Let us hope to see much more of this from all the opposition MPs.
If the mass public campaign being waged by the opposition parties creates enough pressure it will squeeze that political pimple Dunne, and remove Key’s razor thin majority in favor of asset sales.
Congratulations to all those involved in this campaign.
I’d love to believe that Dunne can see sense and modify his stance but let’s face it he sold out to whoever would give him some power and isn’t coming back.
Weasels like Petey G put the position out there for all to see, morality and equity sold to the highest bidder which in this case was shonkey offering the revenue minister position from which Dunne has presided over tax cuts, abolishing duty etc…..see where this is going.
Dunne was student Pres when I started Uni. He was well known to bribe the clubs with funding from the Studass fee, bit here bit there in return for votes. When he eventually lost it was off to a ALAC as CEO, another political sinecure where his well known wowserism fit only too well. Then to Labour as an MP. The rest is history, we have all been well and truly hoodwinked by this ratbag. It has only ever been about Peter, attending events around Karori has only ever been about Peter and votes. The guy is the ultimate chameleon, but under it all he is merely Peter, a charlatan, for sale to the highest bidder, scumbag.
It has sickened me to watch him turn up at every bloody event in the electorate just long enough to be seen. He even tagged on to the kids kapa haka group in the Tawa Christmas parade one year and walked down the main street with them.
Mere petty cash compared to the larcenous Jamie Dimond and the big boy banksters on Wall St. Trust? They get lauded as they thumb their noses at deposit holders, the whole facade of trust upheld because the big deposit holders are also busy ripping off you and me.
This comes as no surprise to me, and makes a lie of the government’s mantra about wanting to make every potential worker, including the sick and disabled, apply for, and take up (primarily shit work for shit pay) as part of a reserve army of casual employees on call for potential employers for their own wellbing. The mantra goes that any paid employment is always better for all individuals in all circumstances, than not undertaking paid work, even where the person is recuperating from illness or injury.
Unemployed Kiwis have a better overall level of wellbeing than “disengaged” employees, according to consulting company Gallup’s global wellbeing finder.
Some 72 per cent of New Zealanders are actively disengaged in the workforce, with 59 per cent of disengaged employees behaving poorly with family and friends after a stressful day’s work, the survey found. That compared with 34 per cent of engaged employees who behaved badly…
Sea Shepherd, Sea Shepherd U.K. and Captain Paul Watson have won the lawsuit filed by Maltese fish brokerage firm, Fish & Fish, that was filed in response to the release of 800 illegally caught Bluefin tuna in June 2010 off the coast of Libya . . .
“ACC Minister Judith Collins will set out tough new expectations in a new contract with the troubled corporation – to be tabled in Parliament today.
The document is a rolling three-year service and purchase agreement between the Government and the state insurer. ”
ACC is of course not an “insurer” in the normally used meaning of the term – it is an arm of government charged with administering aspects of an Act of Parliament. If they need instruction, surely the place to start is with the legislation. Will we see a “rolling three year service and purchase agreement” with Inland Revenue? Will they be tasked with bring in more taxation revenue than can be derived from the basis set out in relevant legislation? Are there plans to contract tax collection to Ernst and Young if IRD don’t provide “value for money”? What about Ministerial services and other government bodies? Does any other part of government have a service and purchase agreement? This appears to be the privatisation agenda being pushed again!
Parliament has been told that Dispute Resolution Services upheld almost half of the appeals lodged by long-term claimants kicked off ACC’s books in 2012, and that the district court had also overturned half of ACC decisions upheld by Dispute Resolution Services. That is a high proportion of disputed claims being determined against ACC – reinforced by the Prime Minister’s statement that over the past six years the average percentage of disputed decisions found in the corporation’s favour is 71.8 per cent”. Surely the extreme turnaround in results of disputed decisions should have been questioned by the reporter – getting the equivalent figures for the other 5 of those six years would be a suitable information request.
Parliament has been told that Dispute Resolution Services upheld almost half of the appeals lodged by long-term claimants kicked off ACC’s books in 2012, and that the district court had also overturned half of ACC decisions upheld by Dispute Resolution Services. That is a high proportion of disputed claims being determined against ACC – reinforced by the Prime Minister’s statement that over the past six years the average percentage of disputed decisions found in the corporation’s favour is 71.8 per cent”.
I wonder how many deals were negotiated to avoid going to the Dispute Resolution Service, as with me over physio? I had some physio, but then was rejected for further physio treatment. I launched a formal process to dispute. 1st stage is it goes to some ACC managers. I then got a phone call to say the managers had upheld the rejection decision.
However, the person on the phone expressed a willingness to negotiate with me and the physio, some way of getting me some more physio. The main reason for this seemed to be to avoid me taking it to the next stage, which would be going to the Dispute Resolution Service. The person on the phone mentioned how expensive it would be for ACC to go to the resolution service. Result, some more physio, but to be used sparingly over a reasonably long period.
i.e. if you’re articulate, persistent, and clearly show ACC people you know your rights, they are more likely to bend a little.
And I was puzzled by the reference to ACC as an insurer, also. Also, Collins willingness to renegotiate with ACC according to this rolling agreement, implies that the last agreement with government was too nasty to claimants – i.e. it ultimately puts the blame onto the government for the policy of dis-entitlement, by assuming claimants are fraudsters.
Parliament has been told that Dispute Resolution Services upheld almost half of the appeals lodged by long-term claimants kicked off ACC’s books in 2012, and that the district court had also overturned half of ACC decisions upheld by Dispute Resolution Services…
So ACC’s own dispute service has found that half of the long-term claimants who appealed being dumped from weekly compensation in the lastest government-directed cull, were unlwafully disentitled. A few wrong decisions are, I suppose, to be expected. But if this were a private company they would be investigated for systematic fraud.
The Dispute Resolution Service has become a battle ground between claimants and ACC. I would like to know what the issues are which claimants are taking to the Dispute Resolution Service.
Yesterday I heard on RNZ that a woman has been trying to get five counselling sessions from ACC and that she will have to pay a $50 surcharge per session. This woman is a sensitive claimant and her privacy was breached, she has told ACC to shove the pathetic $250 offer for having her privacy breached.
When it comes to Bennett settling claims for children who were harmed while in Social Welfare care, she is actually being constructive, I note that she is not revictimising claimants, this cannot be said for Collins and the way that she is handling sensitive claimants at ACC.
What Collins needs to get into her brain is that when a person has PTSD there are three essential stages for recovery:
1. Establishing safety
2. Reconstructing the traumatic story
3. Restoring the connection between the survivor and the community.
There is no room for error when it comes to ACC processing sensitive claimants because, no one would wish it apon themself to contact ACC with a sensitive claim and not be able to get the help that they are entitled to from ACC.
This news about Kiwirail went public yesterday afternoon. I’ve just been re-visiting it, as I didn’t understand what “write down” meant. But it seems now the opposition parties are claiming it means the government is setting up Kiwirail for privatisation…. again!
KiwiRail’s assets have been written down by more than $6 billion as part of a major restructure, but the Prime Minister insists the move isn’t being done with a view to selling the rail company.
[…]
KiwiRail’s assets have been written down by more than $6 billion as part of a major restructure, but the Prime Minister insists the move isn’t being done with a view to selling the rail company.
Labour says the Government is setting it up to fail.
“KiwiRail is being lined up as the next asset to go on the auction block, just 24 hours after a law was passed allowing it to sell off our power companies,” state-owned enterprises spokesman Clayton Cosgrove said.
“It has no intention of turning the company around, it is simply softening up New Zealand for the news that KiwiRail is part of the asset sales agenda.”
NZ First leader Winston Peters says KiwiRail is being deliberately devalued so it can be “flicked off cheap” to a private investor.
“Given our disastrous history of rail infrastructure when it was sold to private owners by National in the 1990s, this latest threat needs to be taken seriously,” he said.
“The rail network is a critical part of our transport infrastructure, not a financial bauble to be parcelled around to National’s financial friends.”
Kiwirail are to shed 300 jobs. What a pity the workers are bearing the burden of recent poor spending decisions. One may have thought that Management would have mopped up the over paid contractors and consultants before the cuts. How can one justify General Managers on 40k/month (evidence available) especially when they are in these positions for years at a time.
Coming up on Question time today, Clayton Cosgrove on KiwiRail, Cunliffe on NZ’s clean green image, Clare Curran on public broadcasting, Gareth Hughes on conservation and oil exploration n marine areas.
How about this one?
MAGGIE BARRY to the Minister of Finance: How will the Better Public Services results targets announced this week contribute to a stronger economy?
Joyce just danced around trying not to directly answer the question asking for an assurance that the government wouldn’t try to sell KiwiRail. He said he wanted to give context first, showing why it wouldn’t be possible to sell KiwiRail.
When well paid (Brit) bank functionaries manipulated a system meant to give clear and transparent signals guiding interest rates (and were found out) they lost their bonuses. Oh dear, a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket. While not well-paid people hardly able to function at all – their misdemeanours involve court cases and confinement and obloquy (a word that emerged from the recesses of my mind – I wonder what else is lurking down there?)
Also on banks – see Red Logix at No.2 today. Wow cybercrime.
Brownlee and Heatley coldly put the dampers on Dr Pita Sharples pragmatic suggestion of using houses in the red zones for shelter by people sleeping in cars and less sheltered places in Christchurch during snow, sleet, hail, and bloody cold times.
Brownlee is disgusting, uncommitted to working for all Christchurch’s wellbeing. He is horribly filling my low expectations of his work level and concern for Christchurch people. Heatley, and all Housing Ministers that don’t try to cope fairly and make concrete efforts to meet the needs of the low income housing sector are just t..ds that should be properly swept away so a smart and humane politician can get in and tackle the job.
CIV 2011 004 2497, Auckland Council v The occupiers of Aotea Square
‘Contempt’ proceedings against Occupy Auckland by Auckland Council have been discontinued.
Email received from Auckland District Registry Officer 26/6/2012
“Dear All,
Please note that the counsel for the plaintiff has filed a Notice of Discontinuance, hence fixture scheduled for 29th June 2012 is vacated.
Regards
……………….
Court Registry Officer
Civil and Family Services – Case Management Team
Auckland District Court
Ministry of Justice | Tahu o te Ture ”
____________________________________________________________________________
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
Named Party in the above-mentioned (now discontinued) proceedings.
Mr.com may walk free from court, and good on the courts for refusing to countenance the craven poodle-hood of the crown, but he will forever be tainted by the stink of John Banks.
The guy hadn’t been here long, and I really doubt with all the exciting stuff he has going on that he would care much about NZ politics. You can’t expect him to understand the politics and history of the likes of Banks on the level a local would. I recon it was far more likely Banks was chasing after the likes of Dotcom anyway. The German guy probably thought ok a former local mayor want’s to hang with me, cool, why not have an ally like this on my side. And then Banks turned out to be a rather fair weather friend, and the rest is history. If anything the whole charade gives quite a good illustration of Banks character, and I thank Mr Dotcom for his contributions on that subject for us all the share.
In a case like this the police must have been more careful than usual. It makes me wonder how many illegal warrants are served on ordinary shmucks who don’t have unlimited resources to pay for top legal teams.
What’s almost of more concern is the NZ Police going after a very high profile, highly resourced target with guns drawn…not having dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s.
Appalling judgement and preparation, costing the NZ tax payer hugely.
slapped over Crafar I
slapped over Akaroa Marine Reserve
Slapped over dotcom.
Soon to be slapped over Casino.
Soon to be slapped over Crafar II
.
.
.
I guess that’s what you get when you’re simple and slap happy.
Good news true. Lucky away back then, Mr John Key knew absolutely nothing about Dotcom before the raid. The PM wisely kept right out of the months of events leading up to the arrest. Or so says Mr Key?????
Suppose his minders might have told Key to keep right away because he had nothing to gain. But really! The PM of NZ knew nothing of a mega millionaire who lived in his Electorate? Yeah right!
…particularly when an organisation like the FBI were seeking extradition.
Time for a Tui add.
Key and his mates must have been kept very well informed of all stages of this one.
It’s time for another one of those Fran Mold interviews like the one over the Tranzrail shares. John Campbell was getting there but let the “snake” go.
Pinnochio’s nose keeps getting longer.
Yeah and a team of FBI arriving, and one of the biggest militarised raids by the police in many a year. And this guy is supposed to be absolute head of internal security or something. So whoever the 2nd in chain of command is, seems to think it’s a brilliant idea to only inform Mr key about such a major raid 24hrs before hand.
This just in (3News)..
Bull English lets go his latest brainfart… mandatory drug testing for all beneficiaries!
The Americans have already suggested that, so we know where his idea comes from…
(Interesting. The line about Ewen McDonald’s ‘intense personal hatred’ that Stuff has had up all day, comes from the Prosecution it seems.)
Intense personal hatred seems a good description given the things McDonald has admitted already. Y’know, the poison pen letters, the graffiti. The burning down the house.
I think the big interest comes from the nature of the crime and the relationships of the people involved. Plus the long time before the arrest which led to tons of idle gossip. There’s a Shakespearean element to it, I guess. Or maybe it’s more Kane and Abel?
While I don’t support mandatory drug testing (for anyone) I don’t want tax dollars meant for life’s necessities being spent on drugs. Though on how to stop it I’d offer few solutions.
And then of course we could go outside the WINZ office and check their cars for warrants and regos. Not up to scratch…….fuck this underclass ! They’re not getting |”our” money.
Ridiculous……..of course. Equally ridiculous to suggest denying the benefit for a positive drugs test. At the very worst, the very worst ……..if a former beneficiary comes along to WINZ asking for reinstatement because he lost his job on failing a drug test……..say no. Until you turn up with a negative test.
You’re discriminating otherwise and you’re a mongrel. Especially when that particular lark, that fomenting of hatred against beneficiaries, is not because you really hate them. It’s simply, in the case of Blinglish et al, to keep their fat undeserving arses in parliamentary seats with ready access to all the baubles that come with that.
In the case of the non-parliametarians it reflects the pathological need to have someone “below” to kick. And those with that need are weak people who hide from their own secret sense of inadequacy.
I repeat my advice…….everybody who’s seen a National Party MP sucking on a joint, whenever it happened, come right out and say it. Make these hypoctrites live with the shit they’re so happy to heap on the “despicable poor” they’re so happy to identify and demonise. There’d be quite a few Tory aresholes sweating just a bit I reckon. Do it. Fuck their hypocrisy !
I see on 3 news that the Royal NZ Navy is turning into ghost ships. May be instead of Aussie mining recruitment going to the Devon Port Base, the NZ Navy should just sail over to Aussie and unload.
Blinglish on TV One News tonight musing about denying the benefit to those who don’t pass drug tests. Loud cheering from his Federated Farmers audience.
How I would love to know the name of everyone of those cheering aresholes……and have the capacity to go through the backgrounds of every single one of them, and their kids.
We edge inexorably towards a nation utterly without morals while these bastards use any vile tactic to keep their fat arses in parliamentary seats.
How about every member of their caucus sit down and tell me the truth about what they’ve done in their lives ? I wanna hear Blinglish truthfully tell me about his university days. Also Paula When I Was On The Bennie……..everything about herself.
Or maybe people who’ve known any number of them in the course of their lives should just make a call to the old talkback tonight. Make no accusations…….just mention a name.
The FBI were under pressure from the powerful movie and music industry to send a chilling effect through the world of cyber lockers/file hosts.
So who do they go after?
– The hosts housed in the US? – no.
– The hosts in Switzerland? – no.
– The hosts in Russia? – no.
– The hosts in Germany? – no.
Panama, Hong Kong, Canada, Ukraine, China, Italy, Spain?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
The went after someone in NZ. – Why? Because they could.
What an ideal situation for them.
A German guy. A fat guy. A larger than life character who could be portrayed as an ostentatious rich guy who is fleecing people of their money and rights. Living in a country do far away that US journalist would not travel to.
And best of all – a compliant NZ Police ready and waiting with barrels of K.J. – who are far too “aroused” at the thought of partying with the Americans.
The only thing that would have made it a perfect story for the American media would be if the guy was a funder of terrorism, a terrorist himself and he was in fact French!
The raids in the Urewera and Wellington.
The raid on Kim Dotcom.
The speeding ticket I got the other day.
There’s something rotten in the state police.
Ain’t it sad for NZ that the only guy who could fuck Botox Banks was the fellow you call the “fat German” ?
It’s beautiful in the consummation though so Rah Rah Rah Sir Kiwi Dotcom. Even if you were a Tory arse-lick. I’m not even gonna complain about the no-balls of the media or the aspirational wannabe wankers who voted for Smile and Wave…….currently looking like an impatient little bully who reallly can’t be fucked with it all.
Happy birthday Jean-Jacques Rousseau. A lot to argue with (which apparently is why he’s encrypted facing Voltaire in the Pantheon in Paris – so they can argue through eternity) but he did theorise the idea of egalitarianism. Something to be remembered for. Also:
His greatest work, The Social Contract, speaks up for the rights of the citizenry in the teeth of private interests. He would also be struck by the way the democracy he cherished so dearly is under siege from corporate power and a manipulative media. Society, he taught, was a matter of common bonds, not just a commercial transaction. In true republican fashion, it was a place where men and women could flourish as ends in themselves, not as a set of devices for promoting their selfish interests.
The same, he thought, should be true of education. Rousseau ranks among the great educational theorists of the modern era, even if he was the last man to put in charge of a classroom. Young adults, he thought, should be allowed to develop their capabilities in their distinctive way. They should also delight in doing so as an end in itself.
“Young adults, he thought, should be allowed to develop their capabilities in their distinctive way. They should also delight in doing so as an end in itself.”
Sounds like Neill’s type of education practice.
Anyway the civil society is very civil these days. No one at Barclays bank is going to lose their jobs after they were found to have manipulated the Libor rate.
fined 290 millions pounds but the boss only lost his 1.7 million pound bonus.
nice work if you can get it in the FREE market.
I think people are gradually understanding this government’s agenda. Over 100 000 people have signed the petition for a referendum on assets sales.
How can we further increase the ripple effect to ensure ‘Mum and Dad investors’ wake up and realise that John Key and his government does not care about them – they are only interested in the 1% investors?
Ideas please
So who owns the river bed and does the Supreme Court have the power to make case law.
These are vital questions especially after the Supreme Court decided it could do away with the supervision of the Privy Council.
Now they too are just doing what they like.
I guess Kweewee just gave them a mandate out of his mandate bag?
Bill English has privately stated, apparently, that he doesn’t think the projects will get final approval and Eric Roy has been heard saying that he doesn’t personally agree with them. Why doesn’t the Government come out and stop this waste of time and energy from both sides and declare the projects incompatible with the values of conservation environments. We could then concentrate on initiatives that bring real value to our country. Turning Fiordland into some sort of theme park is one big “fail”.
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In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
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Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
Alex Casey unearths Simon Court’s full sales pitch for how menstrual cups could end poverty. On Friday last week, Act MP Simon Court was accused of “mansplaining” during a parliamentary committee hearing about benefit sanctions. After submitter Rachel Dibble shared her concerns about period poverty and the impact that sanctions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato It’s an unfortunate fact that bad people sometimes want guns. And while laws are designed to prevent guns falling into the wrong hands, the determined criminal can be highly resourceful. There are three main ...
Asia Pacific Report Two independent Jewish Voices groups in Aotearoa New Zealand have written an open letter to the government condemning the Zionist “colonisation” project leading to genocide and criticising the role of the NZ Jewish Council for its “unelected” and “uncritical support” for Israel. The groups, Alternative Jewish Voices ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Newspoll, conducted February 10–14 from a sample of 1,244, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the previous Newspoll, ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you enjoy whip-smart satire: The White Lotus (Neon, February 17) HBO’s award-winning The White Lotus is back for what critics are calling “an absolutely exquisite third ...
NZPF called for a slowdown of the curriculum change, asking for one subject at a time, so that teachers and principals could be fully trained and feel confident and competent to implement the changes, New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) President ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Indonesia’s TVOne launched an AI news presenter in 2023.T.J. Thomson Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has taken off at lightning speed in the past couple of years, creating disruption in ...
Many of the young vapers interviewed by a team of public health researchers said they felt unable to resist the pro-vaping environment that surrounded them. New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms. The smokefree ...
Analysis: While most Wellingtonians enjoyed a rare but unbeatable sunny day on Saturday, some New Zealand diplomats will have been briefly shocked by a screenshot making the rounds on social media showing US President Donald Trump calling us a “third world country”.The image, it appears, was a fake – certainly a ...
ActionStation Director, Kassie Hartendorp says that the Treaty Principles Bill has galvanised the biggest movement in support of Te Tiriti in modern history. ...
While it is in the interests of Wellington ratepayers to sell off this subsidy for the rich, it is unfortunate that it has come to this point. The council should have never spent a penny on this programme, and the $3.4 million spent is a flagrant abuse ...
A search for the person behind a social media account ridiculing Māori.Last week, while scrolling Facebook, I came across a post shared to the New Zealand Centre for Political Research group. The post began, “From Matua Kahurangi on X”, before pasting his critique of iwi leadership – particularly Ngāpuhi ...
On the heels of The White Lotus season three, Tara Ward travels to Koh Samui, Thailand, to live her best life as a five-star wannabe. I’ve never been one for luxury travel. Despite religiously watching TV shows like Luxury Escapes: World’s Best Holidays and harbouring grand dreams of one day ...
The Treaty Principles Bill submission hearings continue at Parliament today with a range of submitters expected including councils, iwi, community organisations and individuals. ...
It’s become of one of Christchurch’s most famous landmarks online, but why? Alex Casey steps through the portal of the brutalist Timezone. Ask anyone what Christchurch’s most iconic building is and you might expect to hear some of the dusty old classics like the Cathedral, or the Town Hall, or ...
New Zealand’s alignment with the White House is further underscored by its refusal to oppose Trump’s sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC). ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is a serious blow to the soft power of the United States and disastrous for many poor countries ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Shutterstock/Aliaksandr Barouski New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms. The smokefree generation would have ended sales of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By George Disney, Research Fellow, Social Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne Edwin Tan/Getty Images When the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was established in 2013, one of its driving aims was to make disability services and support systems fairer. However, our new ...
The resignation of the director general of health is the latest departure in what Labour is calling a ‘purge’ of health leadership. Another day, another health resignation It’s a dangerous time to be a top health executive. On Friday, Dr Diana Sarfati announced her resignation as director general of health ...
Labour and the Greens say the government should focus spending on tourism infrastructure like tracks, toilets and protection of nature instead of more advertising. ...
Hundreds of people called the former prime minister vile and dehumanising things online. Internet safety agencies did nothing - then called in the lawyers. ...
Hundreds of people called the former prime minister vile and dehumanising things online. Internet safety agencies did nothing - then called in the lawyers. ...
After a morning spent calf marking, Flock Hill Station manager Richard Hill headed up Bridge Hill – about 100km from Christchurch on the way to the West Coast – to check on a fire near the station’s boundary.It was December 5 last year, and the Craigieburn area had experienced three ...
It can’t be much of a surprise that a relatively inexperienced Act MP, handed the workplace relations portfolio, doesn’t want to entertain the country’s biggest union in her office.But it still astonishes the head of that union, the CTU’s president, Richard Wagstaff.After all, he’s met regularly with ministers of all ...
Late 21st century Christchurch will be unrecognisable when compared with Christchurch today.Flooding will prompt retreat from all eastern and many northern suburbs. These areas, together with land near the Heathcote and Avon Rivers, are in a fifty-year flood zone. Fifty-year floods can happen more than once every fifty years; there ...
Is humanising a mountain the path to real transformation, or does it signal the need for a cultural paradigm shift in the operating system? Recently, a family member shared their delight at the news of Taranaki Maunga becoming a legal person.Of course, I was pleased for the eight Taranaki ...
Why New Zealanders donate money and who they give it to – and how tools like Givealittle are changing the giving landscape.Is New Zealand really a generous country? It’s difficult to quantify. Giving to registered charities can be counted through tax returns, but giving to overseas causes, giving money ...
The Greens led campaign really seems to have spooked the government and Key in particular.
Leading from a back foot position, it is heartening to see what an parliamentary opposition party can do, when they get stuck in.
http://blog.greens.org.nz/?p=24458
Let us hope to see much more of this from all the opposition MPs.
If the mass public campaign being waged by the opposition parties creates enough pressure it will squeeze that political pimple Dunne, and remove Key’s razor thin majority in favor of asset sales.
Congratulations to all those involved in this campaign.
Kia kaha keep up the good work.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7175222/Asset-sales-fight-not-over-vows-Opposition
I’d love to believe that Dunne can see sense and modify his stance but let’s face it he sold out to whoever would give him some power and isn’t coming back.
Weasels like Petey G put the position out there for all to see, morality and equity sold to the highest bidder which in this case was shonkey offering the revenue minister position from which Dunne has presided over tax cuts, abolishing duty etc…..see where this is going.
Dunne was student Pres when I started Uni. He was well known to bribe the clubs with funding from the Studass fee, bit here bit there in return for votes. When he eventually lost it was off to a ALAC as CEO, another political sinecure where his well known wowserism fit only too well. Then to Labour as an MP. The rest is history, we have all been well and truly hoodwinked by this ratbag. It has only ever been about Peter, attending events around Karori has only ever been about Peter and votes. The guy is the ultimate chameleon, but under it all he is merely Peter, a charlatan, for sale to the highest bidder, scumbag.
It has sickened me to watch him turn up at every bloody event in the electorate just long enough to be seen. He even tagged on to the kids kapa haka group in the Tawa Christmas parade one year and walked down the main street with them.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10815884
http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201226/SCCZEN_270612SPLDUNN1_460x230.jpg
My hair may look funny, but it makes me the money! He looked pretty sheepish on back benchers last night. Jacinda challenged him to save backbenchers.
I didn’t see the episode. Did Jacinda promise to restablish Backbenchers in 2014? If not, why not?
Can’t answer as I haven’t yet watched it and am about to do so, but here is a link to it on TVNZ On Demand.
http://tvnz.co.nz/back-benches/s8-ep20-video-4948969
Jacinda said, if Backbenches wasn’t re-instated before Labour got into power in 2014, then Labour would re-instate.
And Dunne accused Turei of being ideologically biased/blinded on asset sales, which he said make perfect economic sense.
😀 😀 😀
Oh Jenny, ‘squeeze that political pimple Dunne’ – what a funny analogy.
Given that the entire banking system is based on trust… is this the end of trust?
Mere petty cash compared to the larcenous Jamie Dimond and the big boy banksters on Wall St. Trust? They get lauded as they thumb their noses at deposit holders, the whole facade of trust upheld because the big deposit holders are also busy ripping off you and me.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10815932
This comes as no surprise to me, and makes a lie of the government’s mantra about wanting to make every potential worker, including the sick and disabled, apply for, and take up (primarily shit work for shit pay) as part of a reserve army of casual employees on call for potential employers for their own wellbing. The mantra goes that any paid employment is always better for all individuals in all circumstances, than not undertaking paid work, even where the person is recuperating from illness or injury.
Unemployed Kiwis have a better overall level of wellbeing than “disengaged” employees, according to consulting company Gallup’s global wellbeing finder.
Some 72 per cent of New Zealanders are actively disengaged in the workforce, with 59 per cent of disengaged employees behaving poorly with family and friends after a stressful day’s work, the survey found. That compared with 34 per cent of engaged employees who behaved badly…
.
Some good news . . .
Very good news, Watson may have faults – arguable, but he gets the job done. An activist you can respect.
Does anyone else find this article a little bizarre?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7182650/New-contract-to-rebalance-ACC-targets
“ACC Minister Judith Collins will set out tough new expectations in a new contract with the troubled corporation – to be tabled in Parliament today.
The document is a rolling three-year service and purchase agreement between the Government and the state insurer. ”
ACC is of course not an “insurer” in the normally used meaning of the term – it is an arm of government charged with administering aspects of an Act of Parliament. If they need instruction, surely the place to start is with the legislation. Will we see a “rolling three year service and purchase agreement” with Inland Revenue? Will they be tasked with bring in more taxation revenue than can be derived from the basis set out in relevant legislation? Are there plans to contract tax collection to Ernst and Young if IRD don’t provide “value for money”? What about Ministerial services and other government bodies? Does any other part of government have a service and purchase agreement? This appears to be the privatisation agenda being pushed again!
Parliament has been told that Dispute Resolution Services upheld almost half of the appeals lodged by long-term claimants kicked off ACC’s books in 2012, and that the district court had also overturned half of ACC decisions upheld by Dispute Resolution Services. That is a high proportion of disputed claims being determined against ACC – reinforced by the Prime Minister’s statement that over the past six years the average percentage of disputed decisions found in the corporation’s favour is 71.8 per cent”. Surely the extreme turnaround in results of disputed decisions should have been questioned by the reporter – getting the equivalent figures for the other 5 of those six years would be a suitable information request.
Hmm… but this:
Parliament has been told that Dispute Resolution Services upheld almost half of the appeals lodged by long-term claimants kicked off ACC’s books in 2012, and that the district court had also overturned half of ACC decisions upheld by Dispute Resolution Services. That is a high proportion of disputed claims being determined against ACC – reinforced by the Prime Minister’s statement that over the past six years the average percentage of disputed decisions found in the corporation’s favour is 71.8 per cent”.
I wonder how many deals were negotiated to avoid going to the Dispute Resolution Service, as with me over physio? I had some physio, but then was rejected for further physio treatment. I launched a formal process to dispute. 1st stage is it goes to some ACC managers. I then got a phone call to say the managers had upheld the rejection decision.
However, the person on the phone expressed a willingness to negotiate with me and the physio, some way of getting me some more physio. The main reason for this seemed to be to avoid me taking it to the next stage, which would be going to the Dispute Resolution Service. The person on the phone mentioned how expensive it would be for ACC to go to the resolution service. Result, some more physio, but to be used sparingly over a reasonably long period.
i.e. if you’re articulate, persistent, and clearly show ACC people you know your rights, they are more likely to bend a little.
And I was puzzled by the reference to ACC as an insurer, also. Also, Collins willingness to renegotiate with ACC according to this rolling agreement, implies that the last agreement with government was too nasty to claimants – i.e. it ultimately puts the blame onto the government for the policy of dis-entitlement, by assuming claimants are fraudsters.
Parliament has been told that Dispute Resolution Services upheld almost half of the appeals lodged by long-term claimants kicked off ACC’s books in 2012, and that the district court had also overturned half of ACC decisions upheld by Dispute Resolution Services…
So ACC’s own dispute service has found that half of the long-term claimants who appealed being dumped from weekly compensation in the lastest government-directed cull, were unlwafully disentitled. A few wrong decisions are, I suppose, to be expected. But if this were a private company they would be investigated for systematic fraud.
The Dispute Resolution Service has become a battle ground between claimants and ACC. I would like to know what the issues are which claimants are taking to the Dispute Resolution Service.
Yesterday I heard on RNZ that a woman has been trying to get five counselling sessions from ACC and that she will have to pay a $50 surcharge per session. This woman is a sensitive claimant and her privacy was breached, she has told ACC to shove the pathetic $250 offer for having her privacy breached.
When it comes to Bennett settling claims for children who were harmed while in Social Welfare care, she is actually being constructive, I note that she is not revictimising claimants, this cannot be said for Collins and the way that she is handling sensitive claimants at ACC.
What Collins needs to get into her brain is that when a person has PTSD there are three essential stages for recovery:
1. Establishing safety
2. Reconstructing the traumatic story
3. Restoring the connection between the survivor and the community.
http://anjperez.hubpages.com/hub/Stages-of-Recovery-in-PTSD
There is no room for error when it comes to ACC processing sensitive claimants because, no one would wish it apon themself to contact ACC with a sensitive claim and not be able to get the help that they are entitled to from ACC.
Got to love those Greens. Eat it and smile.
Shonkey caught being Shonkey. Again. Another set of dismal figures from ACC provide evidence of right wing incompetence. Again.
I’m being charitable by describing it as incompetence, because if it’s deliberate it’s despicable.
Choosing a time period like that aint incompetence, it is pants on fire nose growing dishonesty.
This news about Kiwirail went public yesterday afternoon. I’ve just been re-visiting it, as I didn’t understand what “write down” meant. But it seems now the opposition parties are claiming it means the government is setting up Kiwirail for privatisation…. again!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/109320/kiwirail%27s-balance-sheet-restructured
http://www.3news.co.nz/KiwiRail-will-be-sold-opposition-says/tabid/423/articleID/259356/Default.aspx
And in 2 years NACTs will be able to crow that they have doubled the return on assets base.
Ha
Kiwirail are to shed 300 jobs. What a pity the workers are bearing the burden of recent poor spending decisions. One may have thought that Management would have mopped up the over paid contractors and consultants before the cuts. How can one justify General Managers on 40k/month (evidence available) especially when they are in these positions for years at a time.
Coming up on Question time today, Clayton Cosgrove on KiwiRail, Cunliffe on NZ’s clean green image, Clare Curran on public broadcasting, Gareth Hughes on conservation and oil exploration n marine areas.
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Business/QOA/2/f/3/00HOH_OralQuestions-List-of-questions-for-oral-answer.htm
How about this one?
MAGGIE BARRY to the Minister of Finance: How will the Better Public Services results targets announced this week contribute to a stronger economy?
Joyce just danced around trying not to directly answer the question asking for an assurance that the government wouldn’t try to sell KiwiRail. He said he wanted to give context first, showing why it wouldn’t be possible to sell KiwiRail.
When well paid (Brit) bank functionaries manipulated a system meant to give clear and transparent signals guiding interest rates (and were found out) they lost their bonuses. Oh dear, a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket. While not well-paid people hardly able to function at all – their misdemeanours involve court cases and confinement and obloquy (a word that emerged from the recesses of my mind – I wonder what else is lurking down there?)
Also on banks – see Red Logix at No.2 today. Wow cybercrime.
Brownlee and Heatley coldly put the dampers on Dr Pita Sharples pragmatic suggestion of using houses in the red zones for shelter by people sleeping in cars and less sheltered places in Christchurch during snow, sleet, hail, and bloody cold times.
Brownlee is disgusting, uncommitted to working for all Christchurch’s wellbeing. He is horribly filling my low expectations of his work level and concern for Christchurch people. Heatley, and all Housing Ministers that don’t try to cope fairly and make concrete efforts to meet the needs of the low income housing sector are just t..ds that should be properly swept away so a smart and humane politician can get in and tackle the job.
a little something to cheer up the teachers out there
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/18/957925/-What-do-I-MAKE-I-m-a-teacher-and-I-make-a-goddamn-difference-Now-what-about-you
freedom don,t get carried away Michelle Ghee is on her way a right wing con artist who has found away of making lots of money denigrating teachers.
VICTORY FOR OCCUPY AUCKLAND!
CIV 2011 004 2497, Auckland Council v The occupiers of Aotea Square
‘Contempt’ proceedings against Occupy Auckland by Auckland Council have been discontinued.
Email received from Auckland District Registry Officer 26/6/2012
“Dear All,
Please note that the counsel for the plaintiff has filed a Notice of Discontinuance, hence fixture scheduled for 29th June 2012 is vacated.
Regards
……………….
Court Registry Officer
Civil and Family Services – Case Management Team
Auckland District Court
Ministry of Justice | Tahu o te Ture ”
____________________________________________________________________________
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
Named Party in the above-mentioned (now discontinued) proceedings.
Good news.
I see the DOTCOM search warrants were illegal to. Interesting times.
Indeed!
Mr.com may walk free from court, and good on the courts for refusing to countenance the craven poodle-hood of the crown, but he will forever be tainted by the stink of John Banks.
The guy hadn’t been here long, and I really doubt with all the exciting stuff he has going on that he would care much about NZ politics. You can’t expect him to understand the politics and history of the likes of Banks on the level a local would. I recon it was far more likely Banks was chasing after the likes of Dotcom anyway. The German guy probably thought ok a former local mayor want’s to hang with me, cool, why not have an ally like this on my side. And then Banks turned out to be a rather fair weather friend, and the rest is history. If anything the whole charade gives quite a good illustration of Banks character, and I thank Mr Dotcom for his contributions on that subject for us all the share.
In a case like this the police must have been more careful than usual. It makes me wonder how many illegal warrants are served on ordinary shmucks who don’t have unlimited resources to pay for top legal teams.
What’s almost of more concern is the NZ Police going after a very high profile, highly resourced target with guns drawn…not having dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s.
Appalling judgement and preparation, costing the NZ tax payer hugely.
What happens when the case totally falls over and Mr Dotcom sues the NZ govt for the billions of dollars of damage to his business?
This National government …
slapped over Crafar I
slapped over Akaroa Marine Reserve
Slapped over dotcom.
Soon to be slapped over Casino.
Soon to be slapped over Crafar II
.
.
.
I guess that’s what you get when you’re simple and slap happy.
feel free to add more
soon to be slapped for infringing on the rights of tobacco companies.
Tobacco corporations are people too…(well according to the US Supreme Court)
Good news true. Lucky away back then, Mr John Key knew absolutely nothing about Dotcom before the raid. The PM wisely kept right out of the months of events leading up to the arrest. Or so says Mr Key?????
Suppose his minders might have told Key to keep right away because he had nothing to gain. But really! The PM of NZ knew nothing of a mega millionaire who lived in his Electorate? Yeah right!
…particularly when an organisation like the FBI were seeking extradition.
Time for a Tui add.
Key and his mates must have been kept very well informed of all stages of this one.
It’s time for another one of those Fran Mold interviews like the one over the Tranzrail shares. John Campbell was getting there but let the “snake” go.
Pinnochio’s nose keeps getting longer.
Yeah and a team of FBI arriving, and one of the biggest militarised raids by the police in many a year. And this guy is supposed to be absolute head of internal security or something. So whoever the 2nd in chain of command is, seems to think it’s a brilliant idea to only inform Mr key about such a major raid 24hrs before hand.
Tui ad right there.
The police involved should be charged with home invasion.
This just in (3News)..
Bull English lets go his latest brainfart… mandatory drug testing for all beneficiaries!
The Americans have already suggested that, so we know where his idea comes from…
(Interesting. The line about Ewen McDonald’s ‘intense personal hatred’ that Stuff has had up all day, comes from the Prosecution it seems.)
Unbiased media? Probably not…
They do keep banging on about the public obsession about the case! (I suppose it justifies their 24/7 coverage.)
Intense personal hatred seems a good description given the things McDonald has admitted already. Y’know, the poison pen letters, the graffiti. The burning down the house.
I think the big interest comes from the nature of the crime and the relationships of the people involved. Plus the long time before the arrest which led to tons of idle gossip. There’s a Shakespearean element to it, I guess. Or maybe it’s more Kane and Abel?
While I don’t support mandatory drug testing (for anyone) I don’t want tax dollars meant for life’s necessities being spent on drugs. Though on how to stop it I’d offer few solutions.
And then of course we could go outside the WINZ office and check their cars for warrants and regos. Not up to scratch…….fuck this underclass ! They’re not getting |”our” money.
Ridiculous……..of course. Equally ridiculous to suggest denying the benefit for a positive drugs test. At the very worst, the very worst ……..if a former beneficiary comes along to WINZ asking for reinstatement because he lost his job on failing a drug test……..say no. Until you turn up with a negative test.
You’re discriminating otherwise and you’re a mongrel. Especially when that particular lark, that fomenting of hatred against beneficiaries, is not because you really hate them. It’s simply, in the case of Blinglish et al, to keep their fat undeserving arses in parliamentary seats with ready access to all the baubles that come with that.
In the case of the non-parliametarians it reflects the pathological need to have someone “below” to kick. And those with that need are weak people who hide from their own secret sense of inadequacy.
I repeat my advice…….everybody who’s seen a National Party MP sucking on a joint, whenever it happened, come right out and say it. Make these hypoctrites live with the shit they’re so happy to heap on the “despicable poor” they’re so happy to identify and demonise. There’d be quite a few Tory aresholes sweating just a bit I reckon. Do it. Fuck their hypocrisy !
I agree. Politicians should be randomly drug tested to make sure that they are not spending public money on drugs. No exceptions. All of them.
I think we can all relate….
We have probably all been there…
(Edit: Fixed broken link)
Haha nice. Clever.
I see on 3 news that the Royal NZ Navy is turning into ghost ships. May be instead of Aussie mining recruitment going to the Devon Port Base, the NZ Navy should just sail over to Aussie and unload.
Was that where I thought I saw some comment about the Government having more value in Ministerial cars than in the Airforce – or something like that.
Blinglish on TV One News tonight musing about denying the benefit to those who don’t pass drug tests. Loud cheering from his Federated Farmers audience.
How I would love to know the name of everyone of those cheering aresholes……and have the capacity to go through the backgrounds of every single one of them, and their kids.
We edge inexorably towards a nation utterly without morals while these bastards use any vile tactic to keep their fat arses in parliamentary seats.
How about every member of their caucus sit down and tell me the truth about what they’ve done in their lives ? I wanna hear Blinglish truthfully tell me about his university days. Also Paula When I Was On The Bennie……..everything about herself.
Or maybe people who’ve known any number of them in the course of their lives should just make a call to the old talkback tonight. Make no accusations…….just mention a name.
Hone called it: test MPs for alcohol when going into the House.
The FBI were under pressure from the powerful movie and music industry to send a chilling effect through the world of cyber lockers/file hosts.
So who do they go after?
– The hosts housed in the US? – no.
– The hosts in Switzerland? – no.
– The hosts in Russia? – no.
– The hosts in Germany? – no.
Panama, Hong Kong, Canada, Ukraine, China, Italy, Spain?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
The went after someone in NZ. – Why? Because they could.
What an ideal situation for them.
A German guy. A fat guy. A larger than life character who could be portrayed as an ostentatious rich guy who is fleecing people of their money and rights. Living in a country do far away that US journalist would not travel to.
And best of all – a compliant NZ Police ready and waiting with barrels of K.J. – who are far too “aroused” at the thought of partying with the Americans.
The only thing that would have made it a perfect story for the American media would be if the guy was a funder of terrorism, a terrorist himself and he was in fact French!
The raids in the Urewera and Wellington.
The raid on Kim Dotcom.
The speeding ticket I got the other day.
There’s something rotten in the state police.
Ain’t it sad for NZ that the only guy who could fuck Botox Banks was the fellow you call the “fat German” ?
It’s beautiful in the consummation though so Rah Rah Rah Sir Kiwi Dotcom. Even if you were a Tory arse-lick. I’m not even gonna complain about the no-balls of the media or the aspirational wannabe wankers who voted for Smile and Wave…….currently looking like an impatient little bully who reallly can’t be fucked with it all.
Choice !!!
As Winston says. “Mr Spray and Walk Away!”
Happy birthday Jean-Jacques Rousseau. A lot to argue with (which apparently is why he’s encrypted facing Voltaire in the Pantheon in Paris – so they can argue through eternity) but he did theorise the idea of egalitarianism. Something to be remembered for. Also:
Indeed, I did enjoy the works of Rousseau as I did other enlightenment figures. Hume was also particularly interesting
“Young adults, he thought, should be allowed to develop their capabilities in their distinctive way. They should also delight in doing so as an end in itself.”
Sounds like Neill’s type of education practice.
Anyway the civil society is very civil these days. No one at Barclays bank is going to lose their jobs after they were found to have manipulated the Libor rate.
fined 290 millions pounds but the boss only lost his 1.7 million pound bonus.
nice work if you can get it in the FREE market.
I think people are gradually understanding this government’s agenda. Over 100 000 people have signed the petition for a referendum on assets sales.
How can we further increase the ripple effect to ensure ‘Mum and Dad investors’ wake up and realise that John Key and his government does not care about them – they are only interested in the 1% investors?
Ideas please
So who owns the river bed and does the Supreme Court have the power to make case law.
These are vital questions especially after the Supreme Court decided it could do away with the supervision of the Privy Council.
Now they too are just doing what they like.
I guess Kweewee just gave them a mandate out of his mandate bag?
Judging by the numbers in the room, the passion and the quality of those leading the protest…the government should be worried. This could be the “Save Manapouri” for this generation:
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/te-anau-turmoil-and-tunnel.html
That s very well written, well expressed, knowledgeable and accurate.
I recommend everyone reads this and takes note.
Mate of mine was there. There was talk from farmers about protesting the proposed construction of the tunnel using tractors to block progress.
And where was English?
Bill English has privately stated, apparently, that he doesn’t think the projects will get final approval and Eric Roy has been heard saying that he doesn’t personally agree with them. Why doesn’t the Government come out and stop this waste of time and energy from both sides and declare the projects incompatible with the values of conservation environments. We could then concentrate on initiatives that bring real value to our country. Turning Fiordland into some sort of theme park is one big “fail”.