Open mike 28/01/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 28th, 2016 - 65 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

openmikeOpen mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

65 comments on “Open mike 28/01/2016 ”

  1. Paul 1

    Further evidence that New Zealand is highly vulnerable to the oncoming global economic collapse.

    ‘Fonterra cuts farmer milk payout

    Fonterra has cut its farmgate milk price forecast for the 2015/6 season to $4.15 a kg of milksolids from a previous forecast of $4.60 a kg in response to weak international prices.
    Combined with the earnings per share range of 45-55 cents, the total available for payout of $4.60-$4.70 per kg and would currently equate to a forecast cash payout of $4.50-$4.55 per kg for farmers, it said.
    Chairman John Wilson said global economic conditions continue to be challenging and are impacting demand for a range of commodities, including dairy.
    “Key factors driving dairy demand are declining international oil prices which have weakened the spending power of countries reliant on oil revenues, economic uncertainty in developing economies and a slow recovery of dairy imports into China,” he said in a statement.’

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11580883

  2. esoteric pineapples 2

    I don’t know about anyone else’s experience but in my personal sphere of life I have yet to come across a man-made climate change denier who isn’t male, white and over 30. I am going to speculate that this is an indirect offshoot of the “white men are right” school of thought (sometimes known as “the white man’s burden) that permeated Anglo-Saxon colonised countries over the past 100-150 years. Today, remnants of this philosophy are expressed in the individual viewpoints of white males, who actually have no more power as individuals in society than women, other cultures etc, but still presume that they possess an innate wisdom thanks to their race and sex that is superior to science and the general facts of the matter.

    Perhaps, the same psychological tendency (the cult of superior knowingness due to one’s sex and race) are expressed in other forms in other parts of the world.

    • Andre 2.1

      I’ve come across one early 20s white female, educated in an engineering field, that appeared to be a climate change denier. Not a definite sighting of a very rare species, I didn’t get a chance to fully confirm it.

    • weka 2.2

      Interesting observation. I’d hazard a guess that some of it is the fact that AGW is going to fuck the patriarchy’s stranglehold on things and the older white men who have benefited the most from the patriarchy have the most to lose. Cognitive dissonance. Probably the sociopathic effect too (white men having more socialisation in that direction).

    • Rosie 2.3

      Interesting and plausible theory pineapple. Certainly I have observed this phenomenon in this category of people many many times.

      For the record however, I do know of at least 3 women who are active climate change deniers, ages between 45- 55. They are all nat voters and think climate change is a con made up by the loony left to make us feel bad and “bad weather” happens. I kid you not.

      • weka 2.3.1

        To test for the trend amongst conservative white males, the researchers compared the demographic to “all other adults.” Results showed, for instance, that 29.6 percent of conservative white males believe the effects of global warming will never happen, versus 7.4 percent of other adults. In holding for “confident” conservative white males, the study showed 48.4 percent believe global warming won’t happen, versus 8.6 percent of other adults.

        http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-conservative-white-maes-are-more-likely-climate-skeptics/

        It looks like it’s not a white dude thing so much as a conservative white dude thing.

  3. Little has to drop Shearer from any spokesman role and sanction him if Shearer votes for TPP.

      • wyndham 4.1.1

        Yes, with any luck Goff will be gone but there’s still the group of dissenters, saboteurs and general trouble makers for Labour: Shearer, Nash, Cosgrove , Mallard, King.

        Any more ?

    • Puckish Rogue 4.2

      Can Labour risk, financially that is, one possibly two by-elections?

      • Northsider 4.2.1

        There is a small risk that Shearer would use any punishment by Little to resign from Labour and go to his true home, National. There is nothing Mrs & Mr Shearer will not do to become Min for Foreign Affairs or at least an Ambassador.

        • Puckish Rogue 4.2.1.1

          So who blinks first? Of course the most likely outcome is that nothing will actually happen…

  4. greywarshark 5

    AVAAZ have just sent out a request for support for their petition about bee protection to the USA. This is really important, and I need to do more about it so am going to add my name and I give the link here. And this below is what they say:
    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_global_2016sam/?bRtXRcb&v=71926&cl=9333005379

    Neonicotinoids — the pesticides threatening bees — are a vicious neurotoxin used on 100 million acres of farmland, lawns, and gardens across the US. Bees can’t avoid them because they are everywhere. They spread through soil and water, and cannot be washed off of food. A government study even found them in 29% of baby food!

    The US is considering action after releasing a study showing that one of the most common neonics is “very highly toxic to adult honey bees.” But without pressure the government may only limit the use of these toxins — even though studies show that low doses can disrupt bees’ learning, memory and motor functions. We’ve already begun by funding leading scientists and engaging stakeholders. Now is the time for millions of voices to demand the US environment agency and the White House stop the use of these dangerous chemicals altogether.

    Seventy out of the world’s top 100 food crops are pollinated by bees! We would have food in a world without bees, but the vivid diversity of native plants, fruits and vegetables would be lost. …ps. Bees are just totally amazing. They form matriarchal societies that communicate with each other by dancing … their honeycombs are one of the most efficient structures in nature … and their brains can actually stop aging (possibly giving us signs on how to stop dementia)! Let’s help save these incredible creatures together: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_global_2016sam/?bRtXRcb&v=71926&cl=9333005379

    SOURCES
    Neonicotinoids are the new DDT killing the natural world (The Guardian)
    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/aug/05/neonicotinoids-ddt-pesticides-nature

    Bees threatened by a common pesticide, EPA finds (LA Times)
    http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pesticide-bees-20160106-story.html

    The public consultation has just opened. Join the call below to protect bees, and the foods and plants we love — and tell everyone.
    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_global_2016sam/?bRtXRcb&v=71926&cl=9333005379

    The chemical companies would like us to believe that what happens to insects has no impact on people. But in our interconnected ecosystem the death of even tiny creatures like bees ripples through us too. As Rachel Carson, who led the charge against DDT, said: “In nature nothing exists alone.” We all depend on each other. We need the bees and the bees need us.

    With hope,
    Nell, Dalia, Ari, Ben, Emma, Alice, Emily and the entire Avaaz team

    BACKGROUND
    The EPA Finally Admitted That the World’s Most Popular Pesticide Kills Bees—20 Years Too Late (Mother Jones)
    http://m.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2016/01/epa-finds-major-pesticide-toxic-bees

    EPA Study Finds Insecticide Imidacloprid Poses Threat to Bees (Bloomberg)
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-06/epa-study-finds-insecticide-imidacloprid-poses-threat-to-bees

    What Is Killing America’s Bees and What Does It Mean for Us? (Rolling Stone)
    http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/what-is-killing-americas-bees-and-what-does-it-mean-for-us-20150818#ixzz3x4W3XznX

    • sabine 5.1

      i have a nice garden with lots of fruit trees and i don’t use anything ever. Let nature sort it is my motto and so far it worked. However this year i have not seen a single bee, and many people that I know that garden for food are also not seeing them, but are hand pollinating, or contemplating getting someone in with a hive in the future or establishing their own hive. This is not an option for me as I rent in town, but i am contemplating a hive set up once i move permanently to the paddock of paradise.

      we should worry.

      • Liberty4NZ 5.1.1

        Grow some lavender in your garden, it attracts bees like moths to a flame, the ones that are left that is!

  5. Mutton bird 6

    Parata closes Whangaruru, we lose $4.2 million dollars, vulnerable students face further upheaval and discontinuity of education.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/76334545/hekia-parata-closes-whangaruru-charter-school-after-two-years

    Any winners here? The guy who the board bought the farm off, I suppose. Well done him!

  6. Muttonbird 7

    Parata closes Whangaruru, we lose $4.2 million dollars, vulnerable students face further upheaval and discontinuity of education.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/76334545/hekia-parata-closes-whangaruru-charter-school-after-two-years

    Any winners here? The guy who the Whangaruru board bought the farm off, I suppose. Well done him!

    • Andre 7.1

      Since it’s not clear that assets return to the government that paid for them, there may be trustees or trust beneficiaries that get a windfall.

  7. Lanthanide 8

    Good little earthquake in Christchurch just now, 4.2. Haven’t felt one in about a year.

  8. Penny Bright 9

    On this matter – I agree with Chris Trotter.

    The 0.004% Mandate: Why opponents of the TPPA should boycott Real Choice’s “blockade” on 4 February

    – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/28/the-0-004-mandate-why-opponents-of-the-tppa-should-boycott-real-choices-blockade-on-4-february/#.dpuf

    Please be reminded:

    On Thursday 4 February 2016 – from 12 noon till 1pm a non-violent, family- friendly peaceful protest against the proposed signing of the TPPA is being organised in Auckland – from Aotea Square to Britomart.

    Hopefully THOUSANDS of concerned New Zealanders will fill Queen Street over this one hour lunch break – to show our opposition to the proposed signing of the TPPA.

    This peaceful protest, called by the ‘It’s Our Future’ group – is NOT going to Sky City – it is going up Queen Street, in hopefully a MASSIVE display of ‘people power’.

    Come on folks!

    We need Queen PACKED with New Zealanders who care about our country and OUR future!

    Be there!

    Stand up and be counted for yourself, your family, your children and grandchildren!

    Together – in our THOUSANDS let’s show this John Key led Government and THE WORLD how many genuine, caring Kiwis are opposed to increasing global corporate control over our land, our resources and our sovereignty!

    Because – on 4 February 2016 – the world WILL be watching …

    Please help to pass the word!

    Penny Bright

  9. katipo 10

    The UK Government taking our Governments fawning relationship with the Saudi Regime to the next level…
    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/27/un-report-into-saudi-led-strikes-in-yemen-raises-questions-over-uk-role

  10. Xanthe 11

    Anyone got any idea why the herald on the eve of wisharts book has suddenly decided to print a flood of sounds murder stuff they have been sitting on?

  11. fisiani 12

    As an experiment

    Does anyone here agree with ignoring a referendum where 99.8% voted for the status quo? Are is it just Jeremy Corbyn who is anti-democratic?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/12117755/Jeremy-Corbyn-wants-a-Northern-Ireland-style-power-sharing-deal-for-the-Falklands.html

    • Muttonbird 12.1

      Ignoring referenda is de rigueur for the John Key government.

      • alwyn 12.1.1

        You could have saved yourself the trouble of typing John Key.
        “Ignoring referenda is de rigueur for the Government”
        There have been, if my memory is correct, five referenda that got through to a vote. Everyone of them passed and was then ignored by Parliament.
        One went to the Bolger Government, two to the Clark Government and two to the Key Government.
        Ignoring the results of referenda is common to the lot of them, isn’t it?

    • b waghorn 12.2

      Hard to say without a full background on how the Falklands ended up in British hands.

      • Puckish Rogue 12.2.1

        So the people living on the island and have lived there for generations don’t have a say in the matter?

        • McFlock 12.2.1.1

          If the occupation was fine, then they probably should. But if they’ve been living on stolen land for a couple of hundred years, then it’s still stolen land.

          • alwyn 12.2.1.1.1

            If that is the case we are going to have to hand it back to France then, although I doubt that Hollande would be keen on the idea.

            According to Wiki
            “The islands were uninhabited when discovered by Europeans. France established a colony on the islands in 1764. In 1765, a British captain claimed the islands for Britain. In early 1770 a Spanish commander arrived from Argentina with five ships and 1400 soldiers forcing the British to leave Port Egmont. Britain and Spain almost went to war over the islands, but the British government decided that it should withdraw its presence from many overseas settlements in 1774. Spain, which had a garrison at Puerto Soledad on East Falklands, ruled the islands from Buenos Aires until 1811 when it was forced to withdraw. In 1833, the British returned to the Falkland Islands. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that forced the Argentines to surrender.”

            You work it out. If I read it correctly then Spain abandoned the place in 1811 and Britain has been there continuously from when they came back in 1833.

            • Puckish Rogue 12.2.1.1.1.1

              That’s about as cut and dried as you’re likely to get in international relations I’d have thought

            • McFlock 12.2.1.1.1.2

              lol
              what’s this “we”?

              Anyhoo, not really my problem to work out. That’s what diplomatic processes and international conventions are for. Of course, if bilateral talks manage to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of both parties, for example maybe Britain negotiating compensation to Argentina to keep the territory, and agreeing some sort of sharing thing on mineral rights and fisheries, then none of those processes need to be worked through.

              No reason not to talk about it – sticking to some sort of neoThatcherite jingoism might well cost a shedload more than acting like a reasonable human being.

              It’s not like Corbyn demanded the islands be turned over to the Argentines as soon as possible, but curse him for daring to mention having a conversation to resolve a longstanding international dispute…

              • alwyn

                You actually sounded interested in the subject and were presenting an either/or scenario when you said
                “If the occupation was fine, then they probably should. But if they’ve been living on stolen land for a couple of hundred years, then it’s still stolen land”
                Being a good hearted chap I decided to try and get you something that might help resolve the confusion you were in.
                I see you are one of those who do not wish to have that confusion caused by your ignorance alleviated. I shall try and abstain from taking part in your education in future. I reserve the right to point out any excessively silly comments you make though.

                Technically of course it seems to me that they were never part of Argentina. They were ruled by Spain until they abandoned them in 1811. Argentina didn’t exist until 1816, I think.

                • McFlock

                  The question was regarding how much weight should be given to the wishes of 1600 voting-eligible residents.

                  The answer is pretty simple: if the land is stolen, then very little.

                  The issue of ownership is a legal question that can be avoided via diplomatic negotiations.

                  Our opinions of the legality of the British occupation are irrelevant: I know you like thinking that you know better than multiple judicial systems, but the fact is that you probably don’t. Neither do I. And the legal opinions of commenters on a NZ blogsite will almost certainly not affect the policies of either Britain or Argentina.

                  Spain abandoned them to fight the Argentine war of independence. Territorial legitimacy went from Spain to the newly independent Argentina, according to their point of view. The British left them well before the Spanish did. Even the yanks had a tilt.

                  But that’s all irrelevant to what was asked: the easiest way to provide long term security for the residents is for Britain to negotiate with Argentina and come to some sort of settlement.

                  I do like the fact the Islanders were asked, though – that’s something the Chagos islanders never got from Britain.

                  • alwyn

                    Well there is one thing we agree on. Neither of us is a lawyer.
                    As far as “The British left them well before the Spanish did.” goes though it looks as if the British were forced out by the Spanish, if my Wiki extract is accurate.

                    That was being mean talking about the “Chagos islanders”. I had to google it. If you had said Diego Garcia I wouldn’t have needed to.

                    Lots of bad things have happened to people living in offshore places of course.
                    I don’t think the people of Goa had any say in their annexation by India.
                    The people of Hong Kong didn’t get a choice did they?
                    Neither did all the countries dominated by the USSR after WW2. At least not until the USSR collapsed.
                    Russia sold Alaska to the USA. Did anyone ask the residents.
                    Where do you want to stop. Can we send all the Scots back to Ireland?

                    • McFlock

                      I merely mentioned DG/Chagos because I found it humourous that a mere 40 years later the British government/media is pretending to care about what 1600 residents think.

                      Basically, yeah, it goes back as long as the effects go back. That’s why Canada’s working to redress wrongs against First Nations folk by creating a new province. That’s why Mt McKinly is back to being called Denali. The resolution isn’t “sending people back where they came from”, the resolution is accepting that parties feel wrongs happened and providing some manner of individual, national or systemic reparation to resolve the wrongs that occurred. It’s not being a pushover, it’s just having a conversation to see the other party’s point of view and see if the issue can be addressed, rather than letting it fester so three jerks with a license plate don’t cause a riot.

      • b waghorn 12.2.2

        Ad the referendum results to alwns link below and I would go with leave it with the brits.

  12. aerobubble 13

    News flash Fox news becomes Trumps punching bag, how distracting, how boring, how predictable, how did this become headline TV news? Spin cycle USA has no place here

  13. Rosemary McDonald 14

    And speaking about TPPA protests, John Mitford from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce says…

    ‘It’s time to stand up and be counted on the TPPA’

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/76349813/john-milford-time-to-stand-up-and-be-counted-on-tppa

    with a nice inspiring pic of anti TPP protesters….wtf???

    Don’t panic! All is well, stuff’s attempt at humour….or…are the only pics they have on file associated with John Mitford protest oriented?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/73778014/Wellington-City-Council-will-have-to-defend-its-living-wage-policy-in-court

    • Rosie 14.1

      John Milford is pants. I don’t know how or why he gets so much media space. He has been growing his right wing lobbying power for over a decade now, mainly at a local level here in Wellington but alarmingly he seems to be given column space for national political issue which he knows nothing of, eg, the TPPA.

      I’m not sure why fairfax look to him as such an oracle of economic wisdom when he was CE of Kirkcaldies and Staines all this time and for so long yet managed to run a successful iconic business that had been standing for over 150 years, into the ground, only to bought out by the aussies.

      What an oaf. He’s really got it in for the workers too. It’s just sheer mean spiritedness to take WCC to court over their extension of the payment of the living wage from council staff to their contractors too.

      • Rosemary McDonald 14.1.1

        Respect for the WCC.
        How many other councils have had the guts to try and install a Living Wage culture?

        Mean, miserable and short -sighted Mr Mitford.

        • Rosie 14.1.1.1

          To be honest Rosemary, I’ve discovered how dysfunctional and ineffective our council is, during my constant dealings with them over the last year. I could write an essay about the hypocrisy, undeclared conflicts of interest and arrogance from council managers, council officials and councillors themselves. Quite shocking as I naively thought I’d been voting in the right people over the last two terms.

          I think the only thing they have managed to get right in that time is the move to the living wage for council employee’s and the recent extension of that living wage to their contractors – only for Milford to come and stick his oar in……..

      • alwyn 14.1.2

        That version of what happened to Kirks is a bit distorted Rosie.
        It went the way of every small department store. It was to small to have the buying power of the large companies like David Jones or Myer in Australia.
        Lots of them died. I remember Daimaru and Georges in Melbourne went the same way. Georges was a wonderful shop but their customers, so the firm said, stopped buying goods from Italy and France from them because they could go to Europe themselves 2 or 3 times a year.
        I think Kirks did amazingly well to last as long as they did. You cannot blame the CEO for something that was inevitable.

        • Rosie 14.1.2.1

          True, the CE was only part of it, but he could have done more. I met the guy some time ago and was surprised at how out of touch he was with the reality of day to day retailing, for someone in his position.

          There were changes in the retail sector and Kirks were faced with a valid challenge but a smart cookie could have done more. He could have started by listening to the floor managers.

          PS. As one of our frequent WCC bashers you may be interested to read my response to Rosemary, from the other side of the ideological fence 🙂

          • alwyn 14.1.2.1.1

            Para one I agree with you.
            However Para two.
            I don’t think very much of the “Living Wage”.
            It is calculated on the basis of a hypothetical married couple with two kids if I remember rightly. Then it is supposed to be paid to everyone.
            I am a believer that you pay, with a limited minimum, the wage to get people to do the job. Then the state makes up, by things like working for families, the income for those who have dependents and who can’t live on the pay they receive.
            Why does a 20 year old single person living with his parents need the hypothetical “living wage”.
            When a Council do it it is also being paid by a lot of pensioners whose only income is National Super and whose only asset is their house, to people who are getting a higher income than they are.

        • Petertoo 14.1.2.2

          alwyn, perhaps you might like to invent an explanation as to why the failed K. & S. CEO has also managed to lose half the members of the Chamber of Commerce since taking over there. It is about time he was relegated to the persona non grata status that his incompetence deserves.

          • alwyn 14.1.2.2.1

            I have no intention of attempting any such thing.
            I don’t know the man. I have no way of knowing whether what you say about the CoC is correct and I wasn’t really talking about him at all.
            I was talking about what happened to Kirks. Exactly the same thing that happened to the DIC, Radfords and James Smiths in Wellington.
            It died in exactly the same way as all singleton department stores died. It was simply too small to compete with the chains and couldn’t match the range of goods in the various specialist shops. It was a business model which had passed its use by date.
            Milford happened to be the CEO at the time. However it wouldn’t have mattered who it was. It didn’t fold BECAUSE of him. RIP.

  14. Penny Bright 15

    TPPA: chances of support from US politicians ‘extremely remote’

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/76317668/TPPA-chances-of-support-from-US-politicians-extremely-remote

    So folks – where’s the fire?’

    What’s the rush for New Zealand to sign the TPPA when the USA may never pass the TPPA through Congress?

    If YOU are opposed to NZ signing the TPPA – there will be a one hour, peaceful protest in Auckland on Thursday 4 February 2016.

    Starting at Aotea Square and going up Queen Street to Britomart.

    This ‘family-friendly’ peaceful protest will NOT be going to Sky City.

    Looking forward to THOUSANDS of New Zealanders ‘standing up to be counted’ for that one hour in Queen St, against more corporate control of our country, our assets and resources, our democracy and national sovereignty.

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    Who opposes New Zealand signing the TPPA.

  15. Pasupial 16

    This was interesting to see so far from Skycity and this far out from the 4th of February. Does anyone know of any other police intimidation tactics re the TPPA (other than announcing riot training)?

    a Dunedin transgender activist who goes by the gender-neutral pronoun ‘they’, said an officer knocked on their door at about 10 this morning.

    The officer wanted to know what the plans were for anti-TPP action in Dunedin… The Dunedin-based TPP action group – of which Scout is not a member – has planned a talk on the TPP tomorrow, and an “action event” is planned to take place in the Octagon from 12-2:30 on Saturday.

    Police could not immediately be reached with a request for comment.

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/371216/cops-visit-activist-over-tpp-protest-plans

    The talk is at 7pm tomorrow (friday 29th) at Burns Hall; 415 Lower Moray Place, Dunedin (Burlington St side of first church).

    • Rosie 16.1

      Thats a real worry Pasupial and very intimidating for someone that doesn’t even have anything to do with the anti TPP group. I wonder if Scout can find out if the police have been surveilling them – they must have been to turn up at their doorstep?

      On top of that is the fact that police now carry tasers at protests:

      http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/08/16/citizens-face-police-armed-with-tasers-at-wellington-tppa-protest-march/

      but then withdraw the presence of their weapons at a later event:

      https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2015/11/22/citizens-march-against-tppa-in-wellington-what-were-the-police-up-to/

      Personally, I find this very intimidating and believe it demonstrates an unhealthy aggressive attitude from the police towards people peacefully exercising their democratic right to protest.

      Something has changed. During the 2011 (2011? Lost track of time) Occupy movement, police were low key and generally fairly relaxed with people occupying civic square in Wellington. Now though, the level of police preparedness and sense of mild paranoia seems to have increased. Why?

      Ha! It’s not like we’re fighting back, so whats changed?

      • Pasupial 16.1.1

        Rosie

        What’s changed? Well, in Dunedin this may provide some link:

        Superintendent Mike Pannett, who took over from acting district commander Jason Guthrie this week… Supt Pannett has just returned from four years in Washington DC, where he was chairperson of the Washington DC Liaison Office Association, which covered North, Central and South America.

        Supt Pannett is a member of the International Chiefs of Police Committee on Terrorism

        http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/371217/south-could-be-safest-place-world

        Detective Superintendent Mike Pannett, the New Zealand Police Liaison Officer in the United States, monitored “termination activities” against Dotcom’s Megaupload operations in nine countries from the FBI’s Multi-Agency Command Centre. Created by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Online (LEO) network in 2002, the Virtual Command Centre (VCC) enables enforcement agencies to post, track and spread information in a quick, secure environment.

        Fed from multiple inputs in the field, the VCC exists on a secure system for any designated audience members online… “Feedback on the New Zealand operation has been extremely positive from our international law enforcement partners including the FBI and the US Department of Justice,” Mr Pannett reported in the February Police online magazine, TenOne.

        http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1210/S00006/key-dotcom-and-hollywood.htm

        Detective Superintendent Mike Pannett, New Zealand police liaison officer in Washington, has been ordered to swear an affidavit, setting out full details of the monitoring he was a party to from the FBI’s Multi Agency Command Centre.

        Mr Pannett was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009 before he was appointed manager of intelligence operations at the National Intelligence Centre based at Police National Headquarters in Wellington

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11084360

        It does seem strange that when the ODT asked the Dunedin police for comment on their allegedly having harassed an activist, they; “could not immediately be reached with a request for comment”. Yet the very next story to this in the online ODT Dunedin section was a puff piece about how an establishment minion was all set to bring to peace to the region in some unspecified manner.

        • Pasupial 16.1.1.1

          More on this at:

          http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/28/police-noose-tightens-around-activists-before-tppa/

          Which is largely based on this (if you don’t want to expose yourself to Bradbury’s words):

          Prominent anti-TPP protestor Professor Jane Kelsey said such monitoring of critics to the controversial agreement was “entirely predictable” behaviour from the Government, and shows the “disrespect the Government has had throughout to people’s right to voice their dissent about this negotiation and this agreement”
          “This is perfectly consistent with their attempts to shut down democratic engagement with, almost anything, but certainly with the TPPA.”

          The Government was attempting to make a law and order issue out of the opposition to the agreement, she said, by painting those in opposition to it as radicals who posed a national security risk…

          “If the Government could “whip up some law and order frenzy” in advance of the signing, she said, it believed it could “claw back some support … for what is largely an unpopular deal”…

          Civil liberties lawyer Michael Bott said the police action would have a “chilling” effect on freedom of expression and the right to protest.

          “These people haven’t committed any crime and yet the police are going to conduct a search or an interview, and there are legal concerns with that.”

          http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11581217

          • Rosie 16.1.1.1.1

            Thanks Pasupial. Very interesting! I’m out of time now but want to return to this tomorrow. Saw the article on 3news about Scout, their dealings with police and Michael Bott’s response.

  16. Chooky 17

    Who destabilised the Middle East and are they taking their share of the refugee crisis and chaos they have created?

    ‘US destabilized Europe’: Austrian record-holding athlete lashes out at ‘idiotic’ refugee policies

    https://www.rt.com/news/330256-baumgartner-blasts-refugee-crisis-america/

    “Austrian athlete and daredevil, Felix Baumgartner, known for his super-sonic leap from the stratosphere, has bashed EU politicians for their “idiotic” refugee policies in a lengthy post. He added that Washington is destabilizing Europe “on purpose.” “

  17. Anne 18

    It is sad to learn of the passing of the very colourful former Labour minister, Bob Tizard this afternoon. I knew Bob and his close friend the late Warren Freer very well in the 1970s and 80s, and they were two of the most likeable rogues that ever graced the treasury benches. Their various escapades over the years are legendary.

    RIP Bob Tizard.

  18. BLiP 19

    RIP – Bob Tizard.

  19. Gangnam Style 20

    A good argument for keeping most of our names hidden for having an opposing view to the Govt http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11581217 Police knocking on doors of (so called) activists to give them a heads up they are keeping an eye on them with regard to TPPA protests.

  20. Paul 21

    Further evidence
    A China bank contagion could blow up global markets

    http://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/26/chinese-bank-outlook-in-2016.html

  21. Reddelusion 22

    Paul give it a rest it’s becoming dull. Do you surf the Internet all day looking for doomsday articles, where do you find the time, do something a bit more cheerful some time it will be good for your spirit

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Labour still protecting the status quo
    Aotearoa has a cost of living crisis. And one of the major drivers of this crisis is the supermarket duopoly, who gouge every dollar they can out of us. Last year, the Commerce Commission found that the duopoly was in fact anti-competititve, giving the government social licence to fix the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s myths about the desolated state of the economy
    Familiarity breeds consent. If you repeat the line “six years of economic mis-management” about 10,000 times, it sounds like the received wisdom, whatever the evidence to the contrary. Yes, the global pandemic and the global surge in inflation that came in its wake occurred here as well – but if ...
    3 hours ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Hapless Hipkins and his racism
    Michael Bassett writes – Without so much as batting an eyelid, Chris Hipkins told an audience on Saturday that there had been “more racism” in this election campaign than ever before. And he blamed it on the opposition parties, National, Act and New Zealand First. In those ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 hours ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: The ‘recession’ has been called off, but some households are still struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates. Brian Easton writes – Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Richie Poulton's lament
    “You can't really undo what happens during childhood”, said the director of the Dunedin longitudinal study. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Richie Poulton, the director of the world-leading Dunedin longitudinal study showing how devastating poverty in early life is, died yesterday. With his final words, he lamented the lack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    8 hours ago
  • North-western downgrades
    This is a guest post from reader Peter N As many of us know, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi are well into progressing works on the northwestern interim “busway” with services to kick off in just over a month from now on Sunday 12th November 2023. Some of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    9 hours ago
  • Has Webworm Found New Zealand’s Weirdest School?
    Hi,Before we talk about weird schools people choose to send their kids to, a few things on my mind. I adored the Ask Me Anything we did last week. Thanks for taking part. I love answering your weird and nosy questions, even questions about beans.I am excited and scared as Mister ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    10 hours ago
  • Another mother of a budget
    A National government would make spending cuts on a scale not seen since the 1990 – 96 Bolger government.That much was confirmed with the release of their Fiscal Plan on Friday.Government spending is currently high as a percentage of GDP — as high as it was during the Muldoon ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    12 hours ago
  • A crucial week starts as early voting opens in the NZ Elections … it’s been a ride so far. Are y...
    Chris Hipkins down with Covid, at least for 5 days isolation, National continue to obfuscate, ACT continues to double-down on the poor and Winston… well, he’s being Winston really. Voters beware: this week could be even more infuriating than the last. No Party is what they used to be ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    20 hours ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    1 day ago
  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    2 days ago
  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    2 days ago
  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    2 days ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    3 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    4 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    4 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    4 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    5 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    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 ...
    6 days ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    6 days ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago
  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    6 days ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    6 days ago
  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    6 days ago
  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago
  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    7 days ago
  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-10-02T04:07:26+00:00