This piece about Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand shows how easy it is to misjudge public leaders and misthink our role as citizens.
We yearn for leaders who will be our saviors. So, when Ms. Ardern fails to rescue us from intractable problems like inequality, we think about her as “The Star Who Didn’t Quite Deliver,” as the headline put it.
The real problem here, I believe, is our expectations. We should expect high levels of competence from our public leaders, not the ability to walk on water. And we should expect citizens to participate fully in public affairs, not expect to be saved.
Jerome T. Murphy
Cambridge, Mass. The writer is a retired Harvard professor and dean who taught courses on leadership.
She knows the 'right' people and can be guaranteed to produce an anti-Labour perspective. Adding a young woman who had star status Madam Pagani had always craved for but never achieved, adds grist to the mill.
Combine the above with a personal grudge against Labour for thwarting her political ambitions then you have a recipe for mischief making and a lot of 'the nasty' at every opportunity.
There is a very good reason the MSM uses her AB. She is portrayed as "coming from the Left" which of course is bollocks, but in the eyes of the less well informed reader her criticism of Labour carries more weight.
Quite right. His role is to sit in his office and twiddle his thumbs. Being the figurehead of the right faction and he just needs to let them get on with things like feathering their nests. The mayor doesn't actually have to go out and do things. Does he?!
To be fair to Brown, maybe he is saying that there are other ways he can be much more effective in his position as Mayor, and that getting out with buckets would simply distract from that.
When we had the earthquakes in Christchurch, Bob Parker wasn't rushing around clearing debris. But he was seen as highly effective in other ways that certainly helped direct critical resources to the city etc.
Did Bob Parker feel the need to say that his role wasn’t to rush out and clear debris? Mayor Brown’s considered (?) utterance seems defensive to me. Par for the course?
"My role isn't to rush out with buckets" – Wayne Brown, 2023 floods.
To be fair to Brown, maybe he is saying that there are other ways he can be much more effective in his position as Mayor, and that getting out with buckets would simply distract from that.
To be fair to Aucklanders, maybe the Mayor could simply have said that, or nothing.
Is the jury still out on Mayor Brown 'effectiveness'? What a 'leader' – yeah, Right.
Maybe he thinks that the second part is so obviously true that it didn't need to be said.
So long as he actually does what he is supposed to be doing and does it well is the key thing in this situation. If he is simply pulling a "Nero" then obviously he deserves all the condemnation that comes his way.
Though, probably saying his role wasn’t to get out with buckets was a stupid thing to say. Because, it obviously isn’t. I don’t remember Parker ever saying his role wasn’t to clear rubble. He just got on with doing his part the best he could.
I am not from Auckland, so have no interest in local politics there, other than, I hope Aucklanders get the sort of result from Brown in this situation that we got from Parker.
Brown knows that every word is going to be interpreted and used however anyone wants. And twisted. That's how a crazed media and public acts.
The focus is on Brown because it's in his region, in his domain. Which helps see Jacinda Ardern not being blamed or accused of something. Or everything.
Woe betide her though if there's someone in Mt Albert with a puddle in their front yard and she's not there in Red Bands and carrying a bucket.
And if she is there helping and there's a photo in the media the accusations of 'media hog' will come thick and fast.
When we had the earthquakes in Christchurch, Bob Parker wasn't rushing around clearing debris. But he was seen as highly effective in other ways that certainly helped direct critical resources to the city etc.
Maybe you didn't see what happened yesterday? The reason Brown is being severely criticised and thus defending himseld is because he was fucking useless and there were hours where he was mia and civil defence didn't get up and running in time because of that.
I'll drop some links, because NZ twitter were all over it.
Then I would agree. The job of a Mayor is to be on top of that sort of thing and make sure everything is happening that needs to happen. That there is urgent communication with key government agencies etc, and to be visible so that people know that the situation is being taken seriously and can have some confidence.
TBH, from here, the situation looked like a bit of a cluster-fuck, just from what we were seeing about the train network being shut down just before the Elton John concert. Though it didn't take much of a genius to realise, even from here, that the concert wasn't going ahead in that weather.
That looked like another cluster because, from what I saw on the news, people were turning up for the concert. It should have been cancelled much earlier.
I think there was way more rain than forecasted, but would like to see that confirmed. But yeah, the concert was cancelled long after it became dangerous and then people were trying to get *home from the concert through flood waters.
It's still not clear to me exactly what the sequence is for declaring a SOE, eg some were saying last night that the Mayor has to do it and he just didn't. Lots of competent and experienced people were commenting on this in real time last night including Auckland councillors and MPs. Even Luxon tweeted telling Brown to declare.
After the flooding, I'd like a conversation about under what conditions a Mayor can be removed from office. This is a serious, extreme weather even the likes of which Auckland hasn't seen, two people have died, many people are without power and water or have been evacuated. The emergency services are overloaded. And Ak has a incompetent Mayor that apparently doesn't know what to do.
Local civil defence emergencies are generally declared by mayors or an elected CDEM representative. Ministers may step in if they feel the need but wouldn't normally need to do so.
Local emergency The declaration of a local emergency can be done in two ways. First, every CDEM Group must appoint at least one member to have the power to declare a state of emergency for all or part of the Group’s area. Second, mayors have the right to declare a state of local emergency in their own district or a ward within that district. When a local emergency is declared, the Group Controller will coordinate the response. He or she may have any number of local controllers who also work to coordinate the response, but at all times they are subject to the direction of the Group Controller.
I would have expected the official advisors make the call, and the mayor then acts on that advice. Does anyone know if there was an inexucusable delay between advice being received and acted on?
For context:
Previous State of Emergency Declarations in Auckland:
"Fifty to sixty homes were evacuated in West Auckland after flooding struck during the night 30 to 31 August 2021.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said people largely self evacuated and were staying with friends and family. Evacuation centres were also set up. Auckland Emergency Management said any need to evacuate overrides the COVID-19 lockdown rules.
As much as 90 mm of rain fell in 1 hour. However, Mayor Goff said the flooding was largely unexpected. “We knew it was going to rain… but there was no early indication that this was likely to cause the level of flooding it has.”
As of 31 August, flooding had affected communities in Kumeu, Huapai, Ranui, Piha and Henderson Valley. Around 12 roads were closed in the area as a result of flooding and landslides. Around 13 people were rescued from flood waters by emergency services who received 150 calls for help. The mayor said fire, police and emergency management services were all coping well and there was no need to declare a state of emergency.
A total of 208.2 mm of rain fell in Kumeū in 24 hours to 31 August, which is the town’s second wettest day since records began in 1943 and 149% of the August monthly normal rainfall."
I haven't seen a decent timeline yet. The gist from twitter last night was that the Mayor was absent. That was certainly true, and he did blame CD for the delay. I don't think we will know until someone pieces it all together. But odds on it's more like he was absent, his office wasn't doing what was expected, CD got on with what they could do and soon became overwhelmed because the event got much bigger fast, the Mayor was still being useless, and none of it got sorted out until sufficient pressure was on from councillors, MPs, media and SM. That's how I saw it play out in real time on twitter, but it will be a partial view.
some more context, re the extraordinary nature of the event (and it was fast).
It is not just about the timing of the Emergency Declaration. People were expecting communication from the Mayor, reassurance, updates, advice, things like to to contact, links to CD sites etc etc. Brown has one idiot quote about getting the rain to stop then silence.
I was on Twitter last night and about 4 councillors (inc Richard Hills, Jo Bartley and Julie Fairey) stepped up to fill the void, Efeso Collins retweeted every piece of official/Cnclrs info he could find, while several Lab MPs did the same. We had folk like Huhana Hickey, well known disability advocate who seemed to have been up all night trying to get support for things like NZ Sign Language being included in all the messaging. Later on the bunker under the Beehive opened and we had a 2.00am ? press conference from Hipkins and McAnulty.
Meanwhile not a peep out of Brown. No-one was asking for him the wield a bucket, just show that he was present.
Then his disaster of a press conference…… before that his stint on Kim Hill.
Even if he did not automatically think to do these things he has several enormously paid advisers in his personal office who surely should have advised him.
While we have been spoilt having at ease and empathetic communicators, others can do their jobs of spreading reassurance by actually having notes (Hipkins appeared to have some notes at the Akld presser). Ill at ease folk should steer clear of phones and other things with tiny screens.
I forced myself to watch him several times though right from the start of the campaign he has sent shivers up my spine, of something, intuition?
They should however be the ones to supply hoses and buckets to the emergency services so that they can do their jobs.
Like calling in the the vollies from Ngaruawahia because they have a jet ski to Auckland.
These floods are not 'new'. Auckland in 2016 had some pretty bad flooding. Edgecumbe a few years ago, Rotorua a few years ago. And a few in the South Island last year and hte year beofre. All it shows that we are still not prepared as people – where are the fixed Evac Centres that people know about? Oh check hte emergency web page that will list them when the emergency is underway? Hope you are charged and have electricity…..! That our emergency services are still understaffed, under equipped, and mostly run by volunteers who hope to god that someone will come and save their own missus/partners/kids/dogncats…….
These floods show that we don't still and certainly have not in the last 20 odds years given a thought to the changing climate and build anything for it or with it in mind. But then that is not hte fault of the unlikable bloke that got elected 12 weeks ago to Mayor of Auckland. After the city was run by an Ex labour MP and lefty called Phil Goeff.
Ask yourself, is you town better equipped to deal with 75% of summer rain in less then 12 hours?
Brown was managed into office by Hooton and Auckland business interests to sell assets, put a stop to growth in public transport infrastructure, prevent densification of affluent suburbs, ignore the implications of climate change, loosen regulations that hinder profit extraction, encourage property development opportunities through sprawl, avoid uppity brown people having any influence, and return us to the 1950s nirvana of easy capital accumulation by the 'right' sort of people.
Or you could argue that Efeso Collins did not have the support of the professional left from Labour and the Greens of Auckland/Government in order to secure a victory and that includes the much vaunted juggernaut that is Labour in South Auckland. And by support i mean money, door knockers, etc.
"And we should expect citizens to participate fully in public affairs, not expect to be saved." Thanks, ianmac at #1.
That's a quote that should motivate us all to get into politics, the whole nine yards of the fabric of political life- voting, campaigns, committees, door-knocking, meetings, pamphleting, putting up hoardings, phone calling, fund-raising, asking questions of candidates, being a candidate, donating, letter writing, even commenting on blogs….
Even if we expect to be saved, who's going to do that? If anybody, it's us, being politically active and astute.
Pretty massive consequences from the floods for Auckland. 100s of houses are now effectively unlivivable in the interem some for considerable periods which will put massive strain on the rental market.
Seeing houses around Mt Eden that have had water through them well over 1m deep some are still sitting in it. Entire first floor in some spots. Hate to think how bad it is in lower lying areas.
Re Auckland Airport problems in the past day. We're at the point where flying (short and long haul) just shouldn't be happening on scale. If we want to drop GHGs fast, we have to change everything and that includes flying. Keep flying for essential purposes. It's daft to try and fix emergency response systems for airline flights without doing the bigger picture work as well.
Anyone wanting to argue that flights are a tiny part of GHG's needs to look at the emissions from the whole trip not just what the plane puts out, and understand that commercial flight economics are based on expansion. That means more planes, more airports, more infrastructure, more GHGs. That's why airports are targeted by climate activists.
What you say makes perfect sense of course, and maybe many affected by this most recent event caused by a warming planet will be more receptive to the major changes that need to happen. But can you imagine the wailing from the cashed-up selfish who see it as their right to roam the planet on their never-ending tours.
I can imagine a future where everyone is allocated a cap on their allowable air travel but some would determine any kind of restriction to be a North Korean type restraint to their freedom.
I don't know what the solution is there. Some of it is education, too many people now saying flights don't make any difference. That's the same old reductionist rather than systems thinking, so I guess chipping away at that.
I was a kid when we had carless days, so the concept seems reasonable to me. But the trick would be placing it in within larger system change that brings personal benefits. You don't have to fly to that meeting (zoom), and here's a space few hours off work instead.
In this time, why then do we have governments so determined to have tourism return to a BAS situation, over the last few years was a great opportunity to transition away from tourism and yet efforts are to promote all tourist destinations world wide ??? Is that not a trip to failure ☹️
I think it's a mix of the same kind of cognitive dissonance that many people have (politicians and government staff being like the rest of us), and a lack of skill in firstly imagining how it could be different and then implementing it. When I look at the tourism responses in Otago across the pandemic I see the wrong people in positions of power. There are people who know how to transition society, but they're not being given the power to do it.
The solution I quite like is a progressive levy on international flights. Basically first trip 0 something like 20 percent of ticket for second, 40 percent for third trip and so forth could be much more aggressive with it.
And, the levy must be paid by the individual – not the company (or the government). Perhaps putting them into a higher tax bracket might work (amazing how having to pay an extra 5% income tax affects people's decision-making)
Otherwise all of the costs will simply be absorbed by the company (just as the currently increased airfares haven't really stopped business flying).
A really serious climate change surcharge ($500+) imposed on every overseas ticket to NZ – would both reduce demand, and increase the funds available for climate change mitigation. [NB: percentage of ticket doesn't work, as overseas travellers will simply travel to Oz, then take a ticket to NZ]
And, of course, politicians and public servants must not be exempt – some leading-by-example, wouldn't go amiss.
This means, that air-travel is likely to become the preserve of the very wealthy. From a 'fairness' perspective, how does that sit with you?
The RAND Corporation is an American policy think tank created in 1948 by Douglas Aircraft Company to offer 'research and analysis to the United States Armed Forces', it's financed by the U.S. government and private endowment, corporations, universities and private individuals.
In 2019 it published a report on "Extending Russia" and a number of its recommendations subsequently came to pass.
Earlier this month they released another report "Avoiding a Long War", this highlights what may be required to do this and includes 'clarifying plans for future support to Ukraine, making commitments to Ukraine's security, issuing assurances regarding the country's neutrality, and setting conditions for sanctions relief for Russia.
For some of us here this is hopefully a step in the right direction towards preventing any further escalation. The pessimist in me says the neocons and warhawks will ignore it.
“The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022, injected up to 150 Tg of water into the stratosphere. A month after eruption, a distinct aerosol and water vapor layer formed in the tropical southern hemisphere (SH) stratosphere. The water vapor layer is slightly displaced above the aerosol layer at 26 km. These two layers continued to persist in the tropical SH stratosphere until the end of June while slowly moving apart in altitude.”
“The excess H2O could arrive in northern and southern midlatitudes in ∼18 and ∼24 months, respectively, over a broad domain in the upper stratosphere. Since part of the plume has entered the lower branch of the BDC, the elevated H2O may reach lower stratospheric midlatitudes within a few months. The timescale for complete dissipation of the plume may be 5–10 years”
SKY WATER
Scientists are also now taking stock of the eruption's impact on the atmosphere. While volcanic eruptions on land eject mostly ash and sulfur dioxide, underwater volcanoes jettison far more water.
Tonga's eruption was no different, with the blast's white-grayish plume reaching 57 kilometers (35.4 miles) and injecting 146 million tonnes of water into the atmosphere.
Don't know whether that increase in stratospheric water has contributed significantly to the recent extreme rainfall in Auckland (seems very unlikely), but some are predicting a transitory increase in the Antarctic ozone hole.
Hunga Tonga undersea volcano eruption likely to make ozone hole larger in coming years [January 2023]
Although the Antarctic ozone hole of 2023 may join its three large and long-lasting predecessors, perhaps with the help of the water vapor from Hunga Tonga, scientists are confident that in the longer term, we will see the ozone hole shrinking.
Simply put, precipitation amounts are increasing as temperatures rise because warm air holds more water vapor: a 1°F rise in temperature equals as much as a 4% increase in atmospheric water vapor. Other factors can contribute to rainfall, including El Nino and La Nina
From the link in the comment above it is expected that the Tongan eruption will raise air temperatures – Tongan volcano eruption raises imminent risk of 1.5C breach
So probably some effect? Certainly coupled with el nino/la nina ….
A forcing is the technical term for any influence that can shift the climate. Greenhouse forcings occur due to changes in the level of gasses that share two properties: they are transparent to visible light, but absorb the infrared, which we typically perceive as heat….
Although the atmosphere allows most of the visible light through, many of the gasses there—water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, etc.—absorb infrared radiation, converting it to rotational and vibrational energy. This raises the energy content of the atmosphere and thus the average temperature. The more greenhouse gasses present, the greater the chances of the infrared light being absorbed before it escapes into space. Thus, if all other influences are kept constant, increased levels of greenhouse gasses will necessarily produce increased atmospheric temperatures. …
The impact of greenhouse gasses differs based on their chemistry. Methane is much more potent than CO2, for example, because it absorbs more IR radiation. A gas' impact is also influenced by its lifetime in the atmosphere. Water vapor falls back out quickly as precipitation, and methane is typically oxidized to carbon dioxide within decades.
Increasing levels of methane from cows belching is still a significant problem for although it breaks down within decades – it breaks down to carbon dioxide – which has a half life of about 120 years in the atmosphere.
People dead in Auckland including being drowned in Wairau Rd, a vile, ugly stroad with a canalised stream in a concrete channel alongside. Many more are going to die equally horribly in future, and many times more will be left destitute as the insurance industry walks away and/or hikes premiums to unsustainable levels. Even wringing the neck of every CC denier won't help now, as so much future change is baked in.
Perhaps we should wait and see whether the deaths are actually attributable to the road design of Wairau – or to other causes.
At least one report that a death was due to kayaking in the culvert…
I agree that insurers are going to be looking increasingly closely at storm-water/flood-risk factors in Auckland (as they have been in Earthquake risk-factors in Wellington).
And, that it's possible (or even probably) that some properties in flood plains and/or the bottom of gulleys, may become uninsurable (or at least uninsurable for storm/flood damage).
The same is going to be true for properties/communities at sea level – across NZ.
Managed retreat – at least in Auckland – is simply not a viable short- or even medium-term solution. The city is too big, and lack of housing is already at crisis levels. (Long-term, of course, the climate will make the choice for us).
The government, quite frankly, cannot afford to pick up insurance costs for the whole of NZ. Not can it fund managed retreat for large numbers.
And, quite frankly. It's hard to see why the taxpayer should fund managed retreat (AKA a free house and land) for a multi-millionaire living on the Takapuna beachfront, or along the East Coast Bays clifftops, or in St Heliers.
That Wairau Creek is a very dangerous area. When it floods through there, the volume and velocity of the water is extreme. When I worked for Council I turned down applications for sub-divison and development on sites bordering the river because the Development Engineers were saying that safe egress from the proposed sites could not be provided for in times of flooding events. For established, but undeveloped sites, there were requirements for "bridges" to be provided from the new dwellings to the driveways, or some other place on the site where you could get away in the case of a flood.
Rusty (new nickname) Hipkins is not required back in Wellington to pilot a tugboat or fly a helicopter to rescue passengers, they've re-powered the engines.
Millions of people suffer from long COVID—but why?
New data may help solve this mystery. Using a specialized lab technique, researchers are now testing patients with long COVID for microclots in their blood.
“We’re very early,” says David Putrino, a rehabilitation and long COVID scientist. But out of the few dozen samples they’ve tested, 100 percent had microclots.
Long COVID microclots are more difficult for the body to disintegrate. Although they can’t block arteries or veins, microclots can block the supply of oxygen to organs and tissue
(above, microclots in healthy blood, left, and a severe microclot in a long COVID patient, right).
Visited that RAND site to check out its political bias. Quite a broad range of articles on social issues in the US, interestingly.
I wrote a while ago about my feeling that the anti-vax protest movement was probably pushed by bad actors, possibly state, spreading muck to destabilise countries. My eye-opening moment: an immediate pivot I saw on multiple kiwi anti-vax sites, to a pro-Russia view of the Ukraine invasion in late Feb, during the thick of the Parliament 2022 protest.
The Trumpian Steve Bannon media empire has strong links to Counterspin, of course. Who pays Bannon, though? RAND have a paper analysing generators of anti-vax, anti-pandemic measure memes. It identifies both Russian and Chinese origins for malicious disinformation.
We have to acknowledge a lot of anti-Ardern, anti-government hate is hustled along by bots until it builds up local momentum. Be interesting to see if a NACT government attracts state actor disruption, too.
And this is also why I believe some of the anti-mandate stuff was inflamed by outside actors who benefit from a divided country.
You are a real piece of work – Hope you are proud of yourself ?? – After we have had commentary regarding language that was directed to the PM and other female politicians and the and here we have you using "bottle-blonde bombshell" and "bimbo ". Bimbo -an attractive but empty-headed young woman, especially one perceived as a willingsex object.
Deputy Major Simpson may be a dyed in the wool Nat, but she has 15 years on council, with 2 terms as chair of finance under Goff. So guess she's pretty damn competent and can work well with others. Try a little research before tearing strips off 'bimbos'.
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Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
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Josie Pagini wrote an anti Ardern piece in the New York Times which I found mean.
But I found this rebuttal realistic.
Pagani is terminally stupid but endlessly and undeservedly platformed for no good reason.
She knows the 'right' people and can be guaranteed to produce an anti-Labour perspective. Adding a young woman who had star status Madam Pagani had always craved for but never achieved, adds grist to the mill.
Combine the above with a personal grudge against Labour for thwarting her political ambitions then you have a recipe for mischief making and a lot of 'the nasty' at every opportunity.
There is a very good reason the MSM uses her AB. She is portrayed as "coming from the Left" which of course is bollocks, but in the eyes of the less well informed reader her criticism of Labour carries more weight.
"I don't hold a hose, mate" – Scott Morrison, 2019 bushfires.
"My role isn't to rush out with buckets" – Wayne Brown, 2023 floods.
Not helpful…no. And Mayoral new name? "No buckets" Brown ? : )
He had one bucket: Bucket head Brown.
And there's a hole in that…dear Liza. : )
lol, more than one in Mr Brown's bucket.
Quite right. His role is to sit in his office and twiddle his thumbs. Being the figurehead of the right faction and he just needs to let them get on with things like feathering their nests. The mayor doesn't actually have to go out and do things. Does he?!
To be fair to Brown, maybe he is saying that there are other ways he can be much more effective in his position as Mayor, and that getting out with buckets would simply distract from that.
When we had the earthquakes in Christchurch, Bob Parker wasn't rushing around clearing debris. But he was seen as highly effective in other ways that certainly helped direct critical resources to the city etc.
Did Bob Parker feel the need to say that his role wasn’t to rush out and clear debris? Mayor Brown’s considered (?) utterance seems defensive to me. Par for the course?
To be fair to Aucklanders, maybe the Mayor could simply have said that, or nothing.
Is the jury still out on Mayor Brown 'effectiveness'? What a 'leader' – yeah, Right.
Maybe he thinks that the second part is so obviously true that it didn't need to be said.
So long as he actually does what he is supposed to be doing and does it well is the key thing in this situation. If he is simply pulling a "Nero" then obviously he deserves all the condemnation that comes his way.
Though, probably saying his role wasn’t to get out with buckets was a stupid thing to say. Because, it obviously isn’t. I don’t remember Parker ever saying his role wasn’t to clear rubble. He just got on with doing his part the best he could.
I am not from Auckland, so have no interest in local politics there, other than, I hope Aucklanders get the sort of result from Brown in this situation that we got from Parker.
Brown knows that every word is going to be interpreted and used however anyone wants. And twisted. That's how a crazed media and public acts.
The focus is on Brown because it's in his region, in his domain. Which helps see Jacinda Ardern not being blamed or accused of something. Or everything.
Woe betide her though if there's someone in Mt Albert with a puddle in their front yard and she's not there in Red Bands and carrying a bucket.
And if she is there helping and there's a photo in the media the accusations of 'media hog' will come thick and fast.
the discussion I'm seeing about Brown on twitter is relatively restrained all things considered.
The earthquake saved Parker, a very mediocre mayor, from Jim Anderton, who was streets ahead in opinion poles immediately before the quake.
Having said that, Parker certainly rose to the occasion.
whoops – polls
"Maybe". I thought that particular comment was tactless and thoughtless.
If, however, thought went into it, then that would be food for thought, imho.
You really give yourself away when you try to defend Brown tsmith. Even the Right must see that he is a hopeless case.
Maybe you didn't see what happened yesterday? The reason Brown is being severely criticised and thus defending himseld is because he was fucking useless and there were hours where he was mia and civil defence didn't get up and running in time because of that.
I'll drop some links, because NZ twitter were all over it.
click through for the thread.
https://twitter.com/publicaddress/status/1619059068903247873
pay attention to the time stamps on these
https://twitter.com/AnneleiseHall/status/1618886347506483201
https://twitter.com/michaelwoodnz/status/1618881991784693761
https://twitter.com/eph__em__era/status/1618894914322055172
https://twitter.com/eph__em__era/status/1618912178593234947
https://twitter.com/dahmenaaron/status/1618899703860723712
Then I would agree. The job of a Mayor is to be on top of that sort of thing and make sure everything is happening that needs to happen. That there is urgent communication with key government agencies etc, and to be visible so that people know that the situation is being taken seriously and can have some confidence.
TBH, from here, the situation looked like a bit of a cluster-fuck, just from what we were seeing about the train network being shut down just before the Elton John concert. Though it didn't take much of a genius to realise, even from here, that the concert wasn't going ahead in that weather.
That looked like another cluster because, from what I saw on the news, people were turning up for the concert. It should have been cancelled much earlier.
I think there was way more rain than forecasted, but would like to see that confirmed. But yeah, the concert was cancelled long after it became dangerous and then people were trying to get *home from the concert through flood waters.
It's still not clear to me exactly what the sequence is for declaring a SOE, eg some were saying last night that the Mayor has to do it and he just didn't. Lots of competent and experienced people were commenting on this in real time last night including Auckland councillors and MPs. Even Luxon tweeted telling Brown to declare.
After the flooding, I'd like a conversation about under what conditions a Mayor can be removed from office. This is a serious, extreme weather even the likes of which Auckland hasn't seen, two people have died, many people are without power and water or have been evacuated. The emergency services are overloaded. And Ak has a incompetent Mayor that apparently doesn't know what to do.
Local civil defence emergencies are generally declared by mayors or an elected CDEM representative. Ministers may step in if they feel the need but wouldn't normally need to do so.
Local emergency The declaration of a local emergency can be done in two ways. First, every CDEM Group must appoint at least one member to have the power to declare a state of emergency for all or part of the Group’s area. Second, mayors have the right to declare a state of local emergency in their own district or a ward within that district. When a local emergency is declared, the Group Controller will coordinate the response. He or she may have any number of local controllers who also work to coordinate the response, but at all times they are subject to the direction of the Group Controller.
https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/publications/Declarations/Factsheet-declaring-states-of-local-emergency.pdf.
I would have expected the official advisors make the call, and the mayor then acts on that advice. Does anyone know if there was an inexucusable delay between advice being received and acted on?
For context:
Previous State of Emergency Declarations in Auckland:
https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/resources/previous-emergencies/declared-states-of-emergency/
Use Google time search to come up with previous Auckland flooding events and responses.
One such, with a higher rainfall (one hour):
New Zealand – Evacuations After 90mm of Rain in 1 Hour Causes Floods in Auckland
"Fifty to sixty homes were evacuated in West Auckland after flooding struck during the night 30 to 31 August 2021.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said people largely self evacuated and were staying with friends and family. Evacuation centres were also set up. Auckland Emergency Management said any need to evacuate overrides the COVID-19 lockdown rules.
As much as 90 mm of rain fell in 1 hour. However, Mayor Goff said the flooding was largely unexpected. “We knew it was going to rain… but there was no early indication that this was likely to cause the level of flooding it has.”
As of 31 August, flooding had affected communities in Kumeu, Huapai, Ranui, Piha and Henderson Valley. Around 12 roads were closed in the area as a result of flooding and landslides. Around 13 people were rescued from flood waters by emergency services who received 150 calls for help. The mayor said fire, police and emergency management services were all coping well and there was no need to declare a state of emergency.
A total of 208.2 mm of rain fell in Kumeū in 24 hours to 31 August, which is the town’s second wettest day since records began in 1943 and 149% of the August monthly normal rainfall."
I haven't seen a decent timeline yet. The gist from twitter last night was that the Mayor was absent. That was certainly true, and he did blame CD for the delay. I don't think we will know until someone pieces it all together. But odds on it's more like he was absent, his office wasn't doing what was expected, CD got on with what they could do and soon became overwhelmed because the event got much bigger fast, the Mayor was still being useless, and none of it got sorted out until sufficient pressure was on from councillors, MPs, media and SM. That's how I saw it play out in real time on twitter, but it will be a partial view.
some more context, re the extraordinary nature of the event (and it was fast).
https://twitter.com/marcdaalder/status/1619052447976292353
It is not just about the timing of the Emergency Declaration. People were expecting communication from the Mayor, reassurance, updates, advice, things like to to contact, links to CD sites etc etc. Brown has one idiot quote about getting the rain to stop then silence.
I was on Twitter last night and about 4 councillors (inc Richard Hills, Jo Bartley and Julie Fairey) stepped up to fill the void, Efeso Collins retweeted every piece of official/Cnclrs info he could find, while several Lab MPs did the same. We had folk like Huhana Hickey, well known disability advocate who seemed to have been up all night trying to get support for things like NZ Sign Language being included in all the messaging. Later on the bunker under the Beehive opened and we had a 2.00am ? press conference from Hipkins and McAnulty.
Meanwhile not a peep out of Brown. No-one was asking for him the wield a bucket, just show that he was present.
Then his disaster of a press conference…… before that his stint on Kim Hill.
Even if he did not automatically think to do these things he has several enormously paid advisers in his personal office who surely should have advised him.
While we have been spoilt having at ease and empathetic communicators, others can do their jobs of spreading reassurance by actually having notes (Hipkins appeared to have some notes at the Akld presser). Ill at ease folk should steer clear of phones and other things with tiny screens.
I forced myself to watch him several times though right from the start of the campaign he has sent shivers up my spine, of something, intuition?
https://twitter.com/janedtrades/status/1619066288680337408
that one probably needs some fact checking.
"It's not my job to talk people outta killin' 'emselves."
– Chief Wiggum
It is true on the account of both.
They should however be the ones to supply hoses and buckets to the emergency services so that they can do their jobs.
Like calling in the the vollies from Ngaruawahia because they have a jet ski to Auckland.
These floods are not 'new'. Auckland in 2016 had some pretty bad flooding. Edgecumbe a few years ago, Rotorua a few years ago. And a few in the South Island last year and hte year beofre. All it shows that we are still not prepared as people – where are the fixed Evac Centres that people know about? Oh check hte emergency web page that will list them when the emergency is underway? Hope you are charged and have electricity…..! That our emergency services are still understaffed, under equipped, and mostly run by volunteers who hope to god that someone will come and save their own missus/partners/kids/dogncats…….
These floods show that we don't still and certainly have not in the last 20 odds years given a thought to the changing climate and build anything for it or with it in mind. But then that is not hte fault of the unlikable bloke that got elected 12 weeks ago to Mayor of Auckland. After the city was run by an Ex labour MP and lefty called Phil Goeff.
Ask yourself, is you town better equipped to deal with 75% of summer rain in less then 12 hours?
Brown was managed into office by Hooton and Auckland business interests to sell assets, put a stop to growth in public transport infrastructure, prevent densification of affluent suburbs, ignore the implications of climate change, loosen regulations that hinder profit extraction, encourage property development opportunities through sprawl, avoid uppity brown people having any influence, and return us to the 1950s nirvana of easy capital accumulation by the 'right' sort of people.
Or you could argue that Efeso Collins did not have the support of the professional left from Labour and the Greens of Auckland/Government in order to secure a victory and that includes the much vaunted juggernaut that is Labour in South Auckland. And by support i mean money, door knockers, etc.
And you could argue…
He did.
Efeso was outspent and outmuscled in the last four weeks when it matters.
AB…..Perfectly summed up re Brown.
"And we should expect citizens to participate fully in public affairs, not expect to be saved." Thanks, ianmac at #1.
That's a quote that should motivate us all to get into politics, the whole nine yards of the fabric of political life- voting, campaigns, committees, door-knocking, meetings, pamphleting, putting up hoardings, phone calling, fund-raising, asking questions of candidates, being a candidate, donating, letter writing, even commenting on blogs….
Even if we expect to be saved, who's going to do that? If anybody, it's us, being politically active and astute.
ISIS with oil fits.
https://twitter.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1619011239308566529
What do you call Saudi Arabia then? A good friend and ally. But equally deadly to people the regime don't like.
And before anyone cries "Whataboutism!", that old chestnut is a synonym for rank hypocrisy and moral expediency
Pretty massive consequences from the floods for Auckland. 100s of houses are now effectively unlivivable in the interem some for considerable periods which will put massive strain on the rental market.
Seeing houses around Mt Eden that have had water through them well over 1m deep some are still sitting in it. Entire first floor in some spots. Hate to think how bad it is in lower lying areas.
Heaps of dead cars as well.
Re Auckland Airport problems in the past day. We're at the point where flying (short and long haul) just shouldn't be happening on scale. If we want to drop GHGs fast, we have to change everything and that includes flying. Keep flying for essential purposes. It's daft to try and fix emergency response systems for airline flights without doing the bigger picture work as well.
Anyone wanting to argue that flights are a tiny part of GHG's needs to look at the emissions from the whole trip not just what the plane puts out, and understand that commercial flight economics are based on expansion. That means more planes, more airports, more infrastructure, more GHGs. That's why airports are targeted by climate activists.
What you say makes perfect sense of course, and maybe many affected by this most recent event caused by a warming planet will be more receptive to the major changes that need to happen. But can you imagine the wailing from the cashed-up selfish who see it as their right to roam the planet on their never-ending tours.
I can imagine a future where everyone is allocated a cap on their allowable air travel but some would determine any kind of restriction to be a North Korean type restraint to their freedom.
I don't know what the solution is there. Some of it is education, too many people now saying flights don't make any difference. That's the same old reductionist rather than systems thinking, so I guess chipping away at that.
I was a kid when we had carless days, so the concept seems reasonable to me. But the trick would be placing it in within larger system change that brings personal benefits. You don't have to fly to that meeting (zoom), and here's a space few hours off work instead.
In this time, why then do we have governments so determined to have tourism return to a BAS situation, over the last few years was a great opportunity to transition away from tourism and yet efforts are to promote all tourist destinations world wide ??? Is that not a trip to failure ☹️
massive lost opportunity.
I think it's a mix of the same kind of cognitive dissonance that many people have (politicians and government staff being like the rest of us), and a lack of skill in firstly imagining how it could be different and then implementing it. When I look at the tourism responses in Otago across the pandemic I see the wrong people in positions of power. There are people who know how to transition society, but they're not being given the power to do it.
The solution I quite like is a progressive levy on international flights. Basically first trip 0 something like 20 percent of ticket for second, 40 percent for third trip and so forth could be much more aggressive with it.
Easy to track with electronic passports.
And, the levy must be paid by the individual – not the company (or the government). Perhaps putting them into a higher tax bracket might work (amazing how having to pay an extra 5% income tax affects people's decision-making)
Otherwise all of the costs will simply be absorbed by the company (just as the currently increased airfares haven't really stopped business flying).
A really serious climate change surcharge ($500+) imposed on every overseas ticket to NZ – would both reduce demand, and increase the funds available for climate change mitigation. [NB: percentage of ticket doesn't work, as overseas travellers will simply travel to Oz, then take a ticket to NZ]
And, of course, politicians and public servants must not be exempt – some leading-by-example, wouldn't go amiss.
This means, that air-travel is likely to become the preserve of the very wealthy. From a 'fairness' perspective, how does that sit with you?
The proceeds of the levee should be ring- fenced for public transport and other unequivocally green uses.
The RAND Corporation is an American policy think tank created in 1948 by Douglas Aircraft Company to offer 'research and analysis to the United States Armed Forces', it's financed by the U.S. government and private endowment, corporations, universities and private individuals.
In 2019 it published a report on "Extending Russia" and a number of its recommendations subsequently came to pass.
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3063.html
Earlier this month they released another report "Avoiding a Long War", this highlights what may be required to do this and includes 'clarifying plans for future support to Ukraine, making commitments to Ukraine's security, issuing assurances regarding the country's neutrality, and setting conditions for sanctions relief for Russia.
For some of us here this is hopefully a step in the right direction towards preventing any further escalation. The pessimist in me says the neocons and warhawks will ignore it.
https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PEA2510-1.html
Or Poots trumps the neocons and warhawks by withdrawing the rapists, murderers, and washing machine thieves.
/
Shoulda gone to Specsavers
You'd still be an apologist for Russian fascism.
Some of the water blasted into the sky by the Tongan volcano coming back down?
Up to 4 million tonnes by some estimates!
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
please provide some back up for your claim. Back up means,
None of those on their own will be sufficient.
The link I had would not cut and paste but it looks like that was an underestimate.
Have found some more info and it looks like the HUGE amount of water will be around for a while. What goes up comes down?
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022GL100248
“The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022, injected up to 150 Tg of water into the stratosphere. A month after eruption, a distinct aerosol and water vapor layer formed in the tropical southern hemisphere (SH) stratosphere. The water vapor layer is slightly displaced above the aerosol layer at 26 km. These two layers continued to persist in the tropical SH stratosphere until the end of June while slowly moving apart in altitude.”
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2022GL099381?campaign=woletoc
“The excess H2O could arrive in northern and southern midlatitudes in ∼18 and ∼24 months, respectively, over a broad domain in the upper stratosphere. Since part of the plume has entered the lower branch of the BDC, the elevated H2O may reach lower stratospheric midlatitudes within a few months. The timescale for complete dissipation of the plume may be 5–10 years”
That's an underestimate.
Don't know whether that increase in stratospheric water has contributed significantly to the recent extreme rainfall in Auckland (seems very unlikely), but some are predicting a transitory increase in the Antarctic ozone hole.
All the additional water vapor in the atmosphere will certainly be have an effect on the intensity of the storm systems.
It's also thought it will drive significant global warming for a temporary period.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/tonga-volcano-eruption-raises-imminent-risk-of-temporary-1-5c-breach/#:~:text=The%20eruption%20of%20Tonga's%20underwater,warming%20threshold%2C%20new%20research%20finds.
It's sort of suprising not much has been said in msm about the downstream effects of that eruption which look to be significant.
A more sensible explanation is not hard to find.
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/warming-earth-also-wetter-earth
From the link in the comment above it is expected that the Tongan eruption will raise air temperatures – Tongan volcano eruption raises imminent risk of 1.5C breach
So probably some effect? Certainly coupled with el nino/la nina ….
Of course increasing the concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere will amplify global warming.
Thought that cows belching and farting was the worst … though 150 million tonnes of water vapour might have significantly more effect!
Each greenhouse gas has a different forcing
Increasing levels of methane from cows belching is still a significant problem for although it breaks down within decades – it breaks down to carbon dioxide – which has a half life of about 120 years in the atmosphere.
People dead in Auckland including being drowned in Wairau Rd, a vile, ugly stroad with a canalised stream in a concrete channel alongside. Many more are going to die equally horribly in future, and many times more will be left destitute as the insurance industry walks away and/or hikes premiums to unsustainable levels. Even wringing the neck of every CC denier won't help now, as so much future change is baked in.
Perhaps we should wait and see whether the deaths are actually attributable to the road design of Wairau – or to other causes.
At least one report that a death was due to kayaking in the culvert…
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/01/28/second-person-found-dead-amid-auckland-floods-two-people-missing/
I agree that insurers are going to be looking increasingly closely at storm-water/flood-risk factors in Auckland (as they have been in Earthquake risk-factors in Wellington).
And, that it's possible (or even probably) that some properties in flood plains and/or the bottom of gulleys, may become uninsurable (or at least uninsurable for storm/flood damage).
The same is going to be true for properties/communities at sea level – across NZ.
Managed retreat – at least in Auckland – is simply not a viable short- or even medium-term solution. The city is too big, and lack of housing is already at crisis levels. (Long-term, of course, the climate will make the choice for us).
The government, quite frankly, cannot afford to pick up insurance costs for the whole of NZ. Not can it fund managed retreat for large numbers.
And, quite frankly. It's hard to see why the taxpayer should fund managed retreat (AKA a free house and land) for a multi-millionaire living on the Takapuna beachfront, or along the East Coast Bays clifftops, or in St Heliers.
That Wairau Creek is a very dangerous area. When it floods through there, the volume and velocity of the water is extreme. When I worked for Council I turned down applications for sub-divison and development on sites bordering the river because the Development Engineers were saying that safe egress from the proposed sites could not be provided for in times of flooding events. For established, but undeveloped sites, there were requirements for "bridges" to be provided from the new dwellings to the driveways, or some other place on the site where you could get away in the case of a flood.
Southerly gusting to 40kts, 1 metre S swell with >2M chop.
https://twitter.com/MichaelFieldNZ/status/1619194632310763520
Rusty (new nickname) Hipkins is not required back in Wellington to pilot a tugboat or fly a helicopter to rescue passengers, they've re-powered the engines.
Pilot and police alongside, too.
https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9107942
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/microclots-pots-long-covid-treatment-diagnosis?
Alternative link.
https://archive.li/fJuZT
Visited that RAND site to check out its political bias. Quite a broad range of articles on social issues in the US, interestingly.
I wrote a while ago about my feeling that the anti-vax protest movement was probably pushed by bad actors, possibly state, spreading muck to destabilise countries. My eye-opening moment: an immediate pivot I saw on multiple kiwi anti-vax sites, to a pro-Russia view of the Ukraine invasion in late Feb, during the thick of the Parliament 2022 protest.
The Trumpian Steve Bannon media empire has strong links to Counterspin, of course. Who pays Bannon, though? RAND have a paper analysing generators of anti-vax, anti-pandemic measure memes. It identifies both Russian and Chinese origins for malicious disinformation.
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA112-21.html
We have to acknowledge a lot of anti-Ardern, anti-government hate is hustled along by bots until it builds up local momentum. Be interesting to see if a NACT government attracts state actor disruption, too.
And this is also why I believe some of the anti-mandate stuff was inflamed by outside actors who benefit from a divided country.
It's not a conspiracy if it's true…
Or perhaps not even a divided country but one where a Right wing government can exist.
Good post.
Microsoft put out a report of their experiences of cyber activity in the early stages of the Ukraine war
https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE50KOK
It's a bit of a chew but Aotearoa, and the 2022 Parliament protest gets a mention on P18
What an updated version covering the last 12 months would reveal, I shudder to think.
righteous.
https://twitter.com/victoriapeckham/status/1619036748067254272
The insanity is everywhere.
Self hate surgery porn – Burberry marketeers determined to trash what value is left in the brand.
I don’t think adverts should be normalising – in fact glamourising – girls having healthy breasts removed,
From the Spectator , a conservative paper, but I can't really fault this piece
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/is-nicola-sturgeon-a-transphobe/?
JKR goes from strength to strength. Every day, there are multiple examples of this.
https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1618212057496817670
She has regular on-line communication with the Labour MP for Canterbury (Kent) Rosie Duffield.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/30/canterbury-mp-rosie-duffield-considering-quitting-labour
Good God!! So that bimbo is the Deputy Mayor.
Btw, I’m an Aucklander and am ashamed of the c-grade team at the top. She’s the ex-National Party president Goodfellow’s wife then. Says it all!
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
You are a real piece of work – Hope you are proud of yourself ?? – After we have had commentary regarding language that was directed to the PM and other female politicians and the and here we have you using "bottle-blonde bombshell" and "bimbo ". Bimbo -an attractive but empty-headed young woman, especially one perceived as a willing sex object.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bimbo
"…especially one perceived as a willing sex object.'
That's a new one on me. Well, if the shoe fits…
Or do you just have a dirty mind?
[please stop with the sexism and slurs – weka]
mod note.
Deputy Major Simpson may be a dyed in the wool Nat, but she has 15 years on council, with 2 terms as chair of finance under Goff. So guess she's pretty damn competent and can work well with others. Try a little research before tearing strips off 'bimbos'.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300722799/who-is-desley-simpson-meet-auckland-mayor-wayne-browns-secondincommand
British GCFs going hard re the self ID rapist 😈
https://twitter.com/suzanne_moore/status/1618701719764090880