The old folk will love him for it. But hey, I’ve a soft spot for his Peoples Public Credit, and love a good racist, sorry, realist, sorry. He actually claims he isn’t racist at all. Oh, this is all so confusing.
He is so wealthy he never checks his accounts or notices his bank balances. It must be awful for him. Does seem like a non story except the keeping quiet bit.
In fairness to newsroom, he lied on his form and said he was single when actually in a de facto relationship. She told the truth when she registered a few years later which is when they cross referenced.
Surely it doesnt matter why he lied, he lied and took money from the poor taxpayer. BUT unlike Turei this wont trigger outrage cos he wasnt a beneficiary and the hatred displayed toward them is not reserved for Super recipients
Cool, ganna be fun at customs next week with the old double passport, but woops forgot the NZ, but woops Student Loan. But woops did I really say that at Select Committee for National Security. “No Sir. No gold coins or political thoughts…”
…but looking forward to being back in NZ and sleeping in a car.
As opposed to the ongoing subversion of due process and transparency we see with slater, roastbusters, a prominent NZ’er etc etc.
National have politicised many sections of nz’s public service and SOE’s, some were happy to, others had managers dropped in to ensure they came to heel like RNZ, kiwirail and TVNZ.
I wish to write about the Dairy industry in a un biased manner.
As I was only hurt by one and a cop was part of that the other 2 were elderly and for that reason I will let them off.
All dairy farm workers including most farm owners work 7 days a week usually 430 am to 600 pm. THEY can not stop milking the cows as the cows would get sick I.e mastitis e.c.t rain hale or snow the cows have to get milked .I take my hat off to the farmers for that. Now the immigrant issue some kiwi workers have cost the farm owners money big money to tens of thousands of dollars have been lost because of incompetent workers.But not all kiwi workers are like this when I work or run a farm I strived to increase production and minimise stock losses I got the big picture the boss loses money no job + I thought about my reputation.
But some workers could not give a fuck not all kiwi workers are like this.Now all the tree in central north island are more productive being dairy farmed but not next to our water ways. A dairy farmer buys a cow he get about 5 season from the cow he doesn’t have to kill the cow for his production. A good cow will produce 4 times her body weight in milk solids and give the farmer 3 good calves.Most farmers look after there stock in a very HUMANE way as if they don’t the farmer would lose his ASS I.e go broke.So please don’t go being city slickers and bash farmers. Most farmers care about the environment they get that we have one planet they usely want to leave the farm to there children so they are not going to deliberately FUCK up there farming environment the media have a lot to blame for all the dairy farm haters well get real.
Now we have a industry that is world class most of our dairy farm are the best in the world for animal welfare. The cows are not locked inside in a unnatural environment.
Now let’s not make the mistake and think that they are sensitive to the environment like humans as cows have a hide that is a half inch thick and hair and when it rains hard they all gather together to keep warm.
Now were are lucky to have a environment that’s good for dairy farming. Our Dairy farming industry is the only industry that we have that is a price setter so all big powers in the world can not muck our dairy industry around and pay the farmers unstable money like some industry’s .So for a small nation we have a industry that puts us on top of the world .The dairy farmers insulate us from been bleed dry by larger more powerful Nations.I no that the dairy industry is not perfect but whom is a small persent are but you get that in any population or industry .All the photos of cows in water ways are beef cows I.E dry stock but townies can not tell the difference so those pictures are doctored up to shit on the dairy farming image So new zealand let’s not be led by the corrupt and paid for media. Let’s not kill our one world class industry .kill the only golden goose
We have sure they need to change abit but not that much to fuck it up
Come on the rest of the WORLD ARE VERY ENVYIUS OF OUR WOURLD CLASS DAIRY FARMERS AND OUR DAIRY INDUSTRY
Most dairy farmers are still struggling from the low milk solid payment of the last 3 season so they could not take a hit from legislation against them. We need to work with them to mitigate against climate change. Not kick them in the private parts.
All the flats that have been turned into dairy farms are good for NZ .It’s national fault for the way things are at the moment not dairy farmers.
We need to plant more trees on the hill country and around water ways . National are at fault for all the problems they have down south .The Allblacks are world class and we celebrate them And we should celebrate our would class DAIRY FARMERS .The only leader ship national showed was to subsidize Bills m8 down south.I believe that irritation is good when run properly and not a free for all circus.
As it what the ancient culture did thousand of years ago as insurance against droughts system that store water when there is plenty of water and we use it during droughts
Finland does not test.
It has the best educational system in the world.
National are copying the US and the UK with more testing.
Neo-liberalism is destroying our country.
Yes but having promised the 3Rs and after 9 years maths is worse any Right thonking person woukd introduce free language learning for primary schoolers. Wouldnt they?
Apparently studies have shown that online learning is considerably more effective when students have regular face to face meetings with other students.
The personal interaction both reinforces and motivates students.
I worked from 2015 to end of 2016 delivering and writing blended courses for Tertiary students. Blended meaning a mixture of online face to face and doing some work before class.
The students complained. Parents wrote emails demanding we “teach” their children properly cos “I am not paying them to teach themselves”. Leaving aside the obvious advantage of learning self directed learning these parents demanded mobey back cos we didnt stand up and lecture at their kids for 2 hours rather we used mixtures of discussion, activity and lecturing.
There is so much wrong in NZ cos too many parents want education to be for their children what it was for them. Even though it failed almost half of them.
There is so much wrong in NZ cos too many parents want education to be for their children what it was for them. Even though it failed almost half of them.
Probably for more than half of them actually. Some actually realised that though and have taken self-directed efforts to counter that failing and so have some idea as to how much better self-directed learning is.
The problem seems to be that many parents don’t understand the new system and so want us to go back to the old system simply because they feel comfortable with it. These are the people who haven’t realised how bad the old system was and, yes, they’re the very definition of ‘conservatives’. They really do see the past through rose-coloured glasses.
I had that conversation with my betters. That parents need to be educated on what we were doing and why. However my betters wete more concerned to change those 45s to 50s.
Pat,
Not as big as MT because he paid it back straight away. Also what were his circumstances 7 years ago when he first claimed it. Maybe he was not in a relationship back then and was therefore entitled to the single rate.
I guess we will soon find out.
bollocks…Peters a)was not a young inexperienced solo parent b) if anyone should know about super payments it is qualified lawyer, serial politician “gold card’ winston c) he took 7 years to correct, and curiously around the time of MTs scandal (I also note MT agreed to pay back any overpayment once the level determined)
….in his defence Iwill say that as I understand it the onus is on the dept to ensure the correct level of payment is made
All that needs to happen to get millennials to show up to vote is to run a competition for a new home. Entry would be a n/a/p into a separate box on the way out of the voting booth.
the claim of 100-200,000 New Zealanders being subject to illegal blanket surveillance is an extremely serious one, but I can’t see Bradbury’s evidence. He clearly has a very strong case personally against the plod – he has been treated outrageously.
However, if he has proof of a coupe of hundred thousand people – presumably including some leading figures on the left and centre left – being subject to arbitrary search then this is a gigantic scandal the media can’t ignore.
The government and police – who I think have almost certainly subverted security and police resources to further the governments own political agendas – will fall into a lockstep of blanket refusal to comment and claims of secrecy. Normally, they would get away with that, given the three day media cycle. But during an election campaign, I am not so sure.
Labour should stay out of this, unless it really blows up – and even then, simply promise a full public inquiry if they gain office.
M8 National will use every trick they can to keep power.
One would notice that I did Not use the phrase Every trick in the book.
Because they will use any thing to cling to power .But all the shit they have pulled makes that pole of power to slippery for them to hold on to hence the phrase national slip out of parliament.
Duncan garner looks a bit nervous this morning maybe he has heard that he has been played.Now Jack Tame is over compsioncating in his effort to keep a straight face when National are the subject But Hillary’s is not phased at all Yes our Black Ferns should be promoted and held up as role model for all our girls to aspire to and payed for there efforts Cemmon Steven this is 2017 = right this is 2017 we need to raze our women’s confidence so we get more women on the business boards council and Parliament so we have more of women’s ideals become part of our laws. MORE HUMANE LAWS that will benefit women as much as men
Coleman is blaming hospital overloading on a record flu season. Sounds familar to the excuse of a rat plague of bibilical proportions that seems to happen every year in the Kaharangi Park
I’d say that hospital overloading is due to a failing underfunded health system and people unable to afford going to the Dr’s.
Our local Drs only charge $18 per visit no matter who you are, so Nationals bribe of $18 Dr visits doesn’t mean jack to me or anyone else who already pays $18 a visit
thanks for that link….so the Nats are going to make the failed policy of teaching to test entrenched….brain dead. Completely undermines the subsequently promoted goal.
If anyone wants to hear from Guy Standing the author of “The Precariat”, he’s appearing in Auckland this Thursday, on the UBI idea:
Guy Standing – Basic Income: the case for a significant new policy
In conjunction with Basic Income New Zealand and Auckland Debating Society, we present Guy Standing, leading international speaker on Basic Income, author of The Precariat, with as a panel to respond to his presentation, Sue Bradford and Keith Rankin.
Guy Standing is a Professorial Research Associate at SOAS, University of London, and a founder and co-President of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), an NGO promoting basic income as a right. He has held chairs at the Universities of Bath and Monash (Australia) and was previously Director of the Socio-Economic Security Programme of the International Labour Organisation.
He is currently working on pilot basic income schemes in India and on issues relating to his two recent books, The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class (2011) and A Precariat Charter: From Denizens to Citizens (2014).
Professor Standing’s book recently featured in University World News: Higher education and the precariat class.
When
Thursday 31 August, 6.30pm
Where
Epsom Campus
Lecture Theatre J1
University of Auckland
76 Epsom Ave
can someone explain to me why someone who earns several tens of thousands of dollars is eligable for superannuation.
btw, i have no issue with monied people getting super if they contributed to he fund, pass the right age crossing and stop working.
but why get it when you are still working?
the whole point about super is that it allows one to retire, stay at home grow a garden, ride a bike etc and hopefully someone younger fills the job.
please explain it to me and ‘its just the way it is’ does not cut it.
Why is someone who earns several tens of thousands of dollars plus perks on super? He is still working?
Yes it is – I worked for several years after I got my super – you get taxed on all your income, so for that time I was essentially paying my own super, or working tax-free, whichever way you like to look at it.
I think any other way would cost more to administer than it’s worth. What a nightmare it would be!
Don’t panic, Sabine, – your day will come!
mate, i don’t think my generation or any generation after mine will get anything. Inever thought we would get anything since at least the 80’s. Someone has to pay for that shit, and we are less and less paying for it
.
I don’t beguile someone the benefit, i just don’t think someone who makes more then the average income and who works full time should be receiving super. It should be reserved for people who retire and free workplaces up to younger people.
Basically the rich pricks (Capitalists) won’t let the poor get something unless they get it too. It’s about the only time they agree with socialism!
The other time is when they “need” a bail out when things don’t go their way.
its actually fairly simple
you are 65 years of age? yes/no
you work? yes/no
full time/part time?
annual income?
fill it out, provide your income stub from IRd and if you work then you are not retired and thus don’t receive ‘retirements’ benefits.
I don’t see this at hard. I again point out that i would base my system on contribution, i.e. taxed income for x amount of years at a minimum to be eligible. But being an active MP and thus at the receiving end of the government largesse should automatically exclude on from retirement funds.
with one difference tho, the minister still got the money even tho he did not need it, while those that need it don’t get it or have to perform circus acts to get some of it.
No. I said the system you propose is the same as the one that UB beneficiaries have to go through now. If you apply that to superannuation then the retirees will have to go through it as well.
Basically, you’re saying that retirees should be treated the same as beneficiaries are now.
Note they should be treated the same but through a UBI. It’s the simplest, most efficient system. We’d just need to alter the tax system a bit.
Actually, the main advantage of a universal system is that the amount of fields that need to be filled in and audited are vastly reduced. This speeds up collection, processing, administration, and averyone knows what they’re getting.
Your list of four questions, under the current system, is reduced to one: are you over 65?
It’s the same with student allowances – the amount of processing and auditing that has to go into whether someone’s parents earn over a particular threshhold, are the kids still dependent or married, number of points of study, academic attainment, weekly changable income declarations – back around the turn of the millenium WINZ-student services hadn’t calculated whether the hundreds of millions administering the system was more expensive than just giving 100k students a set income, and they probably still haven’t.
Whether this applies to the entire population I’m not so sure, but for those populations where a significant proportion are already receiving govt money (students, elderly, single parents) might as well just give it to everyone rather than paying people to be jerks.
I doubt Peters was trying to fraud the system – why for $50.00 extra a week. And he would probably lose as much as he gained in super. Ditto his partner. It may be he thought he should apply as a kind of support for the super policy he is aligned with.
my question stands. why do we pay super to someone who works.
personally i find this ‘benefit depended on partnership’ almost criminal. It essentially forces people to stay in toxic relationships if that is the only income thy are provided.
i personally favor a system where a benefit is paid to a person based on contribution irrespective if they live with family or as a hermit. You don’t pay lower taxes just because you are in a relationship.
so i don’t care if he forgot, mis understood, could not care enough of what ever. The point is, at his current work related income he should not have received super at the first place.
in the meantime however how about we give money to those that have none before we give it to people that already receive government largess such as active MP’s and contenders for the top spot?
One reason is that older people are more likely to be in part time work, so it’s simpler all round to have a set system rather than the complete cluster fuck that is what younger people have to do on a benefit (e.g. declaring income weekly).
Also, it’s not about someone working, it’s about people having adequate or surplus income. So someone could be getting income from investments.
And having pensioners having to jump the same hoops as other beneficiaries is a move in the wrong direction. Better to leave Super alone and fix the rest of WINZ so it is humane.
I’m not averse to people who have surplus income getting less, but it can be done via taxation instead of hoop jumping.
Max Rashbrooke @MaxRashbrooke
Replying to @mfyfyr
Susan St John has a pretty clever way to do it via raising taxes on the other income of ppl 65+. Wdnt test for assets but still.
Susan St John has a pretty clever way to do it via raising taxes on the other income of ppl 65+. Wdnt test for assets but still.
how many people would miss out if really super were means tested at say 50+ grand income a year after tax? (yes i know arbitrary, but then we have families with nothing live of less)
Very few people would miss out.
If you were in that situation you would do exactly what they do in Australia. You would put your money into expanding your house OR you would give it to your children OR you would spend it on luxury travel until you got down below the bar.
Australia has a National super scheme, at something like the level of the NZ one but it is asset tested.
A couple get, before tax, about $35k if their assets, not counting the family home are less than about $400k.
They get nothing if their assets are greater than about $800k. Between those numbers there is very steep abatement of the super.
Suppose you had $800k. There is no way that you can get a return on the extra $400k in assets that makes up for the loss of super. Indeed I have seen estimates that you would need about $1.5m to be better off without National Super than a person with $400k who gets the full amount.
What do people do? The expand their home. The go on a long world tour. They give it away. They do anything to get their assets over and above their house down to the $400k mark.
If you brought this idea in here people would do exactly the same as Australians do.
If you had an income of $300k you wouldn’t bother. If you had $60k you would definitely get it down to a safe level.
“Better to leave Super alone and fix the rest of WINZ so it is humane”.
I agree with this. Super has meant NZ has lower levels of poverty amongst older age groups and the universality means it is cheap to administer. We need to do something similar for others on benefits.
Tax will reduce payments for those with less need but needs to include a wealth as well as income.
Super has always been a sort of insurance scheme.
I remember 60 years ago my dad showing me his payslip and explaining it. The superann contribution was shown separatly as I recall.
I think it is still very much the same, it is structured like an insurance policy and think of the shit fight if an insurance company said that they werent going to pay out on a maturing life policy because … “you’ve got too much money “.
You are thinking of Social Security. This was a tax of one shilling and sixpence on each pound of income.
Politicians talked about it going into a fund to pay old age pensions but it didn’t of course. It simply went into the Consolidated Fund and was promptly spent.
It was much the same as the pension scheme for veteran MPs (before 1992) and retired Public Servants who belonged to their scheme prior to 1991 or 1992.
They pay tax free super. The fairy tale story about that is that it is being paid by capital gains made by the fund. If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you. The payout comes straight from the taxpayer as the returns on the “fund” come nowhere near paying for their obligations. Wonderful if you belong. Inflation proof, guaranteed by the taxpayer. No risk of going bust.
And NO, you can’t join them now.
Now, perhaps reluctantly, Bill English has played the kids card.
When the National Party officially launched its election campaign at the Trusts Arena in Waitakere, the Prime Minister’s own kids were on show.
His 26-year-old daughter Maria sang the New Zealand national anthem and 17-year-old Xavier, in a smart-looking suit, accompanied his father and mother, Mary English, onto the stage.
Does this mean to say that families are fair game in political reporting/commenting now?
A bit of a contrast to an interview just the other week, when he told the interviewer he won’t give interviews in his family home because he likes to keep his work and family life seperate.
It’s like a Key style campaign with a few character replacements.
Gosh that venue had many empty seats and so many asian people in the audience, the crowd did not seem like a typical snap shot of our nz people and English appeared not very confident to me.
It is the same as Key and Max. Apparently it is ok for a PM to use their family to project their career but not the media to comment on their families.
You are right. Do you remember Andrew Little trying to put on a warm family face in his speech to the Labour Party Conference this year?
“It was the house we brought our baby boy home to.
I remember that time vividly. Preparing the baby room. And putting this precious bundle of humanity in his cot for the first time. This tiny little thing, in this ocean of sheets.
Of course, XXXX’s nearly 6 foot tall now. He doesn’t fit in the cot anymore!”.
Everyone cooed happily. But the press, and the blogs, left him alone thank God.
I won’t give the lad’s name or provide a link to the speech. Leave him alone.
Keep thinking about the Royal Flush from Tim Murphy – it could be that no. 1 Metira Turei defrauded WINZ way back in the piece, no. 2 ol’ Winnie has defrauded WINZ on his Super – whether he knew about it or not, now this new biggie supposedly coming out this week could be no.3 our Paula Benefit and her back story which we are not allowed to discuss. That would be a “sort of” Royal Flush being that these stories are all of the same ilk. Now wouldn’t that be fun and games.
They are hinting on the radio that Morgan is about to announce that he has a female co-leader. Apparently TOP chased away heaps of women voters with the lipstick comment last week, lolz
A move as obvious as morgans motives are IMO….propping up national as he sees their puppet parties dissolving. About as trustworthy as any banskta dealer is imo.
Monday, 28 August 2017, 11:33 am
Press Release: The Opportunities Party
Opportunities Party Announces New Co Deputy Leader
The Opportunities Party East Coast Bays candidate Teresa Moore will join Wellington Central candidate Geoff Simmons as Co Deputy Leader of the Party.
“Teresa is a welcome addition to TOP’s leadership team and will play a vital role on the campaign trail and in Parliament,” says TOP Founder and Leader Gareth Morgan, “With strong credentials in environmental matters and a proven track record in business Teresa is a fantastic addition to our leadership team.”.
“I’m proud to be part of TOP’s leadership team”, says Teresa, “It was already a privilege to be standing alongside a highly skilled group of candidates who believe in the need for real change in New Zealand, to be asked to help lead such a great team of people is an added honour”.
likes sailing, solar power, renewable energy, and green tourism – had a tourism company, been involved in the special education sector, and believes education should be tailored to the individual.
p5; the Board consists of 3-8 members, including the party leader. Party leader to preside at board meetings.
The initial board will be appointed by the initial party leader. (p8)
the Board determines candidates for election, based on the recommendations/nominations of a select committee and members – but the board makes the final decision, and there is no right for anyone to appeal against it.
Basically it’s a very top-down business type set up.
Certainly makes Morgan look like a bit of an egotistical control freak. And maybe explains why he just didn’t provide support and engagement with an existing party with some similar policies.
He is actually a very good fit with the greens in many ways but seems to want to bleed votes from the left. he says forget this left/Right thing (and I empathise with that view) but he is not having an impact on the Right… so what will he achieve?
He hates being questioned at all – it has to be his way or no way.
I find him to be an exceptionally obnoxious man and his choice of Sean Plunkett as PR just reinforces the general impression of him being a misogynist bully.
Same Teresa Moore who stood as a Green candidate in the Rodney electorate 2/3 elections ago? When we lived there I remember voting for the Green party and Christine Rose from Labour as my candidate vote. Intuition told me not to vote for Moore at the time!
Wow – Hooton is going bezerk on RNZ. He is actually advancing that Jacinda/Labour will implement a “wind tax” in addition to the “water tax” because they are so devoid of policy.
Bad move from Hooten that Diana comparison – simultaneously sneering at the emotions of the general public and elevating Jacinda to Diana status. Double fail right there.
Silly little elitist prig that he is – can’t discipline his own tongue.
Punters out Punter land is how Brash characterised the general populace. From what I’ve seen no right wing leader or media mouthpiece thinks any different.
Yep I’d imagine times it by 4 or 5 for attempts that didn’t work and inconclusive like no note, plus all the self harming hospitalizations. A total disaster imo. So much suffering and pain so much hurt and utter devastation.
How any government can even speak the words “Delivering for New Zealand” or “A Brighter Future”, with a statistic like this – is disgraceful and outrageous.
Education failing. hospitals failing, mental health failing, rivers failing, youth dying at own hands, houses unaffordable, people sleeping in cars, Tertiary allowing cheating and grade changes to get funding…
“..but back to the main point…I’m afraid 3000 members of the National Party stamping their feet and drumming their seats means absolutely nothing…other than that the National Party is in good heart…
The Jacinderella effect is real, and it’s frightening..here’s two totally different soundings, in two countries….I am a member of a 50 person focus group which responds weekly to various questions on the coming election…7/10 of that group thinks “it’s time for a change”
My roughneck mate Hughie, presently working in the West Australian desert, finds to his considerable astonishment that most of his kiwi workmates think Jacinda is fantastic…and more important, many of them are planning to vote, when normally they don’t bother, just so they can vote for her.
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It’s a comment on a Kiwiblog thread – one that quotes Tracy Watkins saying that English has delivered on the need to push back against Labour’s success, by, er, announcing a second-language policy for schools.
NB: not recommended for those easily offended by the sight of dim bulbs parading their misogyny.
They are just punters.
Punters on the most powerful site in the country. like ZB or other talkback.
Really useful to understand the mood.
I engage there when I have the time, with a different handle.
Keeps you sharp and clear.
Thanks BG, I’ve been following Houston today and I was wondering about that very thing. Drop some links if have anything of interest, I might put a post up on the differences.
Sadly flooding in Houston is far worse than the destruction of half of Bangladesh. I note that the lead article in the Guardian (wrt the Sub-Continent) just now is about a guru tried for rape – no mention of the millions forced to abandon their homes.
Most of us can also see a past in which homelessness was rare in NZ, Bill – having lived in that past right up until your tenure as finance minister. Still, I guess if he can’t remember making that statement to Police last year it would be way too much to expect him to remember stuff from ten years ago.
LOL. I just cannot see Shearer, Cunliffe or Little or Shaw saying this kind of shit and not being ridiculed in the press. Let alone admitting a maths learning deficit and solving it with imaginary teachers from the rapidly destaffing Humanities courses at Unis teaching every primary child 1 of ten possible second languages
In Australia they would be having a satire field day.
…. “activists charged under the ‘Anadarko Amendment’ after swimming in front of the world’s largest seismic oil ship, have pleaded Not Guilty.
Greenpeace Executive Director, Dr Russel Norman, and activist Sara Howell, will be using a greater good defense to fight the charges.
“I have to fight these charges laid against us because we are in a climate emergency that’s being fueled by the oil industry and propped up by our own Government. Politicians and industry are failing us, but people everywhere are rising up and taking action.”
“The legal defense used by the Waihopai 3 – that they mounted an attack on the spy base to prevent suffering – is to be reformed or repealed, Justice Minister Simon Power has announced.”
Good momentum for the next govt to declare a National Disaster, as a legal requirement for financial innovation. Housing is the obvious, but with environmental issues added, it does stake up.
“There is overwhelming support for a water tax in New Zealand even if it means higher costs for consumers, a new poll shows.
The Herald-ZB Kantar TNS online survey shows that 70 per cent of people agree that commercial water users should pay a royalty to help fund the clean-up of waterways.
Just 19 per cent of the 1000 respondents oppose the idea, while the remainder are unsure.”
Well that’s where their campaign has been focused for the last week – boot camps, getting tough on freedom campers, more testing of school kids. They’ve given up on the floating 50% voter, now it’s pitched right at the core of the core. the bleed line must have gone back that far.
“if they do an ounce of fucking work on the campaign”
As opposed to doing what their donors are demanding, which may be what’s going on. I’ve just spent 9 years watching them being poll driven, centre focused fruitcakes, so the past weeks performance has been a bit different.
Green Energy Markets analyst Tristan Edis said the emergence of renewables, in particular wind and solar, as a “significant source of power” had ushered in a “construction jobs and investment boom”.
“The renewable energy sector has staged a remarkable recovery, after investment completely dried-up under former prime minister Tony Abbott,” Edis said.
Edis said the renewables sector was on track to meet the federal government’s renewable energy target of 20% of total generation by 2020 over a year early, by the end of 2018.
At least 46 large-scale energy projects under construction by the end of June were providing enough work to employ 8,868 people full-time for a year. This figure had surged to 10,000 by July. Most jobs were in NSW (3,018), thanks largely to wind farms, while Queensland (2,625) was next, with 70% of its jobs coming from solar farms.
Rooftop solar installations supported a further 3,769 full-time jobs across Australia in 2016-17.
Wouldn’t it be great if we had a government committed to doing something about meeting our Paris Commitments.
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Bernard Hickey is one of New Zealand’s leading financial journalists. His latest article, published by Newsroom, lays bare the cruel treatment of hundreds of thousands of workers stranded since the lockdown. Our Prime Minister is lauded overseas for her compassion, but her Cabinet is refusing to properly support tens of ...
For a good part of my adult life I have studied civil-military relations. I have studied authoritarian and democratic variants, and I have studied them across countries and regions. I have also worked in and with several US security agencies and have lectured on the theme at a number of ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzIf we stopped oil, gas and coal extraction immediately – ...
by The Spark “The system is broken”—the words of a young black man in Minneapolis watching flames destroy a police precinct demonstrators had torched. Broken? Yes, it is! What else could you say about a system whose police for nine minutes casually knelt on a black man’s neck, watching until ...
The latest opinion poll is out, and it’s more bad news for the National Party, with Roy Morgan putting them on only 26.5% support, against Labour’s 56.5%. You can see the details here: Roy Morgan May opinion poll. Roy Morgan is regarded as less accurate than other polling companies, and the ...
When miners pillage conservation land, they are typically required to "rehabilitate" it afterwards. Its not much compared to the damage they do, but its something. But apparently even that is now too much to expect. NZG Limited, a company owned by Oravida directors James Blackwell, Julia Jiyan Xu, Stone Shi, ...
Like everyone else, I've spent too much of the weekend watching the protests in America, and the increasingly brutal response to them. The overwhelming impression is of a nationwide police riot, as people speaking out against a murder and demanding change are beaten, gassed and shot by racist, militarised thugs ...
In mid-April, as New Zealand entered its fourth week of alert level 4, the Prime Minister warned us not to make comparisons with other countries over our Covid-19 pandemic response. This extraordinary advice came after Simon Bridges had urged the government to adopt a less-stringent lockdown similar to those in ...
Wales has lowered the voting age to 16: 16 and 17 year olds can now officially vote in Wales for Senedd elections. Votes at 16 & 17 come into force on Monday, as part of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020. Next year’s Senedd elections will ...
The government announced more changes to the ETS today, including to the emissions budget for 2021 - 2025. The overall budget for that period will stay at 354 million tons of CO2-equivalent. But the ETS component of that - stockpile reduction, free allocation, and credits to be auctioned - budget ...
The new National Party leader, Todd Muller, had been at pains to portray himself as a solid, serious, safe pair of hands, in contrast to the increasingly Trumpian leanings of Simon Bridges, who Muller deposed in a leadership coup last Friday. But after an uneventful, if uninspiring, first press conference, ...
Minneapolis Police StationIf you’ve been keeping an eye on recent events in the United States, you’ll likely understand why there’s so much anger on the streets at the moment. Not only did police officers murder another black man; it is patently obvious that authorities initially attempted to cover up George ...
Becoming the leader of a political party is a bit like having a baby. Not so much the screaming and sleepless nights, as the fact that you’ve waited and hope and planned for something and it’s finally here. And when that wonderful gift finally arrives, you want to be ready, ...
The US appears to be headed towards what Antonio Gramsci and other Italian political theorists call an “organic crisis of the State.” It involves the simultaneous and compounded fractures of economy, society and politics, which together constitute a tipping point in a nation’s history. Social contradictions are exacerbated, class and ...
Like the rest of the world, I have been aghast at what I have seen of, and read and heard about, what is happening currently in the United States. It seems incredible that a once great country should be suffering the worst effects and the highest number of deaths worldwide ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week...
Climate concerns as Siberia experiences record-breaking heatHeat wave sparks concerns about devastating wildfire season and melting permafrost.Satellite ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 24 through Sat, May 30, 2020Editor's ChoiceAntarctic Ocean Reveals New Signs of Rapid Melt of Ancient Ice, Clues About Future Sea Level RiseA study of seafloor ripples ...
It’s almost painful to watch. Let’s be honest, maybe a pleasure too, in some quarters, but painful nonetheless. Because the fact is, for a democracy to function properly, any sitting Government does need honest and proper Opposition so that it doesn’t get ahead of itself. That’s what we should ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk A banner on the International Energy Agency website spells it out in bold font: “The global oil industry is experiencing a shock like no other in its history.” As the response to the coronavirus pandemic upends the lives of billions of ...
The ownership of newspapers and televison channels is in turmoil, and they want to redisorganise public broadcasting. *Three years ago, I expressed concern in a column about the future of the (traditional) media. Nothing has happened since to reduce the concern. It was based on an earlier column which ...
Australia's High Court has ruled that the "palace letters" between the queen and then-Governor-General John Kerr are public records rather than private papers: Historian Jenny Hocking has won her High Court bid to access the letters exchanged between then governor-general Sir John Kerr and the Queen around the time of ...
SATURDAY MAY 30Six60: Live at Western Springs 2020 (TVNZ 1, 8.45pm). Remember live concerts? The day will come again, friends, when we will be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an uncomfortable sweaty venue with people we don’t know. It will happen. Sometimes the sound of concerts drifts over to the ...
New Zealand and its prime minister Jacinda Ardern have received international attention and praise, rightly so, for decisive leadership, clear communication and scientific management of the coronavirus pandemic. Observers point out that the nation has been through multiple crises under Ardern’s leadership – such as the Christchurch terrorist attack and ...
…a lot of things unrelated to the pandemic were happening. Relatively little attention was given to some major events on the global stage, so I thought I would do a quick recap of some of the high (or low) -lights, starting with something familiar. The common theme throughout is human ...
Labour's talk of gutting the RMA to push through "shovel ready" projects to boost employment after the pandemic predictably has every half-arsed pipe-dream crawling out of the woodwork demanding special treatment. Today, it's the West Coast inbreds, who are demanding a host of laws be rescinded so they can dig ...
"I can't breathe, Mama. I'm dying." - Last words of George Floyd.LOOK HARD at this image. Think about what it depicts. Ask yourself how one human-being could behave so brutally when so many eye-witnesses – and very soon millions of people online around the world – were there to watch ...
Since the government announced its pandemic wage subsidy, there have been regular stories about companies taking it and then sacking or refusing to pay their workers - essentially committing fraud. But how often does this happen? The Minister just doesn't want to know: Government ministers are not receiving up to ...
"You call that a conservative?Nah, this is a conservative!" New Zealanders are in the market for a quiet and reassuring small-c conservative political centrist. The critical question, however, is which politician is currently playing that role? Who has mastered the art of relaxed, informal and intimate political communication? Who ...
I’VE OFTEN WONDERED if South African immigrants passing through towns like Kerikeri and Kaikohe ever wonder how we do it. In their homeland, through the bitter years of Apartheid, keeping the races segregated required pass laws, Alsatian dogs, tear gas, rubber bullets and, all-too-often, live rounds. Not here. Not in ...
Below is the list of gender-critical material which appeared on Redline from July 31, 2019 to September 30, 2019. Sports categories must be by sex, not gender identity Queer theory glossary Woke misogyny and homophobia: a gay critique of trans ideology Another unfortunate experiment? New Zealand’s transgender health policy and ...
Smart Energy Europe: A Plan to provide 100% of ALL ENERGY using Renewable Energy to EuropeIntroductionAll Energy renewable energy systems are often commented on here at Skeptical Science. Many comments suggest that it will be difficult, expensive or impossible to use renewable energy to power the world. To ...
The government released its Action for Healthy Waterways package today, ostensibly with the goal of cleaning up our rivers and making them swimmable within a generation. Doing that, of course, requires confronting the cow in the room: the dairy industry which causes most of the pollution. But while they've imposed ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzI would like to know if New Zealand’s carbon emissions ...
Simon Lamb, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington and Timothy Stern, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of WellingtonBack in the 1970s, scientists came up with a revolutionary idea about how Earth’s deep interior works. They proposed it is slowly churning like a lava lamp, with buoyant ...
Remember KiwiBuild? Previously the government's flagship policy, it was supposed to build thousands of new homes every year for kiwi families. But instead of flooding the market, we've got a pathetic dribble: The Government's former flagship housing policy is so far behind schedule it will take more than 400 years ...
Don Franks Now Covid-19 restrictions allow gatherings of a hundred, an urgent hui needs calling. A special conference of the Council of Trade Unions. Today, workers face the greatest attack on employment, pay and conditions since the depression, we need a strong united union voice. As it stands now, organised ...
George Henderson New Zealand schools have introduced a climate change resource that suggests children “eat less meat and dairy”, even though teachers will not know how much meat or dairy any child in their care has eaten. Opinion pieces in the papers have called for the reduction of meat and ...
Questioning the number of district health boards in New Zealand has got to the extent that “too many DHBs” has become a perceived truth requiring no further elaboration. It is rarely challenged by policy advisers, academics, and journalists. But when one drills down further it becomes clear that the number ...
The emergence of a new National party leader, seemingly out of nowhere, has – not surprisingly – raised a number of questions as to who Todd Mulller actually is and what makes him tick. He has been an MP for some time but seems to have hidden his light under ...
Costa Rica has become the first country in Central America to recognise same-sex marriage: The first same-sex weddings have taken place in Costa Rica, the first Central American country to equalise its marriage legislation. A lesbian couple became the first to tie the knot in a ceremony that took ...
There's a new twist in the Winston Peters secret donation story. It appears that a significant chunk of NZ First's secret laundered donations goes straight into the pockets of the people administering the scheme: Tens of thousands in donor's funds given to the New Zealand First Foundation were spent paying ...
Is Todd Muller the Ned Flanders of the National Party? This is how he’s been characterised by political commentator Gordon Campbell, who suggests the change in leadership is, in Simpsons terms, akin to swapping the scary and cruel Monty Burns for Homer Simpson’s compassionate but conservative neighbour. There’s almost a ...
We all know that many so-called journalists and political commentators in New Zealand work directly or indirectly for political parties or for certain political factions. This was obviously the case when pundit for hire Matthew Hooton launched a campaign against then National Party leader, Simon Bridges, over their numerous polling ...
Let's Roll! The easy victory over a Bridges-led National Party which the Left had every cause to anticipate just a few days ago is no longer in the offing. Our enemy’s position has changed. His numbers are swelling. A rapid thrust to the left, followed by an audacious outflanking manoeuvre ...
New National Party leader Todd Muller has been interviewed about his policies, and has promised to restart offshore fossil fuel exploration if elected: The Bay of Plenty MP rolled former leader Simon Bridges last week, but says the party has not changed its stance on previous promises. "That is ...
Anyone who keeps an eye on evidence around cannabis and public health will be familiar with the Christchurch Health and Development Study. It's one of two local longitudinal studies frequently cited with respect to cannabis and youth development. But in a new article in the New Zealand Medical Journal, it is ...
In the age of covid we are Jacinda’s team of five million, except for some. There has rarely been a more blatant case of discrimination against beneficiaries than Grant Robertson’s announcement yesterday that people who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus will receive weekly payments of $490 per week for 12 weeks and $250 per week for part time ...
It was 75 years ago this month that Germany surrendered and the Allies celebrated VE (Victory in Europe) Day. Millions of people around the world had been killed and many more injured or captured. It was an end to war not just for Europeans, but their allies too, in countries across Africa. But its impact is ...
Well, we are out of lockdown, essentially. I did end up getting the wage subsidy while we were on levels 3 and 4 but I would have been fine if we didn’t. The first day of level 2, the Thursday, the office opened again for the people who weren’t able ...
Watching Todd Muller make his first speech as the newly minted Leader of the Opposition after Simon Bridges’ defenestration on Friday brought to mind a headmaster addressing a school assembly. He showed no particular desire to ingratiate himself with his audience although the occasional flash of self-deprecating humour indicated a ...
The government has announced another income support scheme for people affected by the economic aftershocks of the pandemic: a $490 a week tax-free payment for the newly unemployed, which you can get even if you have a working partner. Which is great, because its supporting people who need help, but ...
The Greens have released their party list, and it contains a few surprises. The one that's getting all the news is that the membership are clearly fans of Chlöe Swarbrick, and she has worked hard to earn that. But they've also favoured incumbent protection over new blood, and in the ...
age credit:Science and Politics – Skeptically.org It seems impossible to keep politics out of science. It’s a pity because politics can end up forcing science to produce the results desired by ...
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Matthew Parry, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Martin Eichner (author details*)This blog details a recent modelling study we conducted. In it we estimated that it would take between 27 and 33 days of no new detected cases of COVID-19 for there to be ...
The 2015 Schol Bio paper included a question about a group of birds known as honeycreepers, specifically, the 56 species endemic to the Hawaiian islands. (Or, were endemic: 18, or perhaps 19, are still living; the others are extinct.) Students who’ve already had a look at this paper as part of ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Climate Feedback Article Review... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... What a Week’s Disasters Tell Us About Climate and the PandemicExtreme weather presents an even bigger threat ...
Todd Muller has made a good start to his leadership, though it would obviously be pretty stupid to extrapolate too much from the first couple of days. Nevertheless, as a matter of speculation, it is interesting to think what success on his part might say about the preferences of the ...
A guest post by Hamish Price.“A leader is a dealer in hope.”— Napoléon BonaparteCatholics have a name for potential successors to a dead pope. Papabile. The small coterie of distinguished cardinals who have what it takes to step up. Todd Muller has always been one.I first met Muller at a National ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 17 through Sat, May 23, 2020Editor's ChoiceMore than 80 killed in India and Bangladesh as Cyclone Amphan heaps misery on coronavirus-hit areasA man salvages items from ...
Two poor political polls within the same week had seen National for the first time in over a decade dropping major support in the face of a competent and assured COVID-19 health response from the Coalition government. Step forward the relatively unknown Todd Muller, who by Friday afternoon had secured ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First acknowledges that some small businesses have been struggling to meet fixed costs due to the loss of revenue by COVID-19. We also know some businesses are at greater risk of insolvency when they cannot come to a reasonable ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First is disappointed that the removal of the spousal deductions has had to be delayed by the Ministry fo Social Development, due to COVID19 workload pressures. “New Zealand First has always stood for fairness when it comes to superannuation ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First On the steps of Parliament today the Leader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters received a petition from registered nurse Anna Maria Coervers, requesting an amendment to the Protection for First Responders Bill which will ensure the legislation also include registered ...
It's been a busy seven days as we start to rebuild New Zealand together. From delivering extra support for small businesses, to investing in our artists and arts organisations, to cutting red tape on home DIY projects, we're rolling out our plan to get the economy and New Zealand moving ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says alert level 2 restrictions have to be discussed during today's Cabinet meeting. Thousands gathered across the country, including at Parliament, yesterday forBlack Lives Matter marcheswhere social distancing and mass gathering rules were flouted. Mr Peters said the breaching of Alert Level 2 rules at ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State Owned Enterprises KiwiRail’s Northland rail upgrade steps up another gear today and will help Northland recover from the impacts of COVID-19, State Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters says. The Government is investing $204.5 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to ...
“Today and every day we stand in solidarity with George Floyd’s family, friends and community who feel pain and fear about his untimely death at the hands of Minneapolis police”, said Green Party Co-leader and Māori Development spokesperson Marama Davidson. ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Hon Eugenie Sage, Minister of Conservation The West Coast forests of Mount Te Kinga at Kotuku Whakaoho/Lake Brunner are the latest predator free project to receive Government funding, announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
The Green Party says major freshwater reforms announced today provide the strongest ever protections of our waterways, to help ensure the next generation can swim in the rivers of Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party has begun the process for a Select Committee inquiry into student accommodation, which has been exposed during COVID-19 as an under-regulated sector that straddles students with unfair debt. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Megan Woods, Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Hon Dr David Clark, Minister of Health Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods, and Health Minister David Clark today announced a COVID-19 vaccine strategy, ...
Budget 2020 is about rebuilding together, supporting jobs, getting business moving and the books back into the black. It’s an integral part of our COVID-19 economic response, and our plan to grow our economy and get New Zealand moving again.Here’s a quick look at the five top things you ...
The Green Party is pleased to reveal its candidate list for the upcoming election. With a mix of familiar faces and fresh new talent, this exceptional group of candidates are ready to lead the Greens back into Government. ...
The Coalition Government has approved $206 million in essential upgrades at Ōhakea Air Base. Defence Minister Ron Mark said the money would be spent on improving old infrastructure. He said safety issues would be addressed, as well as upgrades to taxiways, accommodation and fresh, storm and waste water systems. "This ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First “I am not persisting with this case just for myself, but for all people who have had their privacy breached. Privacy of information is a cornerstone of our country’s democracy. Without it our society truly faces a bleak future. We now ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones has introduced a Bill to Parliament that he says will "force more transparency, integrity and respect" for the domestic wood-processing sector through the registration of log traders and practice standards. The Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Amendment Bill had its first reading in ...
Green MP Golriz Ghahraman is joining over 300 lawmakers from around the world in calling on the big banks and the IMF to forgive the debt of developing countries, in the wake of the COVID crisis. ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones says concerns that carbon foresters are planting pine trees that will never be harvested are the result of "misinformation". "The billion tree strategy is an excellent idea, unfortunately from time to time it's tainted by misinformation spread by the National Party or their grandees, hiding in scattered ...
The Green Party welcomes funding in the budget to reunite more refugees with their families, ensuring they have the best chance at a new life in Aotearoa New Zealand. ...
This year’s Budget is about rebuilding New Zealand together in the face of COVID-19. Jobs are central to how we’re going to do that.There’s a lot of targeted investment for employment in this year’s Budget, with announcements on creating new jobs, training people for the jobs we have, and supporting ...
New legislation introduced to Parliament today will support growth and assist businesses on the road to economic recovery, said Revenue Minister Stuart Nash. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2020-21, Feasibility Expenditure, and Remedial Matters) Bill proposes that businesses can get tax deductions for ‘feasibility expenditure’ on new investments,” said Mr ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson has welcomed the first release of funds from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package announced as part of Budget 2020. Sport NZ has announced that $4.6 million in funding will go to the Wellington Phoenix, NZ Warriors, Super Rugby teams and the ANZ Premiership ...
An iconic New Zealand tourism attraction and the country’s 31 Regional Tourism Organisations are the first recipients of support from the $400 million Tourism Sector Recovery Plan, to help position the sector for recovery from COVID-19, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. The plan includes a Strategic Tourism Assets Protection ...
The Government will legislate to ensure businesses that suffered as a result of the COVID-19 response will get help to resolve disputes over commercial rent issues, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. A temporary amendment to the Property Law Act will insert a clause in commercial leases requiring a fair ...
The Minister for Small Business says new data from Xero highlights the urgency of prompt payment practices to small and medium enterprises as we move into economic recovery. Last month Government ministers wrote to significant private enterprises and the banking industry to request they join efforts by government agencies to ...
Young people in Waikato will be the first to have free access to period products in schools in another step to support children and young people in poverty,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. During term 3, the Ministry of Education will begin providing free period products to schools following the ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash has issued the following statement in response to charges filed against three Police officers this morning in the New Plymouth District Court. “Any incident involving a loss of life in Police custody is taken very seriously. The charges today reflect the gravity of the ...
$196 million for Crown Research Institutes $150 million for R&D loan scheme $33 million for Māori research and development opportunities $12 million for the Nationally Significant Collections and Databases $10 million to help maintain in-house capability at Callaghan Innovation New Zealand’s entrepreneurs, innovators and crown researchers will benefit from a ...
Further temporary changes to NCEA and University Entrance (UE) will support senior secondary school students whose teaching and learning have been disrupted by COVID-19. “The wellbeing of students and teachers is a priority. As we are all aware, COVID-19 has created massive disruption to the school system, and the Government ...
Minister for Racing Winston Peters today announced that the terms for the directors of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) have been extended to 30 June 2021. Due to the COVID-19 crisis the transition period has been extended to ensure that the Racing Industry Bill can complete its progress through ...
The deadline for landlords to include detailed information in their tenancy agreements about how their property meets the Healthy Homes Standards, so tenants can see the home they are renting is compliant, has been extended from 1 July 2020 to 1 December 2020. The Healthy Homes Standards became law on 1 July 2019. The Standards are ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little today announced details of further appointments to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. “I am pleased to announce Paula Rose QSO OStJ as Deputy Chief Commissioner for a term of five years commencing on 15 June 2020,” said Andrew Little. “I am also pleased to announce the ...
The Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF) will pay costs of learners of all ages to undertake vocational education and training The fund will target support for areas of study and training that will give learners better employment prospects as New Zealand recovers from COVID-19 Apprentices working in all industries ...
The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will finally start to cut New Zealand’s greenhouse gas pollution as it was originally intended to, because of changes announced today by the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw. The changes include a limit on the total emissions allowed within the ETS, rules to ensure ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says the Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List provides an abundance of examples that Pacific people’s leadership capability is unquestionable in Aotearoa. “The work and the individuals we acknowledge this year highlights the kind of visionary examples and dedicated community leadership that we need ...
The Government is backing a new $27 million project aimed at boosting sustainable horticulture production and New Zealand’s COVID-19 recovery efforts, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Our horticulture sector has long been one of New Zealand’s export star performers, contributing around $6 billion a year to our economy. During and ...
Applications have opened for 2021 Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarships, which will support more Māori and women to pursue careers in forestry science, says Forestry Minister Shane Jones. “I’m delighted Te Uru Rākau is offering Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarships for the third year running. These ...
The Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List once again highlights the dedication by many to looking after our native plants and wildlife, including incredible work to restore the populations of critically endangered birds says Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. Anne Richardson of Hororata has been made an Officer of the New ...
The Government will invest $10 million from the One Billion Trees Fund for large-scale planting to provide jobs in communities and improve the environment, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Forestry Minister Shane Jones have announced. New, more flexible funding criteria for applications will help up to 10 catchment groups plant ...
Organisations that support women are invited to apply to a new $1,000,000 fund as part of the Government’s COVID-19 response. “We know women, and organisations that support women, have been affected by COVID-19. This new money will ensure funding for groups that support women and women’s rights,” said Minister for ...
Healthier waterways are front and centre in a new project involving more than 300 King Country sheep, beef and dairy farmers. The Government is investing $844,000 in King Country River Care, a group that helps farmers to lift freshwater quality and farming practice, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “Yesterday ...
A major funding package for libraries will allow them to play a far greater role in supporting their communities and people seeking jobs as part of the economic recovery from COVID-19. “Budget 2020 contains over $60 million of funding to protect library services and to protect jobs,” says Internal Affairs ...
A jobseekers programme for the creative sector and four new funds have been set up by the Government to help our arts and music industry recover from the blow of COVID-19. Thousands of jobs will be supported through today’s $175 million package in a crucial economic boost to support the ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has welcomed the First Reading of a Bill that will make legislative changes to further improve the veterans’ support system. The Veterans’ Support Amendment Bill No 2, which will amend the Veterans’ Support Act 2014, passed First Reading today. The bill addresses a number of ...
Views sought on Order in Council to help fast track the reinstatement of the Christ Church Cathedral The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Hon Poto Williams, will be seeking public written comment, following Cabinet approving the drafting of an Order in Council aimed at fast-tracking the reinstatement of the ...
The law setting out New Zealanders’ basic civil and human rights is today one step towards being strengthened following the first reading of a Bill that requires Parliament to take action if a court says a statute undermines those rights. At present, a senior court can issue a ‘declaration of ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today reiterated the deep concern of the New Zealand Government following confirmation by China’s National People’s Congress of national security legislation relating to Hong Kong. “New Zealand shares the international community’s significant and long-standing stake in Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability,” Mr Peters said. “New Zealand ...
Thousands of artists and creatives at hundreds of cultural and heritage organisations have been given much-needed support to recover from the impact of COVID-19, Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Jacinda Ardern announced today. “The cultural sector was amongst the worst hit by the global pandemic,” Jacinda ...
Key New Zealand assets will be better protected from being sold to overseas owners in a way contrary to the national interest, with the passage of the Overseas Investment (Urgent Measures) Bill. The Bill, which passed its third reading in Parliament today, also cuts unnecessary red tape to help attract ...
Setting higher health standards at swimming spots Requiring urban waterways to be cleaned up and new protections for urban streams Putting controls on higher-risk farm practices such as winter grazing and feed lots Setting stricter controls on nitrogen pollution and new bottom lines on other measures of waterway health Ensuring ...
The Government is on the verge of reaching its target of state sector boards and committees made up of at least 50 percent women, says Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter and Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa. For the first time, the Government stocktake measures the number of Māori, ...
The Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister and Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister, Kris Faafoi, has today announced the appointment of Tristan Gilbertson as the new Telecommunications Commissioner and member of the Commerce Commission. “Mr Gilbertson has considerable experience in the telecommunications industry and a strong reputation amongst his peers,” ...
The Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa have agreed to settle the pay equity claim for teacher aides, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This will see more than 22,000 teacher aides, mostly women, being valued and paid fairly for the work they do. “Teacher aides are frontline ...
Subcontractors will have greater certainty, more cashflow support and job security with new changes to retention payments under the Construction Contracts Act says Minister for Building and Construction, Jenny Salesa. A recent review of the retentions money regime showed that most of the building and construction sector is complying with ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have marked the first anniversary of the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership with a virtual Leaders’ Meeting today. The Enhanced Partnership, signed on 17 May 2019, provides the framework for cooperation across the four main areas of trade, defence and ...
On 17 May 2019, New Zealand and Singapore established an Enhanced Partnership to elevate our relations. The Enhanced Partnership – based on the four pillars of trade and economics, security and defence, science, technology and innovation, and people-to-people links – has seen the long-standing relationship between our countries strengthen over the ...
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters has welcomed KiwiRail’s announcement that it is seeking a preferred shipyard to build two new rail-enabled ferries for the Cook Strait crossing. “This Government is committed to restoring rail to its rightful place in New Zealand. Bigger, better ships, with new technology are yet another ...
Better protection for seabirds is being put in place with a new National Plan of Action to reduce fishing-related captures, Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The National Plan of Action for Seabirds 2020 outlines our commitment to reduce fishing-related captures and associated seabird ...
Almost $1 billion in interest-free loans for small businesses More than 55,000 businesses have applied; 95% approved Average loan approx. $17,300 90% of applications from firms with ten or fewer staff A wide cross-section of businesses have applied, the most common are the construction industry, accommodation providers, professional firms, and ...
Thousands of children will have healthier lungs after the Government’s ban on smoking in cars with kids becomes law, says Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa. This comes after the third reading of Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill earlier today. “This law makes it ...
The charging of three officers of the Central Police District with homicide confirms community fears of police violence. The announcement of the charges comes as the United States of America is crippled by nationwide protests against the murder of ...
The Government’s recently announced Action for Healthy Waterways package includes protections and funding to improve the quality of New Zealand’s rivers, lakes, streams, estuaries, and wetlands. The package introduces new rules and regulations ...
The images of Minnesota policeman Derek Chauvin kneeling on a dying African-American man’s neck have ricocheted around the world. From Auckland to London, Christchurch to cities across the US, tens of thousands have marched in opposition to what is perceived as systemic police violence against one race. Chauvin’s charges have ...
With Rhys Darby returning to our small screens with a travel series documenting his wild travels around Japan, Tara Ward rounds up some more TVNZ shows that will take you from your armchair to locales far and wide. Rhys Darby is world famous for bringing walk socks to New York on ...
Sir Jerry Mateparae is extending his life of service to the NZ community, moving into the role of chair of Chair of the Healthier Lives−He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge. He says the research being done in preventing some of the country’s worst diseases as fitting neatly with his own ...
E tū is calling for a serious harm investigation into the case of two security guards who were injured when a staff member was attacked at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital. On 21 May, two security guards were stabbed with a pair of scissors when ...
Kiwi Rail CEO Greg Miller said he will not re-open the Gisborne rail service for freight and passenger services for the region, after eight years of closure even now after a yearlong PGF $600.000 study confirmed to the Government that the rail ...
Universal public compliance has been one of the major reasons why New Zealand has apparently been so successful in curbing the spread of the Covid19 virus. Fundamentally, people complied with the restrictions imposed during Alert Levels 4 and 3 because ...
Greenpeace wants New Zealand to become the first country in the world to ban plastic drinks bottles. Last year, after a huge public outcry, the NZ Government banned single use plastic bags. Now Greenpeace is launching a new campaign to "ban the bottle." ...
Pacific Media Centre A Papua New Guinea provincial governor has defending his actions for speaking up in Parliament yesterday on the government’s mooted proposal to extend the state of emergency (SoE) for two more months. Writing on social media, Governor Allan Bird of East Sepik cited instances of police abuse ...
Grey Power’s stance is that the global Covid-19 pandemic, as it has impinged on New Zealand, has highlighted existing problems within the Aged Care Sector and we suggest that if the promise by the Labour Party to fund an Aged Care Commissioner ...
New Zealanders have been re-discovering the many benefits of growing food at home over the Pandemic lock-down. Sustainable Living’s free learning guides on food growing have been this on-line community education programme’s most popular downloads. ...
From 1846 onwards, various militia came together to form the New Zealand Armed Constabulary Force, to ‘combat Māori hostiles and to keep civil order’. In 1885 they changed uniforms and became the New Zealand Police. We’re still feeling the effects of that whakapapa today, writes Emilie Rākete. America is burning, burning ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Carew, Lecturer, University of Melbourne During the coronavirus pandemic, have your kids been using headphones more than usual? Maybe for remote schooling, video chats with relatives, or for their favourite music and Netflix shows? We have to be careful about both ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sunanda Creagh, Head of Digital Storytelling When it comes to coronavirus cases, deaths and tests, Australia is performing better than many other countries with comparable populations and geographies, a new COVID-19 data visualisation reveals. Use the tool below, which uses data drawn ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joelle Gergis, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, Australian National University As we slowly emerge from lockdown, local adventures are high on people’s wish lists. You may be planning a trip to the ski fields, or even the nearby hills to revel in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Rickards, Associate Professor, Sustainability and Urban Planning, School of Global Urban and Social Studies; Co-leader, Climate Change and Resilience Research Program, Centre for Urban Studies, RMIT University This essay is based on an episode of the UTS podcast series “The New ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcus Luigi Spiller, Associate Professor (Urban Planning) – honorary , University of Melbourne Melbourne’s global reputation for liveability does not resonate with many Melburnians. Its economy has slipped into per capita recession a couple of times over the past decade. Population growth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Hamilton, Visiting Fellow, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University With the virus on the back foot, it’s tempting to declare victory. Provided we stay vigilant on the public health front, we do have a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeff Borland, Professor of Economics, University of Melbourne When it comes to the outlook for employment, there’s good news and bad news. To begin with the good news: with a bit of luck, the next few months will see the fastest expansion ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlin Vincent, Lecturer in Creative Industries, University of Melbourne There’s a long-running adage about working for free in the performing arts. “The problem with working for exposure,” it goes, “is you can die from exposure”. Only partly a joke, the saying is ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level two – read The Spinoff’s giant explainer about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Decision coming soon on move to level one, housing market in a weird place, and manslaughter charges laid against officers after custody death. As has been the way with these moves, we got an announcement of what the new alert level ...
The embargo on this year’s list has just been lifted. Here are all the books in the running for a gong. Huge caveat: we are yet to read them all. We’re working on that, snarled-up postal system permitting. So please consider these initial thoughts.We’re very chuffed to see Our Toby ...
A tiny, tourism-focused village asks for help from its local authority which, unusually, is a government department. David Williams reports Queen’s Birthday weekend was bustling at Aoraki/Mt Cook Village as Kiwis swarmed in to support the struggling tourist hotspot, nestled in a national park straddling the South Island’s mountainous spine. ...
Tenants unable to pay rent on commercial leases have been given a lifeline after almost two months of negotiations between Labour and New Zealand First. ...
Susie Simcock, the former head of World Squash and a tireless advocate for women's sport, passed away last week. Suzanne McFadden talks to Kiwi sports stars and leaders about a pioneer, mentor, baker and friend. There was the time when Susie Simcock, the first woman to preside at the apex of World Squash, dressed ...
NZ is not beyond the issues of racial discrimination being protested in the US, but we should be mindful of the way we show our solidarity Over the long weekend, approximately 4000 protestors gathered in major centres around Aotearoa to protest against the killing of George Floyd in the US ...
Auckland writer Amy McDaid directs and stars in a film backgrounding her debut novel Fake Baby.Steve Braunias writes: Amy McDaid slaved away at writing her very inventive, very lively debut novel Fake Baby for three, nearly four years, and things were looking good, Penguin Random House had accepted it ...
Victoria University of Wellington's Richard Logan asks how we deal with the problem of being surprised by black swan events Is Covid-19 a ‘black swan’ event? Such an event being one that lies outside the realm of regular expectations, is rare, has extreme impact and is retrospectively predictable. In a complex ...
A maar at the centre of a controversy sits idle in the hands of receivers while Dunedin City Council seeks a valuation and works on purchase funding options While cogs slowly turn in the process for a public purchase of Foulden Maar, scientists are waiting to regain access to the site. ...
Employee-owned businesses tend to perform better than traditionally-owned ones. With Stuff and Countdown recently saying they'll embrace the model, Alex Sims looks at what share schemes look like for employees. Covid-19 has seen the rapid adoption of new ways of working, such as working from home and Zoom meetings. However, these ...
Anna Rawhiti-Connell tells herself to stop being a dick about domestic tourism and visits the Waitomo Caves I have never been a great one at heeding calls. Group participation is what my nightmares are made of. It’s not my own awkward response I worry about, it’s a specific anxiety that ...
As protests sparked by the death of George Floyd unfold across the US, David Mayeda has a message for NZ: 'For those of you who don’t experience racism, be publicly anti-racist - support those of us who do'. Monday evening in Washington D.C. shortly before a 7pm curfew and just before ...
With half a million members, the New Zealand Made Products Facebook group has become a national phenomenon, thrusting small-time businesses into the national gaze. But what makes a post stand out among thousands of others? When scrolling through the seemingly endless visual extravaganza that is the New Zealand Made Products Facebook ...
Intensive care specialist David Galler remembers the time he tried and failed to save a New Zealander restrained in the same way that caused the death of American man George Floyd. Content warning: This article contains distressing descriptions of police violence and death. Thirty years ago, soon after I started my ...
Transmission Gully has been in the planning stages for over a century. It's been plagued with problems and the pandemic has dealt it another blow. The first shovels broke dirt on the planned Transmission Gully Motorway in 2014. But nearly six years later, the project creating an inland route connecting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government will provide eligible owner-occupiers with a grant of $25,000 to build a new home or extensively renovate an existing one. The scheme – estimated to cost up to $688 million – will not ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Purnendra Jain, Adjunct Professor, Asian Studies, University of Adelaide Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will finally hold a virtual summit this week after efforts to meet in person were scuttled by the bushfires and coronavirus. The meeting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna-Sophie Jürgens, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Popular Entertainment Studies and Science in Fiction Studies, Australian National University Bloodsucker, leech, tick – few things have a reputation worse than parasites. But these biological hangers-on also have a comic cultural history. In biology, a ...
By RNZ News The organisers of Black Lives Matter protests in several main centres will not be prosecuted. On Monday, thousands gathered at several events around the country for Black Lives Matter marches in solidarity with protesters in the United States after the police killing of George Floyd. The protests ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Fletcher, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Governance and Policy Studies, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington One of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s favourite exhortations is that we all “be kind” to one another. It’s part of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University A go-slow on spending sent the economy backwards 0.3% in the first three months of this year, only the fourth such decline since Australia was last in recession in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Zimmer, Research associate, Southern Cross University As bushfires blackened forests last summer, one tree species was protected by a specialist team of firefighters: the Wollemi pine. These trees have a deeply ancient lineage dating back to when dinosaurs walked Gondwana 100 ...
Children's Minister Tracey Martin says she was never officially asked to do anything about the Māori-led inquiry into Oranga Tamariki commissioned by Whanau Ora. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Whittaker, Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney You probably know the details of the death of George Floyd. He was a doting father and musician. He was killed when a police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for nearly nine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Greste, Professor of Journalism and Communications, The University of Queensland Here is a line from the latest safety advisory for reporters issued by the US-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ): Taking into account the increased levels of violence ...
Aaron Ironside is the new spokesperson for the Say Nope To Dope campaign. Aaron Ironside rose to prominence in the 1990’s as the anchor of Radio Hauraki’s popular Morning Pirates breakfast show. The young rock DJ fully embraced the Sex, Drugs and ...
AgResearch chairman Dr Paul Reynolds said the Government’s capital contribution of $45 million towards a new education, science and innovation precinct in Lincoln is a huge boost for New Zealand’s COVID 19 recovery plan and the contribution to ...
Dunedin writer Victor Billot on America's "President Cheezel". Go Big or Go Home Prezident Cheezel deletes lockdown, deletes the World Health Organization, deletes the memory of George Floyd, then hunkers in his hunker bunker, hunkers with freedom fries at midnight, a lights out party at the House of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Locke, Research Associate, LCT Centre for Knowledge-Building, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Sydney Prime Scott Morrison last week outlined a plan to create jobs and revitalise the economy post COVID-19. Part of this so-called Jobmaker plan includes an ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Willand, Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Stay-at-home orders and the economic crisis have increased the burden of energy costs on lower-income Australians. Poor housing quality and unequal access to home energy efficiency are hurting our most ...
Jacinda Ardern has unveiled details of the changes New Zealanders can expect when we move from level two to level one. What will it mean for businesses, hospitality and day-to-day life? Level one! At last, life is finally back to normal.Not so fast. We’re still in level two, and will be ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kantha Dayaram, Associate Professor, Curtin University The number of Australians working from home has soared during the COVID-19 crisis. Latest data from the Australian Bureau of Stastistics shows 46% of the workforce worked from home in late April and early May. By ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Economic Life, Economics and EconomismKeith Rankin. When things go wrong with economic life, it’s easy to blame economics; that is, the academic discipline called ‘economics’. We all live economic lives, and use metaphors to give meaning to that amorphous thing we call ‘the economy’ ...
National survey asks New Zealanders If They Support Recognition For the Contribution of Our Service Personnel and their Families The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RSA) said today that it supports the proposal for a Kawenata which is ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says there will still be strict controls on the border, but all current rules and restrictions on businesses and services will be "essentially lifted" under alert level 1. ...
ANALYSIS:By Philip Russo of Monash University The death of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of police has sparked protests across the United States and inspired many people to reflect on our own history of police violence against Indigenous people in Australia and New Zealand. After thousands marched ...
The New Zealand Police Association is supporting the three officers who are now facing manslaughter charges in relation to the death of a man in the Hawera Police Station cells in June last year. Association President Chris Cahill says the officers ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Associate Professor, Criminology and Justice Studies, RMIT University As we have been cooped up at home during coronavirus lockdown, reports of image-based abuse have skyrocketed. According to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, it received more than 1,000 reports of image-based abuse between ...
In the third part of our series with Kiwibank answering your questions about Covid-19’s impact on New Zealanders’ finances, two readers at different ends of their saving journeys ask what to do with their KiwiSaver account. Melissa Vasta, Kiwi Wealth GM retail and product, responds.Hi Melissa, My KiwiSaver ‘growth’ fund has ...
Open Mike 28/08/2017 
Last year, in the face of public pressure to better regulate New Zealand's pervasively criminal fishing industry, the government finally anounced a bullshit trial scheme for cameras on boats. The trial would apply only to a limited number of boats fishing in Māui's dolphin habitat. But all fishing boats would ...18 mins ago
Another study comparing effect in children from nonendemic areas (Dagang) and endemic fluorosis area (Jinghai) about 80km apart in the Tianjin area of China. Hardly sampling the same population. Anti-fluoride campaigners still use studies from ... 4 hours ago
George Thomson, Nick Wilson, Richard Edwards This blog discusses the passing of the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Act last week. We briefly review some lessons from this legislation’s long journey and explore future smokefree possibilities in Aotearoa / New Zealand. A law ...6 hours ago
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Last month I noted that the public policy debate was all about how we deal with covid-19. That’s changing now, and will change more over the next couple of months as the buffering impact of the wage subsidy disappears and we see starkly the economic hole out of which we ...16 hours ago
The mission of the New Zealand Police is to make this country the safest nation in the world. To achieve that aim, there is one important step the police need to take at the end of this month. When the evaluation of the Armed Response Teams’ trial is completed, the ...17 hours ago
Bernard Hickey is one of New Zealand’s leading financial journalists. His latest article, published by Newsroom, lays bare the cruel treatment of hundreds of thousands of workers stranded since the lockdown. Our Prime Minister is lauded overseas for her compassion, but her Cabinet is refusing to properly support tens of ...21 hours ago
For a good part of my adult life I have studied civil-military relations. I have studied authoritarian and democratic variants, and I have studied them across countries and regions. I have also worked in and with several US security agencies and have lectured on the theme at a number of ...24 hours ago
by The Spark “The system is broken”—the words of a young black man in Minneapolis watching flames destroy a police precinct demonstrators had torched. Broken? Yes, it is! What else could you say about a system whose police for nine minutes casually knelt on a black man’s neck, watching until ...2 days ago
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It’s almost painful to watch. Let’s be honest, maybe a pleasure too, in some quarters, but painful nonetheless. Because the fact is, for a democracy to function properly, any sitting Government does need honest and proper Opposition so that it doesn’t get ahead of itself. That’s what we should ...5 days ago
SATURDAY MAY 30Six60: Live at Western Springs 2020 (TVNZ 1, 8.45pm). Remember live concerts? The day will come again, friends, when we will be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an uncomfortable sweaty venue with people we don’t know. It will happen. Sometimes the sound of concerts drifts over to the ...6 days ago
6 days ago
Well, we are out of lockdown, essentially. I did end up getting the wage subsidy while we were on levels 3 and 4 but I would have been fine if we didn’t. The first day of level 2, the Thursday, the office opened again for the people who weren’t able ...1 week ago
age credit: Science and Politics – Skeptically.org It seems impossible to keep politics out of science. It’s a pity because politics can end up forcing science to produce the results desired by ... 1 week ago
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First acknowledges that some small businesses have been struggling to meet fixed costs due to the loss of revenue by COVID-19. We also know some businesses are at greater risk of insolvency when they cannot come to a reasonable ...3 hours ago
It's been a busy seven days as we start to rebuild New Zealand together. From delivering extra support for small businesses, to investing in our artists and arts organisations, to cutting red tape on home DIY projects, we're rolling out our plan to get the economy and New Zealand moving ...2 days ago
“Today and every day we stand in solidarity with George Floyd’s family, friends and community who feel pain and fear about his untimely death at the hands of Minneapolis police”, said Green Party Co-leader and Māori Development spokesperson Marama Davidson. ...3 days ago
New legislation introduced to Parliament today will support growth and assist businesses on the road to economic recovery, said Revenue Minister Stuart Nash. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2020-21, Feasibility Expenditure, and Remedial Matters) Bill proposes that businesses can get tax deductions for ‘feasibility expenditure’ on new investments,” said Mr ...52 mins ago
The Commerce Commission has today stated that a complaint lodged against the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association Inc has merit. ...18 mins ago
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is giving a briefing on the government's response to Covid-19. ...20 mins ago
The images of Minnesota policeman Derek Chauvin kneeling on a dying African-American man’s neck have ricocheted around the world. From Auckland to London, Christchurch to cities across the US, tens of thousands have marched in opposition to what is perceived as systemic police violence against one race. Chauvin’s charges have ...3 hours ago
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Sir Jerry Mateparae is extending his life of service to the NZ community, moving into the role of chair of Chair of the Healthier Lives−He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge. He says the research being done in preventing some of the country’s worst diseases as fitting neatly with his own ...3 hours ago
Pacific Media Centre A Papua New Guinea provincial governor has defending his actions for speaking up in Parliament yesterday on the government’s mooted proposal to extend the state of emergency (SoE) for two more months. Writing on social media, Governor Allan Bird of East Sepik cited instances of police abuse ...5 hours ago
Backed by Suncor, Mitsui and ANA, LanzaTech launches new jet fuel plant in Georgia to produce 10m gallons of bio-jet fuel and diesel a year ...7 hours ago
A tiny, tourism-focused village asks for help from its local authority which, unusually, is a government department. David Williams reports Queen’s Birthday weekend was bustling at Aoraki/Mt Cook Village as Kiwis swarmed in to support the struggling tourist hotspot, nestled in a national park straddling the South Island’s mountainous spine. ...8 hours ago
Susie Simcock, the former head of World Squash and a tireless advocate for women's sport, passed away last week. Suzanne McFadden talks to Kiwi sports stars and leaders about a pioneer, mentor, baker and friend. There was the time when Susie Simcock, the first woman to preside at the apex of World Squash, dressed ...8 hours ago
NZ is not beyond the issues of racial discrimination being protested in the US, but we should be mindful of the way we show our solidarity Over the long weekend, approximately 4000 protestors gathered in major centres around Aotearoa to protest against the killing of George Floyd in the US ...8 hours ago
Auckland writer Amy McDaid directs and stars in a film backgrounding her debut novel Fake Baby. Steve Braunias writes: Amy McDaid slaved away at writing her very inventive, very lively debut novel Fake Baby for three, nearly four years, and things were looking good, Penguin Random House had accepted it ...8 hours ago
Victoria University of Wellington's Richard Logan asks how we deal with the problem of being surprised by black swan events Is Covid-19 a ‘black swan’ event? Such an event being one that lies outside the realm of regular expectations, is rare, has extreme impact and is retrospectively predictable. In a complex ...8 hours ago
A maar at the centre of a controversy sits idle in the hands of receivers while Dunedin City Council seeks a valuation and works on purchase funding options While cogs slowly turn in the process for a public purchase of Foulden Maar, scientists are waiting to regain access to the site. ...8 hours ago
Employee-owned businesses tend to perform better than traditionally-owned ones. With Stuff and Countdown recently saying they'll embrace the model, Alex Sims looks at what share schemes look like for employees. Covid-19 has seen the rapid adoption of new ways of working, such as working from home and Zoom meetings. However, these ...8 hours ago
Anna Rawhiti-Connell tells herself to stop being a dick about domestic tourism and visits the Waitomo Caves I have never been a great one at heeding calls. Group participation is what my nightmares are made of. It’s not my own awkward response I worry about, it’s a specific anxiety that ...8 hours ago
As protests sparked by the death of George Floyd unfold across the US, David Mayeda has a message for NZ: 'For those of you who don’t experience racism, be publicly anti-racist - support those of us who do'. Monday evening in Washington D.C. shortly before a 7pm curfew and just before ...8 hours ago
Transmission Gully has been in the planning stages for over a century. It's been plagued with problems and the pandemic has dealt it another blow. The first shovels broke dirt on the planned Transmission Gully Motorway in 2014. But nearly six years later, the project creating an inland route connecting ...9 hours ago
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Dunedin writer Victor Billot on America's "President Cheezel". Go Big or Go Home Prezident Cheezel deletes lockdown, deletes the World Health Organization, deletes the memory of George Floyd, then hunkers in his hunker bunker, hunkers with freedom fries at midnight, a lights out party at the House of ...22 hours ago
Darn. The # isn’t released yet.
Edit: Bomber’s one …a distant cousin https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/08/28/exclusive-my-case-against-a-secret-nz-police-investigation-that-breached-my-privacy-and-my-civil-rights/
The MOAS?
Yes that #. Although TDB story is offensive the type of behavior is almost expected and needs urgent attention.
Has it been picked up by MSM and English questioned, and the current Police Minister of course.
Newshub and Seymour are trying to turn Peters overpayment into a *thing*, Newshub claiming he told them two different stories. Pathetic.
Love him or hate him… Winnie has always got something up the sleeve. Bet this pans out for him 10x better than MT’s benefit story.
Sadly I think that will be the case. Newsroom has a better story on this.
Even so all it does is highlight why we need means resting on Super.
The old folk will love him for it. But hey, I’ve a soft spot for his Peoples Public Credit, and love a good racist, sorry, realist, sorry. He actually claims he isn’t racist at all. Oh, this is all so confusing.
He is so wealthy he never checks his accounts or notices his bank balances. It must be awful for him. Does seem like a non story except the keeping quiet bit.
In fairness to newsroom, he lied on his form and said he was single when actually in a de facto relationship. She told the truth when she registered a few years later which is when they cross referenced.
Surely it doesnt matter why he lied, he lied and took money from the poor taxpayer. BUT unlike Turei this wont trigger outrage cos he wasnt a beneficiary and the hatred displayed toward them is not reserved for Super recipients
You have no proof he lied – i suggest being more circumspect as the way to go.
!!! OK…this is more like it. And I bet anyone commenting or reading this site will be included in that surveillance.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/08/28/exclusive-the-rawshark-investigation-secret-police-mass-surveillance-program-against-100-000-nzers/
100 000.
Goodness me.
I’d love to see the reckoning that led to that figure.
On a more serious note, what are the odds that various people connected to The Standard Trust are on that list?
Somewhere between a strong likelihood and a certainty.
Cool, ganna be fun at customs next week with the old double passport, but woops forgot the NZ, but woops Student Loan. But woops did I really say that at Select Committee for National Security. “No Sir. No gold coins or political thoughts…”
…but looking forward to being back in NZ and sleeping in a car.
I think @tmurphyNZ dropped the final clue…sounds like National
Sounds like Winston, you mean.
This is the “mother of all scandals”?!
Next.
I’m very disappointed in the quality of this scandal.
Perhaps the real scandal is the exposure of Patrick Gower et al’s revolting partisan double standards.
Not exactly news to anyone here.
It isnt even headlining on stuff or Herald… you have to scroll down
Ok, so Bradbury actually came up with something. Seriously out-of-control cops. How many other people’s human rights have they violated this way?
Edit: I see Bradbury is claiming 100k. So somewhere between two, and one-hundred thousand.
As opposed to the ongoing subversion of due process and transparency we see with slater, roastbusters, a prominent NZ’er etc etc.
National have politicised many sections of nz’s public service and SOE’s, some were happy to, others had managers dropped in to ensure they came to heel like RNZ, kiwirail and TVNZ.
I wish to write about the Dairy industry in a un biased manner.
As I was only hurt by one and a cop was part of that the other 2 were elderly and for that reason I will let them off.
All dairy farm workers including most farm owners work 7 days a week usually 430 am to 600 pm. THEY can not stop milking the cows as the cows would get sick I.e mastitis e.c.t rain hale or snow the cows have to get milked .I take my hat off to the farmers for that. Now the immigrant issue some kiwi workers have cost the farm owners money big money to tens of thousands of dollars have been lost because of incompetent workers.But not all kiwi workers are like this when I work or run a farm I strived to increase production and minimise stock losses I got the big picture the boss loses money no job + I thought about my reputation.
But some workers could not give a fuck not all kiwi workers are like this.Now all the tree in central north island are more productive being dairy farmed but not next to our water ways. A dairy farmer buys a cow he get about 5 season from the cow he doesn’t have to kill the cow for his production. A good cow will produce 4 times her body weight in milk solids and give the farmer 3 good calves.Most farmers look after there stock in a very HUMANE way as if they don’t the farmer would lose his ASS I.e go broke.So please don’t go being city slickers and bash farmers. Most farmers care about the environment they get that we have one planet they usely want to leave the farm to there children so they are not going to deliberately FUCK up there farming environment the media have a lot to blame for all the dairy farm haters well get real.
Now we have a industry that is world class most of our dairy farm are the best in the world for animal welfare. The cows are not locked inside in a unnatural environment.
Now let’s not make the mistake and think that they are sensitive to the environment like humans as cows have a hide that is a half inch thick and hair and when it rains hard they all gather together to keep warm.
Now were are lucky to have a environment that’s good for dairy farming. Our Dairy farming industry is the only industry that we have that is a price setter so all big powers in the world can not muck our dairy industry around and pay the farmers unstable money like some industry’s .So for a small nation we have a industry that puts us on top of the world .The dairy farmers insulate us from been bleed dry by larger more powerful Nations.I no that the dairy industry is not perfect but whom is a small persent are but you get that in any population or industry .All the photos of cows in water ways are beef cows I.E dry stock but townies can not tell the difference so those pictures are doctored up to shit on the dairy farming image So new zealand let’s not be led by the corrupt and paid for media. Let’s not kill our one world class industry .kill the only golden goose
We have sure they need to change abit but not that much to fuck it up
Come on the rest of the WORLD ARE VERY ENVYIUS OF OUR WOURLD CLASS DAIRY FARMERS AND OUR DAIRY INDUSTRY
Most dairy farmers are still struggling from the low milk solid payment of the last 3 season so they could not take a hit from legislation against them. We need to work with them to mitigate against climate change. Not kick them in the private parts.
All the flats that have been turned into dairy farms are good for NZ .It’s national fault for the way things are at the moment not dairy farmers.
We need to plant more trees on the hill country and around water ways . National are at fault for all the problems they have down south .The Allblacks are world class and we celebrate them And we should celebrate our would class DAIRY FARMERS .The only leader ship national showed was to subsidize Bills m8 down south.I believe that irritation is good when run properly and not a free for all circus.
As it what the ancient culture did thousand of years ago as insurance against droughts system that store water when there is plenty of water and we use it during droughts
The cops are still pissing in the wind WTF
Finland does not test.
It has the best educational system in the world.
National are copying the US and the UK with more testing.
Neo-liberalism is destroying our country.
Yes but having promised the 3Rs and after 9 years maths is worse any Right thonking person woukd introduce free language learning for primary schoolers. Wouldnt they?
Languages can be learnt for free by apps eg Duolingo and travel.
Sister is head of a language department at a highschool. She says that online language learning only works if the student is highly motivated.
Apparently studies have shown that online learning is considerably more effective when students have regular face to face meetings with other students.
The personal interaction both reinforces and motivates students.
I worked from 2015 to end of 2016 delivering and writing blended courses for Tertiary students. Blended meaning a mixture of online face to face and doing some work before class.
The students complained. Parents wrote emails demanding we “teach” their children properly cos “I am not paying them to teach themselves”. Leaving aside the obvious advantage of learning self directed learning these parents demanded mobey back cos we didnt stand up and lecture at their kids for 2 hours rather we used mixtures of discussion, activity and lecturing.
There is so much wrong in NZ cos too many parents want education to be for their children what it was for them. Even though it failed almost half of them.
Probably for more than half of them actually. Some actually realised that though and have taken self-directed efforts to counter that failing and so have some idea as to how much better self-directed learning is.
The problem seems to be that many parents don’t understand the new system and so want us to go back to the old system simply because they feel comfortable with it. These are the people who haven’t realised how bad the old system was and, yes, they’re the very definition of ‘conservatives’. They really do see the past through rose-coloured glasses.
I had that conversation with my betters. That parents need to be educated on what we were doing and why. However my betters wete more concerned to change those 45s to 50s.
There is a lot to be said for educating parents about education.
Almost as big a beat up as MT…..lets see if the opprobrium reaches the same fever pitch, somehow I suspect not.
Pat,
Not as big as MT because he paid it back straight away. Also what were his circumstances 7 years ago when he first claimed it. Maybe he was not in a relationship back then and was therefore entitled to the single rate.
I guess we will soon find out.
bollocks…Peters a)was not a young inexperienced solo parent b) if anyone should know about super payments it is qualified lawyer, serial politician “gold card’ winston c) he took 7 years to correct, and curiously around the time of MTs scandal (I also note MT agreed to pay back any overpayment once the level determined)
….in his defence Iwill say that as I understand it the onus is on the dept to ensure the correct level of payment is made
Yes. He must have been on struggle street with his MP pension… his travel perks… his legal work.
Legal? Yes. And that is all that matters, right Wayne?
All that needs to happen to get millennials to show up to vote is to run a competition for a new home. Entry would be a n/a/p into a separate box on the way out of the voting booth.
Have put up a post on the Peters super thing…
the claim of 100-200,000 New Zealanders being subject to illegal blanket surveillance is an extremely serious one, but I can’t see Bradbury’s evidence. He clearly has a very strong case personally against the plod – he has been treated outrageously.
However, if he has proof of a coupe of hundred thousand people – presumably including some leading figures on the left and centre left – being subject to arbitrary search then this is a gigantic scandal the media can’t ignore.
The government and police – who I think have almost certainly subverted security and police resources to further the governments own political agendas – will fall into a lockstep of blanket refusal to comment and claims of secrecy. Normally, they would get away with that, given the three day media cycle. But during an election campaign, I am not so sure.
Labour should stay out of this, unless it really blows up – and even then, simply promise a full public inquiry if they gain office.
M8 National will use every trick they can to keep power.
One would notice that I did Not use the phrase Every trick in the book.
Because they will use any thing to cling to power .But all the shit they have pulled makes that pole of power to slippery for them to hold on to hence the phrase national slip out of parliament.
Duncan garner looks a bit nervous this morning maybe he has heard that he has been played.Now Jack Tame is over compsioncating in his effort to keep a straight face when National are the subject But Hillary’s is not phased at all Yes our Black Ferns should be promoted and held up as role model for all our girls to aspire to and payed for there efforts Cemmon Steven this is 2017 = right this is 2017 we need to raze our women’s confidence so we get more women on the business boards council and Parliament so we have more of women’s ideals become part of our laws. MORE HUMANE LAWS that will benefit women as much as men
Hell no. They should be a) promising better legislation b) an inquiry into what has actually happened and c) who was spied upon by the police
Yup votes right there in pursuing this and it also highlights nationals intransigence/tacit approval as this is on Bills watch now.
Coleman is blaming hospital overloading on a record flu season. Sounds familar to the excuse of a rat plague of bibilical proportions that seems to happen every year in the Kaharangi Park
I’d say that hospital overloading is due to a failing underfunded health system and people unable to afford going to the Dr’s.
Our local Drs only charge $18 per visit no matter who you are, so Nationals bribe of $18 Dr visits doesn’t mean jack to me or anyone else who already pays $18 a visit
now for something of real political importance…the response to Nationals Education policy..
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201856292/national-out-of-touch-on-education-principals-teachers
They have no idea….much like everything else, if the market doesn’t deliver (and we know it doesn’t in the round) they are clueless
They were like this always. In the 90’s
Lockwood Smith said we had to “implement the new English curriculum in Term 1.”
We didn’t get the curriculum documents ’till Term 2 ,
and the training ’till the following year.
So Bill, did you consult University Research? Principals? Teachers? Boards? Parents? Children? No????? Why not???
Policy on the hoof!!
Hoots is calling it “real policy”. LOL
There was another Education Policy released separately, and quietly , on Saturday. Read about it here. https://saveourschoolsnz.com/2017/08/28/whats-the-real-reason-national-are-implementing-progress-tracking-via-pact/
thanks for that link….so the Nats are going to make the failed policy of teaching to test entrenched….brain dead. Completely undermines the subsequently promoted goal.
If anyone wants to hear from Guy Standing the author of “The Precariat”, he’s appearing in Auckland this Thursday, on the UBI idea:
Guy Standing – Basic Income: the case for a significant new policy
In conjunction with Basic Income New Zealand and Auckland Debating Society, we present Guy Standing, leading international speaker on Basic Income, author of The Precariat, with as a panel to respond to his presentation, Sue Bradford and Keith Rankin.
Guy Standing is a Professorial Research Associate at SOAS, University of London, and a founder and co-President of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), an NGO promoting basic income as a right. He has held chairs at the Universities of Bath and Monash (Australia) and was previously Director of the Socio-Economic Security Programme of the International Labour Organisation.
He is currently working on pilot basic income schemes in India and on issues relating to his two recent books, The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class (2011) and A Precariat Charter: From Denizens to Citizens (2014).
Professor Standing’s book recently featured in University World News: Higher education and the precariat class.
When
Thursday 31 August, 6.30pm
Where
Epsom Campus
Lecture Theatre J1
University of Auckland
76 Epsom Ave
Flood before and after pics Houston, Texas vs Harvey with motorway sign indicating depth.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-27/houston-surreal-and-after-photo
https://mobile.twitter.com/MattSitkowski/status/901782145814978560
can someone explain to me why someone who earns several tens of thousands of dollars is eligable for superannuation.
btw, i have no issue with monied people getting super if they contributed to he fund, pass the right age crossing and stop working.
but why get it when you are still working?
the whole point about super is that it allows one to retire, stay at home grow a garden, ride a bike etc and hopefully someone younger fills the job.
please explain it to me and ‘its just the way it is’ does not cut it.
Why is someone who earns several tens of thousands of dollars plus perks on super? He is still working?
One of the few universal benefits, I believe.
Yes it is – I worked for several years after I got my super – you get taxed on all your income, so for that time I was essentially paying my own super, or working tax-free, whichever way you like to look at it.
I think any other way would cost more to administer than it’s worth. What a nightmare it would be!
Don’t panic, Sabine, – your day will come!
mate, i don’t think my generation or any generation after mine will get anything. Inever thought we would get anything since at least the 80’s. Someone has to pay for that shit, and we are less and less paying for it
.
I don’t beguile someone the benefit, i just don’t think someone who makes more then the average income and who works full time should be receiving super. It should be reserved for people who retire and free workplaces up to younger people.
That’s because we have a delusional system that looks at money rather than the productive capability and carrying capacity of the nation.
Basically the rich pricks (Capitalists) won’t let the poor get something unless they get it too. It’s about the only time they agree with socialism!
The other time is when they “need” a bail out when things don’t go their way.
That’s what we get with WINZ and the governments present punitive policies.
its actually fairly simple
you are 65 years of age? yes/no
you work? yes/no
full time/part time?
annual income?
fill it out, provide your income stub from IRd and if you work then you are not retired and thus don’t receive ‘retirements’ benefits.
I don’t see this at hard. I again point out that i would base my system on contribution, i.e. taxed income for x amount of years at a minimum to be eligible. But being an active MP and thus at the receiving end of the government largesse should automatically exclude on from retirement funds.
The system you describe is the one at work in WINZ ATM in regards to the Unemployment Benefit.
with one difference tho, the minister still got the money even tho he did not need it, while those that need it don’t get it or have to perform circus acts to get some of it.
No. I said the system you propose is the same as the one that UB beneficiaries have to go through now. If you apply that to superannuation then the retirees will have to go through it as well.
Basically, you’re saying that retirees should be treated the same as beneficiaries are now.
Note they should be treated the same but through a UBI. It’s the simplest, most efficient system. We’d just need to alter the tax system a bit.
Actually, the main advantage of a universal system is that the amount of fields that need to be filled in and audited are vastly reduced. This speeds up collection, processing, administration, and averyone knows what they’re getting.
Your list of four questions, under the current system, is reduced to one: are you over 65?
It’s the same with student allowances – the amount of processing and auditing that has to go into whether someone’s parents earn over a particular threshhold, are the kids still dependent or married, number of points of study, academic attainment, weekly changable income declarations – back around the turn of the millenium WINZ-student services hadn’t calculated whether the hundreds of millions administering the system was more expensive than just giving 100k students a set income, and they probably still haven’t.
Whether this applies to the entire population I’m not so sure, but for those populations where a significant proportion are already receiving govt money (students, elderly, single parents) might as well just give it to everyone rather than paying people to be jerks.
Seems odd that he got anything in the sense he had MP Super plus was working.
I doubt Peters was trying to fraud the system – why for $50.00 extra a week. And he would probably lose as much as he gained in super. Ditto his partner. It may be he thought he should apply as a kind of support for the super policy he is aligned with.
that is not my point.
my question stands. why do we pay super to someone who works.
personally i find this ‘benefit depended on partnership’ almost criminal. It essentially forces people to stay in toxic relationships if that is the only income thy are provided.
i personally favor a system where a benefit is paid to a person based on contribution irrespective if they live with family or as a hermit. You don’t pay lower taxes just because you are in a relationship.
so i don’t care if he forgot, mis understood, could not care enough of what ever. The point is, at his current work related income he should not have received super at the first place.
Why not?
But then we have to ask why we’re not doing the same for everyone else.
i like your utopia of giving money to everyone.
in the meantime however how about we give money to those that have none before we give it to people that already receive government largess such as active MP’s and contenders for the top spot?
We give it to everyone and their taxes pay for it.
It’s not as hard as you seem to think it is.
“why do we pay super to someone who works.”
One reason is that older people are more likely to be in part time work, so it’s simpler all round to have a set system rather than the complete cluster fuck that is what younger people have to do on a benefit (e.g. declaring income weekly).
Also, it’s not about someone working, it’s about people having adequate or surplus income. So someone could be getting income from investments.
well considering the current situation, namely that payment is dependent of live in partners etc we can conclude its already a clusterfuck.
And having pensioners having to jump the same hoops as other beneficiaries is a move in the wrong direction. Better to leave Super alone and fix the rest of WINZ so it is humane.
I’m not averse to people who have surplus income getting less, but it can be done via taxation instead of hoop jumping.
Max Rashbrooke @MaxRashbrooke
Replying to @mfyfyr
Susan St John has a pretty clever way to do it via raising taxes on the other income of ppl 65+. Wdnt test for assets but still.
question, and i don’t try to be unreasonable.
how many people would miss out if really super were means tested at say 50+ grand income a year after tax? (yes i know arbitrary, but then we have families with nothing live of less)
Who cares when there’s a better system available?
Very few people would miss out.
If you were in that situation you would do exactly what they do in Australia. You would put your money into expanding your house OR you would give it to your children OR you would spend it on luxury travel until you got down below the bar.
Australia has a National super scheme, at something like the level of the NZ one but it is asset tested.
A couple get, before tax, about $35k if their assets, not counting the family home are less than about $400k.
They get nothing if their assets are greater than about $800k. Between those numbers there is very steep abatement of the super.
Suppose you had $800k. There is no way that you can get a return on the extra $400k in assets that makes up for the loss of super. Indeed I have seen estimates that you would need about $1.5m to be better off without National Super than a person with $400k who gets the full amount.
What do people do? The expand their home. The go on a long world tour. They give it away. They do anything to get their assets over and above their house down to the $400k mark.
If you brought this idea in here people would do exactly the same as Australians do.
If you had an income of $300k you wouldn’t bother. If you had $60k you would definitely get it down to a safe level.
“Better to leave Super alone and fix the rest of WINZ so it is humane”.
I agree with this. Super has meant NZ has lower levels of poverty amongst older age groups and the universality means it is cheap to administer. We need to do something similar for others on benefits.
Tax will reduce payments for those with less need but needs to include a wealth as well as income.
Super has always been a sort of insurance scheme.
I remember 60 years ago my dad showing me his payslip and explaining it. The superann contribution was shown separatly as I recall.
I think it is still very much the same, it is structured like an insurance policy and think of the shit fight if an insurance company said that they werent going to pay out on a maturing life policy because … “you’ve got too much money “.
You are thinking of Social Security. This was a tax of one shilling and sixpence on each pound of income.
Politicians talked about it going into a fund to pay old age pensions but it didn’t of course. It simply went into the Consolidated Fund and was promptly spent.
It was much the same as the pension scheme for veteran MPs (before 1992) and retired Public Servants who belonged to their scheme prior to 1991 or 1992.
They pay tax free super. The fairy tale story about that is that it is being paid by capital gains made by the fund. If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you. The payout comes straight from the taxpayer as the returns on the “fund” come nowhere near paying for their obligations. Wonderful if you belong. Inflation proof, guaranteed by the taxpayer. No risk of going bust.
And NO, you can’t join them now.
Bill English plays his own youth card
Does this mean to say that families are fair game in political reporting/commenting now?
A bit of a contrast to an interview just the other week, when he told the interviewer he won’t give interviews in his family home because he likes to keep his work and family life seperate.
It’s like a Key style campaign with a few character replacements.
Gosh that venue had many empty seats and so many asian people in the audience, the crowd did not seem like a typical snap shot of our nz people and English appeared not very confident to me.
Wonder when the next polls come out?
As the judge says in American court room dramas, “You opened the door Mr English.”
Shows how low the tick from dipton is – he is so fake that guy.
Yes maybe he should’ve borrowed max key who loves the limelight, they could all do a chorus line to a showtune or 2 from les miserables.
Lol noooooooooooooo
It is the same as Key and Max. Apparently it is ok for a PM to use their family to project their career but not the media to comment on their families.
You are right. Do you remember Andrew Little trying to put on a warm family face in his speech to the Labour Party Conference this year?
“It was the house we brought our baby boy home to.
I remember that time vividly. Preparing the baby room. And putting this precious bundle of humanity in his cot for the first time. This tiny little thing, in this ocean of sheets.
Of course, XXXX’s nearly 6 foot tall now. He doesn’t fit in the cot anymore!”.
Everyone cooed happily. But the press, and the blogs, left him alone thank God.
I won’t give the lad’s name or provide a link to the speech. Leave him alone.
Yup. It must be dizzying trying to keep track of all the double standards in public life.
I think there’s a difference between mentioning family and having them on stage with you while electioneering.
One invites happy coos, the other invites political participation and comment.
YESAH!
Kids, huh.
//
Keep thinking about the Royal Flush from Tim Murphy – it could be that no. 1 Metira Turei defrauded WINZ way back in the piece, no. 2 ol’ Winnie has defrauded WINZ on his Super – whether he knew about it or not, now this new biggie supposedly coming out this week could be no.3 our Paula Benefit and her back story which we are not allowed to discuss. That would be a “sort of” Royal Flush being that these stories are all of the same ilk. Now wouldn’t that be fun and games.
They are hinting on the radio that Morgan is about to announce that he has a female co-leader. Apparently TOP chased away heaps of women voters with the lipstick comment last week, lolz
Ha that would be funny – Morgan is yesterday’s man through and through – ‘hey look at me’ is where he is at and where he’ll stay thank the gods
Kind of like trying to put a dress on a misogynist.
Lol.
Touche
A move as obvious as morgans motives are IMO….propping up national as he sees their puppet parties dissolving. About as trustworthy as any banskta dealer is imo.
ah. Of course, Morgan would never share the leadership with anyone.
They have just announced a new co DEPUTY leader, who is a woman – an environmentalist, standing for East Coast Bays – looks like one of the privileged business classes to me – a blue green.
Her profile on the TOP website.
likes sailing, solar power, renewable energy, and green tourism – had a tourism company, been involved in the special education sector, and believes education should be tailored to the individual.
She’s third on the list, with Simmons at #2.
Do the members vote or does Morgan appoint?
It looks like the Board has the ultimate discretion on any decision.
p5; the Board consists of 3-8 members, including the party leader. Party leader to preside at board meetings.
The initial board will be appointed by the initial party leader. (p8)
the Board determines candidates for election, based on the recommendations/nominations of a select committee and members – but the board makes the final decision, and there is no right for anyone to appeal against it.
Basically it’s a very top-down business type set up.
Thanks Carolyn. Sounds like it might be traditionally patriarchal 😉
Certainly makes Morgan look like a bit of an egotistical control freak. And maybe explains why he just didn’t provide support and engagement with an existing party with some similar policies.
He is actually a very good fit with the greens in many ways but seems to want to bleed votes from the left. he says forget this left/Right thing (and I empathise with that view) but he is not having an impact on the Right… so what will he achieve?
He hates being questioned at all – it has to be his way or no way.
I find him to be an exceptionally obnoxious man and his choice of Sean Plunkett as PR just reinforces the general impression of him being a misogynist bully.
thanks for that, that confirms a lot of things for me too about the underlying values.
Carolyn_nth @ (14.4) ….
Same Teresa Moore who stood as a Green candidate in the Rodney electorate 2/3 elections ago? When we lived there I remember voting for the Green party and Christine Rose from Labour as my candidate vote. Intuition told me not to vote for Moore at the time!
What radio Cinny?
sorry, it was on radio live and came from Bill Rolleston.
Looking at the election feed on stuff now, it looks like bill was a little off the mark, deputy female co-leader rather than a co-leader.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/96209636/live-on-the-campaign-trail
Wow – Hooton is going bezerk on RNZ. He is actually advancing that Jacinda/Labour will implement a “wind tax” in addition to the “water tax” because they are so devoid of policy.
So desperate its embarrassing, seriously.
He’s rumourmongering on twitter too.
The hollow one is barking – reminds me of those yappy tiny lap dogs – how he ever your any respect I’ll never know.
He also compared her to Princess Diana…
Silly – just a way to denigrate women from mattspew imo
The funny thing is the things he criticises Jacinda for he praise Key for in campaign 2008
Bad move from Hooten that Diana comparison – simultaneously sneering at the emotions of the general public and elevating Jacinda to Diana status. Double fail right there.
Silly little elitist prig that he is – can’t discipline his own tongue.
Punters out Punter land is how Brash characterised the general populace. From what I’ve seen no right wing leader or media mouthpiece thinks any different.
Hooten should be charged a wind tax, due to the toxic vapour arising from his verbal crap
15.4 I agree Cinny … Hooten produces total maure induced farts with no oxygen.
roy cartland (15) … ha ha, Hooton blows plenty of hot air, so he’s probably scared he will be charged a wind tax 🙂
Yes rootin’ tootin’ Hooton is in real panic mode now, realising Natz is on the way out.
More nzers killed themselves last year than any year before – 606 year to end of june
Lead item on news – there is a scandal right there
Higher than road deaths…
One of many things we need to hang our heads in shame, but will not.
Needs research into why and if that increase is in any way attributable to National’s punitive policies.
in 1916 147 people committed suicide,as a proportion of population that would not be significantly different from 2016.
Reasons? Avoiding going to war? Deprivations of War? Impacts of brutal colonisation? Yup comparable to today
can’t have been wages as they went up15% 1914-1917,food prices increased but rents went down.
You do realise that suicide has been decreasing since then don’t you?
It’s just gone up.
Imagining the pain and suffering for all touched by it, just horrific, heart goes out to them, this should not be happening.
Yep I’d imagine times it by 4 or 5 for attempts that didn’t work and inconclusive like no note, plus all the self harming hospitalizations. A total disaster imo. So much suffering and pain so much hurt and utter devastation.
and the ones left behind their mental health suffering, circles and cycles, it’s horrendous.
and how they’ve cut or cleared out funding to so many aspects of prevention.
3 years is creating a trend, i hope much investigation goes into the stats
Self Help/Parenting etc channel on the telly please. Educate the country
Capitalism is killing NZ
Over 600 suicides last year, third year in a row of increases. Welcome to National’s aspirational Brighter Future. What a team eh?
Don’t worry, Wayne will tell you that he’s feeling quite cheerful so obviously New Zealand doesn’t have a suicide problem.
LOL
Looks like the RSS feed keeps jamming up. I will have a look at it this evening.
It seemed like it was about 3 days behind when I had a look at it yesterday.
Garibaldi – the link on RNZ reporting record suicide rates – and especially high rates for Maori:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/338160/suicide-numbers-rise-to-highest-on-record
How any government can even speak the words “Delivering for New Zealand” or “A Brighter Future”, with a statistic like this – is disgraceful and outrageous.
Education failing. hospitals failing, mental health failing, rivers failing, youth dying at own hands, houses unaffordable, people sleeping in cars, Tertiary allowing cheating and grade changes to get funding…
Suicide rate given top priority on Stuff and RNZ while is right at the bottom right corner of the Heralds website.
David Garrett @KB
“..but back to the main point…I’m afraid 3000 members of the National Party stamping their feet and drumming their seats means absolutely nothing…other than that the National Party is in good heart…
The Jacinderella effect is real, and it’s frightening..here’s two totally different soundings, in two countries….I am a member of a 50 person focus group which responds weekly to various questions on the coming election…7/10 of that group thinks “it’s time for a change”
My roughneck mate Hughie, presently working in the West Australian desert, finds to his considerable astonishment that most of his kiwi workmates think Jacinda is fantastic…and more important, many of them are planning to vote, when normally they don’t bother, just so they can vote for her.
Thumb up 26 Thumb down 1
David Garrett … “Jacinderella”? and he is a member of a focus group?
God help us all.
What was it called when Key was popular? Statesmanlike? Popular? “Finger on the pulse”?
Misogyny is alive and well in its subtle and not so subtle incarnations.
where on earth did you find that?
KB – Kiwiblog. I know, it’s grotty there, but sometimes someone there spills the beans, reveals their inner socialist, lets drop their guard 🙂
KB = Kiwiblog? My first thought was the sewer.
It’s a comment on a Kiwiblog thread – one that quotes Tracy Watkins saying that English has delivered on the need to push back against Labour’s success, by, er, announcing a second-language policy for schools.
NB: not recommended for those easily offended by the sight of dim bulbs parading their misogyny.
Win Kiwiblog and win the election.
I admit the “obnoxious arsehole” constituency is a very large one, but it’s not one you want the party you support to be trying to appeal to.
They are just punters.
Punters on the most powerful site in the country. like ZB or other talkback.
Really useful to understand the mood.
I engage there when I have the time, with a different handle.
Keeps you sharp and clear.
with Farrar conducting thats an ominous statement….
September 2017: Hurricane Harvey kills 6 in Texas. Floods kill 1000 in Nepal, India and Bangladesh.
Guess which got by far the most media attention?
Maybe Trump will now move his wall to the sea?
Thanks BG, I’ve been following Houston today and I was wondering about that very thing. Drop some links if have anything of interest, I might put a post up on the differences.
This one here is good weka:
Worst flooding in years.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/floods-kill-1200-india-nepal-bangladesh-170826230610924.html
cheers.
yes cheers Macro.
Sadly flooding in Houston is far worse than the destruction of half of Bangladesh. I note that the lead article in the Guardian (wrt the Sub-Continent) just now is about a guru tried for rape – no mention of the millions forced to abandon their homes.
For the first time on my life I’d actually like to punch a politician. Of course I won’t… But I’m just saying he should probably watch out for flying dildos
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/96211348/bill-english-can-foresee-a-future-where-homelessness-is-rare-in-new-zealand
Its such a manufactured crisis and perfect set up to make money that it should have been related to MOAS.
This is right up there with Key’s disingenuous regret he didnt solve poverty. And by solve he means acknowledge
“bill-english-can-foresee-a-future-where-homelessness-is-rare-in-new-zealand”
So could I 30 years ago. How wrong I was.
This crowd is truly oblivious to the damage they have done… aka Douglas and Richardson.
Most of us can also see a past in which homelessness was rare in NZ, Bill – having lived in that past right up until your tenure as finance minister. Still, I guess if he can’t remember making that statement to Police last year it would be way too much to expect him to remember stuff from ten years ago.
LOL. I just cannot see Shearer, Cunliffe or Little or Shaw saying this kind of shit and not being ridiculed in the press. Let alone admitting a maths learning deficit and solving it with imaginary teachers from the rapidly destaffing Humanities courses at Unis teaching every primary child 1 of ten possible second languages
In Australia they would be having a satire field day.
LOL ASLEEP W W
to rephrase the headline, Bill English can foresee himself losing this election.
…. “activists charged under the ‘Anadarko Amendment’ after swimming in front of the world’s largest seismic oil ship, have pleaded Not Guilty.
Greenpeace Executive Director, Dr Russel Norman, and activist Sara Howell, will be using a greater good defense to fight the charges.
“I have to fight these charges laid against us because we are in a climate emergency that’s being fueled by the oil industry and propped up by our own Government. Politicians and industry are failing us, but people everywhere are rising up and taking action.”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1708/S00544/greenpeace-crew-plead-not-guilty-in-historic-climate-case.htm
“Greater Good” worked for the Ploughshares, didn’t it, but I recall moves to erase that defense as a result.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3917806/Waihopai-3s-greater-good-defence-to-go
“The legal defense used by the Waihopai 3 – that they mounted an attack on the spy base to prevent suffering – is to be reformed or repealed, Justice Minister Simon Power has announced.”
Or..
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ironmaiden/forthegreatergoodofgod.html
Maybe not your gig Robert but..
‘”But I don’t know, I don’t know” …
Cheers, JC. I’m taken-aback!
Good momentum for the next govt to declare a National Disaster, as a legal requirement for financial innovation. Housing is the obvious, but with environmental issues added, it does stake up.
“Majority of Kiwis back water tax even if it means higher costs”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11912604
“There is overwhelming support for a water tax in New Zealand even if it means higher costs for consumers, a new poll shows.
The Herald-ZB Kantar TNS online survey shows that 70 per cent of people agree that commercial water users should pay a royalty to help fund the clean-up of waterways.
Just 19 per cent of the 1000 respondents oppose the idea, while the remainder are unsure.”
19%.
Sounds like a base National support level.
Yup – a bunch have died since Bill hit bedrock at 23%
LOL….. yes I can see this result Nats 19 Lab 61 Green 8 NZF 8 Top 2 Others 2.
One can but hope.
“Sounds like a base National support level”
Well that’s where their campaign has been focused for the last week – boot camps, getting tough on freedom campers, more testing of school kids. They’ve given up on the floating 50% voter, now it’s pitched right at the core of the core. the bleed line must have gone back that far.
Oh please.
National are good for 40% if they do an ounce of fucking work on the campaign.
“if they do an ounce of fucking work on the campaign”
As opposed to doing what their donors are demanding, which may be what’s going on. I’ve just spent 9 years watching them being poll driven, centre focused fruitcakes, so the past weeks performance has been a bit different.
Some good news from across the ditch:
Renewable energy generates enough power to run 70% of Australian homes
Wouldn’t it be great if we had a government committed to doing something about meeting our Paris Commitments.
A long but informative read…
“The story of Bill English, before he became a nice guy”
by Branko Marcetic
http://werewolf.co.nz/2017/08/bill-english-the-forgotten-history/
https://i.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/95138963/southlanders-have-their-say-environment