Cheers, CV. I’m glad you see some value in my argument.
I think giving a commenter a reasonable time to either back their statements or withdraw them is good moderation. I appreciate that Xanthe actually made an effort to find something (though it was just from an Assange fanboi site). Unfortunately, you’ve censored his or her efforts.
When they pop up next, presumably on open mike, I’m going to repeat the comment above and see if they get the point. If they do, there won’t be a ban.
[Still waiting for you to supply evidence to back your claim. If you don’t have it, say so. I’m in a cheerful mood this morning, and I’m happy to explain my thinking once you either provide evidence or confirm you can’t do so. TRP]
I posted link to transcript of the original police interviews .
Perhaps it would be more appropriate if you did not continue to discuss as moderator. You have misrepresented me!
You need to stop abusing your position and go an become informed
There is a huge trove of original source documentation at
Justice4assange.com avail yourself of it before you return here
[Yes, you did post that link, Xanthe. Unfortunately it was censored by CV.
However, good attempt though it was, I did ask you not to just link to Assange fan sites. NNN and J4A fall into that category. What we are looking for the two complainant’s words, not the words of third parties. You’ve made a very specific claim and if it was true, there would be clear evidence, not least because Assange supporters would be repeating it at every opportunity.
As I mentioned earlier, at least one of the women is apparently very keen to have her story told in court. That suggests you really have got this wrong.
You might also consider whether or not it makes a blind bit of difference anyway. There are plenty of victims of crime who don’t know what the crime’s called, or don’t even know that it’s a crime at all. There are others who, out of fear or shame, don’t want the crime prosecuted. That doesn’t mean the Police shouldn’t do their job anyway.
So, if you’re prepared to accept that your claim cannot be substantiated, I’m happy to drop it.
If you want to insist your claim is true, post some evidence that comes directly from both women. TRP]
Xanthe was wrong – dead wrong in the assertion they made. That can be pointed out quite easily by reasoned argument and I think some people did that on the thread at the time. The thread is gone and the discussion finished (thankfully) and I can’t see what’s to be gained by the flogging of dead horses trp.
There are dodgy and unsubstantiated opinions on a number of topics all over the site. That’s the nature of the beast. A link was asked for. A link was given. If the link is problematic (and that was pointed out) then the opinion’s undermined and the matter’s as good as dead and buried.
Sometimes poking at stuff just brings up unpleasant odours y’know? Not worth it.
And fuck it. The weather’s crap and it would be nice if commentary didn’t mirror the elements.
Cheers, Bill. I agree for the most part. However, it’s reasonable to ask commenters to substantiate claims (it’s covered in the rules). Xanthe has the choice of either providing evidence (which can’t be done) or backing down. I’m off to work now and I’ll check back later in the morning to see what decision Xanthe’s made.
It’s reasonable. And for most people who were following that conversation, I’d guess that Xanthes link wasn’t considered to be up to the mark. shrug
But hey, that’s what they’ve got and that’s that.
Others (me, you and who-ever) can read and evaluate stuff and adopt or change a position off the back of that.
Peeps can’t be “bashed into line” and opinions won’t disappear or change just because some proponent of any given opinion is being given a hard time. More often than not, that just results in entrenchment.
An opinion is aired. It gets challenged and is found wanting. And that’s that.
I’ll put it like this. If there are people in a room and someone in the room believes in alien abductions, then whatever evidence or argument they may have for their existence can be challenged, and people can come away (presumably) essentially dismissing any notion of alien abductions. At that point, there’s no useful purpose served by carrying on or over into the realm of ‘confession’ whereby the believer in abductions is pressured to ‘recant’ or whatever.
Xanthe, if you had any sense at all you’d have stayed away from commenting for a few days. TRP isn’t the type to let this kind of thing go. Inevitably, he’ll find some rationale to permaban you as I can guarantee that no link or document you post will be satisfactory or admissible in his books.
Sweet Jesus! Just be grateful y’all don’t live in the U.S.A.
“Fred on Everything : Milwaukee”
The world’s problems are coming here. Try to be kind and have some fun until they get here. We’ll all be killing each other soon enough.
You don’t try and build positive relationships by saying someone is wrong. Idiotic tactics IF you want it better, good tactic if you don’t care or have too much ego in it. I cant imagine it wasn’t thought through. Grow up labour and be smart in building relationships ffs
Hang on mm. Put yourself in Little’s place. He cannot remember saying what has been claimed he said. And unlike his counterpart the PM, he can be trusted to be telling the truth. Nevertheless Little’s staff have made an effort to ascertain whether he did say it which they have every right to do. Given the historically close ties with Maori through the Ratana Movement this is an important issue for Labour.
I don’t think the intention is to start a sparring match with the Maori King. Although there is every chance that is what Tuku Morgan is trying to do with Labour. There’s past baggage there… Tuku’s underpants n’all.
I don’t remember ever disagreeing with you before MM, but I do this time.
Kīngi Tūheitia made a claim about Andrew Little in a setting that ensured it would be widely publicised. He said that the reason he would not vote for Labour again was because of a something he claimed was said by Andrew Little. I think it is fair enough for Andrew Little and Peeni Henare to say that he was mistaken. This is about correcting the record, and not about ego IMO.
What has been asserted is pivotal to the King no longer supporting Labour. Therefore, if incorrect, it’s only right for Labour to point out the King has it wrong.
After all, positive relationships are built on honesty.
I’m answer to all above. “I am sorry the king feels this way and i am geateful to be able to reiterate that i and labour are more than happy to work with the Māori Party and Mana. My goal is to change this government because they are doing nothing for the poor and disadvantaged, they are doing nothing about the homeless, they are doing nothing for the overinflated housing crisis, they are doing nothing about the dirty drinking waters and the state of the environment. We will change this. Labour, the Greens, and any other party that believes in a country that looks after those who need help will change this.
I’m sure Labour are also disappointed the King feels this way. However, if Little didn’t make the asserted comment, the burning question is how did this all come about?
Has the King been questioned on this? If so, what was his response (anybody)?
They can’t both be right. And the media seems to have been lacking when it comes to ascertaining who is.
They can both be right it happens all the time. The point isn’t how it all came about but why – obviously a breakdown in communication that the king has highlighted. This is an opportunity not a reason to find a scapegoat, someone to blame. Surely we can be wiser than before and get on with sorting out the issues instead of blaming.
by Claire Browning
Fresh water ecologist Dr Mike Joy responds to the Prime Minister’s ‘hardtalk’, debunking his bland assertions, and calling his advice “rubbish science”, that would fail a first-year student.
Minister says KiwiSaver concerns a matter for Police
The widening KiwiSaver scandal saw the Commerce Minister put the ball into Police’s court following the receipt of official advice that concluded laws banning controversial weapons applied to providers of the public savings scheme.
A Police spokesperson said they were aware of the issue and had begun asking questions.
However, a suggestion that KiwiSaver providers might have broken laws by investing in companies that make weapons has been dismissed by one financial law expert.
World class villain. Mugabe kicked all the white farmers out and cratered the economy, the farmers went to Zambia and revolutionised their productivity, now Mugabe thinks Zambia owes him something.
How’s this for an idea chap: the only way you can get elected is to lie, and you need a compliant media to lie effectively. So anything that fucks you over is good with me.
I am surprised he is still here , he was threatening everyone after the last election that he was leaving in disgust , or he was organising a massed riot / uprising , neither has happened obviously .
But BM my dirty disco champ ………….. right wing bludgers like John Shewan and the Aussie banks try and scam New Zealand for $2.2 Billion dollars and you never moan about or mention that …
Bernard Hickey: Banks’ tax dodging tantamount to theft
” the combined banks owe the Government and people of New Zealand about $2.25 billion.
Now I’m not just grumpy.
I’m furious. That is 10 hospitals or 100 schools or the entire budget deficit forecast for the year just finished.
If I stole that much money I would be public enemy number one and rightly so.”
….
************************************************
I’m beginning to suspect BM has double standards 😉
The fact that most New Zealanders are unaware that Shewan was at the center of an attempted $2.2 Billion bank dollar robbery demonstrates something wrong with our media….
One mans broken tax vehicles returned 100 years worth of total combined welfare benefit fraud recovery from ALL beneficiarys.
How was this not front page news at the time ????
It impressed the hell out of me ……. I bet John Shewan swings a hammer like John Key …… They may not be able to hammer a nail straight in soft pine ….but those two boys build things which blow billions out of Government revenues ……
They should have statues of them by Des Brittans carbon fiber super bike at Te Papa
Teach a rich man how to cheat and speculate ………. and BM will talk about the poor and fish
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
The Olympics are a sad joke keeping the flames of nationalism burning … I skipped them.
But Going back in time the New Zealand rugby union with their national government team mates helped stuff up the Montreal Olympics when 25 countries boycotted because we ( New Zealand ) were there …..
“The New Zealand controversy
At the 1976 Montreal Olympics New Zealand sparked a boycott. The African nations were angry that a New Zealand All Blacks rugby team was touring apartheid-era South Africa. The Africans wanted New Zealand banned from the Montreal Olympics.
Eventually 26 African countries, as well as Iraq and Guyana, boycotted Montreal over New Zealand’s rugby activities. The boycott had a significant effect in athletics, as Africans were among the world’s best at middle- and long-distance running.”
” it looked as if New Zealand was in support of the apartheid movement as when no other country had wanted to create sporting ties with South Africa New Zealand was creating rugbylinks. Due to this a lot of controversy came a bout worldwide”
“He said the decision by the IOC not to ban New Zealand would give “comfort and respectability to the South African racist regime and encourage it to continue to defy world opinion.”
“Athletics events will be particularly affected by the absence of Filbert Bayi from Tanzania, who holds the world record in the 1500m and John Akii-Bua of Uganda, world record-holder in the 400 metres hurdles.
The latest country to announce its withdrawal was Kenya.”
“The All Blacks’ decision to tour South Africa in 1976 – at the height of the racial apartheid era – happened in defiance of a United Nations’ call to halt all sporting competition with the nation until racial equality was reached.”
“The boycott had a major impact on the 1976 Olympics”……
One million Canadian dollars in seat and hotel reservations had to be refunded, according to the BBC, during the first two days of the games alone, as a result of the boycott.
A number of events were marred as well; the track meet was badly diminished by the absence of perennial powerhouses like Tanzania and Kenya. ,……”http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/the-olympics-used-to-be-so-politicized-that-most-of-africa-boycotted-in-1976/260831/
So that’s how you get to be doctor to the wealthy – spend as much time learning to imitate their language patterns as you do looking up their family history… or any history, for that matter.
The conversations in recent days have featured voices from a range of Republican views, all jockeying to tilt the businessman’s politics in their direction, according to those involved. Trump tends to echo the words of whomever last spoke to him, making direct access to him even more valuable, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to talk about internal campaign discussions.
“….Since the publication of Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand 2000 the approach to managing drinking-water quality has changed.
The focus has moved from quality control to a broader approach of quality assurance.
This has been necessary due to changes in technology, an improvement in our scientific knowledge and the requirement to address a broader range of issues than previously covered.
The Health (Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2007 amended the Health Act 1956 to require all drinking-water suppliers providing water to more than 500 people to develop and start to implement a Public Health Risk Management Plan to guide the safe management of their supply before 2013.
A Public Health Risk Management Plan is a tool to help suppliers identify, manage and minimise events that could cause water quality to deteriorate. …”
So – where’s the ‘Water Safety Management Plan’ that was supposed to have been produced by the Hastings District Council and assessed by the Hawkes Bay DHB?
Michael SchulsonWhen Shane Burcaw flies on an airplane, he brings along a customized gel cushion, a car seat, and about 10 pieces of memory foam. The whole arsenal costs around $1,000, but for Burcaw it’s a necessity. The 27-year-old author and speaker — who, alongside his fiancée, Hannah ...
We are very pleased to publish this submission is from Lucinda Stoan. She is a social justice activist, mother, and educator, based in Washington State in the US. This detailed and comprehensive source-linked overview of trans issues and what is at stake will be useful for many people, especially in ...
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...
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“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...
Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...
The government has been congratulating itself over the passage of the Zero Carbon Act, which sets out long-term emissions targets. Meanwhile, Climate Action Tracker has the shameful reality: those targets are insufficient:While New Zealand is showing leadership by having passed the world’s second-ever Zero Carbon Act in November 2019, under ...
The government introduced a Racing Industry Bill today. As an urban who horse racing as pointless-to-cruel, and gambling as a tax on stupidity and/or hope, this isn't normally a bill which would interest me in the slightest, beyond grumpiness at more government money for a dying industry. But there is ...
Check. Check. One, two, three, four. Is this thing ON? Hello readers, I logged in last night (yeah, it’s been a while) to mark THE END of the landmark legal case, Jordan Williams v Colin Craig, which (gulp) reached The Supreme Court, in which New Zealand’s most-defamed man was suing the politician he ...
Before The Birth: Israel’s most fervent supporters set their clocks ticking in Biblical times. They cite the kingdoms of David and Solomon as proof that, in the words of the Exodus movie’s theme-song: “This land is mine.” The majority of Israel’s backers, however, start their clocks in 1933 – the year Adolf ...
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...
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When it was revealed that NZ First had tried to enrich itself from public office via the Provoncial Growth Fund, the Prime Minister assured us that everything was OK as Shane Jones, the Minister responsible for the fund, had recused himself. Except it seems that that recusal came very late ...
Today is a Member's Day, and probably the last one of the year. After the marathon of the End of Life Choice Act, most of the bills up for debate today are uncontentious. First up is the second reading of Chlöe Swarbrick's Election Access Fund Bill. This will be followed ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has reported back on the government's odious and tyrannical control orders bill. As expected, the fraudulent select committee process has made no significant changes (partly because they couldn't agree, but mostly because it was a stitch-up from the start, with no intention of ...
Yesterday, the government released its draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, which will be put to a non-binding referendum at the next election. I'm not a drug policy expert, but Russell Brown is, and he thinks its pretty good. And pretty obviously, it will be a massive improvement on the ...
As you're probably aware, the draft bill outlining the proposed legal cannabis regime to be put to a referendum late next year was published yesterday, and has already attracted a flurry of comment. It's notable that a good deal of the comment is about proposals that aren't actually new.A minimum ...
One of the big problems in New Zealand climate change policy is the government working at cross-purposes with itself. It wants to reduce fossil fuel use, but encourages oil and gas exploration. It wants to reduce transport emissions, but then builds enormous new roads. The problem could be avoided if ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzAccording to the United Nations, food shortages are a threat ...
Last year, the government announced it was ending offshore oil exploration by no longer issuing new permits. The idea was that the industry would then die off as permits expired. Except almost immediately the government revealed its bad faith, by saying they would extend permits and alter conditions to keep ...
The government introduced the Education and Training Bill to Parliament yesterday. Its a massive bill, which replaces both existing Education Acts, as well as various other bits of legislation (including some which are still proceeding through the House). I'll leave the serious analysis to teachers and people who actually know ...
Amelia SharmanThere’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to micro-credentials, those bits of bite-sized learning that can help workers stay on top of technological change. What’s a micro-credential? While definitions vary, micro-credentials can be understood as short courses that allow people to learn new skills or have an existing competency recognised. ...
All Smiles Now: Claire Szabo is taking up her presidential role after serving as the CEO of Habitat For Humanity. Which is absolutely perfect! After KiwiBuild was so comprehensively mismanaged by Phil Twyford, the party has not only elected a new president from a thoroughly respectable not-for-profit, but one who ...
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...
by Daphna Whitmore At Golden Oaks, a luxurious country retreat in the Hudson Valley, pregnant women have the best care money can buy. From the organic food, personalised exercise programmes, private yoga instruction and daily massages Golden Oaks looks like a country lodge for the upper class. Set some time ...
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Writing in Stuff, Joel MacManus looks at what we need to do to meet the Zero Carbon Act's targets. The core of it:1. Convert 85 per cent of vehicles on the road to electric. 2. Eliminate fossil fuels from all industrial heating up to 300 degrees Celsius. 3. Double our ...
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Image credit:The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ...
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What Kind Of Empire? The thing for Kiwis to decide is what kind of empire they want to belong to. The kind that, while offering its own citizens democratic rights, demands absolute obedience from its “friends”? Or, the kind that, while authoritarian at home, takes a relaxed attitude to the ...
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Within quick succession, Countdown maths wizard and twitterer Rachel Riley, alleged comedian David Baddiel and prominent lawyer Andrew Julius have all expressed very similar opinions / ideas:
These #3billboards are going round London today, organised by ex-Labour people, horrified by what their party has become. Their principles haven’t changed, they’re ...
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Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
It's been a great week of progress: we've celebrated Children's Day, we've made communities safer with 1800 new police, and we've seen almost 90% of eligible schools take up Government funding to scrap school donations - taking pressure off the families of more than 416,000 students. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The Government will further strengthen New Zealand’s wood processing sector as part of our focus on ‘value over volume’ in our forestry industry, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones will today meet with forestry representatives in Northland to signal new measures to help the ...
New Zealand First are celebrating the announcement of an investment of $3.5 million into five new trapping devices. These are a range of bait and trap devices, all designed to be left unattended for long periods of time. NZ First conservation spokesperson Jenny Marcroft says that this latest development will ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Conservation New Zealand First is proud to announce the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has allocated $3.5 million to develop innovative predator control approaches which will reduce the need for repeated 1080 use. $19.5 million of PGF funding was announced for Predator Free 2050 Limited in February ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Police New Zealand First is proud to have delivered on a key Coalition Agreement commitment to adding 1800 new frontline police, with the graduation of Recruit Wing 332 in Porirua today. Law and Order Spokesperson Darroch Ball says increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one ...
Clayton Mitchell, Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs The ‘wheel clamping’ Bill that will cap clamper fees to $100 passed its third readinginParliament today. New Zealand First welcomes The Land Transport (Wheel Clamping) Amendment Bill to combat predatory wheel clamping behaviour in what is currently a largely unregulated business. Cowboy clampers are: gouging ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its first reading in Parliament. “Today’s progress takes serious action on the mental health and addiction crisis the country is facing,” says New Zealand First Health Spokesperson Jenny Marcroft. “The re-establishment ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries Today the Government announced the delivery of the promise to protect New Zealand interests by applying a new National Interest Test to the sales of our most sensitive and high risk assets to overseas buyers. This further strengthening of the Overseas Investment Act will ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced further support as the Government of Samoa responds to a serious measles outbreak. “New Zealand will deploy a further 18 vaccination nurses, bringing the total to 30 working in Samoa over the next ...
The Coalition Government is delivering on its promise to protect New Zealanders’ interests by applying a new national interest test to the sales of our most sensitive and high-risk assets to overseas buyers. Under current Overseas Investment Act (OIA) rules, assets such as ports and airports, telecommunications infrastructure, electricity and ...
Rt Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First Allegations raised this morning by Stuff Limited / Fairfax concern a party matter but I am confident that New Zealand First has operated within electoral laws, now and for the last 27 years. Declarable donations were declared to the Electoral Commission. Our ...
The chairman of the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy (UNISCS) working group, Wayne Brown, has hit back at critics of his group’s recommendations to relocate the Ports of Auckland cargo operations to Whangarei’s deepwater port of Northport. The working group's recommendation to close Auckland waterfront to all but cruise ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Healthier waterways, better productivity and farmer wellbeing are front and centre in a new project involving more than 1000 Southland farmers and growers. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor today announced that the Thriving Southland Change and Innovation Project is the first region-wide extension programme supported by the $229 million Sustainable ...
Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Government funding support Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Canvastown today. “Every New Zealander should be able to swim in their local river without getting sick, and ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. “The new criterion was included this year. It emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
Onslow College in Wellington will get 20 new classrooms for more than 400 students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The much-needed investment will relieve growth pressure the school has been experiencing for some time. Seven existing classrooms which have deteriorated over time will also be replaced, bringing the total ...
More than 250 young New Zealanders will add international experience to their education, thanks to the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA), Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This round of scholarships supports 252 recent graduates or current students to undertake study, research or internships ...
Consumers will benefit from a more competitive, transparent retail fuel market as a result of changes the Government will be making in response to the findings of the Commerce Commission’s study of the fuel sector. “We accept the Commission’s findings and, as the Prime Minister has said, we’re ready to ...
Five new cancer medicines have now been funded this year, meaning thousands of people have more treatment options PHARMAC has today announced that it has approved two new medicines for funding – fulvestrant for breast cancer and olaparib for ovarian cancer. This follows earlier decisions on advanced lung cancer treatment alectinib, ...
The Minister of Local Government, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider making changes to local electoral legislation before the 2022 elections to fix the problems that have arisen where elections are settled by a coin toss. The Minister says the recount process in the Murupara- Galatea ward at ...
New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an ...
New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said. “The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to ...
Today’s launch of He taonga te Tamaiti: Every child a taonga: The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 provides the foundation for long-lasting changes to early learning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Early learning will be one of the Government’s top education priorities going into 2020,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
Major decisions made by the Government will now be considered under a climate change lens, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. “Cabinet routinely considers the effects of its decisions on human rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, rural communities, the disability community, and gender – now climate change will ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced the appointment of Māori education specialist Dr Wayne Ngata and Business NZ head Kirk Hope to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). Dr Alastair MacCormick has been reappointed for another term. “Wayne Ngata, Kirk Hope and Alastair MacCormick bring a great deal ...
The next phase of the Pike River Re-entry project is underway, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little says. “Fresh air will be pumped into the Pike River Mine drift this week, following acceptance of the plan for re-entry beyond the 170m barrier by New Zealand’s independent health and ...
New Zealand consumers will have greater certainty about their insurance cover when they need to make claims as a result of proposed government changes. “Insurance is vitally important in supporting consumers and businesses to be financially resilient when unexpected events happen,” Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said. ...
The Crown is providing an opportunity for the hapu of Ngāpuhi to rebuild its framework from the ground up for collective negotiations to deal with its historical Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little and Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The Crown is also ...
A Bill enabling referendums to be held with the 2020 General Election has passed its third reading. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Act is important for upholding the integrity of New Zealand’s electoral process. “The Government has committed to holding a referendum on legalising recreational cannabis at the next ...
The first release of public information on the two referendums to be held at next year’s General Election was made today with an informative new Government website going live. Additionally, the draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill has been released, showing the strict controls on cannabis that will apply if ...
The Government is taking action to protect New Zealand from foreign interference in our elections by banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon and passed under urgency. “There’s no need for anyone other than New ...
Governments and tech companies are holding a two-day workshop, hosted by YouTube/Google in Wellington, to test the Christchurch Call Shared Crisis Response Protocol. The workshop aims to refine and strengthen the response in the event of a terrorist attack with online implications. Companies, governments, civil society experts and NGOs will ...
The new independent Cancer Control Agency has formally opened today, delivering on the Government’s plan to improve cancer care in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Health David Clark marked the occasion by announcing the membership of the Advisory Council that will be supporting ...
Small businesses who deal with government departments are set to be paid faster and have improved cash flow as a result, under a new strategy released today. The Government is backing recommendations from the Small Business Council (SBC) and has agreed to implement three initiatives immediately to support business and ...
The Education and Training Bill 2019, introduced in Parliament today, proposes the biggest education changes in decades and is an important step towards improving success for all our learners, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “The Bill’s rewrite of education legislation is long overdue. Indeed one Education Act, parts of which ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Bali to represent New Zealand at the 12th Bali Democracy Forum that will be held on the 5-6 December. “The Forum is a valuable opportunity for Asia-Pacific countries to share experiences and best practice in building home-grown democracy and fostering ...
A package of new and expanded technology and other tools will encourage responsible camping and help communities and local councils better manage freedom camping this summer, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. “Our Government has been investing to improve the freedom camping experience for everyone because we want to support ...
The government is laying the groundwork to understanding our genes – work that can help us tackle some of our biggest health challenges, like heart disease and diabetes, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. $4.7 million has been invested in the Genomics Aotearoa Rakeiora programme. The programme will ...
Nearly every state schools will receive a capital injection next year valued at $693 per student to bring forward urgent school property improvements, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The one-off cash injection is the first project to be announced from the Government’s infrastructure package ...
The Government has decided to bring forward major investments in New Zealand’s infrastructure to future proof the economy. “Cabinet has agreed to a significant boost to infrastructure investment. I have directed the Treasury to help bring together a package of projects that can be brought into the Government’s short and ...
It is a great pleasure to be with you today in Whanganui. Like the Prime Minister I grew up with the TV clip of Selwyn Toogood booming “What do you say Whanganui, the money or the bag?” to an unsuspecting ‘It’s in the Bag’ audience. For those under the age ...
New Zealand’s newest Great Walk, the Paparoa Track, was officially opened in Blackball today by the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage alongside the family members of the Pike 29 and Ngāti Waewae. Local mayors and MP for the West Coast Hon Damien O’Connor were also in attendance. “Paparoa National Park ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark turned the first sod of earth on the infrastructure works for the new P-8A Poseidon fleet at RNZAF Base Ohakea today. “The Coalition Government’s investment in Ohakea will ensure the Royal New Zealand Air Force can manage, maintain and task the new fleet efficiently ahead ...
Civil Defence Minister Hon Peeni Henare today announced the establishment of the new National Emergency Management Agency from 1 December 2019. The National Emergency Management Agency will replace the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management. It will be an autonomous departmental agency, hosted by the Department of the Prime ...
New Zealand tertiary students with top grades and a passion for space will once again be offered the opportunity to work with the world’s best and brightest at NASA, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today. Recipients of the New Zealand Space Scholarship are nominated by the Ministry of Business, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further support to Samoa in the wake of an ongoing measles outbreak in the country. Additional medical supplies and personnel, including a third rotation of New Zealand’s emergency medical assistance team (NZMAT), further nurse vaccinators, intensive care (ICU) specialists and Samoan-speaking medical professionals, will ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new data showing a sharp drop in the number of people who can’t afford to visit their GP is a sign of real progress. One year after the Government made it cheaper for about 600,000 Kiwis to visit their doctor, results of the New ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced this week. The new criterion, he explained, ” … emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
“CEAC – University of Auckland asks ‘Can democracy survive’? Subject; Can democracy survive? https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2019/12/03/can-democracy-survive-.html Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre Incorporated (CEAC) Press release 8th December ...
The Minister of Health’s announcement to appoint a new chair to the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board has come as a surprise and with some disappointment, especially given he had personally asked me to stand again with his confidence to continue in ...
Hell’s bells it’s Gone By Lunchtime, with Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire shooting the breeze on Kris Faafoi, Jason Kerrison, Winston Peters, NZ First donations, a cannabis referendum, and the year to come.Just when you thought politics was tucking under the duvet for Christmas, along comes the guy ...
Tis the season for hangovers, so we convinced some of New Zealand’s most experienced consumers of food and/or drink (OK, Spinoff staff and a bunch of chefs/hospo people) to share their tried-and-true culinary remedies.A hangover is a very individual thing. For some, it manifests as a splitting headache and extreme ...
Before Britain’s Got Talent: Champions hits our screens tonight, let’s take a fond look back at some of the show’s weirdest and most wonderful acts.Place your hands on your Golden Buzzer, because Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions kicks off this weekend. Champions is BGT bigger and better than it’s been before, ...
Following the raging success of the 2018 non-goat ethical Christmas gift guide, here for you today – responsibly wrapped in reusable gift wrap – is the 2019 list of ethical, sustainable, socially conscious, or charitable gift ideas to satisfy all kinds of family members and budgets.Budget Category: ‘Can we pay ...
Lime brought e-scooters to Auckland and changed the way we travel in less than a year. Now, the council is replacing it and Wave with three new contenders. Josie Adams goes to the Lime warehouse to say goodbye to the original scooters.In a warehouse in Eden Terrace, almost a thousand ...
Analysis - The government's first crack at cannabis legislation runs into trouble, a foreign donations bill is rammed through Parliament and a select committee refuses to listen to former NZ First officeholders. ...
Dr Ben Jansen is Oceania's leading prescriber of cannabis medicines, and a co-founder of the Hemp Foundation.org.nz “I’d like to thank the Labour Party and Chris Woodney. Thanks to his policy remit at Labours national conference, and Labours full support, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Soong, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education Practice, School of Education, University of South Australia Australian 15 year olds were around three and a half years behind their counterparts in China in maths, according to the OECD’s latest results for education systems ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dimitri Perrin, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology More than a year ago, the world was shocked by Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui’s attempt to use CRISPR technology to modify human embryos and make them resistant to HIV, which led to the birth ...
Cabinet minister Kris Faafoi has apologised to the Prime Minister for his messages to Jason Kerrison regarding an immigration case, but will not lose his job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Meyrick, Professor of Creative Arts, Flinders University The decision to merge the Department of Communications and the Arts with Transport, Infrastructure and Regional development (dropping the “Arts” entirely) ends a year in which Australian politics has been deeply confused over its ...
A historic referendum on independence has been completed in Bougainville. Johnny Blades of RNZ was there. People in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville have voted in an historic independence referendum. The long-anticipated referendum is the ultimate provision of 2001’s Bougainville Peace Agreement, which followed a brutal, protracted ...
Dairy farmers had some Xmas cheer this week, as dairy giant Fonterra told them the forecast payout would be the fourth-highest-ever, at the mid-point of its farmgate milk price range. The $7.30kg/ms means the cash payout for the season will reach $11.2bn, a rise of about $400m from the earlier forecast. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlin Syme, PhD in Vertebrate Palaeontology, The University of Queensland When you find dinosaur skeletons, how can you tell how old the dinosaur was? Like, if the skeleton is from a child dinosaur or an adult dinosaur? – Henry, aged 8. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) has had to clarify the law with Police and receive their reassurance that while the amnesty for ammunition was not extended to 20 December, Police will act as if it has been. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 We Are Here: An Atlas of Aotearoa by Chris McDowall & Tim Denee (Massey University Press, $70)Superlative ...
This week a petition with more than 15,000 signatures was presented at parliament to Nicola Willis, MP and opposition spokesperson for Early Childhood Education. Also attending were Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick and Hon Nikki Kaye. ...
It’s that time of year again when, for the third year running, a new A Christmas Prince movie is released. Sam Brooks was in front of a TV screen for the latest instalment’s debut on Netflix last night, and here catalogues the many stupid, wild, and wildly stupid things he ...
One of the most highly rated members of Jacinda Ardern’s Cabinet is under pressure over assurances given in relation to an immigration case. How bad could it get, asks Toby Manhire.There has never been a New Zealand prime minister more engaged with contemporary homegrown music than Jacinda Ardern. She’s forever ...
Kris Faafoi, Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media; Minister ofCommerce and Consumer Affairs;Minister of Government Digital Services; Associate Minister forHousing; MP for Mana.The latest allegations of a corruption scandal involving a Cabinet minister suggests this government is far too loose when it comes to providing access to power ...
The National Party cannot credibly critique the Government’s hikes to fuel tax while it refuses to commit to reversing these hikes, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Simon Bridges has lambasted ...
Newspaper staff were among those to express dismay and fury during the frenzy of denunciations that followed publication of an ill-considered cartoon about Samoa and the measles epidemic. The Spinoffrecorded their reactions under the heading ODT cartoonist infuriates his colleagues with Sāmoa measles epidemic ‘joke’. It also reproduced the ...
New Zealand Police Association condemns comments made by People Against Prisons Aotearoa following the fatal police shooting of an armed man who had made threats of suicide. ...
A new poem by Harry Ricketts. The Writing Life You want to write.You want to be published.You want to be read. You want to be a cult figure.You want to be reviewed.You want to write. You want to win prizes.You want to be anthologised.You want to be read. You want to be taught in schools ...
As Christmas is near, it’s time to set the record straight on some of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of employment law that apply to the festive season. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Kris Faafoi immigration case Fiona Connor and Tova O’Brien (Newshub): ‘I’m on it bro’: Messages show Kris Faafoi offering help to ...
The Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta has announced changes to prevent Māori wards being voted down by referendums are off the table, saying she believes such a change is not possible within the coalition. ...
It’s officially the festive season, and what does that mean? An office Secret Santa with a budget of $20 and you’ve picked your boss. Instead of settling for a bottle of average wine and a ribbon, follow our essential guide on what to get those unique workmates.At last year’s Secret ...
The shooting of a suicidal man in Southland shows that police armament is dangerous, says criminal justice group People Against Prisons Aotearoa. The shooting comes just over a month into the controversial trial of heavily armed police teams in 3 regions ...
The Prime Minister should deal urgently with reports Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi offered to help a friend over an immigration case, National Party leader Simon Bridges says. ...
The families of top former All Blacks are likely to donate their loved ones’ brains to research so the effect of head impacts in sport can be studied. ...
A woman who went on a Tinder date with the man who murdered Grace Millane tells her story, and issues a warning to other women to trust their instincts when something doesn’t feel right.First published on Newshub.co.nzI went on a date with Grace Millane’s killer while her body lay in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gottfried Lechner, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Telecommunications Research, University of South Australia, University of South Australia Satellites are becoming increasingly important in our lives, as they help us meet a demand for more data, exchanged at higher speeds. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Terry Goldsworthy, Associate Professor in Criminology, Bond University According to the latest figures, homicides in Australia are at historic lows and compare well against international trends. So what do the trends tell us and why is the homicide rate in Australia declining? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy O’Rourke, Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture, The University of Queensland Welcome to the next article in our Designing Hospitals series, where we explore how architecture and design shape our hospitals and medical centres. Today, we look at what Indigenous people tell ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results are bad news for Australian students, parents, employers and policymakers. Pretty much everyone. Australian 15-year-olds are now below the OECD average in mathematics, and our results in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Clode, Senior Research Fellow in Creative Writing, Flinders University It is only mid-November but we have to walk early to avoid the heat. A northerly wind picks up clouds of dust and pollen, sending dirty billows across the paddocks. The long ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Changes coming to fuel market, anti-vaxxer arrested in Samoa, and banks told to hold more capital.New recommendations to increase competition in the fuel market have been made by the Commerce Commission, reports the NZ Herald. Their conclusion is that it isn’t competitive ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias. ...
An alliance of top researchers is trying to keep New Zealand ahead of complex health challenges from overuse of antibiotics, threats to freshwater quality and emerging infectious diseases. ...
The birthplace of the Labour Party is once again at the forefront of a new movement, this time harnessing the power of the collective to step away from coal towards a low carbon future.Blackball is a small place with a huge history. This week the town, 29 kilometres from Greymouth, ...
Life expectancy is increasing all the time, and now actuaries and retirement experts say young people need far more information on what they’ll need to do with their money if they live to 100. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. The message from the Retirement Income Interest Group of the New ...
German politician Joschka Fischer has had a remarkable career. From street violence and helping to set up the Green party, he matured into the foreign minister and vice-chancellor of a united Germany, serving until 2005. His understanding of power politics led him to support the use of force in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison said it with a straight face, and repetition for emphasis. “I’m very pleased, very pleased, with the performance of all of my ministers,” he declared on Thursday. This ringing if unconvincing universal endorsement ...
PARENTS AROUND THE WORLD PLEA FOR URGENT CLIMATE ACTION 222 parents groups from 27 countries have released a heartfelt joint plea calling on negotiators at this year’s UN climate summit – COP25 – in Madrid to push for ambitious and urgent ...
Government proposals to overhaul insurance contract laws should make the whole process of taking out insurance easier and simpler to understand for consumers, says Financial Advice New Zealand. ...
Despite New Zealand First lobbying hard at the Cabinet table, the Finance Minister says the case to move Auckland's port operations north has not yet been made. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Tomnay, Assoc. Professor / Director of Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health, University of Melbourne Around one in six Australian women have had an abortion by their mid-30s. These women come from all age groups and demographics: some are mothers ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roslyn Petelin, Course coordinator, The University of Queensland Reports this week about the demise of the Apostrophe Protection Society may have been greatly exaggerated. The Apostrophe Protection Society was set up in 2001 in the UK by retired journalist John Richards with ...
Today the Court of Appeal released their decision to allow Helen Milner (The Black Widow) to have the last remaining body samples of the husband she murdered, in an attempt to prove her innocence by trying to see if he had an underlying heart condition. ...
Open mike 27/08/2016 
Open mike is your post.
Michael Schulson When Shane Burcaw flies on an airplane, he brings along a customized gel cushion, a car seat, and about 10 pieces of memory foam. The whole arsenal costs around $1,000, but for Burcaw it’s a necessity. The 27-year-old author and speaker — who, alongside his fiancée, Hannah ...5 hours ago
We are very pleased to publish this submission is from Lucinda Stoan. She is a social justice activist, mother, and educator, based in Washington State in the US. This detailed and comprehensive source-linked overview of trans issues and what is at stake will be useful for many people, especially in ...22 hours ago
Newshub last night reported that Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi had apparently promised to help out a mate with an immigration issue. While its normal for people to approach MPs for assistance in this area, when you're a Minister, the rules are different: as the Cabinet Manual says, Ministers must "at ...1 day ago
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...1 day ago
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...2 days ago
Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...2 days ago
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...2 days ago
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...5 days ago
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...6 days ago
Image credit: The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ... 6 days ago
It hasn't been a good week for the Conservatives, pollwise. All major recent polls are showing their lead shrinking.Comparing each pollster's current (between 29/11 and 22/11) and previous most recent poll.Com Res - Conservative lead down 3 points.You Gov - Conservative lead down 1 point.Kantar - Conservative lead down 4 ...1 week ago
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...2 days ago
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...4 days ago
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...8 hours ago
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced this week. The new criterion, he explained, ” … emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...57 mins ago
“CEAC – University of Auckland asks ‘Can democracy survive’? Subject; Can democracy survive? https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2019/12/03/can-democracy-survive-.html Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre Incorporated (CEAC) Press release 8th December ...2 hours ago
Hell’s bells it’s Gone By Lunchtime, with Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire shooting the breeze on Kris Faafoi, Jason Kerrison, Winston Peters, NZ First donations, a cannabis referendum, and the year to come.Just when you thought politics was tucking under the duvet for Christmas, along comes the guy ...5 hours ago
"The neighbour takes my hand and walks me over the concrete to my parent’s back door": a look inside Hell by Alisha Tyson. ...8 hours ago
Analysis - The government's first crack at cannabis legislation runs into trouble, a foreign donations bill is rammed through Parliament and a select committee refuses to listen to former NZ First officeholders. ...19 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Soong, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education Practice, School of Education, University of South Australia Australian 15 year olds were around three and a half years behind their counterparts in China in maths, according to the OECD’s latest results for education systems ...20 hours ago
Dairy farmers had some Xmas cheer this week, as dairy giant Fonterra told them the forecast payout would be the fourth-highest-ever, at the mid-point of its farmgate milk price range. The $7.30kg/ms means the cash payout for the season will reach $11.2bn, a rise of about $400m from the earlier forecast. ...22 hours ago
The Government is investing up to $9 million in a project that it says will help Southland farmers use their land more sustainably. ...1 day ago
Donation legislation, the infinite monkey theory and the angriest man in NZ politics. Not to mention Paula Bennett's black-market oregano. ...1 day ago
You do not have to sacrifice short term returns in order to invest sustainably. ...1 day ago
Winston Peters says the NZ First foundation is similar to the National Party’s foundation. Here’s how it isn’t. ...1 day ago
The families of top former All Blacks are likely to donate their loved ones’ brains to research so the effect of head impacts in sport can be studied. ...1 day ago
The Finance Minister Grant Robertson won’t be drawn on how much new capital requirements for banks will hit consumers. ...1 day ago
Yet again, NZ schools have received a 'fail' when it comes to bullying but there could be an evidence-based solution. ...1 day ago
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias. ...1 day ago
An alliance of top researchers is trying to keep New Zealand ahead of complex health challenges from overuse of antibiotics, threats to freshwater quality and emerging infectious diseases. ...1 day ago
Sky Sport News presenter Kate King previews a massive weekend for Kiwi sportswomen ...1 day ago
A handy guide to all you need to know about impeachment. ...1 day ago
NZ is seeing an increasing number of retail 'events' imported from overseas - how long before our spending is exhausted? ...1 day ago
German politician Joschka Fischer has had a remarkable career. From street violence and helping to set up the Green party, he matured into the foreign minister and vice-chancellor of a united Germany, serving until 2005. His understanding of power politics led him to support the use of force in the ...2 days ago
Despite New Zealand First lobbying hard at the Cabinet table, the Finance Minister says the case to move Auckland's port operations north has not yet been made. ...2 days ago
The year has provided tests for the PM's party, government, and the country as a whole - but she is confident 2020 will bring success. ...2 days ago
ACC is failing to live by the climate principles it proclaims. ...2 days ago
Cheers, CV. I’m glad you see some value in my argument.
I think giving a commenter a reasonable time to either back their statements or withdraw them is good moderation. I appreciate that Xanthe actually made an effort to find something (though it was just from an Assange fanboi site). Unfortunately, you’ve censored his or her efforts.
When they pop up next, presumably on open mike, I’m going to repeat the comment above and see if they get the point. If they do, there won’t be a ban.
Oh how very gracious of you TRP.
You’re going to keep playing your cat and mouse games then? Let it go TRP. You’ve had enough little power tripping jollies for a day.
TRP
Your apology?
[Still waiting for you to supply evidence to back your claim. If you don’t have it, say so. I’m in a cheerful mood this morning, and I’m happy to explain my thinking once you either provide evidence or confirm you can’t do so. TRP]
I posted link to transcript of the original police interviews .
Perhaps it would be more appropriate if you did not continue to discuss as moderator. You have misrepresented me!
You need to stop abusing your position and go an become informed
There is a huge trove of original source documentation at
Justice4assange.com avail yourself of it before you return here
[Yes, you did post that link, Xanthe. Unfortunately it was censored by CV.
However, good attempt though it was, I did ask you not to just link to Assange fan sites. NNN and J4A fall into that category. What we are looking for the two complainant’s words, not the words of third parties. You’ve made a very specific claim and if it was true, there would be clear evidence, not least because Assange supporters would be repeating it at every opportunity.
As I mentioned earlier, at least one of the women is apparently very keen to have her story told in court. That suggests you really have got this wrong.
You might also consider whether or not it makes a blind bit of difference anyway. There are plenty of victims of crime who don’t know what the crime’s called, or don’t even know that it’s a crime at all. There are others who, out of fear or shame, don’t want the crime prosecuted. That doesn’t mean the Police shouldn’t do their job anyway.
So, if you’re prepared to accept that your claim cannot be substantiated, I’m happy to drop it.
If you want to insist your claim is true, post some evidence that comes directly from both women. TRP]
My specific claim was …. check carefully before you reply!
[And my careful checked reply is that you’re welcome back on Oct. 1st. TRP]
Xanthe was wrong – dead wrong in the assertion they made. That can be pointed out quite easily by reasoned argument and I think some people did that on the thread at the time. The thread is gone and the discussion finished (thankfully) and I can’t see what’s to be gained by the flogging of dead horses trp.
There are dodgy and unsubstantiated opinions on a number of topics all over the site. That’s the nature of the beast. A link was asked for. A link was given. If the link is problematic (and that was pointed out) then the opinion’s undermined and the matter’s as good as dead and buried.
Sometimes poking at stuff just brings up unpleasant odours y’know? Not worth it.
And fuck it. The weather’s crap and it would be nice if commentary didn’t mirror the elements.
Cheers, Bill. I agree for the most part. However, it’s reasonable to ask commenters to substantiate claims (it’s covered in the rules). Xanthe has the choice of either providing evidence (which can’t be done) or backing down. I’m off to work now and I’ll check back later in the morning to see what decision Xanthe’s made.
It’s reasonable. And for most people who were following that conversation, I’d guess that Xanthes link wasn’t considered to be up to the mark. shrug
But hey, that’s what they’ve got and that’s that.
Others (me, you and who-ever) can read and evaluate stuff and adopt or change a position off the back of that.
Peeps can’t be “bashed into line” and opinions won’t disappear or change just because some proponent of any given opinion is being given a hard time. More often than not, that just results in entrenchment.
An opinion is aired. It gets challenged and is found wanting. And that’s that.
I’ll put it like this. If there are people in a room and someone in the room believes in alien abductions, then whatever evidence or argument they may have for their existence can be challenged, and people can come away (presumably) essentially dismissing any notion of alien abductions. At that point, there’s no useful purpose served by carrying on or over into the realm of ‘confession’ whereby the believer in abductions is pressured to ‘recant’ or whatever.
1 The assertion I made was?
2 reasoned argument would be good
3 what is problematic about a link to original police interview transcript?
Xanthe, if you had any sense at all you’d have stayed away from commenting for a few days. TRP isn’t the type to let this kind of thing go. Inevitably, he’ll find some rationale to permaban you as I can guarantee that no link or document you post will be satisfactory or admissible in his books.
Thanks CV you are almost certainly right!
Unfortunatly sense and self+ preservation is possibly not my strongest area 🙂
Is there any form of moderator moderation?….. just asking
Sweet Jesus! Just be grateful y’all don’t live in the U.S.A.
“Fred on Everything : Milwaukee”
The world’s problems are coming here. Try to be kind and have some fun until they get here. We’ll all be killing each other soon enough.
Labour claim the Maori King’s assertion was incorrect.
Labour MP Peeni Henare says the Maori King has got it wrong about Andrew Little not wanting to work with the Maori Party.
Little has no recollection of ever saying he wouldn’t work with the Maori Party.
In fact, the Opposition even invested Parliament Library resources in trying to hunt down any hint of a comment, to no avail.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/83588857/jo-moir-the-maori-king-has-nailed-his-colours-to-the-mast-by-shunning-labour
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/83462254/maori-kings-claims-andrew-little-wont-work-with-maori-party-wrong-labour
Does anybody know if this has been put to the King?
Thus, has he now accepted he was incorrect? And has that resulted in him changing his stance against Labour?
Or is the King standing by his assertion? Moreover, now that it’s been brought into question, can he substantiate it?
You don’t try and build positive relationships by saying someone is wrong. Idiotic tactics IF you want it better, good tactic if you don’t care or have too much ego in it. I cant imagine it wasn’t thought through. Grow up labour and be smart in building relationships ffs
Hang on mm. Put yourself in Little’s place. He cannot remember saying what has been claimed he said. And unlike his counterpart the PM, he can be trusted to be telling the truth. Nevertheless Little’s staff have made an effort to ascertain whether he did say it which they have every right to do. Given the historically close ties with Maori through the Ratana Movement this is an important issue for Labour.
I don’t think the intention is to start a sparring match with the Maori King. Although there is every chance that is what Tuku Morgan is trying to do with Labour. There’s past baggage there… Tuku’s underpants n’all.
I don’t remember ever disagreeing with you before MM, but I do this time.
Kīngi Tūheitia made a claim about Andrew Little in a setting that ensured it would be widely publicised. He said that the reason he would not vote for Labour again was because of a something he claimed was said by Andrew Little. I think it is fair enough for Andrew Little and Peeni Henare to say that he was mistaken. This is about correcting the record, and not about ego IMO.
What has been asserted is pivotal to the King no longer supporting Labour. Therefore, if incorrect, it’s only right for Labour to point out the King has it wrong.
After all, positive relationships are built on honesty.
I’m answer to all above. “I am sorry the king feels this way and i am geateful to be able to reiterate that i and labour are more than happy to work with the Māori Party and Mana. My goal is to change this government because they are doing nothing for the poor and disadvantaged, they are doing nothing about the homeless, they are doing nothing for the overinflated housing crisis, they are doing nothing about the dirty drinking waters and the state of the environment. We will change this. Labour, the Greens, and any other party that believes in a country that looks after those who need help will change this.
Thanks for sharing those sentiments, Marty.
I’m sure Labour are also disappointed the King feels this way. However, if Little didn’t make the asserted comment, the burning question is how did this all come about?
Has the King been questioned on this? If so, what was his response (anybody)?
They can’t both be right. And the media seems to have been lacking when it comes to ascertaining who is.
They can both be right it happens all the time. The point isn’t how it all came about but why – obviously a breakdown in communication that the king has highlighted. This is an opportunity not a reason to find a scapegoat, someone to blame. Surely we can be wiser than before and get on with sorting out the issues instead of blaming.
“They can both be right“
No, either Little said it or he didn’t.
Therefore, if he didn’t, the question then becomes how did the King come to believe this is what Little said?
How did communications between the two become so broken-down that it resulted in this?
It’s a bit late trying to avoid the blame game. The King fired the first salvo when he entered into the political fray and openly blamed Little.
This is an opportunity to get to the truth of the matter. Thus, potentially opening the door for reconciliation.
“How did communications between the two become so broken-down that it resulted in this?”
It went via Tukoroirangi Morgan.
Or more to the point – that is what Tuku told the King.
And it would be interesting to know what else Tuku told the King.
This (link below) is an interesting read.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/opinion/opinion-maori-politics-now-a-game-of-thrones-2016082612
Dr Mike Joy ‘blows the whistle’ and exposes the ‘clean, green, 100% pure New Zealand’ myth and mantra – FIVE years ago?
Remember this?
http://pundit.co.nz/content/mike-joy-answers-the-pm-with-hard-facts
Mike Joy answers the PM, with hard facts
by Claire Browning
Fresh water ecologist Dr Mike Joy responds to the Prime Minister’s ‘hardtalk’, debunking his bland assertions, and calling his advice “rubbish science”, that would fail a first-year student.
________________________
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
Minister says KiwiSaver concerns a matter for Police
The widening KiwiSaver scandal saw the Commerce Minister put the ball into Police’s court following the receipt of official advice that concluded laws banning controversial weapons applied to providers of the public savings scheme.
A Police spokesperson said they were aware of the issue and had begun asking questions.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11700839
However, a suggestion that KiwiSaver providers might have broken laws by investing in companies that make weapons has been dismissed by one financial law expert.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/83622970/no-laws-broken-by-kiwisaver-schemes-expert-says
Thoughts?
“Thoughts?” = Pomposity. That’s my thought.
+1 yep, it’s a comment killer
The precedent for Havelock Norths water incident in Canterbury
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/83457130/Poisoning-the-wells-a-history-of-infected-drinking-water-in-Canterbury
How long will we accept human greed over human health.
Mugabe orders arrest of all 31 members of Zimbabwe Olympic team for non-performance
I guess this is one motivational strategy.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-26/mugabe-orders-arrest-rats-we-call-athletes-after-zimbabwe-wins-no-olympic-medals
It wouldn’t be the first time that such a thing has happened.
Perhaps he got the idea from the Saddam Hussein in Iraq
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/feb/02/athletics.duncanmackay1
Alternatively he may be taking lessons from North Korea
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/fifa-probes-north-korea-world-cup-punishment-20100811-12018.html
I don’t think it is going to work though.
How about good ole Venezuela , highly likely he would have sliced the balls off the soccer team for non performance .
World class villain. Mugabe kicked all the white farmers out and cratered the economy, the farmers went to Zambia and revolutionised their productivity, now Mugabe thinks Zambia owes him something.
Well, I guess that’s what an Oxford education does to you (tongue in cheek…)
Perhaps we should start doing that with our cricket team. I see again that they have decided to be useless.
Wow ok
From the print version of the DomPost
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/83509666/overhauling-new-zealand-journalism
Would you accept a small levy on all your media usage to fund independent journalism.?
Typical bludging left wingers, expecting everyone else to fund their life styles.
How about this for an idea chaps, stump up with your own money and start your own media business.
If people want to read your leftist news, your new business will be a raging success.
How’s this for an idea chap: the only way you can get elected is to lie, and you need a compliant media to lie effectively. So anything that fucks you over is good with me.
The standard bother boy and key board warrior strikes again, unfortunately soft as putty as usual
He’s not wrong though.
dirty politics doesn’t bother RWNJs, they shit on others for a living
I am surprised he is still here , he was threatening everyone after the last election that he was leaving in disgust , or he was organising a massed riot / uprising , neither has happened obviously .
If The Spinoff and Scoop can do it, so can others.
But BM my dirty disco champ ………….. right wing bludgers like John Shewan and the Aussie banks try and scam New Zealand for $2.2 Billion dollars and you never moan about or mention that …
Bernard Hickey: Banks’ tax dodging tantamount to theft
” the combined banks owe the Government and people of New Zealand about $2.25 billion.
Now I’m not just grumpy.
I’m furious. That is 10 hospitals or 100 schools or the entire budget deficit forecast for the year just finished.
If I stole that much money I would be public enemy number one and rightly so.”
….
************************************************
I’m beginning to suspect BM has double standards 😉
The fact that most New Zealanders are unaware that Shewan was at the center of an attempted $2.2 Billion bank dollar robbery demonstrates something wrong with our media….
One mans broken tax vehicles returned 100 years worth of total combined welfare benefit fraud recovery from ALL beneficiarys.
How was this not front page news at the time ????
It impressed the hell out of me ……. I bet John Shewan swings a hammer like John Key …… They may not be able to hammer a nail straight in soft pine ….but those two boys build things which blow billions out of Government revenues ……
They should have statues of them by Des Brittans carbon fiber super bike at Te Papa
Teach a rich man how to cheat and speculate ………. and BM will talk about the poor and fish
Don’t forget 1.6 billion for SCF too.
MSM Propaganda.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
Russia is bad.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701071
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/olympics/news/article.cfm?c_id=502&objectid=11701015
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/olympics/news/article.cfm?c_id=502&objectid=11700559
The Olympics are a sad joke keeping the flames of nationalism burning … I skipped them.
But Going back in time the New Zealand rugby union with their national government team mates helped stuff up the Montreal Olympics when 25 countries boycotted because we ( New Zealand ) were there …..
“The New Zealand controversy
At the 1976 Montreal Olympics New Zealand sparked a boycott. The African nations were angry that a New Zealand All Blacks rugby team was touring apartheid-era South Africa. The Africans wanted New Zealand banned from the Montreal Olympics.
Eventually 26 African countries, as well as Iraq and Guyana, boycotted Montreal over New Zealand’s rugby activities. The boycott had a significant effect in athletics, as Africans were among the world’s best at middle- and long-distance running.”
” it looked as if New Zealand was in support of the apartheid movement as when no other country had wanted to create sporting ties with South Africa New Zealand was creating rugbylinks. Due to this a lot of controversy came a bout worldwide”
“He said the decision by the IOC not to ban New Zealand would give “comfort and respectability to the South African racist regime and encourage it to continue to defy world opinion.”
“Athletics events will be particularly affected by the absence of Filbert Bayi from Tanzania, who holds the world record in the 1500m and John Akii-Bua of Uganda, world record-holder in the 400 metres hurdles.
The latest country to announce its withdrawal was Kenya.”
“The All Blacks’ decision to tour South Africa in 1976 – at the height of the racial apartheid era – happened in defiance of a United Nations’ call to halt all sporting competition with the nation until racial equality was reached.”
http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/82567562/New-Zealand-at-centre-of-Olympics-boycott
“The boycott had a major impact on the 1976 Olympics”……
One million Canadian dollars in seat and hotel reservations had to be refunded, according to the BBC, during the first two days of the games alone, as a result of the boycott.
A number of events were marred as well; the track meet was badly diminished by the absence of perennial powerhouses like Tanzania and Kenya. ,……”http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/the-olympics-used-to-be-so-politicized-that-most-of-africa-boycotted-in-1976/260831/
Test Trump.
/
Bornstein’s a dead ringer for Dr Brackish Okun from Independence Day. Watch that 31 second clip and the resemblance gets even stronger.
The letter reads like Trump wrote it himself
An astonishingly excellent letter.
edit: forgot the video
So that’s how you get to be doctor to the wealthy – spend as much time learning to imitate their language patterns as you do looking up their family history… or any history, for that matter.
heh
http://archive.is/EAtow
https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/drinking-water-standards-2008-jun14.pdf
“….Since the publication of Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand 2000 the approach to managing drinking-water quality has changed.
The focus has moved from quality control to a broader approach of quality assurance.
This has been necessary due to changes in technology, an improvement in our scientific knowledge and the requirement to address a broader range of issues than previously covered.
The Health (Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2007 amended the Health Act 1956 to require all drinking-water suppliers providing water to more than 500 people to develop and start to implement a Public Health Risk Management Plan to guide the safe management of their supply before 2013.
A Public Health Risk Management Plan is a tool to help suppliers identify, manage and minimise events that could cause water quality to deteriorate. …”
So – where’s the ‘Water Safety Management Plan’ that was supposed to have been produced by the Hastings District Council and assessed by the Hawkes Bay DHB?
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
Hekia’s little lie about a special education association
https://saveourschoolsnz.com/2016/08/27/lies-hekia-parata-fabricates-a-special-education-association/
They could be one of the new flying squads that helped the Salvation Army …. oh no hang on ……. that was Paula telling lies http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/306028/national%27s-brawlers-flex-their-muscles
Words can have many or any meanings from the Nacts…. so they are not really telling lies when not meaning what it appears they are saying
Association obviously now means anything Hekia chooses to associate with that word …….
Know that and a lie becomes the truth
Another good example is ‘ GST regime’ has been subtly changed …..to now actually mean Global Shadow Transactions regime …..
So Key was telling the truth recently about Shewan and Brash going to the Bahamas