The tikanga of mana is at stake. We will not stand idly by and allow the mana of the Minister of Education, the Honourable Hekia Parata, her people, our people to be manipulated and trampled on. We, Dr Apirana Mahuika, Sir Toby Curtis, Sir Mark Solomon, Raniera Tau, Willie Te Aho, Awanuiarangi Black, Tiwha Puketapu, Naida Glavish, Sir Tamati Reedy and Pem Bird caution NZEI that they are putting their hard earned excellent reputation earned over a sustained period of time on the line and for what purpose?
The International Summit is the most prestigious educational event on the world calendar, a huge coup for our Minister of Education, Hekia Parata…
“The event brings together education ministers and leaders of national teachers’ federations and teachers’ unions from jurisdictions that, according to the OECD’s 2012 PISA survey results, have high-performing or rapidly-improving school systems”
I hope National gets the answers to the three questions whic are the focus of the summit
“The three questions that this Summit will focus on are:
How can high quality teachers and leaders be attracted into and retained in schools of the greatest need?
What are the levers for achieving equity in increasingly devolved education systems?
How are learning environments created that meet the needs of all children and young people?"
I can’t work that one out, they haven’t really explained why they are upset, they have only said that they are upset…. and into such a vacuum goes ………
But whenever the word “honour” appears in the speech of someone uppity or otherwise then one should be very wary. “Honour” is but an empty tub which will hold whatever is tossed into it ..
Who they represent anyway? Not the ordinary Maori , surely. Aren’t they all Maori aristocracy? You know, those people who have done well for themselves from the settlements that were supposed to benefit many more people than they did in reality.
Every child deserves a chance in life, but more than one in four Kiwi kids live in poverty. That inequality is the biggest hurdle to educational success.
The Government is putting millions into highly paid “new roles” for some principals and teachers, but ignoring child poverty. It has rejected a living wage for low paid support staff such as teacher aides, who directly support students with the greatest needs.
If you agree that tackling inequality must be the #1 priority in New Zealand, and that there must be a Living Wage for Learning for kids and education workers, come and join us to show your support!
Will be nice if we can have a warm-up piece today on The Standard, alerting peeps to the nationwide TPPA demo tomorrow? Sorry, I haven’t got much time at the moment to draft a piece but I have lotsa suggestions and a big mouth.
Doesn’t have to be a long, original piece for now but just a general announcement or notice pointing people to the various places around the country tomorrow at 1pm:
“After four years, the corporate deal of the century – aka the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement – is still being negotiated in secret.
“The TPPA puts our sovereignty at risk, violates our democratic right to decide our own future, and wastes taxpayers’ money that should be spent on social, not corporate, welfare.
“It needs to stop. Now.”
As I thought I heard or read someone saying: make it big as it may be our last time to do this!
Done, but even something straight forward is not that quick. I think some of the links are not working that well – then I got an urgent personal email that needs attending to.
I’m speechless – very sad and disturbing. There are some excellent people in that group, including one of the authors of Te Whariki, the fabulous ece curriculum. I want to know where their voices have been as they’ve watched the systematic destruction of our education system under this government. No use talking about mana now, we’ve already shamed ourselves
And the eroding of the education system doesn’t stop at 16. Did you know for instance, that if you only give a party vote, but leave the electorate vote blank, that the ballot paper is void?
Te reo kupapa. They are probably looking at starting iwi charter schools. A few of them must still be going for knighthoods. Thank god that a new generation of leaders is growing, that has nothing in common with this sad lot.
The Carter Holt Harvey price-fixing case raises a question: what has happened to the proposal to make cartel behaviour a criminal offence? The company was fined $1.85 million by the High Court for price fixing in the Auckland commercial timber market, though its actions were described as being at the lower end of offending. The bill proposing criminal sanctions for serious cartel offending has been stuck in Parliament for almost a year and the Government has shown no interest in passing it. It seems unlikely anything will change before the election.”
from MBIE website
“The Minister of Commerce introduced the Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2011 into Parliament on 13 October 2011.
One of the principle objectives of the amendment Bill is to introduce criminal sanctions for hard-core cartel behaviour.
Hard-core cartels are formed when rival firms agree to not compete with each other by fixing prices, restricting output, allocating markets or rigging bids. Cartels allow firms to raise their prices above the competitive level without fear of losing customers to rivals. This increases the profits of cartel participants but does not benefit consumers.”
Introduced by Simon Power… and then he left… and then it languished under… Steven Joyce and Craig Foss
” Commerce committee report
On 13 May 2013, the Commerce Committee tabled its report on the Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. ”
Sanctions proposed
“The penalty regime
The bill introduces criminal sanctions for individuals and companies. For an individual, the maximum sanction would be seven years’ imprisonment. For a body corporate, the sanctions are the same as the current level of sanctions: a fine set at the greater of either $10 million or three times the value of the commercial gain, if it can be ascertained. If the gain cannot be ascertained, the sanction will be 10 per cent of annual turnover.”
”
Craig Foss
14 May, 2013
Select Committee reports back on Cartels Bill
Commerce Minister Craig Foss today welcomed the Commerce Select Committee report on a Bill to encourage pro-competitive collaboration.
The Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill promotes economic growth by enabling pro-competitive collaboration between firms, while also deterring hard-core cartel conduct.
“This Bill forms an important part of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda and our ambitious goal to increase the ratio of exports to GDP to 40 per cent by 2025,” says Mr Foss.
“It will enable collaborative arrangements that can help businesses innovate and tap into overseas markets. This will be a welcome change for New Zealand’s export industries.
“At the same time the Bill takes a strong stance against hard-core cartel conduct like price fixing and bid rigging and introduces criminal sanctions for egregious behaviour.
“These activities will not be tolerated and anyone engaging in them will be treated the same way as tax evaders, fraudsters and other white collar criminals,” says Mr Foss.”
“..will be treated the same way as tax evaders, fraudsters and other white collar criminals..”
generally ignored..?..unless un-ignorable..?
..and does anyone think we will ever see any words/actions of/on (from any party?) on the (depending who you talk to) $1.5 billion – $5 billion in criminally-evaded taxes..?
..each and every year..?
..can i offer a possible path to a solution..?
..a carrot-stick themed ‘solution’..?
..how about offering a three month amnesty..?
..wherein the guilty can come forward..and just have to pay the taxes owing..with no penalties..
..and after that amnesty-period lapses..
..promise task-forces/going gangbusters over all those caught..
..(with tandem ramping-up-penalties legislation..?..)
..i reckon that’d flush out quite a bit of that ‘criminally-avoided’ tax revenue..
..(and we do need the money..eh..?..so we can start to put things right/prepare for the future..)
..(and of course..those in this govt who we look to do this are foss-the-hapless..
..and the pompadoured-one..dunne…
..so..we’ll get s.f.a. action on this from these two clowns..
..that you can take to the bank..)
..(and just practising my psychic-abilities here..
..i’m gonna make the call that a majority..(and by quite a margin..)..
..wd be from the rich/elites..
..most of who vote in their wallet-interests..
..and tick national/act in the ballot-box..
..so for only this reason..foss-the-hapless/dunne will not offend their support-base..
..that is far more important..than trying to claw back all that nicked money..)
For some reason I haven’t been able to access the home page of The Standard for a few days, although I can go to subsidiary pages like this one. Is this happening to others and if so, does anyone know why?
Try pressing Shift+F5 to force a cache refresh on your browser. I saw that on my table this morning as well probably because I wasn’t able to load the page at the Pickering lecture yesterday.
‘National has developed a media network incorporating the Whale Oil website, Kiwiblog and commentators Matthew Hooton and Michelle Boag.
They have been feeding the media appetite for short, sharp crises to fill online news space.
It is Labour’s job to counter National’s influence over the news agenda. But it does not have many of its own partisans in the media; the left-leaning website The Daily Blog does not have an audience to compare with Whale Oil.’
His round-up also mentions the planned pay-wall at the herald, which I haven’t seen confirmed as definite (although I probably have just missed it) previously. It starts later this year.
Amusing. For some strange reason we never get mentioned in any of the mainstream media unless they absolutely have to. I guess it is because we don’t act like news media because of our focus on being a internet forum – ie comments.
BTW: does anyone else have problems getting any comments on the NZ Herald articles? As far as I can tell, none of mine since about 2012 have made it through. I guess they don’t like our ocassional posts on them 😈
Not mentioning The Standard was a major omission from Drinnan. The Daily Blog seems to have scant connections with Labour so was an odd inclusion in that context.
”The Daily Blog seems to have scant connections with Labour so was an odd inclusion in that context.”
While I agree the Standard should have been mentioned, it’s not just about Labour.
Unlike the largely homogeneous right, the left has developed a healthy pluralism of parties.
The issue is a lack of decent left-wing pundits in the media cycle.
Good point. But there are a number of authors over there who have Labour membership. Me for instance.
It could have been a simple editing mistake. After all both of the sites start with the word “The”. 😈
But I suspect that it is pretty deliberate. There are sites that the news media never likes to mention. For instance the Transport blog and this one. We’re somewhat harder to spin as being the clowns of the internet.
Bryce Edwards does like linking to your site a bit eh?
The Daily Blog attempts a popular appeal – Standard talks to itself IMO.
The Daily Blog comments are less nutty.
He was challenged on it by other journalists too. Odd and superficial. Some traditional journalists don’t give much weight to people using pseudonyms, I don’t know if that’s why he thinks TDB is more significant.
I don’t know how Bryce chooses his links but he seems to be including more and more sources for his links, he used to be more selective. I look for different angles on things. Writing blog posts is quite different to commenting on blogs – mickysavage is a good example of that here, his approach is quite different to what it used to be. He’s now someone I look out for.
gee..pg..imagine if you did something like commentaries on q-time..or something..
..edwards-the-younger would link to ya so much more than even he does now..eh..?
..he’d be all over you like a rsh..
..and with yr observational-powers/quick wit..
..i’m sure such a commentary from you wd b a treat..
(and cd u discount the persistant/ongoing rumours that the heavy/serial-linking to yer exercises in the fatuous/irrelevant/boring/bleeding-obvious..by edwards-the-younger..
..are down to full-body-massages..followed by a beard rubdown..?
..administered by yr (fill-blank) self..?
..and while we are at it..
..have you ever owned/touched/read a copy of mein kamp…?
..wot with yr own ‘struggle’..eh..?
..he too..was misunderstood/laughed at..in the early days..
..but he showed them..!
..eh pete..?..
..and do you currently have any plans/desires/aspirations..
… to annex invercargill..?
..(nb..the above is all ‘rumours’..unfounded-suppositions..
The Daily Blog attempts a popular appeal – Standard talks to itself IMO.
Not really. We talk between activists on the left and to the people interested in activists on the left – it is in the about. Obviously something John isn’t into. I guess his view of media is more about entertainment than effectiveness (at least that is what I see when I read many of his stories).
The Daily Blog comments are less nutty.
That is because they are extremely and silently censored (which is why they are so few). It conforms to the same ethos that NZ Herald follows in their comment policy so I can see why he’d feel more comfortable with it.
But he is right, we primarily exist to allow the left to talk amongst each other whereas The Daily Blog is designed to allow some people on the left to present a ethos to a wider public. Of course you’d have to ask yourself which is more effective at a political level.
That’s a good point on censorship at The Daily Blog. Discussion is obviously not a priority there.
We’ve had a few wee skirmishes here about moderation but I’ve said elsewhere a number of times at least it’s all out in the open, I’ve never been secretly censored here . It seems to be common practice at TDB and it’s happened to me. Martyn seems to be trying to be an alternative to MSM but he mimics their strict opinion and message control. Like anywhere that’s his call.
When the outcome is that one party is publicly humiliated and earns a reputation for banality that follows him to this day, that’s not a “skirmish”. It’s a rout.
Mine get published about 60% of the time, but take a couple of days to get through moderation even if I am posting within the hour after an article is published.
The reason The Standard is not mentioned is not “strange” at all. It is however quite stupid.
It’s purely because the authors here are pseudonymous. The MSM like to be hypocritical in having their own (completely) anonymous editorials, but won’t deign to mention TS because apparently you have to have a publicly identifiable name otherwise your opinion somehow doesn’t mean anything.
Makes no difference for legal liabilities but the journo’s are so in love with their late 20th century fetish for individual fame (spurred by TV) that they have forgotten the whole of the 19th/20th century journalistic ethos and why it was there. The only residual is the editorials.
Drinnan should have also included Rachel Glucina, the Herald’s gossip columnist – and friend of Slater’s who is also deep in with the smear campaign against KDC. But probably she is too close to home, being a fellow Herald columnist.
Yep. It seems to me that they must have sat down with the powers that be. Slater was told to stop being such a dick and tone things down and Glucina was told that she was going to get out of the socialite pap news and start breaking stories. She has further .com news in her latest column at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personalities/news/article.cfm?c_id=72&objectid=11227811
Lolz more snide innuendo from the Herald(National Party disinformation service),shows just how much the Beehives 9th floor lives in fear of the bloke,(i have the sneaking suspicion that the 9th floor have a private investigator/SIS on the road sniffing out DotComs ‘back-story’,
Laughable is the pic of DotCom in the ‘Kraut lid’, who would have thunk it, a German lampooning a German,(i have been hanging out for DotCom to do a full on Sergeant Shultz while live on the TV news),
The pic down the bottom of Rachel Glaucoma’s column of the Kohanga Kids having fun with Trev is a total cutey…
well..that disempowering of a past demon by mocking..
…was part and parcel of that show..?..surely..?
..(the war was recent enough for most watchers..at most only one generation removed from the actual conflict..)
..(disclaimer:..i have ‘loved’ a german..and my son is half-german..
..and ..as an aside..i think he was speaking for his savvy-generation..when he instantly called ‘bullshit!’ on the false equivalence of the dotcom/mein kamp story/beat-up..)
..and surely..of far more prurient-interest wd be the off-stage lifestyle of the lead actor in hogans’ heroes..bob crane..?
Yes i have had the odd look on the Doktor’s(Edwards),daily roundup of politics via the Herald online and on most occasions, even when there are multiple posts running on a topic at the Standard Bryce chooses to not mention this instead directing readers to the branches of the sewer,
People are ‘lead’, often easily, the Doktor, dare i say with deliberation???, doesn’t mention the Standard too often, in my opinion, simply as a means of keeping people from reading the Standard, if His links consistently direct people to ‘wail-oil’ and ‘kiwi-smog’ then if they have no knowledge of the Standard they are likely to keep going to those sites if they are seeking further knowledge of ‘political happenings’ than that which is provided by the mainstream media,
To a certain extent, in a cutting off the nose to spite the face exercise, the political parties of the left spend no amount of energy mentioning the Standard, ala Slippery the Prime Ministers major ‘Slurp’ directed in Blubber boy and ‘wail oil’s’ direction recently choosing instead to promote their own web-sites which have far less debate and thus tend to be pretty party-centric and, again in my opinion,are a bit of a bore,
In an ideal world, in the interests of growing ‘the left’ we would see Labour/Green/Mana websites prominently displaying links to both the Standard and the Daily Blog,(having not looked for a while i do not know if any of them do this now)…
The Bryce Edwards round-up started as a chronicle of topical political stories and columns, including issues simmering away in the regions, and off-beat bloggers. It covered many different stories and issues in one edition. However, now Edwards is trying to capture/create the narrative, and each one is overly long, and too focused on beltway media/topics.
As Karol pointed out recently, Edwards even took to Twitter to commission pieces from bloggers on a set topic! This is media as echo chamber, rather than reflecting the actual confusion and complexity of life.
And Edwards focus is very much about politics as a game – party strategies, headline grabbers, polling issues, etc. – little about close examination of policies.
Amusing in the Herald’s online version this morning is the befor and after of Colon Craig said to have been dieting in preparation for the 2014 election,
The befor version,(much to my surprise), looks remarkably like a run of the mill picture of a normal human being,
The ‘after’ one tho gives me a picture that could be used as an example of Colon having been kidnapped by aliens at some point in time and whisked off for a quick ‘probing’, seems ‘the probe’ must have been set to ‘suction samples’ when the aliens ‘must watch’ favorite TV show came on inter-galactic TV and they left Colon on the ‘table’ for too long while they watched it,
The mad staring eyes remind me of ‘speed’ addicts strung out on what the medical profession used to prescribe to tired overweight Mums back in the 60’s,(but that’s another story)…
The Parliament is in recess until April 8th,(i think), so unless Labour are planning to release major policy there isn’t much happening to get them into the news,
David Cunliffe was in the far North on Monday or Tuesday and i should imagine that any number of MP’s will be out there in the electorate holding meetings with ‘interest groups’ something Helen Clark did with zeal befor becoming Prime Minister,
i should imagine that Labour release a flurry of ‘press releases’ on everything of interest, or not, on a regular basis, media apathy or bias would then account for such not seeing the light of day,
Hopefully either David Cunliffe and/or Grant Robertson are preparing a series of questions that skewer Slippery the Prime Minister, at question time to keep the PM’s ‘gifts’ to charity, the National Party, firmly in the headlines once the Parliament resumes…
I hope they don’t let collins and parata, oh and adams off the hook. What’s happened to bennett, is she keeping her powder dry? Just saw in comments in herald that ‘frannie’s columns were like love letters to shay key’. So sad, but so true. She needs to get out more.
Well, at least some MPs will be out here in the electorate. From today’s item:
‘The entire Labour Party caucus will descend on Wairarapa on March 31. All 34 Labour MPs will visit Wairarapa to meet with locals at afternoon venues to discuss development, jobs, health and housing.
Labour leader David Cunliffe describes the event as an “away caucus”, to hear the voice of the people first-hand.
“I believe government must act with the people, not for the people. That can only be achieved by getting out and about, not sitting behind a desk at Parliament.” ‘
I hope they are smarter than the Green Party were a few years ago. They held a conference in the Wairarapa. It was over the weekend and they went up from Wellington on Friday night.
Being publically enthusiastic about public transport they all went up on the evening train. They got there early and took most of the available seats. Thus when the people who travel on it every day after working in Wellington got there no seats were left and the regular passengers had to stand for the trip. The Green Party never thought to tell the Railways ahead of time so that more carriages might have been added.
I know two people who were on the trip, both of whom were, until that time, Green Party members. They resigned and as far as I know they never re-joined.
I can’t imagine that the Labour MPs will be travelling on the train of course. I hope they don’t take a taxi each and at least will share some.
Glen Innes had the highest capital gain on three-bedroom houses with an annualised 18.9 per cent, and Mount Wellington had the best gain on apartments at 16.2 per cent…
Is that the impact of the new mini fletchers town for the first home buyer with 650k? Or the sell off of state houses?
“An old, old Soviet story repeating itself,” Boris Akunin, a novelist who signed the opposition petition, wrote in an email when asked about the war of words.
“It’s just that under Stalin, if a prominent cultural figure dared to protest he’d be shot; under Brezhnev he’d be imprisoned; now he just risks losing state donations and having to travel economy class — but this often proves enough,” Mr. Akunin wrote. “It’s a fascinating sight to watch people make this moral choice.”
Auckland Mayor Len Brown has been accused of acting with a conflict of interest at a council committee meeting today.
Veteran anti-corruption campaigner Penny Bright was attempting to read out letters from the police in regard to a complaint against Mayor Brown, but he refused to let her speak and ordered security staff to remove Bright from the venue.
Speaking later from Auckland police station, Bright told InvestigateDaily that the mayor had taken direct action on a matter he was directly implicated in, and she believed he had a clear conflict of interest in trying to prevent members of the public from speaking about him.
Bright being removed. PHOTO: Cr Dick Quax
(Photo: Dick Quax)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM PENNY BRIGHT
(“The letter from Police that conflicted Auckland Mayor Len Brown tried to stop me reading at the Auckland Council Governing Body meeting Thursday 27 March 2014 “)
“I have discussed this matter with Graham McCready, and am considering taking a private prosecution for assault against the security guards, and Mayor Len Brown as a party to the assault,” says Penny Bright.
“If you think that I am going to put up with being censored and assaulted – now twice within 5 weeks – for attempting to expose corrupt conflicts of interest at Auckland Council – THINK AGAIN!”
“In my considered opinion, Auckland Council is rotten to the core with corrupt conflicts of interest, but I will NOT be silenced as an anti-corruption ‘whistle-blower’. ”
Still want to defend Auckland Mayor Len Brown ????????
I was merely pointing out the likely result of the battle you are choosing to fight.
I suspect that the len brown “conflict of interest” is a pile of bunk, and that your removal by security staff was done with proper legal authority and without striking or doing you bodily harm (crimes act s56 if I recall correctly from my security days). But most of all, I suspect that the rates reporting requirements you are choosing to lose your home over will not substantially change the practise or effectiveness of democracy (or lack thereof) in Auckland.
Not that I care too much, being at the other end of the country.
Okay kiddies.
Homework for the weekend is getting out your pens and papers and writing to your MP’s and asking why charter schools are getting taxpayer money.
If they dont reply then write letters to your local newspaper telling on them.
Its time to make the wonks start earning their money!
It seems that the upcoming rallies against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) that will be happening all over NZ tomorrow are effectively being ignored by mainstream media?
FYI!
SAT 29 MARCH: JOIN THE NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO STOP THE TPPA
It’s not likely to have been much more than a minor factor in the year to February 2014 visitor arrival numbers, despite the speculative analysis in the article.
Also, the problem with these kinds of campaigns is that it’s difficult to establish if they create new arrivals or simply shift timing or, much less tangibly, just add yet another minor reason for visiting with a correspondingly limited marginal effect.
Let us not forget that the reason New Zealanders know so much about Dotcom is because he is the target of a major investigation by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Few other organisations on the planet possess the investigative capabilities of the FBI and even fewer are as sensitive when it comes to institutional failure and humiliation. But, failure and humiliation are precisely what lies in store for the FBI should Dotcom succeed in delaying the extradition procedures initiated against him by the US Attorney-General long enough to allow an electorally successful Internet Party to negotiate favourable political interventions on his behalf.
I would have thought that promoting this as a deliberate aim of the Internet Party will not help their current efforts to distance the party from Dotcom.
And Chris promoting deliberate political intervention in an extradition as a condition of supposed coalition support is quite astounding.
I’m confused. Which party do you think Trotter is speaking on behalf of? I thought Trotter saw himself more as a fairly independent leftie commentator and analyst – one that often provides critical views that often upset other lefties.
It looks to me like he is talking on behalf of a general left, but I don’t think promoting a party’s electoral aim as to politically intervene in an extradition will help the Internet Party nor the left.
The Internet Party are trying to establish a perception of independence from Dotcom, that is hard enough already without political/legal deals being promoted as a deliberate aim.
If I was Labour or Greens or Mana I’d be wanting to have nothing to do with any suggestion like this. Russel Norman is one of the more astute politicians on the left, and he saw the dangers Dotcom and his party posed to the chances of the left.
Best you stop now then Pete. That’s two comments from you in this thread in which you – by your own standard – promote the IP’s electoral aim as to politically intervene in an extradition.
The fungal algae called ‘Rock Snot’ is known to attach itself to many things as a means of travel and is thus able to move from place to place and pop up in places gaining a toehold only later to infect the whole area…
…. and in other matters ……
Does anyone else think (given NZ’s search and rescue capability, 6 x P3K2’s et al) that its contribution to MH370 is actually rather fuckin pathetic?
I’m of the belief that the NZ Defence Force’s future lays in peaceful contributions – such as search and rescue, responding to natural disasters, etc.
We seem to have given JUST enough to earn this miserly gubbamint some Browlee points (covered in shit as they inevitably are), and JUST enough to earn the Philistine itchim smetchim smoozim ideologically, parrot fashioned ‘learnings’, kaholic, commoditised principles-for-sale, red-dirt brown-eyed Jonkahism a few points on the ‘ta-neshnool- stage?’.
It is rather pathetic though …. I mean these fukwits run the gauntlet (due to PS cutbacks) with bio-diversity (think PSA, etc., etc., etc.) daily – and they do so with ‘Defense’ (which should actually JUST be devoted to CIVIL defense).
But this single Orion – with crews that appear to need close to 24hrs to change over is fucking pathetic.
It’s especially so, since of all the world’s capability ….. NZ (along with OZ – to actually a LESSER extent) are accustomed to the 40’s latitude that till now has been on the agenda.
But yeah, but nah, but yeah but nah – not worth it aye. wod ear va …. snot gunna make goldin boiii look sgoood es scccchhhhmoooxin in a fifrint hemsphere.
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A short opinion piece – Friday 26th June 2020 Whilst our Government has treated many financial victims of the current Covid-19 virus with appropriate generosity, the same cannot be said for those of the two earlier “epidemics” in NZ. The “Covid-84” virus (also called “Rogernomics”) spread systemic greed, with the ...
Everyone deserves a a decent life. We know this is possible with a fairer approach to income support and tax Read the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Poverty Action Plan here ...
After a long break, the government is back inserting secrecy clauses in legislation. This time its the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill (No 3), which in its clause allowing Ministers to exempt purchasers of farm land from the usual rules also allows them to exempt an exemption from the publication requirement: ...
Over the past two years the government has repeatedly delayed a scheme to put cameras on boats to monitor Mew Zealand's pervasively criminal fishing industry. But it turns out that the industry actually wants cameras: Three of the country's biggest seafood companies have broken ranks with the rest of the ...
Louise Delany (public health lawyer)Health and emergency laws have played a critical role in this country’s successful elimination of community transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog details key aspects of the legislation and comments on issues around testing, payments by incoming travellers for quarantine costs, and mask use. ...
I like Andrew Curry’s succinct and insightful futures blog The Next Wave. His most recent post is about social change. In particular, the decadal-long periods usually required for changes in values. He highlights a 2016 paper by Inglehart and Norris, who examined whether economic insecurity or a “cultural backlash” ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Stop making sense: why it's time to get emotional about climate changeThe science has been settled to the highest degree, so now ...
MONDAY JULY 6Washington (History, Sky 073, 7.30pm). The brilliant Doris Kearns Goodwin is the executive producer of this six-part series about America's first president. It combines interviews with live action and is narrated by Jeff Daniels. It's engaging, said Salon.TUESDAY JULY 7The ABC Murders (Prime, 8.30pm). Sarah Phelps has done incredible things with ...
I think we can all agree that the mainstream media in New Zealand has a very different set of rules for the right wing compared to the left. While Labour and Green Party politicians don’t seem to be able to fart without it becoming a sackable offence, National and Act ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, June 28 through Sat, July 4, 2020Editor's Choice'2040': A funny, entertaining, upbeat climate documentaryA timely Australian documentary takes a 'solutions' approach, with the filmmaker inspired by visions of ...
Racist National MP Hamish WalkerEven before Todd Muller's coup ousted Simon Bridges by a single vote, it was patently obvious that the National Party promotes and stands for white privilege. In fact they’ve always worked to ensure the discriminatory status quo in New Zealand doesn’t change.So it’s no surprise that ...
Dave HeatleyZero community transmission. Just a handful of active cases, all in quarantine. New Zealand is in an attractive situation, at least compared to much of the world. The situation could be robust and enduring – or it might be fragile, just one border incursion away from a “second ...
Is the consequence of the Simpson Report proposals for restructuring the health system poorer accountability to people? When in doubt, centralise‘ has been a persistent theme in New Zealand public policy throughout our history. The current government is no exception. Here are some examples. - The regional polytechs have been ...
I wrote earlier in the week about the Scientology front organisations Drug Free World and Drug Free Ambassadors and their quite prominent role in anti-cannabis reform "coalition" assembled by Family First and a newloca branch of the American prohibitionist organisation SAM.It turns out Family First aren't the only ones helping ...
Nik GreenMuch of the public debate about the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has focused on the extent to which government regulations have restricted personal and business activity.Oxford University Blavatnik School of Government Here in New Zealand, the question of when to change Alert Levels dominated the ...
James Higham, University of OtagoUnprecedented border closures and the domestic lockdown have paralysed New Zealand’s $40.9 billion a year tourism industry. In the process, the vulnerability of the sector to external shocks and the tenuous nature of tourism employment have been exposed. While New Zealand’s handling of the pandemic ...
Raising The Bar: Would that the Prime Minister and her colleagues would listen as intently to what the people – as opposed to the power elites – are saying as the Greens. Were they so disposed, the popular clamour for a transformational post-Covid reset would be loud in their ears. ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzDo you think the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown will slow or ...
A bit like a letter home. I have now been full-time at the University of Melbourne since 2019. Before that, I was 20 years at the University of Otago, Wellington. Indeed, I set up this very Public Health Expert Blog with Nick Wilson ten years ago. Now I am your ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections House Democrats have released a comprehensive report showing how – if they control the White House and both the Senate and the House of Representatives – they might move forward on climate change. Their “Climate Crisis Action Plan,” released June 30 by the ...
A ballot for three Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Electoral (Integrity Repeal) Amendment Bill (David Carter) Harmful Digital Communications (Unauthorised Posting of Intimate Visual Recording) Amendment Bill (Louisa wall) Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Bill (Judith ...
Not Ready: Todd Muller’s lack-lustre and self-contradictory performances offer conclusive proof that a political leader cannot be managed into competence. National’s new boss has Janet Wilson handling his media and Matthew Hooton writing his speeches. Both are highly professional political and public relations specialists, and Muller is lucky to have ...
Unfortunately, due to a medical emergency, I have landed in hospital so am not able to do a current update on the NZ blog statistics. Let’s hope I can get back to this in good time. ...
It started as a family story, about a step-father who went out one night to break into an embassy in Wadestown, Wellington. John Daniell wanted to understand what his family had been part of when his mother and then step-father work for New Zealand’s Security Intelligence. He wanted to know ...
The Greens have shaken up the election campaign with the announcement of their radical poverty and action plan to reform welfare provision and introduce a new wealth tax for millionaires. It’s a big-thinking, controversial policy and has generated a lot of disagreement over how radical it is, whether it could ...
My house is currently supplied electricity by Meridian. As soon as I can change I will because Meridian spilled water to hike electricity prices. They got consumers to spend an extra $80 million on power unnecessarily. Clever them. The Electricity Authority has called their behaviour an “undesirable trading situation”, or ...
When Jacinda Ardern unexpectedly became the Labour Party leader shortly before the 2017 general election, she promised to lead a government of transformation. After nearly three years occupying the Treasury benches, health professionals working in public hospitals have been keenly waiting for transformational progress, including in the capacity and quality ...
Last night, One News ran a follow-up story to its Colmar Brunton poll results on the cannabis referendum, headed here as Government accuses big American anti-cannabis group of interfering in NZ politics.In truth it wasn't just the government: Justice minister Andrew Little, National's Shane Reti and the Greens' Chloe Swarbrick ...
When the government refused to put cameras on fishing boats to ensure fishers obeyed the law, Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash claimed that coalition partner NZ First (which has received large donations from the fishing industry) was not responsible for the decision. He has repeated that claim repeatedly since then. But ...
Heroic Evasions: Labour needs to be unequivocal in its communications with the electorate. Either it has a plan to prevent their fellow New Zealanders from falling off the economic cliff, or it doesn’t. Either it has a fiscal policy equal to the task of funding that plan, or it hasn’t. ...
Prof John Potter*Elimination has been an effective strategy for New Zealand in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic virus (SARS-CoV-2). Most other countries have not pursued this goal and are ignoring the opportunity even now. SARS-CoV-2 is not manageable by the influenza playbook; its longer incubation period makes tracing ...
This is a re-post from Weather Underground by Bob HensonAbove: This rainbow appears unusually low in the sky because it has formed early in the afternoon, rather than toward sunset. For a rainbow to form, water droplets must be present in the air in front of an observer ...
On Monday, Todd Muller gave an important speech to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, He spoke firmly about his belief in the need for foreign investment, for the public sector to partner with the private sector rather than boss it around and, crucially, demanded the government deliver a clear strategy ...
Todd Muller's first act on become party leader was to appoint an all-white front bench. This understandably raised eyebrows, so he is now apparently reconsidering caucus and list rankings. Which is obviously necessary, but there's still the underlying problem: National doesn't have a lot of Māori MP's. And the reason ...
Meridian energy has been caught manipulating the electricity market for fun and profit: Meridian Energy pushed up power prices by unnecessary spilling water from its south dams in December that could have been used for generation, the Electricity Authority has ruled in a preliminary decision. The authority said the ...
When the Christchurch murderer pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder and a number of other violent assault charges a few months ago, he effectively closed the door on what the public will know about the lead up to and commission of the event. His plea means that no evidence ...
Daphna Whitmore The Philippines is enduring one of the longest lockdowns in the world. For President Duterte the lockdown provides an opportunity to garner more powers and to push through a brazen assault on human rights. A new law called the Anti-Terror Bill has been passed under urgency and it ...
Hearing the Prime Minister castigate the Warehouse for laying off 1,000 workers after receiving $52 million in wage subsidies reminds me of the fabled frog who agreed to carry a scorpion across a river. The scorpion stings the frog halfway across, dooming both to drown. The frog cries “Why on ...
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Prof Michael BakerCompared with other OECD countries NZ is a stand-out success story by ending community transmission of COVID-19. While there have been some well-publicised recent deficiencies (eg, quarantine organisation), there has still been no evidence of community transmission for many weeks. Nevertheless, ...
It’s June 30th, marked as Asteroid Day by many people of an astronomical bent around the globe. On this date in 1908, early in the morning in a remote part of central Siberia, the sky fell in. Well, not literally. What happened is a substantially-sized lump of cosmic detritus ...
There really is not much about Paula Bennett concerning her career trajectory, the policies she promoted, and most importantly, the socio-economic effect this had upon New Zealand (and particularly the most vulnerable in this, our oft-cited “egalitarian” society of this country) that can be said now that hasn’t already been ...
Don Franks Poverty, inequality – really – aren’t politicians paid to sort that stuff ? Why can’t they just get it together and come up with something fair and sensible? A cold rainy 2020 morning, a headline showed promise. “Green Party’s $8b plan would guarantee an income of $325 a ...
A guest repost by Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) staff attorney Augusta Wilson. Fundraising is not the objective of this article but readers may wish to know that CSLDF is currently conducting a summer fundraiser to support defense of research scientists and research integrity from anti-science interference by politicians and industrial interests. The COVID-19 pandemic ...
Helloy… My name is Todd Muller and I am the leader of the National Party of New Zealand. Many people come up to me on the street and ask me who I am. I’m often walking through Tauranga, or in a mall in suburban Auckland, or maybe even a farmers’ ...
The US state of Mississippi has finally voted to remove the Confederate emblem from its state flag. Good. Its appalling that it was put there in the first place, but even more appalling that it took so long to remove it. Its basicly as if a German Länder still had ...
No one could have predicted when David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill was passed by Parliament last November that the referendum required to bring the legislation into force would be held against the backdrop of a deadly global pandemic. Since then, the mounting tally of casualties around the world ...
Paul GoldsmithYou can often tell just how effective a progressive policy proposal will be by how much the right wing criticise it. The more socially beneficial, the more vitriolic and unhinged they seem to become.That was the case when the Green Party announced their Poverty Action Plan yesterday. The response ...
Back at the beginning of April, when we had much else on our minds, I wrote this post urging some caution in interpreting the results of the latest Horizon poll, conducted in February, on voting intentions in this year's cannabis referendum, which was paid for by Helius Therapeutics.I wrote that ...
Over the weekend the Greens made their first election policy announcement, and promised transformational change: a more progressive tax system, with new rates applying to incomes of $100,000 and $150,000; a new wealth tax on net wealth over $1 million; and a guaranteed minimum income to eliminate poverty. Its bold, ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industry New Zealand First is supporting calls by hunters and the New Zealand Tahr Foundation (NZTF) to halt a large scale cull of Himalayan Tahr by the Department of Conservation in National Parks. The calls are supported by a 40,000 strong petition and the ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First leader Winston Peters today scoffed at suggestions that a team of six political operatives have been dispatched to New Zealand to assist his campaign. ‘As President Ronald Reagan once said, ‘there they go again.’ ‘The clickbait journos can’t ...
New Zealand First is pleased to announce Jenny Marcroft as the party’s election 2020 candidate for the Auckland Central electorate. Jenny spent years working in Auckland Central, having spent a vast proportion of her broadcasting career there. She says she, "knows the place and knows the people." Ms Marcroft says ...
New Zealanders deserve healthy rivers and lakes that are safe to swim in - but they have been getting worse for decades. That's why, with our latest announcement, we're investing in projects that will help clean up our rivers and lakes and restore them to health, within a generation. ...
This week we moved into the second half of 2020 - and our Government delivered another week of big changes and major progress for New Zealanders. Read below for a wrap of the key things moments from the week - from extending paid parental leave, to making major investments in ...
The Green Party has opposed the COVID-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Bill which shortcuts normal consenting processes under the Resource Management Act (RMA), reduces public participation and narrows environmental considerations. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Economic Development A regional freight hub for the lower North Island will be built just northeast of Palmerston North, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Government is investing $40 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to designate and buy land and design ...
Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson is calling for the introduction of a Guaranteed Minimum Income to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty and prevent more families entering into further debt with the Ministry of Social Development. ...
There has been renewed focus on New Zealand First acting as a handbrake on the Government after our decision to not support Auckland light rail. We are a handbrake for bad ideas, that istrue, but our track record since 2017 has seen New Zealand First constructively also serve as an ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP New Zealand First’s Fair Residency for Superannuation Bill passed its First Reading in Parliament today. The Bill makes a significant change to NZ Super by raising the minimum residency requirement from 10 to 20 years, after age 20. “Currently, a migrant of ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order A New Zealand First member’s bill in the name of Darroch Ball introducing a six-month minimum prison sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its second reading in Parliament. The new offence of "injuring a first responder or corrections officer with ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Deputy Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First welcomes the launch of the new Criminal Cases Review Commission, gifted with the name from Waikato-Tainui - Te Kāhui Tātari Ture, announced in Hamilton today by Justice Minister Andrew Little. “New Zealand First has long believed in and ...
The Green Party is celebrating over $800m in new funding for green projects, which will get people into jobs while solving New Zealand’s long-term challenges. ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is appalled that Meridian seems to have been unnecessarily spilling water from its dams to drive up its profits."While New Zealanders have been coming together in some of our darkest hours, we don’t expect power gentailers to waste water and ...
We wrapped up the first half of 2020 with a busy month, taking additional steps to support New Zealanders as we continue with our economic recovery. We rolled out targeted packages to support key industries like tourism and construction, helped create jobs in the environmental and agriculture sectors, and set ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has welcomed the appointment of Maurice Davis and his deep infrastructure and construction experience to the board of the Infrastructure Commission. Mr Davis (Ngāti Maniapoto), is the seventh and final appointment to the board led by former Reserve Bank Governor ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand’s click bait journalism is taking a turn for the worse, with yet another example of sensationalist, wilful-misrepresentation of the facts. “New Zealand First has worked constructively with its Coalition partner on hundreds of pieces of legislation and policy, and ...
The Green Party is today unveiling its Poverty Action Plan, which includes a Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure people have enough to live with dignity. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Rotorua Museum redevelopment and Whakarewarewa and Tokorangi Forest projects will be accelerated thanks to a $2.09 million Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) boost, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
This week, we rolled out the next steps of our recovery plan, with new infrastructure investment, extra support for tourism operators, and a new programme to get Kiwis into agriculture careers. The global economic consequences of COVID-19 will continue to be a challenge, but we have a detailed plan to ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its final reading in Parliament today fulfilling a coalition agreement commitment. “This is an important step in saving the lives of New Zealanders and delivers a key coalition commitment ...
Whakatāne has been given a $2.5 million boost to speed up previously funded projects and create more than 450 jobs in the next decade. Of those, the equivalent of 160 full-time jobs could be delivered in the next six weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is in town to make ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $2.5 million to accelerate three infrastructure projects in Whakatāne, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “This package is about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is throwing his weight behind a bid by the Auckland Council to fast-track the more than doubling of the city's water allowance from the Waikato River. And he's coming out strongly against anyone who plans on getting in the way of this campaign. "It is my ...
The Green Party is thrilled to see changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that mean consents for large projects can be declined if they will have significant climate change implications that are inconsistent with the Zero Carbon Act and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations. ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new ship, Aotearoa, set sail for New Zealand on 10 June from the Republic of Korea, and is due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow, announced Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “Aotearoa is the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new fleet ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters has today welcomed the Racing Industry Bill passing its third reading, creating the legislative framework for revitalising the racing industry while limiting the need for future government intervention. “For too long our domestic racing industry has ...
The Green Party has today put forward an amendment to the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill to ensure all people in prisons can vote in general elections. ...
The Green Party welcomes the decision to not proceed with Public Public Investment (PPI) delivery of Auckland’s light rail project and to instead run the process through the public service. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First List MP Hon Ron Mark welcomes the announcement of Provincial Growth Funding investment of $1.4 million to help secure the Wairarapa’s water supply. The funding boost will allow the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and ...
New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson has been selected to represent the party in the newly formed Taieri electorate at the upcoming election. Mr Patterson, his wife Jude and two daughters farm sheep and beef at Lawrence and Waitahuna. He previously stood in the Clutha-Southland electorate however boundary changes ...
Hon Shane Jones, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises A new ‘super depot’ to be built for NZ Post in Wellington will create around 350 jobs during construction, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises Shane Jones says. Shane Jones today attended a ground-breaking and blessing ceremony for the parcel-processing depot ...
Our strong economic management prior to COVID-19 - with surpluses, low debt and near-record-low unemployment - put us in a good position to weather the impact of the virus and start to rebuild our economy much earlier than many other countries.Now we're putting our plan to recover and rebuild ...
Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Law and Order Recently released Police fleeing driver statistics have shown yet another increase in incidents with another record-high in the latest quarter. “This new quarterly record-high is the latest in a string of record-high numbers since 2014. The data shows incidents ...
New Zealand First MP Fletcher Tabuteau is pleased to be confirmed today as the party’s candidate for the Rotorua electorate. Speaking at the Rotorua AGM for New Zealand First, Mr Tabuteau said this is an election that is incredibly important for the people of Rotorua. “The founding principles of New ...
The Human Rights Commission’s PRISM report on the issues impacting people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) provides an excellent programme of work for future governments to follow, say the Greens. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said the trans-Tasman bubble had not been jeopardised after aborder botch-upresulted in New Zealand having two active cases of COVID-19. On Friday, Mr Peters told RNZ's Morning Report he had heard from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that borders for trans-Tasman travel would open by ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said today he was pleased the army was now running the quarantine and isolation process - up until now it has been the Ministry of Health. Peters told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking that the army knew how to introduce and follow protocols and instil discipline. ...
The Government’s three prevention frameworks to reduce family violence in Aotearoa were launched this week by Associate Minister for Social Development Poto Williams. The frameworks were developed in partnership with communities around New Zealand, and build on the work the Government has already begun with its new family violence prevention ...
The Government is pleased to confirm funding for improvements to radiology and surgical services at Hawke's Bay DHB, Health Minister Chris Hipkins says. "The Minister of Finance the Hon Grant Robertson and former Health Minister Dr David Clark approved funding for Hawke's Bay DHB’s redevelopment of their radiology facilities ...
• New funding for four beds at Napier’s Springhill Residential Addiction Centre • A new managed withdrawal home and community service, and peer support before and after residential care at Tairāwhiti DHB • A co-ordinated network of withdrawal management services throughout the South Island • Peer support in Rotorua and ...
Introduction, seafarers and POAL Good morning everyone, I am delighted to be online with you all today. Before I begin, I have to acknowledge that COVID-19 has disrupted the maritime sector on an unprecedented scale. The work of seafarers and the maritime industry is keeping many economies around the world ...
A $13 million investment from Government will create jobs and improve the resilience of the rail connection between Christchurch and the West Coast, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones and Regional Economic Development Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau say. The funding comes from the tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2020 for infrastructure projects ...
The Government is investing $761 million to assist local government upgrade under-pressure water services across the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The announcement was made at the site of the water bore that was found to be the source of the fatal ...
Recognised Seasonal Employers and migrant seasonal workers stranded in New Zealand will be able to continue working and supporting themselves with more flexible hours and roles, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. The time-limited visa changes are: Stranded RSE workers will be able to work part-time (a minimum of 15 hours ...
The Government is making immediate short-term changes to visa settings to support temporary migrants already onshore in New Zealand and their employers, while also ensuring New Zealanders needing work are prioritised, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. We are: Extending temporary work visas due to expire by the end of 2020 ...
Professor Peter Skelton CNZM has been appointed as Chief Freshwater Commissioner and Alternate Environment Court Judge Craig James Thompson as Deputy Chief Freshwater Commissioner for the newly established Freshwater Planning Process (FPP). Environment Minister David Parker today also announced the appointment of Chief Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook as the ...
Auckland Queen’s Counsel Neil Campbell has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Campbell graduated with a BCom and LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 1992. He spent two years with Bell Gully Buddle Weir in Auckland before travelling to the United ...
The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to better enable the development and operation of commercial film and video facilities in Christchurch. The Proposal, developed by Regenerate Christchurch in response to a request from Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section ...
The Government has launched a bold plan to boost primary sector export earnings by $44 billion over the next decade, while protecting the environment and growing jobs. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today released Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential, a 10-year roadmap to unlock greater value ...
A new approach to prevent family harm that encourages greater collaboration across government and community groups is being celebrated at the opening of a new facility in Auckland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today opened the Multi-Disciplinary Family Harm Prevention Hub Te Taanga Manawa in Lambie Road in Manukau. The facility ...
The Government has released a major new report on the options for relocating the Port of Auckland’s freight operations while deferring any decision on the issue. “That decision needs to be informed by policy analysis that is still to be completed. As a result it will be up to a ...
The history of Rāpaki is being restored through the inclusion of te reo in thirteen official place names on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula and around Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō, the Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage, announced today. “I am pleased to approve the proposals from Te Hapū o Ngāti ...
Bookings for seats on Air New Zealand flights into New Zealand will be managed in the short term to ensure the Government is able to safely place New Zealanders arriving home into a managed isolation or quarantine facility, says Housing Minister Megan Woods. “Last week Air Commodore Darryn Webb and I ...
Grant Robertson has today announced the first major release of funding from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package announced at Budget 2020. “Today we’re setting out how $80 million will be invested, with $54 million of that over the 2020/2021 financial year for organisations from community level through to elite ...
The Government is maintaining current levy rates for the next 2 years, as part of a set of changes to help ease the financial pressures of COVID-19 providing certainty for businesses and New Zealanders, ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “New Zealanders and businesses are facing unprecedented financial pressures as a ...
Small businesses are getting greater certainty about access to finance with an extension to the interest-free cashflow loan scheme to the end of the year. The Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme has already been extended once, to 24 July. Revenue and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says it will be ...
A package of 23 projects across the country will clean up waterways and deliver over 2000 jobs Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister David Parker announced today. The $162 million dollar package will see 22 water clean-up projects put forward by local councils receiving $62 million and the Kaipara ...
Tena koutou katoa Nga tangata whenua o tenei rohe o Pōneke, tena koutou Nau mai, haere mai ki te hui a tau mo te roopu reipa Ko tatou! Ko to tatou mana! Ko to tatou kaupapa kei te kokiri whakamua Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa Welcome. I ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $1.5 million to ensure QE Health in Rotorua can proceed with its world class health service and save 75 existing jobs, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development, Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. The PGF funding announced today is in addition to the $8 million ...
A new programme, which sets a firm course for the Building and Construction sector to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has been announced by the Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. “A significant amount of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the building and construction sector. If we’re serious ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing more than $7.5 million in Northland ventures to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment is going to the Northern Adventure Experience and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced significant funding for Auckland’s Northcote College as part of the first wave of a new nationwide school redevelopment programme to upgrade schools over the next 10 years. The $48.5 million project brings the total investment in Northcote College to ...
The Government has opened an urgent response fund to support schools and early learning services to get children and young people back on track after the Covid-19 lockdown. “While we are seeing improvements in attendance under Alert Level 1 Ministry of Education data shows that attendance rates in our schools ...
The law to boost the economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 by speeding up resource consenting on selected projects has passed its second and third readings in the House today. “Accelerating nationwide projects and activities by government, iwi and the private sector will help deliver faster economic recovery and ...
Five port-related projects in Whanganui will receive a $26.75 million Provincial Growth Fund investment to support local economic recovery and create new opportunities for growth, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This is a significant investment that will support the redevelopment of the Whanganui Port, a project governed ...
Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery will receive an investment of up to $12 million administered by the Provincial Growth Fund to support its redevelopment, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The project is included in a $3 billion infrastructure pipeline announced by Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Shane Jones yesterday. ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing nearly $2.5 million into three Te Ara Mahi programmes to support Manawatū-Whanganui jobseekers and employees to quickly train and upskill, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Up to 154 local people will be supported into employment within the first year by these ...
This morning I have formally tendered my resignation as Minister of Health, which was accepted by the Prime Minister. Serving as Minister of Health has been an absolute privilege – particularly through these extraordinary last few months. It’s no secret that Health is a challenging portfolio. I have given ...
Scholarships for 57 early-career agricultural emissions scientists from 20 developing countries is another example of New Zealand’s international leadership in primary sector sustainability, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. Mr O’Connor, announcing the scholarships today, says hundreds of applications were received for this fourth round of the CLIFF-GRADS programme (Climate, Food ...
A project to help rejuvenate the Horowhenua town of Foxton will receive a Provincial Growth Fund investment of $3.86 million, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This funding for the Foxton Regeneration project will be used to make the well-known holiday town even more attractive for visitors and ...
Moa bones and other sub-fossil remains of extinct species are set to have improved protection with proposals to prevent the trade in extinct species announced the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “We have lost too many of our native species, but these lost species, such as moa, remain an ...
The Government’s free and healthy school lunches programme moves south for the first time creating jobs for around 30 people in Otago and Southland. “Eighteen schools with 3000 students are joining the programme – 11 have already begun serving lunches, and seven are preparing to start during Term 3. This is ...
Thousands of Kiwi jobs and investment in New Zealand productions will be protected through a screen sector support package announced today by Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford and Minister for Broadcasting Kris Faafoi. The package also includes investment in broadcasting ...
The Government has established a new $10 million fund for the domestic events sector to help save jobs and protect incomes as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19, Minister of Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. This funding from Budget 2020 follows talks with the event sector designed to ...
The Government has taken another step in its commitment to making sure New Zealanders get a fairer deal at the petrol pump with the introduction of legislation to improve competition in the retail fuel market, says Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods. “The fuel market study that this Government ordered ...
New Zealand has joined a global initiative that aims to enable all countries to access a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced today. The COVAX Facility was recently launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The Alliance includes the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank ...
From today new legislation takes effect to both restore the right to legal representation at the start of a Care of Children (CoCA) dispute in the Family Court, and allow parties to those proceedings to access legal aid where eligible. During a visit to the Family Court in Auckland today, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Kaine, Associate Professor UTS Centre for Business and Social Innovation, University of Technology Sydney In late March, the Victorian government put private security firms in charge of hotel quarantine in Melbourne. This happened without a formal tender process. It was a ...
By RNZ News Health Minister Chris Hipkins says New Zealand’s latest case of covid-19 will be charged for breaching isolation and visiting a central Auckland supermarket last night. Hipkins said the 32-year-old man, who arrived from India on July 3, left his managed isolation last night to go to the ...
Claire from McLeod’s Daughters died in 2003 and Tara Ward is still not over it. The unexpected death of Claire McLeod is the most tragic event you’ll see on television. It was a miserable day when that white Brumby bolted across the road and made Claire drive off a cliff, ...
Luckily for Labour, Jacinda Ardern's leadership in the Covid-19 crisis is a much more powerful political weapon than bread-and-butter issues about the country’s future. ...
IrrigationNZ believes Government investment in the water sector is a step in the right direction – but calls for a broader strategy to encompass all water infrastructure, including storage and policy development. ...
The race relations commissioner, Meng Foon, has just sent the following letter to leaders of New Zealand political parties.Tēnā koe, Talofa, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Kia orana, 你好, Namaste.My role as Race Relations Commissioner is to promote and enhance harmonious communities in our diverse nation. As the leader of a political ...
National MP Hamish Walker's unconscionable privacy breach has already ended his career and that of a party stalwart - but his caucus colleagues may also be cursing his terrible judgment come September 19, Sam Sachdeva writes A young, promising politician gifted one of the safest seats in the country and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato The leak of the confidential personal information of COVID-19 patients by Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker and influential party figure Michelle Boag has been highly embarrassing for the National Party. In less than 24 hours ...
An extract from The Quick and the Dead, the new memoir by Palmerston North pathologist Cynric Temple-Camp.Books editor Catherine Woulfe writes: Strong recommend for this medical memoir, the second by the most excellently-named Cynric Temple-Camp after his 2017 bestseller The Cause of Death.Ostensibly a collection of yarns and case studies, after ...
National Party leader Todd Muller has spoken about the controversy around Hamish Walker at a roading announcement this afternoon, saying the National MP's exit from politics was "the only option". ...
National Party leader Todd Muller has made another roading announcement this afternoon, as the controversy around the National MP who leaked Covid-19 patient details continues to unfold. ...
"Linking funding to commitment from councils to reform the investment, planning and delivery of their water assets is a welcome move," says Infracom (New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga) Chief Executive Ross Copland, in response ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dani Larkin, Associate Lecturer in Law, University of Newcastle Gunnai-Kurnai and Gunditjmara woman Lidia Thorpe was recently elected by Greens party members to replace the former party leader, Richard Di Natale, as senator for Victoria. Thorpe is the first Indigenous woman to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlene Zietsma, Associate professor, Pennsylvania State University In May this year, we were convening a dream conference: 140 like-minded academics on a Greek island for three-and-a-half days to work on a topic we cared about – organising sustainably. We recognised the contradiction ...
“The Government’s long-awaited funding boost and water reform agenda is New Zealand’s best chance to create a high performing water sector for New Zealanders,” says Infrastructure NZ CEO Paul Blair. “The Government has today announced it will ...
Yesterday evening I received a letter from Leader Todd Muller, asking the National Party Board of Directors to urgently meet and consider some very serious, publicly reported, issues concerning Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker. The Board met at midday ...
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua is working with Marae, hapū, Post Settlement Governance Entities (Te Uri o Hau, Ngā Maunga Whakahī, and Ōrākei) and Fight the Tip to lead a hikoi in Tāmaki Mākaurau (Auckland) on Friday 17 July 2020. It is the position ...
The country's latest case of Covid-19 will be charged for visiting an Auckland supermarket last night, Health Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed. Hipkins said the 32-year-old man, who arrived from India on July 3, left his managed isolation last night to go to the Countdown supermarket on Victoria Street in central ...
The Government has formally confirmed that it will not use any of the current or future serology tests to assess how widespread the Covid19 disease has been in New Zealand. In answer to an Official Information Request by the Covid Plan B group, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Yue Zhang, Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology Only 40% of students in China who previously intended to study overseas still plan to, while just under 50% of those who had studied overseas plan to return to ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) welcomes the announcement of $761 million for Tranche One funding as part of the Government’s three waters reform programme, saying it provides a measure of financial assistance to councils as they consider ...
Latest from the Beehive The government’s economic engineers were hard at work yesterday. One minister was set on establishing a base for film production in Christchurch while – much more critically for the wellbeing of the nation – a cluster of others led by the PM were unveiling their grand ...
Recent shocks to our economy have shown that when it comes to knowing how to manage our money, New Zealand still has a long way to go. Having now moved on from my first illustrious job as a graduate tax accountant, a lot of what I learnt about tax in my ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the proposed removal of water services from local councils , but says that the new ‘Rolls Royce’ drinking quality standards risk lumping communities with the enormous costs of engineers' gold plating. Union ...
Auckland Action Against Poverty is launching a campaign to build commitment from Members of Parliament seeking to be part of Government to increase incomes across the board to liveable levels. The campaign launch will be held tomorrow, Thursday ...
As the settler government did in the late 1800s, it’s high time we erected a bunch of new monuments to the great people of this country (and maybe take some of the stink ones down). Ātea editor Leonie Hayden has some suggestions. Hundreds of heroic and revered ancestors proudly adorn walls, ...
New research from Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) reveals New Zealand women are significantly more concerned than their male counterparts about the impact of COVID-19, according to the new 2020 Unisys Security Index™. ...
“The Zero Waste Network Aotearoa is extremely pleased to announce that we will host a free, international online zero waste conference in December this year. The conference is called Our Zero Waste World Digital Summit . It will highlight zero ...
The High-profile former National Party president has resigned from her campaign and electorate roles for Auckland Central MP and National deputy leader Nikki Kaye. ...
Murray Chong has been selected as the New Conservative candidate for New Plymouth for the 2020 General Election. “I’m delighted to be the New Conservative candidate for the 2020 election. Having stood for another party in 2017, only to be let down ...
Michelle Boag has stood down as Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye's campaign chair for the upcoming election and no longer has any role with the party. ...
How did the bizarre story of Hamish Walker trying to leak confidential Covid details to media all play out? Radio NZ’s Jo Moir was one of the journalists contacted by the MP, and wrote this timeline. In an extraordinary move National Party leader Todd Muller has had one of his own ...
By RNZ News The opposition National Party leader says he has written to the party’s board asking them to remove MP Hamish Walker from the party after it was revealed he leaked private health information to New Zealand media. It was revealed yesterday that former National Party president Michelle Boag ...
COMMENT:By Nasya Bahfen in Melbourne Australia’s Victorian state government told returned travellers to quarantine for two weeks. Some broke the rules. It then paid for them to stay in hotels with security guards. Some of the guards couldn’t keep their dicks in their pants. Some of the returned travellers ...
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas on ministerial resignations in the recent and middle-distant past, a new book from Judith Collins, and the reinvention of Simon Bridges.This episode was recorded on Tuesday morning, before news broke that Hamish Walker and Michelle Boag were behind the Covid-19 data leak.The Gone ...
Fonterra will be greeted by drums, cow costumes, placards and a pile of coal on Thursday morning, 9 July, as Extinction Rebellion Ōtautahi ask the question, ‘Why are Fonterra still using coal in a climate emergency?’ The group will be gathering ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bjorn Sturmberg, Research Leader, Battery Storage & Grid Integration Program, Australian National University Electric vehicles can help keep the air clean in our cities – as we’ve seen recently with the reduction of traffic through COVID-19 lockdowns – but they face two ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.Today’s contentNational Party revealed as source of Covid-19 privacy leak Audrey Young (Herald): National’s failures on patient leak from top to bottom (paywalled) Luke Malpass (Stuff): National leader Todd Muller ...
Troy Mihaka , local Wellington Conservation Volunteer, Arts Manager and LGBTQ+ Advocate announces candidacy in the 2020 General Election. Standing in the Electorate of Rongotai , Mihaka will be representing the Integrity Party of Aotearoa New Zealand . A political ...
As universities around the world slash jobs and courses in response to the pandemic, Victoria University of Wellington is signalling its intention to introduce sweeping austerity measures, a group of concerned tutors write. A response from Victoria University of Wellington is at the end of this column.So far, 2020 has ...
New Conservative is appalled by the lack of consultation provided by DOC to stakeholders in the management of the New Zealand Tahr herd by not following protocol and not allowing all stakeholders to consult on the plan proposed. DOC released its new Tahr ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan University In an age of isolation, video sharing platform TikTok has emerged as a bonding force for many. But recent headlines allege the service, owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance, is feeding users’ data ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kingsley Dixon, John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Curtin University This article is a preview from Flora, Fauna, Fire, a multimedia project launching on Monday July 13. The project tracks the recovery of Australia’s native plants and animals after last summer’s bushfire tragedy. Sign ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Shulmeister, Professor, University of Canterbury CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dallas Rogers, Associate Dean, School of Architecture, Design and Planning, University of Sydney A target of 70% private and 30% public dwellings is an accepted standard for public housing renewal projects in several Australian states. This level of private ownership is said ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Lacey, Senior Lecturer in International Trade, University of Adelaide When the United Kingdom completed its telecom supply chain review last year it gave a green light to Huawei by concluding that nationality-based bans did nothing to improve network security and could ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison M Joubert, Lecturer in Marketing, The University of Queensland Cancel culture — withdrawing support for public figures when they do or say something offensive — has become so widespread it was Macquarie Dictionary’s 2019 word of the year. A practice where ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Fastnedge, Lecturer in Advertising Creativity, Auckland University of Technology When the New Zealand government wanted a campaign to keep kids safe online, naturally it turned to a couple of naked porn actors to get the message across. Actually the government turned ...
A grassroots campaign has launched this week calling on political party leaders to support the implementation of a gender-balanced Cabinet with 50 percent women and 50 percent men in this year’s election. The many vital issues discussed each ...
Air NZ shares fall as quarantine capacity stops it from selling new international tickets for at least three weeks and as Melbourne goes into complete lockdown ...
A flood of Kiwis returning home from Australia has overwhelmed quarantine capacity. Bernard Hickey reports the Government is looking at bringing in cruise ships to expand supply and a quarantine booking system to further restrict demand. Meanwhile, there is now no space for new guest workers, tourists or students for the foreseeable future. ...
The National Party leader says he has written to the party's board asking them to remove MP Hamish Walker from the party after it was revealed he leaked private health information to media. ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Scandal for MP after leaking confidential Covid data, new bookings for return to country put on hold, and Islamic Women’s Council release evidence of being ignored.We now know exactly how the leak of private information of all active Covid-19 patients happened. National ...
Opinion: While the investigation into the security of patient data may still find the Government wanting, a rookie National MP’s spectacular own goal has put the opposition in the firing line, writes Laura Walters Political gameplay 101: If you're trying to highlight that another political party shouldn't be trusted with ...
A new survey supports fundamental changes to the country's criminal justice system, but a parallel study shows many still believe in a punitive system, Laura Walters reports A new survey suggests strong support amongst Kiwis for fundamental changes in the resourcing and funding of the criminal justice system, as well as a ...
The Covid-19 lockdown has only confirmed how vital New Zealand’s early childhood sector is to the future of this country. Now is the time to bed in a systemic policy infrastructure to support resilient children, write three experts. The Early Learning Action Plan (ELAP), released in December 2019, was barely ...
Picked as a star by one of the great women golfers of all time, Wellington teenager Darae Chung is preparing herself mentally and physically to play overseas again. When 16-year-old Darae Chung travels around the country – and eventually around the globe again – playing golf, she will have the ...
He has been in the job less than a week, but new Health Minister Chris Hipkins is already making his presence felt on some critical Covid-19 issues, Sam Sachdeva writes When it was revealed Chris Hipkins would replace David Clark as Health Minister, some observers wondered whether the role may stretch him ...
Matteo Di Maio takes a look at New Zealand’s most expensive rare books. Anah Dunsheath from Rare Books in Auckland knows how you ought to take an old book off the shelf, and how you ought not to. Novices will just pull the book out by the top of its ...
The incoming government needs to wake up and have a critical look at the child protection monster that is Oranga Tamariki, writes Dr Ian Hyslop There is always risk of a chronic disconnect between the policy and operational arms of public service organisations. This risk is particularly acute in excessively ...
The genetic secrets of New Zealand’s predatory 'lion' have been revealed with the mapping of the stoat genome, and there's hope better, kinder ways of getting rid of the introduced killing machines might be found A stoat’s spleen, liquid nitrogen, supercomputers, and 18 months of international effort has led to the mapping ...
Auckland 'move the port' studies have averaged out to at least two per year over the last decade with almost every one of them throwing out a different option or result. ...
The Covid-19 pandemic made us see the value of a life. Now the Team of Five Million needs to take that lesson and open its eyes to the value of the lives of Maori, Pasifika and People of Colour, writes Karamia Muller. This year, 2020, is asking everyone: What is ...
Power Play - Todd Muller is dreaming if he thinks saying no comment will wash after his MP leaked the private details of Covid-19 patients to the media. ...
The leak, we discovered last night, was the work of a first-term MP and a veteran National Party operator. What does it mean for the pair, and for the party, asks Ben Thomas.The latest whodunit in New Zealand politics was solved last night in a flurry of releases, as National’s ...
The Government wants to accelerate improvements to production and sustainability on the land to almost double export earnings in a decade. But big change will be needed, Tim Murphy reports. ...
Methamphetamine - or P - is now here to stay. But addicts of the destructive drug are so ashamed, they will wait up to 10 years to get help. In 2001, William Bell murdered three people in a meth-fuelled rampage at the Mt Wellington RSA in Auckland. He was ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary-Louise McLaws, Professor of Epidemiology Healthcare Infection and Infectious Diseases Control, UNSW From midnight Wednesday, all of Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will return to Stage 3 lockdown for six weeks. There are only four reasons for residents to leave their homes: ...
Open mike 28/03/2014 
Open mike is your post.
One of the challenges of working on illegal wildlife markets, is you don’t really have scope to talk about your research into illegal wildlife markets. There is some stuff though that willbe coming out on Asiatic black bears in China, and before Covid19, I was delving more into rhinos. Which ...1 hour ago
79 Articles Observations & observational methods of global warming & effects Six hundred years of South American tree rings reveal an increase in severe hydroclimatic events since mid-20th century (open access) Late summer temperature variability for the Southern Rocky Mountains (USA) since 1735 CE: applying blue light intensity to low-latitude ...2 hours ago
Some are surprised at this sudden brain implosion on the part of both Michelle Boag, former National Party President, and the National Party in general, in exposing the private, confidential details of COVID patients. Others…? Let’s be blunt: not so much. Too many of that Party have long operated with ...4 hours ago
Michelle Boag - Former National Party PresidentWhen Todd Muller decided not to discipline Hamish Walker for his horribly racist press release last week, you had to wonder if his lack of proper leadership had something to do with a shared belief system? After all, the whiteness of the blue “team” ...5 hours ago
On Twitter today, lawyer Felix Geiringer asked a good question: why are MP's exempt from the Privacy Act? The Act imposes its obligations on "agencies", and s8 of the 2020 Act states that this term does not include... a member of Parliament in their official capacity The 1993 Act, ...6 hours ago
So now we know, beyond all doubt. The National party has no interest in joining the “team of five million” in our fight against the pandemic but its priority is to take every opportunity it can to damage the government. The cynicism is breathtaking. It was prepared to leak the ...8 hours ago
Today’s content National Party revealed as source of Covid-19 privacy leak Audrey Young (Herald): National’s failures on patient leak from top to bottom (paywalled) Luke Malpass (Stuff): National leader Todd Muller found wanting in first real test of moral leadership Jo Moir (RNZ): How the Hamish Walker Covid-19 patient detail leak played out Mark ...11 hours ago
If the government has not lined up behind a "Yes" vote in this year's cannabis referendum the way some reformers would have liked, one entirely laudable thing it did do was commission some science around the public's choice.That science landed today, in the form of the report from an expert ...1 day ago
...2 days ago
Is the consequence of the Simpson Report proposals for restructuring the health system poorer accountability to people? When in doubt, centralise‘ has been a persistent theme in New Zealand public policy throughout our history. The current government is no exception. Here are some examples. - The regional polytechs have been ...5 days ago
5 days ago
Unfortunately, due to a medical emergency, I have landed in hospital so am not able to do a current update on the NZ blog statistics. Let’s hope I can get back to this in good time. ...6 days ago
When the Christchurch murderer pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder and a number of other violent assault charges a few months ago, he effectively closed the door on what the public will know about the lead up to and commission of the event. His plea means that no evidence ...1 week ago
Daphna Whitmore The Philippines is enduring one of the longest lockdowns in the world. For President Duterte the lockdown provides an opportunity to garner more powers and to push through a brazen assault on human rights. A new law called the Anti-Terror Bill has been passed under urgency and it ...1 week ago
There really is not much about Paula Bennett concerning her career trajectory, the policies she promoted, and most importantly, the socio-economic effect this had upon New Zealand (and particularly the most vulnerable in this, our oft-cited “egalitarian” society of this country) that can be said now that hasn’t already been ...1 week ago
Helloy… My name is Todd Muller and I am the leader of the National Party of New Zealand. Many people come up to me on the street and ask me who I am. I’m often walking through Tauranga, or in a mall in suburban Auckland, or maybe even a farmers’ ...1 week ago
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industry New Zealand First is supporting calls by hunters and the New Zealand Tahr Foundation (NZTF) to halt a large scale cull of Himalayan Tahr by the Department of Conservation in National Parks. The calls are supported by a 40,000 strong petition and the ...1 day ago
New Zealanders deserve healthy rivers and lakes that are safe to swim in - but they have been getting worse for decades. That's why, with our latest announcement, we're investing in projects that will help clean up our rivers and lakes and restore them to health, within a generation. ...3 days ago
The Green Party has opposed the COVID-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Bill which shortcuts normal consenting processes under the Resource Management Act (RMA), reduces public participation and narrows environmental considerations. ...6 days ago
The Government’s three prevention frameworks to reduce family violence in Aotearoa were launched this week by Associate Minister for Social Development Poto Williams. The frameworks were developed in partnership with communities around New Zealand, and build on the work the Government has already begun with its new family violence prevention ...39 mins ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Kaine, Associate Professor UTS Centre for Business and Social Innovation, University of Technology Sydney In late March, the Victorian government put private security firms in charge of hotel quarantine in Melbourne. This happened without a formal tender process. It was a ...38 mins ago
Claire from McLeod’s Daughters died in 2003 and Tara Ward is still not over it. The unexpected death of Claire McLeod is the most tragic event you’ll see on television. It was a miserable day when that white Brumby bolted across the road and made Claire drive off a cliff, ...2 hours ago
Luckily for Labour, Jacinda Ardern's leadership in the Covid-19 crisis is a much more powerful political weapon than bread-and-butter issues about the country’s future. ...2 hours ago
IrrigationNZ believes Government investment in the water sector is a step in the right direction – but calls for a broader strategy to encompass all water infrastructure, including storage and policy development. ...3 hours ago
Services to help those with drug and alcohol addictions are set to get an extra $32 million in funding over the next four years. ...3 hours ago
National MP Hamish Walker's unconscionable privacy breach has already ended his career and that of a party stalwart - but his caucus colleagues may also be cursing his terrible judgment come September 19, Sam Sachdeva writes A young, promising politician gifted one of the safest seats in the country and the ...3 hours ago
The country's latest case of Covid-19 will be charged for visiting an Auckland supermarket last night, Health Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed. Hipkins said the 32-year-old man, who arrived from India on July 3, left his managed isolation last night to go to the Countdown supermarket on Victoria Street in central ...5 hours ago
Latest from the Beehive The government’s economic engineers were hard at work yesterday. One minister was set on establishing a base for film production in Christchurch while – much more critically for the wellbeing of the nation – a cluster of others led by the PM were unveiling their grand ...6 hours ago
Air NZ shares fall as quarantine capacity stops it from selling new international tickets for at least three weeks and as Melbourne goes into complete lockdown ...11 hours ago
A flood of Kiwis returning home from Australia has overwhelmed quarantine capacity. Bernard Hickey reports the Government is looking at bringing in cruise ships to expand supply and a quarantine booking system to further restrict demand. Meanwhile, there is now no space for new guest workers, tourists or students for the foreseeable future. ...12 hours ago
Opinion: While the investigation into the security of patient data may still find the Government wanting, a rookie National MP’s spectacular own goal has put the opposition in the firing line, writes Laura Walters Political gameplay 101: If you're trying to highlight that another political party shouldn't be trusted with ...13 hours ago
A new survey supports fundamental changes to the country's criminal justice system, but a parallel study shows many still believe in a punitive system, Laura Walters reports A new survey suggests strong support amongst Kiwis for fundamental changes in the resourcing and funding of the criminal justice system, as well as a ...13 hours ago
The Covid-19 lockdown has only confirmed how vital New Zealand’s early childhood sector is to the future of this country. Now is the time to bed in a systemic policy infrastructure to support resilient children, write three experts. The Early Learning Action Plan (ELAP), released in December 2019, was barely ...13 hours ago
Picked as a star by one of the great women golfers of all time, Wellington teenager Darae Chung is preparing herself mentally and physically to play overseas again. When 16-year-old Darae Chung travels around the country – and eventually around the globe again – playing golf, she will have the ...13 hours ago
He has been in the job less than a week, but new Health Minister Chris Hipkins is already making his presence felt on some critical Covid-19 issues, Sam Sachdeva writes When it was revealed Chris Hipkins would replace David Clark as Health Minister, some observers wondered whether the role may stretch him ...13 hours ago
Matteo Di Maio takes a look at New Zealand’s most expensive rare books. Anah Dunsheath from Rare Books in Auckland knows how you ought to take an old book off the shelf, and how you ought not to. Novices will just pull the book out by the top of its ...13 hours ago
The incoming government needs to wake up and have a critical look at the child protection monster that is Oranga Tamariki, writes Dr Ian Hyslop There is always risk of a chronic disconnect between the policy and operational arms of public service organisations. This risk is particularly acute in excessively ...13 hours ago
The genetic secrets of New Zealand’s predatory 'lion' have been revealed with the mapping of the stoat genome, and there's hope better, kinder ways of getting rid of the introduced killing machines might be found A stoat’s spleen, liquid nitrogen, supercomputers, and 18 months of international effort has led to the mapping ...13 hours ago
Auckland 'move the port' studies have averaged out to at least two per year over the last decade with almost every one of them throwing out a different option or result. ...13 hours ago
The Covid-19 pandemic made us see the value of a life. Now the Team of Five Million needs to take that lesson and open its eyes to the value of the lives of Maori, Pasifika and People of Colour, writes Karamia Muller. This year, 2020, is asking everyone: What is ...13 hours ago
The Government wants to accelerate improvements to production and sustainability on the land to almost double export earnings in a decade. But big change will be needed, Tim Murphy reports. ...14 hours ago
Methamphetamine - or P - is now here to stay. But addicts of the destructive drug are so ashamed, they will wait up to 10 years to get help. In 2001, William Bell murdered three people in a meth-fuelled rampage at the Mt Wellington RSA in Auckland. He was ...14 hours ago
So now according to iwi leaders we teachers are supposed to shut up and say nothing even if we see the continual eroding of our education system.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/nzei-protest-action-tramples-honour-our-nation/5/185968
From the above:
The tikanga of mana is at stake. We will not stand idly by and allow the mana of the Minister of Education, the Honourable Hekia Parata, her people, our people to be manipulated and trampled on. We, Dr Apirana Mahuika, Sir Toby Curtis, Sir Mark Solomon, Raniera Tau, Willie Te Aho, Awanuiarangi Black, Tiwha Puketapu, Naida Glavish, Sir Tamati Reedy and Pem Bird caution NZEI that they are putting their hard earned excellent reputation earned over a sustained period of time on the line and for what purpose?
The International Summit is the most prestigious educational event on the world calendar, a huge coup for our Minister of Education, Hekia Parata…
Un-freaking-believable.
so much for the value of children…
is the summit not open to everyone?
“The event brings together education ministers and leaders of national teachers’ federations and teachers’ unions from jurisdictions that, according to the OECD’s 2012 PISA survey results, have high-performing or rapidly-improving school systems”
I hope National gets the answers to the three questions whic are the focus of the summit
“The three questions that this Summit will focus on are:
How can high quality teachers and leaders be attracted into and retained in schools of the greatest need?
What are the levers for achieving equity in increasingly devolved education systems?
How are learning environments created that meet the needs of all children and young people?"
I can’t work that one out, they haven’t really explained why they are upset, they have only said that they are upset…. and into such a vacuum goes ………
But whenever the word “honour” appears in the speech of someone uppity or otherwise then one should be very wary. “Honour” is but an empty tub which will hold whatever is tossed into it ..
Agree. It appears to demand respect on the basis of lineage rather than actions, of which I am wary.
I’m sure that you’ll find that the National Party is quite happy with this sort of arse licking from Maori leaders.
Who they represent anyway? Not the ordinary Maori , surely. Aren’t they all Maori aristocracy? You know, those people who have done well for themselves from the settlements that were supposed to benefit many more people than they did in reality.
The conference is in Wellington today and tomorrow.
It wasn’t that easy to find info on the NZEI protest – it’s for a living wage, and precedes the TPPA demo tomorrow in Auckland, and is at the same time as the TPPA demo in Wellington.
From the Daily Blog:
So the protest is looking out for the children and the iwi leaders are looking out for their status…….
I know where the respect goes ..
+1
+1
Will be nice if we can have a warm-up piece today on The Standard, alerting peeps to the nationwide TPPA demo tomorrow? Sorry, I haven’t got much time at the moment to draft a piece but I have lotsa suggestions and a big mouth.
I have kept thinking that this morning. But too much coding and too many comments for moderation for me to do it.
Doesn’t have to be a long, original piece for now but just a general announcement or notice pointing people to the various places around the country tomorrow at 1pm:
http://www.itsourfuture.org.nz/march-29-nationwide-day-of-action-against-the-tppa/
“After four years, the corporate deal of the century – aka the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement – is still being negotiated in secret.
“The TPPA puts our sovereignty at risk, violates our democratic right to decide our own future, and wastes taxpayers’ money that should be spent on social, not corporate, welfare.
“It needs to stop. Now.”
As I thought I heard or read someone saying: make it big as it may be our last time to do this!
Done, but even something straight forward is not that quick. I think some of the links are not working that well – then I got an urgent personal email that needs attending to.
Let me know if there’s any other errors.
It was great. Are you sure you and lprent are not machines? And you both helped sort out their links in the process too.
Yes, I was thinking about it, while trying to get on with some other things in my life that need attending to.
Ugh…how divorced from the people that they purport to represent can that list of iwi ‘leaders’ get?
Give them time and I’m sure that they’ll make their way to Planet key.
I’m speechless – very sad and disturbing. There are some excellent people in that group, including one of the authors of Te Whariki, the fabulous ece curriculum. I want to know where their voices have been as they’ve watched the systematic destruction of our education system under this government. No use talking about mana now, we’ve already shamed ourselves
And the eroding of the education system doesn’t stop at 16. Did you know for instance, that if you only give a party vote, but leave the electorate vote blank, that the ballot paper is void?
Not many people are educated to realise that.
Te reo kupapa. They are probably looking at starting iwi charter schools. A few of them must still be going for knighthoods. Thank god that a new generation of leaders is growing, that has nothing in common with this sad lot.
The Internet Party already has a burgeoning membership… and Jokyhen and his inner circle will no doubt have access to all the registrations as well.
Ooops. As Hagrid might say “I should na said that.”
From the NZ Herald this morning
“Cartel questions
The Carter Holt Harvey price-fixing case raises a question: what has happened to the proposal to make cartel behaviour a criminal offence? The company was fined $1.85 million by the High Court for price fixing in the Auckland commercial timber market, though its actions were described as being at the lower end of offending. The bill proposing criminal sanctions for serious cartel offending has been stuck in Parliament for almost a year and the Government has shown no interest in passing it. It seems unlikely anything will change before the election.”
from MBIE website
“The Minister of Commerce introduced the Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2011 into Parliament on 13 October 2011.
One of the principle objectives of the amendment Bill is to introduce criminal sanctions for hard-core cartel behaviour.
Hard-core cartels are formed when rival firms agree to not compete with each other by fixing prices, restricting output, allocating markets or rigging bids. Cartels allow firms to raise their prices above the competitive level without fear of losing customers to rivals. This increases the profits of cartel participants but does not benefit consumers.”
Introduced by Simon Power… and then he left… and then it languished under… Steven Joyce and Craig Foss
” Commerce committee report
On 13 May 2013, the Commerce Committee tabled its report on the Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. ”
Sanctions proposed
“The penalty regime
The bill introduces criminal sanctions for individuals and companies. For an individual, the maximum sanction would be seven years’ imprisonment. For a body corporate, the sanctions are the same as the current level of sanctions: a fine set at the greater of either $10 million or three times the value of the commercial gain, if it can be ascertained. If the gain cannot be ascertained, the sanction will be 10 per cent of annual turnover.”
”
Craig Foss
14 May, 2013
Select Committee reports back on Cartels Bill
Commerce Minister Craig Foss today welcomed the Commerce Select Committee report on a Bill to encourage pro-competitive collaboration.
The Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill promotes economic growth by enabling pro-competitive collaboration between firms, while also deterring hard-core cartel conduct.
“This Bill forms an important part of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda and our ambitious goal to increase the ratio of exports to GDP to 40 per cent by 2025,” says Mr Foss.
“It will enable collaborative arrangements that can help businesses innovate and tap into overseas markets. This will be a welcome change for New Zealand’s export industries.
“At the same time the Bill takes a strong stance against hard-core cartel conduct like price fixing and bid rigging and introduces criminal sanctions for egregious behaviour.
“These activities will not be tolerated and anyone engaging in them will be treated the same way as tax evaders, fraudsters and other white collar criminals,” says Mr Foss.”
“..will be treated the same way as tax evaders, fraudsters and other white collar criminals..”
generally ignored..?..unless un-ignorable..?
..and does anyone think we will ever see any words/actions of/on (from any party?) on the (depending who you talk to) $1.5 billion – $5 billion in criminally-evaded taxes..?
..each and every year..?
..can i offer a possible path to a solution..?
..a carrot-stick themed ‘solution’..?
..how about offering a three month amnesty..?
..wherein the guilty can come forward..and just have to pay the taxes owing..with no penalties..
..and after that amnesty-period lapses..
..promise task-forces/going gangbusters over all those caught..
..(with tandem ramping-up-penalties legislation..?..)
..i reckon that’d flush out quite a bit of that ‘criminally-avoided’ tax revenue..
..(and we do need the money..eh..?..so we can start to put things right/prepare for the future..)
..(and of course..those in this govt who we look to do this are foss-the-hapless..
..and the pompadoured-one..dunne…
..so..we’ll get s.f.a. action on this from these two clowns..
..that you can take to the bank..)
..(and just practising my psychic-abilities here..
..i’m gonna make the call that a majority..(and by quite a margin..)..
..wd be from the rich/elites..
..most of who vote in their wallet-interests..
..and tick national/act in the ballot-box..
..so for only this reason..foss-the-hapless/dunne will not offend their support-base..
..that is far more important..than trying to claw back all that nicked money..)
a 3 min animation..and i gave it a must-watch rating..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/27/everything-wrong-with-humanity-animation_n_5037496.html
For some reason I haven’t been able to access the home page of The Standard for a few days, although I can go to subsidiary pages like this one. Is this happening to others and if so, does anyone know why?
Try shift+ refresh
Try pressing Shift+F5 to force a cache refresh on your browser. I saw that on my table this morning as well probably because I wasn’t able to load the page at the Pickering lecture yesterday.
worked thanks!
Interesting John Drinnan piece in the Herald today on what Labour’s up against in the media:
‘National has developed a media network incorporating the Whale Oil website, Kiwiblog and commentators Matthew Hooton and Michelle Boag.
They have been feeding the media appetite for short, sharp crises to fill online news space.
It is Labour’s job to counter National’s influence over the news agenda. But it does not have many of its own partisans in the media; the left-leaning website The Daily Blog does not have an audience to compare with Whale Oil.’
His round-up also mentions the planned pay-wall at the herald, which I haven’t seen confirmed as definite (although I probably have just missed it) previously. It starts later this year.
Amusing. For some strange reason we never get mentioned in any of the mainstream media unless they absolutely have to. I guess it is because we don’t act like news media because of our focus on being a internet forum – ie comments.
BTW: does anyone else have problems getting any comments on the NZ Herald articles? As far as I can tell, none of mine since about 2012 have made it through. I guess they don’t like our ocassional posts on them 😈
Not mentioning The Standard was a major omission from Drinnan. The Daily Blog seems to have scant connections with Labour so was an odd inclusion in that context.
”The Daily Blog seems to have scant connections with Labour so was an odd inclusion in that context.”
While I agree the Standard should have been mentioned, it’s not just about Labour.
Unlike the largely homogeneous right, the left has developed a healthy pluralism of parties.
The issue is a lack of decent left-wing pundits in the media cycle.
Good point. But there are a number of authors over there who have Labour membership. Me for instance.
It could have been a simple editing mistake. After all both of the sites start with the word “The”. 😈
But I suspect that it is pretty deliberate. There are sites that the news media never likes to mention. For instance the Transport blog and this one. We’re somewhat harder to spin as being the clowns of the internet.
Bryce Edwards does like linking to your site a bit eh?
I asked John about it.
He was challenged on it by other journalists too. Odd and superficial. Some traditional journalists don’t give much weight to people using pseudonyms, I don’t know if that’s why he thinks TDB is more significant.
I don’t know how Bryce chooses his links but he seems to be including more and more sources for his links, he used to be more selective. I look for different angles on things. Writing blog posts is quite different to commenting on blogs – mickysavage is a good example of that here, his approach is quite different to what it used to be. He’s now someone I look out for.
gee..pg..imagine if you did something like commentaries on q-time..or something..
..edwards-the-younger would link to ya so much more than even he does now..eh..?
..he’d be all over you like a rsh..
..and with yr observational-powers/quick wit..
..i’m sure such a commentary from you wd b a treat..
(and cd u discount the persistant/ongoing rumours that the heavy/serial-linking to yer exercises in the fatuous/irrelevant/boring/bleeding-obvious..by edwards-the-younger..
..are down to full-body-massages..followed by a beard rubdown..?
..administered by yr (fill-blank) self..?
..and while we are at it..
..have you ever owned/touched/read a copy of mein kamp…?
..wot with yr own ‘struggle’..eh..?
..he too..was misunderstood/laughed at..in the early days..
..but he showed them..!
..eh pete..?..
..and do you currently have any plans/desires/aspirations..
… to annex invercargill..?
..(nb..the above is all ‘rumours’..unfounded-suppositions..
..not likely to be a ‘fact’ amongst it..eh..?..
..a total multi-orifice pluck..
..much like wot u always ‘pen’..eh..?
..wot edwards-the-younger serially links to..
..by you..
..eh..?..)
Not really. We talk between activists on the left and to the people interested in activists on the left – it is in the about. Obviously something John isn’t into. I guess his view of media is more about entertainment than effectiveness (at least that is what I see when I read many of his stories).
That is because they are extremely and silently censored (which is why they are so few). It conforms to the same ethos that NZ Herald follows in their comment policy so I can see why he’d feel more comfortable with it.
But he is right, we primarily exist to allow the left to talk amongst each other whereas The Daily Blog is designed to allow some people on the left to present a ethos to a wider public. Of course you’d have to ask yourself which is more effective at a political level.
That’s a good point on censorship at The Daily Blog. Discussion is obviously not a priority there.
We’ve had a few wee skirmishes here about moderation but I’ve said elsewhere a number of times at least it’s all out in the open, I’ve never been secretly censored here . It seems to be common practice at TDB and it’s happened to me. Martyn seems to be trying to be an alternative to MSM but he mimics their strict opinion and message control. Like anywhere that’s his call.
“Skirmishes”. 😆
When the outcome is that one party is publicly humiliated and earns a reputation for banality that follows him to this day, that’s not a “skirmish”. It’s a rout.
standard talks to itself…
and WO doesnt?
i guess mr drinnan can just relate more to the commenters at wo, which speaks volumes.
All of my comments to the NZHerald have been published.
I guess it must be personal then. My charming personality isn’t working? 🙂
Mine get published about 60% of the time, but take a couple of days to get through moderation even if I am posting within the hour after an article is published.
i don’t always check back..but none published to date..that i’ve seen..
..i think i’ll open a ‘comments not published by the herald’ category…@ whoar..
..cd b some humour to be milked from it..
..my latest was to trevett..having a long haw-haw..!..at her holding the death-rites over any mana/dotcom alliance-lite deal..
..i checked..that clearly failed whatever tests/guidelines are used..
(rule 3..comments must not mock columnists..(no matter how deserved such mocking may be..)
The reason The Standard is not mentioned is not “strange” at all. It is however quite stupid.
It’s purely because the authors here are pseudonymous. The MSM like to be hypocritical in having their own (completely) anonymous editorials, but won’t deign to mention TS because apparently you have to have a publicly identifiable name otherwise your opinion somehow doesn’t mean anything.
Ah that could be correct. That is silly.
Makes no difference for legal liabilities but the journo’s are so in love with their late 20th century fetish for individual fame (spurred by TV) that they have forgotten the whole of the 19th/20th century journalistic ethos and why it was there. The only residual is the editorials.
Drinnan should have also included Rachel Glucina, the Herald’s gossip columnist – and friend of Slater’s who is also deep in with the smear campaign against KDC. But probably she is too close to home, being a fellow Herald columnist.
Yep. It seems to me that they must have sat down with the powers that be. Slater was told to stop being such a dick and tone things down and Glucina was told that she was going to get out of the socialite pap news and start breaking stories. She has further .com news in her latest column at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personalities/news/article.cfm?c_id=72&objectid=11227811
Lolz more snide innuendo from the Herald(National Party disinformation service),shows just how much the Beehives 9th floor lives in fear of the bloke,(i have the sneaking suspicion that the 9th floor have a private investigator/SIS on the road sniffing out DotComs ‘back-story’,
Laughable is the pic of DotCom in the ‘Kraut lid’, who would have thunk it, a German lampooning a German,(i have been hanging out for DotCom to do a full on Sergeant Shultz while live on the TV news),
The pic down the bottom of Rachel Glaucoma’s column of the Kohanga Kids having fun with Trev is a total cutey…
is hogans heroes ok cos we know its mocking germans????
well..that disempowering of a past demon by mocking..
…was part and parcel of that show..?..surely..?
..(the war was recent enough for most watchers..at most only one generation removed from the actual conflict..)
..(disclaimer:..i have ‘loved’ a german..and my son is half-german..
..and ..as an aside..i think he was speaking for his savvy-generation..when he instantly called ‘bullshit!’ on the false equivalence of the dotcom/mein kamp story/beat-up..)
..and surely..of far more prurient-interest wd be the off-stage lifestyle of the lead actor in hogans’ heroes..bob crane..?
..whoar..!
V interesting… doesnt mention herald editorial choice to put labours economic policy announcement on p21 does he?
He forgot to mention the herald!
Yes i have had the odd look on the Doktor’s(Edwards),daily roundup of politics via the Herald online and on most occasions, even when there are multiple posts running on a topic at the Standard Bryce chooses to not mention this instead directing readers to the branches of the sewer,
People are ‘lead’, often easily, the Doktor, dare i say with deliberation???, doesn’t mention the Standard too often, in my opinion, simply as a means of keeping people from reading the Standard, if His links consistently direct people to ‘wail-oil’ and ‘kiwi-smog’ then if they have no knowledge of the Standard they are likely to keep going to those sites if they are seeking further knowledge of ‘political happenings’ than that which is provided by the mainstream media,
To a certain extent, in a cutting off the nose to spite the face exercise, the political parties of the left spend no amount of energy mentioning the Standard, ala Slippery the Prime Ministers major ‘Slurp’ directed in Blubber boy and ‘wail oil’s’ direction recently choosing instead to promote their own web-sites which have far less debate and thus tend to be pretty party-centric and, again in my opinion,are a bit of a bore,
In an ideal world, in the interests of growing ‘the left’ we would see Labour/Green/Mana websites prominently displaying links to both the Standard and the Daily Blog,(having not looked for a while i do not know if any of them do this now)…
The Bryce Edwards round-up started as a chronicle of topical political stories and columns, including issues simmering away in the regions, and off-beat bloggers. It covered many different stories and issues in one edition. However, now Edwards is trying to capture/create the narrative, and each one is overly long, and too focused on beltway media/topics.
As Karol pointed out recently, Edwards even took to Twitter to commission pieces from bloggers on a set topic! This is media as echo chamber, rather than reflecting the actual confusion and complexity of life.
And Edwards focus is very much about politics as a game – party strategies, headline grabbers, polling issues, etc. – little about close examination of policies.
there is a bit of that about..eh..?
..the (seemingly) deliberate ignoring of some relevant publications – by some publications..
..funny that..
..eh..?
..sometimes ya really wonder ‘why?’..
Amusing in the Herald’s online version this morning is the befor and after of Colon Craig said to have been dieting in preparation for the 2014 election,
The befor version,(much to my surprise), looks remarkably like a run of the mill picture of a normal human being,
The ‘after’ one tho gives me a picture that could be used as an example of Colon having been kidnapped by aliens at some point in time and whisked off for a quick ‘probing’, seems ‘the probe’ must have been set to ‘suction samples’ when the aliens ‘must watch’ favorite TV show came on inter-galactic TV and they left Colon on the ‘table’ for too long while they watched it,
The mad staring eyes remind me of ‘speed’ addicts strung out on what the medical profession used to prescribe to tired overweight Mums back in the 60’s,(but that’s another story)…
Even more disturbing:
http://www.thecivilian.co.nz/nation-certain-this-picture-should-be-used-but-unsure-how/
😈
Puts me in mind of that old show
Land of the giants…
He does look like he’s in a Guillermo del Toro film.
Yes!
was that shot..late at nite..?
..in western springs park..?
..whoar..!
Nice!!! look at the two faces one side light the other dark…
Reminds me of this…
https://twitter.com/TerrifyingPosts/status/418486573546881025/photo/1/large
Doesn’t the new Colon bear a striking resemblance to Frank Spencer?
Ha ha ..colon……. snort.
and allusions to anal violation and drug abuse …. haha ha
well, if you add “by aliens” to the end of that, it does seem to have the necessary juxtaposition for comedic composition.
Surely not that funny requiring a series of Ha ha’s,a wry smile would have sufficed…
Is it just me or has Labour made absolutely no impact this week?
I was kinda waiting for some electrifying education policy given most of the worlds education leadership are in town.
Why are we leaving the field to Dotcom for a whole week? Come on Cunliffe the field is open.
Yes, but on the other hand, no major cock-ups from Labour this week, which is nice.
The Parliament is in recess until April 8th,(i think), so unless Labour are planning to release major policy there isn’t much happening to get them into the news,
David Cunliffe was in the far North on Monday or Tuesday and i should imagine that any number of MP’s will be out there in the electorate holding meetings with ‘interest groups’ something Helen Clark did with zeal befor becoming Prime Minister,
i should imagine that Labour release a flurry of ‘press releases’ on everything of interest, or not, on a regular basis, media apathy or bias would then account for such not seeing the light of day,
Hopefully either David Cunliffe and/or Grant Robertson are preparing a series of questions that skewer Slippery the Prime Minister, at question time to keep the PM’s ‘gifts’ to charity, the National Party, firmly in the headlines once the Parliament resumes…
I hope they don’t let collins and parata, oh and adams off the hook. What’s happened to bennett, is she keeping her powder dry? Just saw in comments in herald that ‘frannie’s columns were like love letters to shay key’. So sad, but so true. She needs to get out more.
Well, at least some MPs will be out here in the electorate. From today’s item:
‘The entire Labour Party caucus will descend on Wairarapa on March 31. All 34 Labour MPs will visit Wairarapa to meet with locals at afternoon venues to discuss development, jobs, health and housing.
Labour leader David Cunliffe describes the event as an “away caucus”, to hear the voice of the people first-hand.
“I believe government must act with the people, not for the people. That can only be achieved by getting out and about, not sitting behind a desk at Parliament.” ‘
Link: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wairarapa-times-age/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503414&objectid=11227278
I hope they are smarter than the Green Party were a few years ago. They held a conference in the Wairarapa. It was over the weekend and they went up from Wellington on Friday night.
Being publically enthusiastic about public transport they all went up on the evening train. They got there early and took most of the available seats. Thus when the people who travel on it every day after working in Wellington got there no seats were left and the regular passengers had to stand for the trip. The Green Party never thought to tell the Railways ahead of time so that more carriages might have been added.
I know two people who were on the trip, both of whom were, until that time, Green Party members. They resigned and as far as I know they never re-joined.
I can’t imagine that the Labour MPs will be travelling on the train of course. I hope they don’t take a taxi each and at least will share some.
Possibly cos all they wld be asked about is mein kampf
Glen Innes had the highest capital gain on three-bedroom houses with an annualised 18.9 per cent, and Mount Wellington had the best gain on apartments at 16.2 per cent…
Is that the impact of the new mini fletchers town for the first home buyer with 650k? Or the sell off of state houses?
Same as the old boss….
.
“An old, old Soviet story repeating itself,” Boris Akunin, a novelist who signed the opposition petition, wrote in an email when asked about the war of words.
“It’s just that under Stalin, if a prominent cultural figure dared to protest he’d be shot; under Brezhnev he’d be imprisoned; now he just risks losing state donations and having to travel economy class — but this often proves enough,” Mr. Akunin wrote. “It’s a fascinating sight to watch people make this moral choice.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/28/world/europe/soviet-echoes-in-call-for-artists-to-back-crimea-policy.html
You won’t read this on the Daily Blog – or Whaleoil!
(I’m banned from commenting on both – seems neither Cameron Slater nor Martyn Bradbury can ‘handle the truth’? 🙂
Kind regards,
Penny Bright
FYI
27 March 2014
http://www.investigatemagazine.co.nz/Investigate/4922/len-brown-faces-conflict-of-interest-allegation/
Len Brown faces conflict of interest allegation
Auckland Mayor Len Brown has been accused of acting with a conflict of interest at a council committee meeting today.
Veteran anti-corruption campaigner Penny Bright was attempting to read out letters from the police in regard to a complaint against Mayor Brown, but he refused to let her speak and ordered security staff to remove Bright from the venue.
Speaking later from Auckland police station, Bright told InvestigateDaily that the mayor had taken direct action on a matter he was directly implicated in, and she believed he had a clear conflict of interest in trying to prevent members of the public from speaking about him.
Bright being removed. PHOTO: Cr Dick Quax
(Photo: Dick Quax)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM PENNY BRIGHT
(“The letter from Police that conflicted Auckland Mayor Len Brown tried to stop me reading at the Auckland Council Governing Body meeting Thursday 27 March 2014 “)
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/nzppsltd%40gmail.com/144e2c8f108b7d12?projector=1
“I have discussed this matter with Graham McCready, and am considering taking a private prosecution for assault against the security guards, and Mayor Len Brown as a party to the assault,” says Penny Bright.
“If you think that I am going to put up with being censored and assaulted – now twice within 5 weeks – for attempting to expose corrupt conflicts of interest at Auckland Council – THINK AGAIN!”
“In my considered opinion, Auckland Council is rotten to the core with corrupt conflicts of interest, but I will NOT be silenced as an anti-corruption ‘whistle-blower’. ”
Still want to defend Auckland Mayor Len Brown ????????
If wishart giving you coverage doesn’t give you food for thought, I reckon nothing will.
Seriously, you are probably going to lose your house. And you’ll moan about it, but it’ll be your own damned fault.
So you don’t support citizens LAWFUL rights to ‘open, transparent and democratically-accountable local government’ McFlock?
Penny Bright
Well you certainly don’t: in fact your determination to waste Council time and money impedes, not enhances, citizens’ lawful rights.
I have no idea whether you have a point or not.
I was merely pointing out the likely result of the battle you are choosing to fight.
I suspect that the len brown “conflict of interest” is a pile of bunk, and that your removal by security staff was done with proper legal authority and without striking or doing you bodily harm (crimes act s56 if I recall correctly from my security days). But most of all, I suspect that the rates reporting requirements you are choosing to lose your home over will not substantially change the practise or effectiveness of democracy (or lack thereof) in Auckland.
Not that I care too much, being at the other end of the country.
Death-row-inmate-freed-after-nearly-50-years-in-prison.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Death-row-inmate-freed-after-nearly-50-years-in-prison/tabid/417/articleID/337737/Default.aspx#comment-1307208415
This example alone shows a very good reason why death penalty should be banned in the world.
Okay kiddies.
Homework for the weekend is getting out your pens and papers and writing to your MP’s and asking why charter schools are getting taxpayer money.
If they dont reply then write letters to your local newspaper telling on them.
Its time to make the wonks start earning their money!
It seems that the upcoming rallies against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) that will be happening all over NZ tomorrow are effectively being ignored by mainstream media?
FYI!
SAT 29 MARCH: JOIN THE NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO STOP THE TPPA
http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=a606f10a8e&e=400b29f860
) .
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5/images/Facebook_banner_12.03.2014.jpg
JOIN THE NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO STOP THE TPPA
Saturday 29 March, 1pm
Contact the organisers of your local event if you can help or
chris.zack if you want to start something where there is a gap.
Posters and leaflets, templates for placards, and other resources are
all on the website
(
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=58907499cc&e=400b29f860
) or will be soon.
It would be great to have lots of colour and creativity – there will
be ideas from other international actions on the TPPA on the website
too.
Join the banner- and placard-making day in Auckland on Saturday 22nd.
Contact chris.zack
Protest Locations (from North to South)
Hokianga
Kohukohu at 1:00
https://www.facebook.com/events/498005333646108/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=06b29a80ec&e=400b29f860
)
karo.hohaia
Whangarei
Clock Museum, Town Basin at 1:00
https://www.facebook.com/events/685644708146440/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=ae01508d77&e=400b29f860
)
banjamin
Auckland
1:00 pm Aotea Square
https://www.facebook.com/events/454683364631627/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=6f17e07f12&e=400b29f860
)
ben.bungy
Hamilton
Garden Place at 1:00
https://www.facebook.com/events/181743182030503/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=682a61fc10&e=400b29f860
)
kellyk79
Taranaki
Puke Ariki Landing at 1:00
https://www.facebook.com/events/181486005379363/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=7bddaeb73c&e=400b29f860
)
Tauranga
Red Square at 1:00
https://www.facebook.com/events/680840758623364/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=229dc90ffb&e=400b29f860
)
martins.3000
Whanganui
Silver Ball Sculpture on the Riverfront 1pm walk up to Majestic Square
https://www.facebook.com/events/230952810411676/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=7313e76b50&e=400b29f860
)
Palmerston North
The Square at 1:00
https://www.facebook.com/events/552515774835798/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=3daf970b48&e=400b29f860
)
sue
Wellington
Cuba Street, bucket fountain at 1:00
https://www.facebook.com/events/228635500656767/ (
http://itsourfuture.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2af728ed394d2e3c92f383cd5&id=8b5ab38717&e=400b29f860
)
koruconsulting
Nelson
venue TBD at 1:00
https://www.facebook.com/events/643470822377621/ (
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9879231/Hobbits-a-boost-for-NZ-tourism
some good news for the weekend 🙂
Are you one Puckish Rogue…
i wonder if the low end wages in tourism have gone up as a result… or in film in nz…
Well, here’s the TNZ report on the jan-March, 2013 effect of the campaign associated with the Hobbit trilogy.
It’s not likely to have been much more than a minor factor in the year to February 2014 visitor arrival numbers, despite the speculative analysis in the article.
Also, the problem with these kinds of campaigns is that it’s difficult to establish if they create new arrivals or simply shift timing or, much less tangibly, just add yet another minor reason for visiting with a correspondingly limited marginal effect.
Chris Trotter:
I would have thought that promoting this as a deliberate aim of the Internet Party will not help their current efforts to distance the party from Dotcom.
And Chris promoting deliberate political intervention in an extradition as a condition of supposed coalition support is quite astounding.
[Fixed your block quote – MS]
I’m confused. Which party do you think Trotter is speaking on behalf of? I thought Trotter saw himself more as a fairly independent leftie commentator and analyst – one that often provides critical views that often upset other lefties.
It looks to me like he is talking on behalf of a general left, but I don’t think promoting a party’s electoral aim as to politically intervene in an extradition will help the Internet Party nor the left.
The Internet Party are trying to establish a perception of independence from Dotcom, that is hard enough already without political/legal deals being promoted as a deliberate aim.
If I was Labour or Greens or Mana I’d be wanting to have nothing to do with any suggestion like this. Russel Norman is one of the more astute politicians on the left, and he saw the dangers Dotcom and his party posed to the chances of the left.
“Russel Norman is one of the more astute politicians on the left, and he saw the dangers Dotcom and his party posed to the chances of the left
My bold – is this a fact, PG – or is this your opinion? If a fact, please provide a link to verify this.
🙄
He’s speaking for himself.
He’s not “promoting” anyone.
And nobody cares what you’d do.
You have even less credibility than trotter.
PG has less credibility than a Coca Cola ad, hang on better add an ”in my opinion” or He will be demanding a link…
So writing about it = promoting it?
Best you stop now then Pete. That’s two comments from you in this thread in which you – by your own standard – promote the IP’s electoral aim as to politically intervene in an extradition.
Yes this thinking by PG is a revelation – speaking about a politician or party is promoting it.
“Chris promoting…”
🙄
Are there any depths to which this weasel asshole will not sink?
The fungal algae called ‘Rock Snot’ is known to attach itself to many things as a means of travel and is thus able to move from place to place and pop up in places gaining a toehold only later to infect the whole area…
…. and in other matters ……
Does anyone else think (given NZ’s search and rescue capability, 6 x P3K2’s et al) that its contribution to MH370 is actually rather fuckin pathetic?
I’m of the belief that the NZ Defence Force’s future lays in peaceful contributions – such as search and rescue, responding to natural disasters, etc.
We seem to have given JUST enough to earn this miserly gubbamint some Browlee points (covered in shit as they inevitably are), and JUST enough to earn the Philistine itchim smetchim smoozim ideologically, parrot fashioned ‘learnings’, kaholic, commoditised principles-for-sale, red-dirt brown-eyed Jonkahism a few points on the ‘ta-neshnool- stage?’.
It is rather pathetic though …. I mean these fukwits run the gauntlet (due to PS cutbacks) with bio-diversity (think PSA, etc., etc., etc.) daily – and they do so with ‘Defense’ (which should actually JUST be devoted to CIVIL defense).
But this single Orion – with crews that appear to need close to 24hrs to change over is fucking pathetic.
It’s especially so, since of all the world’s capability ….. NZ (along with OZ – to actually a LESSER extent) are accustomed to the 40’s latitude that till now has been on the agenda.
But yeah, but nah, but yeah but nah – not worth it aye. wod ear va …. snot gunna make goldin boiii look sgoood es scccchhhhmoooxin in a fifrint hemsphere.