There seems to be an obsession with New Zealand journo-activists to paint Ardern lipstick on a Labour pig, but media here haven’t had a Trump type reality check yet.
A fascinating read about billionaire funded data analysis being used for mass manipulation in the US (and also used to help Farage with Brexit):
With links to Donald Trump, Steve Bannon and Nigel Farage, the rightwing US computer scientist is at the heart of a multimillion-dollar propaganda network
A long read but there’s a lot of recognisable things in there. Could this happen in New Zealand?
“President Donald Trump slammed the American military Monday, complaining the U.S. doesn’t “fight to win.”
“Win. We have to win. We have to start winning wars again,” Trump said. “I have to say, when I was young, in high school and college, everybody used to say that we never lost a war. ‘We never lost a war.’ You remember.”
“And now we never win a war,” Trump added. “We never win. And we don’t fight to win.””
interesting when considered against the potential false flag ops used to start wars – and sometimes they aren’t false flags
“On this day in 1933, a young Dutch bricklayer and council communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, in protest at the Nazi government, set fire to the German parliament building, the Reichstag. He had been disillusioned by the lack of resistance to the fascists, and hoped his exemplary act would spark the German working class to rebel. Unfortunately this would not be the case, and the Nazis used it as an excuse to repress communists and consolidate their power. Even today many people erroneously believe the Reichstag fire to be a “false flag” attack, as opposed to what it was: a heroic but tragically unsuccessful individual act of resistance to fascism. “
“Prime Minister Bill English has downplayed a surge in demand for emergency housing grants, saying the government support is “ flushing out ” Kiwis in need of help.”
“Moving forward Auckland Transport – where’s the transparency with SUB-CONTRACTED contract$?”
“I am pleased to see that Auckland Transport (AT) are going to release details of ‘all its contracts publicly'”, says anti-corruption campaigner Penny Bright.
“However, the reason why I made a formal complaint to the Serious Fraud Office ((SFO), on 22 February 2017, was because Chair of Auckland Transport’s Board, Dr Lester Levy, had stated in a letter to me, dated 21 February 2017 that Auckland Transport were NOT going to release the details of Auckland Transport ‘sub-contracted’ contracts.
“Dear Ms Bright
Release of contract information
Thank you again for your presentation to the Board of Auckland transport on
16 February 2017,
I am following on from that and your email correspondence of 17 February.
As you noted in your presentation, Auckland Transport already publicly releases details of awarded contracts with a value of over $50,000. That information includes the contract number, a brief description of the contract, the supplier, the value of the contract, when it was created and the appointment method.
Moving forward, subject to any confidentiality obligations, Auckland Transport intends to extend this practice of public notification to all awarded contracts (that is irrespective of dollar value).
Auckland Transport also intends to notify all potential parties that we contract within the future that the information provided in the paragraph above will be publicly notified.
This practice will not include sub-contracts because, as I am sure you will appreciate, Auckland Transport does not normally hold information relating to contracts to which it is not a party.
(My bolding)
………
Dr Lester Levy
Chairman
Auckland Transport”
______________________________
“Given that, as I understand it, basically ALL of Auckland Transport’s ‘operational works’ are
sub-contracted, in my considered opinion, it is essential that the same transparency should be available for public scrutiny, with ALL sub-contracted contracts – once awarded.”
“Having spent days carefully studying the ‘Reasons for the Verdict of Fitzgerald J’ in the unprecedented bribery and corruption case involving former senior Auckland Transport Manager Murray Noone,
in my view, there are potentially two layers of corruption involved, when public services are contracted out to private sector consultants and contractors:
PUBLIC to PRIVATE corruption – where a corrupt ‘public official’ helps award a big contract to a big private contractor.
PRIVATE to PRIVATE corruption – where a corrupt private contractor awards ‘sub-contracts’.”
“It is my understanding that decent, ethical companies involved in sub-contracting, do not have a problem with transparency equally applying to their contracts.”
“I look forward to Auckland Transport confirming at the earliest opportunity, that the releasing details of ‘all its contracts publicly’ – is going to equally apply to all those ‘sub-contracted/.”
Monday, 27 February 2017, 12:40 pm
Press Release: Auckland Transport
Auckland Transport media release
27 February 2017
Auckland Transport opens the books
Auckland Transport will be releasing details of all its contracts publicly. Since it was established in 2010, AT routinely published on its website, the details of all contracts valued over $50,000.
That threshold has now been dropped to zero.
AT Chairman, Dr Lester Levy, says that as a publicly funded body, the organisation wants to be as transparent and accountable as possible.
“There is a small extra administrative burden in releasing this sort of information, but we feel that it’s worth it to allow more open scrutiny of our activities,” he says.
“This demonstrates a clear commitment to being open and accountable to the public at large.”
Dr Levy says the nature of some of AT’s activities, such as property negotiations, means that sometimes information is commercially sensitive and involves third party businesses or individuals.
“In those cases, and to protect the interests of ratepayers and taxpayers, they are dealt with confidentially but when the reason for that confidentiality no longer exists, the material is routinely released (and published on AT’s website).”
I wonder if we will see a dedicated TS thread on this like the last (favorable to the left) CM poll.
[lprent: Ah another dickhead troll. Quotes without clearly showing that it is a quote, and does it without a link so I deleted the unattributed quote (it is in the link I provided).
If there is a dedicated post depends on an author thinking that it is of interest. We generally don’t waste that many posts to polls. Usually every few months.
But we don’t take kindly to people trying to tell us what we should write about. In fact it is in the policy as a self-martyrdom offense. So what to do… Oh I know 😈
Banned for 6 weeks – which is roughly when I figure an authors is likely to put up a post on a poll. You should have enough patience for that right? ]
“This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted by telephone – both landline and mobile telephone – with a NZ wide cross-section of 852 electors between January 30 – February 12, 2017.”
As well Roy Morgan released the findings of another poll…
Cinny
The link is very interesting.
Only 26% of the people who thought housing was a problem are National voters, so it would seem National have a lot to gain and very little to lose by doing some work on this front.
Lab/Green however are preaching to the choir.
My rolling average of the last 4 Roy Morgan’s (because it jumps around, but I used to average 5):
Lab/Gr/NZF 47.9
Nats 47.1
Nats/ACT/MP 49.5
It’s not fantastic, but as Bill English seems to be saying 2 daft things before breakfast (and Andrew Little was good on Morning Report this AM) Bill’s honeymoon is surely over.
Agreed Wayne. I was confident when Key was there that Winston hated him so much that he would go with Labour. Not so sure now, though silly reports like that right-wing report on the regions that came out today are likely to push Winston towards Labour.
I could see that happening, the greens have been happy to sit outside of cabinet in the past. They will be so happy with the opportunity to ‘change the government’ they will let Labour walk all over them…again
I think relying on Roy Morgan for anything other than outhouse loo paper is a recipe for a cyclical loop of dashed hope.
Almost like being a Warrior’s supporter.
The one thing we don’t see in any poll is any sign of Labour breaking out of their 25-30% bracket, or the Greens 10-13% slot.
The Polls have been consistent in relation to these two factors for several years. There was some hope on the left that traction could be gained when Key decided to leave but even that has proved to have had a negligible effect.
I suspect that these two factors are behind the current vapid rumblings in the media pushing for Ardern to replace King as deputy of Labour to try and get some upward traction in Labour’s poll results.
This carries risk of a backlash especially if (as it appears) Annette King has decided that she isn’t going to get the DCM note simply because members of the fickle msm have decided that she is too old for the job.
The question I have is, who benefits? I don’t see Ardern as being behind this smear campaign – it is too obvious and too crudely done to be her; someone else is pushing it and I would like to know who.
Waste time on a conspiracy theory in an election year? Knock yourself out. I think you’ll find most New Zealanders care more about housing and swimming, though.
Tracy Watkins is a Nat fan, Rightly or Wrongly, and this is a Nat attack on Little and King. King is good at pushing Nat buttons – especially in the House – and they don’t like it. They want her out of the way. Which indicates to me that she’s being very successful at getting under their collective skin, and Little needs to keep her in that position (deputy leader) for the duration of the campaign.
Unless Ardern is completely useless , they should put her in as dp ,it really is only a smile and wave role from what i can see, Give King what she wants to keep her happy
Precisely Jenny Kirk. Anyone who has spent time watching QT in the House knows how brilliantly Annette King performs. You can see by the looks on their faces that her ‘victims’ are scared of her. Occasionally they get in a smart response but its not a common occurrence. Add to that her unmatched political knowledge and experience, its no wonder the Nat’s media fan club are doing their darndest to create a popular surge to replace her with Ardern. The TS commenters who are falling for it need to step back and reassess the situation. It’s all the Nat toadies in the media -or on the fringe of it – who are pushing this meme.
Jacinda’s a future leader or deputy leader, but her time is a little way off yet.
Btw, Matthew Hooton was full on about Ardern becoming deputy leader yesterday on the Mon. morn. RNZ political spot. And when Hooton is full on rooting for some one in Labour… you know something is not right!
Yep – you’ve said it, Anne. The nasty Nats are pushing Jacinda hard (must be a bit embarrassing for her) – in the hope of destabilising Labour. Its a very blatant trick.
That’s how I see it, too.
When I saw Tracy Watwat pushing to get rid of Annette King today, it was obviously more of her “What would be best for the Nats” trolling. And they have got the Hooton broadcasting on the same theme? Has the strategy has been sent from Crosby Textor?
King has the savvy, and the following. She’ll know when it’s time to go.
And it’s not now.
Jacinta’s day will come. Good things take time, as they say in cheesemaking circles!
How loaded is that law, an attack group would not have a limit on spending for such, but the political party they are attack does. That’s bullshit.
“Although private individuals and groups now are free to use TV and radio to attack parties or candidates, those parties and candidates still are limited to responding using the taxpayer-funded allocation given to them in the weeks before each election.”
Excuse my naivety but for example would that mean that perhaps after an ad condemning a political party there would be a little disclosure message saying… ‘blah’ political party disputes these accusations… or words to that effect.
Or does it mean that they have to make their own ad to have right of reply?
For those interested in the train wreck called Brexit.
Major warns May of fickle allies who want EU ‘total divorce’
Former prime minister says Britain made ‘historic mistake’ with vote to leave
John Major, the former Conservative prime minister, has urged Theresa May to face down Tory Eurosceptics during the Brexit negotiations, warning that they are fickle friends who want a damaging “total divorce” from the EU. Sir John, who angrily labelled his own Eurosceptic cabinet critics of the 1990s “bastards”, urged Mrs May to have the courage to pursue a course of Brexit that maintained Britain’s close trading and diplomatic ties with Europe. “At some time she will have to face down those who favour total disengagement and who have never accepted our role within Europe,” he said in a speech at Chatham House on Monday evening. “For some, a total divorce has been a decades-long ambition. I believe they are utterly wrong. “And although today they may be allies of the prime minister, the risk is that tomorrow they may not.” In his first public comments since last June’s Brexit vote, Sir John said that Britain had made a “historic mistake” in voting to leave the EU and that the public had been led to expect a future outside the bloc that was “unreal and over-optimistic”. His speech made thinly veiled criticisms of the tone of Mrs May’s government on Brexit. “Obstacles are brushed aside as of no consequence, whilst opportunities are inflated beyond any reasonable expectation of delivery.” Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of the new generation of Eurosceptic Tory MPs, claimed that Sir John’s own European policy was a disaster and he was being “classically condescending” in claiming voters had made a mistake in voting for Brexit.
Sir John’s comments follow a speech by Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, who this month urged pro-Remain voters to “rise up” to challenge the kind of clean break with the EU being pursued by Mrs May.
Both former prime ministers are frustrated that the Commons and Lords are expected to pass legislation allowing Mrs May to start the Brexit process without significant restraints on her negotiating position.
Sir John claimed that pro-Europeans were being bullied into silence. “It’s not arrogant or brazen or elitist or remotely delusional to express concern about our future after Brexit,” he said. “Shouting down their legitimate comment is against all our traditions of tolerance. It does nothing to inform and everything to demean — and it is time it was stopped.”
Brexit would weaken Britain’s standing in the world and the vote to leave had done the EU “great harm”, strengthening populist movements elsewhere in Europe, he added. Sir John also warned ministers and backbench MPs to moderate their language as Mrs May prepares to activate Article 50 next month.
“Behind the diplomatic civilities the atmosphere is already sour,” he said. “A little more charm and a lot less cheap rhetoric would do much to protect the UK’s interests.”
A Number 10 official said: “The government is determined to make a success of our departure from the European Union and to move beyond the language of ‘Leave and Remain’ to unite our country.”
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2017. All rights reserve
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by Daphna Whitmore At Golden Oaks, a luxurious country retreat in the Hudson Valley, pregnant women have the best care money can buy. From the organic food, personalised exercise programmes, private yoga instruction and daily massages Golden Oaks looks like a country lodge for the upper class. Set some time ...
When Labour was running for election in 2017, it felt it needed to demonstrate "fiscal responsibility" and signed itself up to masochistic "budget responsibility rules". It was a fool's errand: the sorts of voters who demand fiscal responsibility are also the sorts of voters who believe that labour can never ...
Writing in Stuff, Joel MacManus looks at what we need to do to meet the Zero Carbon Act's targets. The core of it:1. Convert 85 per cent of vehicles on the road to electric. 2. Eliminate fossil fuels from all industrial heating up to 300 degrees Celsius. 3. Double our ...
Paramedics have reiterated their support for New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball's bill to impose mandatory prison sentences on those who assault our first responders and prison officers. There are more than 50 cases of abuse and assault against New Zealand paramedics each week. The figure has remained largely unchanged ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has revealed the Party’s stance on a proposed single public broadcaster. He said it had been the NZ First policy to support and strengthen public sector media. "For this reason, we welcome the initiative of Minister Faafoi to progress work in this area. Both ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First Introduction Good morning, and thank you for your attendance here today. Let us start by acknowledging the work of all the media outlets and reporters, particularly the regional reporters, who have been covering this week’s tragedy at Whakaari White Island. It ...
New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball’s bill introducing a six-month minimum sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its first reading in Parliament. Mr Ball said the new offence of "injuring a first responder or prison officer with intent" would target people who attacked paramedics, police, firefighters, and corrections ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters gave his final interview for 2019 on The Country to tell farmers they have never had it better under the current coalition Government. “Here you've got these record returns [for farmers]. These returns would be nothing like a record if the currency under the ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that New Zealand's Cook Islands High Commissioner, Tessa Temata, has died over the weekend. Ms Temata, 52, died in Palmerston North and had returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. She was the first New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands of Cook Island ...
A new defence report has mapped out how New Zealand's soldiers will navigate rising seas, and a year after the Defence Force announced its need to prepare for climate change. In the “Responding to the Climate Crisis” report, the Force restates its operational plan and sets goals to tackle climate ...
We're rebuilding New Zealand - our transport network, our hospitals, our schools and more... After nine years of neglect there's a lot to fix - but we're getting on with the job. ...
We're rebuilding New Zealand - our transport network, our hospitals, our schools and more... After nine years of neglect there's a lot to fix - but we're getting on with the job. ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development A $261,000 loan from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has helped a family-run business in Manawatū to scale up manufacturing capacity, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced at its opening today. Ashhurst-based skin-care business The Herb Farm is on track to ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Regional Freight Hub near Palmerston North has taken a step forward with the completion of the master plan, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said. Shane Jones unveiled the high-level design of the new Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) backed rail-road hub ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of DefenceTērā te haeata takiri ana mai i runga o Pukaha!Ara tai uru, whai uru, whai uru!Ara whai ato, whai ato, whai ato!Ara rā tini, ara rā tini, ara ri!The rays of the morning sun strike a new dawn upon Pukaha ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic DevelopmentThe Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $772,000 in opportunities for growth in Manawatū-Whanganui, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today.NZ Bio-Forestry Limited will receive a $380,000 boost for game-changing research which could unlock significant growth in the wood processing sector, ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today the appointment of diplomat Sarah Lee as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to South Africa. She will be the first female Head of Mission to represent New Zealand in Africa. “New Zealand’s relationship with South ...
Sustained high growth in primary industry exports looks set to continue over the next two years with strong prices predicted for farmers, fishers, growers and rural communities. Minister of Agriculture and Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor today released the latest Situation and Outlook report for ...
Auckland’s growing screen sector is the catalyst for a new partnership between the Ministry of Social Development and Auckland’s economic development agency Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED). The launch today at FilmFX in Henderson, is to celebrate the partnership which looks to capitalise on the social and economic development opportunities ...
A minute’s silence will be observed at 2.11pm on Monday 16 December in honour of the victims of the Whakaari White Island eruption, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed. “Wherever you are in New Zealand, or around the world, this is a moment we can stand alongside those who have ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$1 million of funding towards the joint United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF) and World Health Organisation (WHO) Pacific Regional Action Plan for Measles. “Prevention through vaccination is the most effective way of avoiding illness and a costly health emergency. ...
New Zealand is today remembering one of our true sporting heroes, triple Olympic gold medal winner Sir Peter Snell. “He was a legend, here and around the world,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. “Our thoughts are with Sir Peter’s wife Miki and their family.” “Sir Peter is recognised as New ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on his election victory. “New Zealand and the United Kingdom are close friends and despite our distance we are strongly connected by our history and people,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I look forward to continuing to work with Prime ...
The Government has released its long term vision for a sustainable 21st Century rail network that gets our cities moving, connects our regions and gets more freight off the roads. Deputy Prime Minister and State Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters said the Government is committed to rebuilding New Zealand’s ...
I want to start by acknowledging the families who have experienced such grief and such loss since the extraordinary tragedy on Monday. Today was all about reuniting them with their loved ones. We've just come from the airport where many of them were gathered and in amongst what you can ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further support for Samoa’s longer term needs as it continues to respond to a devastating measles epidemic. “Samoa’s health system has experienced massive strain in the wake of the measles epidemic. The volume of patients needing care during this outbreak, and the number of ...
Discounted electric bikes will be offered up to public sector staff across the country as part of the Government’s work to reduce transport emissions and support healthier transport options. Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter officially launched the new initiative at Wellington Hospital today. “The Government has negotiated bulk-purchase ...
The Australian and New Zealand Governments today launch an historic joint bid to bring the FIFA Women’s World Cup to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. Australian Minister for Youth and Sport, Richard Colbeck and New Zealand Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson will announce the bold campaign, ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has approved a $15 million loan to help re-establish a gold mining operation at Blackwater Gold Mine, near Reefton, Rural Communities Minister and local MP Damien O’Connor announced at an event on the West Coast today. “This is great news for the Coast that could ...
Papakāinga model inspires whānau well-being A housing project by Kohupātiki whānau in Hastings is an outstanding example of a Māori-led housing initiative that can reduce financial pressure and reconnect whānau to their whakapapa says the Minister for Māori Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta. Minister Mahuta officially opened the Aroha Te Rangi ...
Restoration efforts for a significant wetland in the Hawke’s Bay are getting more support announced Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage. “Wetlands are vital to healthy landscapes and ecosystems. They function as nature’s ‘kidneys’, filtering and protecting water quality, acting as nature’s sponges after rain and are home to ...
Nelson has today seen the launch of Housing First Nelson Tasman. Today’s launch marks the expansion of the Government’s homelessness programme, Housing First, to the top of the South Island. “Housing First is a proven programme that puts people who are experiencing homelessness and multiple, high and complex needs into ...
New Government funding announced today will help communities make a difference in tackling environmental issues Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage announced in Hawkes Bay today. The Ministry for the Environment’s Community Environment Fund is dedicating $243,101 to growing the capacity and capability of the Environment Hubs Aotearoa’s (EHA) ...
The days of vulnerable consumers falling victim to loan sharks, truck shops and other predatory lenders are numbered, following the Credit Contracts Legislation Amendment Bill passing its third reading tonight. “Too many Kiwis are being given loans that are unaffordable and unsuitable, trapping them in debt and leaving their families ...
A Bill that prevents terrorism and supports the de-radicalisation of New Zealanders returning from overseas has passed its third reading, Justice Minister Andrew Little says. The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill is a carefully targeted response to manage the risk posed by a small number of New Zealanders who have ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Samoa on Friday, where New Zealand medical teams are helping Samoa respond to an outbreak of measles. “New Zealand has been working closely with the Government of Samoa and offering our assistance from the ...
The Government has changed the law to improve student safety and welfare in university halls of residence and other student accommodation. The Education (Pastoral Care) Amendment Bill passed its third reading this afternoon and details of an interim Code of Practice setting out the Government’s expectations of tertiary providers have also been released. ...
A new tool to help councils fund and finance infrastructure could mean some housing developments happen a decade earlier than currently planned, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said today. “This new tool, developed by the Government in partnership with industry and high-growth councils, will allow councils to access private debt ...
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has welcomed the release of a bold new vision for the country’s vital food and fibre sector. “I’m delighted that New Zealand’s major farmer and grower organisations are today supporting the Primary Sector Council’s vision – Fit for a Better World,” he said. “The international consumers ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has congratulated the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government for completing a well-conducted referendum on the future political status of Bougainville. “New Zealand supported the referendum process by providing technical advice through the New Zealand Electoral Commission and leading a Regional Police ...
In light of Cabinet’s position that freight operations on prime land in downtown Auckland are no longer viable, the Government will now embark on a short work programme to enable decision-making in the first half of next year, Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones is today releasing the ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter has received the report back from a surgical mesh restorative justice process undertaken by Victoria University. The process heard stories, either in person or online submission, from more than 600 people affected by surgical mesh. “The report made for heart-breaking and confronting reading,” says ...
The Water Services Regulator Bill – Taumata Arowai , introduced to Parliament today, is a milestone for drinking water safety in New Zealand and will help improve environmental outcomes for urban waterways, rivers and lakes. “This is a breakthrough for New Zealanders in terms of providing safe drinking water throughout ...
Kia ora koutouE ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā matā wakaTēnā koutou katoaHaere ngā, moe maiKoutou ma ngā Rangatira Ko Anaru ahauKo au te Minita mo ngā TureHe Honore tino nui kei roto I ahau No reira tena koutou katoa Today, we are releasing two reports that are the ...
The Government is looking to turn around the long-term challenges of criminal justice by taking a new approach to break the cycle of offending to ensure there are fewer victims of crime. Justice Minister Andrew Little released two reports today, Turuki! Turuki! from Te Uepū Hāpai I te Ora, and ...
New Zealand firms expanding beyond the start-up phase are set for more support after today’s passage of the Venture Capital Fund Bill, Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. The Bill, which establishes a $300 million Venture Capital Fund, puts in place a key initiative of the Wellbeing Budget’s economic package. ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira mā. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Señora Presidenta, Excellencies, Delegates. International action A common thread that runs through the Paris Agreement is the commitment we have made to each other to do what we can to ...
The Government is lifting capital investment to the highest level in more than 20 years as it takes the next step to future-proof New Zealand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced $12 billion of new investment, with $8 billion for specific capital projects and $4 billion to be added to ...
The Government is forecast to run $12 billion worth of surpluses across the four years to 2023/24 as the economy continues to grow. The surpluses will help fund day-to-day capital requirements each year. These include fixing leaky hospitals, building new classrooms to cover population growth and take pressure off class ...
Budget 2020 will continue the Coalition Government’s focus on tackling the long-term challenges facing New Zealand while also investing to future-proof the economy. When the Government took office in 2017 it was left with crumbling infrastructure, severe underinvestment in public services, degraded rivers and lakes, a housing crisis and rising ...
The Minister responsible for the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (te Takutai Moana Act 2011), Andrew Little has welcomed the launch of an online geospatial tool that provides data-rich, dynamic coastline maps that will significantly boost research and evidence-gathering under the Act. Te Kete Kōrero a Te ...
The Chief Victims Advisor to Government Dr Kim McGregor, QSO, has been reappointed in her role for a further two years. Dr McGregor has held the role since it was established in November 2015. She provides independent advice to government on how to improve the criminal justice system for victims. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare have today announced the deployment of a network of DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami) buoys. “New Zealand and the Pacific region are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. It is vital we have adequate warning systems in place,” ...
DART Buoys Announcement Aotea Wharf, 9.30am 11 December 2019 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements to Minister for Civil Defence Hon Peeni Henare also here today. White Island It is with regret that this event shadows the tragic natural disaster two days ago. The volcanic eruptions on White Island have claimed 5 lives, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Racing Industry Bill in parliament today. This is the second of two Bills that have been introduced this year to revitalise New Zealand’s racing industry. “Our domestic racing industry has been in serious decline. The Government is committed to ...
Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni, is pleased to announce that $291,321 is to be awarded to national and local community initiatives to maintain and promote the use of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). “New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where Sign Language is an ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has announced today the Coalition Government’s initial response to work completed by the independent statutory body, the Veterans’ Advisory Board. “When Professor Ron Paterson completed his review of the Veterans’ Support Act in 2018, he made a number of recommendations, including one which I referred ...
The Provincial Growth Fund giving $13 million to a gold mining project under DOC land on the West Coast is a disgraceful waste of public money says Coromandel Watchdog, a group fighting gold mining in Hauraki. ...
CEAC reviewed the NZTA National Land Transport Programme “2021–24 NLTP development” plan to see the support for rail funding was there, and NZTA is now seen as ‘anti-rail’ in their NLTP plans, contrary to Government policy to use rail - heads must roll. ...
Kiwi startup founder Jenene Crossan has spent two years enduring jetlag and heinous London Airbnb prices as she builds her latest business.Jenene Crossan, co-founder and CEO of beauty booking service Flossie, has spent most of the past two years sitting in airport lounges and living out of suitcases in a bid ...
From New Zealand’s biggest band selling out Western Springs to a landmark moment for Pasifika women onstage, these are the live events that shaped New Zealand this decade.An anchor in the middle of the deep blue sea: Daffodils, 2014 Todd Emerson and Colleen Davis in Daffodils, on stage at the Traverse ...
Is there something to be learned from TVNZ’s Wild West-meets-WWE-meets-19th-century-New Zealand web series? After all, writes Sharon Mazer, colonisation, like professional wrestling, is a fixed match.The premise underlying TVNZ’s new web series Colonial Combat is anachronistic and preposterous, even by WWE standards. It’s also fascinating.Transported from American popular culture to ...
For a lot of people, there’s not much joy to be found at Christmas. Emily Writes spoke to Dr Sarah Bell-Booth and Gwendoline Smith about how to deal with the hard stuff in the face of all that relentless holiday cheer.Despite my anxiety, I generally enjoy Christmas now that I ...
This contained incorrect information regarding the remuneration of Alexandra Allan. The item has now been deleted and Scoop unreservedly apologises to Ms Allan for the distress caused due to this publication. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne At the December 12 UK election, the Conservatives won 365 of the 650 House of Commons seats (up 48 since the 2017 election), Labour 202 (down 60), the Scottish National ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Tormey, Professor of Politics, University of Bristol So for all the talk of narrowing polls, tactical voting, and possible shocks leading to a hung parliament, Boris Johnson achieved a crushing victory over Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party in the UK’s ...
Sir Peter Snell has died, aged 80, at his home in Dallas, Texas. James McOnie remembers arguably New Zealand’s greatest ever athlete.Sir Peter Snell was so great that small towns still engage in custody battles over the legendary runner.His birthplace Opunake (where he spent his first 11 years) claims him, ...
Māori Injustice Issues Will Have More Visibility Thanks to New Panel Advising Ombudsman A prominent Māori leader, Lady Tureiti Moxon believes Māori injustice issues will be seen much more now thanks to Pūhara Mana Tangata, a first-time Māori panel appointed ...
“It was right there in the waiting room that Jack first told me he was finding it hard to separate his fingers”: a parent’s nightmare, by Dunedin writer Emma Neale. ...
We started picking a top 10 ourselves and puttered out at about #3, sick of the sound of our own voice. Bugger it, we thought, and sent for assistance. It’s been like Christmas ever since, an inbox flowing over with gorgeous, sincere little gifts. Here’s the nonfiction selection, in no ...
The leadership shown by tangata whenua at every national disaster and tragedy should be recognised and honoured by all of us, writes Catherine Delahunty.I do appreciate having a prime minister who is capable of expressing decent, human emotions when tragedies descend on us. It’s a sadly low bar that she ...
From the pockmarked rugby paddock of Apiti, to the smooth, iridescent-blue turf of Albany, Black Sticks defender Steph Dickins' hockey journey has come a long way. ...
If you want to shock and amaze your friends and family this Christmas, look no further than the deep recesses of $1 reserve Trade Me. Folks, I’m going to let you in on a huge Christmas secret here: you can get all your presents for $1 if you know where to ...
To celebrate the 50th birthday of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth, Walters Prize-winning artist Ruth Buchanan has rehung their collection, bringing previously unseen works and skeletons out of the closet. Her new exhibition The scene in which I find myself/Or, where does my body belong examines ...
It is hard to remember a year in which New Zealand was so repeatedly in global headlines, writes Kamahl Santamaria, a Kiwi journalist based in Doha.Time zones are a strange thing. You go to sleep, and then for eight hours or so, you miss out on everything happening on the ...
Napoleon demanded that his generals be lucky. Conservative PM Boris Johnson, as he surveys a thumping victory in the British general election, would meet that criterion.His luck bears a resemblance to that of Margaret Thatcher. Like her, he has made a decisive break with orthodox establishment thinking. That presents ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison has rejected or sidelined a number of recommendations from the long-awaited Thodey review of the public service that might have constrained his and his government’s power. Not surprisingly, a proposal to ensure changes ...
Analysis - The "do nothing" government announces a big spend-up on infrastructure, moving the Port of Auckland, and Winston Peters throws his weight behind NZME's bid to buy Stuff. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]For their last video for the year, University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini and Michelle Grattan look backwards to the big issues which have shaped political discourse. They discuss the surprise election results, and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has acknowledged Ngāti Awa for their role as tangata whenua (people of the land) in leading and caring for affected whānau (family members), following the Whakaari / White Island eruption and recovery operation earlier today. ...
The Environment Committee has opened for public submissions on the Urban Development Bill. The bill follows on from the Kāinga Ora–Homes and Communities bill, which disestablished Housing New Zealand and set up a Crown entity in the same name. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Loader, Emeritus Professor of New Testament at Murdoch University, Murdoch University This article is part of our Gender and Christianity series. To understand contemporary Christian ideas about gender, and specifically masculinity, we need to go all the way back to the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Gissing, General Manager, Risk Frontiers, Adjunct Fellow, Macquarie University Calls are growing for a national bushfire plan, including from former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who says they are an issue of national security and the federal government must provide hands-on leadership. ...
Pro-democracy lobby group Democracy Action welcome New Zealand First’s commitment to hold firm rejecting the Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene’s bill to entrench the Māori seats. The Bill, which would require any changes to the seats to require the ...
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in reality television and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s.Sometimes you are just doing a podcast as usual and then Colin Mathura-Jeffree gives you a call and throws your world off its axis. In a very special edition of Colin’s Cranny: Live, ...
We get a handle on the artists and artworks that shaped this decade in Aotearoa.As 2019 draws to a close, the four nominees for this year’s Turner Prize subverted the competition – they asked to receive the award as a collective. Meanwhile, at Art Basel Miami Beach, a banana taped ...
The second and final report of Te Uepū Hāpai i te Ora, the Safe and Effective Justice Advisory Group, contains nothing we didn’t know 30 years ago. Yet generations of politicians have ignored the same advice, writes Laura O’Connell Rapira.Between the 1950s and 1990s, New Zealand experienced seismic social, economic ...
Fuel company Z Energy has cut its earnings forecast for the year by 10 percent because of tougher competition and falling margins, and is forecasting a big cut in dividends. ...
Liquidators of the hacked cryptocurrency exchange Cryptopia have travelled to the United States, to retrieve customers' information and certain crypto-assets. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kath Albury, Professor of Media and Communication, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology Popular commentary on dating apps often associates their use with “risky” sex, harassment and poor mental health. But anyone who has used a dating app ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania Australian shoppers are set to spend $52.7 billion this Christmas. In the words of the retail industry, we are “stampeding” to empty our wallets, both online and ...
NZ Herald and many other media outlets ran a story on a man whose farts could repel mosquitos, despite the story coming from a satire news site and not being verified in any way, writes Dan Satherly for Newshub.“Man’s farts so deadly he kills mosquitoes in a 6m radius” is ...
Timing right to borrow our way to a stronger economy in 2020 The Government’s announcement of its intent to invest significantly in the county’s infrastructure could turbo charge an economic recovery that was already showing positive signs for ...
A poem by writer, journalist, and former Manus Island refugee Behrouz Boochani.Forgive me my loveTranslated by Moones Mansoubi, Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, 2018 Forgive me my bird as I am not able to embrace you.But here,in this corner,I know some migrating birds that I smile to at dawn.I embrace them ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Powles, Senior Lecturer in Security Studies, Massey University The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a chain of islands that lie 959 kilometres northwest of Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, has voted unequivocally for independence. The referendum saw 85% voter turnout during ...
Fisheries New Zealand starts consultation today on proposed changes to catch settings for rock lobster and scallops for the new fishing year beginning 1 April 2020. ...
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. This was the declaration of the pigs who control the government in George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm– a tart comment on the hypocrisy of governments that proclaim the absolute equality of their citizens but gives power and privileges ...
SPCA has been working flat out to desex more than 80 animals a day over the last year, which is the most desexing SPCA has done since recording the figures. ...
“The fact so many families are struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table must be addressed urgently if we’re to provide the foundations for a good life for the next generation of New Zealanders,” says Scott Figenshow, Chief Executive ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo (Hamish Hamilton, $40)Winner of the 2019 Booker Prize.2The Body: ...
This holiday season Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs wants to offer parents and caregivers some advice on how to help keep your family safe online. ...
A report released by the Chief Victims advisor Kim McGregor advising there needs to be an Independent Victims body is being welcomed by Victim Rights lobby group Sensible Sentencing Trust. National spokesperson Jess McVicar says the trust have ...
For the third time in five years, the United Kingdom has gone to the polls today. From the summer islands of New Zealand, join The Spinoff as we follow the results rolling in.9.30am: So, with polls about 90 minutes away from closing, the top line is this – we’ve got ...
Winston Peters will back an NZME proposal to buy Stuff with a 'Kiwishare' guarantee the merged news company will keep regional news and separate websites for at least two years. ...
The Executive Director of Dapaanz (Addiction Practitioners’ Association Aotearoa New Zealand), Sue Paton says the announcement that Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment court would become permanent immediately, following successful pilots in Auckland ...
Online marketplace Sidekicker is taking advantage of people who have little choice but to juggle multiple low-paying jobs to make ends meet, writes artist and freelancer Ben Markley.After graduating early this year with one of the least vocational degrees, I didn’t expect the largest array of job prospects. Nevertheless, I ...
National is vowing to bring back and expand health sector targets dropped by the current Government and mulling whether to scrap elected District Health Boards. ...
More than 10,000 people have signed a petition launched a week ago, calling for better support and funding for community midwives. The 10k figure was reached after the first four days. Chief executive of the College of Midwives, Alison Eddy, said last ...
Information obtained by animal rights organisation SAFE has revealed rodeo organisers are refusing to halt calf-roping events in rodeo, despite the Government’s animal welfare advisors’ recommendation that they do so. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Mayne, Molecular biologist and bioinformatician, CSIRO Humans have a “natural” lifespan of around 38 years, according to a new method we have developed for estimating the lifespans of different species by analysing their DNA. Extrapolating from genetic studies of species with ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW On Monday the Australian government will release the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO). This will – as required by the Charter of Budget Honesty – provide an update on the key assumptions made in this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia It seems like every time we switch on the idiot box we are confronted with news footage of another disaster. Bushfires in Australia. A hurricane in North America. A tsunami ...
Open Mike 28/02/2017 
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If you like any article please help promote it (and the blog). Link to it on facebook and other social media, write about it anywhere or re-blog it. We’re very happy to have other people re-blog our material, all we ask is that you mention the original source and put ...1 day ago
by The Council of Disobedient Women John Fenaughty is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. In a recent column Fenaughty suggested that school teachers should use students’ “correct names and pronouns (e.g., he, him, they, them, she, her, etc.)” ...1 day ago
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There seems to be an obsession with New Zealand journo-activists to paint Ardern lipstick on a Labour pig, but media here haven’t had a Trump type reality check yet.
A fascinating read about billionaire funded data analysis being used for mass manipulation in the US (and also used to help Farage with Brexit):
Robert Mercer: the big data billionaire waging war on mainstream media
A long read but there’s a lot of recognisable things in there. Could this happen in New Zealand?
They want her in for the clickbait, plus they could probe her private life. Andy’s too boring.
will trump lose support from this shit?
http://theweek.com/speedreads/682636/trump-laments-that-american-soldiers-no-longer-fight-win
interesting when considered against the potential false flag ops used to start wars – and sometimes they aren’t false flags
https://libcom.org/library/reichstag-fire-dutch-communism
“Prime Minister Bill English has downplayed a surge in demand for emergency housing grants, saying the government support is “ flushing out ” Kiwis in need of help.”
English is beginning to remind me of Muldoon with his behaviour. Am wondering if he has a drinking problem.
That invites a response: “At least Muldoon had drink as an excuse, what’s Bill’s excuse?”
That’s a really good question Repateet
WHEN WILL AUCKLAND TRANSPORT (AT) ‘OPEN THE BOOKS’ WITH SUB-CONTRACTED CONTRACTS?
27 February 2017
Press Release: ‘Anti-corruption campaigner’ Penny Bright
“Moving forward Auckland Transport – where’s the transparency with SUB-CONTRACTED contract$?”
“I am pleased to see that Auckland Transport (AT) are going to release details of ‘all its contracts publicly'”, says anti-corruption campaigner Penny Bright.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1702/S00880/auckland-transport-opens-the-books.htm
“However, the reason why I made a formal complaint to the Serious Fraud Office ((SFO), on 22 February 2017, was because Chair of Auckland Transport’s Board, Dr Lester Levy, had stated in a letter to me, dated 21 February 2017 that Auckland Transport were NOT going to release the details of Auckland Transport ‘sub-contracted’ contracts.
“Dear Ms Bright
Release of contract information
Thank you again for your presentation to the Board of Auckland transport on
16 February 2017,
I am following on from that and your email correspondence of 17 February.
As you noted in your presentation, Auckland Transport already publicly releases details of awarded contracts with a value of over $50,000. That information includes the contract number, a brief description of the contract, the supplier, the value of the contract, when it was created and the appointment method.
Moving forward, subject to any confidentiality obligations, Auckland Transport intends to extend this practice of public notification to all awarded contracts (that is irrespective of dollar value).
Auckland Transport also intends to notify all potential parties that we contract within the future that the information provided in the paragraph above will be publicly notified.
This practice will not include sub-contracts because, as I am sure you will appreciate, Auckland Transport does not normally hold information relating to contracts to which it is not a party.
(My bolding)
………
Dr Lester Levy
Chairman
Auckland Transport”
______________________________
“Given that, as I understand it, basically ALL of Auckland Transport’s ‘operational works’ are
sub-contracted, in my considered opinion, it is essential that the same transparency should be available for public scrutiny, with ALL sub-contracted contracts – once awarded.”
“Having spent days carefully studying the ‘Reasons for the Verdict of Fitzgerald J’ in the unprecedented bribery and corruption case involving former senior Auckland Transport Manager Murray Noone,
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/r-v-borlase-reasons/@@images/fileDecision
in my view, there are potentially two layers of corruption involved, when public services are contracted out to private sector consultants and contractors:
PUBLIC to PRIVATE corruption – where a corrupt ‘public official’ helps award a big contract to a big private contractor.
PRIVATE to PRIVATE corruption – where a corrupt private contractor awards ‘sub-contracts’.”
“It is my understanding that decent, ethical companies involved in sub-contracting, do not have a problem with transparency equally applying to their contracts.”
“I look forward to Auckland Transport confirming at the earliest opportunity, that the releasing details of ‘all its contracts publicly’ – is going to equally apply to all those ‘sub-contracted/.”
Penny Bright
……
‘Anti-privatisation / anti-corruption campaigner’.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1702/S00880/auckland-transport-opens-the-books.htm
Auckland Transport opens the books
Monday, 27 February 2017, 12:40 pm
Press Release: Auckland Transport
Auckland Transport media release
27 February 2017
Auckland Transport opens the books
Auckland Transport will be releasing details of all its contracts publicly. Since it was established in 2010, AT routinely published on its website, the details of all contracts valued over $50,000.
That threshold has now been dropped to zero.
AT Chairman, Dr Lester Levy, says that as a publicly funded body, the organisation wants to be as transparent and accountable as possible.
“There is a small extra administrative burden in releasing this sort of information, but we feel that it’s worth it to allow more open scrutiny of our activities,” he says.
“This demonstrates a clear commitment to being open and accountable to the public at large.”
Dr Levy says the nature of some of AT’s activities, such as property negotiations, means that sometimes information is commercially sensitive and involves third party businesses or individuals.
“In those cases, and to protect the interests of ratepayers and taxpayers, they are dealt with confidentially but when the reason for that confidentiality no longer exists, the material is routinely released (and published on AT’s website).”
See details of recent contracts below.
https://at.govt.nz/about-us/procurement/awarded-contracts/
ENDS
Latest Roy Morgan is out:
[deleted]
I wonder if we will see a dedicated TS thread on this like the last (favorable to the left) CM poll.
[lprent: Ah another dickhead troll. Quotes without clearly showing that it is a quote, and does it without a link so I deleted the unattributed quote (it is in the link I provided).
If there is a dedicated post depends on an author thinking that it is of interest. We generally don’t waste that many posts to polls. Usually every few months.
But we don’t take kindly to people trying to tell us what we should write about. In fact it is in the policy as a self-martyrdom offense. So what to do… Oh I know 😈
Banned for 6 weeks – which is roughly when I figure an authors is likely to put up a post on a poll. You should have enough patience for that right? ]
When was the poll done please?
Just answered my own question 😀
“This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted by telephone – both landline and mobile telephone – with a NZ wide cross-section of 852 electors between January 30 – February 12, 2017.”
As well Roy Morgan released the findings of another poll…
“A recent Roy Morgan survey on the ‘Most Important Problems facing New Zealand’ showed Government/ Public Policy/ Housing issues 41% (up 1% since October 2016) are clearly the most important set of problems facing New Zealand according to a representative cross-sample of 1,000 New Zealanders interviewed in January 2017.”
Gosh that link and the RM survey on that issue is interesting.
Cinny
The link is very interesting.
Only 26% of the people who thought housing was a problem are National voters, so it would seem National have a lot to gain and very little to lose by doing some work on this front.
Lab/Green however are preaching to the choir.
My rolling average of the last 4 Roy Morgan’s (because it jumps around, but I used to average 5):
Lab/Gr/NZF 47.9
Nats 47.1
Nats/ACT/MP 49.5
It’s not fantastic, but as Bill English seems to be saying 2 daft things before breakfast (and Andrew Little was good on Morning Report this AM) Bill’s honeymoon is surely over.
I would not put NZF as automatically with Lab/Gr as you have done.
NZF can go both ways. In fact with Nat at 47, it will be very tempting for NZF to go Nat/NZF for a clear majority govt.
Agreed Wayne. I was confident when Key was there that Winston hated him so much that he would go with Labour. Not so sure now, though silly reports like that right-wing report on the regions that came out today are likely to push Winston towards Labour.
Not as third choice behind the greens he won’t
No but I do have a theory he might go with Labour on condition the Greens are kept out of the cabinet.
For instance if the election ended up Lab/Gr bloc 46% Nats 43% NZF 9%
I could see that happening, the greens have been happy to sit outside of cabinet in the past. They will be so happy with the opportunity to ‘change the government’ they will let Labour walk all over them…again
@Bob
They would have no option. I vote Green.
I’d love for NZF to go with national, I think that would be their death knell.
A slow ringing, till Winston realises it’s all gone.
Smile 🙂
National 48.0% (+2.0%)
Labour 26.0% (-1.0%)
Green 13.0% (+0.5%)
Projected Seats
National 59
Labour 32
Green 16
ACT 1
Maori 2
United Future 1
NZ First 10
Total 121
I think relying on Roy Morgan for anything other than outhouse loo paper is a recipe for a cyclical loop of dashed hope.
Almost like being a Warrior’s supporter.
The one thing we don’t see in any poll is any sign of Labour breaking out of their 25-30% bracket, or the Greens 10-13% slot.
The Polls have been consistent in relation to these two factors for several years. There was some hope on the left that traction could be gained when Key decided to leave but even that has proved to have had a negligible effect.
I suspect that these two factors are behind the current vapid rumblings in the media pushing for Ardern to replace King as deputy of Labour to try and get some upward traction in Labour’s poll results.
This carries risk of a backlash especially if (as it appears) Annette King has decided that she isn’t going to get the DCM note simply because members of the fickle msm have decided that she is too old for the job.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/89850453/labour-wont-win-a-change-election-by-looking-the-same
The question I have is, who benefits? I don’t see Ardern as being behind this smear campaign – it is too obvious and too crudely done to be her; someone else is pushing it and I would like to know who.
Waste time on a conspiracy theory in an election year? Knock yourself out. I think you’ll find most New Zealanders care more about housing and swimming, though.
Tracy Watkins is a Nat fan, Rightly or Wrongly, and this is a Nat attack on Little and King. King is good at pushing Nat buttons – especially in the House – and they don’t like it. They want her out of the way. Which indicates to me that she’s being very successful at getting under their collective skin, and Little needs to keep her in that position (deputy leader) for the duration of the campaign.
Unless Ardern is completely useless , they should put her in as dp ,it really is only a smile and wave role from what i can see, Give King what she wants to keep her happy
Precisely Jenny Kirk. Anyone who has spent time watching QT in the House knows how brilliantly Annette King performs. You can see by the looks on their faces that her ‘victims’ are scared of her. Occasionally they get in a smart response but its not a common occurrence. Add to that her unmatched political knowledge and experience, its no wonder the Nat’s media fan club are doing their darndest to create a popular surge to replace her with Ardern. The TS commenters who are falling for it need to step back and reassess the situation. It’s all the Nat toadies in the media -or on the fringe of it – who are pushing this meme.
Jacinda’s a future leader or deputy leader, but her time is a little way off yet.
+100% , Anne
Btw, Matthew Hooton was full on about Ardern becoming deputy leader yesterday on the Mon. morn. RNZ political spot. And when Hooton is full on rooting for some one in Labour… you know something is not right!
Yep – you’ve said it, Anne. The nasty Nats are pushing Jacinda hard (must be a bit embarrassing for her) – in the hope of destabilising Labour. Its a very blatant trick.
That’s how I see it, too.
When I saw Tracy Watwat pushing to get rid of Annette King today, it was obviously more of her “What would be best for the Nats” trolling. And they have got the Hooton broadcasting on the same theme? Has the strategy has been sent from Crosby Textor?
King has the savvy, and the following. She’ll know when it’s time to go.
And it’s not now.
Jacinta’s day will come. Good things take time, as they say in cheesemaking circles!
Pucky? MushintheMiddle?
Open slather for election-year ‘attack ads’ by individuals and well-funded pressure groups
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/89849345/andrew-geddis-open-slather-for-electionyear-attack-ads-by-individuals-and-wellfunded-pressure-groups
No doubt the right will have a number of well off individuals and pressure groups preparing to strike.
Are the left prepared to counter this?
I’ve got my own cunning plan 😀 It’s seriously good, will share once executed, thanks youtube
It’s not aimed at any political party, am not a member of any, it’s about an individual who is and has seriously let our nation down.
It’s not an attack plan, it’s a sharing information plan, delivery needs to be optimal for social engineering purposes.
How loaded is that law, an attack group would not have a limit on spending for such, but the political party they are attack does. That’s bullshit.
“Although private individuals and groups now are free to use TV and radio to attack parties or candidates, those parties and candidates still are limited to responding using the taxpayer-funded allocation given to them in the weeks before each election.”
Excuse my naivety but for example would that mean that perhaps after an ad condemning a political party there would be a little disclosure message saying… ‘blah’ political party disputes these accusations… or words to that effect.
Or does it mean that they have to make their own ad to have right of reply?
They will also be able to respond through news media, press releases and blogs.
And good riddance to truck driving as a career:
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/02/when-robots-take-bad-jobs/517953/
I doubt it’ll stop at truck driving.
The noise will drive any human space-sharers nuts.
For those interested in the train wreck called Brexit.
Major warns May of fickle allies who want EU ‘total divorce’
Former prime minister says Britain made ‘historic mistake’ with vote to leave
John Major, the former Conservative prime minister, has urged Theresa May to face down Tory Eurosceptics during the Brexit negotiations, warning that they are fickle friends who want a damaging “total divorce” from the EU. Sir John, who angrily labelled his own Eurosceptic cabinet critics of the 1990s “bastards”, urged Mrs May to have the courage to pursue a course of Brexit that maintained Britain’s close trading and diplomatic ties with Europe. “At some time she will have to face down those who favour total disengagement and who have never accepted our role within Europe,” he said in a speech at Chatham House on Monday evening. “For some, a total divorce has been a decades-long ambition. I believe they are utterly wrong. “And although today they may be allies of the prime minister, the risk is that tomorrow they may not.” In his first public comments since last June’s Brexit vote, Sir John said that Britain had made a “historic mistake” in voting to leave the EU and that the public had been led to expect a future outside the bloc that was “unreal and over-optimistic”. His speech made thinly veiled criticisms of the tone of Mrs May’s government on Brexit. “Obstacles are brushed aside as of no consequence, whilst opportunities are inflated beyond any reasonable expectation of delivery.” Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of the new generation of Eurosceptic Tory MPs, claimed that Sir John’s own European policy was a disaster and he was being “classically condescending” in claiming voters had made a mistake in voting for Brexit.
Sir John’s comments follow a speech by Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, who this month urged pro-Remain voters to “rise up” to challenge the kind of clean break with the EU being pursued by Mrs May.
Both former prime ministers are frustrated that the Commons and Lords are expected to pass legislation allowing Mrs May to start the Brexit process without significant restraints on her negotiating position.
Sir John claimed that pro-Europeans were being bullied into silence. “It’s not arrogant or brazen or elitist or remotely delusional to express concern about our future after Brexit,” he said. “Shouting down their legitimate comment is against all our traditions of tolerance. It does nothing to inform and everything to demean — and it is time it was stopped.”
Brexit would weaken Britain’s standing in the world and the vote to leave had done the EU “great harm”, strengthening populist movements elsewhere in Europe, he added. Sir John also warned ministers and backbench MPs to moderate their language as Mrs May prepares to activate Article 50 next month.
“Behind the diplomatic civilities the atmosphere is already sour,” he said. “A little more charm and a lot less cheap rhetoric would do much to protect the UK’s interests.”
A Number 10 official said: “The government is determined to make a success of our departure from the European Union and to move beyond the language of ‘Leave and Remain’ to unite our country.”
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2017. All rights reserve
Great cartoon in the herald today.
a link is always a good idea
Nothing to see here, move along…
Senator Bernie Sanders and Bill Nye Talk Climate Change.
Very cool.
So there was this carnival in Germany…
Clever art work there joe90. They seem to be excited about something or body.