” In 24 hours, the world’s top scientists will release the most important report in decades: proving once and for all that climate change is a massive threat, but that government action now can stop catastrophe. It’s a global wake up call to save our planet, but big oil and dirty energy have a powerful bully who’s rallying to stop the truth from coming out.
Rupert Murdoch owns hundreds of major media outlets including ultra conservative Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, and he’s using his media power to help his oil buddies stop governments acting to curb their profits. In the US alone, a shocking 80% of climate stories from Murdoch’s select papers mislead readers about global warming! Now he’s set his sights on this groundbreaking report, and his media empire will dominate the conversation unless people around the world stand together and drown him out.”
Early drafts indicate that scientists have revised upwards the certainty that human activities are driving the warming the world has experienced, from “very likely” or 90% confidence in 2007, to “extremely likely” or 95% confidence now. It will also include new projections for future sea level and temperature rises.
Thanks karol. I guess that the petition relating to Rupert Murdoch on Avaaz was organised by Occupy London, and their statement posted to that site. I can’t get the petition to load up at the moment but if anyone’s interested they can have a look here:
It will be interesting to see how the new climate report is reported in our media. I wouldn’t be holding my breath for any positive reaction from our Nat Govt.
I think he is suggesting that Labour should have picked a dude who looks more like Steven Joyce for Chch East? Has he even looked at Poto William’s experience and credentials???
I read the herald these days to have a bit of laugh, its a joke.
It seems that his degree in political studies means he can speak the same rubbish that you might hear in a heartland cossie club, but using really big words. It doesn’t seem to have brought any depth of analysis or insight.
I hate to be cynical but isn’t it cute that the Righties who most of the time like to berate the UN and their work, are very quiet now that their leader is bidding for a seat and going all Kumbaya on nuclear disarmament. At the same time some of them would be more than happy to build a few nuclear power stations if it was somewhere far far away from their own backyard.
Perhaps Dr. Rogers didn’t read the bit where Fran says she “did not leave Labour with any bitterness.” Or perhaps he did, and has decided to be bitter on her behalf.
John Key U-Turn to embrace nuclear disarmament, now that Obama pays it some lip service: from the Crosby Textor play book
Issue management – choose an issue that will appeal to kiwis, as a diversion from the ones the left are focusing on and that are getting some traction with the general public.
The third strand was “issue management”. They found Livingstone had support on environment, social services and other issues. So instead they ran a narrowly focussed campaign on the rising cost of living and public safety even where these were the result of forces beyond Livingstone’s control.
Somehow I doubt that Lusk would have advised him to send out texts like that…
Oh by the way if anyone is interested in seeing in what the labour candidate sent to the (alleged) 15 yo go to the whaleoil link but I’d advise not to if you’re going to be eating sausages anytime soon…it might put you off
That looks awfully like a setup. Paul Findlay is obviously a moron who belongs nowhere near public office, but I’m at least as worried about the sort of creep who would set someone up like this. Things are getting very, very dirty in the sewer of right wing politics.
I do agree the UN has an undemocratic structure with the powerful in control via the security counil.
But having a smaller country having a wee voice there, isn’t really going to change that – TINKERING.
I do hate the whole veto thing.
But John key on Syria… hmmm… more complex than his easy explanation – and who is he really speaking for there? Looks like he’s using his plea for a more democratic UN in the service of the US empire not being held to account – hypocrisy, much.
Bit late for that now, we’ve seen the (lack of) substance of this fake many times over. Plus I think you are getting excited over something officials have coached him to deliver. But I suppose he could get a point for removing most of his usual condescension.
By the way Puckish Rogue, are you the reincarnation of Winston Smith?
I somehow felt that Key wasn’t being sincere. It seemed like a cunning speech to get votes from the smaller countries for the bid for UN security council seat. One of his quotes today could easily be changed to read something like this: “Its key organs, particularly my cabinet and its government ministries, have become hostage to National/ACT traditions and to the interests of the wealthy and most powerful” [Original :”Its key organs, particularly the Security Council, have become hostage to their own traditions and to the interests of the most powerful,” Key said.]
I keep getting a download request popping up every time I open ‘The Standard’ webpage from ‘a.sitemeter.com’. I do not know what ‘a.sitemeter’ is.
I have an old browser (Internet Explorer 10) and this is occurring on a pc (not the mac, haven’t used that today so don’t know whether it is happening with that one or not)
I don’t wish to waste your time, and this may be due to my having old software, and unrelated to your site, however I thought I had better alert you to this, just in case it is related with this site.
‘Pussy Key, Pussy Key, Where have you been?’
‘I’ve been to London to chat with the Queen!’
‘Pussy Key, Pussy Key, What did she say?’
‘She said, ‘Little boy, little boy, go away quick’,
‘Make those Chiefs of your Pacific
vote me Hereditary4Eva and a Day!’
‘Pussy Key, Pussy Key, what did you say?’
‘I said, Yes Ma’am, Yes, Ma’am,
‘No sweat at all, Ma’am!’
‘It’s just so easy-peasy for such a Title Troty!’
reminds me of the usual barriers to democratic representation, for example, the obstruction of First Nations representatives at the invitation of Meka Whaitiri to the House this week, and so on it goes…
Lolz, i thought the strangely absent from the Parliament this week, Judith Collins would have seized Her chances of the plummeting support in the polls and knifed the Slippery little shyster in the time honored Tory tradition of giving it to them while they are overseas,
Obviously Judith aint got the guts, nor the support in the Caucus and will settle for leader of the opposition after November 2014…
I’m not an imitator Rogue Trooper. I may not have been coming here long enough or commenting for you to know me. Would kinda like to use my regular id that I use most places I comment at but if I change to that I may confuse you even more 🙂
I’ve been getting that today too on my pc laptop (not mac) I mentioned it at comment 9. Been trying to find out more by googling but have had no success
Also it wasn’t occurring when I used Firefox. (Only internet explorer) That was so entirely slow, though I gave up and am on my mac now
I’m getting an information bar come up saying To help protect your security, Internet Explorer blocked this site from downloading files to your computer.
Interesting. Which version of IE? I’ll try it out.
Like most of the people who use this site I don’t normally use IE (let me rephrase that – I actively avoid it). Recently it looks like IE has dropped below 30% of the pages viewed.
I presume you mean analytics.js from sitemeter.com as that is the only one that we have in our system.
I can’t see any reason for that to cause a problem as it is a normal part of many peoples sites for tracking pages views and visits. It is in an iframe but so too are the facebook widgets.
Most likely it is part of your own computers defenses getting upset. The identical code for sitemeter is in place on kiwiblog.co.nz. Have a look there to see if you get the same problem. If it really does say sitemaster on both then you probably have a problem with a man in the middle attack.
Otherwise I’ll have a closer look at it tonight. I don’t really need it on the system. I using it to look at the considerable differences between sitemeter and statcounter in measuring visits
Anyone interested in the subject of Treasury figures and the future cost of the retirement pension should definitely listen to this interview with Professor Sue Newbury from the University of Sydney School of Business on Nights on National Radio on Wednesday. Seems Treasury have not followed even the most basic of accounting principles before making claims as to the cost of the pension in another 30 years or so. One could possibly suspect that shoddy accounting work is designed to massage the general public into the notion that New Zealand cannot afford to fund future welfare spending.
UMR Poll. Well Well Well ! Come in all you RWNJ sociopaths who like to hang around on a left blog.
Come in and explain for me once again that “perceptions” thing. You know……. the one that says “it’s all about perceptions” or whatever it is you say. The one that makes you smirk hard out every time you say it. And that 62% prime minister thing. That’s a beauty !
Be really interesting to hear all that again. You don’t mind ?
Come in all you RWNJ sociopaths who like to hang around on a left blog.
– You called?
lemme see here we got: a new leader, multiple weeks coverage for labour (quite a good idea i must say) and the honeymoon period so a bounce in the polls is to be expected
We also have crime down, unemployment down, the economy up and over a year to go until the next election
So enjoy it while it lasts (because it won’t :))
I mean I hope theres no scandal or anything that could involve the labour party about to happen, like maybe possibly involving underage boys that could maybe bring up certain incidences from Labours not-too-distant past
No, I don’t care who it is – no one should throw the accusation of [deleted] around without very very good cause.
I recall some time ago one of the NZ first politicians slandering a chap called rex widerstrom this way ……..horrible thing to say about anyone without good cause.
I can’t believe the high integrity sysop and moderators have left a highly defamatory and outrageous slur like this to continue to exist for hours.
I thought you wanted to rise about “the sewer” looks like you are right down deep in it.
Eddie: I was unaware of Felix’s comment until I found your comment in the moderation queue. Felix was clearly a breach of our commenting policy and has received a ban for it. Sometimes there are no moderators around. Looks like this is one of those times.
What the fook has happened to RNZ.
5pm News Headline:
“2 nephews of mana mp Hone Harawira have been jailed …… etc.: (to prraphrase – may actually be a direct quote)
WTF???
And after the nicest man on Earth Jim Mora’s panel.
So Hone is now responsible for his nephews?
Oh damn good.
The nicest man on Earth is then responsible for his wife’s damn near slave wages of her employees
shuvving together our healthy fast-food options
His “the Panel’ guests’ spouses are responsible for the guests themselves.
Murray McCully likes recycling grannies old armchair fabric into a business suit for Jane Clifton
Ayeshun Bois are all responsible for Joe’s opinions
Christ Almighty RNZ = what’s happened to you.
What’s even happened to those that ekshly READ THAT CRAP. Are you THAT in fear of your jobs?
Give it 18 months. The environment WILL be safer but surely to Christ you could take a stand for journalistic integrity! (well …. what’s left of it anyway)
@ Frank – so please inform me what the relevance is to the fact that two guys have been jailed for crimes and how they relate to Hone.
And if you can;t fo that – then you’ll have no objection to my relating Mary Lambie’s business interests to that of her husband, or Jane Clifton’s relatioship (past or present) to that of the duffer, or those in relationship(s) with Joe the Loon Bennett’s opinions.
Perhaps Frank – we could hold your partner respinsible fpr your being a dickhead – but please – keep it up!
So you’re very clever then Frank. No doubt, those with dyslexia, those with English as a second language, those that haven’t had the benefits of your superior education, and even those that are considerably pooer than you also have opinions that aren’t as worthwhile as yours.
My God! I wish I were Frank!
I don’t think that Frank can bring himself to admit that the only reason they go for Hone’s Nephews is because they can’t attack Hone’s political stance because he razes them to the ground intellectually when they do that…shows them up for the sniveling idiots that they are..
I am guessing this is why he thinks you are a knob; because you reminded him of this sorry truth.
This is the last communication I intend having with you Frank. Your last sounds like an implied physical threat. Just as well on the rare occasions I do drive these days – its in something VERY substantial..
Still – you’ve got nothing to hide, so you’ve got nothing to fear – correct?
What I meant to say was that you are both knobs but I was using my old lappy and it has no G or H working so I was just saying you are Knobs cryptically without meaning to. so take it as you like.
Walk in peace. I ride a bike.
Oh Yeah. get a life.
@BL(GLGB) – no worries. Frank’s left enough of his footprint – just based on timestamp info to have fucked himself up.
I can’t even be bothered delving deeper – I had a technological brain purge about 10 years ago, though my son has taken over – albeit with access to both Voda and Tcom info (ppl involved know how it all works with scratch backing and do me a favour shite).
I have ABSOLUTELY no desire to get into it despite having access to various ISP records – I’m pure, disengaged and philosophically opposed to the use of such info for private purposes anyway.
(which is why I’m opposed to government agencies thinking they have all such as of their right)
I wouldn’t even bother though.
Although I am not going to have any further comms with the cnut, anyone with nouse could ensure that should his idle threats come to anything – it’d be nothing a baseball bat held by a golfer having a hole in one record couldn’t cure. Or perhaps an indaquately trained copper with a taser ready to …
We are spending precious millions, which we have to borrow no doubt, to make a case for getting on the Security Council. Australia is on at present and finishes in 2014 after the 2 year term. They represent for Australia -Western European and Others Group. It doesn’t even refer to Oceania or the Pacific and it seems to underline the feeling that Oz and us do not have a feeling of real connection for our unique location in the world.
Why should we compete against Turkey which is bearing the brunt of so much of the maneouvring in the global slosh of action and reaction? They are right in it while we sit playing it cool on the poolside available to the glam stud when he wants us. We actually didn’t take our place at the UN in some committee a while ago, but graciously gave it up to the USA which needed it more than us.
The UN must be on Jokeyhen’s bucket list. The Queen, the UN, the Taj Mahal, Silicon Valley, Disneyland. the Knighthood.
Moroney for welfare got me very, very worried. I am informed of Workwise and other “evidence based” operators (who stuff sick and disabled into work on the open market, that often is casual, insecure, part time, marginal and mostly un-fulfilling) are ALL based in HAMILTON, where she comes from.
She will have been “lobbied” by those self serving organisations and businesses before, to have welfare so designed, to deliver them the candidates they want, that is the PRIVATE enterprises, also contracting with WINZ!
While some of their efforts may be justified, I am worried about the whole agenda, and from what I hear so far, Labour are NOT going to reverse the most hideous “welfare reforms” that happened here for decades under the National led government.
I am not against work for those who can do it, but I remain robustly opposed to the ideological shit we get served, based on flawed “science” by self serving “experts” like UK Professor Mansel Aylward and also MSD’s David Bratt. I will fight this shit until I die, and I rather die before all this gets supported by a Labour led government, which I fear may happen again, as it did before, and Bratt was hired under them, according to roles LABOUR designed!
So that is MY present position towards Labour! I also observe Moroney is too weak to handle Bennett, as she is too “nice”. Sue Moroney is a hard worker, nice and all that, I know, but she is NO match to Bennett, and I read something worrying out of all this, Labour NOT putting enough emphasis on welfare. It was confirmed to me last night by a Labour member! My only hope in welfare now is Louisa Wall, and otherwise the Greens or Mana!
How many years of suffering and dictatorship followed? What a horrible world, and this is just one example of endless ones. Stand up and FIGHT, if you have the bloody GUTS!
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate changeDaily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenanceBeehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...
Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...
First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
David Farrar writes – 1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR:PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some of the economic issues confronting New Zealand. It may take time for some new ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the changes that ...
TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishingGraham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them. POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees National MPs Chris ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
One of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...
New Zealand has a chance to rise again. Under the previous government, the number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing year by year. The Luxon-led government must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising the pillars of the economy. After the mismanagement of the outgoing government created huge ...
Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations. He writes – Tuesday, November 28, 2023The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
The work beginsPhilip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical ScienceSkeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise “informed by” head ...
One of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...
Buzz from the Beehive The new government was being sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found …. Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...
Michael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...
The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item: Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki: “Section ...
A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on FridayRoutinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023. Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chiefExclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website,Point of Order turned today to Scoop’sLatest Parliament Headlines for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
By scrapping Aotearoa’s world-leading smokefree laws, this government is sacrificing Māori lives to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. Not only is this plan revolting, but it doesn’t add up. Treasury has estimated that the reversal of smokefree laws to pay for tax cuts will cost our health system $5.25bn, ...
Figures showing National needs to find another $900 million for landlords highlights the mess this coalition Government is in less than a week into the job. ...
Community organisations, mana whenua and the Greens have written to the incoming Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to call for the progression without delay of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill. ...
"On behalf of the Labour Party I would like to congratulate Christopher Luxon on his appointment as Prime Minister,” Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
NZ First has gotten their wish to ‘take our country back’ to the 1800s with a policy program that will white-wash Aotearoa and erase tangata whenua rights. By disestablishing the Māori Health Authority this Government has condemned Māori to die seven years earlier than Pākehā. By removing Treaty obligations from ...
Te Pāti Māori have called for the resignation of the Ministry of Foreign and Trade chief executive Chris Seed following his decision to erase te reo Māori from government communications. While the country still waits for a new government to be formed, Mr Seed took it upon himself to undermine ...
The New Zealand Labour Party is urgently calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel to put a halt to the appalling attacks and violence, so that a journey to a lasting peace can begin, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
Renter’s United President Geordie Rogers has been selected as the Green party candidate for the Wellington city council byelection in Lambton Ward. The byelection is being held to replace outgoing councillor Tamatha Paul, now the MP for Wellington Central. “I’m honoured to have just been selected as the Green ...
Raf Manji is standing down from his role after failing to get into Parliament this election. The party received just over 2 percent of the general vote. ...
The kōrero series invites collaborations between two different kinds of artists to explore a shared topic. The latest is Little Doomsdays by writer Nic Low (Ngāi Tahu) and transdisciplanary artist Phil Dadson ONZM whose shared topic is ‘the notion of ark and arc’. In this excerpt they explore the Ark ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews Ex Libris, an Aotearoa-made essential oil perfume designed to replicate the scent of well-loved books.What does an old book smell like? Do I even like that smell? And do I want to smell like that smell: old, and like books? These were the questions ...
All week, boxes, trolleys, and chairs have been moving back and forth as the new government, new MPs, and survivors from the old government transition into their new roles. ...
At 17, Timoti Te Moke stared through prison cell bars and thought this would be his life forever. He’d dropped out of school three years earlier, ended up in a gang, been arrested dozens of times, and suffered beatings which left him feeling dead inside. All he knew was ...
Winston Peters’ attention-seeking comments this week about the ‘bribery’ of the media by the former government would be sad, if they weren’t so … sad. Sad for his new friend Christopher Luxon for putting him, the new Government and the first Cabinet meeting in the shade. (What image dominated the ...
The Dragon Slayer Lord Winston, Deputy King, Duke of Hazard, Conspiracy Svengali, and Chief Dragon Slayer, Rides into the dark mountains On his mighty war steed Limelight. Beside him, struggling to keep up, Is King Cluxon The Confident. Now remember not to rush off On any quests, says the ...
He’s one of the most recognisable actors in the country. He’s also an award-winning playwright. Sam Brooks sits down with Michael Galvin to talk about the lesser known side of his career.Every weeknight at 7pm, you can sit down in front of your TV screen and reliably see Michael ...
The journey of a Palestinian soul seeking the embrace of home. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Illustrations by little rain.I am not one of those with blue eyes, but I am made of clay that came down from heaven and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Leif, Senior Lecturer, Educational Psychology & Inclusive Education, Monash University Markus Spiske/ Unsplash, CC BY-SA A Senate inquiry has found Australian students need specific lessons in how to behave. The inquiry, which has been looking at “increasing disruption ...
Drive-thru menus these days are confusing and scattershot, filled with a random assortment of doodles of food and vague adwords. It didn’t used to be this way, writes Hayden Donnell. Kate was young, but she can still picture it clearly. She was in the back of the car as it ...
Described as one of the greatest true crime stories about a crime that never happened, eight-part podcast Peter Ellis, the Creche Case & Me has won two silvers at this year’s New Zealand Podcast Awards, for best documentary podcast and best true crime podcast. It was the first podcast ...
The writer, actor and TV presenter looks back on her most memorable celebrity encounters, a sticky game show situation and making The Jaquie Brown Diaries. Jaquie Brown has traversed many corners of our local television universe. She’s been trapped under a piano with Andrew WK on Space, taken a limousine ...
I knew she was interested in me because she sat down at the table after she served my cheesecake. “How’s your cheesecake?” “Absolutely delicious. Tastes better cos you’re sitting with me.” “That’s a rather cheesy compliment.” Her leg brushed mine, softly. “My husband’s at work,” she said. ...
Watercare had already doubled down on user charges; now it’s tripling down. With the Government’s promise to repeal Labour’s Three Waters reform in its first 100 days, the big drinking water and wastewater services provider tells Newsroom it’s now unable to finance Auckland’s infrastructure needs. Chief executive Dave ...
A declaration to make global food systems sustainable and climate compatible, signed by some 130 countries, was tabled yesterday at COP28 in Dubai. It was the first time farming and food were given such prominence in nearly 30 years of United Nation’s climate negotiations. “Global food systems are broken ...
Just four months ago, Ruby Nathan was filing in to Auckland’s Eden Park to watch the world’s best women’s footballers play in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Now the 18-year-old forward has the chance to play alongside them, receiving her first Football Ferns call-up for two games against Colombia ...
‘While we were all asleep here in Aotearoa, my aunty and cousins were killed in their home in Gaza.’ A letter from a young Palestinian New Zealander. ‘“On the 14th of October, we here in Gaza are under attack by Israel. And America supports the bombing of civilian homes, killing ...
Fixing the economy is a hefty workload for a Cabinet that's so far been dogged by distractions - driven partly by new Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. ...
This week, ‘The Crewe Murders: Inside New Zealand’s most infamous cold case’, a new book from Massey University Press written by Kirsty Johnston and James Hollings. Award-winning investigative journalist Kirsty Johnston joins the podcast to discuss the case and read an excerpt of the book herself. The murder of Harvey ...
Opinion: Act Party leader David Seymour has announced his party’s Treaty Principles bill would go through the parliamentary process “to enhance the mana of the treaty” and to “debate what our founding document means in the modern age”. To enhance the treaty and to debate its meaning, we ...
Every weekday, The Detail makes sense of the big news stories. This week, a US court case claiming Google’s overreaching on users’ privacy, a look inside an Auckland start-up incubator wanting to shake up the future of carbon emissions, what the new government’s rollback of the Smokefree 2025 legislation means, the ...
In just four years, Pals has gone from a one-man startup to a category-changing monster. This is the untold story of how four friends took on the multinational liquor giants – and won. When Pals first appeared, the liquor industry barely noticed. “None of it made sense,” says Kane Stanford, ...
This week on Their house, my garden, we meet a very different sort of gardener.Some people might say that the best thing about artists is that they make the world more beautiful and you can put their work on your wall to make your home look cool. I think ...
29 November 2023 Waiheke Local Board today unanimously passed a motion demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Palestine. The board also agreed to fly the Palestine flag from their Local Board building for one month, starting from today ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, next week heads to COP28 in Dubai, leading the Australian delegation. He joins the podcast to talk about the meeting, which he hopes will be easier than ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the extra day added to the halt in fighting, and called on all parties and countries with influence to work towards a long-term ceasefire. ...
Cancelled bookings, ‘temporary’ closures, ‘unforeseen circumstances’ and yet no official announcement from anyone linked to the popular Auckland businesses. What’s going on?Two high-profile Auckland eateries linked to a prolific hospitality figure have closed unexpectedly, leaving customers in the dark as to why and for how long. A notice has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Parker, Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne Yuriy Golub/Shutterstock Online platforms are awash with ads for so-called “green” products. Power companies are “carbon neutral”. Electronics are “for the planet”. Clothing is “circular” and travel is “sustainable”. Or are ...
A week ago we launched our PledgeMe campaign to help fund What’s eating Aotearoa, a longform journalism project focused on food and how it shapes this country. We’ve just passed the $33k mark.With PledgeMe it’s all or nothing, and we need to hit our goal of $50,000. If you’ve ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Supremacism is a cultural belief that an in-group of humanity is inherently superior to other groups, and that those other groups have lesser human rights ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt McDonald, Associate Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland Day one of the COP28 climate summit saw the first big breakthrough: agreement on a “loss and damage” fund to compensate poor states for the effects of climate change. Met with ...
The Spinoff Podcast Network picked up three gongs at this year’s NZ Podcast Awards. Our politics podcast Gone By Lunchtime won best current affairs podcast for the second year in a row, while This Is Kiwi scored silver in best branded podcast and Business Is Boring placed third in best ...
An appearance at Manurewa Intermediate School on Friday morning proved the cellphone ban in schools had survived coalition talks, with new Prime Minister Christoper Luxon stating the ban would be in place during his first 100 days in office. Polling from Horizon Research shows most New Zealanders appear to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English, University of Sydney Known for his music with The Pogues, and perhaps the most important Irish writer since James Joyce, the venerated and critically acclaimed Shane MacGowan has died in Dublin at the age of ...
Te Whatu Ora’s issued a reminder to the public over vaccine safety, citing “misinformation” being spread by a “health agency staff member”. The health agency’s chief executive, Margie Apa, said the staff member had “no clinical background or expert vaccine knowledge” and what he was claiming was “completely wrong and ...
The following can be attributed to a spokesperson from the Taxpayers’ Union: “Steve Maharey shouldn’t have been allowed to quit. He has refused to front media or explain his Board’s continued apparent confidence in Pharmac’s CEO, despite her obvious ...
Pharmac’s chair has resigned, five years after joining the board of the health agency. Steve Maharey is a former Labour Party minister and came under fire earlier this year after writing a number of columns that came close to breaching the required political neutrality guidelines for public service board members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Piovarchy, Research Associate, Institute for Ethics and Society, University of Notre Dame Australia It seems like we have free will. Most of the time, we are the ones who choose what we eat, how we tie our shoelaces and what articles ...
A new poem by multimedia artist and writer Kate Aschoff. crude public behavior I know I could be Paris Hilton’s new BFF / In the Summer mosquitoes find me delicious / Even though I am tall and a team player and have “swimmers shoulders” / Saturday Netball is my least ...
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.AUCKLAND1Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (Bloomsbury, $37) The Irish novel that just won the 2023 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neale Cohen, Head of Diabetes Clinics, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute Shutterstock Monitoring the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood is vital if you have diabetes. You get results in real time, which allows you to adjust your medications, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Sharam, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University A building group based in Eltham, Victoria.Image: Property Collectives High-performance, affordable housing built in existing suburbs should be a big part of the solution to Australia’s housing crisis. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Gildersleeve, Professor of English Literature, University of Southern Queensland NFSA Since 1988, World AIDS Day has been held each year on December 1. This World AIDS Day, we’re reflecting on one of the most important HIV/AIDS documentaries ever produced: ...
Ellen Rykers talks to a Southland couple with ambitious plans to divert construction waste from landfill. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof, brought to you by AMP. Sign up here. As much as 50% of the waste generated in New Zealand comes from construction and demolition, and a ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for Hastings District Councillor Damon Harvey to be reinstated in his committee chair role and the councillors to instead hold a vote of no confidence in the Mayor following revelations that he was stripped of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alistair Woodward, Professor, School of Population Health, University of Auckland Climate change has many effects, but one of the most significant will feature for the first time at COP28 – its impact on human health. Now under way in Dubai, the latest ...
The new National, ACT and New Zealand First co-governance government has set its sights firmly on removing Māori rights, judging from their coalition agreements. The new government’s first joint announcement included that they would remove the ...
Commenting on proposals to reduce Auckland’s refuse collection from weekly to fortnightly, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman, Jordan Williams, said: “Auckland Council’s finances are in dire straits, and clearly serious savings need to be ...
Former National cabinet minister Hekia Parata has resigned from the Royal Commission into the Covid-19 pandemic. She departed the commission on November 15, ahead of the formation of the new government but after the overall election result was known. The National-led coalition has announced it will look to introduce a ...
E tū, the biggest private sector union in Aotearoa New Zealand, is shocked to learn that the National Party’s coalition agreement with ACT would see planned tax breaks for landlords brought forward, costing at least $900 million according to analysis ...
RNZ political reporter Katie Scotcher, Newhub's political editor Jenna Lynch, and the New Zealand Herald's deputy political editor, Thomas Coughlan discuss the coalition government's first week in charge. ...
On Tuesday, MPs will be required to pledge an oath of allegiance to ‘ His Majesty King Charles the Third, His heirs and successors’ before they can be officially sworn into Parliament. This is symbolic of the colonial power that Parliament places ...
Auckland’s new professional football franchise has less than a year to assemble a squad that’s not just competitive, but capable of winning over the city’s fickle fans. Whose signatures should they be hunting?Professional football is returning to Auckland. Billionaire American businessman Bill Foley, owner of NHL champions the Las ...
As a new climate loss and damage fund is operationalised on the first day of the COP28 UN climate conference, Greenpeace Aotearoa is condemning the New Zealand Government’s decision to restart offshore fossil fuel exploration, which will only lead to more ...
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists have settled their pay negotiations with Te Whatu Ora ending months of bargaining and industrial action. More than 90 per cent of polled ASMS members voted to accept Te Whatu Ora’s latest pay offer ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists and media workers have criticised comments made by Aotearoa New Zealand’s newly-elected Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters — who claimed that a 2020 Labour government media funding initiative constituted “bribery” — as a threat to media freedom. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reports that it ...
ANALYSIS:By Tristan Dunning, University of Queensland, and Martin Kear, University of Sydney While the world remains fixated on the devastating October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, there has been a pronounced — and mostly unnoticed — escalation in violence against Palestinians in ...
ANALYSIS:By Terence Wood In the wake of New Zealand’s recent election, and subsequent coalition negotiations, Winston Peters has emerged as New Zealand’s Foreign Minister again. I’ve never been able to adequately explain why a populist politician leading a party called New Zealand First would have an interest in a ...
NZME, the owners of the Herald, has been fined close to $200,000 after a “magnetic puzzle toy” sold through its Grabone service was deemed to be unsafe. The fine is an increase on the $88,000 penalty previous imposed by the court after the Commerce Commission appealed the decision. In a ...
On Saturday 2 December, pro-choice supporters will rally and march to defend abortion rights and to counter anti-choice conservatives. The rally starts at 1pm at Te Aro Park (Dixon/Manners) with speakers in the Park before marching. ...
The Reserve Bank surprised everyone this week by warning it may have to raise interest rates again to force inflation down, effectively eliminating the prospect of major mortgage rate cuts over the coming summer. In this week’s episode of When the Facts Change, Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr joins Bernard ...
Ōtepoti supporters of Restore Passenger Rail will slowly walk from the Railway Station to the Octagon on Monday morning, in support of their campaign’s demands that the new Government restores a nationwide passenger rail service and provides ...
Dame Jacinda Ardern observed after she stood down as Prime Minister that "Government isn’t just what you do, it's how you make people feel". While an interesting insight into how she viewed the purpose of government (and, some would argue, an ...
As the show prepares for its final episode, we look back at some of the weird and wonderful moments from the last six years of The Project NZ. The Project NZ burst into the 7pm slot in February 2017, and has since served us everything from Lizzo’s opinion on cheese ...
J Day Is Auckland’s Annual Celebration Of Our Kiwi Cannabis Culture And A Protest Against Prohibition, Held In Albert Park Every Year Since 1992. NORML and friends presents the 31st Annual J Day, usually held on the first Saturday in May every year ...
E Tipu e Rea Whānau Services are deeply concerned at the new Government's plan to scrap Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. As an organisation that works with teenage parents and their tamariki who have a history of state intervention, we know ...
Auckland is considering a move that would reduce kerbside rubbish collections to once a fortnight. It’s part of a council plan to drastically reduce the amount of rubbish produced by households, supported by the recent city-wide rollout of food scrap bins expected to reduce up to 41% of bin contents by ...
” In 24 hours, the world’s top scientists will release the most important report in decades: proving once and for all that climate change is a massive threat, but that government action now can stop catastrophe. It’s a global wake up call to save our planet, but big oil and dirty energy have a powerful bully who’s rallying to stop the truth from coming out.
Rupert Murdoch owns hundreds of major media outlets including ultra conservative Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, and he’s using his media power to help his oil buddies stop governments acting to curb their profits. In the US alone, a shocking 80% of climate stories from Murdoch’s select papers mislead readers about global warming! Now he’s set his sights on this groundbreaking report, and his media empire will dominate the conversation unless people around the world stand together and drown him out.”
Hi Tracey. Is that quote from the Avaaz petition this is being circulated at the mo?
It’s on Occupy London’s FB page
The Guardian on the report to be published Friday UK Time:
Thanks karol. I guess that the petition relating to Rupert Murdoch on Avaaz was organised by Occupy London, and their statement posted to that site. I can’t get the petition to load up at the moment but if anyone’s interested they can have a look here:
http://avaaz.org/en/
It will be interesting to see how the new climate report is reported in our media. I wouldn’t be holding my breath for any positive reaction from our Nat Govt.
Can someone explain what Damien Rogers is trying to say in this NZ Herald article.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11130583
I think he is suggesting that Labour should have picked a dude who looks more like Steven Joyce for Chch East? Has he even looked at Poto William’s experience and credentials???
I read the herald these days to have a bit of laugh, its a joke.
the stunning fact about that rogers..(and yes..that piece is particularly incoherent/dis-jointed..)
..is that he is a lecturer at massey university..
..in..brace yrslves..!..
..the subject of politics..
..whoar..!
..eh..?
..wot with robinson/edwards-the-younger..and now rogers..
..w.t.f. has happened in/to the political studies depts at our universities..?
..phillip ure..
ffs
It seems that his degree in political studies means he can speak the same rubbish that you might hear in a heartland cossie club, but using really big words. It doesn’t seem to have brought any depth of analysis or insight.
I hate to be cynical but isn’t it cute that the Righties who most of the time like to berate the UN and their work, are very quiet now that their leader is bidding for a seat and going all Kumbaya on nuclear disarmament. At the same time some of them would be more than happy to build a few nuclear power stations if it was somewhere far far away from their own backyard.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9215842/Key-urges-action-on-nuclear-disarmament
given that nz is seen as a client-state of america..(five-eyes..?..anyone..?..)
..and that key is seen as a satrap of/for america..
..key has as much chance of getting nz on the security council..
..as our boat has of beating that yank boat..
..just more millions pissed up against a wall..
..in an attempt to try and make key look ‘relevant’..
..(he was much more suited as a suitor to ‘our’ queen..eh..?….and did he offer to clean out the corgi-bastkets..?
..and has all that forelock-tugging left him with even less hair..?..)
..phillip ure..
http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/q-guyon-espiner-interviews-john-key-3363950
But Mr Key loves uranium. Or was investing in uranium mining just for fun?
Hilarious, see how he can recall the share price of something when so often his memory fails him?
the nasty tone of Dr Damien Rogers piece in the Herald is probably best explained by his being the partner of the recently de-employed Fran Mold.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8574408/Today-in-politics-Saturday-April-20
Perhaps Dr. Rogers didn’t read the bit where Fran says she “did not leave Labour with any bitterness.” Or perhaps he did, and has decided to be bitter on her behalf.
Rogers is an interesting guy – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10840247 – but his little attempted hatchet job on behalf of his partner has all the hallmarks of a bad loser trying to get even.
in essence..
..are you saying that:
..’rogers rogers mold’..?
..phillip ure..
Amrite
I was thinking that. Maybe now he remembers the anti nuclear movement in the 80s he might remember the ab v springbok match in auckland in 1981.
John Key U-Turn to embrace nuclear disarmament, now that Obama pays it some lip service: from the Crosby Textor play book
Issue management – choose an issue that will appeal to kiwis, as a diversion from the ones the left are focusing on and that are getting some traction with the general public.
Sometimes you gotta swallow a dead rat or two…or three
Also check this out:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-body-elections/9217298/Candidate-quits-after-explicit-images-leaked
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2013/09/new-zealand-has-its-own-weiner-dodgy-lbp-paul-findlay/#axzz2ff7YMAXl
Just for those who don’t think whaleoil breaks any scoops
Lusk is working for local body candidates, too? fascinating.
Lusk is doing a lot of work for a couple of groups in Hawkes Bay.
Somehow I doubt that Lusk would have advised him to send out texts like that…
Oh by the way if anyone is interested in seeing in what the labour candidate sent to the (alleged) 15 yo go to the whaleoil link but I’d advise not to if you’re going to be eating sausages anytime soon…it might put you off
so the rams say. Humourous, now, to get serious, harden up or harden off.
I suppose the texts must have gotten to WO all by themselves.
That looks awfully like a setup. Paul Findlay is obviously a moron who belongs nowhere near public office, but I’m at least as worried about the sort of creep who would set someone up like this. Things are getting very, very dirty in the sewer of right wing politics.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9217379/Key-tells-UN-it-needs-reform
This is the John Key we need more of, more of this and less of the jokes (but don’t put them away entirely)
I do agree the UN has an undemocratic structure with the powerful in control via the security counil.
But having a smaller country having a wee voice there, isn’t really going to change that – TINKERING.
I do hate the whole veto thing.
But John key on Syria… hmmm… more complex than his easy explanation – and who is he really speaking for there? Looks like he’s using his plea for a more democratic UN in the service of the US empire not being held to account – hypocrisy, much.
I was more referring to the way he was speaking, more prime ministerial
“…… more prime ministerial”
Bit late for that now, we’ve seen the (lack of) substance of this fake many times over. Plus I think you are getting excited over something officials have coached him to deliver. But I suppose he could get a point for removing most of his usual condescension.
By the way Puckish Rogue, are you the reincarnation of Winston Smith?
Naah as well know a years an eternity in politics
Yes I am, I felt this moniker was in tune with my personality especially after playing a bit of saints row 4
wotteva!
Am I bothered?
Shameless 😉
I somehow felt that Key wasn’t being sincere. It seemed like a cunning speech to get votes from the smaller countries for the bid for UN security council seat. One of his quotes today could easily be changed to read something like this: “Its key organs, particularly my cabinet and its government ministries, have become hostage to National/ACT traditions and to the interests of the wealthy and most powerful” [Original :”Its key organs, particularly the Security Council, have become hostage to their own traditions and to the interests of the most powerful,” Key said.]
Any opportunity to curry favour with the US:
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/19134622/key-slams-inaction-on-syria-in-un-speech/
lprent,
I keep getting a download request popping up every time I open ‘The Standard’ webpage from ‘a.sitemeter.com’. I do not know what ‘a.sitemeter’ is.
I have an old browser (Internet Explorer 10) and this is occurring on a pc (not the mac, haven’t used that today so don’t know whether it is happening with that one or not)
I don’t wish to waste your time, and this may be due to my having old software, and unrelated to your site, however I thought I had better alert you to this, just in case it is related with this site.
I am only getting this occurring with this site.
p.s This problem is not occurring on my mac (Safari version 5.1.9)
THE QUEEN KEY ENCOUNTER POEM:
‘Pussy Key, Pussy Key, Where have you been?’
‘I’ve been to London to chat with the Queen!’
‘Pussy Key, Pussy Key, What did she say?’
‘She said, ‘Little boy, little boy, go away quick’,
‘Make those Chiefs of your Pacific
vote me Hereditary4Eva and a Day!’
‘Pussy Key, Pussy Key, what did you say?’
‘I said, Yes Ma’am, Yes, Ma’am,
‘No sweat at all, Ma’am!’
‘It’s just so easy-peasy for such a Title Troty!’
Good idea!
International Finances are falling down,
falling down, falling down,
Our Financial scam is falling down
What to do, Mr Key?
Back it up with gold and silver,
Gold and silver, gold and silver,
Back it up with gold and silver
Not on your Nelly!
Yes, best we build it up with more lies and spin
Fraud and lies, misinformation and fibs
Best we build it up with puffery
My fair lady!
Run with that, Key, and seal the deal
Seal the deal, seal the deal
Run with that, Key and seal the deal
My dear Key!
(including link)- Excellent.
last verse.
[deleted on request from commenter]
reminds me of the usual barriers to democratic representation, for example, the obstruction of First Nations representatives at the invitation of Meka Whaitiri to the House this week, and so on it goes…
The rule of unintended consequences – House builders hurt by home loan restrictions
http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/house-builders-hurt-home-loan-restrictions-5592185
lololol
https://twitter.com/Garner_Live/status/383427592579076096
“Just been told that UMR poll has Nats 39, Lab 36, Green 14, NZF 5.1%. Not sure if it’s out yet. Internal presentation yday.”
And you think hootonfarraoil are cray cray now.
Sounds good, but I think I’ll wait for the second source.
Duncan Garner. Twitter … Been burnt before!
Incidentally, Roy Morgan tweets that their next poll is out on Wednesday. So don’t spend all Friday night hitting refresh for that one … 🙂
Garner Tweet 18 mins ago:
ha,freakin’ ha!
Ouch. At this rate John Key might come home with a stuffed corgi in one hand and his resignation letter in the other.
Will be rolled or will there be a sudden snap election soon?
Lolz, i thought the strangely absent from the Parliament this week, Judith Collins would have seized Her chances of the plummeting support in the polls and knifed the Slippery little shyster in the time honored Tory tradition of giving it to them while they are overseas,
Obviously Judith aint got the guts, nor the support in the Caucus and will settle for leader of the opposition after November 2014…
Stephen Joyce won’t let her do it.
Bill English has his eyes and CV elsewhere.
You didn’t hear that from here.
could some one please tell me why I keep getting a pop up window
“Do you want to open or save analytics.js from a.sitemaster.com?” with options open, save with dropdown menu or cancel
I have never seen this before and it only comes up on this site.
Its from the GCSB
You shouldn’t be getting that. Which browser/OS are you using?
Do Not Feed the imitators Draco 😛
I’m not an imitator Rogue Trooper. I may not have been coming here long enough or commenting for you to know me. Would kinda like to use my regular id that I use most places I comment at but if I change to that I may confuse you even more 🙂
was not addressed to you Chris.Carry on The (Wheels) of Confusion. . Rest easy soldier. 😀
oops my mistook 🙂
Hi Chris,
I’ve been getting that today too on my pc laptop (not mac) I mentioned it at comment 9. Been trying to find out more by googling but have had no success
Also it wasn’t occurring when I used Firefox. (Only internet explorer) That was so entirely slow, though I gave up and am on my mac now
ditto leopard. not being a techy I couldn’t make head nor tail of the search results. Think it has something to do with the site operators
I’m getting an information bar come up saying To help protect your security, Internet Explorer blocked this site from downloading files to your computer.
Interesting. Which version of IE? I’ll try it out.
Like most of the people who use this site I don’t normally use IE (let me rephrase that – I actively avoid it). Recently it looks like IE has dropped below 30% of the pages viewed.
Seems to be browser specific to MS IE – no warnings from other browsers I’ve just tried (Firefox, Opera, Safari, Chrome).
Interesting.
I presume you mean analytics.js from sitemeter.com as that is the only one that we have in our system.
I can’t see any reason for that to cause a problem as it is a normal part of many peoples sites for tracking pages views and visits. It is in an iframe but so too are the facebook widgets.
Most likely it is part of your own computers defenses getting upset. The identical code for sitemeter is in place on kiwiblog.co.nz. Have a look there to see if you get the same problem. If it really does say sitemaster on both then you probably have a problem with a man in the middle attack.
Otherwise I’ll have a closer look at it tonight. I don’t really need it on the system. I using it to look at the considerable differences between sitemeter and statcounter in measuring visits
does it at Daily blog and No Right Turn as well.
it was ‘a.sitemeter’ for me, sorry, I mis-read what Chris had written.
Ok, I’ll drop sitemeter in the morning (have to be social tonight).
sitemeter has been removed.
Hi lprent, I ran a scan after your man in the middle post… no gremlins showing at all. Maybe I will have to use a different browser.
Try Chrome – might be part of the evil empire – but works well.
Thank you for your extremely important contribution Puckish Rogue, however I feel that you may be having a lend 🙂
Call me Puck darling, everybody does
Isn’t it usually ‘Puckoff’ that people respond to you with?
he’s quite the puck wit
lolz
I.E v9 I think. just started doing it today
Great stuff on the UMR poll.
Feel the fear Hooten you won’t be doing lunch in Wellington for a good stretch.
And an open letter from a recent National party voter (and member) explaining why the dream is over:
http://a-working-mans-opinion.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/dear-john-this-is-break-up-letter.html
hah, was just going to post that 🙂
And it’s one of those things – where there’s one known about, there’s thousands thinking and doing the same but not telling you.
Anyone interested in the subject of Treasury figures and the future cost of the retirement pension should definitely listen to this interview with Professor Sue Newbury from the University of Sydney School of Business on Nights on National Radio on Wednesday. Seems Treasury have not followed even the most basic of accounting principles before making claims as to the cost of the pension in another 30 years or so. One could possibly suspect that shoddy accounting work is designed to massage the general public into the notion that New Zealand cannot afford to fund future welfare spending.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/2570593
UMR Poll. Well Well Well ! Come in all you RWNJ sociopaths who like to hang around on a left blog.
Come in and explain for me once again that “perceptions” thing. You know……. the one that says “it’s all about perceptions” or whatever it is you say. The one that makes you smirk hard out every time you say it. And that 62% prime minister thing. That’s a beauty !
Be really interesting to hear all that again. You don’t mind ?
Mind? They don’t mind.
Come in all you RWNJ sociopaths who like to hang around on a left blog.
– You called?
lemme see here we got: a new leader, multiple weeks coverage for labour (quite a good idea i must say) and the honeymoon period so a bounce in the polls is to be expected
We also have crime down, unemployment down, the economy up and over a year to go until the next election
So enjoy it while it lasts (because it won’t :))
I mean I hope theres no scandal or anything that could involve the labour party about to happen, like maybe possibly involving underage boys that could maybe bring up certain incidences from Labours not-too-distant past
I hardly think Slater is in any position to accuse others of being involved in [deleted].
Eddie: This comment crossed the line. Banned for a week.
damn, that escalated quickly…
Thats a helluva call, you got any thing to back that up with?
Who are you accusing of being involved in [deleted]?
Felix got any proof or are you the [deleted] in question? If not put up or shut the fuck up you disgusting cretin
I think the standard response to this is “proof”. So ????
bwahaha Felix. That brought in the rats.
But I hope Slater told this kid to think about talking to the cops.
No, I don’t care who it is – no one should throw the accusation of [deleted] around without very very good cause.
I recall some time ago one of the NZ first politicians slandering a chap called rex widerstrom this way ……..horrible thing to say about anyone without good cause.
I did.
I can’t believe the high integrity sysop and moderators have left a highly defamatory and outrageous slur like this to continue to exist for hours.
I thought you wanted to rise about “the sewer” looks like you are right down deep in it.
Eddie: I was unaware of Felix’s comment until I found your comment in the moderation queue. Felix was clearly a breach of our commenting policy and has received a ban for it. Sometimes there are no moderators around. Looks like this is one of those times.
What the fook has happened to RNZ.
5pm News Headline:
“2 nephews of mana mp Hone Harawira have been jailed …… etc.: (to prraphrase – may actually be a direct quote)
WTF???
And after the nicest man on Earth Jim Mora’s panel.
So Hone is now responsible for his nephews?
Oh damn good.
The nicest man on Earth is then responsible for his wife’s damn near slave wages of her employees
shuvving together our healthy fast-food options
His “the Panel’ guests’ spouses are responsible for the guests themselves.
Murray McCully likes recycling grannies old armchair fabric into a business suit for Jane Clifton
Ayeshun Bois are all responsible for Joe’s opinions
Christ Almighty RNZ = what’s happened to you.
What’s even happened to those that ekshly READ THAT CRAP. Are you THAT in fear of your jobs?
Give it 18 months. The environment WILL be safer but surely to Christ you could take a stand for journalistic integrity! (well …. what’s left of it anyway)
Mary Wilson: this is the Shite way you want to play it? Consider yourself open game
Tim. I listened to it all too.
You are a knob.
@ Frank – so please inform me what the relevance is to the fact that two guys have been jailed for crimes and how they relate to Hone.
And if you can;t fo that – then you’ll have no objection to my relating Mary Lambie’s business interests to that of her husband, or Jane Clifton’s relatioship (past or present) to that of the duffer, or those in relationship(s) with Joe the Loon Bennett’s opinions.
Perhaps Frank – we could hold your partner respinsible fpr your being a dickhead – but please – keep it up!
Oh ….. and just btw – I note that RNZ have rapidly dropped that headline. We’ll see whether it’s consistent
I can spell.
Good for you Frank
So you’re very clever then Frank. No doubt, those with dyslexia, those with English as a second language, those that haven’t had the benefits of your superior education, and even those that are considerably pooer than you also have opinions that aren’t as worthwhile as yours.
My God! I wish I were Frank!
Tim,
I don’t think that Frank can bring himself to admit that the only reason they go for Hone’s Nephews is because they can’t attack Hone’s political stance because he razes them to the ground intellectually when they do that…shows them up for the sniveling idiots that they are..
I am guessing this is why he thinks you are a knob; because you reminded him of this sorry truth.
BL and Timmy, difference between you two, is door side on.
I am sorry for you that you are only capable of name-calling, that must be terrible going through life with such a poor ability to express yourself.
Poor wee thing
This is the last communication I intend having with you Frank. Your last sounds like an implied physical threat. Just as well on the rare occasions I do drive these days – its in something VERY substantial..
Still – you’ve got nothing to hide, so you’ve got nothing to fear – correct?
What I meant to say was that you are both knobs but I was using my old lappy and it has no G or H working so I was just saying you are Knobs cryptically without meaning to. so take it as you like.
Walk in peace. I ride a bike.
Oh Yeah. get a life.
A cop’s dog doesn’t like mrs Collins, lol from 2:05:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Police-officers-remember-fallen-comrades/tabid/423/articleID/314952/Default.aspx
That’s fantastic.
haha – I wonder what perfume she was wearing.
btw – where’s the Minister of Police at an event like that?
@BL(GLGB) – no worries. Frank’s left enough of his footprint – just based on timestamp info to have fucked himself up.
I can’t even be bothered delving deeper – I had a technological brain purge about 10 years ago, though my son has taken over – albeit with access to both Voda and Tcom info (ppl involved know how it all works with scratch backing and do me a favour shite).
I have ABSOLUTELY no desire to get into it despite having access to various ISP records – I’m pure, disengaged and philosophically opposed to the use of such info for private purposes anyway.
(which is why I’m opposed to government agencies thinking they have all such as of their right)
I wouldn’t even bother though.
Although I am not going to have any further comms with the cnut, anyone with nouse could ensure that should his idle threats come to anything – it’d be nothing a baseball bat held by a golfer having a hole in one record couldn’t cure. Or perhaps an indaquately trained copper with a taser ready to …
Rural broadband roll out in chaos, with corporate profiteering
It’s like a bad Tory script re-run across the world.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/sep/26/bt-rural-broadband-monopoly
It is a bad Tory script run across the world. They’re taking us for a ride and have been for decades at least, more probably centuries.
Some light relief
TV3’s “7 Days” tonight and the stick given on John Key’s visit with the Queen. The little girl’s ‘pitcha’ of John Key trying on the queen’s dresses
I can’t think of much else they’d have to talk about.
We are spending precious millions, which we have to borrow no doubt, to make a case for getting on the Security Council. Australia is on at present and finishes in 2014 after the 2 year term. They represent for Australia -Western European and Others Group. It doesn’t even refer to Oceania or the Pacific and it seems to underline the feeling that Oz and us do not have a feeling of real connection for our unique location in the world.
Why should we compete against Turkey which is bearing the brunt of so much of the maneouvring in the global slosh of action and reaction? They are right in it while we sit playing it cool on the poolside available to the glam stud when he wants us. We actually didn’t take our place at the UN in some committee a while ago, but graciously gave it up to the USA which needed it more than us.
The UN must be on Jokeyhen’s bucket list. The Queen, the UN, the Taj Mahal, Silicon Valley, Disneyland. the Knighthood.
Summary.
http://www.climatechange2013.org/images/uploads/WGIAR5-SPM_Approved27Sep2013.pdf
No.
http://www.rtcc.org/2013/09/15/will-norways-climate-ambition-continue-under-erna-solberg/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24014551
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/09/norway-abandons-full-scale-ccs-project?
well, that was / not a chilling read joe90
Moroney for welfare got me very, very worried. I am informed of Workwise and other “evidence based” operators (who stuff sick and disabled into work on the open market, that often is casual, insecure, part time, marginal and mostly un-fulfilling) are ALL based in HAMILTON, where she comes from.
She will have been “lobbied” by those self serving organisations and businesses before, to have welfare so designed, to deliver them the candidates they want, that is the PRIVATE enterprises, also contracting with WINZ!
While some of their efforts may be justified, I am worried about the whole agenda, and from what I hear so far, Labour are NOT going to reverse the most hideous “welfare reforms” that happened here for decades under the National led government.
I am not against work for those who can do it, but I remain robustly opposed to the ideological shit we get served, based on flawed “science” by self serving “experts” like UK Professor Mansel Aylward and also MSD’s David Bratt. I will fight this shit until I die, and I rather die before all this gets supported by a Labour led government, which I fear may happen again, as it did before, and Bratt was hired under them, according to roles LABOUR designed!
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15188-medical-and-work-capability-assessments-based-on-the-bps-model-aimed-at-disentiteling-affected-from-welfare-benefits-and-acc-compo/
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15264-welfare-reform-the-health-and-disability-panel-msd-the-truth-behind-the-agenda/
So that is MY present position towards Labour! I also observe Moroney is too weak to handle Bennett, as she is too “nice”. Sue Moroney is a hard worker, nice and all that, I know, but she is NO match to Bennett, and I read something worrying out of all this, Labour NOT putting enough emphasis on welfare. It was confirmed to me last night by a Labour member! My only hope in welfare now is Louisa Wall, and otherwise the Greens or Mana!
Many progressive ideas and movements were destroyed by determined hostility. Listen to the last words of Salvador Allende:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZeEfXjTNu4
How many years of suffering and dictatorship followed? What a horrible world, and this is just one example of endless ones. Stand up and FIGHT, if you have the bloody GUTS!