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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The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Stephenson, Deputy Director, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, Australian National University Newly published research has found clear evidence that openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer+ (LGBTIQ+) Australian politicians were disproportionately targeted with personal abuse on social media at the ...
Gilmore Girls, Schitt’s Creek, even The Vampire Diaries – they’re all set in tight-knit neighbourhoods where everyone knows everyone. So what is it like to actually know your neighbours? My favourite television shows are set in tight-knit neighbourhoods where everyone knows everyone. Characters attend town meetings where they debate local ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yanyan Hong, PhD Candidate in Communication and Media Studies, University of Adelaide IMDB On the surface, Ne Zha 2: The Sea’s Fury (2025), the sequel to the 2019 Chinese blockbuster Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child, is a high-octane, action-packed and ...
Wellington travellers say their buses are so hot they’re often forced to get off early and walk. Shanti Mathias explores the impact of non-functioning air conditioning on public transport. When Bella, a young professional living in Wellington, thinks about taking the bus, her first thought is “Ugh”. The bus might ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Kroen, Research Fellow Planning and Transport, RMIT University The cleanup is underway in northern Queensland following the latest flooding catastrophe to hit the state. More than 7,000 insurance claims have already been lodged, most of them for inundated homes and other ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Subha Parida, Lecturer in Property, University of South Australia Carl Oberg/Shutterstock Houses and fire do not mix. The firestorm which hit Los Angeles in January destroyed nearly 2,000 buildings and forced 130,000 people to evacuate. The 2019–20 Australian megafires destroyed ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania Tasmania has been burning for more than two weeks, with no end in sight. Almost 100,000 hectares of bushland in the northwest has burned to date. This includes the Tarkine rainforest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Loosemore, Professor of Construction Management, University of Technology Sydney This week, the Productivity Commission released its much-awaited report into productivity growth in Australia’s housing construction sector. It wasn’t a glowing appraisal. The commission found physical productivity – the total number ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pascale Lubbe, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Molecular Ecology, University of Otago Royal spoonbills are among several new species that have crossed the Tasman and naturalised in New Zealand. JJ Harrison/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA When people arrived on the shores of Aotearoa ...
Stats NZ’s head is stepping down over the agency’s failure to safeguard census data, and more officials may soon be in the firing line, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. An ‘absolutely unacceptable’ failure Stats NZ chief ...
Health NZ is under greater government scrutiny, with the new health minister setting up a unit he says will "drive greater accountability and performance". ...
Manurewa Marae acknowledges should have done better at handling completed census forms, following an inquiry into steps government agencies took to protect data. ...
Police failed to protect people from protesters at a high-profile rally and made unlawful arrests at another, the Independent Police Conduct Authority says. ...
Comment: Crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are making it easier for people to invest in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum without having to handle digital wallets or private keys. These allow investors to buy and sell cryptocurrency through their regular brokerage accounts.This has opened the door for billions of dollars ...
Two long-awaited reports into alleged personal data misuse, centred on census collection and Covid-19 vaccination efforts at Manurewa Marae, were released yesterday. Here’s what you need to know.“Very sobering reading” was how public service commissioner Sir Brian Roche described his organisation’s long-awaited report into the alleged misuse of census ...
Backbench MPs reached new levels of patsy questions in an extraordinarily dull question time on Tuesday. Echo Chamber is The Spinoff’s dispatch from the press gallery, recapping sessions in the House. Columns are written by politics reporter Lyric Waiwiri-Smith and Wellington editor Joel MacManus. “MPs ask questions to explore key issues ...
The New Zealand Government says the Cook Islands must share more information about the deals it has signed with China, following the release of an ‘action plan’ in the face of protests in the Pacific nation’s capital.The Cook Islands government has also revealed plans to spend $3 million on a ...
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Comment: The recent attack by Destiny Church front groups on a Drag science show at Te Atatū library crossed a line. This wasn’t the first time that Brian Tamaki, the multimillionaire self-appointed ‘apostle’, has ordered acts of aggression against the queer community. Last year, Drag Story Time events were targeted, ...
Martina Salmon is well versed in the fast-paced action on a netball court, but even she was caught by surprise with the speed at which her career changed tack last year.Staying in the fast lane is only part of her drive this season.Fresh off a nine-day camp in Sydney with ...
Last night I may as well have been in Taihape. Or, closer to home, for me at least, somewhere in the Wairarapa. Or Tūrangi, even – which is near where we used to spend the summer when I was a child. For there was that same gorgeous small town feeling ...
Having Auckland’s food scraps dumped onto your rural backyard sounds scandalous, but in the North Island town of Reporoa there’s no fuss about the thousands of tonnes carted here every week.From the same site as one truck drops the waste, another truck picks up fertiliser to spread on local sheep ...
Negotiating rights over freshwater in Treaty settlement negotiations could have extended negotiations a decade, a Ngāi Tahu leader says.Tribal leaders, and its umbrella body, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, have taken the Attorney-General to court in a bid to have the Crown recognise its rangatiratanga (chiefly authority) over wai māori ...
Analysis: Poor safeguarding of New Zealanders’ data could be a widespread practice within the public service and certainly within the health system, according to the findings of an independent inquiry into allegations of misused census and Covid-19 vaccination information.The Public Service Commission’s review, led by consultant Pania Gray and former ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Stone, Principal Research Fellow, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Having dense breasts is a clear risk factor for breast cancer. It can also make cancers hard to spot on mammograms. Yet you ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The National Anti-Corruption Commission will finally investigate whether six people referred to it by the royal commission into Robodebt engaged in corrupt conduct. This follows an independent reconsideration by former High Court judge Geoffrey ...
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.