God, your victim complex is boring. It’s not about the start time. It’s about you consistently whacking a great big pre-typed “if Labour doesn’t do exactly what I say it will be Armageddon” comment at the top of the page. I know it turns me off reading the rest of the thread, and I’m sure it does to others too.
(Ditto Morrissey. You two do understand that blogs are free to create, right? I recommend WordPress but I know others favour Blogger.)
I made much the same observation re: Jenny & Morrissey’s jostling for pole position, over on Lprent’s Jono post. But the way you say it is so much pithier.
The blog creation may be free, but the time isn’t – I honestly don’t know how you manage it!
Ditto Morrissey.
Hmmmm. A quick search reveals that the last time I was first to post on Open Mike was two weeks ago. Hardly enough to spark an appearance before the Monopolies Commission.
You two do understand that blogs are free to create, right? I recommend WordPress but I know others favour Blogger.
What? You’re trying to tell us to form our own blogs? Does the term “fragmentation” mean anything to you?
James
The point you made – it was just an article – is very relevant. Because writing a whole article for serious publication about how people, and particularly women, look (as compared to some ephemeral social standard) is one of the annoying ways that publications have of avoiding talking about the worth and achievements of women politicians or dignitaries.
By concentrating on style and trivia, judging politicians on style and trivia, publications avoid thinking or writing or revealing the important story and the important issues are n society.
Some of us here have been complaining about the NZ Listener going down this trivia road plus concentrating on the issues of the self-interested social climbing middle classes.
I am in agreement with many things Trotter says in his posts, but this….?
I was interested in the quote that begins the article:
“THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN the two main parties,” said the late Bruce Jesson, “is that National governs for capitalists, and Labour governs for Capitalism.”
Seeing that the article focuses on Shane Jones, I was expecting this to be highly critical of a Labour Party/Caucus that ensures capitalism survives, and to be especially critical of Shane Jones’ support of it, but …. no…. just the opposite.
Trotter seems to be in praise of Jones focusing on “jobs” over the environment, and thereby (allegedly) separating Labour from the Greens. Trotter ends the article:
t’s difficult to think of a sharper contrast between Labour’s view of the environment and the Greens’. When Mr Jones’ uses the word he is not thinking of the unspoilt sands of the East Coast or the dense bush of Northland. In his mind he sees the bleak urban environments of Tamaki Makaurau and Porirua: a world without decent housing; without steady employment; without hope.
Labour makes capitalism work not in the interests of capitalists – but for the sake of their victims.
Say what? Jones has of late seemed to me to be more in support of business and capitalism than the plight of struggling workers.
I agree with you Karol. Jones also dissed his own people from the Far North in that same Fairfax News item – because they don’t agree with mineral extraction (by overseas owned companies) happening in their rohe. I can’t understand Trotter : would have thought he’d see through the rightwing pretensions of Jones ! Instead he seems to be helping him (Jones) bolster his own made-up image.
Given that the latest round of angst is said to have arisen among the Labour Party right, I take Trotter to be talking up the local-jobs-and-industry right, of which he sees Jones as being a member, over the lap-dog-to-international-finance right.
Trotter writes superbly but can be way off-line sometimes. For instance his insistence that National has a mandate for asset sales. And he also seems to be in thrall to John Key’s charm-to me it’s so easy to see behind that jokey smile. He (Trotter) is an old-fashioned labourite who has never really come to grips with the rise of the Greens.
Let’s all remember that Trotter was also one of the biggest proponents of David Shearer in the very early days, and look at how that has turned out for the rest of us.
Agree Karol, it seemed to be providing a positive message about Shane Jones. I really enjoy reading Chris Trotter BUT I dont know how anyone can be supportive of Shane Jones, he is not only an idiot and disgrace I think he is the most over rated MP in the Labour caucus. I have just enjoyed listening to Kim Hill making her views on Shane Jones clear in her interview with Ngahuia Te Awekotuku (Worth Listening to). Shane Jones should be turfed out when Shearer gets the boot.
Whenever I find myself agreeing with anything Trotter has written, I read it more carefully. Apart from the fact that he can spout opposing views from one week to the next, he is almost inevitably an apologist for the “pragmatism” of the Labour front bench. This piece is Waitakere man to a t – saying that the interests of workers are opposed to the environment, but somehow in synch with those of Shane Jones’s capitalist mates. If Shane Jones has any interest in the downtrodden of Tamaki Makaurau or Porirua, it’s probably as cheap labour on Sealord’s boats.
Two recent events made me think about how our government is reducing services:
First I spoke to an elderly lady who had fallen and cracked a rib. She was taken to the public hospital, but as there would be a 4 hour wait she was recommended to go to a commercial after-hours service (this was on a Sunday). Her ACC claim was accepted, but she received a bill for $58 from the after hours company. They explained that the bill had been reduced due to the ACC “subsidy” – from $88 down to $58.
Second some time ago I had a free hearing test from a “National Hearing Care Clinic”. They wrote to me recently saying “The level of funding that the government via ACC provides Kiwis who have sustained a hering loss through injury or work place noise exposure has been drastically reduced since 2011. In light of this significant change I have been forced to to take the very difficult decision to close a number of our National Hearing Care clinics.”
So much for compensation – ACC is regarded by National as a “free” insurance scheme which needs to be phased out – it seems that all benefits are now to be regarded as becoming a partial subsidy for costs incurred through accidents . . .
What they could not achieve through privatisation they are attempting to achieve by ignoring the intent of the legislation and reducing benefits . . .
Ed its not a new thing. My Son tore his knee open about 10 years ago, took him to AandE and was told that is would be a LONG wait as they were dealing with a car wreck. The lady at A and E phoned ahead to a doctors surgery and we went there but it cost a LOT. 28 stiches I think tho!
So iwi are getting an exemption from having to reflag their FCVs.
Which is disgusting. Though, the whole idea of iwi prefering to use FCV’s to harvest their quota and not bothering to to build their own fishing fleet and give their people gainful employment is absolutely digusting.
They should have their quote taken from them without compensation and given to people who are willing to employ New Zealand fishing crews.
Its a rare day when i agree with Millsy but in this case he’s spot on. If the only way to make the quota viable is to use slave labour the fish are best left in the sea.
Foreign charter vessels. Basically run down dangerous boats flagged to countries with no rules around safety labour etc. They are often crewed by people who have paid a fortune to a broker for the job which is far removed from that promised. Not to mention there methods etc are far from desirable
Roughly speaking if you had say a million dollars worth of quota it might cost 900000 to catch it using a nz flagged vessel and properly paid crew. Or you can hire a fcv to catch your quota for 600000 ie more profit for the quota holder. As with any job as most here well know if your doing it cheap the first to bare the brunt are th employees terms and conditions. Not to mention dubious methods including high grading and fish dumping
This is nothing new and has been practiced for a long time now. Any discussion about it was suppressed in NZ but not overseas. You can imagine how well that looks when Kiwis voice their concern on environmental and humanitarian issues. No one will say anything, but everybody is thinking the same.
Yes while i have long been a vehement supporter of Maori having specific fishing quota for a resource that has from the time the first Maori set foot on these lands been both an immediate source of food and a much traded resource both between Maori and Maori and Maori and Pakeha i also believe that Maori settled for far less of the fish quota than they deserved,
What has to be understood is that because of the various allocations of quota it is totally uneconomic for the Iwi to all operate and own fishing craft capable of actually catching this quota along with the infrastructure to further process these fish,
The ‘catch’ we speak of here is not from the inshore fishery where small fishing boats can be put to sea on a daily basis and return with the catch that afternoon or night, what is being discussed here is deep sea fishing where the ships are at sea for weeks on end thus it is impossible for the myriad of small tribes with a small amount of quota to envisage owning sea going vessels worth many 10’s of millions of dollars,
Having said all of that i am not happy with the current ‘means’ of using foreign chartered vessels with dubious, to say the least, labour practices to catch and process these many small quota of fish,
Equally i am unamused at your ‘colonial response’ wishing for such quota to be recolonized by the State, the way forward for Iwi with an uneconomic amount of quota in my opinion lies in those Iwi pooling the quota and then investigating the fishing of this quota off of a deep sea vessel crewed by New Zealand sourced labour which they would all own as shareholding Iwi,
How long it will take for these Iwi to re-organize their fishing interests i do not know, but, they should be given the time to do so….
How’s that different to; ice got a really small forestry block so i need the feeling crew to work extra long hours in dangerous conditions for low or no wages so i can profit. Just because foreign nationals bear the brunt doesn’t make it acceptable. It must stop now
Annette Sykes gave a lecture on the appropriation of capitalism ideas by “elite” Maori, and from memory it talks about the fallacy of iwi success being measured by neoliberal values. 2010 Bruce Jesson Lecture: The Politics of the Brown Table
She speaks of how often this success comes at the expense of tikanga, especially kaitiakitikanga that guides decision making and choices.
The NBR editor thinks New Zealanders should admire the people on his paper’s “Rich List”….
RACHEL SMALLEY: What this shows is that the rich are getting richer. NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON:[long pause to indicate seriousness] Well, everybody’s getting richer. RACHEL SMALLEY: Really? NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON:[long pause] Yeah.
—TV3 Firstline, Friday 26 July 2013, 6:56 a.m.
Humbug Corner is dedicated to gathering, and highlighting, the most striking examples of faux solicitude, insincere apologies, and particularly stupid recycling of official canards. It is produced by the Insincerity Project®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
More humbugs, mostly half-witted….
No. 19 Byron Bentley: “He is a great guy, a good man … very caring…”
No. 18 Rachel Smalley: “…heartbreak all over NSW as Queensland wins the deciding State of Origin!”
No. 17 Jay Carney: ““He is not a human rights activist, he is not a dissident.”
No. 16 Barack Obama: “I wish Muslims across America & around the world a month blessed with the joys of family, peace & understanding.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11072013/#comment-661330
No.15 John Key: “They know this is an issue of national security…”
No. 14 Charles Saatchi: “I abhor violence of any kind against women…”
No. 13 Toyota New Zealand: “The more Kiwis that lean, the more motivated our ETNZ crew will be to win.”
No. 12 Pem Bird: “We’re there to do the business of advancing our people.”
No.11 Whenua Patuwai: “They’re my brothers and to see one of them goes [sic]—it’s tough.”
No. 10 [REMOVED]
No. 9 [REMOVED]
No. 8 Barack Obama: “…people standing up for what’s right…yearning for justice and dignity…” No. 7 Barack Obama: “Nelson Mandela is my personal hero…”
No. 6 John Key: “Yeah well the Greens’ answer to everything is rail, isn’t it.”
No.5 Dr. Rodney Syme: “If you want good, open, honest practice, you have to make it transparent.”
No. 4 Mike Bush: “Bruce Hutton’s… integrity beyond reproach…such great character…”
No. 3 Dean Lonergan: “Y’ know what? The only people who will mock them are people who are dwarfists.”
No. 2 Peter Dunne: “What a load of drivel and sanctimonious humbug…”
No. 1 Dominic Bowden: “It’s okay to be speechless.”
Yup, as we annihilate the natural habitat around us, that provides the life sustaining and supporting properties so vital to all life on earth, you keep counting the 1’s and 0’s Gibson!
Any one else concerned about the touch and go credit cards.
I asked my bank if I could put a $0 limit on the touch and go part of the card BUT they said they couldn’t, it was only in the control of the cc company.
A YouTube clip shows an American electronic security expert demonstrating how easy it is to harvest credit card details from a passerby in a shopping mall with the $100 credit card scanner, and cloning the details on to an electronic hotel key which he then uses to pay for a meal.
In NZ
Mr Castle became concerned for consumers when he tried a new mobile contactless eftpos scanner at his Frankton business about a month ago.
As he wandered among staff with the new scanner he was able to debit $2 from each of their cards by waving the machine at them.
“We tried putting our cards in our pockets and it still worked,” Mr Castle said.
They’re advertising to push them on telly at the moment – clever ad that makes someone paying in cash look bad holding up a moving line of customers by waiting for change. Card with a pre-loaded amount that you simply touch to a reader and it debits the charge for your coffee etc.
Bad tech, Old Tech. Discriminatory Tech. Money is bad Credit is good. Therefore everyone should live life on Credit, so the Banks/CC companies can get theirs by clipping the ticket every time you use the card. Then the Bank wins again when you are in so much debt, they hammer you with HUGE fees, then take everything of material value that you own. I wonder, how long it will be before Banks want you to do slave labour to pay off your Credit Card debts?
New tech, apparently the user just need wave the card or swipe it at the reading apparatus and the deduction from their account is made without the use of a PIN number,
LOLZ, from what i read you can walk through a crowd of people with a card scanner and even if they have their card in their pocket deduct money from them,
These new cards are supposed to save time for the users, they sure as hell by the sound of them, save lots of time for the scammers…
Ok, but are they a credit card like visa with an extra function, or are they a separate card altogether? Can you just buy them and load them, or are they connected to a bank account?
A big part of Cory Doctorow’s futuristic novel about teenagers taking on the NSA (and winnning!) was how the kids exploited ‘touch and go’ cards using scanners. The cards by that time were being used for things like public transport too.
Nope just an ordinary credit card. My bank switched to tap and go for Mastercard credit cards a couple of years ago. I complained and asked if I could opt out. Answer, no. There’s no way to switch off the tap and go function. I asked if I could switch to another card. I was told they had one a=other card that didn’t have that function (a visa one I think)..
But when I went into my branch to arrange it, I was told Visa would be going tap and go before too long, as would all credit cards.
I expressed my disapproval to my bank, was told others had complained, but clearly they aren’t listening or don’t care.
Does wrapping cards or wallets in foil work? The article mentions a metal sleeve that protects them.
foil works. I suspect the easiest way to remove tha tap&go function is to us a hole punch to break the foil aerial inside the card. But you might need to buy a replacement card if it stuffs the entire thing.
The National Bank insisted that the last time my cc got replaced that the new one had a chip in it. Is the chip the thing that gets swiped/allows the data transfer?
I think so. My cc has that little square at one end that I put into the EFTPOS machines (rather than swipe it down the side). I think that square is where the offending chip is located.
I tried googling National Bank of NZ and kept getting ANZ.
It looks like ANZ credit & debit cards have the contactless feature for purchases under $80.00. And they have the little squares where the chip is.
I’ve never actually used the contactless feature – always use a pin, even for payments under $80.00.
Thanks Karol. They still put the chip in the machine, but it gets processed without the PIN.
Can’t remember what the issue was re teh PIN, something to do with being able to access cash out on credit (which is dangerous for low income people IMO).
As I commented before as the bank has now transferred the burden of responsibility of who incurs any cost regarding mis use/ fraud of these cards. then the cost of using credit cards should also reduce as now the card owner has to wear an increase of cost of fraud instead of the bank, saving banks plenty. But alas the savings are never passed back.
Just waiting for the 1st example on fair go/ Campbell or 7 shape of someone who has suffered being scammed as their card has been read as they walk thru a shopping centre doing nothing wrong. Banks = all care and no responsibility.
yes I am (concerned), and I avoid carrying them where possible. Years ago, my son and I sat at Wgtn Airport with a bunch of home built electronics and a laptop – he being a bit of a nerd at the time. The results blew me away.
I’m not all that keen on the new passports either, and other new technology where there is increasing danger of the onus being placed on the holder. Sometimes there is technology for the sake of technology, rather than introducing some substantially new benefit. (e.g. what’s the big deal in a ‘swipe’ versus a ‘nudge’ – SFA
As we “card holders” are constantly being told that we are liable for not taking reasonable precautions in protecting our pin numbers and not using obvious numbers e.g. birthdays, phone numbers. How will the banks now weasel out of not covering fraudulent transactions with this buy and wave scenario.
I held on as long as possible from having only a signing authority for use of my card, as if anyone took money out they were committing fraud and that the responsibility was on the bank to protect loss of their money, now with pin numbers the burden of responsibility was transferred from the banks to me. Wonder with this scanning how we are to protect ourselves ? Or as there is no ability then are we not then talking all reasonable care and it is the banks problem as we are using a tool they have supplied.
When I got my new chipped card I was told I had to have a PIN (didn’t want one). They were adamant that it was compulsory to use. None of the retailers where I live make me use the PIN though, I just put it through the same way as I always did. Weird.
I found out my EFTPOS card will do debits without the PIN last night. I’d never noticed it before, and it’s not something I asked for. I’ll be trying to change it on Monday. If it were practically possible, I’d do everything with cash anyway.
I figured this was a massive risk as soon as I heard about the concept. And I’m no tech-y person.
The ads are fucking obnoxious, too – I can’t imagine how they got through the approval process given the rather obvious “don’t stop and think, sheeple, just keep consuming and walking through your life like automatons” subtext.
Santi is the standard’s pet astroturfer at the moment. They gets paid to come here and undermine the left. They hardly ever say anything that isn’t serving that agenda, which I guess makes them not very good at their job.
Santi, even if the public had been so demoralized that there were fewer than fifty people prepared to march against it—there will of course be many more than that, as I’m sure you realize—would that mean that their cause is wrong? Public opinion on this snooping legislation is overwhelmingly opposed to what the government is doing; do you think it is appropriate for our elected representatives—whether National, ACT, NZ First or Labour—to flout the public will so brazenly?
Thanks for posting that, CC. As so often with Pilger, this is brilliant, insightful—and uplifting, despite its grim subject matter.
I particularly like this paragraph, which should be read and meditated on by all supporters of state repression, from David Letterman to Jim Mora to Populuxe1….
How long can the British watch the uprisings across the world and do little apart from mourn the long-dead Labour Party? The Edward Snowden revelations show the infrastructure of a police state emerging in Europe, especially Britain. Yet, people are more aware than ever before; and governments fear popular resistance – which is why truth-tellers are isolated, smeared and pursued.
And his closing sentence – from perhaps the greatest political poem ever ‘The Masque of Anarchy’ to remind us of past sacrifice.
‘Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number –
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you –
Ye are many – they are few.’
An unnamed “Labour spokesman”, (I wonder who). Tries to put the toothpaste back in the tube after David Shearer’s appalling performance on Thursday night in Mt. Albert
the party would commission a review of the legislation and implement any changes that came out of that although the new law would remain in place until that process was completed.
Anonymous Labour Party ‘spokesman’
“The situation is at is has always been – Labour has committed to, when it gets in Government, to having a full and independent enquiry into the intelligence services . . . and any changes will flow out of that,” the (anonymous) spokesman said.
The comments come following a meeting in Auckland last night attended by a number of prominent New Zealanders including New Zealander of the Year Dame Anne Salmond and retired Court of Appeal Judge Ted Thomas as well as internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom.
Agreed – besides she is well out of date. I posted that Stuff article here yesterday – almost 24 hours ago – as well as the earlier Herald article which referred specifically to Shearer’s statements on holding a wide review asap after the election if Labour get into power.
i watched David Shearer las night on the TV news clearly state that Labour will hold a review of the security services and the Legislation,
When the review is complete then Labour will rewrite the Legislation, if Labour simply scrapped whatever legislation was in place when it becomes the Government that will simply leave a ‘black hole’ within which the security services will be not be bound by any legislation,
i can only assume that the ‘full review’ being promised by the Labour leader will also call for public submissions and due consideration will be given to such in writing new legislation governing the security services,
What interest me is what Party you belong to, Labour by any chance…
Surely it is the legislation which allows the GCSB to act, so that if it were repealed they wouldn’t be able to do anything beyond what normal citizens can do? I think Shearer is being very disingenuous talking about black holes.
Band-aid bill no answer to GCSB woes | New Zealand Labour http://www.labour.org.nz/news/band-aid-bill-no-answer-to-gcsb-woes
May 6, 2013 – Under legislation tabled this afternoon, the GCSB will be allowed to assist the SIS, Police and Defence Force to spy on New Zealand citizens …
Did spies catch Key on tape on Dotcom? | New Zealand Labour http://www.labour.org.nz/news/did-spies-catch-key-on-tape-on-dotcom
Oct 11, 2012 – “I’m calling on GCSB to confirm whether that audio-visual material still exists. … I have also today made a request to the GCSB under the Official …
[PDF]
You can view David Shearer’s letter to the Prime … – Labour Party http://www.labour.org.nz/sites/…/20120928_Request_for_Inquiry_letter.pdf
Sep 27, 2012 – particular issue of the failings of the GCSB and its unlawful interception of information in the case of Kim Dotcom. However, I consider that this …
and about a 1000 more links in Labour’s own site. Since the “anonymous” spokesman just repeated what David Shearer has been saying for almost a year now, it is hardly news (and he was likely to either be David or one of his press secs repeating).
You really should learn to read more widely (and to use a search engine)
Edward Snowden can breathe a sigh of relief, he wont be tortured if he returns to the USA. If America is such a democratic country why would this have even come up an issue?. Full story here:
We won’t torture him. BUT we will stick him into an 8×10′ cell, with some thug that kills and eats people, and we won’t come to his saftey when the usual nastiness runs it’s course in the Prison at night.
\
Torture?? Who Us?
In today’s WTF MSD!? piece, an Australian consultant was paid in excess of $400,000 by the Family Commission. Dispite MSD’s preclusion to spending any money at all and playing up how the system is protecting taxpayers from those naughty bene’s milking the system of money to which they are not entitled, the minister has, “absolute confidence in management at the commission”.
The closing date of the Constitution Conversation for submissions, ie 31 July. I copied some links to the site to help get information and background which can help in deciding on a submission. We don’t want a Constitution Con.
I put them up on Friday’s Open Mike and carry them forward so they don’t get overlooked.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVERSATION 2013 – SUBMIT, SUBMIT
See Constitutional Conversation advertisement above and check out all you need to know.
Please send your submission by 5pm 31 July 2013.
I hear that Sheaert will take the Mike at the Auckland meeting at 2.00. He will have Cunliffe on stage with him. Smart. That is how to respond to TV3’s latest distortion piece.
More proof that this gubmint can’t do sums at all … an Australian expert on what Sky City have really gotten away with .. Joyce and Shonkey are COMPLETELY USELESS.
It says Sky City will recoup all of its costs within 3 years !!!! Dammit, Shonkey can’t even do very well with what he is supposed to be good at ! Oh please, let something prevent the passage of this onerous bill.
More proof that this gubmint can’t do sums at all … an Australian expert on what Sky City have really gotten away with .. Joyce and Shonkey are COMPLETELY USELESS.
Depends upon how you look at it. They’re doping great for their rich mates and the multi-national corporations but they’re screwing over the rest of NZ to do it. Of course, that was their entire purpose all along.
Seems there’s an awful lot more to worry about than a lake at the North Pole.
A sudden methane burp in the Arctic could set the world back a colossal $60 trillion.
Billions of tonnes of the greenhouse gas methane are trapped just below the surface of the East Siberian Arctic shelf. Melting means the area is poised to deliver a giant gaseous belch at any moment – one that could bring global warming forward 35 years and cost the equivalent of almost a year’s global GDP.
conflicting details between the stuff and herald articles. stuff doesn’t mention the images of hitler and john key or the gas cylinders in the back of the jeep. methinks this is fairfax censorship at work.
All of this adds up to a new version of deterrence thinking in which a potential whistleblower should know that he or she will experience a lifetime of suffering for leaking anything; in which those, even in the highest reaches of government, who consider speaking to journalists on classified subjects should know that their calls could be monitored and their whispers criminalised; and in which the media should know that reporting on such subjects is not a healthy activity.
I’ve read The Handmaid’s Tale and as time passes what it describes is coming ever closer to reality.
I wonder if Joky Hen will be able to remember 2013 in 20 years time.
Q: What were you doing when many of your fellow countryfolk were concerned about the dismantling of the welfare state that you were so much a beneficiary of, dodgy convention centre deals, spying on the citizenry?
A: Oh, umm well I don’t remember achsully. I was Prime Minister at the time, but never really got involved with the minutiae – can’t remember names or who I met. A lot of my associates and friends seemed to get plum jobs though. Ah shtrange that … mmm. I can’t remember achshully.
Oh I remember I had a rerrly bad cold while meeting a nice Korean lady. Nah, but in answer to your question … 2013 mmmm no sorry cant remember. Don’t think it was an important year.
I do not think they care. It’s pretty easy to sacrifice a few individuals when the whole nation is at risk (aka when the whole nation needs to be controlled for their own good).
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Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Security forces reinforcements were sent from France ahead of two rival marches in the capital Nouméa today, at the same time and only two streets away one from the other. One march, called by Union Calédonienne party (a component of the ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the ‘Three Strikes’ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University Who makes the words? Why are trees called trees and why are shoes called shoes and who makes the names? – Elliot, age 5, Eltham, Victoria Good question Elliot! Let’s start with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne at amRawpixel.com/Shutterstock Roles of health professionals are still unfortunately often stuck in the past. That is, before the ...
COMMENTARY:By Malcolm Evans Last week’s leaked New York Times staff directive, as to what words can and cannot be used to describe the carnage Israel is raining on Palestinians, is proof positive, since those reports are published verbatim here in New Zealand, that our understanding of the conflict is ...
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Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 23 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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I get up early to go to work.
If you want to stop working people commenting on your Open Mike in the morning, Lynn you only need move the start time to 8am.
God, your victim complex is boring. It’s not about the start time. It’s about you consistently whacking a great big pre-typed “if Labour doesn’t do exactly what I say it will be Armageddon” comment at the top of the page. I know it turns me off reading the rest of the thread, and I’m sure it does to others too.
(Ditto Morrissey. You two do understand that blogs are free to create, right? I recommend WordPress but I know others favour Blogger.)
+1000
‘Cept why bother with a blog and building readership when you can hijack someone else’s?
@ QOT
I made much the same observation re: Jenny & Morrissey’s jostling for pole position, over on Lprent’s Jono post. But the way you say it is so much pithier.
The blog creation may be free, but the time isn’t – I honestly don’t know how you manage it!
Ditto Morrissey.
Hmmmm. A quick search reveals that the last time I was first to post on Open Mike was two weeks ago. Hardly enough to spark an appearance before the Monopolies Commission.
You two do understand that blogs are free to create, right? I recommend WordPress but I know others favour Blogger.
What? You’re trying to tell us to form our own blogs? Does the term “fragmentation” mean anything to you?
Anyway, I’m far too lazy to start a blog.
Fairfax sexism:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8970636/Will-the-real-Celia-please-stand-up
why – Just because it is a woman that is the subject of the article?
Hell – was it sexist when Clarke did the same thing (although a lot more photoshop in her one).
If it was a Maori – would you be calling racist?
Or perhaps – it was just an article.
James
The point you made – it was just an article – is very relevant. Because writing a whole article for serious publication about how people, and particularly women, look (as compared to some ephemeral social standard) is one of the annoying ways that publications have of avoiding talking about the worth and achievements of women politicians or dignitaries.
By concentrating on style and trivia, judging politicians on style and trivia, publications avoid thinking or writing or revealing the important story and the important issues are n society.
Some of us here have been complaining about the NZ Listener going down this trivia road plus concentrating on the issues of the self-interested social climbing middle classes.
I am in agreement with many things Trotter says in his posts, but this….?
I was interested in the quote that begins the article:
Seeing that the article focuses on Shane Jones, I was expecting this to be highly critical of a Labour Party/Caucus that ensures capitalism survives, and to be especially critical of Shane Jones’ support of it, but …. no…. just the opposite.
Trotter seems to be in praise of Jones focusing on “jobs” over the environment, and thereby (allegedly) separating Labour from the Greens. Trotter ends the article:
Say what? Jones has of late seemed to me to be more in support of business and capitalism than the plight of struggling workers.
Our national parks are under threat. If Jones and others had their way, they would be strip mined.
I agree with you Karol. Jones also dissed his own people from the Far North in that same Fairfax News item – because they don’t agree with mineral extraction (by overseas owned companies) happening in their rohe. I can’t understand Trotter : would have thought he’d see through the rightwing pretensions of Jones ! Instead he seems to be helping him (Jones) bolster his own made-up image.
Pompous gits both of them !
Given that the latest round of angst is said to have arisen among the Labour Party right, I take Trotter to be talking up the local-jobs-and-industry right, of which he sees Jones as being a member, over the lap-dog-to-international-finance right.
Trotter writes superbly but can be way off-line sometimes. For instance his insistence that National has a mandate for asset sales. And he also seems to be in thrall to John Key’s charm-to me it’s so easy to see behind that jokey smile. He (Trotter) is an old-fashioned labourite who has never really come to grips with the rise of the Greens.
Let’s all remember that Trotter was also one of the biggest proponents of David Shearer in the very early days, and look at how that has turned out for the rest of us.
Okay! Okay! I’m Un-Surrendering. Replace Shearer.
Chris Trotter seems to disagree with you.
Trotter was for Shearer at the, then he was against Shearer, then after NZ Power he was for Shearer, and as of June he’s against Shearer.
Great.
To paraphrase Wilde, to switch favoured leaders once could be regarded as an unfortunate mistake, but to do it twice suggests carelessness 🙂
If Trotter disagrees with you, just wait a week or so. He’ll change his mind.
I think he also was a proponent of Goff in the early days and he ran with the hounds in hounding Helen …..
Agree Karol, it seemed to be providing a positive message about Shane Jones. I really enjoy reading Chris Trotter BUT I dont know how anyone can be supportive of Shane Jones, he is not only an idiot and disgrace I think he is the most over rated MP in the Labour caucus. I have just enjoyed listening to Kim Hill making her views on Shane Jones clear in her interview with Ngahuia Te Awekotuku (Worth Listening to). Shane Jones should be turfed out when Shearer gets the boot.
Whenever I find myself agreeing with anything Trotter has written, I read it more carefully. Apart from the fact that he can spout opposing views from one week to the next, he is almost inevitably an apologist for the “pragmatism” of the Labour front bench. This piece is Waitakere man to a t – saying that the interests of workers are opposed to the environment, but somehow in synch with those of Shane Jones’s capitalist mates. If Shane Jones has any interest in the downtrodden of Tamaki Makaurau or Porirua, it’s probably as cheap labour on Sealord’s boats.
Two recent events made me think about how our government is reducing services:
First I spoke to an elderly lady who had fallen and cracked a rib. She was taken to the public hospital, but as there would be a 4 hour wait she was recommended to go to a commercial after-hours service (this was on a Sunday). Her ACC claim was accepted, but she received a bill for $58 from the after hours company. They explained that the bill had been reduced due to the ACC “subsidy” – from $88 down to $58.
Second some time ago I had a free hearing test from a “National Hearing Care Clinic”. They wrote to me recently saying “The level of funding that the government via ACC provides Kiwis who have sustained a hering loss through injury or work place noise exposure has been drastically reduced since 2011. In light of this significant change I have been forced to to take the very difficult decision to close a number of our National Hearing Care clinics.”
So much for compensation – ACC is regarded by National as a “free” insurance scheme which needs to be phased out – it seems that all benefits are now to be regarded as becoming a partial subsidy for costs incurred through accidents . . .
What they could not achieve through privatisation they are attempting to achieve by ignoring the intent of the legislation and reducing benefits . . .
Ed its not a new thing. My Son tore his knee open about 10 years ago, took him to AandE and was told that is would be a LONG wait as they were dealing with a car wreck. The lady at A and E phoned ahead to a doctors surgery and we went there but it cost a LOT. 28 stiches I think tho!
So iwi are getting an exemption from having to reflag their FCVs.
Which is disgusting. Though, the whole idea of iwi prefering to use FCV’s to harvest their quota and not bothering to to build their own fishing fleet and give their people gainful employment is absolutely digusting.
They should have their quote taken from them without compensation and given to people who are willing to employ New Zealand fishing crews.
Its a rare day when i agree with Millsy but in this case he’s spot on. If the only way to make the quota viable is to use slave labour the fish are best left in the sea.
What are FCVs?
Foreign charter vessels. Basically run down dangerous boats flagged to countries with no rules around safety labour etc. They are often crewed by people who have paid a fortune to a broker for the job which is far removed from that promised. Not to mention there methods etc are far from desirable
Roughly speaking if you had say a million dollars worth of quota it might cost 900000 to catch it using a nz flagged vessel and properly paid crew. Or you can hire a fcv to catch your quota for 600000 ie more profit for the quota holder. As with any job as most here well know if your doing it cheap the first to bare the brunt are th employees terms and conditions. Not to mention dubious methods including high grading and fish dumping
This is nothing new and has been practiced for a long time now. Any discussion about it was suppressed in NZ but not overseas. You can imagine how well that looks when Kiwis voice their concern on environmental and humanitarian issues. No one will say anything, but everybody is thinking the same.
Yes while i have long been a vehement supporter of Maori having specific fishing quota for a resource that has from the time the first Maori set foot on these lands been both an immediate source of food and a much traded resource both between Maori and Maori and Maori and Pakeha i also believe that Maori settled for far less of the fish quota than they deserved,
What has to be understood is that because of the various allocations of quota it is totally uneconomic for the Iwi to all operate and own fishing craft capable of actually catching this quota along with the infrastructure to further process these fish,
The ‘catch’ we speak of here is not from the inshore fishery where small fishing boats can be put to sea on a daily basis and return with the catch that afternoon or night, what is being discussed here is deep sea fishing where the ships are at sea for weeks on end thus it is impossible for the myriad of small tribes with a small amount of quota to envisage owning sea going vessels worth many 10’s of millions of dollars,
Having said all of that i am not happy with the current ‘means’ of using foreign chartered vessels with dubious, to say the least, labour practices to catch and process these many small quota of fish,
Equally i am unamused at your ‘colonial response’ wishing for such quota to be recolonized by the State, the way forward for Iwi with an uneconomic amount of quota in my opinion lies in those Iwi pooling the quota and then investigating the fishing of this quota off of a deep sea vessel crewed by New Zealand sourced labour which they would all own as shareholding Iwi,
How long it will take for these Iwi to re-organize their fishing interests i do not know, but, they should be given the time to do so….
New rules come into effect in 2016, isnt that long enough?
No one is saying that Iwi cant rent out the quota only that the boats must follow NZ labour rules and laws.
I think this is the first time ever I have agreed with Millsy! 🙂
Evidently, Iwi have threatened to re-open treaty negs and seek a further $300Mil if they cannot use slave ships to do the fishing. What the fuck?
How’s that different to; ice got a really small forestry block so i need the feeling crew to work extra long hours in dangerous conditions for low or no wages so i can profit. Just because foreign nationals bear the brunt doesn’t make it acceptable. It must stop now
Why Iwi dont train and employ Maori youth for this work is beyond me.
Is it just that the fatcats at the top dont really give a rats arse?
The Māori elite have taken the lessons of capitalism to heart.
Annette Sykes gave a lecture on the appropriation of capitalism ideas by “elite” Maori, and from memory it talks about the fallacy of iwi success being measured by neoliberal values.
2010 Bruce Jesson Lecture: The Politics of the Brown Table
She speaks of how often this success comes at the expense of tikanga, especially kaitiakitikanga that guides decision making and choices.
http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-23/slaves-put-squid-on-u-s-dining-tables-from-south-pacific-catch.html
Humbug Corner
No. 20: NEVIL GIBSON
The NBR editor thinks New Zealanders should admire the people on his paper’s “Rich List”….
RACHEL SMALLEY: What this shows is that the rich are getting richer.
NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: [long pause to indicate seriousness] Well, everybody’s getting richer.
RACHEL SMALLEY: Really?
NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: [long pause] Yeah.
—TV3 Firstline, Friday 26 July 2013, 6:56 a.m.
Humbug Corner is dedicated to gathering, and highlighting, the most striking examples of faux solicitude, insincere apologies, and particularly stupid recycling of official canards. It is produced by the Insincerity Project®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
More humbugs, mostly half-witted….
No. 19 Byron Bentley: “He is a great guy, a good man … very caring…”
No. 18 Rachel Smalley: “…heartbreak all over NSW as Queensland wins the deciding State of Origin!”
No. 17 Jay Carney: ““He is not a human rights activist, he is not a dissident.”
No. 16 Barack Obama: “I wish Muslims across America & around the world a month blessed with the joys of family, peace & understanding.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11072013/#comment-661330
No.15 John Key: “They know this is an issue of national security…”
No. 14 Charles Saatchi: “I abhor violence of any kind against women…”
No. 13 Toyota New Zealand: “The more Kiwis that lean, the more motivated our ETNZ crew will be to win.”
No. 12 Pem Bird: “We’re there to do the business of advancing our people.”
No.11 Whenua Patuwai: “They’re my brothers and to see one of them goes [sic]—it’s tough.”
No. 10 [REMOVED]
No. 9 [REMOVED]
No. 8 Barack Obama: “…people standing up for what’s right…yearning for justice and dignity…” No. 7 Barack Obama: “Nelson Mandela is my personal hero…”
No. 6 John Key: “Yeah well the Greens’ answer to everything is rail, isn’t it.”
No.5 Dr. Rodney Syme: “If you want good, open, honest practice, you have to make it transparent.”
No. 4 Mike Bush: “Bruce Hutton’s… integrity beyond reproach…such great character…”
No. 3 Dean Lonergan: “Y’ know what? The only people who will mock them are people who are dwarfists.”
No. 2 Peter Dunne: “What a load of drivel and sanctimonious humbug…”
No. 1 Dominic Bowden: “It’s okay to be speechless.”
“Everybody’s getting richer”
Yup, as we annihilate the natural habitat around us, that provides the life sustaining and supporting properties so vital to all life on earth, you keep counting the 1’s and 0’s Gibson!
Fool!
Any one else concerned about the touch and go credit cards.
I asked my bank if I could put a $0 limit on the touch and go part of the card BUT they said they couldn’t, it was only in the control of the cc company.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/8970775/Hi-tech-criminals-target-cards
A YouTube clip shows an American electronic security expert demonstrating how easy it is to harvest credit card details from a passerby in a shopping mall with the $100 credit card scanner, and cloning the details on to an electronic hotel key which he then uses to pay for a meal.
In NZ
Mr Castle became concerned for consumers when he tried a new mobile contactless eftpos scanner at his Frankton business about a month ago.
As he wandered among staff with the new scanner he was able to debit $2 from each of their cards by waving the machine at them.
“We tried putting our cards in our pockets and it still worked,” Mr Castle said.
It’s just another reason to reject the use of cards, or any banking company that will not supply cards with some degree of security.
These RFID bank cards were long since known to have no security features and be prone to fraud, that is how they were designed.
The question is, why would the companies involved, produce such insecure cards!
What’s a touch and go credit card?
They’re advertising to push them on telly at the moment – clever ad that makes someone paying in cash look bad holding up a moving line of customers by waiting for change. Card with a pre-loaded amount that you simply touch to a reader and it debits the charge for your coffee etc.
Bad tech, Old Tech. Discriminatory Tech. Money is bad Credit is good. Therefore everyone should live life on Credit, so the Banks/CC companies can get theirs by clipping the ticket every time you use the card. Then the Bank wins again when you are in so much debt, they hammer you with HUGE fees, then take everything of material value that you own. I wonder, how long it will be before Banks want you to do slave labour to pay off your Credit Card debts?
New tech, apparently the user just need wave the card or swipe it at the reading apparatus and the deduction from their account is made without the use of a PIN number,
LOLZ, from what i read you can walk through a crowd of people with a card scanner and even if they have their card in their pocket deduct money from them,
These new cards are supposed to save time for the users, they sure as hell by the sound of them, save lots of time for the scammers…
Ok, but are they a credit card like visa with an extra function, or are they a separate card altogether? Can you just buy them and load them, or are they connected to a bank account?
A big part of Cory Doctorow’s futuristic novel about teenagers taking on the NSA (and winnning!) was how the kids exploited ‘touch and go’ cards using scanners. The cards by that time were being used for things like public transport too.
It’s a good read on future tech that is here now. http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/
Nope just an ordinary credit card. My bank switched to tap and go for Mastercard credit cards a couple of years ago. I complained and asked if I could opt out. Answer, no. There’s no way to switch off the tap and go function. I asked if I could switch to another card. I was told they had one a=other card that didn’t have that function (a visa one I think)..
But when I went into my branch to arrange it, I was told Visa would be going tap and go before too long, as would all credit cards.
I expressed my disapproval to my bank, was told others had complained, but clearly they aren’t listening or don’t care.
Does wrapping cards or wallets in foil work? The article mentions a metal sleeve that protects them.
foil works. I suspect the easiest way to remove tha tap&go function is to us a hole punch to break the foil aerial inside the card. But you might need to buy a replacement card if it stuffs the entire thing.
Well, foil i is for the time being.
I just checked. <ASB still has a Visa card that does not have the marvelous, miraculous “contactless” function.
I may do another check into changing my card. All but the first Visa option have the contactless feature.
ASB on their contactless cards.
The National Bank insisted that the last time my cc got replaced that the new one had a chip in it. Is the chip the thing that gets swiped/allows the data transfer?
I think so. My cc has that little square at one end that I put into the EFTPOS machines (rather than swipe it down the side). I think that square is where the offending chip is located.
I tried googling National Bank of NZ and kept getting ANZ.
It looks like ANZ credit & debit cards have the contactless feature for purchases under $80.00. And they have the little squares where the chip is.
I’ve never actually used the contactless feature – always use a pin, even for payments under $80.00.
ANZ brought National bank several years ago. Bit unfortunate as I’d gone to the National Bank to get away from the ANZ
Thanks Karol. They still put the chip in the machine, but it gets processed without the PIN.
Can’t remember what the issue was re teh PIN, something to do with being able to access cash out on credit (which is dangerous for low income people IMO).
ANZ took over the National Bank last year.
As I commented before as the bank has now transferred the burden of responsibility of who incurs any cost regarding mis use/ fraud of these cards. then the cost of using credit cards should also reduce as now the card owner has to wear an increase of cost of fraud instead of the bank, saving banks plenty. But alas the savings are never passed back.
Just waiting for the 1st example on fair go/ Campbell or 7 shape of someone who has suffered being scammed as their card has been read as they walk thru a shopping centre doing nothing wrong. Banks = all care and no responsibility.
yes I am (concerned), and I avoid carrying them where possible. Years ago, my son and I sat at Wgtn Airport with a bunch of home built electronics and a laptop – he being a bit of a nerd at the time. The results blew me away.
I’m not all that keen on the new passports either, and other new technology where there is increasing danger of the onus being placed on the holder. Sometimes there is technology for the sake of technology, rather than introducing some substantially new benefit. (e.g. what’s the big deal in a ‘swipe’ versus a ‘nudge’ – SFA
As we “card holders” are constantly being told that we are liable for not taking reasonable precautions in protecting our pin numbers and not using obvious numbers e.g. birthdays, phone numbers. How will the banks now weasel out of not covering fraudulent transactions with this buy and wave scenario.
I held on as long as possible from having only a signing authority for use of my card, as if anyone took money out they were committing fraud and that the responsibility was on the bank to protect loss of their money, now with pin numbers the burden of responsibility was transferred from the banks to me. Wonder with this scanning how we are to protect ourselves ? Or as there is no ability then are we not then talking all reasonable care and it is the banks problem as we are using a tool they have supplied.
When I got my new chipped card I was told I had to have a PIN (didn’t want one). They were adamant that it was compulsory to use. None of the retailers where I live make me use the PIN though, I just put it through the same way as I always did. Weird.
I found out my EFTPOS card will do debits without the PIN last night. I’d never noticed it before, and it’s not something I asked for. I’ll be trying to change it on Monday. If it were practically possible, I’d do everything with cash anyway.
I figured this was a massive risk as soon as I heard about the concept. And I’m no tech-y person.
The ads are fucking obnoxious, too – I can’t imagine how they got through the approval process given the rather obvious “don’t stop and think, sheeple, just keep consuming and walking through your life like automatons” subtext.
The way forward is becoming clearer – John Pilger’s latest article: http://johnpilger.com/articles/how-we-are-impoverished-gentrified-and-silenced-and-what-to-do-about-it.
What if 50 000 marched to, then trashed Waihopai?
The way forward is becoming clearer – John Pilger’s latest article: http://johnpilger.com/articles/how-we-are-impoverished-gentrified-and-silenced-and-what-to-do-about-it.
What if 50 000 marched to – then trashed Waihopai?
You will be lucky if 50 (fitfy, five zero) march.
Santi, how many people did you predict would be at the Stop the GCSB meeting? And how many turned up?
Do you ever have anything constructive to say?
Santi is the standard’s pet astroturfer at the moment. They gets paid to come here and undermine the left. They hardly ever say anything that isn’t serving that agenda, which I guess makes them not very good at their job.
Lprent just banned Santi for dickism.
I just saw that 🙂
http://thestandard.org.nz/the-worst-advice-in-the-world/#comment-669149
Well he was warned. But in one ear, and out the other, with nothing in between, to even, slow it down.
Sadly Brett Dale has now been told to take his place.
Nah, Brett is mostly harmless, even when he is annoying.
And King Kong is still here. Now Santi can join he who shall be unnamed at Kiwibog
I’ve never been able to figure out why KKK gets to stay, but then it’s not my blog. If I don’t like it, I can leave any time.
But when you are having a stressful day they are good for making you laugh with their ineptness.
You will be lucky if 50 (fitfy, five zero) march.
Santi, even if the public had been so demoralized that there were fewer than fifty people prepared to march against it—there will of course be many more than that, as I’m sure you realize—would that mean that their cause is wrong? Public opinion on this snooping legislation is overwhelmingly opposed to what the government is doing; do you think it is appropriate for our elected representatives—whether National, ACT, NZ First or Labour—to flout the public will so brazenly?
LOLZ it only took 3 last time, that’s three, 03…
Thanks for posting that, CC. As so often with Pilger, this is brilliant, insightful—and uplifting, despite its grim subject matter.
I particularly like this paragraph, which should be read and meditated on by all supporters of state repression, from David Letterman to Jim Mora to Populuxe1….
How long can the British watch the uprisings across the world and do little apart from mourn the long-dead Labour Party? The Edward Snowden revelations show the infrastructure of a police state emerging in Europe, especially Britain. Yet, people are more aware than ever before; and governments fear popular resistance – which is why truth-tellers are isolated, smeared and pursued.
+1
And his closing sentence – from perhaps the greatest political poem ever ‘The Masque of Anarchy’ to remind us of past sacrifice.
‘Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number –
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you –
Ye are many – they are few.’
Labour goes into damage control.
An unnamed “Labour spokesman”, (I wonder who). Tries to put the toothpaste back in the tube after David Shearer’s appalling performance on Thursday night in Mt. Albert
🙄
Yep.
Maybe we could try not feeding her today?
Agreed – besides she is well out of date. I posted that Stuff article here yesterday – almost 24 hours ago – as well as the earlier Herald article which referred specifically to Shearer’s statements on holding a wide review asap after the election if Labour get into power.
i watched David Shearer las night on the TV news clearly state that Labour will hold a review of the security services and the Legislation,
When the review is complete then Labour will rewrite the Legislation, if Labour simply scrapped whatever legislation was in place when it becomes the Government that will simply leave a ‘black hole’ within which the security services will be not be bound by any legislation,
i can only assume that the ‘full review’ being promised by the Labour leader will also call for public submissions and due consideration will be given to such in writing new legislation governing the security services,
What interest me is what Party you belong to, Labour by any chance…
Surely it is the legislation which allows the GCSB to act, so that if it were repealed they wouldn’t be able to do anything beyond what normal citizens can do? I think Shearer is being very disingenuous talking about black holes.
Don’t get too silly Jenny. Why don’t you use the net to figure out Labour’s policy rather than simply trying to do a jono and invent the story..
Try this for instance – a google query for “site:labour.org.nz GCSB”
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=site%3Awww.labour.org.nz+GCSB&oq=site%3Awww.labour.org.nz+GCSB
and about a 1000 more links in Labour’s own site. Since the “anonymous” spokesman just repeated what David Shearer has been saying for almost a year now, it is hardly news (and he was likely to either be David or one of his press secs repeating).
You really should learn to read more widely (and to use a search engine)
Edward Snowden can breathe a sigh of relief, he wont be tortured if he returns to the USA. If America is such a democratic country why would this have even come up an issue?. Full story here:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-tells-russia-we-wont-torture-edward-snowden-if-he-is-extradited-home-8734490.html
The fact that he had to say it, condemned him in the eyes of millions and for all time.
We won’t torture him. BUT we will stick him into an 8×10′ cell, with some thug that kills and eats people, and we won’t come to his saftey when the usual nastiness runs it’s course in the Prison at night.
\
Torture?? Who Us?
Is democratic really the world you want here? A majority can vote for some pretty foul stuff. Look at our government, for example.
In today’s WTF MSD!? piece, an Australian consultant was paid in excess of $400,000 by the Family Commission. Dispite MSD’s preclusion to spending any money at all and playing up how the system is protecting taxpayers from those naughty bene’s milking the system of money to which they are not entitled, the minister has, “absolute confidence in management at the commission”.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8970559/Commission-rapped-for-411-000-consultant
The closing date of the Constitution Conversation for submissions, ie 31 July. I copied some links to the site to help get information and background which can help in deciding on a submission. We don’t want a Constitution Con.
I put them up on Friday’s Open Mike and carry them forward so they don’t get overlooked.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVERSATION 2013 – SUBMIT, SUBMIT
See Constitutional Conversation advertisement above and check out all you need to know.
Please send your submission by 5pm 31 July 2013.
Get thinking with a quiz on each of five Topics.
1 The Constitution http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/NZC_QuizSheet.doc
2 The Bill of Rights http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/BOR_QuizSheet.doc
3 The Treaty of Waitangi http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/TOW_QuizSheet.doc
4 Maori Representation http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/MOR_QuizSheet.doc
5 Electoral Matters http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/store/doc/ELM_QuizSheet.doc
http://www.3news.co.nz/Cunliffe-takes-mic-at-anti-GCSB-meeting/tabid/370/articleID/306521/Default.aspx
I hear that Sheaert will take the Mike at the Auckland meeting at 2.00. He will have Cunliffe on stage with him. Smart. That is how to respond to TV3’s latest distortion piece.
It’d be nice to see Labour doing something smart.
Remember the issue is about Civil Liberties not the Labour party leadership.
+1
“Remember the issue is about Civil Liberties not the Labour party leadership.”
Yes, but Boadicea’s comment was about Labour, which is what I was responding too.
Shearer has NO choice. He is about as popular, and wanted as a toothache.
More proof that this gubmint can’t do sums at all … an Australian expert on what Sky City have really gotten away with .. Joyce and Shonkey are COMPLETELY USELESS.
It says Sky City will recoup all of its costs within 3 years !!!! Dammit, Shonkey can’t even do very well with what he is supposed to be good at ! Oh please, let something prevent the passage of this onerous bill.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8970513/A-licence-to-print-money
Depends upon how you look at it. They’re doping great for their rich mates and the multi-national corporations but they’re screwing over the rest of NZ to do it. Of course, that was their entire purpose all along.
Seems there’s an awful lot more to worry about than a lake at the North Pole.
A sudden methane burp in the Arctic could set the world back a colossal $60 trillion.
Billions of tonnes of the greenhouse gas methane are trapped just below the surface of the East Siberian Arctic shelf. Melting means the area is poised to deliver a giant gaseous belch at any moment – one that could bring global warming forward 35 years and cost the equivalent of almost a year’s global GDP.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23923-huge-methane-belch-in-arctic-could-cost-60-trillion.html#.UfMcuNLfBrM
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v499/n7459/full/499401a.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/earth-insight/2013/jul/24/arctic-ice-free-methane-economy-catastrophe
Agreed, it puts other problems in perspective.
WTF? Lol. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8972333/Bizarre-protest-against-Key-in-Seoul
conflicting details between the stuff and herald articles. stuff doesn’t mention the images of hitler and john key or the gas cylinders in the back of the jeep. methinks this is fairfax censorship at work.
How to be a rogue superpower
I’ve read The Handmaid’s Tale and as time passes what it describes is coming ever closer to reality.
I wonder if Joky Hen will be able to remember 2013 in 20 years time.
Q: What were you doing when many of your fellow countryfolk were concerned about the dismantling of the welfare state that you were so much a beneficiary of, dodgy convention centre deals, spying on the citizenry?
A: Oh, umm well I don’t remember achsully. I was Prime Minister at the time, but never really got involved with the minutiae – can’t remember names or who I met. A lot of my associates and friends seemed to get plum jobs though. Ah shtrange that … mmm. I can’t remember achshully.
Oh I remember I had a rerrly bad cold while meeting a nice Korean lady. Nah, but in answer to your question … 2013 mmmm no sorry cant remember. Don’t think it was an important year.
Security experts to test phone anti-theft locks
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10900115
40% of all robberies in NY and 50% in San Francisco were phone related.
175 million phones purchased in the last year in the states and almost 1 in three were stolen.
I do not think that the proposed GCSB legislation is going to be able to track the user of a stolen phone and an innocent person will be incriminated.
I do not think they care. It’s pretty easy to sacrifice a few individuals when the whole nation is at risk (aka when the whole nation needs to be controlled for their own good).
Shearer on Q&A tomorrow morning. Don’t miss it.
Looking forward to him waxing eloquent, sounding smart and sharp as the PM-in-waiting.
His typical media performance is gradually improving. But his political judgement and personal value system is still a total black box.