Mr Harawira will launch his new Mana Party on Saturday and the Herald understands he and his strategists are considering forcing a byelection to seek a mandate for his new party from Te Tai Tokerau voters.
It would be a deliberate echo of Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia’s departure from the Labour Party over the Foreshore and Seabed Act in 2004.
And Goff fronts up in the South, carrying the NO ASSET SALES message:
However, Mr Goff said people should not be fooled by the Government’s claims that it would always maintain a controlling stake of any company formed through privatisation. He pointed to the Clyde dam, owned by Contact Energy, as an example of why assets such as dams needed to stay in public ownership.
“These things are a licence to print money. That’s why the big corporates want to buy into them. Because they are a natural monopoly, we need to keep them in the public sector.”
Mr Goff predicted asset sales would be a key election issue, along with the cost of living, employment and taxation.
he and his strategists are considering forcing a by-election
He won’t get one, not this close to the election. If he tried to force it I suspect it’d backfire on him illegitimating the party rather than giving a mandate as most voters would then see him as wasting taxpayer time and money.
I tend to think the accusations have a solid base. A number of Maori police officers have come out saying they were approached by senior police officials who asked whether they would take part in planned “Tuhoe style terror raids” against Te Whanau a Apanui.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see this occur under a National government. Using public power to protect private interests is so, so National. The integrity of NZ Inc comes before the democratic rights of citizens.
THE only royal wedding street party in Glasgow has been cancelled … due to lack of interest.
Shettleston Historical Society wanted to celebrate Prince William and Kate Middelton’s big day on April 29.
But chairman Tony Jaconelli, 77, said: “In this neck of the woods, a street party about celebrating anything to do with royalty is a bit of a no no
“The planned fuel tax increase of 1.5 cents per litre which was due to come into effect on 1 July has been deferred while economic conditions remain tight, says Transport Minister Steven Joyce.”
You forgot about the GST off F&V
The deck chairs are certainly being rearranged http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10721677
and then we get this from the biggests blanket and musket seller of all time
“His calls for taking GST off food and putting a ceiling on rent increases and petrol prices were supported by most New Zealanders, Mr Harawira said” – Pity realism plays no part !!
Interesting comment from the Police this morning that initial video scans of the Pike River mine appear to show the body of a fully clothed man laying face down. Fully clothed is interesting; perhaps conditions were not as fiery as we have been told.
And in breaking news: Police last night told families of the Pike River mine victims that there was a possibility rescuers had identified a body in the mine. There was also evidence that rescue boxes in the mine had been opened.
Wonder if this will be a comfort or more distressing? http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10722020
Well something doesn’t add up. PM’s office had given a very different spin didn’t they? “They show Mr Key has used the Iroquois helicopters 10 times for a total of 29.9 flying hours over the period. That doesn’t include the trip he took two weeks ago from Auckland to Hamilton in order to attend the V8 Supercar races and be back in time for a golf club dinner.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10721955
Just more proof that John Key, and National, are liars, that they think they’re entitled to waste our money however they wish and that they think that they need to keep the truth from us.
Ok, we now have conditional anti-spam. If the spam engine thinks that you might be spam then it will ask you to fill in a anti-spam recaptcha. Don’t be offended, it will give you an opportunity to correct your spam like behavior đ
We’ll try that for a while. In the meantime I’ll fix the old anti-spam in case I need to put it back in again.
Yep. Talk about a highly effective negative feedback loop (especially after I get around to getting it to give more feedback). It should massively reduce the amount of work the mods have to do ove rthe medium term.
On the 28 April 1995, 14 young people lost their lives and another four were injured, some very seriously. The disaster occurred at Cave Creek in Paparoa National Park and will forever mark the 28th April a sad day to remember. A party of students from the Outdoor Recreation course at Tai Poutini Polytechnic in Greymouth and the Department of Conservation’s Punakaiki Field Centre Manager went onto what appeared to be a safe viewing platform high above Cave Creek.
I remember that day very clearly…. working on the Rununga Mine Rescue centre, first it was a police car, then two ambulances and finally the rescue helicopter screaming over us. Heading into Greymouth after work it was super quiet… a real tragedy. The polytech was the spark of the town and we knew a lot of people – artists, musicians – they made that shit-hole bearable for a while.
It’s bread and circuses time… eg. Frankly I don’t give a damn & Rodders
From ‘The Medieval Inquisition’: “A slow roasting was considered preferable to quick incineration… The events were closely linked to ROYAL SPECTACLES… Such burnings were even held to help celebrate ROYAL MARRIAGES.” (emphasis added)
Also, Radio NZ yesterday reported Key and Cameron “took their shirts and ties off” after meeting at No.10 Downing St. Ye gads, olde chaps, what do those frat boysss get up to behind closed doors?
And as for getting sssssso excccccited about a corgi licking his hand . . .
When can we have a Prime Minister that SOUNDS like a New Zealander?
Just came to say hi and tell you all about the awesome day I had
I recently challenged my employer on several issues of inefficiency and incorrect practice at the job at which I have been working for just five weeks now.
My big mistake… for my efforts, today I was awarded with two weeks notice of termination of employment.
Simply because the boss decided to take it personal when I (in the most appropriate manner possible) highlighted what wasn’t being done, what needed to be done and how best to do it.
Never in my life have I been fired from a job, nor did I think anyone could be fired just for doing their job properly.
Funnily enough I don’t blame the boss for being an asshole, instead I blame the dickheads in power who made it okay for him to treat my fellow (un)employees and I like some proletariat trash who can be discarded for whatever reason he sees fit.
When I think about going back to WINZ after they fucked me around for almost three months last time I feel a pain building in my chest.
I’m young enough that I shouldn’t have to worry about having a heart attack, besides I don’t have time to die, I have to find another job so that I can make rent first.
This may not be of any interest to anyone but I just needed to have a rant so that I don’t do anything impulsive like THROW JOHN KEY UNDER A BUS.
Lucky for him he’s probably still on world tour giving foreign leaders sloppy handjobs for trade deals or kudos or whatever we benefit from paying him to ride helicopters… I don’t know… Fuck it
I’m not a union member and untill today I wasn’t even aware there was a union for the hospitality industry, which has got to be one of the most overpopulated by bad managers.
I’m looking in tosigning up tomorrow for sure.
Had a good chat to someone at the community law centre though. Really helpful people gives me a renewed sense of faith that there are people willing to help out.
Sorry to hear that, Adonijah. When you feel able, put your energies into fighting to get our country to a place where everyone is valued. In the meantime, best wishes with Work and Income.
Don’t I know it. I’ve worked too hard for too many of these clowns.
I have learned enough about how not to run a business and treat your employees that I could run my own shop if it weren’t for the huge costs involved in setting up.
I agree with your second statement but TBH I don’t know enough about how co-ops work so I may have to make a trip to the library on my day off.
Don’t just get angry Adonijah, get involved. Whether Labour, Green or even Hone’s crew get active. This is the only way that ordinary people will change things for the better.
@Adonijah
To add to what ms has already said… it will feel like an act of revenge for what was done to you, and in the process you will meet some great people.
I’m in. I give my party vote to the good guys but it still feels like pissing in the wind sometimes. I don’t really care for this government thing we have, Democracy seems like a giant misnomer to me. Demos Kratos, For the people by the people, right? Heck. Really?
What you need to do first is to make sure that you vote left. Then persuade a mate to vote left. Then persuade 2 mates to vote left. Then persuade three mates …
Iâm so sorry to read of your plight – this kind of crap makes my blood boil.
I’ve been in my present job for some years and I’m always on guard for my fellow workers because I process the pays and know the law. I can tell you that if I wasn’t there there would be some abuses going on. As a result of this I’m not kindly regarded by management and constantly have to remind them that everything I do is completely correct and that I’ve checked with the Department of Labour.
Only today I had to say to one of them,â Well of course we have to pay for X as we can’t afford to have a whiff of scandal that we’re defrauding workers of their wages.” which I judged to be less direct than, “what, you’re going to rip this person off?” but it rankles that I have to remind people to act morally and within the law. If this person could immolate me on the spot there would be a pile of ash.
Fully agree with your sentiments on Key, he’s pure evil.
Please join a union when you can. If it’s any comfort to you, I went to some courses in the 80s run by the Employers’ Association and one guy taking a course said that middle management in NZ was some of the sorriest excuses for he’d ever seen where competence was concerned. I applaud you for pointing out what was wrong at work but unfortunately the arsehole who’s sacked you must have the most fragile ego going – heaven help us all.
I echo others’ good wishes in your having to deal with WINZ – the description in the above paragraph would seem to suit them to a T.
Aye and I wait for the MSM to say that Labour is at 32%. The way the Reid Research results were taken as valid and repeated and repeated and repeated makes you wonder about possible bias in the MSM.
Take it easy on Pete, he’s had a tough day over at the sewer. Funnily enough, some people over there think he’s a concern troll. A leftist concern troll, ho ho.
“Pete George@10:38am on the previous thread: âAh yes, and Banks. Brashâs new Exclusive Brother.â
You had quite a lot to say in 10 comments on the earlier Brash thread â much of it questioning Act / National in ever-so-reasonable tones calculated to conceal support for policies of the left.”
Ahhh MS, care to agree now that you weren’t a teensy weensy bit worried about 27%?
I’m sure you know one poll at odds with others shouldn’t be taken too seriously unless it repeats.
But of you look at the Roy Morgan poll graph you will no doubt be hoping that another sub 30 blip won’t coincide with the end of November. Look more closely – it has a record of diving in November, that’s what’s happened in 2009 and 2010.
Roy Morgan poll continuously and have a very good record.
BTW PeteG I know that you do not want to read “The Hollow Men” but I found an alternative for you. Have a look at http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/the-hollow-men-2008 released very fortuitously today. Watch it and be very afraid. This is about the people who could take over our country. Be very afraid …
BTW MS, I’ve never been a fan of Brash, I was pleased he failed in 2005, and I will be very wary of the Brash Act. His initial surprising success is tempered by that fact he wants Banks to try and keep Epsom in the Act camp.
BTW, I’ve never been a fan of Banks either. I rate Boscawen as a genuine guy and a hard worker. There’s nothing much else to speak of once they lose Hide’s experience – he made mistakes and wasn’t always aiming at the right targets but he had many successes too, and knew the system well.
People are getting a bad feeling about this Government, the issue is that they do not know what to do about it yet, and as a default until they do, they will keep picking National and Key.
And its going to keep declining.
I’m picking this winter to be one of the most unhappy since the mid-90s, which will ensure the GCR drops further. There must be a point on the GCR where it drags the government don with it.
After $10 Million has been spent by police, the family members of the Pike River miners and the mayor are demanding that more money be spent to remove their bodies.
Although they are grieving, it cannot be said that NZ has not gone to great efforts and money expended to retrieve the bodies. Plus open their own wallets for them.
It may be that some decisions made by the rescue team, in hindsight, were wrong but the very expensive royal commission will determine that.
Surely there is a limit to which the NZ taxpayer could be expected to go to retrieve the bodies of people who knowingly engaged in an activity that could have resulted in them being entombed in a mountain.
What really saddens me, is in holding this view, I find I am sounding like some RWNJ – but hey! It could be some recessive mutant gene coming to the fore.
Surely there is a limit to which the NZ taxpayer could be expected to go to retrieve the bodies of people who knowingly engaged in an activity that could have resulted in them being entombed in a mountain.
You would think so.
What really saddens me, is in holding this view, I find I am sounding like some RWNJ â but hey! It could be some recessive mutant gene coming to the fore.
It all depends upon why you hold the view that you do. To save limited resources or to give tax cuts to the rich. The RWNJs, of course, are all for the latter.
Bizarre item on Clive tonight – a woman whinging because Asians are buying baby “formula” to send to China, and a reporter trying to make a Chinese woman feel guilty because she’s buying it to send to her baby nephew who was caught in the Chinese earthquake last year…That’s a crime? A daddy does an email whine that he has to go to “two different ‘stores’ to get the ‘formula” for his family.
I brought up 3 kids and never used ‘formula’ ever.
(As a friend point out years ago, ‘store’ is one of the sillier americanisms. Stores are warehouses, they sell wholesale stuff, and the places that sell retail are *shops*!)
Anytime coalâs cost to America is discussed, the coal industry reflexively talks about what an economic lifeline it is for the states in which it operates. Headwaters Economics, a Bozeman-based think tank focusing on natural resource issues, has a solid new study thatâs getting national attention for undercutting those claims. For instance, the Headwaters study finds that â[f]ossil fuel production has not insulated energy-producing states from fiscal crisis,â that â[f]ossil fuel extraction has a limited influence at the state level on economic indicators such as GDP by state, personal income, and employment,â and that â[t]he volatility of fossil fuel markets poses obstacles to the stability and long-term security of economic growth in energy-producing regions.â
I think that should be enough to get everyone wondering just who benefits from coal mining in NZ as well.
A passing comment in a post the other day about the labour force participation rates of older people prompted me to pull down the fuller data and see what we could see about various participation rates over the decades since the HLFS began in 1986. As it happens, the ...
Distract And Divert: The rise of what we have come to call “Identity Politics” represents the ideological manifestation of the ruling class’s objective need to destroy class politics, and of the middle-class’s subjective need to justify their participation in the process.THE RELIEF of the ruling class can only be imagined. ...
"I saw a newspaper picture,From the political campaignA woman was kissing a child,Who was obviously in pain.She spills with compassion,As that young child'sFace in her hands she gripsCan you imagine all that greed and avariceComing down on that child's lips?" ...
Dr Matt Boyd, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick WilsonThe Global Health Security Index which considers pandemic threats has just been published. Unfortunately, NZ scores approximately half marks (54/100), coming in 35th in the world rankings – far behind Australia. This poor result suggests that the NZ Government needs to ...
The Zero Carbon Act is inadequate, with a weak methane target designed to give farmers a free ride. But it turns out it could have been worse: Climate Change Minister James Shaw was so desperate to get National on board, he wanted to gut that target, and leave it in ...
The Herald reprints an Australian story on a couple of tragic deaths in Bali from drinking cocktails that had methanol in them. The story argues that methanol is likely the result of home distillation. But what the young tourists were experiencing was far from a hangover. They’d consumed a toxic cocktail ...
Last month, the police announced a trial of specialist roaming armed units, which would drive round (poor, brown) areas in armoured SUVs, armed to the teeth. When they announced the trial, they told us it was about having armed police "ready to attend major incidents at any time if needed". ...
Spain went to the polls today in the second elections this year, after the Socialists (who had come to power in a confidence vote, then gone to the polls in April) rejected the offer of a coalition with the left-wing PoDemos, and instead decided to gamble n a better outcome ...
A couple of days ago I attended (and spoke at) the University of Waikato’s “LearnFest” event. There were lots of talks and sessions on very diverse aspects of teaching, mostly at tertiary level. One was by Myra Williamson from Te Piringa Faculty of Law here at Waikato, on Contract Cheating ...
There will be a transit of Mercury – the planet Mercury will pass across the face of the Sun – taking place at sunrise in New Zealand on Tuesday, 12th November. It was by observing such an event 250 years ago that James Cook and his scientist colleagues were able ...
Since becoming the world’s first openly transexual mayor and member of parliament, Georgina Beyer has been recognised as a trailblazer for trans rights. Daphna Whitmore talks with her about where she sees the current trans movement We start out talking about legislation the government put on hold that would have ...
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ...
National Messiah? Chris Luxon identifies himself as an evangelical Christian. If he is genuine in this self-characterisation, then he will take every opportunity his public office provides to proselytise on behalf of his faith. He will also feel obliged to bear witness against beliefs and practices he believes to be ...
I'm going to make a Reckless Prediction™ that the Tories have 'topped out' in the 'poll of polls' / Britain Elects multipoll tracker at about 38%, and in the next week we will start to see Labour creep up on them.In fact, we might just be seeing the start of ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Lizzie Marvelly: “I may have missed this… has @afterellen gone all terf-y? Or am I reading something incorrectly? “ https://twitter.com/LizzieMarvelly/status/1191840059105742849 After Ellen is a lesbian website that is unashamedly pro-lesbian, as you’d expect. So why is Ms Marvelly so bothered about lesbians having their ...
Did you know there once was a time when it was illegal to be a gypsy (aka Romani) in Britain?That was between 1530, when the Egyptians Act was passed, and 1856, when it was repealed.Amongst other things, the act forbade the entry of 'Egyptians' into England, ordered those already there ...
Some days I sit and think, “what will I write…?” What do you say when you get to 1000 posts? Maybe you just start where you are, diverge to where this all began, then offer a collection of reader’s favourite posts, and a few of your own? (And throw in ...
Counter-Puncher: The “activists” and “radicals” (his own words) from the Indian community who took such strong exception to Shane Jones’ remarks about Immigration NZ’s treatment of arranged marriages, may end up bitterly regretting their intervention. Jones is not the sort of person who turns the other cheek to his critics.SHANE ...
In the spirit of Remember, remember the fifth of November, let's keep this in mind FOREVER.
Oh dear. Extraordinary interview on PM with Andrew Bridgen and @EvanHD just now. Bridgen was defending Jacob Rees Mogg’s Grenfell comments. Evan asked him if JRM had meant to say he would have left ...
Collision Course? In conditions of ideological white-out, the international bankers’ “Woop-Woop! Pull Up!” warning may have come too late to save global capitalism.WHAT DOES IT MEAN when international bankers are more willing to embrace radical solutions than our politicians and their electors? At both the International Monetary Fund and the ...
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a conundrum. It is a disease that was described hundreds of years ago and the bacteria that causes it (Bordetella pertussis) isolated in 1906. We have had vaccines for about 80 years but this disease is defiant in the face of human immunity. I wanted to ...
The Zero Carbon Bill has just passed its third reading, uanimously. In the end, National supported it - but we all know they'll turn around and gut it the moment they regain power. Meanwhile, I guess ACT's David Seymour didn't even bother to show up. I am on record as ...
Dr Lindsay Robertson, Dr Jerram Bateman, Professor Janet HoekMembers of the public health community hold divergent views on how access to vaping products or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products should be arranged. Some believe ENDS should be as widely available as smoked tobacco and argue for liberal ...
When the Police were trying to cover up for the National Party over Dirty Politics, they went all-in with their abuses of power. They illegally search Nicky Hager's house, violating his journalistic privilege and invading his privacy. They unlawfully acquired Hager's bank records. They did the same to left-wing blogger ...
Last month, in response to a wave of protests by Extinction Rebellion, the British government purported to ban their protests from the whole of London. It was a significant interference with the freedoms of expression and assembly, and another sign of the country's decline into tyranny. But now, a court ...
Last year, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security reported on significant problems with the intelligence warrant system. While they were unwilling to declare any warrant "irregular" (meaning unlawful) due to the recent law change, they were also not willing to give the system a clean bill of health. Now, they've ...
The National Party has come out in support of encouraging greater vaccination uptake. But it sure isn’t the way I’d do it. National’s suggested docking the benefits of those on benefit whose kids aren’t keeping up with their vaccinations. Some in National have suggested extending that to payments under Working ...
Feeding The Flames: It is simply not enough to demand an end to “corruption”, or “inequality”, or the overbearing influence of the authorities in Beijing. These are just “lowest common denominator” demands: the sort of slogans that pull people onto the streets. They are not a plan.WHERE’S THE PLAN? Across ...
The labour market statistics have been released, and unemployment has risen to 4.2%. There are 115,000 unemployed - 11,000 fewer than when Labour took office. In that time the minimum wage has gone up by $2 an hour, which shows that the right's fears about increases causing unemployment are simply ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has called for submissions on Andrew Little's tyrannicalTerrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill. Normally I encourage participation in the democratic process. I am not doing so in this case. Instead, I encourage all of you to boycott this submissions process, and to post ...
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.nzIf tiny concentrations of carbon dioxide can hold enough heat ...
Aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and within it, one of the fastest sources is elite travel: billionaires flitting around the world in their private jets, spewing excessive pollution into the atmosphere just so they can avoid mixing with us dirty peasants. But in ...
That's what we face if we don't stop climate change, according to a warning from 11,000 scientists:The world’s people face “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless there are major transformations to global society, according to a stark warning from more than 11,000 scientists. “We declare clearly and unequivocally ...
by Phil Duncan Here’s just a few of the kind of threats issued day in and day out against gender-critical women – feminists, marxists, etc – overwhelmingly by MEN (albeit men identifying as women). “Kill all Terfs”. “Shoot a Terf today”. “All terfs deserve to be shot in the head”. ...
This is the third of the synopses of parts of the opening chapter of John Smith’s Imperialism in the 21st Century (New York, Monthly Review Press, 2016). The synopsis and commentary below is written by Phil Duncan. Unlike the humble cup of coffee and t-shirt that we looked at in ...
Tom MooreTraditionally a food source and cutting tool, freshwater mussels/kākahi are now widely valued as water filters that help clean our waterbodies and maintain ecosystem health throughout Aotearoa. The improvement they provide in water quality can make it easier for other animals to live in streams and rivers, as ...
And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…Installation complete: this was nothing ...
The Zero Carbon Bill is back in the House today for its second reading. While this isn't the final stage, its still effectively D-Day for the bill. Because today, at around 5pm, is when we're going to find out if it has a majority, whether National will support it or ...
Winston Peters is in court today, suing a bunch of former Minister and civil servants over their pre-election leak of his superannuation repayment. He's characterised the leak as malicious, and said that it is repugnant that his information was passed on to Ministers to use for political advantage. And he's ...
Murray CoxDo I have to finish my favourite genome? That’s an often-asked question. Geneticists generally strive to produce high-quality genomes that sequence every last gene, making full use of the state-of-the-art technologies coming on stream. Sequencing DNA means determining the order of the four chemical building blocks – called ...
Transformative Politics: The idea is to turn each recipient into an unwitting accomplice in their own transformation. From interested observer to hyped-up activist, sharing our messages promiscuously with ‘friends’. You’ll be part of an ever-expanding circulatory system, Jennifer, for the ideas that will win us the election.”JENNIFER SKITTERED her chair ...
The boycott is a fundamental tool of protest. By choosing who we buy from, we can send a message, and hopefully change corporate behaviour. Historically, boycotts have been effective, for example over apartheid in South Africa and Israel, in forcing divestment from Myanmar, and in ending bus segregation in the ...
Jan Rivers spoke at the Abortion Legislation Select Committee in favour of the bill, but in opposition to calls from other submitters to exchange the word ‘woman’ for ‘person’ throughout the bill. Jan is a supporter of the feminist group Speak Up For Women and has recently written an excellent ...
I checked my traffic stats:I was intrigued by 'monica29' - who was this very dedicated individual? I clicked on the link, to be greeted with ...Ho, hum.Spreadin' the word, spreadin' the word. Doesn't matter who hears it, as long as it gets out there. ...
There have been three polls since the election was announced, and I will shamelessly steal YouGov / UK Polling Report's Anthony Wells' summary of them:Survation – CON 34%, LAB 26%, LDEM 19%, BREX 12%, GRN 1% Ipsos MORI – CON 41%, LAB 24%, LDEM 20%, BREX 7%, GRN 3% YouGov ...
The following article is translated from Lutte Ouvrière, the weekly newspaper of the organisation usually known by the same name in France. When, for the second time this year, Chilean President Piñera announced an increase in the price of Metro tickets from 800 to 830 pesos, students in the high ...
Today, a worker contacted me asking if she could go to the police over her employer stealing thousands of dollars from her in unpaid wages. The employer also did not pay this worker’s taxes or student loan which amounts to tax fraud. As a workers rights activist, who founded the ...
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, They're Yours: Is there any person more vulnerable than a jilted lover on the rebound? Or, anything more certain than that the charmer, the predator, the glib spinner of lies and promises will seek such broken people out? Yes, of course, he will love every one of ...
Though Jonathan Romain is a fairly high profile Rabbi, writing in several papers and popping up on TV and the radio, this story doesn't seem to have made it to the Guardian yet, so I'll take the unusual step of linking the Stephen Pollard edited Jewish Chronicle:Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain ...
There's an election afoot, and that is when noted opinion formers such as myself get to make wild fools of ourselves by pretending we have the faintest idea what will happen.So, here is my absurdly optimistic prediction:Labour - 285Conservative - 262SNP - 53Lib Dems - 20PC - 5Ireland - 18 ...
Image Credit:Increase Social Media Traffic & Website Traffic I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your ...
Belinda CridgeI was reading my son a story last night. A great tale of derring-do of five mountaineers scaling the Matterhorn for the first time. One in the party had tried six times previously and failed, this was the last attempt before winter closed another season. They tried a ...
As introduced, the Zero Carbon Bill included an expansive secrecy clause, which would have covered virtually all decisions by the Climate Change Commission over our most important policy area. The Ministry for the Environment admitted this was a mistake (or as they put it, an "oversight"), and the select committee ...
Rachael Shaw, Victoria University of WellingtonWhen we think about animals storing food, the image that usually comes to mind is a squirrel busily hiding nuts for the winter. We don’t usually think of a small songbird taking down an enormous invertebrate, tearing it into pieces and hiding these titbits ...
. . NZ First’s success in putting the euthenasia bill to a public referenda may not be the victory they believe it to be. They may even have sounded the death-knell for a second Labour-NZ First-Green coalition. On 23 July this year, NZ First MP, Jenny Marcroft, submitted a Supplementary ...
Interesting contrasting pictures in the Guardian:Corbyn gets the classic positive shot - low angle and a clear background, making him look authoritative (of course, being Corbyn, he doesn't do authoritative very well).Where as Johnson gets pictured with children at some sort of mad-hatters' tea party:Begging the question, who is the ...
Paternalism is contentious. Arguments for state action to protect us from ourselves are fraught. I come down pretty heavily on the anti-paternalism side of the argument, but I’ve heard respectable defences of paternalism. But policy around vaccination is hardly paternalistic. There’s a clear market failure that could be pointed to ...
I’ve been reading Jules Verne’s novel Twenty thousand leagues under the sea, considered as one of the very earliest science fiction stories. In brief, Monsieur Aronnax and a couple of sidekicks are taken prisoner by Captain Nemo and his mysterious crew and treated to an underwater voyage around the world ...
The climate crisis is going to mean some pretty big changes in our country, both from its impacts and the policies required to address them. Most obviously, whole suburbs are going to be underwater by 2100, meaning people and businesses are going to have to relocate to higher ground. But ...
Yesterday a dairy company was fined $483,000 for repeatedly failing to report listeria in its facility. Its a serious fine for a serious crime: listeria is a serious disease, and they were effectively trying to kill people with it. But there's another story hidden in there, and its not a ...
Gay men see the excesses of trans activism and are increasingly speaking out. A new Facebook group addressing ‘gender identity’ and contemporary trans activism has been set up for gay men, by gay men. The following is the group’s Statement of Intent, Group Rules, and link to the group for ...
Criminal Enterprises: Gangs are not welfare institutions. Nor are they a substitute for the family their members never had. They are ruthless, violent, criminal money-making machines. That is all.OKAY, first-things-first. Gangs exist for one purpose – and only one. They are a sure-fired, time-tested institution for making crime pay – ...
Prof Nick Wilson, A/Prof George Thomson, A/Prof Simon Hales, Prof Michael BakerThe NZ Ministry for the Environment has produced a valuable discussion document with many good ideas for improving the health of waterways in New Zealand. But there are important gaps. In this blog we consider three big-ticket items ...
Finding reality needs more than wishful thinking. The problem is that statistical arguments often provide a jargon to confirm biases. Image credit:Accurate Thinking Versus Wishful Thinking in Gambling I worry at the way some ...
This reallyshouldn’t need to be said, but hell… looks like we need to do it all over again: Simon Bridges, and the National Party shock politics doctrine, seems to demand every time that its Leader, its Party and anyone seemingly involved with it, cannot get real traction on real ...
The Ombudsman has ruled on the issue of Julie-Anne Genter's letter to Phil Twyford on the "Let's Get Wellington Moving" policy, and forced the release of some information. The Ombudsman's statement is here. The key point: the letter was written in part in a Ministerial capacity, and was official information ...
Its fire season in California, and the state is on fire again, with tens of thousands evacuated and millions without power as forests and homes burn. And its so bad now that some are asking whether parts of the state are now too dangerous to inhabit:Three years in a row ...
New Zealanders' Television: Obliterated almost completely from New Zealanders’ collective memory is the amazing collection of creative talent which was all-too-briefly assembled in the purpose-built Avalon television studios (above) situated ten miles north of the capital. If this period is recalled at all it is only for the purposes of ...
"Today we have made a choice that will leave a legacy... I hope that means that future generations will see that we, in New Zealand, were on the right side of history." - Jacinda Ardern, Third Reading of the Zero Carbon Bill ...
Darroch Ball, New Zealand First List MP A Member’s bill has been proposed that would provide income tax exemptions for all New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel while on operational deployment overseas. The Income Tax (Exemption for Salary or Wages of NZDF Members on Active Deployment) Amendment Bill proposed by New Zealand First ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have brought common sense to the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill, which passed its final reading in Parliament today. Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says months of hard work went into negotiating a balanced ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First has listened to calls to recognise paramedics as registered health professionals under the Health Practitioners’ Competence Assurance Act (the Act).Today, the Coalition Government announced plans for paramedics to be registered as health practitioners under the Act, and the establishment of a ...
We began the week by commemorating the New Zealand Wars and celebrating a major increase in the number of teachers. Then, we were busy supporting offenders into work and getting our rail back on track after years of underinvestment. And that's just the start! ...
In October I was sworn in as the Mayor of Lower Hutt.It’s the privilege of my life to serve Hutt people as their Mayor. There is something really special to be able to serve the community where I was raised, and where I live. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters met with Korea Racing Authority Chairperson Nak Soon Kim in Seoul today to discuss closer cooperation between the New Zealand and Korean horse racing industries. As part of the visit to the Seoul Racecourse, Mr Peters witnessed ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10 million to establish Otago as the centre of New Zealand’s creative digital industry over the next ten years, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “The initiative will bring us closer to the vision of ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)’s skills and employment programme will help young Otago people into long-term forestry careers, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Te Ara Mahi will invest $63,000 in the 2020 school year to support eight 17 and 18 ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will support local plans to revitalise and stimulate economic development opportunities in Otago, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The four Regional Economic Development Ministers have approved an in-principle investment of $19.9 million towards the region’s ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is pleased to have received the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report on the Coalition Government’s Mycoplasma bovis eradication efforts, which shows significant progress in the fight against the disease. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, says the report’s findings ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon David Parker, Minister for Trade and Export Growth The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing to support economic growth opportunities for Otago’s engineering and manufacturing sectors, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Trade and Export Minister David Parker announced today. Almost $20 million ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, discussed in Seoul today opportunities to work more closely in the Pacific and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Mr Peters and Minister Kang confirmed New Zealand and the ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Māori Development The three marae in the historic Parihaka Pa complex in Taranaki have been upgraded to high speed broadband with the support of the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Connecting the ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence Minister of Defence Ron Mark will today launch the Advancing Pacific Partnerships 2019 Defence Assessment during a speech at Te Papa. The Assessment outlines how Defence will partner with our Pacific Island neighbours and invest in Pacific regional security architecture. The Plan aligns with the Coalition ...
A new Provincial Growth Fund investment could create about 80 new jobs in Gisborne over the next two years, turning a local small business into a “beacon of employment” in the process. Regional Economic Development Parliamentary Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau said the PGF’s Te Ara Mahi funding stream would provide $1.6m ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters will travel to the Republic of Korea and Japan next week. “The Republic of Korea and Japan are two of New Zealand’s closest partners in the region with whom we share common values and ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced today that New Zealand is leading a police support mission in Bougainville as the region prepares to vote in a non-binding referendum on its political future. “New Zealand has accepted an invitation ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is defending Immigration New Zealand (INZ) after it instructed officials to stop granting visas as an exception to instructions. He has also lashed out at immigrant leaders upset with the tightening of the rules, saying they had an “elevated sense of entitlement”. Members of ...
A change to the End of Life Choice Bill was passed in Parliament, meaning if politicians decide to vote for the law it must be approved by the public first. A binding referendum was a condition insisted on by New Zealand First, and Jenny Marcroft’s supplementary order paper (SOP) successfully ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), through its skills and employment programme,Te Ara Mahi, is investing a further $1.6m into Tairāwhiti’s workforce development, said Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau. “This PGF funding follows on from significant PGF investment earlier this ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says the Government’s steps to reduce farm livestock emissions are necessary and timely. Today the Government and farming leaders announced a plan to measure and price emissions at the farm level by 2025. “Many farmers ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones has hit back at those who are upset over a change in approach to partnership visas. There has been a specific government directive to stop waiving requirements such as couples needing to have lived together for 12 months - a test Indian couples who have ...
The North Auckland Line rejuvenation kicks off with teams surveying the rail corridor and Northland construction contractors are showing interest in the project.KiwiRail provided an industry briefing for Northland contracting and construction companies about future work opportunities on rejuvenating Northland’s rail lines. The briefing session in Whangarei was held to ...
Infrastructure Minister is welcoming the first of many updated project pipelines from the newly established New Zealand Infrastructure Commission today. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, has released an expanded pipeline of major capital projects – another crucial step towards delivering better infrastructure outcomes. “The first iteration of the ...
Tougher gun laws designed to improve public safety through firearms prohibition orders are proposed in a new document released for public input. Police Minister Stuart Nash says firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) would give new powers to Police to ensure high-risk individuals come nowhere near firearms. “We have already prohibited the ...
Andy Coupe has been confirmed as TVNZ’s new Board Chair. “Mr Coupe has strong commercial and capital markets experience and TVNZ has benefited from his technical knowledge of business and finance, as well as his extensive governance experience,” the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Kris Faafoi said. Andy ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today officially opened a separated pathway, following the completion of the Kaiwharawhara Stream bridge, which will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along Hutt Road. The $6.8m Hutt Road project provides a separated path for cycling and pedestrians, the replacement of informal parking ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of career diplomat Si’alei van Toor as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Russia. “I’m pleased to appoint Ms van Toor to this position. She brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously served as Senior Trade Adviser to the ...
The Treasury’s 2019 Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) will be released on Wednesday December 11, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Coalition Government will publish the 2020 Budget Policy Statement at the same time, outlining the priorities for Budget 2020. Further details on arrangements for the release will ...
A new initiative to better support small businesses through hands-on mentoring and advice has been launched by the Minister for Small Business. The first event in the Kiwi Business Boost series of regional workshops and online tools has been launched in Wairoa by Stuart Nash. “The Business Boost initiative combines ...
The latest Quarterly Connectivity Report shows that more and more New Zealanders are moving to Ultra-fast Broadband (UFB), with Rolleston having the highest uptake at 74 per cent, as at the end of September. “This means that nearly three quarters of Rolleston’s households and businesses have moved to ultra-fast services. ...
The passing of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill will help ensure a safe planet for our kids and grandkids, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw said today. The landmark legislation which provides a framework to support New Zealanders to prepare for, and adapt to, the effects ...
The review of Oranga Tamariki practice around the planned uplift of a Hastings baby in May shows significant failings by the Ministry and that the planned and funded changes to shift from a child crisis service to a proper care and protection service need to be accelerated, Children’s Minister Tracey ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins has wished students the best of luck for this year’s NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams which start tomorrow. Around 140,000 students will have participated in 119 NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams by the end of the exam period on 3 December. “I want to ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of Bede Corry as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. “The appointment of a senior diplomat to this important role underlines the significance New Zealand places on our relationship with the United Kingdom,” said Mr Peters. “The United ...
An innovative approach to boosting the number of frontline Police has seen 20 new officers graduate from one of the uncommon training wings in Auckland. Police Minister Stuart Nash says the graduation of 20 constables today means that 1,765 new Police officers have been deployed since the coalition government took ...
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says the 1.2 million hours of community work completed by offenders in the last financial year has helped local communities right across the country. “Community work sentences are a great way for people to pay something positive back to society. There is a massive benefit to ...
"A pathway for Police in leadership with Iwi Māori, to achieve the aspirations of Māori whānau." Police launch of Te Huringa o Te Tai, Pipitea Marae, Thorndon Quay, Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou. Hello everyone, warm greetings to you all. ...
Working New Zealanders are getting more in their back pockets under the Coalition Government’s economic plan. Stats NZ data today shows average weekly ordinary time earnings are up by $83 since the Government took office. This shows that working New Zealanders are getting higher take-home pay, and that employers are ...
The Government is supporting schools to cut down their energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts, with a quarter of all schools having their lights replaced with LEDs, a sustainability contestable fund and a plan to improve the environmental sustainability of all schools in the future. Education Minister Chris Hipkins and ...
Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis heads to China on Friday to lead the New Zealand Government presence at the China-New Zealand Year of Tourism closing ceremony. The ceremony will take place at Canton Tower in Guangzhou on Sunday 10 November. “The Year of Tourism has been mutually beneficial for both New ...
Should we plan for drought or deluge and how is CO2 released from the ocean’s floor? Several climate change projects were given a boost in the latest Marsden Fund investment of $83.6 million, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods said today. “Climate change is long-term challenge that requires out-of-the-box ...
Leaders of 16 countries negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have announced the completion of negotiation on the text as well as agreement on virtually all market access issues between 15 countries. The leaders said they will work with India to resolve its outstanding concerns in a way that ...
Civil Defence Minister Hon Peeni Henare says World Tsunami Awareness Day today (5 November) is a chance for all New Zealanders to learn more about the tsunami risk in our regions and the right actions to take to stay safe. “All of New Zealand’s coastline is at risk of tsunami. ...
New Zealand’s more than 1000 paramedics are to have their role as key frontline health professionals formally recognised and regulated in the same way as doctors and nurses, Health Minister David Clark says. The Government has agreed to regulate paramedics under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. “Paramedic leaders ...
Changes to insolvency law announced by the Government today will include requirements to honour up to 50 per cent of the value of gift cards or vouchers held by consumers, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi says. “When a business is insolvent, these consumers are often left out of ...
Six New Zealanders tonight received medals for their meritorious work in the frontline public service. The Public Service Medal, established by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, is awarded annually. “For the second year this Government has recognised public servants who have made a real difference to the lives of New ...
Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker heads to Shanghai today for the China International Import Expo and meetings focused on reforming the WTO. Over 90 New Zealand companies will be exhibiting at the second China International Import Expo (CIIE), which runs from 5-10 November. “China is one of New Zealand’s ...
Drivers holding a current five-year learner or restricted car or motorbike licence, expiring between 1 December 2019 and 1 December 2021, will receive an automatic two-year extension, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Over 144,000 drivers’ time-limited licences are due to expire in the next two years; 67,000 ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker have announced the conclusion of negotiations to upgrade New Zealand’s existing free trade agreement with China. “This ensures our upgraded free trade agreement will remain the best that China has with any country,” Jacinda Ardern said. She ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau congratulates the Ten Kiwi organisations who have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to the wellbeing and the prosperity of their communities. Economic Development New Zealand (EDNZ), announced the awards at its annual conference in Blenheim last weekend. “A special congratulations to ...
Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa has welcomed the record high of 13,000 building and construction apprentices in active training with main provider the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO). “We are committed to reversing the long-term decline in trades training and it’s excellent to see more people ...
PHARMAC’s decision to fund a new leukaemia treatment means three new cancer medicines have now been funded so far this year, Health Minister David Clark says. From 1 December venetoclax (Venclexta) will be funded for people living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Just last month funding was also confirmed for alectinib ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today formally gifted a white horse to Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, Japan in front of thousands of attendees at a ceremony conducted by Chief Priest Inaba. The horse named Kōmaru, which means ‘sheltered’ in Maori and ‘shining’ in Japanese, is a white 12-year-old purebred Andalusian ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has named diplomat Martin Harvey as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to Canada. “Canada is one of New Zealand’s closest and longstanding international partners,” said Mr Peters. “Our close friendship is underpinned by our shared democratic values, history and our parliamentary traditions. As Commonwealth countries and ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi has today announced the appointment of Jane Wrightson as Retirement Commissioner. “Jane has strong leadership, management and governance skills which will help champion improved financial capability for all New Zealanders and provide advice on retirement income policy issues,” Kris Faafoi said. Jane Wrightson ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi announced a plan last night to cooperate more closely in the Pacific, as part of the strong and ambitious relationship between the two countries. “Japan is one of New Zealand’s most important partners and closest friends. My discussions with Minister ...
The Government’s plan to help older New Zealanders live well, Better Later Life – He Oranga Kaumātua 2019 to 2034, was launched by Seniors Minister Tracey Martin today. “Better Later Life takes a fresh look at what is required to ensure everyone gets the chance to live well as they ...
Trees can play a lead role in New Zealand’s transition to a low emissions economy, and this is reflected in a new request for research into innovative ways to use wood fibre, announced by Forestry Minister Shane Jones at the blessing of the new government forestry hub site in Rotorua ...
The Government has committed to a strong regional presence for Te Uru Rākau (Forestry New Zealand), with the construction of a new Forestry Hub in Rotorua announced by Forestry Minister Shane Jones today. Speaking at a blessing ceremony at the site of the new building, Scion’s Rotorua campus, Minister Jones ...
A unique project enhancing the mana and wellbeing of the environment and the people of the Hokianga is to receive $300000 over three years from the Ministry for the Environment’s Community Environment Fund. Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage made the announcement at a kiwi protection workshop at Ōpara ...
A new report by the Ministry of Justice provides an important baseline for measuring the Government’s work to address and end sexual violence in New Zealand. Attrition and progression: Reported sexual violence victimisations in the criminal justice system analyses 23,739 sexual violence victimisations reported to Police between July 2014 and ...
Minister for Climate Change James Shaw today announced the start of public consultation on a new regime that would require companies to assess and report their climate-related financial risks. This is an important component of the Government’s Climate Action Plan, and will ensure that companies understand and disclose how climate ...
Vernon Tava, the leader of the Sustainable NZ party, used to be part of the Greens. So how did he fit in there? Former MP Catherine Delahunty shares her impressions of him from then, and analyses where his new party will fit in.I first met Vernon Tava when he joined ...
A Parliamentary Petition has been issued, calling for the regulation of sunscreens in New Zealand as well as funding of effective sunscreens for low income and high risk populations. ...
It’s been a rough year for unit-holders in Fonterra Shareholders Fund, with the unit price slumping from $5.12 to its lowest point ever at $3.15. Chairman John Shewan didn’t mince words when he told the Fund’s annual meeting this week Fonterra’s financial performance had been “very poor” in 2019. Not ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Zero Carbon Bill, climate change Henry Cooke (Stuff): NZ First kept methane target from exiting ...
At 5:00pm on 22 November 2019, the period closes for public submissions regarding the changes BSA is proposing to the Election Programmes Code of Broadcasting Practice (Election Programmes Code). ...
Rachel Boyack was confirmed as the Labour Party candidate for Nelson for the 2020 General Election at a meeting of Party members held in Nelson tonight ...
The Zero Carbon Bill is bland and ineffective. Don’t fall for the spin, argues Steve Abel of Greenpeace. It was hard to not be buoyed by our House of Representatives, seemingly aligned in their commitment to climate action, at last week’s passing of the Zero Carbon Act. Bold expositions of pride ...
A new nationwide Curia Market Research poll shows the vast majority of New Zealanders are confused about what the End of Life Choice Bill aims to legalise. ...
The Prime Minster is defending her proposed firearms protection orders which has received mixed reactions in parliament; and attempted suicide in police custody has risen by almost 400 percent in four years. ...
A Helen Clark Foundation project to reduce online harm will be presented today in competition at the Paris Peace Forum. 'The Christchurch Principles' full report is available for download here . The Forum is a prestigious international event, initiated ...
Construction of more than 500 houses for New Zealand’s most needy families has been put on hold during a housing crisis because of a controversial policy change. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Sinclair, Research Fellow, NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found outside of the womb. It affects around one in ten women of reproductive age, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Fisher, Professor of Cattle & Sheep Production Medicine, University of Melbourne The plight of Australia’s dairy farmers is on the political agenda this week, after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson narrowly failed in her Senate bid for a minimum milk price. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katina Zammit, Deputy Dean, School of Education, Western Sydney University When I was younger I decided to learn Greek. I learnt the letter-sound correspondences and could say the words – the sounds, that is. But although I could and still can decode ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pamela Snow, Professor and Head, Rural Health School, La Trobe University Being able to read means being able to make meaning from printed words. At a functional level, we read to get the message – such as how many times per day ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thijs Dhollander, Post-doctoral neuroscientist, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health While looking at the MRI brain scan of a 29-year-old woman that had been taken for a different study, researchers in Israel recently stumbled upon a scientific mystery. The woman appears ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Holland, Senior Lecturer in Australian History, Macquarie University When the minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, recently announced a co-design process for creating an Indigenous “voice to government”, it was characterised as a shift in rhetoric. Yet, on closer inspection, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Zadro, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Sydney Patients might not be getting the best advice about which treatments do or don’t work, according to our study published today. We found professional societies are more likely to call out other health professionals ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Abou-Nemeh, Lecturer in Early Modern History, Victoria University of Wellington This week New Zealand’s parliamentarians will vote on the third reading of the End of Life Choice Bill. Much public discussion on the merits of euthanasia has centred around the role ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cris Brack, Associate Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Trees die. You don’t have to like it, but they do. And this comes as a surprise to some. A senior public servant once told one of us (Brack): ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elaine Stratford, Professor, University of Tasmania In this series, we look at under-acknowledged women through the ages. We are all touched by relationships with animals — as domestic and working companions, wild inspirations, threats, or pests. Some of us may know about ...
The government's firearms prohibition order proposal - to keep high-risk individuals away from firearms - is being met with both approval and alarm bells. ...
The government's firearms prohibition order proposal - to keep high-risk individuals away from firearms - is being met with both approval and alarm bells. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Armed police arrest raises alarm, report makes strong call for Auckland port to go north, and a battle is going on among Fonterra shareholders.Serious concerns have been raised about the trial of armed police officers, after a team arrested an ...
Some observers have been thinking that the forthcoming British election on 12 December would be about a lot more than just Brexit. Some of the issues polling supports this view. And the party leaders have certainly been leading off with their plans for the radiant future. And yet – new ...
Dr Samantha Marsh explains why we need to be wary of drawing definitive conclusions from single studies on social media that appear to ‘let us off the hook’. ...
A little-known hormone-related condition affecting up to 8 percent of people with periods is sometimes mistaken for bipolar disorder and incorrectly treated. ...
The unusual case of Winston Peters vs the Crown took a new twist yesterday with revelations the deputy PM and head of the civil service have not talked since the Government was formed. ...
Tech sector giants have a vested interest in prioritising freedom of expression, often at the expense of other rights. A new project to reduce harmful online content, presented yesterday to the Paris Peace Forum, aims to change that. One of the architects of the Christchurch Principles, Dr David Hall, explains. What ...
As parliament voted all but unanimously to pass the Zero Carbon Bill into law last week, climate change minister James Shaw credited Generation Zero for its very existence. Here, Jenny Coatham explains how the youth-led climate action group pulled off such a monumental task. Our generation has been described as having ...
The State Services Commissioner has told the High Court claims he acted politically when he briefed his minister about Winston Peters' superannuation payment are "untrue and unfounded". ...
White Ribbon Manager Rob McCann says Firearms Prohibition Orders could make a real difference if guns are kept out of the hands of people with a history of family harm. ...
Hundreds of dead animals, birds and sea life washed up on a West Coast beach will also be leaving a legacy of thousands of poison laden time bombs for 140 kilometres on the way downriver from the mountains to the Sea according to Alan Simmons, leader ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Lecturer in Digital Journalism & Professional Communication, Queensland University of Technology We can’t all be at city council meetings or down at parliament house directly engaging with the issues that affect us. But through photography and video, we’re able to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ross Bradstock, Professor, Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires, University of Wollongong Last week saw an unprecedented outbreak of large, intense fires stretching from the mid-north coast of New South Wales into central Queensland. The most tragic losses are concentrated in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Thorburn, co-Group Leader, Brain & Mitochondrial Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Mitochondrial donation is an assisted reproductive technology sometimes described as “three-parent IVF”. It’s designed for women at high risk of passing on faulty mitochondrial DNA and having a child with ...
The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) has asked the High Court to review the new regulation banning several classes of firearms ammunition. ...
Taco Bell is here. Alex Casey, Madeleine Chapman and Alice Webb-Liddall give the first review.There’s nothing more American than drinking a frozen margarita out of a plastic cup with a comically large straw. And that means America has come to West Auckland.New Zealand’s first-ever Taco Bell opens tomorrow at New ...
The strong whiff of “treaty” politicking has accompanied the intense scrutiny of Oranga Tamaraki in recent months, including the Waitangi Tribunal’s announcing an urgent inquiry into the child protection agency’s practices towards Māori children. No-one, curiously, seems much bothered about the agency’s practices towards other children. Oranga Tamariki staffers certainly ...
Acclaimed Wellington poet Amy Brown on how the first months of motherhood blasted her writing life – and, eventually, inspired her radically honest new verse journal. The night after birth, when the milk came in, a midwife gave me her pen. I was supposed to use it to write the times ...
The government is floating the idea of firearms prohibition orders, to give police powers to keep people deemed to be high-risk away from firearms. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Ricketson, Professor of Communication, Deakin University Media companies around the world are in an existential funk. The tech giants – Facebook, Google, Apple and Amazon – have built a better mousetrap for profiting from consumers’ attention than the traditional media can ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Forsyth, Professor of Workplace Law, RMIT University Is Australia’s award system so complex major corporations capable of handling millions of customers and billions of dollars can’t manage to pay employees properly? That’s the spin flowing freely in the wake of Australian ...
Former top civil servant Sir Maarten Wevers has thrown doubt on three claims by Winston Peters that governing conventions were ignored by two chief executives who told National ministers about Peters' superannuation overpayment. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Zero Carbon Bill Audrey Young (Herald): Simon Bridges enhances his leadership over climate change shift (paywalled) ...
The New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association is backing the firearm owners’ public awareness campaign designed to inform New Zealanders about proposed new firearm laws. ...
Responding to r eports that a former Waikato DHB member undertook a $5,000 taxpayer-funded training course after she was sacked, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: ...
You’ve heard of Black Friday, you’ve heard of Cyber Monday, but have you ever heard of mega shopping bonanza Singles’ Day? If not, here’s what you need to know about Double 11.What is Singles’ Day?Singles’ Day is a shopping holiday that’s held every year on November 11. It first started ...
With the university campus rapidly becoming a space of conflict, is it possible to remain faithful to academic freedom while at the same time mitigating the most harmful effects of hate speech? Massey University provost Giselle Byrnes discusses.Academic freedom and free speech have been much debated in New Zealand in ...
Vernon Tava’s Sustainable NZ Party launched over the weekend, to media fanfare. But has their pitch for centrist environmentalist voters lost touch with the changes in political reality? For a party that he criticises constantly, Vernon Tava will have a tough time escaping the shadow of the Greens.It’s a curious position ...
What’s the once staunchly metal hacker convention Kiwicon doing swapping skulls for stuffed toys, and what’s the deal with the new con on the block? Alex Stronach reports. It starts with hackers, pyrotechnics, and an alpaca in a party hat.No, wait, let’s rewind.It’s June 2019, and every Kiwi pundit is grappling ...
This week, Māori in the Taranaki region remembered the “ day of plunder ” – the 1881 government invasion of Parihaka, the small settlement that had come to symbolise peaceful resistance to the confiscation of Māori land . ...
Open mike 28/04/2011 
A passing comment in a post the other day about the labour force participation rates of older people prompted me to pull down the fuller data and see what we could see about various participation rates over the decades since the HLFS began in 1986. As it happens, the ...23 mins ago
Distract And Divert: The rise of what we have come to call “Identity Politics” represents the ideological manifestation of the ruling class’s objective need to destroy class politics, and of the middle-class’s subjective need to justify their participation in the process.THE RELIEF of the ruling class can only be imagined. ...2 hours ago
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The Zero Carbon Act is inadequate, with a weak methane target designed to give farmers a free ride. But it turns out it could have been worse: Climate Change Minister James Shaw was so desperate to get National on board, he wanted to gut that target, and leave it in ...18 hours ago
Since becoming the world’s first openly transexual mayor and member of parliament, Georgina Beyer has been recognised as a trailblazer for trans rights. Daphna Whitmore talks with her about where she sees the current trans movement We start out talking about legislation the government put on hold that would have ...2 days ago
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ... 2 days ago
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Harawira contemplates a by-election
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10721960
And Goff fronts up in the South, carrying the NO ASSET SALES message:
http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/otago/157987/goff-points-govt-sell-plan-fault
He won’t get one, not this close to the election. If he tried to force it I suspect it’d backfire on him illegitimating the party rather than giving a mandate as most voters would then see him as wasting taxpayer time and money.
Dayle Takitimu, spokeswoman for Te Whanau a Apanui, informs me that the Police are planning “raids” against protestors.
http://mauistreet.blogspot.com/2011/04/terror-raids-in-te-whanau-apanui.html
http://mauistreet.blogspot.com/2011/04/terror-raids-in-te-whanau-apanui-2.html
I tend to think the accusations have a solid base. A number of Maori police officers have come out saying they were approached by senior police officials who asked whether they would take part in planned “Tuhoe style terror raids” against Te Whanau a Apanui.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see this occur under a National government. Using public power to protect private interests is so, so National. The integrity of NZ Inc comes before the democratic rights of citizens.
this made me smile this morning
đ
Now if we could just get the same attitude here đ
“The planned fuel tax increase of 1.5 cents per litre which was due to come into effect on 1 July has been deferred while economic conditions remain tight, says Transport Minister Steven Joyce.”
The lolly scramble has started folks.
You forgot about the GST off F&V
The deck chairs are certainly being rearranged
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10721677
and then we get this from the biggests blanket and musket seller of all time
“His calls for taking GST off food and putting a ceiling on rent increases and petrol prices were supported by most New Zealanders, Mr Harawira said” – Pity realism plays no part !!
It would be nice to see realism form part of a politicians world view and the vision they had for our society.
Interesting comment from the Police this morning that initial video scans of the Pike River mine appear to show the body of a fully clothed man laying face down. Fully clothed is interesting; perhaps conditions were not as fiery as we have been told.
And in breaking news: Police last night told families of the Pike River mine victims that there was a possibility rescuers had identified a body in the mine. There was also evidence that rescue boxes in the mine had been opened.
Wonder if this will be a comfort or more distressing?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10722020
Well something doesn’t add up. PM’s office had given a very different spin didn’t they?
“They show Mr Key has used the Iroquois helicopters 10 times for a total of 29.9 flying hours over the period. That doesn’t include the trip he took two weeks ago from Auckland to Hamilton in order to attend the V8 Supercar races and be back in time for a golf club dinner.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10721955
Just more proof that John Key, and National, are liars, that they think they’re entitled to waste our money however they wish and that they think that they need to keep the truth from us.
An interesting blog about taxation in the US in an analysis from the 60’s to 2011
‘Rather than equalizing society, governments have shifted the burden of taxes from the wealthy to those of lower and middle income .
http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2011/04/rich-get-richer-how-taxation-in-america.html
Via Anrewj at interest.co
Would it be possible for someone to do the same for NZ?
Ok, we now have conditional anti-spam. If the spam engine thinks that you might be spam then it will ask you to fill in a anti-spam recaptcha. Don’t be offended, it will give you an opportunity to correct your spam like behavior đ
We’ll try that for a while. In the meantime I’ll fix the old anti-spam in case I need to put it back in again.
Does that mean there’s no captcha unless some software thinks the comment looks like spam?
Yep. Talk about a highly effective negative feedback loop (especially after I get around to getting it to give more feedback). It should massively reduce the amount of work the mods have to do ove rthe medium term.
Write a spammer type comment
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9/11_Truth_movement
http://www.slate.com/id/2292081/
[lprent: Ok that did it – wound up in moderation after I did the correct words. ]
Asshole of the Week Award
http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/04/asshole-of-week-award_28.html
On the 28 April 1995, 14 young people lost their lives and another four were injured, some very seriously. The disaster occurred at Cave Creek in Paparoa National Park and will forever mark the 28th April a sad day to remember. A party of students from the Outdoor Recreation course at Tai Poutini Polytechnic in Greymouth and the Department of Conservation’s Punakaiki Field Centre Manager went onto what appeared to be a safe viewing platform high above Cave Creek.
I remember that day very clearly…. working on the Rununga Mine Rescue centre, first it was a police car, then two ambulances and finally the rescue helicopter screaming over us. Heading into Greymouth after work it was super quiet… a real tragedy. The polytech was the spark of the town and we knew a lot of people – artists, musicians – they made that shit-hole bearable for a while.
It’s bread and circuses time… eg. Frankly I don’t give a damn & Rodders
From ‘The Medieval Inquisition’: “A slow roasting was considered preferable to quick incineration… The events were closely linked to ROYAL SPECTACLES… Such burnings were even held to help celebrate ROYAL MARRIAGES.” (emphasis added)
* 29 + 4 + 2011 = 19. 1 + 9 = 10. 1 + 0 = 1 World (dis)Order
Also, Radio NZ yesterday reported Key and Cameron “took their shirts and ties off” after meeting at No.10 Downing St. Ye gads, olde chaps, what do those frat boysss get up to behind closed doors?
And as for getting sssssso excccccited about a corgi licking his hand . . .
When can we have a Prime Minister that SOUNDS like a New Zealander?
So! J Key professes in France to be a great rugby supporter, yet he can’t recall his position re the 81 tour.
I can, it hurt, lots.
Just came to say hi and tell you all about the awesome day I had
I recently challenged my employer on several issues of inefficiency and incorrect practice at the job at which I have been working for just five weeks now.
My big mistake… for my efforts, today I was awarded with two weeks notice of termination of employment.
Simply because the boss decided to take it personal when I (in the most appropriate manner possible) highlighted what wasn’t being done, what needed to be done and how best to do it.
Never in my life have I been fired from a job, nor did I think anyone could be fired just for doing their job properly.
Funnily enough I don’t blame the boss for being an asshole, instead I blame the dickheads in power who made it okay for him to treat my fellow (un)employees and I like some proletariat trash who can be discarded for whatever reason he sees fit.
When I think about going back to WINZ after they fucked me around for almost three months last time I feel a pain building in my chest.
I’m young enough that I shouldn’t have to worry about having a heart attack, besides I don’t have time to die, I have to find another job so that I can make rent first.
This may not be of any interest to anyone but I just needed to have a rant so that I don’t do anything impulsive like THROW JOHN KEY UNDER A BUS.
Lucky for him he’s probably still on world tour giving foreign leaders sloppy handjobs for trade deals or kudos or whatever we benefit from paying him to ride helicopters… I don’t know… Fuck it
It’s of interest to most of is Adonijah, that’s why we’re here.
Is there a union at your workplace you can talk to?
Thanks r0b appreciate it
I’m not a union member and untill today I wasn’t even aware there was a union for the hospitality industry, which has got to be one of the most overpopulated by bad managers.
I’m looking in tosigning up tomorrow for sure.
Had a good chat to someone at the community law centre though. Really helpful people gives me a renewed sense of faith that there are people willing to help out.
Glad to hear it – and good luck.
Sorry to hear that, Adonijah. When you feel able, put your energies into fighting to get our country to a place where everyone is valued. In the meantime, best wishes with Work and Income.
Thanks JS.
I do believe in us fighting for a better country, however I know that it’s not a fair fight.
Cheers for the support much appreciated
New Zealand is full of really really shit managers holding our enterprises back.
Which is why I think we should move to worker owned co-ops, mutual organisations, and not for profit private sector operations.
Don’t I know it. I’ve worked too hard for too many of these clowns.
I have learned enough about how not to run a business and treat your employees that I could run my own shop if it weren’t for the huge costs involved in setting up.
I agree with your second statement but TBH I don’t know enough about how co-ops work so I may have to make a trip to the library on my day off.
Any recommended reading?
Don’t just get angry Adonijah, get involved. Whether Labour, Green or even Hone’s crew get active. This is the only way that ordinary people will change things for the better.
@Adonijah
To add to what ms has already said… it will feel like an act of revenge for what was done to you, and in the process you will meet some great people.
I’m in. I give my party vote to the good guys but it still feels like pissing in the wind sometimes. I don’t really care for this government thing we have, Democracy seems like a giant misnomer to me. Demos Kratos, For the people by the people, right? Heck. Really?
What you need to do first is to make sure that you vote left. Then persuade a mate to vote left. Then persuade 2 mates to vote left. Then persuade three mates …
Name and shame the place of business.
Adonijah
Iâm so sorry to read of your plight – this kind of crap makes my blood boil.
I’ve been in my present job for some years and I’m always on guard for my fellow workers because I process the pays and know the law. I can tell you that if I wasn’t there there would be some abuses going on. As a result of this I’m not kindly regarded by management and constantly have to remind them that everything I do is completely correct and that I’ve checked with the Department of Labour.
Only today I had to say to one of them,â Well of course we have to pay for X as we can’t afford to have a whiff of scandal that we’re defrauding workers of their wages.” which I judged to be less direct than, “what, you’re going to rip this person off?” but it rankles that I have to remind people to act morally and within the law. If this person could immolate me on the spot there would be a pile of ash.
Fully agree with your sentiments on Key, he’s pure evil.
Please join a union when you can. If it’s any comfort to you, I went to some courses in the 80s run by the Employers’ Association and one guy taking a course said that middle management in NZ was some of the sorriest excuses for he’d ever seen where competence was concerned. I applaud you for pointing out what was wrong at work but unfortunately the arsehole who’s sacked you must have the most fragile ego going – heaven help us all.
I echo others’ good wishes in your having to deal with WINZ – the description in the above paragraph would seem to suit them to a T.
Latest Roy Morgan, not much change, Nats and Labour up marginally. Next one should be interesting, ACT up, Nats down?
http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2011/4661/
Aye and I wait for the MSM to say that Labour is at 32%. The way the Reid Research results were taken as valid and repeated and repeated and repeated makes you wonder about possible bias in the MSM.
The sort of bias multi million dollar loans at below market interest rates buys? Nah, couldn’t possibly happen here!
I was wrong above, by the way. The Nats haven’t improved, but the overall right lead went up by one due to a lift for the Maori party.
It suggests TV3/Reid was a blip and anyway it’s sort of moot since the polling was done before Brash got hyper on Easter eggs.
It may take two or three polls to get an idea of how things are likely to pan out.
Ahhh PeteG
Care to agree now that you may not have been right trumpeting that Labour was down to 27% and that the Reid Research poll may not have been accurate?
Take it easy on Pete, he’s had a tough day over at the sewer. Funnily enough, some people over there think he’s a concern troll. A leftist concern troll, ho ho.
“Pete George@10:38am on the previous thread: âAh yes, and Banks. Brashâs new Exclusive Brother.â
You had quite a lot to say in 10 comments on the earlier Brash thread â much of it questioning Act / National in ever-so-reasonable tones calculated to conceal support for policies of the left.”
Loved ‘exclusive brother’ though, Pete!
Ahhh MS, care to agree now that you weren’t a teensy weensy bit worried about 27%?
I’m sure you know one poll at odds with others shouldn’t be taken too seriously unless it repeats.
But of you look at the Roy Morgan poll graph you will no doubt be hoping that another sub 30 blip won’t coincide with the end of November. Look more closely – it has a record of diving in November, that’s what’s happened in 2009 and 2010.
Roy Morgan poll continuously and have a very good record.
BTW PeteG I know that you do not want to read “The Hollow Men” but I found an alternative for you. Have a look at http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/the-hollow-men-2008 released very fortuitously today. Watch it and be very afraid. This is about the people who could take over our country. Be very afraid …
BTW MS, I’ve never been a fan of Brash, I was pleased he failed in 2005, and I will be very wary of the Brash Act. His initial surprising success is tempered by that fact he wants Banks to try and keep Epsom in the Act camp.
BTW, I’ve never been a fan of Banks either. I rate Boscawen as a genuine guy and a hard worker. There’s nothing much else to speak of once they lose Hide’s experience – he made mistakes and wasn’t always aiming at the right targets but he had many successes too, and knew the system well.
Wow PeteG
I agree with almost everything you said except the suggestion that Hide achieved anything positive …
That trend on the GCR doesn’t look very good for the government.
And its going to keep declining.
People are getting a bad feeling about this Government, the issue is that they do not know what to do about it yet, and as a default until they do, they will keep picking National and Key.
And its going to keep declining.
I’m picking this winter to be one of the most unhappy since the mid-90s, which will ensure the GCR drops further. There must be a point on the GCR where it drags the government don with it.
The location of that point depends on a large extent on the guts of the opposition parties.
Key must fumble, but the Opposition must be in position to catch the ball when he does that, and must then run with it straight to the try line.
After $10 Million has been spent by police, the family members of the Pike River miners and the mayor are demanding that more money be spent to remove their bodies.
Although they are grieving, it cannot be said that NZ has not gone to great efforts and money expended to retrieve the bodies. Plus open their own wallets for them.
It may be that some decisions made by the rescue team, in hindsight, were wrong but the very expensive royal commission will determine that.
Surely there is a limit to which the NZ taxpayer could be expected to go to retrieve the bodies of people who knowingly engaged in an activity that could have resulted in them being entombed in a mountain.
What really saddens me, is in holding this view, I find I am sounding like some RWNJ – but hey! It could be some recessive mutant gene coming to the fore.
You would think so.
It all depends upon why you hold the view that you do. To save limited resources or to give tax cuts to the rich. The RWNJs, of course, are all for the latter.
Bizarre item on Clive tonight – a woman whinging because Asians are buying baby “formula” to send to China, and a reporter trying to make a Chinese woman feel guilty because she’s buying it to send to her baby nephew who was caught in the Chinese earthquake last year…That’s a crime? A daddy does an email whine that he has to go to “two different ‘stores’ to get the ‘formula” for his family.
I brought up 3 kids and never used ‘formula’ ever.
(As a friend point out years ago, ‘store’ is one of the sillier americanisms. Stores are warehouses, they sell wholesale stuff, and the places that sell retail are *shops*!)
Idiotic people thinking food out of a machine is better for baby than food from an in tune with her own baby mother’s body.
National Coal Expert: âMining is a Loserâ in Practically Every Way
I think that should be enough to get everyone wondering just who benefits from coal mining in NZ as well.