Fixed. The identicon button was unchecked, though I don’t know why. As far as I know, the identicons don’t slow page loading or have any impact on the way pages look, so I guess it was entirely unintentional. Lprent will put me right in his usual style if I’ve got that wrong 😉
” New Zealand is on track. One child dies in NZ as a result of abuse every five weeks.
Three children are dead so far in New Zealand this year as a result of domestic violence and it is not even the end of March.
In many cases they get fleeting news coverage and we may not even learn their names.
Names matter. We refuse to speak the name of the mosque murderer in our search for non-violence. We won’t give him any air time – he was not us, says Prime Minister Jacinda Adern. He does not exist.
But he did. He really did! And so do the children that are dying in New Zealand as a result of domestic violence occurring right here. We need to speak their names. We need to be just as outraged by their deaths as we are by the mosque killings.
Yet we keep quiet about them because they are our national shame. We look the other way.
Currently there is an almost obscene celebration of ourselves as New Zealanders.
Adern has carefully crafted a response to a terrorist act in New Zealand so that tables have been completely turned and we have come up smelling of roses.
The message is: ‘This is not us – it is just one individual who lost the plot’.
Adern really is a good leader – she is doing well in protecting our national identity. National identities are important in a global economy.
I think it is wrong that the world’s tallest building (in Dubai) is lit up with an image of Jacinda Adern when our own dying children in New Zealand get limited media coverage.
Blurb on NZ standards from the government on-line:
(How many people are employed in PR and seriously compromising their own integrity by writing this shit with a sure hand?)
Family Life in New Zealand | New Zealand Now https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/why-choose-nz/family-friendly
Nov 12, 2018 – But rest assured, New Zealand is a great place to bring up children. It’s why so many Kiwis living abroad come back home when it’s time to start nesting. … There are wonderful opportunities for young people to grow up with easy … Families in New Zealand get great support from a range of public services.
Maori have numerous systems going and success. But society is up against television and its content that is probably more anti-social than positive, also drugs – alcohol, mj, other chemicals, lack of meaningful jobs with decent pay,
peer pressure and modelling; also a general lack of respect from ignorant, snooty pakeha and middle-class whites who patronise and judge, is an observation of mine.
There has been action also from the private sector generally, and not all just to get on the money bandwagon from government. Which is how some charter schools see things when bad, but not all charter schools are no good, government should ensure better standards, mentors and overview.
There is Thrive – which sounds good but with little information about the people running it, no names. Under Waves Trust, 7 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson. http://www.thrive.org.nz/contact/
Our Vision
Young parents and their children are able to reach their full potential by being connected and secure within their families and communities.
Our Mission
Thriving young people, parents and families.
Mahi tahi
We are a small team of social workers, support staff and volunteers who are committed to helping young teenage parents and their whānau flourish and thrive.
What we do
We offer a range of innovative one on one wrap around support along with various programmes that are tailored and targetted towards the needs, hopes and aspirations of teen parents.
Our first priority is the wellbeing of you and your unborn or new born baby, pepi. We work in partnership with teen parents to be or new teen parents, by ensuring that your voice is heard and that we speak with you and not for you.
The aim of all that we do is based on working to break through and address any and all of the pressing issues that a young parent, young couple face as they look to strengthen and uphold their new roles as parents to be or new parents.
Our highly skilled staff are there to guide, shape and assist every step of the way. We are have a strong reputation of building and maintaining a solid relationship with teen parents and their baby, pepi through an effective and continuous quality service provision.
WHY?
The team is focused on ensuring that you are given the necessary support, tools, and information that will improve the health and well-being of you and your child. Our commitment is based on teen parents reaching and fulfilling their potential and reaching their goals.
(This is the work and the attitude about the social need, that the government should be showing itself not through a second party.)
Then there is government’s Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children. I wonder how Maori feel they are getting on with their job? Can’t see an overview on that but I imagine there will be one.
I have remembered more info that is valid for this and put it up further along the post.
Yes, it is there like an unreliable cat waiting for the right moment to bite you on the ankle. So nice to look at, so innocent a pleasure, and so difficult to know how to protect yourself. I have avoided having that, but others I know have been bitten.
The only thing about smoking is that it has become established. It is stupid not to notice how Prohibition went in the USA – it encouraged crime and now with tobacco becoming hard to obtain because of the price, it has gone up on the Bell curve of effectiveness from pricing to falling effectiveness because of the enhancement of the price raising the intrinsic value of the ciggies.
“What if we were to form a mass vigil for all the children who have died in New Zealand as a result of child abuse? One candle for every little life. Between 2010 and 2016 that was 66 lives.
What if we demanded an adequate social welfare system within which children and families had wrap around care?
What if we valued children so much in New Zealand that our leader Adern would raise the pay of our teachers in early childhood and schools to demonstrate the value of their work?
But she didn’t. And we looked the other way. We did not call a mass uprising to say we wanted our teachers and schools supported. We did not yell loud enough and say ‘this is not us’.
If the recent death of the child in Maketu doesn’t raise the hairs on your arms in the same way that the spine-chilling hakas did in the aftermath of the shootings it is because we have normalised it.
Another child has died in suspicious circumstances in New Zealand and we are in no position to deny that we are a violent society.”
All this ‘this is not us’ bullshit….I’m over it. It is us. We kill our kids.
I agree we need to be making a huge fuss about it and start doing some serious research into why it is happening. And start to fix it.! There are lots of theories and ideas, of course, but in order to start making the first meaningful steps to stop these tragic happenings we need some serious data and a workable plan.
The new IDI might be able to produce deeper information about relationships and generational issues, but there’s only so far one can go with probabilistic ID linkage between such diverse datasets.
I suspect the main problem is that the numbers of mortality are too low to get real relationships from, and the gap between detecting non-lethal abuse/neglect and identifying it in the morgue is so wide. Even though health professionals are getting better at looking for it, there’d still be a massive underreporting of child injuries resulting from assault – often difficult to tell an arm broken by accident with an arm broken by dragging etc. So we see the ones who turn up dead, but you’d be lucky to see maybe a quarter of assault injuries attributed to something other than accident.
So basically asfar as I can see the main thing we can do is lower family stress by reducing inequality and hardship, throwing more social workers at everyone, and then hoping that the upper-income sociopaths get outed by their kids at school.
OOOOOH …. Eric Idle, – my absolute favourite of the Python team !
There’s just something about his eyes, his face shape, his voice , mannerisms that perfectly suited his comic cheeky , cheerful persona, – Life of Brian , – speaking to the Roman guard … ” Nah – I’m only pullin’ your leg ,- its crucifixion really , yeah I know the way , out the door , one cross each, line on the left ”
Hahahaa! – as if hes an old hand at being crucified and its just the same old , same old , humdrum routine …
The guy used to have me in hysterics of laughter 🙂
Hoots ethos must be really feeling threatened, he slips the knife into Winston again over at the fish wrap this morning. 2020 is sure going to be an interesting election.
Not particularly anti. It’s just that the dude has survived more announcements of his political demise than Christopher Lee turned to dust in all the Hammer Horrors combined.
Big ups to all those attending the service this morning in Hagley Park…
An overly heavy weight fell upon the city, still rebuilding its strength post-eqs. You can almost touch it. It is on people’s faces. It will take time to dissipate.
grim
heavy
burdensome
(of course, the city is a minor bit-part and thoughts and wishes go first and foremost to the victims and their families and communities.)
It was a special event, an involving experience for everyone (& there were many), full of character and community; & a huge credit to all involved in putting together such a good display of NZ values of respect.
Agreed. American leadership is so shite their citizens are openly embarrassed, and for some time now many travelling pretend to be Canadian to take the heat off.
I went to live in Canada in 1968 when the anti-Vietnam war riots were spreading around the US and US young were dogging the ‘draft’ to go to Vietnam so this is a historical event that happens every time politics changes rapidly,
This time it’s Trump draining the ‘Washington swamp’ finally, so maybe some of the former ‘Washington intelligence staff’ are running away from being tracked as US citizens.
Had some relations here from the UK recently who had been travelling through Asia and Australia, they said any Americans they met would say they are from the State they are from in the USA rather than the USA. Does that tell you something about how they feel about the USA and it’s International Relations ?
Russian troops have landed in Venezuela, no doubt that will making a few waves for trump.
“The arrival of two Russian air force planes carrying nearly 100 Russian troops outside Caracas on Saturday has escalated the political crisis in Venezuela.”
Admittedly, Matthew is enmeshed in a rather abysmal lot. There is Hosking who daily writes about Hosking and little else.
There is Audrey Young who struggles in later life to know what a Topic is. Whether on Dan’s panel – Or Whatever. Although she is marginally more alive than Johnny Armstrong.
So from the large Herald nursery, only about two writers cut the mustard with Fact and Humour and Balance.
I punished myself today and read a bit of smooth Hooton dated 2004, where he was jacking up National in a bouquet of Flowers and Perfume – and a Brash of bright future. Oh Yeah.
Hooton does nothing but unjack everyone – EXCEPT – his idols – Johnny Key, Frau Bennett and Billy English, each of whom gave New Zealand great wealth. Huge wealth. Incredible wealth. Tax Cuts Tax Cuts Tax Cuts.
National have decided they must get rid of Winston Peters. He is too good to be allowed to stay alive. He is a threat to Simon. Equally a threat to “strange person of power” Papakura Collins. He is the enemy of excessive Wealth.
Not a single Journalist of the Herald has ever written a word about the real people of New Zealand.
The ones who go to work. Often two jobs a day. Both Parents. Struggling to pay for a bit of Fonterra’s bland cheese. Unhoused. Batted around by Dickensian Landlords.
Hooton is in decay. Yes. But he is not the only one who has hated and destroyed the backbone of the real people of this our Nation.
Michael Fay and David Richwhite infamous!! Yes and they hollowed it out sold shares to the workers in the bank branches complete with loans to buy their shonkey shares!!
Luckily my eldest son needed our signature on the loan and we explained why we thought it was a bad idea. Son was so relieved. No job and a debt was how they left many having unloaded worthless shares.
The bank folded and those people were left paying for fresh air. That pair went to Ireland and did similar over there.
“Not a single Journalist of the Herald has ever written a word about the real people of New Zealand.
The ones who go to work. Often two jobs a day. Both Parents. Struggling to pay for a bit of Fonterra’s bland cheese. Unhoused. Batted around by Dickensian Landlords.”
Oh – so you mean your definition of ‘real people of new zealand’.
Plenty of tea New Zealanders are going perfectly fine and dandy – they are real New Zealanders as well.
Global State of the Climate 2018 – Expert Reaction
Friday, 29 March 2019, 9:17 am
Press Release: Science Media Centre
The physical signs and socio-economic impacts of climate change are accelerating according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
In their 2018 State of the Global Climate report, they say 2018 saw record sea level rise and exceptionally high land and ocean temperatures over the past four years, continuing the warming trend observed over the past two decades.
The statement also covers climate impacts on human populations over the past year, such as at climate hazards, displacements and food security.
The SMC asked experts to comment, feel free to use these comments in your reporting.
Professor James Renwick, climate scientist and Head of the VUW School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, comments:
“The 25th annual State of the Climate report from the WMO is an excellent and accessible summary, but it makes for sobering reading. Carbon dioxide concentrations are at record levels, ocean heat content and sea levels are both at record highs, sea ice extent is well below normal in both hemisphere, glaciers and ice sheets are melting. On and on in the now-familiar litany of all the ways the climate is warming and changing around us. Even more worrying is the range of associated extreme weather events and impacts on human populations. World hunger is on the rise and we are now talking of millions of people displaced as a result of weather and climate extremes.
“Ecosystems are being affected worldwide, on land and in the oceans, where acidification is associated with rising temperatures and loss of dissolved oxygen. The record heat in New Zealand and the Tasman Sea during summer 2017/18 is an example of what we can expect much more of in future years. With no action on climate change, that record warm summer in New Zealand would be counted as a cold summer in another 50 years. The associated increases in climate and weather extremes would displace hundreds of millions and would threaten the fabric of societies everywhere.
“The globe is currently running a temperature of about 1°C above pre-industrial levels. To rein in the warming at no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial, global emissions need to halve by 2030, and go to zero by 2050. Yet, emissions increased to record levels in 2018! Policy-makers must really take on board that climate change is an existential threat to global society, to the global economy, and to all ecosystems on earth. I hope the planned United Nations Climate Action Summit later this year really galvanises action by governments around the world.”
No conflict of interest.
Gregor Macara, climate scientist, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), comments:
“In a week that has seen the highest 48-hour rainfall total ever in New Zealand, it seems fitting that the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is highlighting the increasing impacts of climate change around the world.
“New Zealand is far from immune and has experienced many of the indicators the WMO has concluded are becoming more pronounced globally.
“These include:
• New Zealand’s hottest ever month in January 2018 when the mean temperature was 20.3°C, a remarkable 3.1°C above average
• At New Zealand climate stations over the past six years, for every record or near-record low monthly mean temperature there have been 12 record or near-record highs.
• A hot March this year – higher temperatures than what it’s usually like in mid to late summer.
• Marine heatwaves over the past two summers – likely a contributor to this week’s wettest 48 hours on record.
• A near record 40-day dry spell in Nelson this summer which included significant wildfires.
• 2018 coming in at NZ’s equal-second warmest year on record .” [High-res graph available here under creative commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)].
No conflict of interest.
Professor Jim Salinger, Visiting Scholar, Penn State University, comments:
“The 25th Anniversary issue shows hastening climate warming globally. This was true for the New Zealand region, a combined land and marine area of 4 million sq. km (the size of the Indian subcontinent), with the warmest year on 150 years of land and sea records.
“It is very alarming that the carbon dioxide levels reaching a highest 406 ppm – up from 280 ppm in the 19th century, and methane jumping unexpectedly by 25 ppb to a record 1850 ppb by 2017.
“The extra 3.7 mm of sea level rise will be very significant for the coast of Australia, and especially New Zealand with its many seaside urban areas and long coasts.
“The record warm summer ending in February 2019 produced the largest ice loss on the Southern Alps glaciers since the regular end of summer snowline surveys started 42 years ago.
“We’ve seen Queensland Groper in the Bay of Islands, Northland, 3000 km out of range, snapper in Milford Sound in Fiordland, and massive mortality in the aquaculture fisheries of the Marlborough Sounds. These are a harbinger of climate in the latter part of the 20th century if we do not take action to reduce emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and the production of greenhouse gases from other sources such as waste and agriculture immediately.”
No conflict of interest.
ends
Science Media Centre NZ
Our aim is to promote accurate, evidence-based reporting on science and technology by helping the media work more closely with the scientific community.
The Science Media Centre is New Zealand’s only trusted, independent source of information for the media on all issues related to science. Thousands of news stories providing context from and quoting New Zealand researchers have been published as a direct result of our work.
Contact Science Media Centre NZ
• Website – http://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
• Email – smc@sciencemediacentre.co.nz
• Phone – +64 4 499 5476
• Mobile – +64 21 859 365
• Facebook
• Twitter – @smcnz
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• Postal Address – PO Box 598, Wellington 6140
I’m so grateful to see the entire text of the media release faithfully pasted here including the contact details. That newfangled hyperlinking idea will never catch on. Off to scribe some papyrus and summon my faithful carrier pigeon.
Basic science says planetary gas traps heat, so digging up and burning carbon would inevitably increase the temperature globally. Especially if nothing is done to stop the concentration of co2 in the atmosphere. It really does not matter whether we have past the tipping point, we have or we will if nothing changes. So let’s grow the co2 level some more…
So we are running at the cliff, it looks now that we’ve run right off the top…
PM Jacinda Ardern was at the Memorial Service this morning, Soon she flies for a one day meeting with China. She will probably read that Report on her way. I’m sure James Shaw will read it as well.
Cleangreen, I know you didn’t mean to make it sound like she is neglectful, but it did rather read that way. Her plate is full.
A terrorist Attack which killed 50 and injured as many more.
A flight to China to salvage relations.
Gun law changes.
A Climate Change Tipping point Report.
A budget being prepared.
The ongoing repairs and replacements needed because of previous neglect.
I so admire this young woman who has taken on that role with such aplomb and sincerity.
She will do her level best for us all, and next election it is to be hoped we vote her a greater mandate to bring in change.
I marched on that day and held two banners up saying save rail save a planet.
I am nervous as the murders have shifted the spotlight off the most serious issue we now face for us and our children’s future.
I am 75 so don’t feel personally threatened as my life is now limited but when I look at my 7yr old grandson I almost cry at what he will face going forward so Jacinda must feel this too with a very young Girl under a year old.
Facebook is finally banning white nationalist content
The new ban, which will also apply to content supporting white separatism, comes after months of advocacy from civil rights groups.
Facebook has announced a ban on content that includes “praise, support and representation of white nationalism and separatism” — a significant policy shift that comes after months of criticism from civil rights groups.
The change, which was first reported Wednesday by Motherboard, will go into effect next week and will also apply to Instagram. The platform will also direct users who try to post this content to Life After Hate, an organization that helps people leave hate groups.
In a blog post published on Wednesday, Facebook explained its decision, noting that the new policy is the result of months of discussions between Facebook and outside groups. Previously, Facebook had banned content promoting white supremacy (generally, the belief that whites are superior to other races).
But the platform allowed white nationalist content (which promotes a belief that a white majority should control the social and political direction of predominantly white countries) and white separatist content (which argues that whites should create a separate ethnostate devoid of people of color). While their proponents argue that these ideologies are very different, groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center argue that the latter two often express a belief in white supremacy, making them all very similar.
Facebook says additional conversations with civil rights groups and experts “confirmed that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organized hate groups,” leading the social media platform to expand its policy on hate language.
Twitter is considering labeling tweets that violate its rules but should remain on the platform because they’re in the public interest.
Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s head of legal, policy and trust made the announcement during an on-stage interview with the Washington Post on Wednesday.
The social media company is trying to find a way of maintaining its standards while adding context to tweets from politicians and other figures that may be offensive but are important for public debate.
Twitter has come under fire from some critics who say President Donald Trump’s tweets often violate its rules against bullying, dehumanization and threatening harm.
Well I guess even that little step is something on the way to cleaning up the garbage tip that these ‘social media’ sites have created over the past decade.
Well I hope that Twitter applies some consistency and removes the hate speech of Ahmed Bhamji, chairman of the Mt Roskill Masjid E Umar Mosque.
Hate speech and conspiracy theories like his recent rant in Aotea Square have helped radicalize so many, whether Muslim, Jewish, white supremacists or whoever. It has no place in NZ.
I’m no fan of Netanyahu and his extremist mates, but that guy’s just really irresponsible. Unless you’ve got solid evidence to suggest Mossad had anything to do with this (and good luck with that), ranting like an unhinged lunatic about Zionist conspiracy theories is just pathetic. He’s just tipping the scales in the other direction, and it’s helping no one, least of all NZ’s Muslim community.
If all this sounds familiar, it’s because sadly it is. This is not the first time Facebook has declared it will take action in this way.
In April 2016, Robert Godwin, a 74-year-old grandfather, was shot and killed in Cleveland, Ohio having been chosen at random by a killer who broadcast it live on Facebook.
At the time CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Facebook’s annual developer conference, “We have a lot of work [to do], and we will keep doing all we can to prevent tragedies like this from happening”. In May of 2017 the company announced plans to add 3000 more staff to review user content to help battle violent videos.
Not much has changed. Today’s announcement sounds awfully hollow in light of the lack of action since 2016 and does little to assuage anyone’s concerns about the company and its ability to self-regulate.
Have people seen the film The Cleaners?
It sounds relevant https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/auckland/the-cleaners/
A thoroughly unnerving picture of our times, this gripping doco immerses us in the surreal world of the content moderators who decide what we see (or don’t see) on social media.
A thanks on 8.1 – – Thanks CG! Would have missed it otherwise
Soddenleaf
I agree with your point that we have no time here so we need to plan for the event now also. build less use of carbon emissions to slow the rate of destruction.
Yes Climate change updates like mine on 8 should be a subject that stays on the radar every day no matter what else goes on today.
As Climate change is about to kill at random many people who are also innocent in our communities as sea level rise and warming/ melting of our glaciers will flood many regions.
We saw this happen at the Franz Josef Glacier and all the flooding down at properties flooded at Hokitika perhaps from the melting of the glaciers there also?
How much pain and suffering does it take before the Government moves ‘decisively’ now?
We impatiently await James report, and hope like hell we have consensus on real change.
In the interim planting trees is a no brainer – soon as we (I) get some rains to support them…
The heat island effect in cities will only be exacerbated in future unless we take steps now to offset temperatures with the evaporative cooling and shading effect of trees. In addition trees perform many functions to enhance urban living.
Food, shade, shelter, habitat, aesthetic beauty, carbon capture, biodiversity, rain capture and transpiration, air cleaning, oxygen production…
To build resilience in communities we should get started, not wait on governments, though obviously we are… all hands on deck!
I put trees in recently that’ll take nearly a decade to bear food. Trees are a vote for the future. Start now.
Thinking about better outcomes for young children and teenagers and when they become young parents. This is heartening, and should be the norm now but probably not.
Dr Susan Baragwanath was the instigator of about 11 schools for teenage mothers, who the careless, condemning conformists with cold-blooded puritan minds were freezing out from society, and this was when the true facts about NZ early sexuality exploration and its effects were known – (by such as Jenny Shipley and the superior types in National Party).
Founder, He Huarahi Tamariki Schools
Dr. Susan Cave Baragwanath believes her fellowship came about because she had a problem, and she could not find anyone in New Zealand to help her solve it. She was a career secondary school teacher and administrator who had taught internationally. When she returned permanently to New Zealand in 1989 after 20 years away, she accepted a position as a deputy principal in one of the country’s poorest schools.
In the first week, she found a 14-year-old girl giving birth to a child in the school toilets. Baragwanath contacted the authorities about her continuing education, and she was told to forget about it. Baragwanath looked up New Zealand’s domestic law; there it was, in black and white, “every child is entitled to have a free basic formal education until the age of 19 years”. The only education available to this student, if she did not return to school (and she couldn’t as there were no childcare facilities), was distance learning. Her family did not own a phone, so she could not call her tutor, and she waited weeks for her school work to be delivered by mail. As a result, she quickly fell out of the system.
The pattern in New Zealand was for teenagers to have multiple pregnancies before age 21 and become state beneficiaries for life. Without proper research and a concrete plan going forward there seemed to Baragwanath no escape from this pattern continuing.
Maori focus:
Maori and teenage parents – Report on research. 2012
Marginalising Māori Parents
by Elizabeth Strickett and Helen Moewaka-Barnes
Massey University
Marginalising Maori Parents – for Massey University http://www.maramatanga.ac.nz/sites/default/files/12-IN-10%20Web%20ready%20%283%29.pdf
(p.10 gives information about difficulties for young fathers)
But if government could push the InZone style with good funding for it, I guess as a charter school with good overview, so that it can be offered to young parents – there would be immediate improvements and a dramatic rise in successful young people handling their lives well, whether they had a job, apart from parenting or not. But some in government might feel that sort of result really isn’t their thing
Ahem … t’was I. I’ve turned them back on, and I’m not sure how they came to be off. If there is a technical issue, I’m sure Lprent will let us know. In the mean time, enjoy the rainbow.
Awww thanks for that.
I always remember Sir Paul Reeves being interviewed some years back on Nat Radio on a Sat Morning by Kim Hill and she had a slot then when she would invite some well known person on to give a playlist of their favourite music and to talk about what it meant for them. This was a favourite of his – he particularly like the backing of the Uke and the soft way it was sung. He had first heard it Hawaii IIRC and it was one of his favourite songs. I admit on hearing itI fell for it as well – but I was never able to find it – I just remembered it. I think the singer was a little younger then by the sound of it also – but still beautiful.
Thanks once again. I’ve stored it on my youtube.
I pointed out an article on great farming practice in the Kaipara recently, and now, in Southland, a catchment wide initiative involving more than 600 farms.
They’re treating each farm individually (smart!) and collecting massive data as they go on all manner of systems and processes. This is commendable work, and it seems they’ve done their homework.
I hope some of the trial farms involve earthworks and water retention.
But… yay for this initiative.
I also like the links on the side of the page. Get involved – Become a Citizen Scientist – etc.
Climate, to some odd people, is an enormous black hole.
One such odd person being the Honourable Simon Bridges and the other his idol, the Honourable Donald Trump.
Neither of whom have ever shown any glimpse of Reality.
The ultimate Goofs in Goofs clothing.
But as long as they can sell today’s youth off into Slums – without hope of housing or a fair slice of Life – Bridges and Trump will have achieved their Monstrous aims.
I took a drive through Panmure the other day. It was Tuesday. Its the Neighbour of expensive Remuera.
Panmure is the sort of filth Simon wants. It is dreadful. Few townships in the entire world could be as sick. Long Live dead head Simon. Long live mexicop Trump.
\Winston Peters has carved a career out of race baiting immigrants.
But at least he finally has the grace to admit he was wrong to have done so. (sort of)
Maybe, just maybe, Winston Peters has sensed the wind of change blowing through the nation’s psyche.
“If you want to look at someone who’s had the longest political career of anybody in this parliament, and you think that I would claim that I’m blameless over that long career. Well, you might but I don’t assume such a thing, and I never will.”
Jenny I think the media has miss reported Winston on a number of occasions, he has been critical of the quality of the immigrants we are bringing in ie the Christchurch Mosque Shooter and the share number of Asians entering the country when we do not have the housing stock and Infrastructure to support this level of Immigration.
Labour are continuing down this track of bringing in large numbers of Immigrants which is putting pressure on ordinary New Zealanders. ie housing and social services ?
. . Former Police, Corrections, and Justice Minister in the previous John Key government, Judith Collins, has been ridiculed on social media after posting a comment on Twitter that was patently untrue; . Wrong!! National did not remove Prisoners’ ability to vote. Parliament voted through a Private Member’s Bill ...
Speaker Trevor Mallard was left to look after Jones, while his usual caretaker, Winston Peters, underwent surgery. A truly adorable scene from Parliament yesterday has gone viral, after Speaker Trevor Mallard cradled an extremely drunk Shane Jones in his arms while the House was in session. Loud “awwww”s could be ...
Western media have defended their decision not to cover the fires so as not to give them any oxygen. Social media outrage continues to grow around the sentiment that mainstream western media is devoting too little coverage to an ongoing series of fires in the Amazon rainforest, and in doing ...
A Long Time Ago, In A Parallel Universe Far, Far Away: The political journalist scratched his head in confusion. Only then did he notice the name of the building: ‘The Jacinda Ardern Presidential Library and Public Resource Centre’. Making his way inside to the information desk, he asked the librarian ...
Too Much Of Nothing: In many respects it is the power of a free press to keep history’s images vivid and clear that renders it so important to the life of our democracy. It was the Czech writer, Milan Kundera, who said it best: “The struggle of man against power ...
Spark is bracing for a customer backlash as rugby fans all across the country struggle to get a picture on their wireless router. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, an elderly Taranaki couple are furious after being told that they still won’t be able to watch the tournament, even ...
Several explosions have been reported across Auckland, as well-meaning environmentalists have already begun purchasing too much petrol Starting from next week, customers will no longer need a car to purchase petrol directly from the pump, a development that two major fuel providers are billing as an opportunity to help fight ...
A new study claims to find that a mother’s exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy may decrease the IQ of male children – but is it correct? (Photo: Getty Images) Anti-fluoride campaigners are promoting ...
Yesterday the Greater Wellington Regional Council unanimously declared a climate emergency. They've also set themselves a goal of being carbon neutral by 2030, though this only applies to their direct emissions. Still, its a good step, and as usual it invites the question: where is Parliament? When are we going ...
That's the only way to describe the government's plans for a Parliamentary Budget Office to allow opposition parties to get an independent costing of their policies. When the idea was first floated back in 2016 as an office within Treasury, I thought that wasn't independent enough and argued that it ...
Today is a Member's day, and after the third reading of Hamish Walker's KiwiSaver (Oranga Tamariki Guardians) Amendment Bill, Parliament will be continuing the committee stage of David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill. The bigots have put up another pile of amendments in an effort to delay or wreck ...
Television advertising has a huge impact on our lives. Even if we don’t recognise that, we know it has to be true, since otherwise why would advertisers spend so much on it? Its significance, however, is greater than simply the influence it has on what we purchase and consume. It ...
by Jan Rivers More than 30 years ago a Commission of Inquiry was held in New Zealand to investigate, amongst other things, whether women with cervical cancer were aware that they had been part of a research project and whether they were properly informed of the treatment options ...
Everyone Wants To Be Fuhrer: When fascist groups are discussed, the image conjured-up in the minds of most New Zealanders is one of pathetic misfits. This negative impression is reinforced by the latter’s idiotic embrace of the swastika. Even in the second decade of the twenty-first century, the baleful legacy ...
by Philip Ferguson This weekend just past marks the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, the most famous of the great 1960s music festivals. It was held over the weekend (Friday-Monday) of August 15-18, 1969. Woodstock was a highpoint of the US ‘counter-culture’, and also the beginning of its end. When exploring the ...
It looks like the government has won over the public on its vehicle feebate scheme:A feebate scheme that would transfer hundreds of millions of dollars from buyers of higher-emission cars into the pockets of people buying EVs and other more fuel-efficient vehicles has been winning favour with submitters, the Government ...
When people suggest lowering the voting age, others argue that the young are too uneducated or silly to exercise the duties of citizenship. Australian John Quiggin has just blown that argument out of the water:Looking at the array of ignorant and vindictive old men attacking Greta Thunberg and other young ...
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...
Back in May, Destiny Church leaders Brian and Hannah Tamaki launched another political party. Despite consisting entirely of followers of their religion, they grandly called it "Coalition New Zealand", in a vain effort to suggest it was something broader. But when they applied for registration, submitters opposed the name, as ...
The following article is excerpted and translated from two articles in recent issues of Lutte de Classe (Class Struggle), the magazine of Lutte Ouvrière (Workers Struggle), the revolutionary workers group active in France. We don’t necessarily agree with everything in it – for instance, the 1956-62 war for independence involved rather more revolutionary forces than ...
The Pacific is on the front line of climate change, and if we don't cut emissions quickly, some countries are literally going to be underwater. Because of this, small Pacific states had tried to use this week's Pacific Islands Forum meeting to get Pacific countries to agree to ending coal ...
To Limit Another's Rights Is To Limit One's Own: Is it too much to expect senior members of our Government to be capable of explaining that we protect the rights of human-beings precisely because not even the most depraved act can cancel-out the fact that its perpetrator is also a ...
Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...
This section builds on Part 1 of this series to provide a theoretical basis for the final instalment (part 3 – to come). Self-determination: law or resurgence — or both? International law promotes the principal of equal treatment and self-determination, which includes peoples’ rights to freely pursue their social, cultural and ...
Everyone was outraged yesterday to learn that the Christchurch shooting accused had been able to send mail from prison to his Nazi fans, apparently pushing more hate. "How could this possibly happen", people asked. Simple: because New Zealand is a civilised country, and so we let prisoners send and receive ...
If we are to avoid dangerous anthropogenic climate change, we need to rapidly decarbonise our transport fleet. The good news: its starting to happen:The number of electric vehicles on New Zealand's roads have nearly tripled in the past two years. There are currently 15,453 registered electric vehicles (EVs), up ...
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...
Most economists agree that a currently slowing economy could do with some stimulus – and they would also agree that there is no shortage of infrastructure projects which could be brought to productive fruition with help from that stimulus. In view of the current practice of sub-contracting economic policy decisions ...
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ...
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ...
AN OPEN LETTER FOR SIGN ON BY ORGANISATIONS AND MOVEMENTS ACROSS THE WORLD, ALLIED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INEQUALITY. This letter was released at the UN Political Forum on 9 July, where the Sustainable Development Goal on inequality was reviewed. The purpose of the letter is to call out the ...
We asked a young gay science student and critic of trans ideology and the trans activists’ assault on women’s and gay rights to outline his views on Redline. Thanks to him for his article. by Cian Ó Catháin Gender identity ideology (Gender ID) is ripping through western society at full ...
The Environment Committee is currently hearing submissions on the Zero Carbon Bill, and Stuff is reporting on the submissions. Today, they're covering yesterday they heard from "NZ" Steel:NZ Steel has told MPs it may be forced to close with the loss of thousands of jobs if changes aren't made to ...
Students are striking against climate change on September 27. And this time, they're asking everyone to join them:Students are taking to the streets, beaches and parks on 27 September, and we're inviting everyone to join us. That's right, this is an intergenerational issue, and you're all invited to put pressure ...
Peter McKenzie has a piece on Newsroom this morning about how local body politics is awash with property developer cash. 70% of all the donations in the 2016 Wellington mayoral election came from property developers. And its pretty obvious what they want in exchange:That’s particularly important in local government, according ...
Source: Unknown, twitter user Recently, I wrote a (relatively) short paper titled as above, to explore what self-determination could like in a practical sense. Maybe I’m a bit of an international trade truther or something, but I absolutely believe trade is at the heart of achieving peace and self-determination. Since ...
In the 1960s, after I had graduated with a first-class Oxford postgraduate law degree, I joined the British Foreign Office as the top entrant of my year. There, I worked for a couple of years on European affairs and was eventually posted to the Embassy in Brussels. After this exposure ...
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...
I heard a 45 minute interview with Monica Lewinsky talking to TED’s Chris Anderson on BBC Radio 4 over the weekend, and have listened to it another two times out walking. I recommend it. Highly. Man, I am so impressed with how this woman has integrated her life experiences and ...
Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff, The Coddling of the American Mind: how good intentions and bad ideas are setting up a generation for failure, London, Penguin, 2019, 352pp; reviewed by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff’s book The Coddling of the American Mind is a timely book, whose ...
When the Justice Committee reported back on the Administration of Justice (Reform of Contempt of Court) Bill, free speech advocates breathed a sigh of relief. As originally introduced, the Bill reitered the ancient offence of "scandalising the court" - basicly, a special sedition law protecting judges from criticism. The select ...
Eighteen months ago, the government promised to strengthen the Bill of Rights Act, by explicitly affirming the power of the courts to issue declarations of inconsistency and requiring Parliament to formally respond to them. Since then - crickets. Which raises the obvious question: are they actually going to do this, ...
Back in March, the Ministry of Justice conducted a public consultation exercise on whether to hold a review of the Official Information Act. 285 people submitted on it. Now, Stuff has trawled through those submissions, and the case for reform is strong:The Justice Ministry asked Kiwis what they thought was ...
National's prisoner voting ban has gone down as one of the worst laws in New Zealand history. Passed after a farcical debate (including this farcial speech from ACT MP Hilary Calvert), it has subsequently been found to be inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act by the High Court, Court ...
Divided Loyalties: Can the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, be relied upon? That’s what the boys and girls at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon needed to be reassured about. Because, from the perspective of Washington, it’s looking more and more like Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party comrades are getting ready ...
This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...
by Daphna Whitmore US social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt spoke on 1 August in Auckland to a crowd of around one thousand people. He is best known for his bookThe Coddling of the American Mind which examines the new climate of trigger warnings and acute sensitivity of Gen Z. ...
What an extraordinarily depressing experience it is to be compelled to watch, at 12,000 miles distance, the contortions and machinations of the British political class as they set about their determined attempt to overturn the decision taken by the British people that they wish to leave the European Union. The ...
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...
by Don Franks Way back when British guitar virtuoso Joe Brown was a beginning session guy he got to back a visiting American artist. Young Joe was an able technician but had yet to learn some points of professionalism. Part way through “Five foot high and rising” Joe tired of ...
Since scientists started studying climate change, they have warned that it will reduce food production. And now, its happening:The climate crisis is damaging the ability of the land to sustain humanity, with cascading risks becoming increasingly severe as global temperatures rise, according to a landmark UN report compiled by some ...
The Abortion Legislation Bill just passed its first reading, 94-23. Its a far bigger margin than I expected, even allowing for the Winston factor, and it reflects the overwhelming support there is in this country for reform. but that support isn't a new thing - it has existed for literally ...
The Justice Committee has called for submissions on the Referendums Framework Bill. The Bill does what it says on the label - establishes a framework for referenda. Things you may want to address in your submission: Whether the bill should apply only at the 2020 election, or whether it should ...
The Thompson and Clark / MBIE spying scandal continues to result in fallout, this time in the form of a report on the implementation of MBIE's "Operation Exploration", its internal operation to enforce the infamous Anadarko Amendment which criminalised protests against the oil industry. MBIE's enforcement operation was tainted by ...
So, Winston Peters is defending his last-minute demand for a referendum on abortion by claiming he was "blindsided" by the bill. Really? The bill is a government bill. It has been working through the cabinet approval process since December last year. As part of that process, NZ First was consulted, ...
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...
‘Original Sin’ of Land Confiscation at Ihumātao is a wrong that can be put right by Government says Justice & Peace Commission of Catholic Diocese of Auckland ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a press conference on August 19 that her government is likely to impose new restrictions on prisoners’ rights to send letters. She said the law could be changed in “weeks.” ...
Heart-warming images of House Speaker Trevor Mallard cradling a baby in Parliament have been welcomed around New Zealand, but the Public Service Association warns most families can only dream of such support in the workplace. ...
Applying New Zealand’s international human rights commitments, particularly those in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, can help in resolving the situation at Ihumātao, Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt says. ...
Climate campaigners impersonating bank staff have taken to the streets this week to expose ANZ Bank’s sponsorship of the fossil fuel industry. In the series of satirical actions in Wellington, Dunedin, and Auckland, the ‘bank staff’ promoted ...
Auckland Action Against Poverty joins the Children’s Commissioner , The Green Party , The New Zealand Drugs Foundation , Child Poverty Action Group and other organisations in the calls for an immediate end to the drug testing benefit sanctions. ...
Negotiations between Port Otago workers represented by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) and the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and management failed today and the unions have issued notice of an overtime ban from Saturday 7th September. ...
Queenstown Lakes District Council’s comments that it has applied for a consent to pollute waterways to avoid 'prosecutions by the Otago Regional Council' are unacceptable,’ Fish & Game New Zealand Chief Executive Martin Taylor says. ...
On March 15, the real world impact of online hate became abundantly, horrifically clear. As a shooter opened fire at two Christchurch mosques, the online image board 8chan anticipated, celebrated and amplified his killing spree. ...
Friday, 23 August: Government delegates from around the world, including New Zealand, are meeting in New York for the third of four meetings at the United Nations to agree a Global Oceans Treaty that could help to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. Greenpeace ...
The excuses about a reportedly unwanted $57,000 payrise for Dunedin City Council CEO Sue Bidrose are laughable, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. ...
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance has launched the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” committing to no more than 2% annual rate hikes over the next Council term, and has written to all Mayoral and Council candidates asking them to sign. The pledge will ...
This Saturday, Pakuranga Hunt Day at the Ellerslie Racecourse will see anti-horse racing protesters demonstrating at the corner of Ascot Avenue and Greenlane East. ...
Mayoral candidate John Tamihere will meet with Pacific Island leaders and community elders today at Puhunui Reserve in South Auckland to commit to a Pasefika Cultural Centre. ...
Cruel and invalid Forced Swim Tests carried out at Victoria University of Wellington, will be exposed at the University Open Day today, so prospective students can be warned about the flawed and unethical research being conducted at the institute. ...
The organiser of the annual YWCA Equal Pay Awards has expressed her disappointment with the latest Gender Pay Gap figure for New Zealand workers. The figure rose slightly from 9.2% in 2018 to 9.3% for the quarter ended 30 June 2019. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to pass on information to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques now that the period for submissions has been extended to 27 September. ...
An application was filed in the Employment Relations Authority in Wellington today, seeking an injunction to prevent the Board of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation from removing the President from office. ...
The Government’s commitment to support literacy and numeracy training in the workplace is a strong signal from Government on recognising the importance of upskilling, reskilling and increasing productivity alongside their commitment to address the challenges ...
“The infrastructure sector sees a major role for the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga in lifting the nation’s sagging infrastructure performance,” says Paul Blair, incoming CEO of Infrastructure NZ. ...
The AA is calling on the Government to bring forward critical highway projects while time is spent properly developing the plans for a rapid transit system in Auckland. ...
Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, DHBs spent $280 million treating patients due to adverse drug reactions, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union in its latest briefing paper on health productivity . ...
The Pay Equity Coalition Auckland (PECA) is pleased the gender pay gap has decreased slightly. Statistics released today show the gap is now 11.9%, nearly 2 percent less than last year. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to make sure they pass on any information they have to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques before submissions close tomorrow (Friday). ...
The big electricity companies consider solar energy “disruptive” and want pricing to suppress it. In contrast, advocates of local energy say that solar, energy efficiency, and other local energy solutions are the cheapest ways to reduce carbon emissions. ...
The Earthquake Commission and Shine Lawyers are delighted to announce that EQC has reached an agreement with the Gibling family, agreeing to cover the cost of repairs of remaining earthquake damage on their property. ...
Four months into the inquiry, the Royal Commission is gathering significant information and continues to receive valuable submissions from the public, from current and former State servants, experts and community groups. ...
While Fish & Game New Zealand is pleased to see Federated Farmers Environment Spokesperson Chris Allen say that 'we all want good, fresh water', he conveniently overlooks some key facts. ...
What: Wellington demo “Save the Amazon Forest/Salve a Amazônia!” When: Friday, 6 September 2019 from 12:30-13:30 Where: Embassy of Brazil in Wellingtona ...
Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, welcomes the visit of His Excellency Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal. ...
A cross political Mental Health and Addictions Wellbeing group will be launched on Wednesday 28 August hosted by Sir John Kirwan and Moe Milne (ONZM) who have both been at the forefront of our country’s often difficult conversations about mental ...
Confirmation that the government will be progressing an independent Parliamentary Budget Office is great news for democracy and transparency, Federated Farmers says. ...
At first glance, Simon Bridges’ strident opposition to the government’s proposal to establish an independent office to cost political parties’ election spending plans looks childish and petty. ...
Euthanasia-Free NZ is appalled that Parliament spent so little time debating Part 2 of the End of Life Choice Bill and voted to leave it full of holes. ...
Jordan Williams, a spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance and its nationwide sister group the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is slamming Auckland Mayor Phil Goff for his comments today that John Tamihere would need the Government’s support to ...
A ‘one size fits all’, inflexible and punitive regulatory regime for water quality just gets backs - and costs - up and most importantly will not work, Federated Farmers says. ...
Mediation yesterday between secondary principals and the government has resulted in a deal that the principals' negotiating team is recommending to its members. ...
Clubs New Zealand welcomes the decision of Justice Minister Andrew Little to put forward a bill amending the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow all licensed premises to remain open for Rugby World Cup matches. ...
The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has ordered a review looking at labelling of added sugars in food and drinks. An option under investigation is ‘a pictorial approach applied to sugary beverages / sugar-sweetened beverages’ ...
Labour market data released by Statistics New Zealand today indicates that a gender pay gap persists in New Zealand, despite improvement in some areas. ...
In the midst of the 6th Great Extinction Event the coalition, STOP Trashing Our Planet is urging voters to take full responsibility for the legacy we are leaving our children. ...
LGNZ will carefully consider the proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) to assess if it meets the Government’s aim of enabling urban development or simply adds more red tape to the planning process. ...
Statistics out today from the Government show that the gender wage imbalance, or gap, in the average wage is 11.9%, a strong 2 percentage point improvement from 13.9% last year. The gender pay imbalance in the median wage is 9.3%. ...
Newstalk ZB Drive host and Herald on Sunday columnist Heather du Plessis-Allan is taking on the challenge of keeping 2019 Auckland Mayoral contenders Phil Goff and John Tamihere in line and on point in tonight’s live NZ Herald Newstalk ZB debate. ...
Ahead of debuting her solo show at New Zealand Fashion Week, Korean-NZ couture designer Cecilia Kang talks about growing up ‘feminine’, being influenced by the LGBTQ+ community, and why an ‘administrative error’ at Fashion Week left her so shaken up. ‘I like something big,” says Cecilia Kang, gesturing to the giant ...
The Labour Party is distancing itself from one of its members who is strongly pro-Beijing and has caused controversy in the Chinese community by standing for local office in Auckland. ...
Faced with staff shortages, equipment failures, cancer risks, and a jump in critical calls that can leave them traumatised, some firefighters are wondering if it’s time to hang up the hose. Gareth Shute reports on the dissatisfaction inside Fire and Emergency New Zealand.The state of our nation’s fire service is ...
“She comes over. You’re my mother, she says. Yes, I say. I don’t know you, she says”: a mother and child seaside story by Wellington author Jan Pryor. Photo by Peter Black. ...
On Monday the government announced its new five-year strategy to reduce the Māori prison population. Emilie Rākete looks at another ‘kaupapa Māori’ prison initiative that degrades prisoners and asks if Corrections are capable of seeing it through.On August 19th, the Department of Corrections announced Hōkai Rangi, its new strategy intended ...
By Michael Andrew The Indonesian media is contributing to resentment and racism toward Papuans, according to a human rights researcher and former journalist. Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch Jakarta told Pacific Media Watch many Indonesian journalists either view Papuans as enemy “separatists” or deviants and their reporting tends to convey these ...
Analysis - The prime minister puts a stake in the ground over petrol prices, National balks at having its election promises costed and the government puts millions into helping the homeless. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo, PhD candidate, University of Sydney Record fires are raging in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, with more than 2,500 fires currently burning. They are collectively emitting huge amounts of carbon, with smoke plumes visible thousands of kilometres away. Fires in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Post-doctoral researcher, La Trobe University Basketball fans around the world were recently sickened by the footage of NBA star Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon rupturing during a game. But while many think it’s only elite athletes who suffer from Achilles tendon ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University The possibility of blackouts affecting half of Victoria has attracted plenty of attention to a document once read only by industry insiders and policy wonks: the Electricity Statement of Opportunities. The Statement, updated ...
George Clooney sold his tequila company for a billion dollars – but is the stuff any good? The Spinoff finds out. Imagine being so stupidly sexy you sneeze and sell a billion-dollar booze company. That’s what George Clooney did last year, flicking off the tequila business he started accidentally with an ...
The departure of "two Pākehā men" from the government's justice reform group will not hurt the quality of its final report, another member of the team says. ...
Combatting internet-related harm is being stymied by inter-industry disagreement and a lack of information about the extent and nature of the problem, a new report says. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, J.W. Nevile Fellow in Economics and host of The Airport Economist, UNSW Amid the tributes to former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer and the stories of his authenticity, courage and quirky interests – like trains and military history – what ...
Current leader of the National Party, Simon Bridges.Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Is Simon Bridges really trying to channel Donald Trump? Or is he taking his cue from Scott Morrison? Or is he looking to emulate Boris Johnson? Whatever the inspiration, there’s been a clear change in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]Michelle Grattan talks about the sad news of the passing of former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer with University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Deep Saini. They also discuss Scott Morrison’s recent announcement about joining ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. Record depths were ...
Simon Day dined alone at Monique Fiso’s Wellington restaurant Hiakai, and discovered it was the perfect way to appreciate the meaning of this special food. “Would you like a few more minutes with your phone?” the waitress at Hiakai asked sympathetically as I mashed a final goodbye text to my wife ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Willamson, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Australia’s gender pay gap is diminishing, says a new report, but some contributors to it seem harder to overcome than others. For me, the finding hit close to home. The report, by KPMG for ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Te Tiriti o Waitangi: The Treaty of Waitangi by Toby Morris with Ross Calman, Mark Derby, and ...
Honey producer Comvita has confirmed a full year net loss of $27.7m with China market access restrictions and tougher regulations locally affecting the company's sales. ...
James Elliott realises John Tamihere's uncosted bridge proposal wasn't actually a metaphor, but a fine example of 'folks is mighty generous with money what they ain’t got'. ...
A new poem by Oamaru-born poet Nick Ascroft.SupermanHalfway up the ascent zigzagging from Royal Terrace to upper Stuart Street carrying four too-heavy grocery bags I begin to understand that I will not make it. My huffing personage – from the fingers, white with the strain, to a face the colour of rhubarb – will ooze into the pavement and roll slowly ...
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in reality television and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s.Sound the alarm, because it’s time for another absolute chaos pod. We’re talking haunted dolls in Waipu, we’re talking giant hands taking over Wellington, we’re talking soft serve cones dipped in powdered Milo. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Press, Adjunct Professor, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania This week, the ABC revealed that the Australian Defence Force wants to roll out military technology in Antarctica. The article raises the issue of what is, or is not, ...
New Zealand teacher aides say their pay reflects an outdated idea of what they do. Elizabeth McLeod hears from four TAs, and one parent, about the classroom realities they face every dayCleaning up poo, defusing violent situations, copping physical and verbal abuse: these are the realities of a teacher aide’s ...
The lanky sidekick from Jono and Ben journeys around New Zealand trying to solve small town problems. Does he succeed?Guy Williams, hardly a shy, retiring type, has been screaming out for his own vehicle for years. A loud, lanky, fearless comic, he’s spent nearly a decade in MediaWorks purgatory, sat ...
Ballot Box.Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – The nature of New Zealand general election campaigns could be significantly changed with the proposed establishment of an “umpire” to adjudicate over political party manifesto policies. A suggestion has been put forward by the Government for the establishment of a parliamentary watchdog ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Ihumātao Delphine Herbert and Dan Satherley (Newshub): Tainui to buy Ihumātao land – sources Danielle ...
Extinction Rebellion takes a tour of downtown Wellington to point out the coal industry stalwarts and ask why they’re still there in the face of a climate emergency. “There are coal companies in Wellington??”That’s the incredulous response every single time we mention taking the public on a tour of the biggest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel A. Ankeny, Professor of History and Philosophy, and Deputy Dean Research (Faculty of Arts), University of Adelaide The South Australian government recently announced its intention to lift the long-standing statewide moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops, following a statutory six-week consultation ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vicki Sentas, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Law, UNSW Being strip searched by the police can be intrusive, humiliating and harmful. Typically, strip searches involve being required to strip naked in front of police officers, who often give the direction to “squat and cough”, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Remond, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Hi, I was just wondering if something’s wrong with me because I’m never happy and never want to do anything and I’m getting really lazy and I really hate school. Thanks – Anonymous ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Zaphir, Researcher for the University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project; and Online Teacher at Education Queensland’s IMPACT Centre, The University of Queensland From as early as Grade 3 teachers start teaching children how to put across their own points of view. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW It’s four years since then Prime Minister Tony Abbott warned Australia had been heading to “a Greek-style economic future”. He was referring to what he said had been happening under the previous Labor government. When Labor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samia Khatun, Senior Lecturer, SOAS, University of London Some 1,000 kilometres inland from Sydney, over the Blue Mountains, past the trees that drink the tributaries of the Darling River, there stands a little, red mosque. It marks where the desert begins. The ...
Online gambling is growing fast in New Zealand, but critics say new government ideas for regulating websites focus on what's good for the industry, rather than protecting people from harm. ...
An "extreme pro-Beijing" writer has caused controversy in the Chinese community and awkwardness for the Labour Party by standing for political office in Auckland. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Concern about slow progress for major transport projects, smoking researcher under pressure over funding, and hikoi marches from Ihumātao to Ardern’s office.NZTA is struggling to get spending out the door, so the money isn’t flowing through the economy, reports Thomas Coughlan ...
Open mike 29/03/2019 
. . Former Police, Corrections, and Justice Minister in the previous John Key government, Judith Collins, has been ridiculed on social media after posting a comment on Twitter that was patently untrue; . Wrong!! National did not remove Prisoners’ ability to vote. Parliament voted through a Private Member’s Bill ...41 mins ago
Speaker Trevor Mallard was left to look after Jones, while his usual caretaker, Winston Peters, underwent surgery. A truly adorable scene from Parliament yesterday has gone viral, after Speaker Trevor Mallard cradled an extremely drunk Shane Jones in his arms while the House was in session. Loud “awwww”s could be ...14 hours ago
Western media have defended their decision not to cover the fires so as not to give them any oxygen. Social media outrage continues to grow around the sentiment that mainstream western media is devoting too little coverage to an ongoing series of fires in the Amazon rainforest, and in doing ...15 hours ago
A Long Time Ago, In A Parallel Universe Far, Far Away: The political journalist scratched his head in confusion. Only then did he notice the name of the building: ‘The Jacinda Ardern Presidential Library and Public Resource Centre’. Making his way inside to the information desk, he asked the librarian ...20 hours ago
22 hours ago
Nothing from me tody - I'm off to Christchurch to pretend to be other people for a weekend. Normal bloggage should resume on Tuesday. ...22 hours ago
Spark is bracing for a customer backlash as rugby fans all across the country struggle to get a picture on their wireless router. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, an elderly Taranaki couple are furious after being told that they still won’t be able to watch the tournament, even ...1 day ago
Several explosions have been reported across Auckland, as well-meaning environmentalists have already begun purchasing too much petrol Starting from next week, customers will no longer need a car to purchase petrol directly from the pump, a development that two major fuel providers are billing as an opportunity to help fight ...1 day ago
A new study claims to find that a mother’s exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy may decrease the IQ of male children – but is it correct? (Photo: Getty Images) Anti-fluoride campaigners are promoting ... 2 days ago
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by Jan Rivers More than 30 years ago a Commission of Inquiry was held in New Zealand to investigate, amongst other things, whether women with cervical cancer were aware that they had been part of a research project and whether they were properly informed of the treatment options ...4 days ago
Everyone Wants To Be Fuhrer: When fascist groups are discussed, the image conjured-up in the minds of most New Zealanders is one of pathetic misfits. This negative impression is reinforced by the latter’s idiotic embrace of the swastika. Even in the second decade of the twenty-first century, the baleful legacy ...4 days ago
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...6 days ago
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...6 days ago
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...1 week ago
1 week ago
Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...1 week ago
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...1 week ago
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...1 week ago
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...1 week ago
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...1 week ago
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...1 week ago
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ... 1 week ago
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...2 weeks ago
Divided Loyalties: Can the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, be relied upon? That’s what the boys and girls at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon needed to be reassured about. Because, from the perspective of Washington, it’s looking more and more like Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party comrades are getting ready ...2 weeks ago
This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...2 weeks ago
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...2 weeks ago
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...2 weeks ago
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...2 weeks ago
‘Original Sin’ of Land Confiscation at Ihumātao is a wrong that can be put right by Government says Justice & Peace Commission of Catholic Diocese of Auckland ...13 hours ago
Ahead of debuting her solo show at New Zealand Fashion Week, Korean-NZ couture designer Cecilia Kang talks about growing up ‘feminine’, being influenced by the LGBTQ+ community, and why an ‘administrative error’ at Fashion Week left her so shaken up. ‘I like something big,” says Cecilia Kang, gesturing to the giant ...41 mins ago
The Labour Party is distancing itself from one of its members who is strongly pro-Beijing and has caused controversy in the Chinese community by standing for local office in Auckland. ...42 mins ago
Faced with staff shortages, equipment failures, cancer risks, and a jump in critical calls that can leave them traumatised, some firefighters are wondering if it’s time to hang up the hose. Gareth Shute reports on the dissatisfaction inside Fire and Emergency New Zealand.The state of our nation’s fire service is ...2 hours ago
“She comes over. You’re my mother, she says. Yes, I say. I don’t know you, she says”: a mother and child seaside story by Wellington author Jan Pryor. Photo by Peter Black. ...2 hours ago
On Monday the government announced its new five-year strategy to reduce the Māori prison population. Emilie Rākete looks at another ‘kaupapa Māori’ prison initiative that degrades prisoners and asks if Corrections are capable of seeing it through.On August 19th, the Department of Corrections announced Hōkai Rangi, its new strategy intended ...3 hours ago
By Michael Andrew The Indonesian media is contributing to resentment and racism toward Papuans, according to a human rights researcher and former journalist. Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch Jakarta told Pacific Media Watch many Indonesian journalists either view Papuans as enemy “separatists” or deviants and their reporting tends to convey these ...8 hours ago
Analysis - The prime minister puts a stake in the ground over petrol prices, National balks at having its election promises costed and the government puts millions into helping the homeless. ...12 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo, PhD candidate, University of Sydney Record fires are raging in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, with more than 2,500 fires currently burning. They are collectively emitting huge amounts of carbon, with smoke plumes visible thousands of kilometres away. Fires in ...13 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Post-doctoral researcher, La Trobe University Basketball fans around the world were recently sickened by the footage of NBA star Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon rupturing during a game. But while many think it’s only elite athletes who suffer from Achilles tendon ...14 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University The possibility of blackouts affecting half of Victoria has attracted plenty of attention to a document once read only by industry insiders and policy wonks: the Electricity Statement of Opportunities. The Statement, updated ...15 hours ago
Internet freedom advocates have slammed the Government for proposing censorship of online gambling sites. ...15 hours ago
George Clooney sold his tequila company for a billion dollars – but is the stuff any good? The Spinoff finds out. Imagine being so stupidly sexy you sneeze and sell a billion-dollar booze company. That’s what George Clooney did last year, flicking off the tequila business he started accidentally with an ...15 hours ago
As Indonesia cracks down on protests in the disputed West Papua territory, the Government has declined to condemn the violence. ...15 hours ago
Combatting internet-related harm is being stymied by inter-industry disagreement and a lack of information about the extent and nature of the problem, a new report says. ...16 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, J.W. Nevile Fellow in Economics and host of The Airport Economist, UNSW Amid the tributes to former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer and the stories of his authenticity, courage and quirky interests – like trains and military history – what ...16 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. Record depths were ...17 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Willamson, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Australia’s gender pay gap is diminishing, says a new report, but some contributors to it seem harder to overcome than others. For me, the finding hit close to home. The report, by KPMG for ...18 hours ago
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New Zealand teacher aides say their pay reflects an outdated idea of what they do. Elizabeth McLeod hears from four TAs, and one parent, about the classroom realities they face every dayCleaning up poo, defusing violent situations, copping physical and verbal abuse: these are the realities of a teacher aide’s ...21 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samia Khatun, Senior Lecturer, SOAS, University of London Some 1,000 kilometres inland from Sydney, over the Blue Mountains, past the trees that drink the tributaries of the Darling River, there stands a little, red mosque. It marks where the desert begins. The ...1 day ago
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An "extreme pro-Beijing" writer has caused controversy in the Chinese community and awkwardness for the Labour Party by standing for political office in Auckland. ...1 day ago
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Concern about slow progress for major transport projects, smoking researcher under pressure over funding, and hikoi marches from Ihumātao to Ardern’s office.NZTA is struggling to get spending out the door, so the money isn’t flowing through the economy, reports Thomas Coughlan ...1 day ago
All the identicons seem to have disappeared since yesterday!? Tried Edge and Chrome.
lprent
All our pretty colours have gone. We need some images to brighten our pages of stark considerations. Helpfully yours, greywarshark.
It’s also a pretty good way of picking commenters I like to read as I scroll down OM.
Fixed. The identicon button was unchecked, though I don’t know why. As far as I know, the identicons don’t slow page loading or have any impact on the way pages look, so I guess it was entirely unintentional. Lprent will put me right in his usual style if I’ve got that wrong 😉
Good fix. I was bit busy.
But probably just an accident.
” New Zealand is on track. One child dies in NZ as a result of abuse every five weeks.
Three children are dead so far in New Zealand this year as a result of domestic violence and it is not even the end of March.
In many cases they get fleeting news coverage and we may not even learn their names.
Names matter. We refuse to speak the name of the mosque murderer in our search for non-violence. We won’t give him any air time – he was not us, says Prime Minister Jacinda Adern. He does not exist.
But he did. He really did! And so do the children that are dying in New Zealand as a result of domestic violence occurring right here. We need to speak their names. We need to be just as outraged by their deaths as we are by the mosque killings.
Yet we keep quiet about them because they are our national shame. We look the other way.
Currently there is an almost obscene celebration of ourselves as New Zealanders.
Adern has carefully crafted a response to a terrorist act in New Zealand so that tables have been completely turned and we have come up smelling of roses.
The message is: ‘This is not us – it is just one individual who lost the plot’.
Adern really is a good leader – she is doing well in protecting our national identity. National identities are important in a global economy.
I think it is wrong that the world’s tallest building (in Dubai) is lit up with an image of Jacinda Adern when our own dying children in New Zealand get limited media coverage.
Frankly, it’s tacky.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12215934
I agree.
And there’s not much more I can add….other than I won’t be celebrating our Our National Day of Unity until we sort this shit out.
So true Rosemary thanks for reminding us.
Blurb on NZ standards from the government on-line:
(How many people are employed in PR and seriously compromising their own integrity by writing this shit with a sure hand?)
Family Life in New Zealand | New Zealand Now
https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/why-choose-nz/family-friendly
Nov 12, 2018 – But rest assured, New Zealand is a great place to bring up children. It’s why so many Kiwis living abroad come back home when it’s time to start nesting. … There are wonderful opportunities for young people to grow up with easy … Families in New Zealand get great support from a range of public services.
Maori have numerous systems going and success. But society is up against television and its content that is probably more anti-social than positive, also drugs – alcohol, mj, other chemicals, lack of meaningful jobs with decent pay,
peer pressure and modelling; also a general lack of respect from ignorant, snooty pakeha and middle-class whites who patronise and judge, is an observation of mine.
There has been action also from the private sector generally, and not all just to get on the money bandwagon from government. Which is how some charter schools see things when bad, but not all charter schools are no good, government should ensure better standards, mentors and overview.
Parents Centre –
https://www.parentscentre.org.nz/lobyingandadvocacy/default.asp
(Not always helped financially by government.)
Helping parents shouldn’t be a vacuum that business jumps in to fill
to sell their product.
https://www.momentumlife.co.nz/stories/why-kids-should-have-chores
About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance, Funeral insurance and Accident insurance in New Zealand.
https://www.lifetimeincome.co.nz/about-us/news/2017/october/meet-the-grandparents-raising-their-grandchildren/
Life insurance – retirement plans.
Middle class working parent.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/parenting/24-01-2018/working-mothers-make-great-employees-so-stop-being-an-asshole-about-them/
http://www.homeandfamily.net.nz/about/ (120 years in Christchurch)
https://www.theparentingplace.com/our-story/
Ian and Mary Grant (Christian)
https://www.iosis.org.nz/about-us/story/
Baptist Christian – Mangere, Manurewa, Papakura.
There is Thrive – which sounds good but with little information about the people running it, no names. Under Waves Trust, 7 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson.
http://www.thrive.org.nz/contact/
Our Vision
Young parents and their children are able to reach their full potential by being connected and secure within their families and communities.
Our Mission
Thriving young people, parents and families.
Mahi tahi
We are a small team of social workers, support staff and volunteers who are committed to helping young teenage parents and their whānau flourish and thrive.
What we do
We offer a range of innovative one on one wrap around support along with various programmes that are tailored and targetted towards the needs, hopes and aspirations of teen parents.
Our first priority is the wellbeing of you and your unborn or new born baby, pepi. We work in partnership with teen parents to be or new teen parents, by ensuring that your voice is heard and that we speak with you and not for you.
The aim of all that we do is based on working to break through and address any and all of the pressing issues that a young parent, young couple face as they look to strengthen and uphold their new roles as parents to be or new parents.
Our highly skilled staff are there to guide, shape and assist every step of the way. We are have a strong reputation of building and maintaining a solid relationship with teen parents and their baby, pepi through an effective and continuous quality service provision.
WHY?
The team is focused on ensuring that you are given the necessary support, tools, and information that will improve the health and well-being of you and your child. Our commitment is based on teen parents reaching and fulfilling their potential and reaching their goals.
(This is the work and the attitude about the social need, that the government should be showing itself not through a second party.)
Then there is government’s Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children. I wonder how Maori feel they are getting on with their job? Can’t see an overview on that but I imagine there will be one.
I have remembered more info that is valid for this and put it up further along the post.
Substance abuse. I wonder if substance use/abuse is recorded when a death or extreme neglect and abuse are investigated?
Because I’ll bet that in the vast majority of cases alcohol use and abuse and/or legal or illegal drug use are significant factors.
My happy day will be when alcohol use attracts the same degree of social opprobrium as tobacco smoking.
Yes, it is there like an unreliable cat waiting for the right moment to bite you on the ankle. So nice to look at, so innocent a pleasure, and so difficult to know how to protect yourself. I have avoided having that, but others I know have been bitten.
The only thing about smoking is that it has become established. It is stupid not to notice how Prohibition went in the USA – it encouraged crime and now with tobacco becoming hard to obtain because of the price, it has gone up on the Bell curve of effectiveness from pricing to falling effectiveness because of the enhancement of the price raising the intrinsic value of the ciggies.
Hi Rosemary, I agree about the horrific rate we harm our vulnerable.
It is simplistic click bait shenanagins to convolute Prime Minister Arderns response to the Mosque murders, with our harm of our tamariki.
Our leader has already identified child poverty as the one issue she wants to address.
“… simplistic click bait shenanagins…”
Really? When I read Tulloch’s piece it resonated.
“What if we were to form a mass vigil for all the children who have died in New Zealand as a result of child abuse? One candle for every little life. Between 2010 and 2016 that was 66 lives.
What if we demanded an adequate social welfare system within which children and families had wrap around care?
What if we valued children so much in New Zealand that our leader Adern would raise the pay of our teachers in early childhood and schools to demonstrate the value of their work?
But she didn’t. And we looked the other way. We did not call a mass uprising to say we wanted our teachers and schools supported. We did not yell loud enough and say ‘this is not us’.
If the recent death of the child in Maketu doesn’t raise the hairs on your arms in the same way that the spine-chilling hakas did in the aftermath of the shootings it is because we have normalised it.
Another child has died in suspicious circumstances in New Zealand and we are in no position to deny that we are a violent society.”
All this ‘this is not us’ bullshit….I’m over it. It is us. We kill our kids.
I agree we need to be making a huge fuss about it and start doing some serious research into why it is happening. And start to fix it.! There are lots of theories and ideas, of course, but in order to start making the first meaningful steps to stop these tragic happenings we need some serious data and a workable plan.
We have most of the data already.
The new IDI might be able to produce deeper information about relationships and generational issues, but there’s only so far one can go with probabilistic ID linkage between such diverse datasets.
I suspect the main problem is that the numbers of mortality are too low to get real relationships from, and the gap between detecting non-lethal abuse/neglect and identifying it in the morgue is so wide. Even though health professionals are getting better at looking for it, there’d still be a massive underreporting of child injuries resulting from assault – often difficult to tell an arm broken by accident with an arm broken by dragging etc. So we see the ones who turn up dead, but you’d be lucky to see maybe a quarter of assault injuries attributed to something other than accident.
So basically asfar as I can see the main thing we can do is lower family stress by reducing inequality and hardship, throwing more social workers at everyone, and then hoping that the upper-income sociopaths get outed by their kids at school.
Indeed, Rosemary…
There is a twisted sense of self being presented around by ‘Nz’, from what I have observed…
It is nothing new, as you well know…and from the experiences you share here…
The most vulnerable are still treated poorly and seemingly not valued…
Youth suicide rates…
Bullying and abuse (from all sources)…
NZ is not a united country…
It is a severley damaged and deluded one…
“It is a severley damaged and deluded one…”
OOOOOH …. Eric Idle, – my absolute favourite of the Python team !
There’s just something about his eyes, his face shape, his voice , mannerisms that perfectly suited his comic cheeky , cheerful persona, – Life of Brian , – speaking to the Roman guard … ” Nah – I’m only pullin’ your leg ,- its crucifixion really , yeah I know the way , out the door , one cross each, line on the left ”
Hahahaa! – as if hes an old hand at being crucified and its just the same old , same old , humdrum routine …
The guy used to have me in hysterics of laughter 🙂
Monty Python – Crucifixion – YouTube
Hoots ethos must be really feeling threatened, he slips the knife into Winston again over at the fish wrap this morning. 2020 is sure going to be an interesting election.
The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing again and expecting a different result.
Hootz and MSM still trying to drive the nail into Winnie ?
Still haven’t figured out it requires a stake through the heart and earnest prayer.
Mcflock is anti Winnie so you would use a nail gun for sure.
Winnie is legendary and the oldest sitting MP so don’t count him out as you will fail.
Not particularly anti. It’s just that the dude has survived more announcements of his political demise than Christopher Lee turned to dust in all the Hammer Horrors combined.
Big ups to all those attending the service this morning in Hagley Park…
An overly heavy weight fell upon the city, still rebuilding its strength post-eqs. You can almost touch it. It is on people’s faces. It will take time to dissipate.
grim
heavy
burdensome
(of course, the city is a minor bit-part and thoughts and wishes go first and foremost to the victims and their families and communities.)
It was a special event, an involving experience for everyone (& there were many), full of character and community; & a huge credit to all involved in putting together such a good display of NZ values of respect.
Americans must be getting pretty desperate for regime change in Venezuela now.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/28/venezuela-blackout-latest-news-maduro-sniper-prayers
Why does the USA have to poke it’s nose in everywhere, they need to tidy up the shambles they have at home ?
Agreed. American leadership is so shite their citizens are openly embarrassed, and for some time now many travelling pretend to be Canadian to take the heat off.
https://www.outsideonline.com/2201026/stop-telling-people-youre-canada
How’s them eggs for national pride?
Wethe peole,
you must be young saying that.
I am a naturalised Canadian and Kiwi born too.
I went to live in Canada in 1968 when the anti-Vietnam war riots were spreading around the US and US young were dogging the ‘draft’ to go to Vietnam so this is a historical event that happens every time politics changes rapidly,
This time it’s Trump draining the ‘Washington swamp’ finally, so maybe some of the former ‘Washington intelligence staff’ are running away from being tracked as US citizens.
‘..dogging the draft…” 😆
higherstandard
“dodging the draft”‘
Not me, as I did my time in the NZ army in 1964.
But the US kids were leaving US and coming over the border to Toronto where I was then as i bumped into several of them there.
Had some relations here from the UK recently who had been travelling through Asia and Australia, they said any Americans they met would say they are from the State they are from in the USA rather than the USA. Does that tell you something about how they feel about the USA and it’s International Relations ?
‘Cause Venezuela has ‘their’ oil.
Russian troops have landed in Venezuela, no doubt that will making a few waves for trump.
“The arrival of two Russian air force planes carrying nearly 100 Russian troops outside Caracas on Saturday has escalated the political crisis in Venezuela.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/trump-tells-russia-troops-venezuela-190327171525621.html
Cuba had to do the same thing in the 1960’s to protect itself from USA aggression ?
Hooton decay
Admittedly, Matthew is enmeshed in a rather abysmal lot. There is Hosking who daily writes about Hosking and little else.
There is Audrey Young who struggles in later life to know what a Topic is. Whether on Dan’s panel – Or Whatever. Although she is marginally more alive than Johnny Armstrong.
So from the large Herald nursery, only about two writers cut the mustard with Fact and Humour and Balance.
I punished myself today and read a bit of smooth Hooton dated 2004, where he was jacking up National in a bouquet of Flowers and Perfume – and a Brash of bright future. Oh Yeah.
Hooton does nothing but unjack everyone – EXCEPT – his idols – Johnny Key, Frau Bennett and Billy English, each of whom gave New Zealand great wealth. Huge wealth. Incredible wealth. Tax Cuts Tax Cuts Tax Cuts.
National have decided they must get rid of Winston Peters. He is too good to be allowed to stay alive. He is a threat to Simon. Equally a threat to “strange person of power” Papakura Collins. He is the enemy of excessive Wealth.
Not a single Journalist of the Herald has ever written a word about the real people of New Zealand.
The ones who go to work. Often two jobs a day. Both Parents. Struggling to pay for a bit of Fonterra’s bland cheese. Unhoused. Batted around by Dickensian Landlords.
Hooton is in decay. Yes. But he is not the only one who has hated and destroyed the backbone of the real people of this our Nation.
Home ownership keeps dropping. Kiwi paradise of renting forever must be maintain say Bridges. It’s the kiwi way to improvise more and more kiwis.
The Banks are not lending at present and are scared to lend on new building projects as the market may crash ?
The Banks are in the business of making money for their shraeholders, they are not interested in economic growth or looking after New Zealanders.
The NZ Banks are looking after their major shareholders in Australia and the USA.
The Labour Government was stupid selling the BNZ to Fay Richwhite IMHO ?
Michael Fay and David Richwhite infamous!! Yes and they hollowed it out sold shares to the workers in the bank branches complete with loans to buy their shonkey shares!!
Luckily my eldest son needed our signature on the loan and we explained why we thought it was a bad idea. Son was so relieved. No job and a debt was how they left many having unloaded worthless shares.
The bank folded and those people were left paying for fresh air. That pair went to Ireland and did similar over there.
Yep did the same thing to British Rail.
“Not a single Journalist of the Herald has ever written a word about the real people of New Zealand.
The ones who go to work. Often two jobs a day. Both Parents. Struggling to pay for a bit of Fonterra’s bland cheese. Unhoused. Batted around by Dickensian Landlords.”
Oh – so you mean your definition of ‘real people of new zealand’.
Plenty of tea New Zealanders are going perfectly fine and dandy – they are real New Zealanders as well.
James yes agree all the “parasites” working for the overseas banks and corporates who are stripping NZ and it’s workers ?
Sambimbo out, jimbo in.
100% OT. Well expressed.
Horeskin is infatuated with himself and his horeskin ?
Latest NZ scientific climate change report today 29th March 2019.
NZ P.M. Jacinda Ardern needs to read this NZ scientific report released today.
Our NZ climate is now moving out of reach of changing it so this report from senior NZ scientists are warning the Labour coalition Government.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC1903/S00049/global-state-of-the-cliate-2018-expert-reaction.htm
SCOOP
Global State of the Climate 2018 – Expert Reaction
Friday, 29 March 2019, 9:17 am
Press Release: Science Media Centre
The physical signs and socio-economic impacts of climate change are accelerating according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
In their 2018 State of the Global Climate report, they say 2018 saw record sea level rise and exceptionally high land and ocean temperatures over the past four years, continuing the warming trend observed over the past two decades.
The statement also covers climate impacts on human populations over the past year, such as at climate hazards, displacements and food security.
The SMC asked experts to comment, feel free to use these comments in your reporting.
Professor James Renwick, climate scientist and Head of the VUW School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, comments:
“The 25th annual State of the Climate report from the WMO is an excellent and accessible summary, but it makes for sobering reading. Carbon dioxide concentrations are at record levels, ocean heat content and sea levels are both at record highs, sea ice extent is well below normal in both hemisphere, glaciers and ice sheets are melting. On and on in the now-familiar litany of all the ways the climate is warming and changing around us. Even more worrying is the range of associated extreme weather events and impacts on human populations. World hunger is on the rise and we are now talking of millions of people displaced as a result of weather and climate extremes.
“Ecosystems are being affected worldwide, on land and in the oceans, where acidification is associated with rising temperatures and loss of dissolved oxygen. The record heat in New Zealand and the Tasman Sea during summer 2017/18 is an example of what we can expect much more of in future years. With no action on climate change, that record warm summer in New Zealand would be counted as a cold summer in another 50 years. The associated increases in climate and weather extremes would displace hundreds of millions and would threaten the fabric of societies everywhere.
“The globe is currently running a temperature of about 1°C above pre-industrial levels. To rein in the warming at no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial, global emissions need to halve by 2030, and go to zero by 2050. Yet, emissions increased to record levels in 2018! Policy-makers must really take on board that climate change is an existential threat to global society, to the global economy, and to all ecosystems on earth. I hope the planned United Nations Climate Action Summit later this year really galvanises action by governments around the world.”
No conflict of interest.
Gregor Macara, climate scientist, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), comments:
“In a week that has seen the highest 48-hour rainfall total ever in New Zealand, it seems fitting that the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is highlighting the increasing impacts of climate change around the world.
“New Zealand is far from immune and has experienced many of the indicators the WMO has concluded are becoming more pronounced globally.
“These include:
• New Zealand’s hottest ever month in January 2018 when the mean temperature was 20.3°C, a remarkable 3.1°C above average
• At New Zealand climate stations over the past six years, for every record or near-record low monthly mean temperature there have been 12 record or near-record highs.
• A hot March this year – higher temperatures than what it’s usually like in mid to late summer.
• Marine heatwaves over the past two summers – likely a contributor to this week’s wettest 48 hours on record.
• A near record 40-day dry spell in Nelson this summer which included significant wildfires.
• 2018 coming in at NZ’s equal-second warmest year on record .” [High-res graph available here under creative commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)].
No conflict of interest.
Professor Jim Salinger, Visiting Scholar, Penn State University, comments:
“The 25th Anniversary issue shows hastening climate warming globally. This was true for the New Zealand region, a combined land and marine area of 4 million sq. km (the size of the Indian subcontinent), with the warmest year on 150 years of land and sea records.
“It is very alarming that the carbon dioxide levels reaching a highest 406 ppm – up from 280 ppm in the 19th century, and methane jumping unexpectedly by 25 ppb to a record 1850 ppb by 2017.
“The extra 3.7 mm of sea level rise will be very significant for the coast of Australia, and especially New Zealand with its many seaside urban areas and long coasts.
“The record warm summer ending in February 2019 produced the largest ice loss on the Southern Alps glaciers since the regular end of summer snowline surveys started 42 years ago.
“We’ve seen Queensland Groper in the Bay of Islands, Northland, 3000 km out of range, snapper in Milford Sound in Fiordland, and massive mortality in the aquaculture fisheries of the Marlborough Sounds. These are a harbinger of climate in the latter part of the 20th century if we do not take action to reduce emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and the production of greenhouse gases from other sources such as waste and agriculture immediately.”
No conflict of interest.
ends
Science Media Centre NZ
Our aim is to promote accurate, evidence-based reporting on science and technology by helping the media work more closely with the scientific community.
The Science Media Centre is New Zealand’s only trusted, independent source of information for the media on all issues related to science. Thousands of news stories providing context from and quoting New Zealand researchers have been published as a direct result of our work.
Contact Science Media Centre NZ
• Website – http://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
• Email – smc@sciencemediacentre.co.nz
• Phone – +64 4 499 5476
• Mobile – +64 21 859 365
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• Twitter – @smcnz
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• Postal Address – PO Box 598, Wellington 6140
Thanks CG! Would have missed it otherwise
I’m so grateful to see the entire text of the media release faithfully pasted here including the contact details. That newfangled hyperlinking idea will never catch on. Off to scribe some papyrus and summon my faithful carrier pigeon.
Basic science says planetary gas traps heat, so digging up and burning carbon would inevitably increase the temperature globally. Especially if nothing is done to stop the concentration of co2 in the atmosphere. It really does not matter whether we have past the tipping point, we have or we will if nothing changes. So let’s grow the co2 level some more…
So we are running at the cliff, it looks now that we’ve run right off the top…
You know that you don’t need to post the entire thing after the link.
You trying to channel Ed?
Knowing what is relevant seems beyond some folk.
PM Jacinda Ardern was at the Memorial Service this morning, Soon she flies for a one day meeting with China. She will probably read that Report on her way. I’m sure James Shaw will read it as well.
Cleangreen, I know you didn’t mean to make it sound like she is neglectful, but it did rather read that way. Her plate is full.
A terrorist Attack which killed 50 and injured as many more.
A flight to China to salvage relations.
Gun law changes.
A Climate Change Tipping point Report.
A budget being prepared.
The ongoing repairs and replacements needed because of previous neglect.
I so admire this young woman who has taken on that role with such aplomb and sincerity.
She will do her level best for us all, and next election it is to be hoped we vote her a greater mandate to bring in change.
True that Patricia,
I marched on that day and held two banners up saying save rail save a planet.
I am nervous as the murders have shifted the spotlight off the most serious issue we now face for us and our children’s future.
I am 75 so don’t feel personally threatened as my life is now limited but when I look at my 7yr old grandson I almost cry at what he will face going forward so Jacinda must feel this too with a very young Girl under a year old.
We must keep up the pressure for change now.
Yes Cleangreen, at 77 I feel the same. Cheers.
In case you have missed it –
Face book is banning all white nationalist content.
https://www.vox.com/technology/2019/3/27/18284319/facebook-instagram-white-nationalism-ban
Meanwhile:
Twitter is considering labeling Trump tweets that violate its rules:
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/28/tech/trump-twitter-rules-label/index.html
Well I guess even that little step is something on the way to cleaning up the garbage tip that these ‘social media’ sites have created over the past decade.
There is still a long way to go.
Well I hope that Twitter applies some consistency and removes the hate speech of Ahmed Bhamji, chairman of the Mt Roskill Masjid E Umar Mosque.
Hate speech and conspiracy theories like his recent rant in Aotea Square have helped radicalize so many, whether Muslim, Jewish, white supremacists or whoever. It has no place in NZ.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/03/jews-outraged-after-mosque-leader-blames-mossad-for-christchurch-attack.html
I’m no fan of Netanyahu and his extremist mates, but that guy’s just really irresponsible. Unless you’ve got solid evidence to suggest Mossad had anything to do with this (and good luck with that), ranting like an unhinged lunatic about Zionist conspiracy theories is just pathetic. He’s just tipping the scales in the other direction, and it’s helping no one, least of all NZ’s Muslim community.
Has there been any evidence of Israeli involvement with the Christchurch Massacre ?
No. Zero evidence. He is just trying to import all the hate and bigotry that prevails in the ME to our country.
it is already here , that is why we have 50 dead in christchurch.
So we call out that rubbish no matter who spouts it. ” It is not welcome here” to quote our Pm.
It is significant that Trump has been identified as symptomatic of what’s wrong with twitter.
Chief Troll. He’s even got the haircut.
And a Trolls orange skin.
Paul Brislenon RNZ says:
Have people seen the film The Cleaners?
It sounds relevant
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/auckland/the-cleaners/
A thoroughly unnerving picture of our times, this gripping doco immerses us in the surreal world of the content moderators who decide what we see (or don’t see) on social media.
A thanks on 8.1 – – Thanks CG! Would have missed it otherwise
Soddenleaf
I agree with your point that we have no time here so we need to plan for the event now also. build less use of carbon emissions to slow the rate of destruction.
Yes Climate change updates like mine on 8 should be a subject that stays on the radar every day no matter what else goes on today.
As Climate change is about to kill at random many people who are also innocent in our communities as sea level rise and warming/ melting of our glaciers will flood many regions.
We saw this happen at the Franz Josef Glacier and all the flooding down at properties flooded at Hokitika perhaps from the melting of the glaciers there also?
How much pain and suffering does it take before the Government moves ‘decisively’ now?
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC1903/S00049/global-state-of-the-cliate-2018-expert-reaction.htm
We impatiently await James report, and hope like hell we have consensus on real change.
In the interim planting trees is a no brainer – soon as we (I) get some rains to support them…
The heat island effect in cities will only be exacerbated in future unless we take steps now to offset temperatures with the evaporative cooling and shading effect of trees. In addition trees perform many functions to enhance urban living.
Food, shade, shelter, habitat, aesthetic beauty, carbon capture, biodiversity, rain capture and transpiration, air cleaning, oxygen production…
To build resilience in communities we should get started, not wait on governments, though obviously we are… all hands on deck!
I put trees in recently that’ll take nearly a decade to bear food. Trees are a vote for the future. Start now.
Thinking about better outcomes for young children and teenagers and when they become young parents. This is heartening, and should be the norm now but probably not.
This gives an example of the background of the why of NZ’s poor record with parents and children on world statistical tables.
https://www.efworld.org/uploads/files/75555390665357702-susancavebaragwanath.pdf
Dr Susan Baragwanath was the instigator of about 11 schools for teenage mothers, who the careless, condemning conformists with cold-blooded puritan minds were freezing out from society, and this was when the true facts about NZ early sexuality exploration and its effects were known – (by such as Jenny Shipley and the superior types in National Party).
Founder, He Huarahi Tamariki Schools
Dr. Susan Cave Baragwanath believes her fellowship came about because she had a problem, and she could not find anyone in New Zealand to help her solve it. She was a career secondary school teacher and administrator who had taught internationally. When she returned permanently to New Zealand in 1989 after 20 years away, she accepted a position as a deputy principal in one of the country’s poorest schools.
In the first week, she found a 14-year-old girl giving birth to a child in the school toilets. Baragwanath contacted the authorities about her continuing education, and she was told to forget about it. Baragwanath looked up New Zealand’s domestic law; there it was, in black and white, “every child is entitled to have a free basic formal education until the age of 19 years”. The only education available to this student, if she did not return to school (and she couldn’t as there were no childcare facilities), was distance learning. Her family did not own a phone, so she could not call her tutor, and she waited weeks for her school work to be delivered by mail. As a result, she quickly fell out of the system.
The pattern in New Zealand was for teenagers to have multiple pregnancies before age 21 and become state beneficiaries for life. Without proper research and a concrete plan going forward there seemed to Baragwanath no escape from this pattern continuing.
Maori focus:
Maori and teenage parents – Report on research. 2012
Marginalising Māori Parents
by Elizabeth Strickett and Helen Moewaka-Barnes
Massey University
Marginalising Maori Parents – for Massey University
http://www.maramatanga.ac.nz/sites/default/files/12-IN-10%20Web%20ready%20%283%29.pdf
(p.10 gives information about difficulties for young fathers)
https://www.islandchild.org.nz/
This sounds a good initiative.
But if government could push the InZone style with good funding for it, I guess as a charter school with good overview, so that it can be offered to young parents – there would be immediate improvements and a dramatic rise in successful young people handling their lives well, whether they had a job, apart from parenting or not. But some in government might feel that sort of result really isn’t their thing
In the link it says that the doco shown in 2018 can be viewed on tv on demand. So if you can, very good, worth a look.
https://inzoneeducation.org.nz/media-coverage/
Better off fixing up out current schools.
Hopefully the hubs will sort the problem, however they need to be rammed through at all cost.
Check out the “Swamp Monster” in the background!
Talk about draining the swamp. lol
Hi marks for lprent for restoring our colours.
Ahem … t’was I. I’ve turned them back on, and I’m not sure how they came to be off. If there is a technical issue, I’m sure Lprent will let us know. In the mean time, enjoy the rainbow.
Thanks TRP.
A rainbow – couldn’t resist. Need a laugh.
Ha! And here’s a nice note to end the working week on:
Awww thanks for that.
I always remember Sir Paul Reeves being interviewed some years back on Nat Radio on a Sat Morning by Kim Hill and she had a slot then when she would invite some well known person on to give a playlist of their favourite music and to talk about what it meant for them. This was a favourite of his – he particularly like the backing of the Uke and the soft way it was sung. He had first heard it Hawaii IIRC and it was one of his favourite songs. I admit on hearing itI fell for it as well – but I was never able to find it – I just remembered it. I think the singer was a little younger then by the sound of it also – but still beautiful.
Thanks once again. I’ve stored it on my youtube.
Te reo putake “Twas you” Brilliant Cheers.
I pointed out an article on great farming practice in the Kaipara recently, and now, in Southland, a catchment wide initiative involving more than 600 farms.
They’re treating each farm individually (smart!) and collecting massive data as they go on all manner of systems and processes. This is commendable work, and it seems they’ve done their homework.
I hope some of the trial farms involve earthworks and water retention.
But… yay for this initiative.
I also like the links on the side of the page. Get involved – Become a Citizen Scientist – etc.
Good onya whoever set up that page.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-vision-is-clear/news/article.cfm?c_id=1504591&objectid=12214443
Blubberboy and friends sure burned through the cash https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12217589
Time to pass the (digital) hat around and present an offer for the blog to the liquidator!
Big spender of OPM ?
Hi Cleangreen
You are Right.
Climate, to some odd people, is an enormous black hole.
One such odd person being the Honourable Simon Bridges and the other his idol, the Honourable Donald Trump.
Neither of whom have ever shown any glimpse of Reality.
The ultimate Goofs in Goofs clothing.
But as long as they can sell today’s youth off into Slums – without hope of housing or a fair slice of Life – Bridges and Trump will have achieved their Monstrous aims.
I took a drive through Panmure the other day. It was Tuesday. Its the Neighbour of expensive Remuera.
Panmure is the sort of filth Simon wants. It is dreadful. Few townships in the entire world could be as sick. Long Live dead head Simon. Long live mexicop Trump.
I don’t know if we’re all extras in an antipodean version of Counterpart but I find myself agreeing with John Armstrong – weird.
Where was the royal family?
\Winston Peters has carved a career out of race baiting immigrants.
But at least he finally has the grace to admit he was wrong to have done so. (sort of)
Maybe, just maybe, Winston Peters has sensed the wind of change blowing through the nation’s psyche.
Jenny I think the media has miss reported Winston on a number of occasions, he has been critical of the quality of the immigrants we are bringing in ie the Christchurch Mosque Shooter and the share number of Asians entering the country when we do not have the housing stock and Infrastructure to support this level of Immigration.
Labour are continuing down this track of bringing in large numbers of Immigrants which is putting pressure on ordinary New Zealanders. ie housing and social services ?