See also….
No. 12: UK Min. of Defence: “Protecting the Afghan civilian population is one of …the UK’s top priorities.”
No. 11: Brendan O’Connor: “Australia’s approach to refugees is compassionate and generous.”
No. 10: Boris Johnson: “Londoners have… the best police in the world to look after us and keep us safe.”
No. 9: NewstalkZB PR dept: “News you NEED! Fast, fair, accurate!”
No. 8: Simon Bridges: “I don’t mean to duck the question”
No. 7: Nigel Morrison: “Quite frankly, they’ve been VERY tough.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15052013/#comment-633295
No. 6: NZ Herald PR dept: “Congratulations—you’re reading New Zealand’s best newspaper.”
No. 5: Rawdon Christie: “…a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti.”
No. 4: Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
No. 3: John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
No. 2: Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.” (TV3 News, 24 April 2013)
No. 1: Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”
Once again, where is your evidence that the drones have not saved lives?
Obviously, killing people is costing a life. But on the flip-side, if you don’t kill a terrorist, they may go on to kill many many other people later on. Obviously the US believes they have evidence that this is the case.
Now, you’re free to call him a liar, but equally I am free to call you on that and ask for the evidence upon which you make that accusation. Without any evidence provided on your part, myself and others will have to judge your claim as simply a matter of “he-said she-said”.
Finally, I see that you use Barack Obama’s full name, including his middle name Hussein, when you have not done so for anyone else on your list, including the previous mention of Obama. I can only presume you’re trying to highlight his surname for the same sorts of reasons that nutbag righties do in the US.
who is which and who is what? Who kills the most people? Who kills the most civilians? Who has the biggest bombs? Who has the most weapons? Who has set off the most and biggest bombs? Who is an occupying force? Who has let off nuclear bombs? Which countrys populations are most at risk?
One “Lanthanide” is indulging herself, and no doubt irritating the rest of us, with her vile little games of cod-logic….
“Obviously, killing people is costing a life.”
But that is not so obvious, according to what you go on to assert, as you obediently channel the president of the United States.
“But on the flip-side, if you don’t kill a terrorist, they [sic] may go on to kill many many other people later on.”
You mean, if you don’t kill a Pakistani child, it may go on to kill many many other people later on. Following your logic, when these remotely operated drones kill an entire wedding party, as they have on several occasions in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, they are saving (using your obscene multiplier) hundreds, maybe thousands of lives. Ergo, the more of them we kill, the more of us (times five or six) we save.
The math is irrefutable! Madam, you are a cut-price A.C. Grayling! You are a Kiwi Christopher Hitchens! You are an Antipodean Alan Dershowitz! You should join the Sensible Sentencing Trust immediately; they think just like you.
“If you don’t kill a Pakistani, he or she may go to kill many many other people later on.” You could, of course, say the same thing about killing an American child. So why don’t you?
““If you don’t kill a Pakistani, he or she may go to kill many many other people later on.” You could, of course, say the same thing about killing an American child. So why don’t you?”
Ah you sad, straw man manipulating boobie – Lanth said “terrorist”, not “Pakistani”. Most of us understand those to be separate categories even if the sets overlap.
Ah you sad, straw man manipulating boobie – Lanth said “terrorist”, not “Pakistani”.
The Professor made it clear that he was translating Lanthanide’s weasel words into plain English.
Most of us understand those to be separate categories even if the sets overlap.
The sets overlap far more substantially and far more obviously when they are sets labelled “Terrorists” and “Americans”; using Lanthanide’s way of thinking, we should be sending unmanned drones into the mountains of West Virginia and the poorest parts of Texas, from where many of the young men carrying out things like the following are drawn…..
“No evidence”? “No evidence” of WHAT? Are you saying there is “no evidence” that the United States has killed, and continues to kill, civilians in these countries with unmanned drones?
You’re making a habit of this.
I make a point of correcting your silly and invalid complaints. That’s a chore, not a habit.
Also no hint as to why you suddenly changed tradition and mention Obama’s middle name.
Ahhhh…. we have a conspiracy theory! The ol’ “Mention the Middle Name” trick! Do you think I’m working for the Tea Party folks, perhaps? Or is it Donald Trump? Maybe I’m a Mossad operative! Whatever, it’s sinister, all right. No doubt about it….
I mean duh. You called him a liar, where’s the evidence that he’s lying. Where is the evidence that him saying “Simply put, these strikes have saved lives.” is a lie?
Ahhhh…. we have a conspiracy theory! The ol’ “Mention the Middle Name” trick! Do you think I’m working for the Tea Party folks, perhaps? Or is it Donald Trump? Maybe I’m a Mossad operative! Whatever, it’s sinister, all right. No doubt about it….
So no explanation as to why you did it then. Obviously you must have had a reason, or you wouldn’t have done it. Unless you just do things for no reason at all, like call people liars.
Poor, desperate Lanthanide is choking on conspiracy theory overload. Better watch yourselves, fellow Standardistas, for we have a master of semiotics on the case, deconstructing every suspicious move we make….
Obviously you must have had a reason, or you wouldn’t have done it.
Let us know when the Space Shuttle returns to Planet Earth, will you, Lanthanide? Then we can send you off on your next assignment: parsing the suspicious way that John Key dresses…. http://static.stuff.co.nz/1233108507/577/246577.jpg
That exceptionally dark charcoal suit. That eggshell blue necktie—and did you notice how it’s suspiciously off-centre? Just a little bit, but there’s obviously a reason for it. And you’re JUST THE PERSON to ferret out the ugly truth!
Agree, felix. I saw Moz’s comment this morning but ignored it because it was so dull and obvious. But I’m really glad that Lanth pointed out the Tea Partyish use of the middle name, which I hadn’t spotted. Says a lot about Morrissey that he’s too chicken to defend himself for using a right wing meme. Because I’m charitable, I imagine it was an unthinking use of that tired old racist dog whistle.
And accusing others of conspiracy theories? Pot, meet world’s most self deluded kettle. That’s almost as funny as Moz saying the other day that he takes care to be accurate in his contributions.
Anyhoo, Moz. I’m keen to hear the answers to Lanth’s perfectly reasonable questions. Over to you.
Morrissey why won’t you put Lanth’s criticism to rest by putting up your evidence?
You and Lanthanide both know there is ample evidence that U.S. drones, operated in perfect safety by young men sitting in air-conditioned offices in Colorado, have killed and continue to kill, hundreds of civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen. You say I can “put Lanth’s criticism to rest” by posting up evidence of something she and everybody else on this forum knows is widespread and irrefutable. Has she heard of the word “Google”, perchance?
Filibustering is not criticism. Our dear friend is merely trying to take some control of this exchange by having me waste my time looking up links which are known and understood. Her tactic is as ridiculous as it is reprehensible.
Agree, felix. I saw Moz’s comment this morning but ignored it because it was so dull and obvious.
Good, you recognize that reminding people that Pres. Hopey Changey is a liar was a reiteration of the obvious. The rather mean “dull” slur is a matter of opinion; I’ll leave others to judge how much they respect yours on this matter.
But I’m really glad that Lanth pointed out the Tea Partyish use of the middle name, which I hadn’t spotted.
“Hadn’t spotted”!?! Oh, come ON, Te Reo! Is it drink? Have you been “mixing your medications”? Oh my God, please tell me you’re not experimenting with that marihuana!
While we’re on the topic of you not spotting things, you also failed to spot my use of a Sarah Palin zinger. Come ON, Te Reo!
Says a lot about Morrissey that he’s too chicken to defend himself for using a right wing meme. Because I’m charitable, I imagine it was an unthinking use of that tired old racist dog whistle.
Yep, as I pointed out to Lanthanide yesterday, I might be a Mossad spy as well. Be very afraid, Te Reo. And Lanthanide, I’d change my daily routine for the next fortnight or so, just to be safe….
L, forgive me, but you’re a bore. A Beltway bore. Dispositionally you and Morrissey are light years apart. Don’t let it worry you so. Seems Morrissey don’t give a fuck. Emulate that.
more Morrisey sock puppets … fuck you Breen you turd.
[lprent: nope, and don’t speculate. Next person I see doing it gets a weeks ban, and I will double it for each successive instance. I am tired of writing these notes. ]
Not sure how I’m a beltway bore, living in CHCH and having nothing more to do with politics than posting on this blog and voting in elections…
And yes, I realise Morrissey is much better in the words and thoughts department than I am – I freely admit it. But that doesn’t mean he gets to spout nonsense wherever he likes and then get away without backing up any of this thoughts or words with a skerrick of evidence.
Not sure how I’m a beltway bore, living in CHCH and having nothing more to do with politics than posting on this blog and voting in elections…
I don’t think you’re a bore, Lanthanide. In fact I find your posts to be interesting and very well argued, usually.
And yes, I realise Morrissey is much better in the words and thoughts department than I am – I freely admit it.
Actually, I don’t think you are being fair on yourself. I have never, ever thought that I am superior to you; if I had thought that, I would not bother to argue with you like I occasionally do.
But that doesn’t mean he gets to spout nonsense wherever he likes and then get away without backing up any of this thoughts or words with a skerrick of evidence.
I think you should look at my posts again, and then think again about whether I don’t back up what I write. I’m sure that what you say holds true in many instances, but in respect to what we’ve been disputing over the last few days, I think you’re being a little harsh.
Mana has shown the way small parties can successfully operate in government. Building a large campaign about an issue that they care about, both inside and outside parliament to pressure the main parties.
This pattern of operation is one that the Green Party has followed in their campaign against the partial privatisation of state assets. Which in my opinion has put the Nats programme under a lot of pressure.
National, in introducing their programme to “Feed the Kids”, were forced to address the question of childhood poverty under pressure from Mana and their allies, inside and outside parliament.
It is not a state run programme that Harawira outlined in his private members bill, (due to come up in July), being instead based on private and corporate charity rather than government aid. But still it is a major concession.
This is how with few MPs and little money, Rod Donald’s campaign for MMP won through, against a powerful and well funded conservative lobby with millions of dollars behind them.
The other strategy that small parties can adopt. Is the one followed by the Alliance and the Maori Party. That is trading principals away for influence, and so called, “seats at the top table”.
Your fundamental mistake is believing that CB and Reid reflect reality. They don’t, they reflect Tory wishful thinking (and in the last two elections, wish fulfilment). Labour and the Greens will be the next Government.
It’s not hope, it’s fact. Reid and CB always overestimate the right and minimise the left. The intention is to convince voters that elections are a ‘done deal’ so they don’t threaten the status quo. Sorry to see you buying in to it. The only poll that is even close to correct is the Roy Morgan and in recent months that has shown that a change is coming. Over to you now. Are part of the movement for change or are you just concern trolling?
Hmm, I don’t really think so. You’re basically saying that these media outlets go out of their way to commission a dodgy poll. I don’t think they do.
It doesn’t have to be blatant or outlandish manipulation. Anything from wording of the questions, to time of day calls are made, to areas called, will skew poll results. Also changing criteria for which responses might be kept and which might be discarded.
Notice how none of these polling companies release a detailed methodology of how each poll was actually conducted.
CV & Co,
Forget the semantics.
Stop the nit picking who/how of Pollsters.
Labour is doing no better under Shearer and Robertson that they did under Goff and King.
Labour cannot get over 33% with the current leadership coterie.
Many gigs people in the party are working hard on the policy and organisation change plans.
The public, the active voters and the lapsed voters will “like” some of our policies but never vote for Labour or vote at all al long as the leadership is seen to be playing a safe centrist “beltway” strategy rather than being strong gutsy leaders of the PAYE worker, the Maori, the Islanders, the new immigrants, the alienated and dispossed and the environmentalists.
As opposed to a statement that is completely correct (but only if we ignore those 2x% results for labour in the first half of the term, and the 34-35% labour results in the second half).
Reid polling in particular gives all the impression of simply reflecting the wishes of the National party acolyte that owns that particular polling organization,
National will have the numbers to govern alone is the ongoing constant message from Reid, the underlying ‘massage’ being that for those not wanting a National Party Government it’s a waste of time turning up at the polling booths on election day,
How well such ‘messaging’ works in the minds of those subjected to such ‘conditioning’ via their televisions is a matter of opinion,
I would this far out from November 2014 dare suggest that National’s chances of a third term of Government will be reliant upon the whim of NZFirst who themselves are hardly guaranteed 5% of the vote in 2014…
Pretty much – like their graph of poll results.
All through 2010/2011Reid put National at well above 50%. But for me the indicator of intentional bias is the chart itself – stops in feb 2013 as nats raise just above 50% on a slow decline since the election.
The last couple of results have been below 50%, haven’t they? Yet the chart on their website looks like they’re on an upswing. And the page has been like that for a while.
Shearer is lurching to the left to appease party activists (and keep his position) and is trying out a political civil union with a red headed Aussie.
The net effect of this you have Labour, Greens, Mana dancing around in the far left corner chasing the same votes.
This leaves the soft left and center voters drifting back into the Nats camp and keeping the Nats consistently high in the polls.
If Shearer wants to head further left that is fine. It is the same sex marriage with Norman that is killing Labour – every fruit loop pronouncement by Norman and Turei is seen as being automatically endorsed by Shearer.
This is scary for voters who are looking for economic stability and growth not a lurch to the luddite left.
Clark didn’t keep the Greens in a far and distant corner for no reason.
Careful. When the “far Left” win the election and the sky fails to fall on our heads, and in fact people start to prosper more (you must have heard that Labour-led governments always make a better job of the economy, according to the facts that is – debt down productivity up etc etc), they’ll start to say to themselves “this far Left business isn’t the hell Jimmie said it would be”.
The same sentiments were made prior to 2008 & 2011 – didn’t affect the outcome.
2014 looks to be heading the same way as the left can’t acknowledge that their policies are irrelevant to the current world economic climate.
Voters will vote for parties that cut their cloth to economic reality – not a harking back to a perceived golden yester year or uncontrollable social spending.
This is what is shown in the polls and Shearer would be better off to present an alternative policy platform that reflects this.
The GFC was to political economics what 9-11 was to the military – terrorist outlook, a game changer that needs to be factored in by political parties.
Aaah the right, constantly trying to make the GFC into a war type conflict, if that is the case, where are the war criminals that allowed it to happen?
No, Jimmie. You don’t get to change the reasons people vote one way or another. People (for the most part) vote for the party they feel will leave them better off. That’s why NZPower is such a vote winner: it will leave the vast majority better off – and the boost to the economy will even lift dullards like you.
Oh, and reality check, Labour = lower public debt, so blithering about “cutting the cloth” or whatever witless excuse for austerity you’re pushing this week won’t help you.
National are shit economic managers and the lying Prime Minister is dead meat.
The GFC was proof positive that mainstream economists have HFI WTF they’re talking about. Hell, the idiots couldn’t even predict excessive debt while it was happening in front of their eyes.
The ‘far left’, as you label the politics you fear, doesn’t ‘do’ parliamentary politics Jimmie. And last time I looked, the Greens, Labour and Mana were all making a tilt at being parliamentary representatives.
You are amusing, ”economic stability and growth”???, you mean the game of smoke and mirrors that the Member from Dipton is currently playing with the Government accounts is economic security,????, borrowing billions of dollars of monies in fiscal year 2011/2012 which will be spent into 2015/1016 is your view of ‘economic stability’,???
The only growth in the system is brought about by the earthquake recovery and the ongoing Auckland housing inflation which despite all the Member from Dipton’s weasel words is set to continue unabated and the blind among us have their heads buried in the sand over this National Governments ‘growth’ of an 80 odd billion dollar debt mountain…
Spot on, its all about keeping people out of the booths in 2014, a tactic that allowed them a very narrow victory in 2011 using a cup of tea and plenty of consistent MSM themes run by granny, tvnz and joyces former employ mediawonks radio live and tv3.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 5
Gormless you missed the results when that specific question was asked.
According to Paddy Gower when asked “Do you support the Labour/Greens policy to reform the power market?” a clear majority, 54 percent, said yes. Thirty-nine percent said no. The rest didn’t know.
Early days. See how it plays out. Getting all excited or despondent about polls in the middle of an electoral cycle is a fools game. But you asked a rhetorical question above: “Time to question the up-until-now unquestioned assumption that nationalising the power is electoral gold? “, in reply to which I pointed out that nearly a third of Nationals own supporters thought that, actually, NZ Power is electoral gold..
Here is a lift from Gowers commentary on the poll you reference.
Asked “Do you support the Labour/Greens policy to reform the power market?” a clear majority, 54 percent, said yes. Thirty-nine percent said no. The rest didn’t know.
But out of National voters, 29 percent said yes, supporting the Opposition’s policy.
So with these silly house value increases that are going on……
where has all the extra money come from to pay for this?
… let’s say 500,000 houses in Auckland alone, average value $500,000, equals $250,000,000,000 (that’s $250billion). And let’s say they have increased 10% in value = $2.5billion.
10% increase in value equals $25 billion (not 2.5). Let’s say 10% of houses sell each year. That equals $2.5 billion extra – where has all of that come from?
It’s mostly all mortgage debt created money. The amount of money released into the community is the same as the debt generated in the same instant. Of course, that debt starts accumulating interest immediately…basically we have a monetary system that our economy can never keep up with, and which we have to continuously grow just to keep still.
Just keep kicking that can down the road…with more money printing, bail outs, austerity for the poor, monetizing of debt, raising debt ceilings, treating debt as collateral you can loan more against, etc
The banks simply print it then lend it to you, as they hold an asset against it, your house is collateral.
Of-course they can only now lend out 5 times the money they have on deposit, so they must attract deposits, increasing the amount of money in circulation will work as people will cash up assets and put money in the bank later in life, around and around it goes, what a scam.
Of-course they can only now lend out 5 times the money they have on deposit, so they must attract deposits
Almost…my understanding is that they can lend as much as they want NOW, but have to go out and find the reserves required by regulations to sustain that lending within a month or two.
Hence occasionally you get the banks putting up posters saying Limited time only 90 days term deposits special rates!!! Because they are meeting some short term reserves shortfall.
What this means in practical terms is that if the private banks are short then the reserves are made up by the RB. That’s what the Overnight Rate (OCR) is all about. The banks will never be short on reserves ergo there is no limit to their lending.
So national party fixer Simon Lusk in yestrerdays SST has only just discovered the sort of people he is dealing with.
Lowbrow atavistic thugs. People with no ethcis, morals, principles or scruples.
Nobodies with money who want to be somebody.
People who need money to beat up on others.
They would prefer it if the law allowed them free reign with no comebacks but fortunately we live in a society governed by the rule of law.
Lusks cronies whaleoil and feeder hav self evident personality disorders such as avarice, gluttony and projecting their own foul desires on to others.
Its time to get shot of them and their party and the sooner the better.
Put dear DS up on a roof with a paintbrush and let him find out what real work is about. And make it a beneficiaries house he is painting but first clean the rust and old paint off by hand and brush, not high pressure water, and then he will have personally done some real good work in this world. The UN stuff was mainly for m-t-a (more than adequate) pay.
You should have said “there may be dead beat parents out there but FFS we are talking about 5 and 6 year old kids. We owe it to them to make sure they have enough food to at least be able to get an education at school. And if they are not being fed at home then we will get their home situation checked out. But how could you refuse to feed a 6 year old kid? What have they done to deserve this?”
On a more serious note, as lprent has alluded to…every soft Nat voter you gain this way, you’ll get a hardcore Labour voter stay at home or go to Greens/Mana.
It’s the leaking sieve strategy of electoral math.
Listening to RNZ radio political spot this morning. Matthew Hooton expounded, clearly and succinctly, the concerns expressed by many here re-the new GCSB legislation. He is now on record calling for an independent investigation as per that requested by Labour and the Greens.
I found their old website hard to navigate and confusing, and I’m a long-time netizen. I guess there’s a reason MSM websites look the way they do – because it’s functional.
hmmm, I think it’s less accessible, but maybe I was just used to the old site. To get to today’s Nine to Noon audio takes how many clicks? And having to manualy search through a whole page of programmes A to Z is pretty daft.
“I thought ipads, phones etc accessed different versions of websites.”
Only if the website designer has specifically made alternative versions of their websites (many cut-down ‘automatic’ mobile sites are terrible and people prefer to use the full site). This can add quite a bit of expense. It’s easier just to design a site that is mobile-friendly up-front and then not have the added expense of having to make a whole different one for mobile.
This site works fine on a iPad and my nexus7 in normal mode. But it is bloody difficult to make it work on any phone smaller than those oversized samsungs. I think that currently for anything with high text content, you do need a two modes.
‘Re-imaging’.
Nothing wrong with the old format – actually I preferred it. And the redevelopment was necessary (not) at a time when they’re tight on funds.
Sometimes I wonder who is running the place these days.
Once again the polls have shown, that parties that move to far from the centre will lose every election, labour and the greens are digging their own grave by playing the type of politics that they have over the past few months.
This is the most centred National government there has been in my life time. Labour and the greens are moving more to the left every day. They are making the same mistake the gop did in the usa election, trying to appeal to the extremists.
They should leave all extremist crap to united and act and TeMana.
Once again the polls have shown, that parties that move to far from the centre will lose every election, national are digging their own grave by playing the type of politics that they have over the past few months.
THE NEXT CANDIDATE for King Johnkey’s “Fuck you, I do what I want” dictatorial legislation?
Can they resist the urge to simply validate unlawful Legal Aid practises with a “nga nga nga can’t take me to court” act under urgency? Is anyone dumb enough to take bets on that?
Justice Tipping – 26 years as a judge of the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. Look at what he had to say about this government’s fucking around with legal aid:
TV3 poll shows that 66% of National supporters are in favour of the Mana Movement precipitated Food for Kids programme the government is introducing, ShonKey Python cares to deny that Cabinet was split over the move. But good on that 66%.
34% of National Party supporters are OPPOSED ON PRINCIPLE.
Shonkey Python – “I can understand………that point of view” – or words to that effect.
Say that again – opposed to feeding starving kids – ON PRINCIPLE !
Karma, karma, karma, please, please, please deal to those bastards and their FUCKING PRINCIPLES in the cruellest fashion !
I wonder how many of the 34% delight in turning up at church on Sunday for their weekly wank ?
curiously, the same percentage 26% that were opposed to this is also the same percentage 26% that were opposed to legalising marijuana in that tv3 Vote programme last week.
Are these the same people?
Is it a solid immoveable core, sitting on their couch shaking their monstrous head saying “nope, not listening, don’t care, you’re wrong, I know, go away and get a real job.”
Yes North I agree – they have principles all right the bastards – the principle of moaning when something affects them otherwise everyone else can just fuck off.
In short, fuckwits, hardheads, no brains, “done well” white trash, scum really notwithstanding their ludicrous pretensions to style and class.
I so well recall a glowing sense of satisfaction, a sense that it was all so poetic, a sense that it was so just, when the Ceaucescus got theirs.
And this 34% are the societal apes who mouth cruelly against beneficiaries, denying this “underclass” human status. History has their travel well mapped.
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The East is Rent: The consequences of unleashing the young against the old; of elevating ideological rigor above reasoned debate; and of setting the present against the past; was a decade of unprecedented social stress and tension, interspersed with explosions of murderous mob violence and tragic material destruction. More than ...
The Green Party of Aotearoa-New Zealand could go from helping Jacinda Ardern run the country, to being turfed out of Parliament altogether in ten weeks. And that could see the end of Labour in government. Without them, Labour would likely have to do what no party has done since the ...
Remember the government's tyrannicalTerrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill? Remember how it was rammed through Parliament, with a four-day submission period and a select committee process that was a democratic fraud? At the time, the government gave the impression that there was an urgent need for this legislation, that a ...
Attack journalist - Tova O'BrienWe all know that much of the mainstream media in New Zealand is terribly biased. They are in effect another branch of the National Party, and can often be even more prejudiced than their right wing bosses.In fact many right wing politicians moonlight as journalists and ...
Former National Party President - Michelle BoagAfter the complete botch job Hamish Walker made of leaking the private details of COVID-19 patients to the mainstream media last week, the best-case scenario for Todd Muller and the National Party would be if the news cycle went quiet about their involvement.But unfortunately ...
One of the challenges of working on illegal wildlife markets, is you don’t really have scope to talk about your research into illegal wildlife markets. There is some stuff though that willbe coming out on Asiatic black bears in China, and before Covid19, I was delving more into rhinos. Which ...
Some are surprised at this sudden brain implosion on the part of both Michelle Boag, former National Party President, and the National Party in general, in exposing the private, confidential details of COVID patients. Others…? Let’s be blunt: not so much. Too many of that Party have long operated with ...
Michelle Boag - Former National Party PresidentWhen Todd Muller decided not to discipline Hamish Walker for his horribly racist press release last week, you had to wonder if his lack of proper leadership had something to do with a shared belief system? After all, the whiteness of the blue “team” ...
On Twitter today, lawyer Felix Geiringer asked a good question: why are MP's exempt from the Privacy Act? The Act imposes its obligations on "agencies", and s8 of the 2020 Act states that this term does not include... a member of Parliament in their official capacity The 1993 Act, ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzWhat was the climate and sea level like at times ...
So now we know, beyond all doubt. The National party has no interest in joining the “team of five million” in our fight against the pandemic but its priority is to take every opportunity it can to damage the government. The cynicism is breathtaking. It was prepared to leak the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters The massive dust storm that formed over the Sahara Desert in mid-June invaded the southeastern U.S. June 25-28, bringing dangerous levels of air pollution, low visibility, and colorful sunsets. The air pollution event over parts of Texas and the Gulf ...
In 1987, as a British Labour MP, I was elected to the Shadow Cabinet by my colleagues and was asked by the party leader to direct Labour’s campaign in the general election of that year. The election was to take place at the height of Mrs Thatcher’s dominance and we ...
National MP Nicola WillisHousing, which I would argue is a fundamental human right, has long been a problem in New Zealand. Not only do we have some of the most overpriced houses in the entire world, much of the housing stock is substandard and therefore affects not just people’s health ...
If the government has not lined up behind a "Yes" vote in this year's cannabis referendum the way some reformers would have liked, one entirely laudable thing it did do was commission some science around the public's choice.That science landed today, in the form of the report from an expert ...
Associate Professor Sara WaltonAt the heart of the discussion on opening up our borders is the dichotomy of health and the economy – both of which are actually intertwined, like many things with our economy, as this epidemic has shown.If we think about our country as a system, ...
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Josh Gabbatiss This year will see the largest ever drop globally in both investment and consumer spending on energy as the coronavirus pandemic hits every major sector, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The crisis is accelerating the shutdown of older fossil-fuelled ...
A short opinion piece – Friday 26th June 2020 Whilst our Government has treated many financial victims of the current Covid-19 virus with appropriate generosity, the same cannot be said for those of the two earlier “epidemics” in NZ. The “Covid-84” virus (also called “Rogernomics”) spread systemic greed, with the ...
Everyone deserves a a decent life. We know this is possible with a fairer approach to income support and tax Read the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Poverty Action Plan here ...
After a long break, the government is back inserting secrecy clauses in legislation. This time its the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill (No 3), which in its clause allowing Ministers to exempt purchasers of farm land from the usual rules also allows them to exempt an exemption from the publication requirement: ...
Over the past two years the government has repeatedly delayed a scheme to put cameras on boats to monitor Mew Zealand's pervasively criminal fishing industry. But it turns out that the industry actually wants cameras: Three of the country's biggest seafood companies have broken ranks with the rest of the ...
Louise Delany (public health lawyer)Health and emergency laws have played a critical role in this country’s successful elimination of community transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog details key aspects of the legislation and comments on issues around testing, payments by incoming travellers for quarantine costs, and mask use. ...
I like Andrew Curry’s succinct and insightful futures blog The Next Wave. His most recent post is about social change. In particular, the decadal-long periods usually required for changes in values. He highlights a 2016 paper by Inglehart and Norris, who examined whether economic insecurity or a “cultural backlash” ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Stop making sense: why it's time to get emotional about climate changeThe science has been settled to the highest degree, so now ...
MONDAY JULY 6Washington (History, Sky 073, 7.30pm). The brilliant Doris Kearns Goodwin is the executive producer of this six-part series about America's first president. It combines interviews with live action and is narrated by Jeff Daniels. It's engaging, said Salon.TUESDAY JULY 7The ABC Murders (Prime, 8.30pm). Sarah Phelps has done incredible things with ...
I think we can all agree that the mainstream media in New Zealand has a very different set of rules for the right wing compared to the left. While Labour and Green Party politicians don’t seem to be able to fart without it becoming a sackable offence, National and Act ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, June 28 through Sat, July 4, 2020Editor's Choice'2040': A funny, entertaining, upbeat climate documentaryA timely Australian documentary takes a 'solutions' approach, with the filmmaker inspired by visions of ...
Racist National MP Hamish WalkerEven before Todd Muller's coup ousted Simon Bridges by a single vote, it was patently obvious that the National Party promotes and stands for white privilege. In fact they’ve always worked to ensure the discriminatory status quo in New Zealand doesn’t change.So it’s no surprise that ...
Dave HeatleyZero community transmission. Just a handful of active cases, all in quarantine. New Zealand is in an attractive situation, at least compared to much of the world. The situation could be robust and enduring – or it might be fragile, just one border incursion away from a “second ...
Is the consequence of the Simpson Report proposals for restructuring the health system poorer accountability to people? When in doubt, centralise‘ has been a persistent theme in New Zealand public policy throughout our history. The current government is no exception. Here are some examples. - The regional polytechs have been ...
I wrote earlier in the week about the Scientology front organisations Drug Free World and Drug Free Ambassadors and their quite prominent role in anti-cannabis reform "coalition" assembled by Family First and a newloca branch of the American prohibitionist organisation SAM.It turns out Family First aren't the only ones helping ...
Nik GreenMuch of the public debate about the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has focused on the extent to which government regulations have restricted personal and business activity.Oxford University Blavatnik School of Government Here in New Zealand, the question of when to change Alert Levels dominated the ...
James Higham, University of OtagoUnprecedented border closures and the domestic lockdown have paralysed New Zealand’s $40.9 billion a year tourism industry. In the process, the vulnerability of the sector to external shocks and the tenuous nature of tourism employment have been exposed. While New Zealand’s handling of the pandemic ...
Raising The Bar: Would that the Prime Minister and her colleagues would listen as intently to what the people – as opposed to the power elites – are saying as the Greens. Were they so disposed, the popular clamour for a transformational post-Covid reset would be loud in their ears. ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzDo you think the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown will slow or ...
A bit like a letter home. I have now been full-time at the University of Melbourne since 2019. Before that, I was 20 years at the University of Otago, Wellington. Indeed, I set up this very Public Health Expert Blog with Nick Wilson ten years ago. Now I am your ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections House Democrats have released a comprehensive report showing how – if they control the White House and both the Senate and the House of Representatives – they might move forward on climate change. Their “Climate Crisis Action Plan,” released June 30 by the ...
A ballot for three Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Electoral (Integrity Repeal) Amendment Bill (David Carter) Harmful Digital Communications (Unauthorised Posting of Intimate Visual Recording) Amendment Bill (Louisa wall) Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Bill (Judith ...
Not Ready: Todd Muller’s lack-lustre and self-contradictory performances offer conclusive proof that a political leader cannot be managed into competence. National’s new boss has Janet Wilson handling his media and Matthew Hooton writing his speeches. Both are highly professional political and public relations specialists, and Muller is lucky to have ...
Unfortunately, due to a medical emergency, I have landed in hospital so am not able to do a current update on the NZ blog statistics. Let’s hope I can get back to this in good time. ...
It started as a family story, about a step-father who went out one night to break into an embassy in Wadestown, Wellington. John Daniell wanted to understand what his family had been part of when his mother and then step-father work for New Zealand’s Security Intelligence. He wanted to know ...
The Greens have shaken up the election campaign with the announcement of their radical poverty and action plan to reform welfare provision and introduce a new wealth tax for millionaires. It’s a big-thinking, controversial policy and has generated a lot of disagreement over how radical it is, whether it could ...
My house is currently supplied electricity by Meridian. As soon as I can change I will because Meridian spilled water to hike electricity prices. They got consumers to spend an extra $80 million on power unnecessarily. Clever them. The Electricity Authority has called their behaviour an “undesirable trading situation”, or ...
The Green Party is today unveiling part one of its plan for a fossil-fuel free Aotearoa, including an immediate ban on new industrial coal boilers. ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industry New Zealand First is supporting calls by hunters and the New Zealand Tahr Foundation (NZTF) to halt a large scale cull of Himalayan Tahr by the Department of Conservation in National Parks. The calls are supported by a 40,000 strong petition and the ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First leader Winston Peters today scoffed at suggestions that a team of six political operatives have been dispatched to New Zealand to assist his campaign. ‘As President Ronald Reagan once said, ‘there they go again.’ ‘The clickbait journos can’t ...
New Zealand First is pleased to announce Jenny Marcroft as the party’s election 2020 candidate for the Auckland Central electorate. Jenny spent years working in Auckland Central, having spent a vast proportion of her broadcasting career there. She says she, "knows the place and knows the people." Ms Marcroft says ...
New Zealanders deserve healthy rivers and lakes that are safe to swim in - but they have been getting worse for decades. That's why, with our latest announcement, we're investing in projects that will help clean up our rivers and lakes and restore them to health, within a generation. ...
This week we moved into the second half of 2020 - and our Government delivered another week of big changes and major progress for New Zealanders. Read below for a wrap of the key things moments from the week - from extending paid parental leave, to making major investments in ...
The Green Party has opposed the COVID-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Bill which shortcuts normal consenting processes under the Resource Management Act (RMA), reduces public participation and narrows environmental considerations. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Economic Development A regional freight hub for the lower North Island will be built just northeast of Palmerston North, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Government is investing $40 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to designate and buy land and design ...
Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson is calling for the introduction of a Guaranteed Minimum Income to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty and prevent more families entering into further debt with the Ministry of Social Development. ...
There has been renewed focus on New Zealand First acting as a handbrake on the Government after our decision to not support Auckland light rail. We are a handbrake for bad ideas, that istrue, but our track record since 2017 has seen New Zealand First constructively also serve as an ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP New Zealand First’s Fair Residency for Superannuation Bill passed its First Reading in Parliament today. The Bill makes a significant change to NZ Super by raising the minimum residency requirement from 10 to 20 years, after age 20. “Currently, a migrant of ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order A New Zealand First member’s bill in the name of Darroch Ball introducing a six-month minimum prison sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its second reading in Parliament. The new offence of "injuring a first responder or corrections officer with ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Deputy Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First welcomes the launch of the new Criminal Cases Review Commission, gifted with the name from Waikato-Tainui - Te Kāhui Tātari Ture, announced in Hamilton today by Justice Minister Andrew Little. “New Zealand First has long believed in and ...
The Green Party is celebrating over $800m in new funding for green projects, which will get people into jobs while solving New Zealand’s long-term challenges. ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is appalled that Meridian seems to have been unnecessarily spilling water from its dams to drive up its profits."While New Zealanders have been coming together in some of our darkest hours, we don’t expect power gentailers to waste water and ...
We wrapped up the first half of 2020 with a busy month, taking additional steps to support New Zealanders as we continue with our economic recovery. We rolled out targeted packages to support key industries like tourism and construction, helped create jobs in the environmental and agriculture sectors, and set ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has welcomed the appointment of Maurice Davis and his deep infrastructure and construction experience to the board of the Infrastructure Commission. Mr Davis (Ngāti Maniapoto), is the seventh and final appointment to the board led by former Reserve Bank Governor ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand’s click bait journalism is taking a turn for the worse, with yet another example of sensationalist, wilful-misrepresentation of the facts. “New Zealand First has worked constructively with its Coalition partner on hundreds of pieces of legislation and policy, and ...
The Green Party is today unveiling its Poverty Action Plan, which includes a Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure people have enough to live with dignity. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Rotorua Museum redevelopment and Whakarewarewa and Tokorangi Forest projects will be accelerated thanks to a $2.09 million Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) boost, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
This week, we rolled out the next steps of our recovery plan, with new infrastructure investment, extra support for tourism operators, and a new programme to get Kiwis into agriculture careers. The global economic consequences of COVID-19 will continue to be a challenge, but we have a detailed plan to ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its final reading in Parliament today fulfilling a coalition agreement commitment. “This is an important step in saving the lives of New Zealanders and delivers a key coalition commitment ...
Whakatāne has been given a $2.5 million boost to speed up previously funded projects and create more than 450 jobs in the next decade. Of those, the equivalent of 160 full-time jobs could be delivered in the next six weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is in town to make ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $2.5 million to accelerate three infrastructure projects in Whakatāne, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “This package is about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is throwing his weight behind a bid by the Auckland Council to fast-track the more than doubling of the city's water allowance from the Waikato River. And he's coming out strongly against anyone who plans on getting in the way of this campaign. "It is my ...
The Green Party is thrilled to see changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that mean consents for large projects can be declined if they will have significant climate change implications that are inconsistent with the Zero Carbon Act and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations. ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new ship, Aotearoa, set sail for New Zealand on 10 June from the Republic of Korea, and is due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow, announced Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “Aotearoa is the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new fleet ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters has today welcomed the Racing Industry Bill passing its third reading, creating the legislative framework for revitalising the racing industry while limiting the need for future government intervention. “For too long our domestic racing industry has ...
The Green Party has today put forward an amendment to the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill to ensure all people in prisons can vote in general elections. ...
The Green Party welcomes the decision to not proceed with Public Public Investment (PPI) delivery of Auckland’s light rail project and to instead run the process through the public service. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First List MP Hon Ron Mark welcomes the announcement of Provincial Growth Funding investment of $1.4 million to help secure the Wairarapa’s water supply. The funding boost will allow the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and ...
New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson has been selected to represent the party in the newly formed Taieri electorate at the upcoming election. Mr Patterson, his wife Jude and two daughters farm sheep and beef at Lawrence and Waitahuna. He previously stood in the Clutha-Southland electorate however boundary changes ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio is pleased to announce the inaugural launch of Kiribati Language Week as part of the 2020 Pacific language Weeks programme. “I am so pleased that this year we are able to provide resourcing support to the Kiribati community in Aotearoa which will ...
Wildlife institutions affected by a loss of visitor revenue during the COVID-19 lockdown are set to receive government support with nearly $15 million of funding available announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “Eco-sanctuaries, zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks, and wildlife rescue, hospital and rehabilitation facilities provide crucial support for the recovery ...
The Government is expanding and accelerating frontline mental health and wellbeing services at tertiary education institutes (TEI) to help students manage ongoing stresses related to COVID-19. “The lockdown has been hugely disruptive for students. Many of them have had to relocate and move to online learning, isolating them from their ...
The Minister of Police says a major operation against the Mongrel Mob in Waikato will make a big dent in drug harm and violent offending linked to organised crime networks. “Senior leadership of the Waikato Mongrel Mob has been taken out as a result of Operation Kingsville, which resulted in ...
The Government is extending the border exception criteria to enable some offshore victims and support people of the Christchurch mosque attacks to attend the sentencing of the accused beginning on 24 August2020, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. “We want to support our valued Muslim brothers and sisters who were directly ...
A project to support volunteer efforts to look after streams and rivers is getting a boost thanks to support from DOC’s Community Conservation Fund announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “The government is backing efforts to look after waterways with $199,400 for the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust from ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter today announced that funding for the COVID-19 Community Fund for women and girls will be doubled, as the first successful funding applications for the initial $1million were revealed. “Women and girls across the country have suffered because of the effects of COVID-19, and I ...
The Government’s books were better than forecast with a higher GST take as the economy got moving again after lockdown, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Crown Accounts for the 11 months to the end of May indicate the year end results for tax revenue will be stronger than forecast. ...
A plan to revitalise New Zealand’s strong wool sector and set it on a new, more sustainable and profitable path was unveiled today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. The newly-released report - Vision and Action for New Zealand’s Wool Sector - was developed by the Wool Industry Project Action Group ...
Community efforts to create a Predator Free Whangārei will receive a $6 million boost, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The new funding, through Government company Predator Free 2050 Ltd, will create around 12 jobs while enabling the complete removal of possums over ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that the New Zealand Government is reviewing the settings of its relationship with Hong Kong. “China’s decision to pass a new national security law for Hong Kong has fundamentally changed the environment for international engagement there,” Mr Peters said. “New Zealand remains deeply ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced details of a multimillion-dollar investment in Whangārei for infrastructure projects that will help it recover from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 200 jobs are expected to be created through the $26 million investment from the Government’s rejuvenation package ...
Following a second incident in which a person escaped from a managed isolation facility, security is being enhanced, including more police presence onsite, Minister Megan Woods said. “The actions of some individuals who choose to break the very clear rules to stay within the facilities means that more resourcing is ...
Waste reduction and recycling programmes in Kaipara are set to get a boost with Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage today announcing a $361,447 grant from the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF) Sustainable Kaipara. “The new funding will allow Sustainable Kaipara to partner with local schools, kura, community ...
The Government will support the Southland economy in the wake of multinational mining company Rio Tinto’s decision to follow through with its long signalled closure of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. “This day has unfortunately been on the cards for some time now, but nevertheless the final decision is a ...
New tools being developed to help boost Aotearoa’s Predator Free 2050 effort were unveiled today by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau. A new rat poison, a camera with predator recognition software to detect and report predators, a new predator lure and a ...
The Coalition Government has approved the purchase of a fleet of Bushmaster vehicles to replace the New Zealand Army’s armoured Pinzgauers, Defence Minister Ron Mark has announced today. The new fleet of 43 Australian-designed and built Bushmaster NZ5.5 will provide better protection for personnel and improved carrying capacity. “The age ...
The Government’s three prevention frameworks to reduce family violence in Aotearoa were launched this week by Associate Minister for Social Development Poto Williams. The frameworks were developed in partnership with communities around New Zealand, and build on the work the Government has already begun with its new family violence prevention ...
The Government is pleased to confirm funding for improvements to radiology and surgical services at Hawke's Bay DHB, Health Minister Chris Hipkins says. "The Minister of Finance the Hon Grant Robertson and former Health Minister Dr David Clark approved funding for Hawke's Bay DHB’s redevelopment of their radiology facilities ...
• New funding for four beds at Napier’s Springhill Residential Addiction Centre • A new managed withdrawal home and community service, and peer support before and after residential care at Tairāwhiti DHB • A co-ordinated network of withdrawal management services throughout the South Island • Peer support in Rotorua and ...
Introduction, seafarers and POAL Good morning everyone, I am delighted to be online with you all today. Before I begin, I have to acknowledge that COVID-19 has disrupted the maritime sector on an unprecedented scale. The work of seafarers and the maritime industry is keeping many economies around the world ...
A $13 million investment from Government will create jobs and improve the resilience of the rail connection between Christchurch and the West Coast, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones and Regional Economic Development Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau say. The funding comes from the tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2020 for infrastructure projects ...
The Government is investing $761 million to assist local government upgrade under-pressure water services across the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The announcement was made at the site of the water bore that was found to be the source of the fatal ...
Recognised Seasonal Employers and migrant seasonal workers stranded in New Zealand will be able to continue working and supporting themselves with more flexible hours and roles, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. The time-limited visa changes are: Stranded RSE workers will be able to work part-time (a minimum of 15 hours ...
The Government is making immediate short-term changes to visa settings to support temporary migrants already onshore in New Zealand and their employers, while also ensuring New Zealanders needing work are prioritised, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. We are: Extending temporary work visas due to expire by the end of 2020 ...
Professor Peter Skelton CNZM has been appointed as Chief Freshwater Commissioner and Alternate Environment Court Judge Craig James Thompson as Deputy Chief Freshwater Commissioner for the newly established Freshwater Planning Process (FPP). Environment Minister David Parker today also announced the appointment of Chief Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook as the ...
Auckland Queen’s Counsel Neil Campbell has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Campbell graduated with a BCom and LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 1992. He spent two years with Bell Gully Buddle Weir in Auckland before travelling to the United ...
The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to better enable the development and operation of commercial film and video facilities in Christchurch. The Proposal, developed by Regenerate Christchurch in response to a request from Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section ...
The Government has launched a bold plan to boost primary sector export earnings by $44 billion over the next decade, while protecting the environment and growing jobs. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today released Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential, a 10-year roadmap to unlock greater value ...
A new approach to prevent family harm that encourages greater collaboration across government and community groups is being celebrated at the opening of a new facility in Auckland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today opened the Multi-Disciplinary Family Harm Prevention Hub Te Taanga Manawa in Lambie Road in Manukau. The facility ...
The Government has released a major new report on the options for relocating the Port of Auckland’s freight operations while deferring any decision on the issue. “That decision needs to be informed by policy analysis that is still to be completed. As a result it will be up to a ...
The history of Rāpaki is being restored through the inclusion of te reo in thirteen official place names on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula and around Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō, the Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage, announced today. “I am pleased to approve the proposals from Te Hapū o Ngāti ...
Bookings for seats on Air New Zealand flights into New Zealand will be managed in the short term to ensure the Government is able to safely place New Zealanders arriving home into a managed isolation or quarantine facility, says Housing Minister Megan Woods. “Last week Air Commodore Darryn Webb and I ...
Grant Robertson has today announced the first major release of funding from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package announced at Budget 2020. “Today we’re setting out how $80 million will be invested, with $54 million of that over the 2020/2021 financial year for organisations from community level through to elite ...
The Government is maintaining current levy rates for the next 2 years, as part of a set of changes to help ease the financial pressures of COVID-19 providing certainty for businesses and New Zealanders, ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “New Zealanders and businesses are facing unprecedented financial pressures as a ...
Small businesses are getting greater certainty about access to finance with an extension to the interest-free cashflow loan scheme to the end of the year. The Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme has already been extended once, to 24 July. Revenue and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says it will be ...
A package of 23 projects across the country will clean up waterways and deliver over 2000 jobs Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister David Parker announced today. The $162 million dollar package will see 22 water clean-up projects put forward by local councils receiving $62 million and the Kaipara ...
Tena koutou katoa Nga tangata whenua o tenei rohe o Pōneke, tena koutou Nau mai, haere mai ki te hui a tau mo te roopu reipa Ko tatou! Ko to tatou mana! Ko to tatou kaupapa kei te kokiri whakamua Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa Welcome. I ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $1.5 million to ensure QE Health in Rotorua can proceed with its world class health service and save 75 existing jobs, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development, Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. The PGF funding announced today is in addition to the $8 million ...
A new programme, which sets a firm course for the Building and Construction sector to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has been announced by the Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. “A significant amount of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the building and construction sector. If we’re serious ...
A new Green Party announcement heralds a fast-exit out of fossil fuels through a massive state housing solar panel installation programme, a ban on new coal boilers, and the shifting of a target for renewable energy Solar panels and batteries would be installed in 30,000 State homes to create a "virtual power plant" if ...
As yet more male-led festival lineups are announced, Shaquille Wasasala, aka halfqueen, writes an open letter to the industry.To those whose career it is booking talent for music festivals, punters, and people who listen to music.As a DJ and artist who exists at many intersections that directly inform my lens ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
Dunedin writer Victor Billot pens topical verse every Sunday. This week: disgraced MP Hamish Walker.Showing promise The MP for Clutha-Southland did, it is true, post on Facebook that he had been door knocking in Mataura when he hadn’t. He lied. The MP for Clutha-Southland did, it is ...
It’s one of the most commonly used weedkillers in the world, but pressure to phase out use of the herbicide glyphosate could force us to come up with alternatives quickly. Listen to the full episode of Two Cents Worth below. Subscribe to Two Cents' Worth for free on Apple ...
The Covid-19 crisis has exposed gaps in the funding of early education that we should be bold in responding to, writes Sue Cherrington of Victoria University of Wellington Early childhood education has been in the media a great deal over recent weeks, initially with positive but increasingly with negative news reports. ...
It’s an economic theory that advocates tout as a solution to governments’ debt crises, but critics warn is a recipe for hyperinflation. Either way, modern monetary theory is getting a lot more attention in the era of Covid-19.Two big economic ideas have captured the popular imagination during the Covid-19 pandemic: ...
For one hour a week the supermarket lights are dimmed and the music stops. And it’s a kind of triumph, writes Michelle Langstone.I thought there’d been a power cut. The lights were out at the entrance, so you arrived into a kind of gloom. There was no music, and no ...
It’s no secret that New Zealand’s Covid-19 response was one of the world’s most effective. But to get an idea of how eagerly parts of our economy have rebounded post lockdown, take a look at our electricity demand data.Despite an impending wave of unemployment and looming fiscal challenges down the ...
In the second in the Spnioff’s Last on the list series, Dave King explains what inspired him to stand for the Act Party in Manurewa. At 20th spot on the list, if David Seymour’s party can win around 16% of the party vote, King is parliament bound.It wasn’t that long ...
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Open mike 27/05/2013 
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LIARS OF OUR TIME
No. 13: Barack Hussein Obama
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Simply put, these strikes have saved lives.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
—President Hopey Changey defends the use of unmanned drones in Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq and Afghanistan.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/23/obama-drones_n_3327094.html
See also….
No. 12: UK Min. of Defence: “Protecting the Afghan civilian population is one of …the UK’s top priorities.”
No. 11: Brendan O’Connor: “Australia’s approach to refugees is compassionate and generous.”
No. 10: Boris Johnson: “Londoners have… the best police in the world to look after us and keep us safe.”
No. 9: NewstalkZB PR dept: “News you NEED! Fast, fair, accurate!”
No. 8: Simon Bridges: “I don’t mean to duck the question”
No. 7: Nigel Morrison: “Quite frankly, they’ve been VERY tough.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15052013/#comment-633295
No. 6: NZ Herald PR dept: “Congratulations—you’re reading New Zealand’s best newspaper.”
No. 5: Rawdon Christie: “…a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti.”
No. 4: Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
No. 3: John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
No. 2: Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.” (TV3 News, 24 April 2013)
No. 1: Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”
Once again, where is your evidence that the drones have not saved lives?
Obviously, killing people is costing a life. But on the flip-side, if you don’t kill a terrorist, they may go on to kill many many other people later on. Obviously the US believes they have evidence that this is the case.
Now, you’re free to call him a liar, but equally I am free to call you on that and ask for the evidence upon which you make that accusation. Without any evidence provided on your part, myself and others will have to judge your claim as simply a matter of “he-said she-said”.
Finally, I see that you use Barack Obama’s full name, including his middle name Hussein, when you have not done so for anyone else on your list, including the previous mention of Obama. I can only presume you’re trying to highlight his surname for the same sorts of reasons that nutbag righties do in the US.
.
terrorist
guerilla
freedom fighter
resistance
opposition forces
defence forces
attack forces
coalition forces
who is which and who is what? Who kills the most people? Who kills the most civilians? Who has the biggest bombs? Who has the most weapons? Who has set off the most and biggest bombs? Who is an occupying force? Who has let off nuclear bombs? Which countrys populations are most at risk?
One “Lanthanide” is indulging herself, and no doubt irritating the rest of us, with her vile little games of cod-logic….
“Obviously, killing people is costing a life.”
But that is not so obvious, according to what you go on to assert, as you obediently channel the president of the United States.
“But on the flip-side, if you don’t kill a terrorist, they [sic] may go on to kill many many other people later on.”
You mean, if you don’t kill a Pakistani child, it may go on to kill many many other people later on. Following your logic, when these remotely operated drones kill an entire wedding party, as they have on several occasions in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, they are saving (using your obscene multiplier) hundreds, maybe thousands of lives. Ergo, the more of them we kill, the more of us (times five or six) we save.
The math is irrefutable! Madam, you are a cut-price A.C. Grayling! You are a Kiwi Christopher Hitchens! You are an Antipodean Alan Dershowitz! You should join the Sensible Sentencing Trust immediately; they think just like you.
“If you don’t kill a Pakistani, he or she may go to kill many many other people later on.” You could, of course, say the same thing about killing an American child. So why don’t you?
Grayling. sigh
Dershowitz. deeper sigh.
““If you don’t kill a Pakistani, he or she may go to kill many many other people later on.” You could, of course, say the same thing about killing an American child. So why don’t you?”
Ah you sad, straw man manipulating boobie – Lanth said “terrorist”, not “Pakistani”. Most of us understand those to be separate categories even if the sets overlap.
Ah you sad, straw man manipulating boobie – Lanth said “terrorist”, not “Pakistani”.
The Professor made it clear that he was translating Lanthanide’s weasel words into plain English.
Most of us understand those to be separate categories even if the sets overlap.
The sets overlap far more substantially and far more obviously when they are sets labelled “Terrorists” and “Americans”; using Lanthanide’s way of thinking, we should be sending unmanned drones into the mountains of West Virginia and the poorest parts of Texas, from where many of the young men carrying out things like the following are drawn…..
http://morallowground.com/2012/04/18/us-82nd-airborne-soldiers-posed-for-photos-with-body-parts-of-dead-afghan-resistance-fighters/
So no evidence then, Morrissey. You’re making a habit of this.
Also no hint as to why you suddenly changed tradition and mention Obama’s middle name.
So no evidence then, Morrissey.
“No evidence”? “No evidence” of WHAT? Are you saying there is “no evidence” that the United States has killed, and continues to kill, civilians in these countries with unmanned drones?
You’re making a habit of this.
I make a point of correcting your silly and invalid complaints. That’s a chore, not a habit.
Also no hint as to why you suddenly changed tradition and mention Obama’s middle name.
Ahhhh…. we have a conspiracy theory! The ol’ “Mention the Middle Name” trick! Do you think I’m working for the Tea Party folks, perhaps? Or is it Donald Trump? Maybe I’m a Mossad operative! Whatever, it’s sinister, all right. No doubt about it….
Evidence that he is lying, obviously.
I mean duh. You called him a liar, where’s the evidence that he’s lying. Where is the evidence that him saying “Simply put, these strikes have saved lives.” is a lie?
So no explanation as to why you did it then. Obviously you must have had a reason, or you wouldn’t have done it. Unless you just do things for no reason at all, like call people liars.
Poor, desperate Lanthanide is choking on conspiracy theory overload. Better watch yourselves, fellow Standardistas, for we have a master of semiotics on the case, deconstructing every suspicious move we make….
Obviously you must have had a reason, or you wouldn’t have done it.
Let us know when the Space Shuttle returns to Planet Earth, will you, Lanthanide? Then we can send you off on your next assignment: parsing the suspicious way that John Key dresses….
http://static.stuff.co.nz/1233108507/577/246577.jpg
That exceptionally dark charcoal suit. That eggshell blue necktie—and did you notice how it’s suspiciously off-centre? Just a little bit, but there’s obviously a reason for it. And you’re JUST THE PERSON to ferret out the ugly truth!
🙄
Morrissey why won’t you put Lanth’s criticism to rest by putting up your evidence?
Until you do, the criticism stands.
Agree, felix. I saw Moz’s comment this morning but ignored it because it was so dull and obvious. But I’m really glad that Lanth pointed out the Tea Partyish use of the middle name, which I hadn’t spotted. Says a lot about Morrissey that he’s too chicken to defend himself for using a right wing meme. Because I’m charitable, I imagine it was an unthinking use of that tired old racist dog whistle.
And accusing others of conspiracy theories? Pot, meet world’s most self deluded kettle. That’s almost as funny as Moz saying the other day that he takes care to be accurate in his contributions.
Anyhoo, Moz. I’m keen to hear the answers to Lanth’s perfectly reasonable questions. Over to you.
Morrissey why won’t you put Lanth’s criticism to rest by putting up your evidence?
You and Lanthanide both know there is ample evidence that U.S. drones, operated in perfect safety by young men sitting in air-conditioned offices in Colorado, have killed and continue to kill, hundreds of civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen. You say I can “put Lanth’s criticism to rest” by posting up evidence of something she and everybody else on this forum knows is widespread and irrefutable. Has she heard of the word “Google”, perchance?
Anyway, since I always like to be obliging, even for people trying to irritate and fluster me, I’ll provide her with a few links. I know you’re already on top of this one, felix, but you might like to refresh your knowledge of this scandalous issue as well….
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/mit-s-noam-chomsky-obama-s-running-global-assassination-campaign
http://tribune.com.pk/story/555117/unhcr-chief-profoundly-disturbed-on-use-of-armed-drones-in-pakistan/
As a bonus, here’s a clip on the issue by one of the few rock bands with any conscience or intelligence….
And, not that they count, of course, but here’s what those towel-heads think about their country being targeted by remote-controlled robot planes….
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/24/how-pakistanis-reacted-to-obamas-speech-on-drones/
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57586008/angry-pakistanis-fight-to-end-u.s-drone-strikes/
Until you do, the criticism stands.
Filibustering is not criticism. Our dear friend is merely trying to take some control of this exchange by having me waste my time looking up links which are known and understood. Her tactic is as ridiculous as it is reprehensible.
Agree, felix. I saw Moz’s comment this morning but ignored it because it was so dull and obvious.
Good, you recognize that reminding people that Pres. Hopey Changey is a liar was a reiteration of the obvious. The rather mean “dull” slur is a matter of opinion; I’ll leave others to judge how much they respect yours on this matter.
But I’m really glad that Lanth pointed out the Tea Partyish use of the middle name, which I hadn’t spotted.
“Hadn’t spotted”!?! Oh, come ON, Te Reo! Is it drink? Have you been “mixing your medications”? Oh my God, please tell me you’re not experimenting with that marihuana!
While we’re on the topic of you not spotting things, you also failed to spot my use of a Sarah Palin zinger. Come ON, Te Reo!
Says a lot about Morrissey that he’s too chicken to defend himself for using a right wing meme. Because I’m charitable, I imagine it was an unthinking use of that tired old racist dog whistle.
Yep, as I pointed out to Lanthanide yesterday, I might be a Mossad spy as well. Be very afraid, Te Reo. And Lanthanide, I’d change my daily routine for the next fortnight or so, just to be safe….
himself*, his*, etc.
L, forgive me, but you’re a bore. A Beltway bore. Dispositionally you and Morrissey are light years apart. Don’t let it worry you so. Seems Morrissey don’t give a fuck. Emulate that.
more Morrisey sock puppets … fuck you Breen you turd.
[lprent: nope, and don’t speculate. Next person I see doing it gets a weeks ban, and I will double it for each successive instance. I am tired of writing these notes. ]
Not sure how I’m a beltway bore, living in CHCH and having nothing more to do with politics than posting on this blog and voting in elections…
And yes, I realise Morrissey is much better in the words and thoughts department than I am – I freely admit it. But that doesn’t mean he gets to spout nonsense wherever he likes and then get away without backing up any of this thoughts or words with a skerrick of evidence.
Not sure how I’m a beltway bore, living in CHCH and having nothing more to do with politics than posting on this blog and voting in elections…
I don’t think you’re a bore, Lanthanide. In fact I find your posts to be interesting and very well argued, usually.
And yes, I realise Morrissey is much better in the words and thoughts department than I am – I freely admit it.
Actually, I don’t think you are being fair on yourself. I have never, ever thought that I am superior to you; if I had thought that, I would not bother to argue with you like I occasionally do.
But that doesn’t mean he gets to spout nonsense wherever he likes and then get away without backing up any of this thoughts or words with a skerrick of evidence.
I think you should look at my posts again, and then think again about whether I don’t back up what I write. I’m sure that what you say holds true in many instances, but in respect to what we’ve been disputing over the last few days, I think you’re being a little harsh.
Congratulations to Hone Harawira and the Mana Party are due. They have wrung a major concession from the Nacts.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/8719431/Food-in-schools-programme-imminent-PM
Mana has shown the way small parties can successfully operate in government. Building a large campaign about an issue that they care about, both inside and outside parliament to pressure the main parties.
This pattern of operation is one that the Green Party has followed in their campaign against the partial privatisation of state assets. Which in my opinion has put the Nats programme under a lot of pressure.
National, in introducing their programme to “Feed the Kids”, were forced to address the question of childhood poverty under pressure from Mana and their allies, inside and outside parliament.
It is not a state run programme that Harawira outlined in his private members bill, (due to come up in July), being instead based on private and corporate charity rather than government aid. But still it is a major concession.
This is how with few MPs and little money, Rod Donald’s campaign for MMP won through, against a powerful and well funded conservative lobby with millions of dollars behind them.
The other strategy that small parties can adopt. Is the one followed by the Alliance and the Maori Party. That is trading principals away for influence, and so called, “seats at the top table”.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
What is Labour doing differently under Shearer that is any different from what it did under Goff?
National 48% on average between Colmar Brunton and Reid Polls.
Labour 33%.
No change.
Since 2008.
Your fundamental mistake is believing that CB and Reid reflect reality. They don’t, they reflect Tory wishful thinking (and in the last two elections, wish fulfilment). Labour and the Greens will be the next Government.
Tedium: TRP saying the same thing over and over again and hoping the polls are wrong.
It’s not hope, it’s fact. Reid and CB always overestimate the right and minimise the left. The intention is to convince voters that elections are a ‘done deal’ so they don’t threaten the status quo. Sorry to see you buying in to it. The only poll that is even close to correct is the Roy Morgan and in recent months that has shown that a change is coming. Over to you now. Are part of the movement for change or are you just concern trolling?
“The intention is to convince voters that elections are a ‘done deal’ so they don’t threaten the status quo. ”
Hmm, I don’t really think so. You’re basically saying that these media outlets go out of their way to commission a dodgy poll. I don’t think they do.
Also, the latest Roy Morgan is in line with the current results from Reid and CB, yet was taken before the budget.
It doesn’t have to be blatant or outlandish manipulation. Anything from wording of the questions, to time of day calls are made, to areas called, will skew poll results. Also changing criteria for which responses might be kept and which might be discarded.
Notice how none of these polling companies release a detailed methodology of how each poll was actually conducted.
CV & Co,
Forget the semantics.
Stop the nit picking who/how of Pollsters.
Labour is doing no better under Shearer and Robertson that they did under Goff and King.
Labour cannot get over 33% with the current leadership coterie.
Many gigs people in the party are working hard on the policy and organisation change plans.
The public, the active voters and the lapsed voters will “like” some of our policies but never vote for Labour or vote at all al long as the leadership is seen to be playing a safe centrist “beltway” strategy rather than being strong gutsy leaders of the PAYE worker, the Maori, the Islanders, the new immigrants, the alienated and dispossed and the environmentalists.
‘coterie’; it’s an ‘in’ word.
8-D
Hi Elizabeth
+1
http://www.roymorgan.com/morganpoll/new-zealand/voting-intention-summary
You naughty Roman TRP, the Roy Morgan figures show how National has been consistently on 44-47% while Labour has been between 30% and 33%.
You seem to take a Cosby-Textor approach to reiterating a false statememt hoping it will become an accepted “fact”.
Naughty boy.
As opposed to a statement that is completely correct (but only if we ignore those 2x% results for labour in the first half of the term, and the 34-35% labour results in the second half).
You wait to meet your Roy Morgan maker this week, McFlock.
🙂
Phew 🙂
Heh, Labour at 35% nice winning figure
In mmp, yes.
Hence the nats now being “well behind”. They are short of friends.
hey once the Greens are closer to 20% the winning figure for Labour can drop to 30%
I’m happy either way. Lab30 grn15 mana10 even merrier
Solipsism: do not adjust your perception, reality is at fault.
Reid polling in particular gives all the impression of simply reflecting the wishes of the National party acolyte that owns that particular polling organization,
National will have the numbers to govern alone is the ongoing constant message from Reid, the underlying ‘massage’ being that for those not wanting a National Party Government it’s a waste of time turning up at the polling booths on election day,
How well such ‘messaging’ works in the minds of those subjected to such ‘conditioning’ via their televisions is a matter of opinion,
I would this far out from November 2014 dare suggest that National’s chances of a third term of Government will be reliant upon the whim of NZFirst who themselves are hardly guaranteed 5% of the vote in 2014…
Pretty much – like their graph of poll results.
All through 2010/2011Reid put National at well above 50%. But for me the indicator of intentional bias is the chart itself – stops in feb 2013 as nats raise just above 50% on a slow decline since the election.
The last couple of results have been below 50%, haven’t they? Yet the chart on their website looks like they’re on an upswing. And the page has been like that for a while.
Lots of things different.
Shearer is lurching to the left to appease party activists (and keep his position) and is trying out a political civil union with a red headed Aussie.
The net effect of this you have Labour, Greens, Mana dancing around in the far left corner chasing the same votes.
This leaves the soft left and center voters drifting back into the Nats camp and keeping the Nats consistently high in the polls.
If Shearer wants to head further left that is fine. It is the same sex marriage with Norman that is killing Labour – every fruit loop pronouncement by Norman and Turei is seen as being automatically endorsed by Shearer.
This is scary for voters who are looking for economic stability and growth not a lurch to the luddite left.
Clark didn’t keep the Greens in a far and distant corner for no reason.
Careful. When the “far Left” win the election and the sky fails to fall on our heads, and in fact people start to prosper more (you must have heard that Labour-led governments always make a better job of the economy, according to the facts that is – debt down productivity up etc etc), they’ll start to say to themselves “this far Left business isn’t the hell Jimmie said it would be”.
And bang! Your bubble bursts and it’s empty. 😀
The same sentiments were made prior to 2008 & 2011 – didn’t affect the outcome.
2014 looks to be heading the same way as the left can’t acknowledge that their policies are irrelevant to the current world economic climate.
Voters will vote for parties that cut their cloth to economic reality – not a harking back to a perceived golden yester year or uncontrollable social spending.
This is what is shown in the polls and Shearer would be better off to present an alternative policy platform that reflects this.
The GFC was to political economics what 9-11 was to the military – terrorist outlook, a game changer that needs to be factored in by political parties.
Aaah the right, constantly trying to make the GFC into a war type conflict, if that is the case, where are the war criminals that allowed it to happen?
No, Jimmie. You don’t get to change the reasons people vote one way or another. People (for the most part) vote for the party they feel will leave them better off. That’s why NZPower is such a vote winner: it will leave the vast majority better off – and the boost to the economy will even lift dullards like you.
Oh, and reality check, Labour = lower public debt, so blithering about “cutting the cloth” or whatever witless excuse for austerity you’re pushing this week won’t help you.
National are shit economic managers and the lying Prime Minister is dead meat.
2008?
I think your mind is playing tricks on you.
The GFC was proof positive that mainstream economists have HFI WTF they’re talking about. Hell, the idiots couldn’t even predict excessive debt while it was happening in front of their eyes.
NFI
Yeah, yeah, typos happen.
😛
rarer when you type with two fingers in the air. 😀
Can you how spending more money on health, and keeping hospitals open is uncontrollable social spending?
What hospitals do you want to close?
Would you close hospitals to cut taxes?
What do you think of the US health system?
The ‘far left’, as you label the politics you fear, doesn’t ‘do’ parliamentary politics Jimmie. And last time I looked, the Greens, Labour and Mana were all making a tilt at being parliamentary representatives.
You are amusing, ”economic stability and growth”???, you mean the game of smoke and mirrors that the Member from Dipton is currently playing with the Government accounts is economic security,????, borrowing billions of dollars of monies in fiscal year 2011/2012 which will be spent into 2015/1016 is your view of ‘economic stability’,???
The only growth in the system is brought about by the earthquake recovery and the ongoing Auckland housing inflation which despite all the Member from Dipton’s weasel words is set to continue unabated and the blind among us have their heads buried in the sand over this National Governments ‘growth’ of an 80 odd billion dollar debt mountain…
LOL
All the changes that we’ve seen has come from the left. The conservatives want what was in the past.
It’s not the political-left that are the Luddites, it’s the political-right.
yes, that is what ‘conservatism’ is about. Lord, we need new stripped nuts!
Spot on, its all about keeping people out of the booths in 2014, a tactic that allowed them a very narrow victory in 2011 using a cup of tea and plenty of consistent MSM themes run by granny, tvnz and joyces former employ mediawonks radio live and tv3.
Time to question the up-until-now unquestioned assumption that nationalising the power is electoral gold?
http://www.reidresearch.co.nz/TV3+POLL+RESULTS.html
Gormless you missed the results when that specific question was asked.
According to Paddy Gower when asked “Do you support the Labour/Greens policy to reform the power market?” a clear majority, 54 percent, said yes. Thirty-nine percent said no. The rest didn’t know.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Poll-Labour-Greens-close-gap-on-National/tabid/1607/articleID/299191/Default.aspx#ixzz2UQssagj6
Well, it won’t matter if they never get elected.
But it will if they do. What is your point exactly?
My point, exactly, is that people do not like Labour and, therefore, will not vote for them.
I see you’ve ignored the result I’ve referenced below that nearly a third of National supporters think NZ power is a good idea.
But what does that matter, Clockie if, as a result, this will not induce them to vote for the Labour Party?
You’re absolutely right. The Left will implement the policy only after winning the election.
Early days. See how it plays out. Getting all excited or despondent about polls in the middle of an electoral cycle is a fools game. But you asked a rhetorical question above: “Time to question the up-until-now unquestioned assumption that nationalising the power is electoral gold? “, in reply to which I pointed out that nearly a third of Nationals own supporters thought that, actually, NZ Power is electoral gold..
Oh and by the way Gormless I left a reply on OM26/5 re your comment about Act and Mana.
“My point, exactly, is that people do not like Labour and, therefore, will not vote for them.”
And some people do like Labour, and do vote for them. What was your point again?
So isn’t that a damnation on Shearer that voters still prefer National despite supporting Shearer’s flagship policy?
Seen the Pundit poll of polls? Familiar with the concept of a “trend”?
Keep up the smug confidence Toryboys, but get ready to spend election night sobbing in a corner.
Here is a lift from Gowers commentary on the poll you reference.
Asked “Do you support the Labour/Greens policy to reform the power market?” a clear majority, 54 percent, said yes. Thirty-nine percent said no. The rest didn’t know.
But out of National voters, 29 percent said yes, supporting the Opposition’s policy.
“Shearer, Shearer” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBQf7prs9EM
Nice
How about this one
That works…
Or this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViizSNV3fgs
Empty self out
“Culture sucks down words
Itemise loathing and feed yourself smiles
Organise your safe tribal war
Hurt maim kill and enslave the ghetto.”
Beautiful song marty.
So true mate one of my favorites.
“Life lies a slow suicide
Orthodox dreams symbolic myths
From feudal serf to spender
This wonderful world of purchase power”.
So with these silly house value increases that are going on……
where has all the extra money come from to pay for this?
… let’s say 500,000 houses in Auckland alone, average value $500,000, equals $250,000,000,000 (that’s $250billion). And let’s say they have increased 10% in value = $2.5billion.
Where has that $2.5 billion come from?
oops, me numbers are a bit up the buhai…
10% increase in value equals $25 billion (not 2.5). Let’s say 10% of houses sell each year. That equals $2.5 billion extra – where has all of that come from?
It’s mostly all mortgage debt created money. The amount of money released into the community is the same as the debt generated in the same instant. Of course, that debt starts accumulating interest immediately…basically we have a monetary system that our economy can never keep up with, and which we have to continuously grow just to keep still.
Yep. The world’s largest ponzi scheme.
If it is unsustainable, which it is, then where and when will it all end? And what happens to our savings? And what happens to our assets?
And why do our politicians never ever address this fatal flaw in our system, driving itself straight off the cliff?
Just keep kicking that can down the road…with more money printing, bail outs, austerity for the poor, monetizing of debt, raising debt ceilings, treating debt as collateral you can loan more against, etc
The banks simply print it then lend it to you, as they hold an asset against it, your house is collateral.
Of-course they can only now lend out 5 times the money they have on deposit, so they must attract deposits, increasing the amount of money in circulation will work as people will cash up assets and put money in the bank later in life, around and around it goes, what a scam.
Almost…my understanding is that they can lend as much as they want NOW, but have to go out and find the reserves required by regulations to sustain that lending within a month or two.
Hence occasionally you get the banks putting up posters saying Limited time only 90 days term deposits special rates!!! Because they are meeting some short term reserves shortfall.
The Reserve Bank is the lender of Last Resort.
What this means in practical terms is that if the private banks are short then the reserves are made up by the RB. That’s what the Overnight Rate (OCR) is all about. The banks will never be short on reserves ergo there is no limit to their lending.
Because anything with QE2 in it is suspect:
So national party fixer Simon Lusk in yestrerdays SST has only just discovered the sort of people he is dealing with.
Lowbrow atavistic thugs. People with no ethcis, morals, principles or scruples.
Nobodies with money who want to be somebody.
People who need money to beat up on others.
They would prefer it if the law allowed them free reign with no comebacks but fortunately we live in a society governed by the rule of law.
Lusks cronies whaleoil and feeder hav self evident personality disorders such as avarice, gluttony and projecting their own foul desires on to others.
Its time to get shot of them and their party and the sooner the better.
hookie, wheres da missing link. 😉
UK “6 hours of gas left in the country” shortage was artificial: corporates held back gas inventories and let prices double
Who would’ve thought eh.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/may/24/energy-suppliers-held-back-gas-uk
No, surely not.
The free market is always self-correcting and equilibrialising. Isn’t it?
Or is this yet another example of free market deregulation religious orthodoxy being completely blown apart?
Like Pike River, dairy farming, the NZX, housing, leaky housing, financial system, … what else is left?
It’s capitalism producing monopolies and oligopolies and cartels that remove power from the people and put it in private hands.
More proof that Labour is right-wing:
Pretty sure I’ve heard similar from National and National supporters as well, definitely heard it from Dunne.
FFS. Basically it’s Labour and National in lockstep. Same perspective, same framing, same assumptions.
Put dear DS up on a roof with a paintbrush and let him find out what real work is about. And make it a beneficiaries house he is painting but first clean the rust and old paint off by hand and brush, not high pressure water, and then he will have personally done some real good work in this world. The UN stuff was mainly for m-t-a (more than adequate) pay.
I think there is something wrong with your brain, Draco.
Thinking that the first place, the first opportunity, for children to be feed is at home during breakfast time is a right-wing position? Wow.
I agree.
Or at least I would if your comment bore any relation whatsoever to what Draco quoted.
Dear David Shearer
You should have said “there may be dead beat parents out there but FFS we are talking about 5 and 6 year old kids. We owe it to them to make sure they have enough food to at least be able to get an education at school. And if they are not being fed at home then we will get their home situation checked out. But how could you refuse to feed a 6 year old kid? What have they done to deserve this?”
Triangulating on bigots will not work Labour.
Must…convert…National voters…must…
On a more serious note, as lprent has alluded to…every soft Nat voter you gain this way, you’ll get a hardcore Labour voter stay at home or go to Greens/Mana.
It’s the leaking sieve strategy of electoral math.
Len Brown is a fucking cunt !
[lprent: make a point to explain the abuse. Otherwise I tend to start making a moderators point about pointless abuse. ]
go away
Credit where credit is due:
Listening to RNZ radio political spot this morning. Matthew Hooton expounded, clearly and succinctly, the concerns expressed by many here re-the new GCSB legislation. He is now on record calling for an independent investigation as per that requested by Labour and the Greens.
Thanks Anne, but I don’t think I articulated it very well. Prefer this summary of the issues: http://www.nbr.co.nz/report
Anne I do hope you are right in this, and that it wasn’t a mistake of communication because of his de-reticulated articulation.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/8719374/Couples-800-debt-spirals-into-70-000
Money lenders are exactly like drug dealers – get people hooked and when they can’t keep up move in and take all their shit.
They use the exact same strategy writ large on whole countries these days.
Yep, and with conservatives in power the country laps up the debt.
What has happened to RNZ’s website?
Looking more like an MSM website…. curious.
‘choo not pleased with the ‘new look’ karol?
I’m pleased with the access to content. The bright colours are a bit hard on my eyes – a bit tacky looking on my monitor.
I found their old website hard to navigate and confusing, and I’m a long-time netizen. I guess there’s a reason MSM websites look the way they do – because it’s functional.
Yes. The navigation has improved on the new look site. I also like their bit on transparency about audience research.
hmmm, I think it’s less accessible, but maybe I was just used to the old site. To get to today’s Nine to Noon audio takes how many clicks? And having to manualy search through a whole page of programmes A to Z is pretty daft.
Why are they not using drop down menus?
Their search engine still sucks majorly.
Don’t mind the actual look though 🙂
Drop down menus (especially hover-over ones) suck for touch-based devices.
Do you mean the drop down is not user friendly, or that they get in the way (so you can’t just ignore them)?
I thought ipads, phones etc accessed different versions of websites.
“I thought ipads, phones etc accessed different versions of websites.”
Only if the website designer has specifically made alternative versions of their websites (many cut-down ‘automatic’ mobile sites are terrible and people prefer to use the full site). This can add quite a bit of expense. It’s easier just to design a site that is mobile-friendly up-front and then not have the added expense of having to make a whole different one for mobile.
This site works fine on a iPad and my nexus7 in normal mode. But it is bloody difficult to make it work on any phone smaller than those oversized samsungs. I think that currently for anything with high text content, you do need a two modes.
Yes I find it difficult to use on my wee phone – so I stick to the laptop where the recent comments show.
Yeah. Drop down menu are kind of dead in a touch based world. I get irritated with the ones in the back end of WordPress.
But does that mean you can just ignore them? Or do they get in the way?
If the site is designed so that you *must* use the drop-down menus to do anything, then it basically becomes unusable with a touch-screen device.
If the drop-down menus simply speed things up, then if you can’t use them, you must logically do things the ‘slow way’ instead – which is irritating.
They should use sphinx search. That really works well for search…
‘Re-imaging’.
Nothing wrong with the old format – actually I preferred it. And the redevelopment was necessary (not) at a time when they’re tight on funds.
Sometimes I wonder who is running the place these days.
Once again the polls have shown, that parties that move to far from the centre will lose every election, labour and the greens are digging their own grave by playing the type of politics that they have over the past few months.
National must be grinning ear to ear.
you wish.
“Once again the polls have shown, that parties that move to far from the centre will lose every election,”
How do you explain the current government then?
This is the most centred National government there has been in my life time. Labour and the greens are moving more to the left every day. They are making the same mistake the gop did in the usa election, trying to appeal to the extremists.
They should leave all extremist crap to united and act and TeMana.
This is the most centred National government there has been in my life time.
IDIOT.
The guys an emotional infant, so maybe he’s speaking the truth.
FIFY
Why do I get the feeling, on every single Brett Dale post, that he knows nothing about ANYTHING?
cos you are discerning Morrissey
“pay rates rising slower than a year ago, job growth still down” etc etc
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8722531/Wages-up-job-down-growth-still-down
THE NEXT CANDIDATE for King Johnkey’s “Fuck you, I do what I want” dictatorial legislation?
Can they resist the urge to simply validate unlawful Legal Aid practises with a “nga nga nga can’t take me to court” act under urgency? Is anyone dumb enough to take bets on that?
Nope, and nope.
Justice Tipping – 26 years as a judge of the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. Look at what he had to say about this government’s fucking around with legal aid:
http://my.lawsociety.org.nz/news/justice-andrew-tippings-final-sitting-speech
TV3 poll shows that 66% of National supporters are in favour of the Mana Movement precipitated Food for Kids programme the government is introducing, ShonKey Python cares to deny that Cabinet was split over the move. But good on that 66%.
34% of National Party supporters are OPPOSED ON PRINCIPLE.
Shonkey Python – “I can understand………that point of view” – or words to that effect.
Say that again – opposed to feeding starving kids – ON PRINCIPLE !
Karma, karma, karma, please, please, please deal to those bastards and their FUCKING PRINCIPLES in the cruellest fashion !
I wonder how many of the 34% delight in turning up at church on Sunday for their weekly wank ?
Overall, 74% say yes to Breakfast in Schools.
meanwhile, we have a massive crisis with suicide rates, youth suicide rate highest in the developed world.- Peter Dunne.
and, with the dollar climbing against the Aussie, our export sector relatively weak (Ganesh Nana) and interest rates on the rise to 7%…
they better be on their knees.
as OAK reminds us, “careful what you wish for”. 😎
curiously, the same percentage 26% that were opposed to this is also the same percentage 26% that were opposed to legalising marijuana in that tv3 Vote programme last week.
Are these the same people?
Is it a solid immoveable core, sitting on their couch shaking their monstrous head saying “nope, not listening, don’t care, you’re wrong, I know, go away and get a real job.”
Don’t forget the ’10 people’ ending their lives every day part, wonder why?
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1305/S00150/unemployed-kiwi-youth-rate-no-cause-for-celebration.htm
Yes North I agree – they have principles all right the bastards – the principle of moaning when something affects them otherwise everyone else can just fuck off.
In short, fuckwits, hardheads, no brains, “done well” white trash, scum really notwithstanding their ludicrous pretensions to style and class.
I so well recall a glowing sense of satisfaction, a sense that it was all so poetic, a sense that it was so just, when the Ceaucescus got theirs.
And this 34% are the societal apes who mouth cruelly against beneficiaries, denying this “underclass” human status. History has their travel well mapped.