticism of the mayor for his relative silence today throughout the deadly flooding that’s hit ...
Welcome to a special late night edition of The Spinoff’s live updates as Auckland enters a state of emergency. Stewart Sowman-Lund is on deck, with help from our news team.The top linesAuckland is in a state of emergency. It will remain in place for seven ...
Prime minister Chris Hipkins is pleased the call was made to declare a state of emergency in Auckland. All government agencies were working “flat out” to help in what was an “extraordinary set of circumstances”, Hipkins said in a tweet. “The emergency response is underway and the government is ready ...
Auckland’s mayor Wayne Brown has released a statement following the decision to declare a state of emergency in Auckland. Brown has faced criticism this evening for his relative silence throughout today’s major flooding, with the first public pronouncement of the state of emergency coming from his deputy. Brown said the ...
Christopher Luxon has criticised the time it took for the state of emergency in Auckland to be declared. The National Party leader is currently in Southland, but told Today FM he intends to get back to Auckland as soon as possible. Earlier in the night, Luxon sent a tweet “urging” ...
Here is, verbatim, that latest information we have from Civil Defence on tonight’s state of emergency in Auckland: Auckland Emergency Management has opened a Civil Defence Centre to assist those that have been displaced or need assistance following today’s severe weather. The centre is open now and is based at ...
Severe flooding has ravaged Auckland today but the mayor of the city is barely visible. As I write, the airport has flooded, check-in areas looking like a public pool. Motorways are overflowing and cars have been seen floating down streets like a river. A person has died in floodwaters in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers has laid out an economic blueprint for pursuing “values-based capitalism”, involving public-private co-investment and collaboration and the renovation of key economic institutions and markets. In a 6000-word essay in The Monthly ...
This is live coverage of the developing situation in Auckland. We will continue to update this with photos and information as it comes to hand. After a day of torrential rain, and new reports of at least one death in the flood water, a state of emergency has been declared ...
Fans are describing Auckland Transport's plans to help them get to and from Elton John's concerts in the supercity this weekend as a fiasco with tonight's concert now cancelled due to the weather. Two concerts were due at Mt Smart Stadium before tonight's concert was called off in the face ...
A state of emergency has been declared in Auckland due to severe flooding that has caused people to evacuate their homes. It was officially declared at 9.54pm. Meanwhile, Auckland Airport has closed its international terminal check-in due to flooding inside the building. The airport says it is sincerely sorry to ...
RNZ News Residents in flood-prone areas of West Auckland are being asked to prepare to evacuate as bad weather causes power cuts and car crashes across Tāmaki Makaurau, with a severe thunderstorm watch in place for the north of Aotearoa New Zealand. Auckland Emergency Management said the severe weather across ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Ward, Postdoctoral research fellow, The University of Queensland Five years ago, bulldozers with chains cleared forests and woodlands almost triple the size of the Australian Capital Territory in a single year. Brazil? Indonesia? No – much closer: Queensland. In 2018-19, ...
Auckland Transport has apologised for confusing messaging that suggested attendees of tonight’s Elton John concert should drive. In a post on Facebook last night, AT said “driving to the concert is recommended” – a suggestion that prompted backlash due to the lack of parking options near the stadium. The announcement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Tingay, John Curtin Distinguished Professor (Radio Astronomy), Curtin University Asteroid 20223 BU’s path in red, with green showing the orbit of geosynchronous satellites.NASA/JPL-Caltech There are hundreds of millions of asteroids in our Solar System, which means new asteroids are discovered ...
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry revealed he attended the future King and Queen of England’s wedding with a frostbitten penis. A veteran of Antarctic expeditions says it’s not an issue that crops up often, if at all.Now that the avalanche of coverage about the Duke of Sussex’s memoir ...
A new poem by Wellington poet and publisher Ash Davida Jane. objects in the mirror are closer than they appear if a dog digs in the right spot and unearths a rib what do I care if a woman grows from that bone take her in and tend to her ...
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.AUCKLAND1Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Grove Press, $25) Everyone’s chowing down on fiction ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hazel, Associate Professor, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide schankz/Shutterstock Have you ever worried if the play between your cats was getting too rough? A new study published in Scientific Reports has investigated play and fighting ...
More water than anything else, the cucumber is the perfect counter to intense and fiery flavours. Cucumber is without a doubt the most refreshing vegetable*, the antidote to hot summer days. At 95% water, a cucumber is basically an edible, crunchy, waste-free water bottle. Beside water, the cucumber has almost ...
REVIEW:By Rowan Callick Radio Australia was conceived at the beginning of the Second World War out of Canberra’s desire to counter Japanese propaganda in the Pacific. More than 70 years later its rebirth is being driven by a similarly urgent need to counter propaganda, this time from China. Set ...
The yellow brick road to Mt Smart stadium looks to be packed this weekend as thousands travel to dual Elton John concerts In the words of pop royal Elton John, “I think it’s going to be a long, long time” - in this case for the 40,000 odd concert-goers driving ...
The decision by Sport Northland to deny 'Stop Co-Governance', a community group, use of their Whangarei venue to hold a public meeting is illegal and defies the rights given to all Kiwis to voice their political opinions. This case, yet again, illustrates ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rolf Gerritsen, Professorial Research Fellow, Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University The supposed dimensions of the “crisis” in Alice Springs have been exhaustively portrayed in the media, both nationally and in the Northern Territory. The stories abound: shopfront windows repeatedly broken, groups of ...
Children’s Commissioner, Judge Frances Eivers: "Myself and previous Commissioners have been clear that the use of motels at all is deplorable, and a symptom of a system that is failing children. "Concerns around the practice have been raised repeatedly ...
Everything you need to know to get through the chaotic commute to to the Elton John concert in Tāmaki Mākaurau this weekend. Fans heading to Elton John’s concerts at Mt Smart Stadium this weekend have been advised to drive or walk thereby Auckland Transport (AT). In a Facebook post ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tamara Borovica, Research assistant and early career researcher, Critical Mental Health research group, RMIT University Shutterstock If your new year’s resolutions include getting healthier, exercising more and lifting your mood, dance might be for you. By dance, we don’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Andrews, Professor and Academic Director (Indigenous Research), La Trobe University ShutterstockAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people. Many people do not know about the early activism undertaken ...
Finance minister Grant Robertson has opted to go list-only for the upcoming election, meaning he will not seek to be re-elected as MP for Wellington Central. It opens up the door for a swift exit from politics should Labour lose the election; without an electorate, no byelection would be triggered ...
Tory Whanau told The Spinoff’s When The Facts Change podcast that National’s transport spokesperson would push Wellington ‘backwards’ if he becomes transport minister.Wellington’s left-leaning mayor is worried her plans for the city could be scuppered by a new National-led government – and specifically by the party’s most likely candidate ...
Thousands of people are expected to flock to Auckland’s Western Springs on Monday for the triumphant return of the Laneway Festival. But with severe weather warnings in place, is it going to be reduced to a Splendour in the Grass-style “hellscape”? According to the organisers, no. In an email sent ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago A German Leopard 2 heavy battle tank of the type destined for Ukraine.Getty Images The recent decision by Olaf Scholz’s German government to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks – after ...
The Hauraki Gulf Alliance, a group of diverse organisations representing more than 1 million people, has rubbished proposals to continue trawling and dredging in New Zealand’s first marine park, the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. The Hauraki Gulf Fisheries ...
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission has shared experiences of children and young people in emergency housing ahead of New Zealand’s review under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in Geneva this week. “The government ...
It’s felt like a long time between drinks, but everyone’s favourite/least favourite family are almost back on our screens. HBO today released a trailer for the upcoming fourth season of Succession and announced a March release date. Check out the trailer – which doesn’t give away too much, but successfully ...
This from Radio New Zealand:
“New papers reveal just how much the Government conceded to Warner Bros. to ensure the Hobbit movies were made in New Zealand.
The papers, obtained under the Official Information Act, also show the Government was less than forthcoming with the public about the reasons for changing employment law to keep the Hollywood studio happy.
The Government did a deal with Warners in October 2010 to ensure the movies were made in this country, amid fears a dispute with actors would force them to be made elsewhere. But the papers reveal an agreement had already been signed ending the dispute and the Government knew that.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly says at the time, the Government blamed the dispute for the law changes …”
I wonder if it is time to review the complaint of privilege made against Brownlee for misleading the house? Brownlee claimed on October 26 2010 that the boycott was the main cause of the uncertainty over The Hobbit
And I wonder if this will cause Gosman to review the strongly held views he had on the dispute?
My God.
Every day and week something new emerges where we have been lied to, deceived, subjected to hypocrisy, etc.
Is this lot worse than I recall Clark and her lot by a country mile? It certanly seems like an entirely new universe.
Yeah but Helen once signed her name on a painting. Pretty serious stuff.
The facts were revealed shortly after the whole affair, I remember reading it in The Standard. The MSM of course were not interested. From then on whenever I mention their names I have called them Scumbag Jackson and Scumbag Taylor, and then explain why.
Peter Jackson should share a cell with Rod Petricevic.
It is the exact same thing – lying to the public in order to gain pecuniary advantage.
Someone please establish this is not the case…
The euthanasia debate in Dunedin last night was to a packed theatre, and all speakers made very worthwhile contributions on a difficult and touchy issue – “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: A Discussion We Need to Have”.
I hope the video will be made available, it will be a good reference for the ongoing discussions.
I’ve seen and heard little of Maryan Street as an MP, but she came across well promoting her proposed “end of life choices” private member’s Bill.
This was a great discussion and initiative – the euthanasia discussion begins.
Waiting for the apology due to Helen Kelly from Peter Jackson, Paul Holmes, John Key, Richard Taylor and 99% of the New Zealand news media, as she is proved right over the secret Key Govt/Warner Bros deals, now some of the official papers have been released. The actors’ union issue was settled before the anti-union campaign, such as the stage managed march in Wellington, even got under way.
+ 1
All credit to Helen Kelly maintaining her dignity throughout this thoroughly despicable situation. I hear The Hobbit has been given poor reviews. Divine justice perhaps!
A relatively innocuous entertaining little fantasy book has been tainted for good by Lord Jackson’s greed–two movies from one slim volume? Geddowda here…..
Lord J can park his Hobbits where the sun don’t shine, up his Sopwith Camel’s exhaust perhaps.
Well done Helen Kelly and Actors members. Shame on the techies and ‘Cur’ Richard Taylor.
An appology won’t be coming any time soon, if this article is anything to go by. Confusing article, with the authors striving to skew the arguments in Brownlee’s favour.
But surely this is damning! Who gives a business entity, in the middle of an indiustrial dispute, copies of cabinet notes on the issue?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6815199/Brownlee-defends-Governments-Hobbit-moves
This sentence is written as if what Brownlee says is fact:
No matter that Brownlee ignores all the work by people who made other significant movies and TV programmes, from Shortland Street (whatever you think of it, it has been a training ground for many in the industry – ditto for the Xena-Hercules-Spartacus productions, and movies like Whale Rider, Utu, Goodbye Porkpie, Smash Palace, The Navigator, Desperate Remedies, In My father’s Den, Sione’s Wedding, etc, etc…. etc, etc)
Goodbye Pork Pie — classic Kiwi movie. Its like opening a pre-1984 time capsule.
Way better than Jackson’s early works, which are quite frankly unwatchable by anyone outside boys in their mid-to-late teens.
I get this really strong urge to revisit Goodbye Pork Pie every couple of years.
Never gets old.
Sad to see that so many people in the insecure film industry were happy to be participants in attacks on their own job security, such as in that professionally run march through Wellington against worker’s rights, after the dispute between actors and producers had been settled.
Doubly sad that it was followed by the foreign crew restriction being lifted as well. I wonder if they feel slightly used.
Oh dear:
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/unfortunate-experiment.html
Oh ffs.
Reckon it’s about time he Trottered off somewhere nice and quiet and shut the fuck up about everything for a long time. And take that useless prick Pagani too.
You referring to Trotter or Shearer there felix?
The one who appears in the media and talks about politics.
Definitely not Shearer then
😆
Unfortunately, this seems to have gathered a bit of momentum. Which seems completely crazy, given how far it is until the election and that another leadership change would be tantamount to an admission that they haven’t got a fucking clue.
Which reminds me, has anyone seen Irish since this?
I am getting a bit worried about him.
Relax, everyone. He is fine. I was momentarily concerned that he had been replaced with a doppelganger, but, after reading the post, I am pretty sure it is him.
I’m with Trotter on this one.
Shearer is fucking awful on tv. And not much better in parliament.
How likeable he is, whether he has the common touch or a million other things is irrelevent if he comes across as unprepared, stumbling over his words or vague.
Key, in my opinion, is a half-wit with a smile and a wave. But he can present himself. And the 15-30 secs on the news each night is all the heaving masses see, and they like it.
And that is all that matters to the majority.
OK, I just don’t get it! Why do Standardistas all hate Trotter and Shearer? I’ve already seen for myself, and mentioned here (to a resounding silence!) how Shearer’s words are distorted… both by the msn (no surprises there!) and Standardistas, which makes me sad.
Now, that Bowalley Road has finally loaded (I wish I could afford broadband!) I see that Trotter is writing against Shearer… So, WTF? Most here hate Trotter, and they also hate Shearer and call them both right wing, which is pretty insulting. So, what gives?
There seems to be rumours flying around, but I don’t know who is stimulating them. Like Trotter, Bomber also posted on it this morning.
http://www.tumeke.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/destabilization-of-david-shearers.html
Bomber was motivated by this article this morning on Stuff.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6814524/Nash-denies-being-frogmarched-from-office
Like Trotter, the Stuff article mentioned indications of some disquiet amongst Labour people/Caucus. But the Stuff article was written by Tracy Watkins who is no friend to Labour or the left.
I don’t know how much insider knowledge Bomber is using, when writing some of the explicit tensions within Labour.
Who knows?
I was a cautious supporter of Shearer as leader, and I have to say, that I am a little bit worried about his tendency to take the Labour party down the Blairite road, however a leadership change now would be futile. Labour can choose Robertson (who IMO is better off in a number 2 type position), and then what happens when Labour doesnt rise in the polls? Jacinda Ardern? Andrew Little, Trevor Mallard? The last thing Labour needs is a revolving door leadership. And anyway, the god-botherers will have a field day with Robertson as leader.I can imagine Family First and the Society for Protection of Commnity Standards denigrating him almost every day about hot gay orgies in the beehive, and ‘gay propaganda’ in our schools.
Anyway, I dont know what you lot are on, but I have/had no faith in David Cunliffe’s ability to stick to Labour principles as a hypothetical leader. Firstly, he signed up to National’s purging of the public service, just before the election, and secondly, a few years ago, as Health Minister, he said in an interview that he had private health insurance. IMO any health minister who has private health insurance is not that all committed to a public health service in this country.
Frankly I’d be pretty surprised if anyone in the Labour caucus didn’t have private health insurance. Our public hospitals are dangerous. Certainly those medical professionals who work in public health (and can afford it) go private.
I’d love to see Labour representatives who weren’t part of the elite. People who live as most of us do. Our public hospitals would be miles safer if those who made the funding and other decisons about them (and their families) were forced to rely on them with no special treatment within them.
But that’s a pipe dream. Labour stopped representing the people a long time ago.
That is absolutely not true. Thanks to my GP getting ahead of herself, I have had to spend longer at Auckland City Hospital this year than I have for a long time. The only danger I have found there is that the place is a maze, it always takes me a long time to find my way out!
My son is a health professional, he works at Welly Hospital on Ward 6 South (Cardiothoracic) and he does not have, and does not want to have health insurance. It’s not necessary. I have complete confidence in the public system as do my son and his colleagues.
That’s nice Vicky.
But certainly not my experience – quite the reverse.
I’ll have to take your word for it that your son and his colleagues have “complete faith” in the public health system. The many health professionals I know certainly do not.
Btw – might pay to watch the amount of detail you are giving in your comments – assuming you want you and your son to remain anonymous.
Welcome to Vicky’s world, js, where her personal experience is absolutely universal and pointing out it isn’t makes you a gigantic Christian-bashing bully or something.
I am not that fussed, really! L., is not the only male nurse on 6 South, (and I do know that they all have faith in the system, being part of it and all! 🙂 ) I am sorry your experience has been otherwise, but ours (including my sisters and their kids) has been excellent…
Pay no attention to QoT, after all that’s what she desperately craves – attention! Hence her total lack of useful contribution to the discussion, just her/his usual bitchery against me… 😀
And pay no attention to Vicky32, after all that’s what she desperately craves – seeing as how she’s the one who *frequently* refers to me in comment threads I haven’t participated in, and continues to find it ~hilarious~ to try baiting me by pretending she doesn’t know what gender I identify as.
Mmm, and what a delightfully tasteless “look at how au fait I am with NZ political history” reference in the title, too.
I had the opportunity recently to hear David Shearer speak again. He is a genuinely lovely man, as Phil Goff was before him. His speech was similar to his candidate speech back in November. His back story is impressive (we heard it yet again). For someone who has led teams delivering aid to war torn countries, you would expect his manner to be considered and measured. It is. You would also expect some fire in his belly on certain issues, because lets face it, we are staring down the barrel at some huge changes which will affect New Zealand for ever. But his approach is a softly, softly one. At times it can be painful to hear, as you want him to stop waffling and say something inspirational.
Grant was at the meeting too. He politely interrupting David when he felt he could make a better, more positive contribution. It gave the impression that Shearer is not his own man.
Right now we need strong leadership to counter attack the never ending calamities that the Key government is foisting on this country. Every day there is a new one.
The Labour Caucus was wrong when they chose Shearer/Robinson. Time to own up and have another leadership challenge. For the sake of the Party. This time ensure that the broad membership have a role in the decision making. We were not heard the last time…despite the obvious choice that was presented to us at the leadership candidate meetings.
I totally agree with your sentiments Molly Polly – I rejoined the party ‘again’ last year, hoping for a better result. I was extremely disappointed with the leadership change. I still am firmly of the opinion that David Cunliffe should be the leader – the present leadership is simply not functioning and the polls are reflecting this malaise. My renewal invoice is sitting my my unpaid accounts and I’m not about to renew my membership at present – I’m very disillusioned with the state of politics in our country at present, but I’m also worried about the attitude of my fellow citizens to what this government is doing – if they think the direction we’re hurtling towards is OK, well, I’m left pretty speechless.
Just add punctuation and so many T-shirt logo possibilities spring to mind using the last four words of your comment Jilly. 😉
+1 😉
Wow Jilly Bee, you could be my doppelganger! This is my situation exactly! I even made the effort to attend and hear the ‘candidates’, with Cunliffe and Mahuta my definite choice. I recently donated to Stand UP, from a link on the Standard. Had I been sure of Labour my money would have gone to them.
+1
+1 and me too – joined for the first time after Goff and Cunliffe’s showing during the election campaign, but my renewal notice is still sitting in the ‘to do’ file – disappointed, I am.
This is interesting – aren’t we (women) a target market for Shearer? to stop us swooning over the god of masculinity that is Key?
Or maybe we already vote left so don’t really figure in the calculations.
We are not swinging voters…we are tribal Labour and have been for ever and probably always will be because we share the same Labour values. Despite the leadership change, I really wanted Shearer to prove that my instincts were wrong. Right now it feels like a slow motion train wreck in action…and has done so for sometime. I’m sick of pretending that everything is wonderful and by some miracle it’s going to come right. With the right leader it will…so I’m hanging in there.
It does not matter who leads the party, any of them. The people we see, are not the people who make the decisions!
Sooner people wake up to it, the better chance this country might have!
Well it seems I was half wrong and half right:
“…Dr Schellinck, who runs a company called Focal Research Consultants, is regarded as a world expert in mining information from loyalty cards as a means of better understanding those who use them.”
So focal research is more about data mining than solving problem gambling – although being a smart man Dr Schellinck and his cohorts know that this kind of information gathering is not so popular with the public when used in other environments like analysing peoples supermarket purchases.
Why? because principally this kind of technology has been used to maximise revenue for the client/ vendor.
The answer for Focal Research? get involved in gambling research and tobacco control measures meanwhile continuing to promote the invasive information gathering technologies which would otherwise face reasonable resistance. Voilà: transformed into ‘the good guys’
There appears to be a movement afoot which in the spirit of ‘pre-crime’ is attempting to label or typecast people though behavioural analysis techniques. It is concerning to see that the focus is on perceived failings/ shortcomings of the individual rather than on creating a society and environments which create healthy people. Proponents for this kind of approach claim the power of the clairvoyant and adopt the fervour of the zealot when it comes to identifying problem people, but are conspicuously silent on the issue of problem environments and the impact of the problem values of neo- liberalism.
An article in Tuesday’s Herald was pushing the predictive power of a 90 minute test:
No pressure kids, but you had better do well on that test, otherwise you might find in hard to escape the box that you get put in.
Moody pre-schoolers, problem gamblers Trumpets the Herald today – pushing exactly the kind of attitude which is later singled out for criticism in the article:
What is ‘normal’ exactly? Studies have shown that consumerism and advertising create a perpetual state of dissatisfaction and anxiety. Relative social status via monetary wealth and its trappings underpin many people’s perception of worth or happiness – consciously or unconsciously. Is it ‘normal’ to adapt to these conditions or more ‘normal’ to struggle with them? A functional analysis of individual adaption points to the capacity to thrive in a given set of circumstances – but at what point to we look beyond the individuals’ capacity and on to the capacity of the circumstances/ society to create thriving lives?
The predictive power of behavioural analysis has obvious limitations, and the risks of sweeping generalisations are great. In our eagerness to understand problems let us not forget to examine the assumptions and values of our society and the environments that we have created for people. Nothing exists in isolation.
http://www.nature.com/news/mexico-passes-climate-change-law-1.10496
Good article in The Economist. It reminded me of some of the debate on here.
http://www.economist.com/node/21553449?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/aretherepublicansmad
Yes Gos, there is method in their madness and its your money. And like the fool you are you blithely turn your stupid eye elsewhere as the finance gang who back the Republicans, the Nats and the rest of the thieving classes take your money and mine. Being an idiot is one thing, getting done in the pocket by your own “mates” is stupendously Darwinian.
Friday lulz:
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2012/04/how_times_change.html
“I totes remember that!!”
I remember all the BS about the world cooling as well. I’m just glad that I’m opened minded enough to listen to the actual data rather than cling to misreporting from journalists.
But but but it “doesn’t mean it isn’t happening, just that predicting something as complex as climate is very very difficult.”
So this definitely isn’t an invite to have a thread about how climate change isn’t real or anything like that.
Climate change isn’t real or anything like that.
No, “that blog” is where to go if you want to have real discussions about:
a) climate change isn’t happening
b) climate change has always happened, so what
c) climate change is a conspiracy to force world government on us
d) all science on climate change, evolution and birth certificates is a fraud
And that’s the mild arguments.
“All that is necessary for the triump of evil is that good people do nothing.”
http://www.jackkrobinson.com/taking-a-stand/
Scroll down a little.
Good to see that the Office of the Ombudsman released papers on the Warner Bros which now vindicates Helen Kelly. Cabinet papers need to be released on the Sky City tendering process for a national convention centre.
John(the convicted)Banks raving about the ‘urgent’ need to raise the age of National Superannuation to 67,
(Yeah sure John you and Slippery have removed all the small change outta the pockets of the Have Nots to pay for the Haves obscene tax cuts and deliberately f**ked the economy while you did that, now you want the working poor who cannot save for their retirement to work even longer to cover up the mess),
I wonder where it comes from this absolutely Bullshit call to raise the age of eligibility for the Pension,
Oh thats right,from the Treasury Wonks who have got what figures right in their economic predictions recently,
Raising the age of eligibility for the Pension is simply more of the intergenerational theft that the neo-libs seem to find so attractive as economic policy,and, what the hell Phill Goff was doing going into the 2011 election campaign promising to do such I will never be able to figure out,
Looking at all the distractions on various threads (and yes, I’m guilty of buying into them and perpetuating them from time to time), it strikes me as an idea to have a ‘Side Issues’ post alongside ‘Open Mike’ that posters could move meandering off topic discussions to. Some of them do have merit. But aren’t relevent to the post.
Absently thinking. Or maybe in future posts I put up (if it’s technically possible within the edit options) I’ll just shift off topic discussions that pop up to ‘Open Mike’
Any thoughts/suggestions?
I thought ‘Open Mike’ was here for the random discussions to take place and save on the other ‘Posts’ being hijacked and dragged of topic,
Doing such,dragging discussion away from the actual topic is one of the ‘tricks’ used by the ‘right’ to shut down discussion and/or criticism of National’s policy,although in the past few days there has been so much ‘bad news’ from within the present Government the few commentor’s from the ‘right’ have been inundated by the flood and being essentially lazy havnt been able to muster the energy to hijack all the Posted threads,
I think Open Mike does a good and I quite enjoy having to read the whole thing to get into what various people are thinking at any given time…
I guess I’m just playing with ways that might shut down any ‘shutting down’ while leaving the moved discussion/debate/argument in tact. And yes, ‘Open Mike’ functions well.
Sounds sensible line to take Bill. The archival material will be denser on the subject. I have asked for the occasional post to be deleted after copying it and shifting it to the right area. If I got shifted to Open Mike when off topic I guess I couldn’t complain. Would you shift the ‘flame wars’ too?
Firstly I don’t know if editing/moderating functions will allow for the shifting of comments from one post heading to another easily. And the last thing I want to do is ‘play’ with the functions to find out 🙂 . I’m only kind of playing with possible possibilties as it were. And I definately wouldn’t want to mess with someones elses post and the comments it attracts.
But if parts of a thread go ‘off track’, either through misdirection or irrelevent argument, then I reckon it’s it would be quite reasonable for authors (where they have moderating/editing powers) to shift those sections of the thread elsewhere…Open Mike or another dedicated post heading…so that relevent comments don’t get crowded out.
It kind of depends in part on the actual nature of the post too. Sometimes it matters less than other times and I’d have no problem foot noting any post I did with a red amber or green ‘flag’ so that commenters were aware of the desired level of focus for their comments .
And sure, a comment that is going awry could be edited so the commenter was alerted that they either had to produce a follow up comment to bring things back on track or have it moved.
nanananaa
nanananaaaa
hey hey hey
Good Bye Banks.
About now I would like to take a minute of reflection and perhaps to ask of the Prime Minister ”Hows it hanging there Slippery” ”Still the job of ya dreams mate,or is it all starting to look like some sort of Friday night horror”,
Have to say,hang in there Slippery mate dont lose ya bottle just yet,hell just when you manage to smother the insane internal power rush fueled fighting and backstabbing in your own mob someone else shoves something ugly in the works likely to bring down a Government,
Stay with us wont you Slippery, watch as that other John whines,weasels,and,weakens into tears of abject failure beaten upon the alter of His own dishonesty until He slinks in disgrace from the gaze of us all,
Know one thing Mr Prime Minister the same fate awaits you…