Young Maori woman breaks through prime-time barrier…
Newshub’s Oriini Kaipara, who made history in 2019 as the first woman with a moko kauae to anchor a mainstream news bulletin, has come one step closer to achieving her ultimate goal by presenting Three's 6 o'clock news. Kaipara, who has had the traditional lower chin tattoo for nearly three years, is filling in on Newshub Live at 6pm until Thursday
The bilingual journalist and broadcaster, of Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Rangitihi descent, has also previously worked on TVNZ’s te reo news show Te Karere. The former documentary filmmaker has also enjoyed stints at both Māori Television and Mai FM.
Kaipara has been overwhelmed by the positive feedback she had received after her first two 6pm bulletins. “I've been realising for a while that it's much bigger than just reading the news, or doing stories that matter to all of us. It's also a big win for this generation and the next 10 generations – don't let identity or your culture hold you back from anything. In fact, you use it as your power, to be greater and do great things for everyone.”
The mother of four said her debut presenting the 6pm news had been enjoyed by her proud whānau “up and down the country”.
Having a govt with a foreign minister who fronts internationally with a moko no doubt helped management to make this move promoting her.
I don’t think that would be a relevant factor in their decision. They poached her off TV1, where she’d been a regular midday news presenter since November 2019.
It’s quite noticeable now how all the major Kiwiland free to air tv channels are showing increasingly bicultural & multicultural ads as well. There are several regular ads that feature mixed Pākehā & Māori or Pākehā & Pasifika couples.
I saw an online discussion earlier in the year about bicultural & multicultural ads. It was a chance for racists, the threatened majority and the insular to flaunt their wares.
Ironic that what they see as sign of decline instead gave them the opportunity to show how terribly far we have to travel.
It cuts both ways. Hone Harawira has infamously said he “wouldn’t feel comfortable” if one of his children came home with a Pākehā partner.
There are some other Māori who exhibit racist attitudes to Pākehā too, & frequently speak of Pākehā natives of several generations in this country as though THEY are guilty of the bad, even atrocious, behaviour of the early settler governments, colonial troops & militias.
But these racist haters on both sides are still very much the minority, I believe. There are mixed Māori/Pākehā couples in my extended family/whanau, like there are in many Pākehā & Māori families. It’s just never been an issue in ours. They’re all loved nephews, nieces, cuzzies – just whanau to us. (Although few of them identify as Māori, they mostly consider themselves Kiwis first, with Māori & Pākehā whakapapa.)
Some of our extended family got together over Xmas at my place. One of them mentioned that they’d seen the proposed Kiwiland history syllabus for schools. They thought it was too heavily weighted towards colonial history & the suppression of Māori, with no information on the pre-Treaty intertribal wars which would have featured in some iwi decisions to sign up to Te Tiriti.
Their concern was that it might generate unnecessary friction between Pākehā & Māori students if Pākehā students come to feel picked on for the “sins of their forefathers” when they feel & exhibit no such attitudes themselves. So I’ll be interested to see how things go with the NZ history syllabus.
@ Robert Hone saying “he wouldn’t be comfortable…” is not racist. He’ll readily admit to prejudice (quite rightly) but never to racism (quite rightly).
racist adjective
prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
‘we are investigating complaints about racist abuse’
noun
a person who is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
‘he has been targeted by vicious racists online’
synonyms: racial bigot, racialist, xenophobe, chauvinist, anti-Semite, (racially) discriminatory, prejudiced, bigoted, biased, intolerant, illiberal, anti-Semitic
“Typically” being the operative word, but it also means not always. Racial predjudice is racism. It’s not determined by whether the object of the racism is a member of a minority, or marginalised, or not.
The argument that because some Pākehā are racist against Māori this justifies some Māori being racist against Pākehā is a pathetic attempt to minimise or “whitewash / brownwash” racism as acceptable in the case of a member of a minority but not for a member of a majority.
It’s bullshit. Racism is racism & needs to be called out & condemned wherever it’s encountered. Otherwise it just becomes an endless circle of justifications: “If it’s ok for him/her/them to be racist, I/we can be too!”
Typically means “typically”, because in the majority of cases members of majorities are racially prejudiced against minorities, or the marginalised, like the Dalit, in India, as one example, but certainly doesn’t mean “always”.
Whites in South Africa were prejudiced against the majority – blacks & coloureds.
I can only assume you’re being obtuse or wilfully obdurate in a failed attempt to justify what some folk call reverse racism in this country.
But that’s bullshit, Guyton, imo.
Racism is the same thing as racial prejudice & it’s unacceptable to all fair-minded folk. No matter who is demonstrating it & whatever group it’s directed at.
Whites in South Africa were prejudiced against the majority – blacks & coloureds.
People of colour in SA are the marginalised group. Your definition included minority and marginalised.
If we don't differentiate between people being marginalised as a class because of race and those who are receiving personal bigotry, then we can't understand what racism is, how it manifests, and what to do about it.
THere are obvious differences between a Pāhekā man not wanting his daughter to date any Māori man because he believes that Māori generally are [insert racial prejudice], and a Māori man not wanting his daughter to date any Pākehā man because he wants to redress issues of colonisation (eg he believes that his grandkids will be better raised in te Ao Māori with a Māori dad, that te reo is more likely to survive, that his daughter is less likely to be exposed to racism if she is marries a Māori man etc).
Note I am not talking good/bad here, I am pointing out that there are important differences.
Note I am not talking good/bad here, I am pointing out that there are important differences.
So, presumably you’d agree that a Pākehā man not wanting his daughter to have a Māori partner because he believes that his grandkids will be better raised in the Pākehā world with a Pākehā dad, that English is more likely to be of use to them in NZ and overseas than Te reo is, & that his daughter is less likely to be exposed to racism if she marries a man of European ancestry?
In this day in this country there’s no reason why having a Pākehā partner means you can’t move in both Māori & Pākehā circles & in fact many mixed race couples do, with the Pākehā partner learning Māori & being welcome on nga marae as whanau.
If we don’t differentiate between people being marginalised as a class because of race and those who are receiving personal bigotry, then we can’t understand what racism is, how it manifests, and what to do about it.
Yeah we can. It’s not complicated. Don’t abuse, insult, discriminate against or marginalise people because of their race or ethnic extraction.
So, presumably you’d agree that a Pākehā man not wanting his daughter to have a Māori partner because he believes that his grandkids will be better raised in the Pākehā world with a Pākehā dad, that English is more likely to be of use to them in NZ and overseas than Te reo is, & that his daughter is less likely to be exposed to racism if she marries a man of European ancestry?
No. My point was the two situations are not symmetric, they're actually quite different.
The reason why a Māori man might want his grandkids raised in te Ao Māori, is because that is at risk. Kids get raised in te Ao Pākehā by default, because it's the dominant culture. This is the point of analysis of racism beyond personal prejudice.
The only reason I can see for not wanting one's grandkid raised bilingually (te reo Māori and English) would be racism. Please explain any other reason you can see. There's no suggestion that they only learn TRM. And again, this is why the situations aren't symmetrical. English is the default, everyone learns it. It takes effort to learn TRM and there are many barriers to doing so.
In this day in this country there’s no reason why having a Pākehā partner means you can’t move in both Māori & Pākehā circles & in fact many mixed race couples do, with the Pākehā partner learning Māori & being welcome on nga marae as whanau.
Ae, but the chances of the Pākehā partner being versed in te Ao Māori, or even accepting of it, are much less likely. I'm not making a case for not marrying Pākehā, I'm pointing out the situations are two sides of the same coin.
If we don’t differentiate between people being marginalised as a class because of race and those who are receiving personal bigotry, then we can’t understand what racism is, how it manifests, and what to do about it.
Yeah we can. It’s not complicated. Don’t abuse, insult, discriminate against or marginalise people because of their race or ethnic extraction.
Do you believe that there is a thing such as institutional racism? Or structural racism? Unconscious racism?
The only reason I can see for not wanting one’s grandkid raised bilingually (te reo Māori and English) would be racism. Please explain any other reason you can see.
Personally I think our kids should be learning Te Reo English as the lingua franca & a widely spoken international language AND Te Reo Māori as the native language of Kiwiland. Both languages have completely different roots & grammar/syntax. Good for both brain development & for understanding the cultures they come from.
But I accept that some Pākehā can’t see the point in learning Te Reo Māori as they’re not Māori, & they have the same attitude regarding their kids learning it too. I do think some of them are probably racist, although they may not see it themselves, and it really depends on what their attitude is towards Māori people generally.
Do you believe that there is a thing such as institutional racism? Yes. It’s often unconscious in institutions that see themselves as offering equal opportunity or services to all Kiwis, but which don’t cater for non-Pākehā cultural differences..
Or structural racism? Yes. We saw this in the vaccine rollout.
Unconscious racism? Yes. Some people are unaware their attitudes or statements are racist. Point it out & some people will change. Others won’t – although now they should be aware they’re being racist if it’s been explained clearly.
Yeah, it's yet another attempt by the Woke Cult to dramatically transform definitions & then vigorously police them.
These radical re-definitions are grounded in Critical Race Theory dogma, particularly its crude, deeply distorted Postmodern-derived view of power dynamics. Basically, a racial re-theorising of Foucault's arguments around Knowledge & Power.
Practical Upshot: anyone deemed by horrendously self-indulgent Upper-Middle Wokedom to be a member of a ‘Marginalised’ ID group is essentially given carte blanche … tough luck for their victims if they’re violent anti-socials ruthlessly exercising power, control & domination.
But, of course, that couldn’t possibly happen if they’re not white … I mean …
As I’ve said before, the Woke Cult is an Upper-Middle Vanity Project that consolidates power & privilege for itself while viciously scapegoating a whole swathe of low-to-low-middle income it deems ‘outgroups’. The Paternalistic Romanticisation & Infantilisation of PoC is weapon they deploy.
"Yeah we can. It’s not complicated. Don’t abuse, insult, discriminate against or marginalise people because of their race or ethnic extraction."
It is the definition of racism I understand (but as Swordfish says, the language has been redefined for spurious political purposes)….as you say its simple…folk are folk.
Racism is racism, no matter what colour of skin. To make this a valid argument is no different than any statement of such matter. But I am honestly not surprised. Many comments I heard over the last 30 years are in that vain and it is pakeha riding a trend of woke culture completely misreading whats happening at the gras roots. Wait until the economic crisis thats in the making pulls the rug…
Labour has been making incremental progress, dropping the number of casual public servants by 1% per year over the past four years.
Numbers provided by the Public Service Commission shows that in the 2017/18 year – contractors and consultants made up 13.4 per cent of the Government's workforce. That number was 12.8 per cent in 2018/19, 11.3 per cent in 19/20 and 10.3 per cent in the last financial year.
In 2017/18, some $900 million was spent; $923m the year after and $968m in 2019/20. But, according to a spokesman for the Public Service Commission, the Commission "never said the actual dollars spent [on consultants] would be reduced. It's about getting the right balance of the Public Service workforce, finding the balance between the number of full-time employees and contractors and consultants. We are doing this."
So Labour likes National's casualisation policy. Nat spokesperson reckons the policy is too expensive.
Hipkins, however, said National and Act's position "is a bit confused. When they were in Government they put an arbitrary cap on the number of people the Public Sector could employ and that resulted in an explosion in the number of people who were being engaged as consultants – which ultimately cost the public service more."
Don't worry, the government spent instead 1 Billion dollars on consultants and contractors. Maybe there is a money tree after all…..called the tax payer.
How come one has to turn to the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/dec/27/turn-the-planes-around-maori-leader-says-new-zealand-should-block-australian-deportations) to read something that should be all over the NZ Media. Matthew Tukaki, Chair of National Māori Authority posits an elegant solution to the arrogant dumping of 501's in NZ . He says the Government should adopt the Howard approach used when he turned back the Tampa, by doing the same to aircraft bringing the 501's here. That sure beats the present approach of – 'Oh well, there's nothing we can do." Irrespective of all else, the 501's learned their trade in Australia so it is appropriate they ply their trade there – not here!
See especially The Herald coverage of Matthew Tukaki’s outburst.
NZ legally can’t refuse to allow NZ citizens to be deported here. Tukaki most probably already knows that. He’s a real grandstander, that dude. Seems to just like being in the news.
What NZ can "legally" do is whatever Parliament says it can. If the govt wanted, refusing landing rights for any aircraft carrying a 501 deportee could be made legal in a matter of days.
Potential constitutional issue of refusing to grant NZ citizens entry to NZ would also be pretty easily dealt with, given that the citizens in question don't actually want to enter NZ.
If the govt wanted, refusing landing rights for any aircraft carrying a 501 deportee could be made legal in a matter of days.
I had typed out a comment in a very similar vein – and then deleted it as 'too radical'.
Still the idea appeals. If a 501 commits any crime, round them up into detention camps, put batches of them onto boats. Send them back across the Tasman with a note telling the Australian govt that it has way more experience with convict ships than we do. /sarc
Oz has the right to deport them, they’re not Oz citizens. If NZ says we’re not taking them, we’re passing legislation depriving them of citizenship (or some device that amounts to declaring them some lesser form of citizen) they’d be stateless & our govt would be given pariah status internationally because they’re NZ citizens.
Quite a few of the 501s are Māori. Can you imagine such legislation getting past the Maori Caucus? Or Te Pāti Māori? If so, you’re dreaming. No matter what they’ve done, to Māori, they’re whanau, they’ve got whakakpapa. They’d never turn them away.
Very nearly my point – which was, if they wanted to do it, the legality of doing it wouldn't be an issue.
Yes, Oz has the 'right' (in the strictly legal sense of the term) to deport people who grew up in Australia, have no memory of living in another country and no friends/family they know in the country they're being deported to. We could, if we chose, give ourselves the likewise-strictly-in-the-legal-sense-of-the-term 'right' to reject the dumping of these Australians (in all senses that matter) on our shores. The reasons we might choose or not choose to do that are entirely political, as you're aware.
They can make National Law, not International Law….so it would also mean removing ourselves as a signatory to the UN Declaration of Human Rights (at least).
It would also impact our reputation as an honest broker.
We have no obligation to act as an honest broker when dealing with the bargain-basement fascists and religious fundamentalists sending these Australian criminals to NZ. We should act with integrity because it's the right thing to do, but scum like Dutton can have no expectation that it's owed to them.
The best answer to the 501 issue is to take away the opportunity for criminal relapse when they arrive in NZ by decriminalisation of all drugs and legalisation of Marijuana, MDMA and Cocaine. Focus on the supply of meth entirely, with no noise or new people coming into its orbit as they move to less harmful drugs purchased from the government.
I find the guy a smug p%&#k. The way he patronised and belittled Don Brash during one debate was pitiful. He knew Don would be an easy target given Don doesn't seem to have a nasty bone in his body. Still, I'm sure Dons hardened to such tactics.
I understand the superficial appeal of the idea – but NZ needs to fess up – these are the offspring of kiwi economic refugees fleeing the carnage of Rogergnomics.
They'd never have gone to Oz were the governments of their parents' day not thoroughly irresponsible. Yes, Australia should do better – but don't pretend Roger Douglas's bloody-handed apparatchiks are not to blame for this along with practically every other failure of governance that afflicts our long suffering nation.
This country might look quite different if the Australian bolt hole had not been there. Its existence has given a free pass to our morally regressive elites to f**k up royally without consequences.
The divergence between the two economies dates back to the era of Gough Whitlam who predates Rogernomics by about a decade. The flow of economic migrants to Australia was relatively balanced until around 1967 in the direct aftermath of CER.
There is a history of people movement across the Tasman Sea since the establishment of Sydney in 1788. Historically the flow has been both ways, and is more a form of shifting than overseas migration. Until the 1960s more people moved from Australia to New Zealand than vice versa. This trend changed from 1967. Since then significantly more people have moved from New Zealand to Australia than have migrated from Australia to New Zealand. From the late 1960s the traditional pattern became a cycle of peak net outflows to Australia towards the end of every decade, in 1969, 1979, 1989, 2000, and 2009, with a further peak in 2012 contributed by the Christchurch earthquakes.
So just blaming Rogernomics cannot be the whole story.
Of course not – single cause things aren't particularly common in the real world. But it was and remains a large contributor to the rapidly growing inequality and homelessness in New Zealand, and little or nothing is being done to address it as a root cause.
The wretched neoliberals that have larded dysfunction into every part of our state have more job security than the people they are ostensibly to serve. Small wonder that working families chose to emigrate, even when circumstances were not ideal.
I completely disagree, utterly and completely. These are only excuses to make murders, drugdealing and crimes forgivable. They are not, in any country. Hence Australia is deporting…yes you guessed it, criminals. It is the NZ government prerogative to set a standard and treat these returnees as such. Police is slowly being out numbered and even military would not boost the numbers enough. Don't get me wrong but this makes NZ completely unattravtive to investments and only smears its reputation. Be it in terms of law and order or corruption.
When a society is not being systemically looted by kleptocrats, it is more likely to function in such a way as to make working for a living a viable alternative to criminality. After Rogergnomics NZ stopped working for our lower quartile altogether. Now it barely works for the lower two quartiles. Property speculation is presently protected above housing security and community. In such circumstances, regard for the rule of law does poorer citizens no good at all.
Stuart please read up on the fourth National Government. Many ills were made worse by the bail out of BNZ, and the following changes to state house rents, surtax on pensions, loosening the housing regs leading to leaky homes. It made the deregulation by Douglas much worse.
Interesting to hear Tukaki's comment was in the Herald – refuse to read it.
Yes, there is loads of reporting on the activities of the 501's how does that relate to the issue?
Australia couldn't legally turn refugees back either – so what? Of course, it is a deathcult imperative for 'civilized' countries like the UK now. Better still, we could follow their foriegn affairs tactic and render 501's stateless.
Tukaki a grandstander? Interesting put down which one wouldn't expect from you Gezza.
. "Better still, we could follow their foriegn affairs tactic and render 501's stateless."
That action that is decried condemned from here then?…..hell, lets be done with it and revert to survival of the fittest…no need for agreements, cooperation or trust.
Yes, there is loads of reporting on the activities of the 501’s how does that relate to the issue?
The issue IS the 501s, aom. The suggestion that NZ turn back aircraft bringing them is not in the same legal category as turning back & refusing entry to Tampa refugees. That may have breached international conventions that Australia (& NZ) have signed up to, but granting entry to New Zealand citizens is enshrined in NZ law.
Domestic law legally trumps international conventions – unless they are now enshrined in domestic law.
New Zealand citizens are entitled to enter Kiwiland at any time. Refusing entry to NZ citizens is illegal & Customs, Defence & Immigration personnel cannot act illegally. Our legislation would have to be amended to permit what Tukaki suggests, & no such amendment would ever pass in the House, imo.
Clearly, entry to NZ is dependent on MIQ availability & so "refusing entry to NZ citizens is [not] illegal".
Put the 501s at the bottom of the MIQ queue & tell Canberra they'll be accepted when circumstances allow.
Also, for whatever subset of 501s hold dual citizenship & weren't born in NZ, revoke their NZ citizenship & force Canberra to send them somewhere else.
The Aussie government won’t let NZ blackmail them. They don’t give a shit what the Kiwi govt thinks or says it will do. They’ll just put the 501s on the plane & send em anyway.
This RNZ explainer examines the issue & ramifications of depriving someone of NZ citizenship in some detail:
the Gibraltar Stock Exchange (GSX) is quietly preparing for a corporate takeover that could have global consequences … regulators are reviewing a proposal that would prompt blockchain firm Valereum to buy the exchange in the new year – meaning the British overseas territory could soon host the world’s first integrated bourse, where conventional bonds can be traded alongside major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and dogecoin. It is a bold move for a territory of just 33,000 people, where the financial sector – which accounts for roughly a third of Gibraltar’s £2.4bn economy – is overseen by a regulator staffed by 82 employees. If all goes to plan, the enclave could become a global cryptocurrency hub
The idea seems to be that capitalism can evolve & progress on a sound basis provided one builds the system properly. Pretty much the opposite to wild west Americanism.
It comes as Gibraltar struggles to shake off a reputation as a global tax haven, with the government having sued a Spanish newspaper in an attempt to restore its global standing. Albert Isola, Gibraltar’s minister for digital, financial services and public utilities, says that while Gibraltar was a tax haven 20 years ago, the territory has now overhauled its tax and information sharing policies. The introduction of crypto regulation is having a similar effect: rooting out bad actors and providing assurance to investors, he says.
“If you wanted to do naughty things in crypto, you wouldn’t be in Gibraltar, because the firms are licensed and regulated, and they aren’t anywhere else in the world,” Isola says. Gibraltar’s regulator has so far approved 14 cryptocurrency and blockchain firms for its licensing scheme
Capitalists not being naughty? Radical thinking on the rock. Wonder if it will catch on. Although it's British
Some folks here have rejected our foreign policy of triangulating China & the USA. When push comes to shove, they seem to believe it's inevitable we'll get squeezed onto the west side of the divide. However Pakistan is also triangulating China & the USA. I suspect sceptics, if they take a closer look at the foreign policy of other affected nations such as Japan, Phillipines, Vietnam, will be able to discern a common pattern.
Pakistan is the fifth most populated country in the world and has the second-largest Muslim population after Indonesia. It has lived mostly under long military dictatorships since its independence in 1947 but transitioned to democracy for the third time in 2008. Since then it has had three successful democratic transfers of power through elections, with a robust multiple political party system and vibrant civil society.
Since 2018, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), under cricket star turned politician Imran Khan, has been the ruling party… All other political parties in opposition allege the military rigged the 2018 election and made a coup-less coup to carry PTI to power.
Here's the geopolitical strategy Imran inherited from the previous govt:
The proposal for an economic corridor between China and Pakistan, known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), officially launched in 2015. It is a flagship project under BRI (China’s global infrastructure development project), and is seen as the economic peg in the broader longstanding strategic relationship between Pakistan and China. CPEC is a constellation of infrastructure projects aiming to build and upgrade roads, highways, rail, and pipeline infrastructure while connecting China with the Chinese-invested Pakistani port of Gwadar.
US disengagement and a shift to an Indo-Pacific strategy has given a new impetus to authoritarianism in Pakistan. However, the military and political elite in Pakistan wish to keep a relationship with the US intact while allowing China’s infrastructure investment in Pakistan, as the military has been the primary beneficiary of billions of US dollars of aid weaponry, and training. The personal future of many officials in Pakistan is tied with the West, especially the US.
Seems clear both govt & military are dead keen to stay in the middle & play both sides against each other. If they continue to be able to do so, they'll be a role model for other triangulators to copy. Anyone who criticises our govt for an independent foreign policy will look like a fool…
I’m especially intrigued by this: “I have a feeling that something pretty outrageous may have occurred in the bilateral relationship and NZ has now sought to tighten its ties to Western trade and security networks”
re Paul Buchanan's "incremental shift" expose. Phew two ladies in control of little ol NZ the PM and the Minister of Foreign Affairs gently tugging on the "balls" of China – who would have thunk it. One for the ladies.
That was an interesting read. I’ve been puzzled by our apparent hardening diplomatic stance towards the PRC, especially given the economic risks with so many of our trade eggs in the Chinese basket. It will be intriguing to see what if anything occurs in the coming year that might prove Buchanan right.
I’ve been puzzled by our apparent hardening diplomatic stance towards the PRC
I've been reassured by it. It's ever so easy for me to default to the old `Labour are eternally clueless' judgment. When I see such evidence to the contrary, I can play with the notion that they aren't all morons after all.
Others see it as getting onside with the yanks. Understandable, but I advise paying attention to nuances. Better to see Five Eyes as a prudent defensive strategy than robotic conformism, for instance.
Thing is, Xi may be a benign dictator. The concentration camps may indeed just make inmates focus on Xi thought instead of islamic belief.
Brainwashing for the good of mental cleansing has been used on western consumers throughout our lives. Freedom of choice as a right of citizens is the difference between our situation & theirs.
Xi's credibility with westerners will be determined more by his Hong Kong policy than anything else currently. He has broken China's contract with the UK – the terms of the lease-ending agreement, which allowed HK to retain democratic rights & processes. Any contract-breaker proves they cannot be trusted. Prior Chinese regime leaders didn't make that stupid mistake!
It is entirely possible that our foreign minister has been advised accordingly. It wouldn't be the first time our govt officials had done their job properly, one suspects. Give them the benefit of the doubt on that basis. If you do, you need no longer be puzzled – you will see good reason for our "hardening diplomatic stance towards the PRC".
Xi seems intelligent, so you may wonder why he signalled this betrayal so blatantly. I reckon the signal was unintentional. My guess is that he does not realise he has discredited his geopolitical reputation yet. Belt & Road still seems a viable strategy – not just to him, but to most observers. Imran probably feels that islamic solidarity with the Uighyurs must be set aside in his mind to secure the economic benefits for Pakistan. Supping with the devil, he needs that long spoon.
Let's assume you're being illogical to make a good point, eh? To make that point you would need to cite similar instances of geopolitical behaviour by the USA. Let's assume you didn't do that because you assume readers of this blog can read your mind, so no need.
A false assumption, I expect. However, if readers write in to testify that they can actually read your mind, I'll be impressed.
Do you really think China is interested in invading western countries?
So what gave you that loopy idea?? When has China ever done that before?
' Better to see Five Eyes as a prudent defensive strategy than robotic conformism, for instance.'-is that sugar coating it!
'Xi's credibility with westerners will be determined more by his Hong Kong policy than anything else currently. '-your opinion.
Currently the Chinese property crashes and Xi's reaction are causing more concern imo.
' Imran probably feels that islamic solidarity with the Uighyurs must be set aside in his mind to secure the economic benefits for Pakistan. Supping with the devil, he needs that long spoon.'
Considering the U.S treatment of Native Americans and their actions in Sth and Central America just to name a couple ,how could their international reputation ever become as sullied as 'the Great Satan'.
It may well be that you are unaware of the crimes and misdemeanours of the 'yanks' since WW2 and couldn't care less,but the irony of trying to demonise China is just U.S foreign policy …as usual.
Hell, China has a 99 year lease on Darwin Port,they may as well just continue buying up Australia and NZ.
p.s the only mind reader here appears to be…you-'Imram probably feels'
You provide a link to a list that hides behind a paywall and expect me to take you seriously? All that achieves is an impression that there is likely to be substance to your claim. Which I knew about decades ago anyway.
I marched against the yanks in '71, the Vietnam War mobe, with all the leftists. I'm not expecting you to tell me anything new – just provide suitable evidence that the US has broken similar geopolitical contracts to destroy it's own credibility. Citation of actual incidences.
And lets not forget those 165 000 nuklear warheads Palistan has and India just inbetween not belonging to the muslim world, having China on the border of Tibet……
Pakistan is believed to have a stockpile of approximately 160 warheads, making it the 6th largest nuclear arsenal. Pakistan is actively developing nuclear weapons, and experts project that it may have the 5th largest arsenal by 2025 with 220-250 warheads.
Still your point is a good one – the whole China/Russian/Tibet/India/Pakistan/Iran/Afghanistan geopolitical nexus is complex and potentially disastrous beyond all belief. I've no idea how it's going to play out.
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Oliver Hartwich writes – Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveReporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos Chris Trotter writes – TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
Open access notablesA Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future:Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
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Young Maori woman breaks through prime-time barrier…
Having a govt with a foreign minister who fronts internationally with a moko no doubt helped management to make this move promoting her.
Having a govt with a foreign minister who fronts internationally with a moko no doubt helped management to make this move promoting her.
I don’t think that would be a relevant factor in their decision. They poached her off TV1, where she’d been a regular midday news presenter since November 2019.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/117787888/oriini-kaipara-one-of-the-first-with-moko-kauae-to-read-major-news-bulletin
It’s quite noticeable now how all the major Kiwiland free to air tv channels are showing increasingly bicultural & multicultural ads as well. There are several regular ads that feature mixed Pākehā & Māori or Pākehā & Pasifika couples.
I saw an online discussion earlier in the year about bicultural & multicultural ads. It was a chance for racists, the threatened majority and the insular to flaunt their wares.
Ironic that what they see as sign of decline instead gave them the opportunity to show how terribly far we have to travel.
It cuts both ways. Hone Harawira has infamously said he “wouldn’t feel comfortable” if one of his children came home with a Pākehā partner.
There are some other Māori who exhibit racist attitudes to Pākehā too, & frequently speak of Pākehā natives of several generations in this country as though THEY are guilty of the bad, even atrocious, behaviour of the early settler governments, colonial troops & militias.
But these racist haters on both sides are still very much the minority, I believe. There are mixed Māori/Pākehā couples in my extended family/whanau, like there are in many Pākehā & Māori families. It’s just never been an issue in ours. They’re all loved nephews, nieces, cuzzies – just whanau to us. (Although few of them identify as Māori, they mostly consider themselves Kiwis first, with Māori & Pākehā whakapapa.)
Some of our extended family got together over Xmas at my place. One of them mentioned that they’d seen the proposed Kiwiland history syllabus for schools. They thought it was too heavily weighted towards colonial history & the suppression of Māori, with no information on the pre-Treaty intertribal wars which would have featured in some iwi decisions to sign up to Te Tiriti.
Their concern was that it might generate unnecessary friction between Pākehā & Māori students if Pākehā students come to feel picked on for the “sins of their forefathers” when they feel & exhibit no such attitudes themselves. So I’ll be interested to see how things go with the NZ history syllabus.
Hone saying "he wouldn't be comfortable…" is not racist.
He'll readily admit to prejudice (quite rightly) but never to racism (quite rightly).
Wonderful quote….I mean who ever heard of any European parents who shared the very same sentiments regarding their own …offspring.
what would be some reasons for a Pākehā father to not want his daughter to date a Māori man?
prejudice.
what do you mean?
I don't have the…data.
so you think there's something wrong with a parent not wanting their child to date a person of another ethnicity but you don't know why.
Ask Freud.
To go back a little, what would be some reasons for anyone to not want to see brown-faced people in NZ tv advertising?
Racism.
@ Robert
Hone saying “he wouldn’t be comfortable…” is not racist. He’ll readily admit to prejudice (quite rightly) but never to racism (quite rightly).
racist
adjective
prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
‘we are investigating complaints about racist abuse’
noun
a person who is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
‘he has been targeted by vicious racists online’
synonyms: racial bigot, racialist, xenophobe, chauvinist, anti-Semite, (racially) discriminatory, prejudiced, bigoted, biased, intolerant, illiberal, anti-Semitic
"typically one that is a minority or marginalized."
Try living and working in any country where you are a minority.
Member of a minority… race?
My point is that you're viewing 'racism' through just one local lens that's familiar to you.
Globally it's a much more complex thing, and doesn’t conform to the tired stereotypes being used here.
“Typically” being the operative word, but it also means not always. Racial predjudice is racism. It’s not determined by whether the object of the racism is a member of a minority, or marginalised, or not.
The argument that because some Pākehā are racist against Māori this justifies some Māori being racist against Pākehā is a pathetic attempt to minimise or “whitewash / brownwash” racism as acceptable in the case of a member of a minority but not for a member of a majority.
It’s bullshit. Racism is racism & needs to be called out & condemned wherever it’s encountered. Otherwise it just becomes an endless circle of justifications: “If it’s ok for him/her/them to be racist, I/we can be too!”
No. Typically means typically, so the definition of racism and prejudice is not the same. The exception does not extinguish the difference.
Hone admits to prejudice (shouldn't we all?) but denies racism.
"minority or marginalised" – are you somehow hoping to pitch us pakeha as such?
Hone's right.
Hone’s racist. Some days. Other days he’s not.
Typically means “typically”, because in the majority of cases members of majorities are racially prejudiced against minorities, or the marginalised, like the Dalit, in India, as one example, but certainly doesn’t mean “always”.
Whites in South Africa were prejudiced against the majority – blacks & coloureds.
I can only assume you’re being obtuse or wilfully obdurate in a failed attempt to justify what some folk call reverse racism in this country.
But that’s bullshit, Guyton, imo.
Racism is the same thing as racial prejudice & it’s unacceptable to all fair-minded folk. No matter who is demonstrating it & whatever group it’s directed at.
People of colour in SA are the marginalised group. Your definition included minority and marginalised.
If we don't differentiate between people being marginalised as a class because of race and those who are receiving personal bigotry, then we can't understand what racism is, how it manifests, and what to do about it.
THere are obvious differences between a Pāhekā man not wanting his daughter to date any Māori man because he believes that Māori generally are [insert racial prejudice], and a Māori man not wanting his daughter to date any Pākehā man because he wants to redress issues of colonisation (eg he believes that his grandkids will be better raised in te Ao Māori with a Māori dad, that te reo is more likely to survive, that his daughter is less likely to be exposed to racism if she is marries a Māori man etc).
Note I am not talking good/bad here, I am pointing out that there are important differences.
@ weka
Note I am not talking good/bad here, I am pointing out that there are important differences.
So, presumably you’d agree that a Pākehā man not wanting his daughter to have a Māori partner because he believes that his grandkids will be better raised in the Pākehā world with a Pākehā dad, that English is more likely to be of use to them in NZ and overseas than Te reo is, & that his daughter is less likely to be exposed to racism if she marries a man of European ancestry?
In this day in this country there’s no reason why having a Pākehā partner means you can’t move in both Māori & Pākehā circles & in fact many mixed race couples do, with the Pākehā partner learning Māori & being welcome on nga marae as whanau.
If we don’t differentiate between people being marginalised as a class because of race and those who are receiving personal bigotry, then we can’t understand what racism is, how it manifests, and what to do about it.
Yeah we can. It’s not complicated. Don’t abuse, insult, discriminate against or marginalise people because of their race or ethnic extraction.
No. My point was the two situations are not symmetric, they're actually quite different.
The reason why a Māori man might want his grandkids raised in te Ao Māori, is because that is at risk. Kids get raised in te Ao Pākehā by default, because it's the dominant culture. This is the point of analysis of racism beyond personal prejudice.
The only reason I can see for not wanting one's grandkid raised bilingually (te reo Māori and English) would be racism. Please explain any other reason you can see. There's no suggestion that they only learn TRM. And again, this is why the situations aren't symmetrical. English is the default, everyone learns it. It takes effort to learn TRM and there are many barriers to doing so.
Ae, but the chances of the Pākehā partner being versed in te Ao Māori, or even accepting of it, are much less likely. I'm not making a case for not marrying Pākehā, I'm pointing out the situations are two sides of the same coin.
Do you believe that there is a thing such as institutional racism? Or structural racism? Unconscious racism?
@ weka
The only reason I can see for not wanting one’s grandkid raised bilingually (te reo Māori and English) would be racism. Please explain any other reason you can see.
Personally I think our kids should be learning Te Reo English as the lingua franca & a widely spoken international language AND Te Reo Māori as the native language of Kiwiland. Both languages have completely different roots & grammar/syntax. Good for both brain development & for understanding the cultures they come from.
But I accept that some Pākehā can’t see the point in learning Te Reo Māori as they’re not Māori, & they have the same attitude regarding their kids learning it too. I do think some of them are probably racist, although they may not see it themselves, and it really depends on what their attitude is towards Māori people generally.
Do you believe that there is a thing such as institutional racism? Yes. It’s often unconscious in institutions that see themselves as offering equal opportunity or services to all Kiwis, but which don’t cater for non-Pākehā cultural differences..
Or structural racism? Yes. We saw this in the vaccine rollout.
Unconscious racism? Yes. Some people are unaware their attitudes or statements are racist. Point it out & some people will change. Others won’t – although now they should be aware they’re being racist if it’s been explained clearly.
Prejudice is not confined to….racism.
.
Gezza
Yeah, it's yet another attempt by the Woke Cult to dramatically transform definitions & then vigorously police them.
These radical re-definitions are grounded in Critical Race Theory dogma, particularly its crude, deeply distorted Postmodern-derived view of power dynamics. Basically, a racial re-theorising of Foucault's arguments around Knowledge & Power.
Practical Upshot: anyone deemed by horrendously self-indulgent Upper-Middle Wokedom to be a member of a ‘Marginalised’ ID group is essentially given carte blanche … tough luck for their victims if they’re violent anti-socials ruthlessly exercising power, control & domination.
But, of course, that couldn’t possibly happen if they’re not white … I mean …
As I’ve said before, the Woke Cult is an Upper-Middle Vanity Project that consolidates power & privilege for itself while viciously scapegoating a whole swathe of low-to-low-middle income it deems ‘outgroups’. The Paternalistic Romanticisation & Infantilisation of PoC is weapon they deploy.
madness… and grim reality
https://twitter.com/fundypost/status/1475769664768655360?s=21
"Yeah we can. It’s not complicated. Don’t abuse, insult, discriminate against or marginalise people because of their race or ethnic extraction."
It is the definition of racism I understand (but as Swordfish says, the language has been redefined for spurious political purposes)….as you say its simple…folk are folk.
Absurd positions do not serve anyone well.
Do you think people can be unconsciously racist?
I'm fairly confident some could be…whats your point?
Racism is racism, no matter what colour of skin. To make this a valid argument is no different than any statement of such matter. But I am honestly not surprised. Many comments I heard over the last 30 years are in that vain and it is pakeha riding a trend of woke culture completely misreading whats happening at the gras roots. Wait until the economic crisis thats in the making pulls the rug…
Because a wahine Māori would never merit promotion on her skills alone. Eh, Dennis. /
Labour has been making incremental progress, dropping the number of casual public servants by 1% per year over the past four years.
So Labour likes National's casualisation policy. Nat spokesperson reckons the policy is too expensive.
Don't worry, the government spent instead 1 Billion dollars on consultants and contractors. Maybe there is a money tree after all…..called the tax payer.
So you don't think experts should be used on our behalf? Who then should be consulted? Oh and who could we get for free?
How come one has to turn to the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/dec/27/turn-the-planes-around-maori-leader-says-new-zealand-should-block-australian-deportations) to read something that should be all over the NZ Media. Matthew Tukaki, Chair of National Māori Authority posits an elegant solution to the arrogant dumping of 501's in NZ . He says the Government should adopt the Howard approach used when he turned back the Tampa, by doing the same to aircraft bringing the 501's here. That sure beats the present approach of – 'Oh well, there's nothing we can do." Irrespective of all else, the 501's learned their trade in Australia so it is appropriate they ply their trade there – not here!
Im not sure we can refuse access to NZ citizens deported from abroad no matter the justification…..signatory to international agreements.
The problems with some 501s being behind the increasing use of guns & violence by NZ gangs IS being reported in NZ media as well:
.https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27-12-2021/#comment-1846739
See especially The Herald coverage of Matthew Tukaki’s outburst.
NZ legally can’t refuse to allow NZ citizens to be deported here. Tukaki most probably already knows that. He’s a real grandstander, that dude. Seems to just like being in the news.
About that increasing use of guns & violence by NZ gangs…
https://twitter.com/VinLew/status/1474969666002960386
https://twitter.com/elliotjweir/status/1475420613099491328
'The problems with some 501s being behind the increasing use of guns & violence by NZ gangs IS being reported in NZ media as well:'
Small wonder sending them back is so,so popular in Australia.
What NZ can "legally" do is whatever Parliament says it can. If the govt wanted, refusing landing rights for any aircraft carrying a 501 deportee could be made legal in a matter of days.
Potential constitutional issue of refusing to grant NZ citizens entry to NZ would also be pretty easily dealt with, given that the citizens in question don't actually want to enter NZ.
If the govt wanted, refusing landing rights for any aircraft carrying a 501 deportee could be made legal in a matter of days.
I had typed out a comment in a very similar vein – and then deleted it as 'too radical'.
Still the idea appeals. If a 501 commits any crime, round them up into detention camps, put batches of them onto boats. Send them back across the Tasman with a note telling the Australian govt that it has way more experience with convict ships than we do. /sarc
FFS. If they wanted to do it they’d have done it.
Oz has the right to deport them, they’re not Oz citizens. If NZ says we’re not taking them, we’re passing legislation depriving them of citizenship (or some device that amounts to declaring them some lesser form of citizen) they’d be stateless & our govt would be given pariah status internationally because they’re NZ citizens.
Quite a few of the 501s are Māori. Can you imagine such legislation getting past the Maori Caucus? Or Te Pāti Māori? If so, you’re dreaming. No matter what they’ve done, to Māori, they’re whanau, they’ve got whakakpapa. They’d never turn them away.
Very nearly my point – which was, if they wanted to do it, the legality of doing it wouldn't be an issue.
Yes, Oz has the 'right' (in the strictly legal sense of the term) to deport people who grew up in Australia, have no memory of living in another country and no friends/family they know in the country they're being deported to. We could, if we chose, give ourselves the likewise-strictly-in-the-legal-sense-of-the-term 'right' to reject the dumping of these Australians (in all senses that matter) on our shores. The reasons we might choose or not choose to do that are entirely political, as you're aware.
They can make National Law, not International Law….so it would also mean removing ourselves as a signatory to the UN Declaration of Human Rights (at least).
It would also impact our reputation as an honest broker.
We have no obligation to act as an honest broker when dealing with the bargain-basement fascists and religious fundamentalists sending these Australian criminals to NZ. We should act with integrity because it's the right thing to do, but scum like Dutton can have no expectation that it's owed to them.
We have the obligation to honour the convention we signed….how the Australians, or Dutton act have no bearing on that.
I fully expect however you will get your wish to have the UN Charter either changed (or ignored) by all and sundry in the not too distant future.
The best answer to the 501 issue is to take away the opportunity for criminal relapse when they arrive in NZ by decriminalisation of all drugs and legalisation of Marijuana, MDMA and Cocaine. Focus on the supply of meth entirely, with no noise or new people coming into its orbit as they move to less harmful drugs purchased from the government.
I find the guy a smug p%&#k. The way he patronised and belittled Don Brash during one debate was pitiful. He knew Don would be an easy target given Don doesn't seem to have a nasty bone in his body. Still, I'm sure Dons hardened to such tactics.
I understand the superficial appeal of the idea – but NZ needs to fess up – these are the offspring of kiwi economic refugees fleeing the carnage of Rogergnomics.
They'd never have gone to Oz were the governments of their parents' day not thoroughly irresponsible. Yes, Australia should do better – but don't pretend Roger Douglas's bloody-handed apparatchiks are not to blame for this along with practically every other failure of governance that afflicts our long suffering nation.
This country might look quite different if the Australian bolt hole had not been there. Its existence has given a free pass to our morally regressive elites to f**k up royally without consequences.
The divergence between the two economies dates back to the era of Gough Whitlam who predates Rogernomics by about a decade. The flow of economic migrants to Australia was relatively balanced until around 1967 in the direct aftermath of CER.
So just blaming Rogernomics cannot be the whole story.
Of course not – single cause things aren't particularly common in the real world. But it was and remains a large contributor to the rapidly growing inequality and homelessness in New Zealand, and little or nothing is being done to address it as a root cause.
The wretched neoliberals that have larded dysfunction into every part of our state have more job security than the people they are ostensibly to serve. Small wonder that working families chose to emigrate, even when circumstances were not ideal.
I completely disagree, utterly and completely. These are only excuses to make murders, drugdealing and crimes forgivable. They are not, in any country. Hence Australia is deporting…yes you guessed it, criminals. It is the NZ government prerogative to set a standard and treat these returnees as such. Police is slowly being out numbered and even military would not boost the numbers enough. Don't get me wrong but this makes NZ completely unattravtive to investments and only smears its reputation. Be it in terms of law and order or corruption.
When a society is not being systemically looted by kleptocrats, it is more likely to function in such a way as to make working for a living a viable alternative to criminality. After Rogergnomics NZ stopped working for our lower quartile altogether. Now it barely works for the lower two quartiles. Property speculation is presently protected above housing security and community. In such circumstances, regard for the rule of law does poorer citizens no good at all.
"In such circumstances, regard for the rule of law does poorer citizens no good at all."
I understand the sentiment but I also doubt your conviction with that statement.
Stuart please read up on the fourth National Government. Many ills were made worse by the bail out of BNZ, and the following changes to state house rents, surtax on pensions, loosening the housing regs leading to leaky homes. It made the deregulation by Douglas much worse.
Interesting to hear Tukaki's comment was in the Herald – refuse to read it.
Yes, there is loads of reporting on the activities of the 501's how does that relate to the issue?
Australia couldn't legally turn refugees back either – so what? Of course, it is a deathcult imperative for 'civilized' countries like the UK now. Better still, we could follow their foriegn affairs tactic and render 501's stateless.
Tukaki a grandstander? Interesting put down which one wouldn't expect from you Gezza.
. "Better still, we could follow their foriegn affairs tactic and render 501's stateless."
That action that is decried condemned from here then?…..hell, lets be done with it and revert to survival of the fittest…no need for agreements, cooperation or trust.
Yes, there is loads of reporting on the activities of the 501’s how does that relate to the issue?
The issue IS the 501s, aom. The suggestion that NZ turn back aircraft bringing them is not in the same legal category as turning back & refusing entry to Tampa refugees. That may have breached international conventions that Australia (& NZ) have signed up to, but granting entry to New Zealand citizens is enshrined in NZ law.
Domestic law legally trumps international conventions – unless they are now enshrined in domestic law.
New Zealand citizens are entitled to enter Kiwiland at any time. Refusing entry to NZ citizens is illegal & Customs, Defence & Immigration personnel cannot act illegally. Our legislation would have to be amended to permit what Tukaki suggests, & no such amendment would ever pass in the House, imo.
Clearly, entry to NZ is dependent on MIQ availability & so "refusing entry to NZ citizens is [not] illegal".
Put the 501s at the bottom of the MIQ queue & tell Canberra they'll be accepted when circumstances allow.
Also, for whatever subset of 501s hold dual citizenship & weren't born in NZ, revoke their NZ citizenship & force Canberra to send them somewhere else.
The Aussie government won’t let NZ blackmail them. They don’t give a shit what the Kiwi govt thinks or says it will do. They’ll just put the 501s on the plane & send em anyway.
This RNZ explainer examines the issue & ramifications of depriving someone of NZ citizenship in some detail:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/what-you-need-to-know/448129/losing-citizenship-what-you-need-to-know
So
The idea seems to be that capitalism can evolve & progress on a sound basis provided one builds the system properly. Pretty much the opposite to wild west Americanism.
Capitalists not being naughty? Radical thinking on the rock. Wonder if it will catch on. Although it's British
Look at the equity….!what a magic show.
OCC Report Shows JPMorgan Chase Owns 62 Percent of all Stock Derivatives Held at 4,914 Banks in the U.S.
Some folks here have rejected our foreign policy of triangulating China & the USA. When push comes to shove, they seem to believe it's inevitable we'll get squeezed onto the west side of the divide. However Pakistan is also triangulating China & the USA. I suspect sceptics, if they take a closer look at the foreign policy of other affected nations such as Japan, Phillipines, Vietnam, will be able to discern a common pattern.
Here's the geopolitical strategy Imran inherited from the previous govt:
Seems clear both govt & military are dead keen to stay in the middle & play both sides against each other. If they continue to be able to do so, they'll be a role model for other triangulators to copy. Anyone who criticises our govt for an independent foreign policy will look like a fool…
'. Anyone who criticises our govt for an independent foreign policy will look like a fool…'
I don't think that will be much of a …deterent.
Interesting primer on Covid-19 tests.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/covid-19-test-what-to-take_l_6127927ae4b06e5d80ca7136
Paul Buchanan being nuanced again regarding our diplomatic relationship with China.
http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2021/12/the-incremental-shift/
I’m especially intrigued by this: “I have a feeling that something pretty outrageous may have occurred in the bilateral relationship and NZ has now sought to tighten its ties to Western trade and security networks”
re Paul Buchanan's "incremental shift" expose. Phew two ladies in control of little ol NZ the PM and the Minister of Foreign Affairs gently tugging on the "balls" of China – who would have thunk it. One for the ladies.
NZ would have been given 'the hard word' by 5 eyes partners,you can be sure.
That was an interesting read. I’ve been puzzled by our apparent hardening diplomatic stance towards the PRC, especially given the economic risks with so many of our trade eggs in the Chinese basket. It will be intriguing to see what if anything occurs in the coming year that might prove Buchanan right.
I’ve been puzzled by our apparent hardening diplomatic stance towards the PRC
I've been reassured by it. It's ever so easy for me to default to the old `Labour are eternally clueless' judgment. When I see such evidence to the contrary, I can play with the notion that they aren't all morons after all.
Others see it as getting onside with the yanks. Understandable, but I advise paying attention to nuances. Better to see Five Eyes as a prudent defensive strategy than robotic conformism, for instance.
Thing is, Xi may be a benign dictator. The concentration camps may indeed just make inmates focus on Xi thought instead of islamic belief.
Brainwashing for the good of mental cleansing has been used on western consumers throughout our lives. Freedom of choice as a right of citizens is the difference between our situation & theirs.
Xi's credibility with westerners will be determined more by his Hong Kong policy than anything else currently. He has broken China's contract with the UK – the terms of the lease-ending agreement, which allowed HK to retain democratic rights & processes. Any contract-breaker proves they cannot be trusted. Prior Chinese regime leaders didn't make that stupid mistake!
It is entirely possible that our foreign minister has been advised accordingly. It wouldn't be the first time our govt officials had done their job properly, one suspects. Give them the benefit of the doubt on that basis. If you do, you need no longer be puzzled – you will see good reason for our "hardening diplomatic stance towards the PRC".
Xi seems intelligent, so you may wonder why he signalled this betrayal so blatantly. I reckon the signal was unintentional. My guess is that he does not realise he has discredited his geopolitical reputation yet. Belt & Road still seems a viable strategy – not just to him, but to most observers. Imran probably feels that islamic solidarity with the Uighyurs must be set aside in his mind to secure the economic benefits for Pakistan. Supping with the devil, he needs that long spoon.
'Any contract-breaker proves they cannot be trusted.'
You must have a high opinion of the U.S.A then!
Do you really think China is interested in invading western countries?
Let's assume you're being illogical to make a good point, eh? To make that point you would need to cite similar instances of geopolitical behaviour by the USA. Let's assume you didn't do that because you assume readers of this blog can read your mind, so no need.
A false assumption, I expect. However, if readers write in to testify that they can actually read your mind, I'll be impressed.
Do you really think China is interested in invading western countries?
So what gave you that loopy idea?? When has China ever done that before?
O.K-I do need to spell it out then.
Re your point about contract breakers and trust-a sample
All the international agreements the US has broken before the Iran deal — Quartz (qz.com)
' Better to see Five Eyes as a prudent defensive strategy than robotic conformism, for instance.'-is that sugar coating it!
'Xi's credibility with westerners will be determined more by his Hong Kong policy than anything else currently. '-your opinion.
Currently the Chinese property crashes and Xi's reaction are causing more concern imo.
' Imran probably feels that islamic solidarity with the Uighyurs must be set aside in his mind to secure the economic benefits for Pakistan. Supping with the devil, he needs that long spoon.'
Considering the U.S treatment of Native Americans and their actions in Sth and Central America just to name a couple ,how could their international reputation ever become as sullied as 'the Great Satan'.
It may well be that you are unaware of the crimes and misdemeanours of the 'yanks' since WW2 and couldn't care less,but the irony of trying to demonise China is just U.S foreign policy …as usual.
Hell, China has a 99 year lease on Darwin Port,they may as well just continue buying up Australia and NZ.
p.s the only mind reader here appears to be…you-'Imram probably feels'
'Xi's credibility will….'
You provide a link to a list that hides behind a paywall and expect me to take you seriously? All that achieves is an impression that there is likely to be substance to your claim. Which I knew about decades ago anyway.
I marched against the yanks in '71, the Vietnam War mobe, with all the leftists. I'm not expecting you to tell me anything new – just provide suitable evidence that the US has broken similar geopolitical contracts to destroy it's own credibility. Citation of actual incidences.
Just tried it again…NO paywall.
'All that achieves is an impression that there is likely to be substance to your claim. Which I knew about decades ago anyway.=?
– just provide suitable evidence that the US has broken similar geopolitical contracts to destroy it's own credibility. Citation of actual incidences.
Right…like they are just so hard to…find!-hopeless.
Okay so they don't want money to let you see it, they just want your private info. Not going there.
And you still can't specify instances to validate your claim. No worries – just thought you might not be as lazy as other folks here…
No private info required either…grasping at straws….you calling others ..lazy…pffft!
And lets not forget those 165 000 nuklear warheads Palistan has and India just inbetween not belonging to the muslim world, having China on the border of Tibet……
I think a few extra zeroes slipped in there
Still your point is a good one – the whole China/Russian/Tibet/India/Pakistan/Iran/Afghanistan geopolitical nexus is complex and potentially disastrous beyond all belief. I've no idea how it's going to play out.