This type of abuse of New Zealander’s rights will only get worse if the GCSB bill is passed ….
The New Zealand military received help from US spy agencies to monitor the phone calls of Kiwi journalist Jon Stephenson and his associates while he was in Afghanistan reporting on the war.
A leaked New Zealand Defence Force security manual reveals it sees three main “subversion” threats it needs to protect itself against: foreign intelligence services, organisations with extreme ideologies and “certain investigative journalists”.
In the minds of the defence chiefs, probing journalists apparently belong on the same list as the KGB and al Qaeda.
It is a very shocking and revealing article containg a lot of ‘meat’ – and obviously not one that was compiled overnight. AND well-timed.
I am still trying to get my head around all the revelations and implications etc, but it would appear that both the NZSIS and possibly the GCSB were involved in monitoring Jon Stephenson’s communications and metadata.
And NZSIS people stationed in Afganistan ….
And timing of this monitoring – in the last half of 2012 – when we have been ‘told’ that a stop had been put to monitoring of NZers in August 2012 (and currently continues pending the passing of the GCSB Bill).
And the contents of the NZDF manual …..
Alert, people. This is a MUST read – a pity it did not come out before yesterday’s marches. But well-timed for before Parliament this week.
And the fact that all your contacts are known, and probably visited by the SAS, won’t give future confidential informants any piece of mind. And it will KILL off investigative journalism, because who in their right mind would want to say anything, if the Govt and others, can read all your emails and come down hard on the informant.
1) Forbes Thought Of The Day which seems appropriate given the impending data flood which is about to become law:
“ No individual raindrop ever considers itself responsible for the flood. ”
— Anonymous
Watching the Australian news once again heard the reporter talking about reducing support for those at the bottom and that hard decisions had to be had.
It seems quite evident that in the last 30 years this type of cutting is not hard in the least.
It’s the norm.
The hard decision would be to lift benefit rates, the hard decision would be to increase general taxation, the hard decision would be to increase workers rights, to increase the minimum wage, put back death duties or increase capital gains or ……..
Picking on the lowest paid and those who are unwell or are unemployed is easy – it’s happening day after day after day.
After yesterday’s successful nationwide protests against the GCSB Bill, what to do next.
Well, for one thing, take more control of the narrative.
Challenge the mainstream media’s narrative, where FairFax’s Stuff website story says ‘hundreds’ attended the Auckland protest. Maybe their journalist should learn to count better. http://www.thepaepae.com/stop-the-gcsb-bill-rallies-and-marches-today/31708/
TV3 news attempted to smear the protests in Palmerston North and Wellington by referring to rocks being thrown and gates climbed. Well, according to witnesses this did not even happen. http://thestandard.org.nz/the-auckland-protest/#comment-669556
Maybe the Standard could take a lead and runs a post questioning the MSM’s handling of these protests.
I would also add Radio NZ News to that list. Here is their 5,37pm 27 July news item repeated throughout the night – but no longer on their main news page.
“I can report that the United States is prepared to provide to the Russian government the following assurances regarding the treatment Mr. Snowden would face upon return to the United States,” Holder wrote. “First, the United States would not seek the death penalty for Mr. Snowden should he return to the United States.” In addition, “Mr. Snowden will not be tortured.
Eric Holder, The US Attorney General in a letter sent to The Russian Minister of Justice, Alexander Vladimirovich Konovalov
The American authorities also promise to hold an immediate trial of Edward Snowden, on his hand over to US custody. This is in contrast to the years of solitary confinement without trial that they have subjected other whistle blower Bradley Manning to.
From South Korea John Key makes an extraordinary statement, completely wiping his hands of any legal responsibility for New Zealand legal resident Kim Dotcom. Who the US are seeking to rendition to US territory from New Zealand.
….he’s got a long term agenda here, and that is to try to convince people that he should be allowed to stay forever. But in the end he really needs to make that case to the United States of America.”
John Key The Prime Minister of New Zealandstuff.co.nz
Key’s statement is extraordinary in two ways.
First;
New Zealand legal resident, Kim Dotcom is fighting his extradition to the US,. Which currently is a matter before the New Zealand courts. By saying that Kim Dotcom needs to make that case to the United States of America.” It could be argued that our Premier John Key is seeking to interfere and/or influence a matter that is before the New Zealand courts. Which is an offence.
By saying that Dotcom “needs to make that case to United States of America” John Key is spitting in the eye of the whole New Zealand justice system, not to mention our whole system of residency and immigration. You have to ask If our Prime Minister thinks our courts or our system of granting legal residency has any validity at all. At least in this matter, For Key the answer is no.
Second;
Unlike the Russians, John Key does not demand of the US, that they give at the very least their written assurance that Dotcom if rendered to the US Authorities would be given access to the courts and not left to rot in jail for years, in solitary confinement, without charge as happened to Bradley Manning.
Without this assurance there is no way that New Zealand can render Dotcom to the US authorities without breaching his human rights, as set out under the United Nations charter of International Human rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial, to which New Zealand is a signatory to.
This must rank as one of the most bizarre statements ever made by any politician in the history of politics.
….he’s got a long term agenda here, and that is to try to convince people that he should be allowed to stay forever. But in the end he really needs to make that case to the United States of America.”
John Key The Prime Minister of New Zealand stuff.co.nz
So let’s get this straight
The Prime MInister of New Zealand…
Who’s main residence is in Hawaii….
Speaking from South Korea…
Says that a German national, namely Kim Dotcom…
Who wants to stay in New Zealand…
Has to make his case to America…
Huh???!!!
When did New Zealand become a colony of the US?
I think that John Key has somehow got his wires badly crossed if he thinks that New Zealand’s sovereignty to make is own decisions is somehow limited by the USA. Even if this was true. It still does not square with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 2, paragraph 2.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
“You see, democracy here at home must be balanced against the requirements of security, and it is simply too dangerous to leave the question of this balance to the democratic public. Open deliberation over the appropriate balance would require saying something concrete about threats to public safety, and also about the means by which those threats might be checked. But revealing such information would only empower America’s enemies and endanger American lives. Therefore, this is a discussion Americans can’t afford to have. Therefore, the power to determine that this is a discussion the public cannot afford to have cannot reside in the democratic public. That power must reside elsewhere, with the best and brightest, with those who have surveyed the perils of the world and know what it takes to meet them. Those deep within the security apparatus, within the charmed circle, must therefore make the decision, on America’s behalf, about how much democracy—about how much discussion about the limits of democracy, even—it is safe for Americans to have.
This decision will not be effective, however, if it is openly questioned. The point is that is not up for debate. It is crucial, then, that any attempt by those on the inside to reveal the real, secret rules governing American life be met with overwhelming, intimidating retaliation. In order to maintain a legitimising democratic imprimatur, it is of course important that a handful of elected officials be brought into the anteroom of the inner council, but it’s important that they know barely more than that there is a significant risk that we will all perish if they, or the rest of us, know too much, and they must be made to feel that they dare not publicly speak what little they have been allowed know. Even senators. Even senators must fear to describe America’s laws to America’s citizens. This is, yes, democracy-suppression, but it is a vitally necessary arrangement. It keeps you and your adorable kids and even your cute pet dog alive.”
The US military is developing software that will let it secretly manipulate social media sites by using fake online personas to influence internet conversations and spread pro-American propaganda.
The Centcom contract stipulates that each fake online persona must have a convincing background, history and supporting details, and that up to 50 US-based controllers should be able to operate false identities from their workstations “without fear of being discovered by sophisticated adversaries
Once developed, the software could allow US service personnel, working around the clock in one location, to respond to emerging online conversations with any number of co-ordinated messages, blogposts, chatroom posts and other interventions. Details of the contract suggest this location would be MacDill air force base near Tampa, Florida, home of US Special Operations Command.
The article well over 2 years old, indicates the operation will have been live for many years before this ever came to light.
Military/spook types trooling the social media, who’d have thought!
My expectation would be that in NZ for example, they would pick on the popular blog sites, perhaps they are monitoring all of them, who knows, but certainly the popular blog will be well under control. Spend any time on certain subject matter, on the larger blog sites, and you can see it in action, the posters names, and the content, are generally a dead give a way!
So how would they be implementing this?. How would they attack, who would they support ?. As John Key and the Nact Government are their obvious anointed ones, any threat to them must be countered. That means that there must be no chance of a left-wing Government and you would do that by destabilising the Labour leadership, painting it as incompetent and bumbling in some cases and in others as dangerous commie lovers, whose father might have been oh..say, a Red Reverend.
So can we out any here on The Standard, can anyone think of anyone calling for the Labour leaders sacking or replacement?
Or maybe they believe that having shearer is the best chance for a continued reign of key so therefore supporting shearer helps them or maybe they know that we know that and therefore they DO add their voice against shearer, or maybe they know that we know they will do THAT so they actually attack those unhappy with shearer… Luckily they are not as sophisticated or talented as they believe they are and they give themselves away through the use of their language, or maybe they know that we know that and they deliberately sow seeds of confusion by pretending to be thick… the worse ones are the ones that you never find out about – the deep ones who only through luck get caught, and frankly, that could be anyone. One thing is sure though that the seeds of distrust and suspicion are tools for them and make their jobs easier.
Very clever Marty, but the military mind only attacks at the point of least resistance, and the Military Intellegence’s ( I know, an oxymoron, the word was coined I’m sure, to describe it ) job is to destabilise leadership so, attacks on Labour leadership is the first job. Attacks on the Greens however are not productive because the Labour/ Nat war is won among the central waiverers. How’s the weather at McGill AFB tonight?.
“I asked him if, with the recent birth of the British royal baby, there was just the slightest tinge of regret that they had got rid of the French monarchy?”
—-Chris Laidlaw, previewing his interview with the outgoing French ambassador Francis Etienne.
Radio New Zealand National, Sunday 28 July 2013, 9:45 a.m.
Humbug Corner gathers, and highlights, the most striking examples of faux solicitude, insincere apologies, and particularly stupid recycling of official canards. It is produced by the Insincerity Project®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
More humbugs, mostly half-witted….
No. 20 Nevil Gibson: “Well, everybody’s getting richer.”
No. 19 Byron Bentley: “He is a great guy, a good man … very caring…”
No. 18 Rachel Smalley: “…heartbreak all over NSW as Queensland wins the deciding State of Origin!”
No. 17 Jay Carney: ““He is not a human rights activist, he is not a dissident.”
No. 16 Barack Obama: “I wish Muslims across America & around the world a month blessed with the joys of family, peace & understanding.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11072013/#comment-661330
No.15 John Key: “They know this is an issue of national security…”
No. 14 Charles Saatchi: “I abhor violence of any kind against women…”
No. 13 Toyota New Zealand: “The more Kiwis that lean, the more motivated our ETNZ crew will be to win.”
No. 12 Pem Bird: “We’re there to do the business of advancing our people.”
No.11 Whenua Patuwai: “They’re my brothers and to see one of them goes [sic]—it’s tough.”
No. 10 [REMOVED]
No. 9 [REMOVED]
No. 8 Barack Obama: “…people standing up for what’s right…yearning for justice and dignity…”
No. 7 Barack Obama: “Nelson Mandela is my personal hero…”
No. 6 John Key: “Yeah well the Greens’ answer to everything is rail, isn’t it.”
No.5 Dr. Rodney Syme: “If you want good, open, honest practice, you have to make it transparent.”
No. 4 Mike Bush: “Bruce Hutton’s… integrity beyond reproach…such great character…”
No. 3 Dean Lonergan: “Y’ know what? The only people who will mock them are people who are dwarfists.”
No. 2 Peter Dunne: “What a load of drivel and sanctimonious humbug…”
No. 1 Dominic Bowden: “It’s okay to be speechless.”
Ignoring the elephant in the Room
Radio NZ National, Sunday 28 July 2013
In a lightweight interview this morning, Chris Laidlaw chuckled that the 8-7 loss in the World Cup final to Craig Joubert’s All Blacks had “bizarrely improved the relationship” between France and New Zealand. Anyone who follows French rugby, and has charted the immense public anger and cynicism following that disgrace, knows that the reality is exactly the opposite. I emailed Chris Laidlaw on behalf of all sports fans….
Dear Chris,
In your interview with outgoing French ambassador Francis Etienne, you broached the subject of the farcical 2011 World Cup final. You neglected, perhaps deliberately, to even mention the controversy that still rages in France over the failure (if that is the correct word) of the referee to penalize the systematic, repeated, blatant fouling by the home team. Obviously, the ambassador, with his évasif diplomatique, was never going to bring up such a vexatious topic, but listeners who care about rugby football will have been disappointed that you did not.
Weird, Moz. Given that most of France doesn’t give a toss about egg chasing, I reckon you’ll be completely unable to back up your claim about a raging controversy. Not that you’re wrong about the AB’s violent cheating; McCaw’s knee in the back of a prone french forward late in the game was sickening.
It is tho after-all ‘thugby’, for every incidence of overt unnecessary violence inflicted on the French by McCaw and others, in slow motion the tape of the game will show a French player dishing out the same,
The game is overtly violent and every weekend up and down the country ‘players’ get away with behavior which if committed elsewhere would likely result in them being locked up,
The ‘black eyes’ walking off the field from last nights Chiefs/Crusaders during and after the match are testament to the games violent nature, i don’t think i watch the game to witness such violence but watch i do,(so perhaps i am complicit)…
‘the Ref’ tho has 30 players all moving in fast motion to watch, perhaps the ref genuinely missed the ‘piece of thugby’ you cite McCaw for, hell i miss a lot of it from the birds eye perspective of TV viewing and it’s only slow motion replay’s which show the ‘dirt’ going in and even then much of that is invisible in the ruck and maul situation,
while on the subject, a hat-tip to the Chiefs for their semi-final win over the Crusaders,(just)…
Weird, Moz. Given that most of France doesn’t give a toss about egg chasing,
You’ve said some stupid and dishonest things on this mostly excellent forum, but without a doubt that is the st000pidest. Rugby is immensely popular in France; you know that of course.
And of course the issue wasn’t the violence of McCaw, it was (and is) the outrageously partial display of the non-referee.
Merde! Rugby is barely in the top ten sports list in France, Moz. Sorry to let the facts get in the way of your delusions, but it’s only popular in the south, and even there, it’s way behind football, cycling and the rest. No need for an apology for calling me dishonest, I’m hardened to the dismal levels of accuracy associated with your claims.
Rugby is the most popular spectator sport in France. True, it’s playing strength and its most fanatical following is in the southwest, but it’s immensely popular all over. You don’t know anything about French sport, just as you don’t know anything about New Zealand, as indicated by your ignorant insistence on calling soccer “football”.
I am amused by your foolish (and continual) attempts to impugn my integrity; especially ironic given your formal warning from L Prent after you had, moronically, called another poster a “thief”.
“But rugby may have surged at soccer’s expense. Attendance figures for the recently-ended pro rugby regular season show an 11% boost over the previous year, contrasting soccer’s nearly 4% slump. Though the average 19,860 fans at Ligue 1 soccer games is still considerably higher than the 13,402 average for rugby’s Top 14, rugger is fast closing the gap — over the past six years, soccer stadiums have lost a total of 10% of fans, while rugby’s gate has more than doubled. The tables are slowly turning in TV Land too: though the 1.7 million viewers average of soccer matches on pay station Canal Plus far out-guns 700,000 for the Top 14, rugby’s offensive has gained ground there, too.”
btw, the most popular rugby club in France, Toulouse, still gets smaller crowds for its biggest games than the average gate for the regular Ligue 1 matches of Toulouse FC at the ground they share, the Stadium Municipal.
ps the game is called football in NZ, hence the national administration is named NZ Football. Do try and keep up.
ps the game is called football in NZ, hence the national administration is named NZ Football.</i.
Trouble is, "football" means rugby football in New Zealand. Soccer NZ changed its name in response to a directive from John "Possumhead" O'Neill, who had just been appointed to the position of CEO of Soccer Australia after being fired from his ARU job.
Actually, northshoreguynz, I have commented on this game many times on this excellent forum. here are half a dozen for you, from most recent right back to November 2011…
As more lives and communities are destroyed by the system that creates vast amounts of wealth for the few, the more heroic it sounds to “give back.” It’s what I would call “conscience laundering” — feeling better about accumulating more than any one person could possibly need to live on by sprinkling a little around as an act of charity.
But this just keeps the existing structure of inequality in place. The rich sleep better at night, while others get just enough to keep the pot from boiling over. Nearly every time someone feels better by doing good, on the other side of the world (or street), someone else is further locked into a system that will not allow the true flourishing of his or her nature or the opportunity to live a joyful and fulfilled life.
Couldn’t have said it better. It’s the entire system that needs changing.
I notice the John Keys wealth has been maintained at $50m since he entered politics.
Given the increase in property values and equity markets recently is there some conspiracy to ensure that Key s not seen to have profited over his time in politics, more so since he has been PM. I cannot see how the NBR can continue to record this $50m value.
His properties in Parnell and Omaha in themselves must have appreciated a few $m in their own. then there are is shares and options from his banking days http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10523316
It’s newsworthy………ShonKey Python being richer than he was at the outset……..(if that’s the case – I don’t know – neither do any of you ShonKey Python suckers)………because it would point up the cargo cult as a scam sold by the already very rich…….while the rich get richer and poor get poorer.
Taihoa………….that wasn’t the deal .
Easy to fix this confusion ShonKey Python. GCSB yourself…….then publish it, you honest, honest man.
According to the Auckland City rates database, the Parnell property with its huge house and tennis court and swimming pool has a current capital value of $2.45 million, not $6.82 million. Check it for yourself. The adjoining properties are apparently valued at nothing, hence the rates for them are also nothing.
It’s just lovely the way anyone can look up these things. Thank you GCSB!
Have noticed that if I searched a user name, their comments etc come up.
Appreciate the assistance.
BLiP – do you mind if I use your text as the basis of an email to some MPs? – Body of your comments and links only – no reference to your handle here or even the site will be made.
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Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
Opinion: PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals used widely in everyday consumer items such as textiles, packaging, and cookware, popular for their water, grease and stain-repellent properties. However, the very properties that make PFAS so attractive to manufacturers are also what ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)’ This is the hottest book in New Zealand, number one with a bullet in its first week, selling more than any overseas title, and demand is so huge that it’s already been reprinted. A ...
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This type of abuse of New Zealander’s rights will only get worse if the GCSB bill is passed ….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8972743/US-spy-agencies-eavesdrop-on-Kiwi
Thanks for posting that SST article, Richard.
It is a very shocking and revealing article containg a lot of ‘meat’ – and obviously not one that was compiled overnight. AND well-timed.
I am still trying to get my head around all the revelations and implications etc, but it would appear that both the NZSIS and possibly the GCSB were involved in monitoring Jon Stephenson’s communications and metadata.
And NZSIS people stationed in Afganistan ….
And timing of this monitoring – in the last half of 2012 – when we have been ‘told’ that a stop had been put to monitoring of NZers in August 2012 (and currently continues pending the passing of the GCSB Bill).
And the contents of the NZDF manual …..
Alert, people. This is a MUST read – a pity it did not come out before yesterday’s marches. But well-timed for before Parliament this week.
And the fact that all your contacts are known, and probably visited by the SAS, won’t give future confidential informants any piece of mind. And it will KILL off investigative journalism, because who in their right mind would want to say anything, if the Govt and others, can read all your emails and come down hard on the informant.
There are ways of communicating with journalists that don’t involve email. They’ll slow investigative journalism down, but won’t kill it off.
1) Forbes Thought Of The Day which seems appropriate given the impending data flood which is about to become law:
“ No individual raindrop ever considers itself responsible for the flood. ”
— Anonymous
2) Think “THEY” can’t pick on you? Check out the following article which shows how a Ford Escape and Toyota Prius can be hacked. Sudden breaking, jerking of the steering wheel, tampering with the odometer and speedo…it’s just naaasty.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/07/24/hackers-reveal-nasty-new-car-attacks-with-me-behind-the-wheel-video/
That’s just great. Now you can only step out of line if you drive an old Holden Kingswood.
Watching the Australian news once again heard the reporter talking about reducing support for those at the bottom and that hard decisions had to be had.
It seems quite evident that in the last 30 years this type of cutting is not hard in the least.
It’s the norm.
The hard decision would be to lift benefit rates, the hard decision would be to increase general taxation, the hard decision would be to increase workers rights, to increase the minimum wage, put back death duties or increase capital gains or ……..
Picking on the lowest paid and those who are unwell or are unemployed is easy – it’s happening day after day after day.
After yesterday’s successful nationwide protests against the GCSB Bill, what to do next.
Well, for one thing, take more control of the narrative.
Challenge the mainstream media’s narrative, where FairFax’s Stuff website story says ‘hundreds’ attended the Auckland protest. Maybe their journalist should learn to count better.
http://www.thepaepae.com/stop-the-gcsb-bill-rallies-and-marches-today/31708/
TV3 news attempted to smear the protests in Palmerston North and Wellington by referring to rocks being thrown and gates climbed. Well, according to witnesses this did not even happen.
http://thestandard.org.nz/the-auckland-protest/#comment-669556
Maybe the Standard could take a lead and runs a post questioning the MSM’s handling of these protests.
I would also add Radio NZ News to that list. Here is their 5,37pm 27 July news item repeated throughout the night – but no longer on their main news page.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/215531/protests-in-auckland,-wellington-against-security-bill
“The internet businessman Kim Dotcom has joined hundreds of people rallying in Auckland against the Government’s Spy Agency bill.
The march in Auckland is one of several which took place in towns and cities around the country.
Up to 1500 people gathered near Auckland’s Aotea Square before the march to listen to speeches from politicians, academics and Kim Dotcom.
He told the crowd the bill made New Zealand a puppet of the US government and called the prime minister John Key, “the biggest puppet of them all.”
….There was a similar sized march in Wellington and a smaller one in Christchurch….”
Focus was entirely on KDC, no naming of others who spoke etc including Shearer.
Auckland numbers appear low.
No mention of numbers at other venues; and implies that marches were only in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
.
If you have to say it, you can’t but help condemn yourself.
In a letter to the Russians US authorities say they will not torture or murder Edward Snowden in exchange for his return.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-26/us/40814394_1_edward-snowden-death-penalty-attorney-general
The American authorities also promise to hold an immediate trial of Edward Snowden, on his hand over to US custody. This is in contrast to the years of solitary confinement without trial that they have subjected other whistle blower Bradley Manning to.
In other news:
From South Korea John Key makes an extraordinary statement, completely wiping his hands of any legal responsibility for New Zealand legal resident Kim Dotcom. Who the US are seeking to rendition to US territory from New Zealand.
Key’s statement is extraordinary in two ways.
First;
New Zealand legal resident, Kim Dotcom is fighting his extradition to the US,. Which currently is a matter before the New Zealand courts. By saying that Kim Dotcom needs to make that case to the United States of America.” It could be argued that our Premier John Key is seeking to interfere and/or influence a matter that is before the New Zealand courts. Which is an offence.
By saying that Dotcom “needs to make that case to United States of America” John Key is spitting in the eye of the whole New Zealand justice system, not to mention our whole system of residency and immigration. You have to ask If our Prime Minister thinks our courts or our system of granting legal residency has any validity at all. At least in this matter, For Key the answer is no.
Second;
Unlike the Russians, John Key does not demand of the US, that they give at the very least their written assurance that Dotcom if rendered to the US Authorities would be given access to the courts and not left to rot in jail for years, in solitary confinement, without charge as happened to Bradley Manning.
Without this assurance there is no way that New Zealand can render Dotcom to the US authorities without breaching his human rights, as set out under the United Nations charter of International Human rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial, to which New Zealand is a signatory to.
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
This must rank as one of the most bizarre statements ever made by any politician in the history of politics.
So let’s get this straight
The Prime MInister of New Zealand…
Who’s main residence is in Hawaii….
Speaking from South Korea…
Says that a German national, namely Kim Dotcom…
Who wants to stay in New Zealand…
Has to make his case to America…
Huh???!!!
When did New Zealand become a colony of the US?
I think that John Key has somehow got his wires badly crossed if he thinks that New Zealand’s sovereignty to make is own decisions is somehow limited by the USA. Even if this was true. It still does not square with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 2, paragraph 2.
“When did New Zealand become a colony of the US?”
1951. The waterfront lockout was the government’s way of proving loyalty to their new master.
It’s not the US we are a colony of.
The US is controlled by the UK, but who is the UK controlled by?
NZ is a colony of whoever controls the UK.
NZ became a plantation, in the financial sense, back in the 19th century, as soon as money was borrowed from abroad.
Being put under IMF control in 1961, sealed the deal!
Conditionalities Policies!
I recommend this article:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2013/07/secret-government
containing this observation:
“You see, democracy here at home must be balanced against the requirements of security, and it is simply too dangerous to leave the question of this balance to the democratic public. Open deliberation over the appropriate balance would require saying something concrete about threats to public safety, and also about the means by which those threats might be checked. But revealing such information would only empower America’s enemies and endanger American lives. Therefore, this is a discussion Americans can’t afford to have. Therefore, the power to determine that this is a discussion the public cannot afford to have cannot reside in the democratic public. That power must reside elsewhere, with the best and brightest, with those who have surveyed the perils of the world and know what it takes to meet them. Those deep within the security apparatus, within the charmed circle, must therefore make the decision, on America’s behalf, about how much democracy—about how much discussion about the limits of democracy, even—it is safe for Americans to have.
This decision will not be effective, however, if it is openly questioned. The point is that is not up for debate. It is crucial, then, that any attempt by those on the inside to reveal the real, secret rules governing American life be met with overwhelming, intimidating retaliation. In order to maintain a legitimising democratic imprimatur, it is of course important that a handful of elected officials be brought into the anteroom of the inner council, but it’s important that they know barely more than that there is a significant risk that we will all perish if they, or the rest of us, know too much, and they must be made to feel that they dare not publicly speak what little they have been allowed know. Even senators. Even senators must fear to describe America’s laws to America’s citizens. This is, yes, democracy-suppression, but it is a vitally necessary arrangement. It keeps you and your adorable kids and even your cute pet dog alive.”
Strike any chords?
Looks like Keys speech, with America changed to NZ.
http://m.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social-networks
The article well over 2 years old, indicates the operation will have been live for many years before this ever came to light.
Military/spook types trooling the social media, who’d have thought!
My expectation would be that in NZ for example, they would pick on the popular blog sites, perhaps they are monitoring all of them, who knows, but certainly the popular blog will be well under control. Spend any time on certain subject matter, on the larger blog sites, and you can see it in action, the posters names, and the content, are generally a dead give a way!
So how would they be implementing this?. How would they attack, who would they support ?. As John Key and the Nact Government are their obvious anointed ones, any threat to them must be countered. That means that there must be no chance of a left-wing Government and you would do that by destabilising the Labour leadership, painting it as incompetent and bumbling in some cases and in others as dangerous commie lovers, whose father might have been oh..say, a Red Reverend.
So can we out any here on The Standard, can anyone think of anyone calling for the Labour leaders sacking or replacement?
Or maybe they believe that having shearer is the best chance for a continued reign of key so therefore supporting shearer helps them or maybe they know that we know that and therefore they DO add their voice against shearer, or maybe they know that we know they will do THAT so they actually attack those unhappy with shearer… Luckily they are not as sophisticated or talented as they believe they are and they give themselves away through the use of their language, or maybe they know that we know that and they deliberately sow seeds of confusion by pretending to be thick… the worse ones are the ones that you never find out about – the deep ones who only through luck get caught, and frankly, that could be anyone. One thing is sure though that the seeds of distrust and suspicion are tools for them and make their jobs easier.
Very clever Marty, but the military mind only attacks at the point of least resistance, and the Military Intellegence’s ( I know, an oxymoron, the word was coined I’m sure, to describe it ) job is to destabilise leadership so, attacks on Labour leadership is the first job. Attacks on the Greens however are not productive because the Labour/ Nat war is won among the central waiverers. How’s the weather at McGill AFB tonight?.
No surprises. And yes, anything but a left-wing government in New Zealand is essential to the imperialists and their toadies.
Humbug Corner
No. 21: CHRIS LAIDLAW
“I asked him if, with the recent birth of the British royal baby, there was just the slightest tinge of regret that they had got rid of the French monarchy?”
—-Chris Laidlaw, previewing his interview with the outgoing French ambassador Francis Etienne.
Radio New Zealand National, Sunday 28 July 2013, 9:45 a.m.
Humbug Corner gathers, and highlights, the most striking examples of faux solicitude, insincere apologies, and particularly stupid recycling of official canards. It is produced by the Insincerity Project®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
More humbugs, mostly half-witted….
No. 20 Nevil Gibson: “Well, everybody’s getting richer.”
No. 19 Byron Bentley: “He is a great guy, a good man … very caring…”
No. 18 Rachel Smalley: “…heartbreak all over NSW as Queensland wins the deciding State of Origin!”
No. 17 Jay Carney: ““He is not a human rights activist, he is not a dissident.”
No. 16 Barack Obama: “I wish Muslims across America & around the world a month blessed with the joys of family, peace & understanding.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11072013/#comment-661330
No.15 John Key: “They know this is an issue of national security…”
No. 14 Charles Saatchi: “I abhor violence of any kind against women…”
No. 13 Toyota New Zealand: “The more Kiwis that lean, the more motivated our ETNZ crew will be to win.”
No. 12 Pem Bird: “We’re there to do the business of advancing our people.”
No.11 Whenua Patuwai: “They’re my brothers and to see one of them goes [sic]—it’s tough.”
No. 10 [REMOVED]
No. 9 [REMOVED]
No. 8 Barack Obama: “…people standing up for what’s right…yearning for justice and dignity…”
No. 7 Barack Obama: “Nelson Mandela is my personal hero…”
No. 6 John Key: “Yeah well the Greens’ answer to everything is rail, isn’t it.”
No.5 Dr. Rodney Syme: “If you want good, open, honest practice, you have to make it transparent.”
No. 4 Mike Bush: “Bruce Hutton’s… integrity beyond reproach…such great character…”
No. 3 Dean Lonergan: “Y’ know what? The only people who will mock them are people who are dwarfists.”
No. 2 Peter Dunne: “What a load of drivel and sanctimonious humbug…”
No. 1 Dominic Bowden: “It’s okay to be speechless.”
Ignoring the elephant in the Room
Radio NZ National, Sunday 28 July 2013
In a lightweight interview this morning, Chris Laidlaw chuckled that the 8-7 loss in the World Cup final to Craig Joubert’s All Blacks had “bizarrely improved the relationship” between France and New Zealand. Anyone who follows French rugby, and has charted the immense public anger and cynicism following that disgrace, knows that the reality is exactly the opposite. I emailed Chris Laidlaw on behalf of all sports fans….
Dear Chris,
In your interview with outgoing French ambassador Francis Etienne, you broached the subject of the farcical 2011 World Cup final. You neglected, perhaps deliberately, to even mention the controversy that still rages in France over the failure (if that is the correct word) of the referee to penalize the systematic, repeated, blatant fouling by the home team. Obviously, the ambassador, with his évasif diplomatique, was never going to bring up such a vexatious topic, but listeners who care about rugby football will have been disappointed that you did not.
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
Weird, Moz. Given that most of France doesn’t give a toss about egg chasing, I reckon you’ll be completely unable to back up your claim about a raging controversy. Not that you’re wrong about the AB’s violent cheating; McCaw’s knee in the back of a prone french forward late in the game was sickening.
It is tho after-all ‘thugby’, for every incidence of overt unnecessary violence inflicted on the French by McCaw and others, in slow motion the tape of the game will show a French player dishing out the same,
The game is overtly violent and every weekend up and down the country ‘players’ get away with behavior which if committed elsewhere would likely result in them being locked up,
The ‘black eyes’ walking off the field from last nights Chiefs/Crusaders during and after the match are testament to the games violent nature, i don’t think i watch the game to witness such violence but watch i do,(so perhaps i am complicit)…
in slow motion the tape of the game will show a French player dishing out the same,
Yes it will. French football is notorious for its brutality. The issue though, is the failure of the referee to do his job.
‘the Ref’ tho has 30 players all moving in fast motion to watch, perhaps the ref genuinely missed the ‘piece of thugby’ you cite McCaw for, hell i miss a lot of it from the birds eye perspective of TV viewing and it’s only slow motion replay’s which show the ‘dirt’ going in and even then much of that is invisible in the ruck and maul situation,
while on the subject, a hat-tip to the Chiefs for their semi-final win over the Crusaders,(just)…
Weird, Moz. Given that most of France doesn’t give a toss about egg chasing,
You’ve said some stupid and dishonest things on this mostly excellent forum, but without a doubt that is the st000pidest. Rugby is immensely popular in France; you know that of course.
And of course the issue wasn’t the violence of McCaw, it was (and is) the outrageously partial display of the non-referee.
Merde! Rugby is barely in the top ten sports list in France, Moz. Sorry to let the facts get in the way of your delusions, but it’s only popular in the south, and even there, it’s way behind football, cycling and the rest. No need for an apology for calling me dishonest, I’m hardened to the dismal levels of accuracy associated with your claims.
Rugby is the most popular spectator sport in France. True, it’s playing strength and its most fanatical following is in the southwest, but it’s immensely popular all over. You don’t know anything about French sport, just as you don’t know anything about New Zealand, as indicated by your ignorant insistence on calling soccer “football”.
I am amused by your foolish (and continual) attempts to impugn my integrity; especially ironic given your formal warning from L Prent after you had, moronically, called another poster a “thief”.
Cite needed for the spectator sport claim. Sounds like utter bollocks, given how popular football is there. Anything to back it up?
When was this warning from Lprent? I don’t recall it.
edit: found the ‘warning’. Clockie gave the context in the next comment, so no probs. I used the term accurately.
I’ve done some research for ya Moz. As usual you’re wrong. Here’s an article optimistic about rugby in France, but far more realistic than you:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1989453,00.html
“But rugby may have surged at soccer’s expense. Attendance figures for the recently-ended pro rugby regular season show an 11% boost over the previous year, contrasting soccer’s nearly 4% slump. Though the average 19,860 fans at Ligue 1 soccer games is still considerably higher than the 13,402 average for rugby’s Top 14, rugger is fast closing the gap — over the past six years, soccer stadiums have lost a total of 10% of fans, while rugby’s gate has more than doubled. The tables are slowly turning in TV Land too: though the 1.7 million viewers average of soccer matches on pay station Canal Plus far out-guns 700,000 for the Top 14, rugby’s offensive has gained ground there, too.”
btw, the most popular rugby club in France, Toulouse, still gets smaller crowds for its biggest games than the average gate for the regular Ligue 1 matches of Toulouse FC at the ground they share, the Stadium Municipal.
ps the game is called football in NZ, hence the national administration is named NZ Football. Do try and keep up.
ps the game is called football in NZ, hence the national administration is named NZ Football.</i.
Trouble is, "football" means rugby football in New Zealand. Soccer NZ changed its name in response to a directive from John "Possumhead" O'Neill, who had just been appointed to the position of CEO of Soccer Australia after being fired from his ARU job.
Ahem.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=football+in+nz.
I wondered how long Mo’s obsession with that game would take to surface here. Actually longer than I thought.
Actually, northshoreguynz, I have commented on this game many times on this excellent forum. here are half a dozen for you, from most recent right back to November 2011…
1.) Dismaying hypocrisy: A not so smart Ted talks….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-23052013/#comment-636639
2.) Comedy, chivalry and one mouth-breathing cretin: Twenty minutes of Radio Live (Highlights)…
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628809
3.) “Now if only we could GUARANTEE the victory by installing Craig Joubert as (non-) umpire for the day…”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-26032013/#comment-609704
4.) “Mental skills” coach Gilbert Enoka disappointing on radio this morning…
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13042012/#comment-458931
5.) Will Kathryn Ryan risk upsetting Richie McCaw?…
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15122011/#comment-417664
6.) Phil Goff almost broke the national conspiracy of silence tonight…
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-18112011/#comment-402914
Sigh…
Anyone interested in an American take human rights abuses might be interested in this site:
http://www.democracynow.org/
Need evidence that Obama is a scumbag:
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/7/25/yemeni_reporter_who_exposed_us_drone
The Charitable-Industrial Complex
Couldn’t have said it better. It’s the entire system that needs changing.
#askTommyRobinson didn’t go so well.
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2013/07/27/the-11-best-questions-by-twitter-for-edls-asktommyrobinson/
I notice the John Keys wealth has been maintained at $50m since he entered politics.
Given the increase in property values and equity markets recently is there some conspiracy to ensure that Key s not seen to have profited over his time in politics, more so since he has been PM. I cannot see how the NBR can continue to record this $50m value.
His properties in Parnell and Omaha in themselves must have appreciated a few $m in their own. then there are is shares and options from his banking days
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10523316
Why do you care?
Accuracy of reporting, otherwise why report on such matters or are you comfortable with the media not being thorough in what it reports??
I’m questioning why it is news worthy
You’re new around here eh?
The PM is pathological and lies on command, even seems to enjoy the moments.
His back story is a lie, why is that, NOT news worthy!
It’s newsworthy………ShonKey Python being richer than he was at the outset……..(if that’s the case – I don’t know – neither do any of you ShonKey Python suckers)………because it would point up the cargo cult as a scam sold by the already very rich…….while the rich get richer and poor get poorer.
Taihoa………….that wasn’t the deal .
Easy to fix this confusion ShonKey Python. GCSB yourself…….then publish it, you honest, honest man.
John Key needs to come clean with his secret stash – “nothing to fear, nothing to hide”.
The figure of $50m was chosen as part of the back story, and is utter nonsense, he was worth more then, and will be worth much more, now!
Agree though, the number 50 is a joke, as if its not changed in the past 5-6 years.
The numbers are always low, and meaningless anyway!
According to the Auckland City rates database, the Parnell property with its huge house and tennis court and swimming pool has a current capital value of $2.45 million, not $6.82 million. Check it for yourself. The adjoining properties are apparently valued at nothing, hence the rates for them are also nothing.
It’s just lovely the way anyone can look up these things. Thank you GCSB!
‘Chris Hedges: ‘Blue collar working class was decimated while liberal elites focussed on issues of gender and multiculturalism’
– Liberal elites act as a safety valve to address a few underclass and working class concerns, while ensuring that the status quo framework continues.
– Electoral politics is only a tiny part of what needs to be done; building mass movements is what is needed.
– Surveillance state of fear arrayed against any possible dissent and organisation.
NB Chris Hedges was New York Times Middle East bureau head, and was a correspondent covering communist Eastern Europe.
Thank you CV.
Chris Hedges. Brilliant. Disturbing !
-bullet points
Russians.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/this-is-what-happens-when-you-write-about-homophobia-in-russ
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/26/russian-neo-nazi-occupy-group-tortures-lgbt-youths/
edit:Ecuadorians.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/27/abuse-at-ecuadorian-gay-conversion-facilities-shocks-authorities/
Lithuanians.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/27/lithuania-gay-pride-_n_3663849.html
OilTar sands.http://o.canada.com/2013/07/25/oil-spill-alberta-underground/
Anyone got a link to BliPs posts created with the links to the articles outlining all the lies told by John Key?
Cheers
http://thestandard.org.nz/an-honest-man/#comment-623847
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Updated yesterday @ http://thestandard.org.nz/key-demeans-korean-war-veterans/#comment-669553
Arfamo, BLiP – cheers.
Have noticed that if I searched a user name, their comments etc come up.
Appreciate the assistance.
BLiP – do you mind if I use your text as the basis of an email to some MPs? – Body of your comments and links only – no reference to your handle here or even the site will be made.
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No, of course not. The list belongs to everyone. While you’re at it, though, please “cc” Sean Plunket.
Cheers, and whats Seans email, Ill include him
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All good. I’ve dumped the list on Plunket’s Facebook page.