Toast to the ones here today Toast to the ones that we lost on the way 'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories And the memories bring back, memories bring back you
Respects Poli:
Born mid August 1980 –
Murdered some time between the last Friday night of April,
and the early hours of the following Saturday, 2021.
In the face of record high autumn deaths and the prospect of another surge in sickness, the Government appears to have no strategy whatsoever. Ministers have given up on handling Covid-19 and seem content just to plug their ears and pretend it isn't happening.
Hipkins didn't answer Newsroom's questions about whether the Government's current approach was likely to lead to no excess deaths.
When asked how he would describe New Zealand's current Covid-19 strategy, Hipkins effectively said it was only vaccination.
I'm surprised that Hipkins has abandoned mask-wearing as strategy! Even more surprised that cabinet has apparently made that official. I still wear mine in supermarkets & at public events.
As for his reliance on vaccination, how will that play to senior citizens? I went in to the local govt vaccination center on April 8th, to get my second booster, and was told the govt hadn't authorised it. Well, their own goddam website told me a while back that the first booster was only 50% effective after 3 months, and my first booster was exactly 3 months before April 8th. How many senior citizens in Aotearoa are only 50% protected now?
Being Labour, he'll dodge the question so no point asking. Commenters here who persist in defending Labour even when there's no reasonable basis for doing so, and who are senior citizens with 50% protection, ought to have a go at explaining govt policy, huh? See if it really is credible. Here's a clue:
Additional boosters are not currently part of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in New Zealand. We're currently considering who, if anyone, would be suitable for a second booster dose. Any decision to offer additional booster doses is likely to be made prior to winter 2022.
Well, we're already a month into autumn. Time for Hipkins to pull finger?? And Labour also has a minister for seniors, who does monthly emails to us. Why did she not foreshadow a roll-out of a the second booster in her most recent bulletin? Explain how the official vaccine reliance strategy, as declared above by Hipkins, fits in with this omission. Can you?
No Dennis, they’re just implementing Nationals well thought through Omicron Strategy of having everyone take personal responsibility for their own health. So Dennis rather than whining that you couldn’t get a second booster from our socialist free public health system you take personal responsibility and pay for your own shot rather than trying to jump the queue when and if the Goverment decide whether a second booster is desirable.
Well I did ask at the local medical center where my doctor works. They didn't offer me that option. If you believe it is available somewhere, why not post the details here? I checked a non-govt site too, since the option isn't presented on the govt covid site, but nothing there either…
To Dennis Frank at 2 : Surely you have seen and heard repeated advice from Chris Hipkins , other M.P.'s and epidemiologists that wearing of masks, distancing, good hygiene practice are advised, meaning that mature commonsense should prevail.
Don't see any evidence Labour does that! I agree that it ought to prevail, Heather. That's why mentioned that I still wear one for indoor public situations.
I notice that you didn't try to explain why Hipkins seems to have changed his policy. Does that mean you're a typical Labour supporter?
If the Government is giving out a personalised mask exemptions in May, your premise is wrong. Chris may not have mentioned mask wearing in close quarters but the PM and others still choose it, as it states when masks are mandatory under Orange setting.
WHO is still mulling 4th shot but want all nations to have two shots. So is Australia, our Dr. says no plan for a 2nd booster/ 4th shot as yet.
Getting used to Orange settings takes time. It has not abandoned masks. Read the site.
None of the commenters have addressed my point of concern: protection of seniors. I have no problem with encouraging as official stance. I just see the lack of addressing the follow-up to the booster as weird.
I mean, if they just want to allow the darwinian norm to prevail, can't they be honest and say so? If they felt discouraged by the mandate outcome, why not share their feelings with voters? It's human. We don't actually want robot politicians, do we??
I think seniors as a group are likely to know they have collective vulnerability and I expected those commenting here to comment on that basis. I'm puzzled by their aversion to doing so…
I missed that this was your particular point of concern. Frankly, how it "plays" to seniors (or at least those who are aware of the realities of endemic c19) is how it plays to everyone else who understands that one can't just stare down a virus.
The trouble is, we're not just in the "endemic" phase, we're in the phase where laziness-inspired optimism has taken over for a lot of folks. They might not be "sherrifs" or any of that bullshit, but they'll happily forget their masks and then ask if they should go back to their car to get it. Looking for a sanction for the easy way out.
Specifics of 4th shots or whatever are likely in the pipeline once the current situation has been assessed. Will we stay at daily-double-digit-deaths, or will it genuinely get down to flu/traffic levels. Are the deceased boosted, or are they barely-vaxxed? And so on.
Me, I'm liking the actual nano-tech US military vaccine that's being trialled at the moment (last I heard). But I guess we'll see what we see.
The people of Ukraine know why they cannot surrender to the Russian Federation.
War crimes and genocide committed by Putin's fascist ally Bashar Assad in Syria are an example what Ukraine will suffer under Russian occupation.
Already Russia is recruiting thousands of Assad's armed forces linked to war crimes and atrocities in Syria for the invasion and occupation of Ukraine.
Or we could wait until people here are desperate enough to protest.
Local shortages of edible oils has roiled Indonesia, leading to street protests over high food prices and the detention of a trade official in a corruption case. The turbulence has become a key political issue for President Joko Widodo as cooking oil costs could push other food prices higher ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which is usually marked with feasts and celebration.
Where we got ourselves in deep trouble is farm values and the amount that could be borrowed were based on high milk prices and ridiculous stock numbers supported by supplementary feed and irrigation. Bit of a ponzi scheme really with the real winners been the banks.
Quite frightening to go to a small beach settlement for the first time in 5 years recently, lots of irrigation and cows on sand. The creek feed from a small dune lake would just about dry up every summer now flows strongly even in drought. Basically we're emptying aquifers and running nutrient and shit rich water into the sea.
Difficult to see PKE being available (at anything like current levels) if the oil production is slashed….but perhaps Indonesia uses vast quantities of palm oil domestically, whether enough to supply 2 million tons PKE pa that NZ uses would seem unlikely.
We produce food oils here but current prices will make most blanche….imported canola at around 3-4 dollars a litre as opposed to NZ produced at around 12 dollars…..that'll hurt.
Have just looked up Indonesian consumption, and it looks like enough PKE would be available to meet NZ consumption assuming its not caught up in the export ban….and is also available from Malaysia.
This guy has a good information on the oil situation. As Weka points out we have plenty of butter but for many from Asia its use is a big part of cooking .
we will all have to adapt. People that rely on wheat bread might want to be thinking about this now. Not stockpiling, but learning how to eat local and more variety.
Just wanting the opinions of any Labour supporters here about the actions of Labour to block requests by Select committees to call government officials to answer questions on various topics. This is something that Labour has stopped for a range of political parties including The Greens. Surely you can see this is not good for open and transparent governance.
Nothing wrong with wanting them but you aint gonna get them. I went fishing for the same thing yesterday & got no response (OM #1).
Just the usual syndrome you get from Labour supporters is retreat into denial: this ain't happening. So they move on, hurriedly & nervously, hoping nobody will notice.
Well: Gosman & DF, maybe people are so accustomed to scrolling past your comments unread that they miss it when you do have something of substance to contribute? I was reading that Boy Who Cried Wolf story to my kids at bedtime the other day, perhaps you should re-read it yourself?
But then I am usually a Green Party supporter, if not member at the moment. I really should sign up once more to get a vote on the list rankings next year, but that means getting spammed with donations requests again. I do agree with Swarbrick and Willis on this; select committees are the workhorses of parliament (question time as a rodeo?), they need their feed of good quality information to be able to pull their weight.
But if it comes down to numbers, even all the opposition (and loosely aligned – with coleaders in the stable of cabinet eating fine oats, while the rest of the GP MPs shiver under horse-blankets out in the fields) parties combined couldn't pass a motion of no confidence over this. I generally support the actions of this Ardern government (with some reservations), but hopefully next election no party will be able to secure an absolute majority and will instead have to seek meaningful consensus with at least one other party, preferably several, in order to operate. Until then, they get to run rough-shod as they will, until they face the muster of the hustings (apologies for all the equine metaphors, not quite sure how I started galloping into that conceit).
Swarbrick said it made no sense for MPs to be that concerned about discussions or releasing information.
“There is definitely a long shadow of partisanship which means we are not able to get outcomes or access to information which improves democracy for all of us. In turn, that means the public trust politicians less – which is a bad thing.”
Willis and Swarbrick teamed up to try to get the briefing, with the deputy National leader saying Labour’s committee members needed to act in the public interest: “There shouldn’t be anything to hide here.”
Swarbrick said there had been agreement from the entire Opposition that Labour appeared to be getting in the way of the free flow of information.
Aversion to negative feedback tends to produce a failure to learn from what happens. It's why leftists tend to be chronic under-performers in politics…
People have limited time for online reading and commenting on the Social Media Platform that is The Standard. What many call; Cancelling, or; Aversion to Negative Feedback, is simply boredom with tiresome drivel. Freedom to express oneself is not a guarantee of an attentive audience.
I personally think we need to distinguish between malicious; Trashing, and disinterested removal of attention. But that is a topic for another discussion; which I have had before, and will no doubt have again in the future (plus I can't be bothered hunting out the links just now).
It is a poor author who disparages their audience for failing to bask in glow of their genius. The golden showers falling upon those upturned faces eager for illumination may feel like something other than sunlight to those below. In which case; who can blame them for turning elsewhere?
Gosman does long posts too? Hadn't noticed any. Anyway since the essays are usually twice or three times longer than my comments I commend your diligence in spending the inordinate amount of time it takes to work your way thro.
You reckon Labour's strategy is constitutionally correct? Interesting. If so, I'd change my tune on the topic. Let's assume you are right in that assessment. It would imply that the Greens/ACT/National are either ignorant of the relevant clause in our constitutional law or are being disingenuous.
Or perhaps it comes down to competing interpretations of the relevant section of constitutional law? In which case there is no correct answer until a court judges the issue, eh? I'm open to enlightenment if you want to elaborate…
These are MPs, not constitutional lawyers. Quite why you expect them to be aware of the limitation of their role is beyond me. That is why they have to get advice on what they can or cannot do. You'll notice the absence of any advice or legal basis for their blathering?
Or perhaps it comes down to competing interpretations of the relevant section of constitutional law?
Bloody unlikely. You'd have to find the 'section' first. Select committees are an internal convenience for Parliament. They are raised via the standing orders of parliament. Select committees have no constitutional standing at all – they are just a internal parliamentary tool to allow smaller groups to advise the whole of the house.
More a case of trying to find any part of the law that claims select committees to do anything unless parliament as a whole authorises it. Even then parliament itself is severely contained by how little direct power parliament itself has.
Parliaments direct power is strictly limited by what the crown allows them and little of that is present outside of taxation, funding and passing legislation – which has to be approved. The actual direct powers are held by the governor general or the executive council – both of whom 'advise' the crown.
In practice of course the 'crown', Executive Council and the GG all tend to defer to parliament for year to year operations within limits. That the Executive Council is almost entirely made up of ministers helps with that. But Parliament only really rules itself.
That is because anything that isn't explicitly stated in law of regulations derived from laws as being a requirement is simply not a requirement. This is how our legal system works.
Again, you'll notice the complete lack of any discussion of any detail of anything that would authorise select committees to compel testimony or attendance?
That is because even the bullshitting dickheads like Luxon are probably aware of this and are relying that most citizens of NZ aren't. The alternative is that we have a fool like Trump who can't distinguish between running a rorting company and being a more limited servant of the state.
Basically NZ and even its MPs could do to get a good education in civics.
One wonders what their induction course actually covers, eh? I'm inclined to suspect that you're right to suspect Luxon of grandstanding but I doubt Chloe would get sucked in on that basis – she must see a principled stand in the troika, which suggests the induction didn't cover select committee appearances by public servants sufficiently well.
I'm sure the way these select committees operate is the same as the way they have always operated, the difference being we have not had a one party government recently.
For that, opposition parties can only blame themselves.
1. If the information requested relevant to the particular select committee or whether National are trying to use the select committee processes to get access to information they would not normally be able to get i.e. they are abusing the select committee processes – call me cynical.
2. Why was it withheld? e.g. budget sensitive has been used in the past for instance.
I do take solace that their are select committees – National solved that issue by doing lots of things under urgency. Noting also that some Labour governments in my view have also done too many things under urgency as well.
Someone should ask Luxon though whether they are saying they would not block things if they were government. Are they saying if in government they would be releasing all and sundry?
I wasn't aware that there was a right for members of select committees to call them at all, ever.
Public servants are employed by the crown – not by parliament. Parliament merely provides the funding, laws and policy direction – all on behalf of the crown. Outside of the speakers control over Parliamentary services parliament has their most influence on the public services via ministers of the crown (usually MPs) and the funding and laws. They don't have direct operational control.
The Public Service Commission is the effective head of the Public Service employees. Ministers have some operational influence (but not control) over a lot of the public service. Except for course for things like military, police, probably customs and a few other branches which answer directly to the crown.
To me it just sounds like Luxon is just being a stupid wanker waving his dick in public.
Clearly has watched too much US TV. He really is a pathetic ignorant dipshit and appears profoundly unprepared to be a MP. He'd be useless as a minister.
Your awareness is flawed. A Select committee can call upon government officials to act as either a Witness or Advisor on various matters. Ultimately the officials responsibility is to the Minister in charge though so they have to defer to them but it is quite clear that the Select committee can request they appear before them.
You're an idiot… The select committee or members thereof can request or ask. So can anyone.
Hell I can ask as well in my capacity as person who wants to request an answer to something. I cannot demand or assert a right to compel. MPs and select committees have no rights more than anyone else outside of the public servants operational hierarchy, or the various rights of the justice system or some of te intelligence community.
The only avenue that I or an MP can demand with is via a OIA or by bringing a case in court or possibly appealing to the public services commission. The select committee as a body lacks the ability to do the OIA or the courts because they have little legal presence.
To demand a public servant to front up to a select committee is objectionable, ignorant, and unavailable. Luxon and you are complete dickheads if you think that is possible or even desirable.
Not even the Ministers can demand that. They can only request that of someone in the public service in a position of operational control of an employee.
I'd add that there are a couple of bits of legislation and regulation that compel some public servants to submit reports to parliament. For instance the auditor-general for instance. Parliament often passes perusing these tasks to select committees as a convention.
But the select committees themselves have no significant powers themselves outside of the responsibility to look at things that parliament chooses them to look at (just as they do with legislation), and expressing their opinions on those matters. They have no judicial powers what so ever.
Looks like you're right, but it would be clearer if both you & Gosman cited the actual bit of the pdf that made you each believe what you believe.
The Minister ultimately has the right to decide who should represent the Government before a select committee, whether or not a committee has requested attendance of a named official. In practice, the departmental chief executive or his or her delegate will normally judge when it is necessary to consult the Minister, in the absence of any direction from the Minister
That's #20 on the Officials and Select Committees – Guidelines pdf.
Not definitive, since it does not mention any right of refusal by the department which the request addressed. Can they refuse?
They can't refuse to appear before the Public Service Commission, maybe not the Executive Council, most of the Justice system, and probably parts of the Intelligence system. There are other situations like being a state of war or civil emergency that would give other bodies partial control as well.
The only ones that I would be sure of is the Public Service Commission for direct control and the Justice system for judicial control.
The minister themselves probably could only request. With more weight given to the Ministers of the crown on Executive Council.
..cited the actual bit of the pdf that made you each believe what you believe.
I didn’t read it, I only looked at it for the legal reasoning. There wasn’t any. So my basic background knowledge is what I presented.
That came out of the history, the army (very finicky on things like this), general law courses in undergraduate and graduate degrees, having to suffer with a partner doing her law degree, and general reading on history and law.
In other words this for me is general knowledge.
If you ask for a reference on a general topic, then wikipedia is your friend. I’ll be happy to dig references out – if I have spare time.
If you want something difficult – like how to crack into an embedded system on the other side of the world or how to do impossible things with code – then you’re clean out of luck. Other people already pay me to do those things.
You stated there was no right for members of Select committee to call for officials to appear before them. There is. What there isn't is an ability to OBLIGE them to appear before them. Language matters.
Its not good for democracy either, but we are told that we have to "tweak" that because democracy is changing. Well, just in this country though and I don't know to what.
Just as I posed I looked at Jimmy’s comment…..hmmmm
Contrary to some angry comments here, the MIQ case is not a win for expat Grounded Kiwis. I suspect they and some media are suggesting it is a win are trying to save face.
Obviously Grounded Kiwis is lauding this as a success for their side and the judge does say they have succeeded. However, if you look at the entirety of the 140-page judgment, the Government has won on all the major points. And in fact, the court rejected most of Grounded Kiwis' submissions.
The judge did not recommend abandoning the lottery system, rather making a few places available outside it, noting that this could create, "a whole new set of grievances".
Came to the conclusion that they had read a different decision – probably one that Ian Taylor fetched out of Cameron Slaters arse. It really was that delusional.
My opinion of their ability to understand anything dropped even lower.
The MIQ was going to be phased out in the first quarter of this year anyway. I guess the numbskulls of NZ don't actually listen to news and the explore the actual requirements about as well as they read legal decisions.
Covid-19 is endemic. We have put in about as much protection as is possible based on the available vaccines (although Dennis Frank is right, the second booster is due about now). The trick now is to let the un-vaccinated to vaccinated the traditional way while the vast majority of the vaccinated to still have a functioning hospital system.
Basically seems to say that next time we should have an "urgent" category as well, i.e. everyone gets evaluated as "emergency" (within 2 weeks), "Urgent" (priority place in a month or two, the Bellis situation), and the rest take their chances once the first two have been filled.
3 Waters. The "terra nullius" racists will scream – and so will thieves, opportunists and privatisers with their eyes on water as a monetisable commodity. The rest of us get to see if it actually works before it is sabotaged by some future Nat/ACT government seeking to enable the aforesaid groups.
Cabinet has agreed to the bulk of 47 working group recommendations for the planned overhaul of the country's three waters – drinking, waste, and storm water systems – which it hopes to complete by July 2024. The proposed co-governance of regional groups which will appoint the new entitys’ governance boards and provide public accountability for the entities is set to remain.
Good on them. I'm glad to be able to say something nice about Labour today! Will be fascinating to see the media analysis & commentary ensuing…
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Infrastructure Minister Grant Robertson have this morning laid out next steps. The reforms would move responsibility for the management of drinking, waste and stormwater from 67 local councils to four large, specialised water management organisations.
However, after months of deliberations, they confirmed councils would be given non-financial shareholding interests in the four water service entites, guaranteeing ownership – one of the key concerns raised over the government's initial model.
This would be allocated based on population – with one share per 50,000 people, rounded up to ensure at least one share per council – and would be reassessed to account for population changes every five years.
The co-governance provisions proposed – to have mana whenua and councils given equal number of seats on a representation group which sets the entites' strategic direction but has no say in operational matters – would remain, with the additional option of having co-chairs.
The separate boards of the entities themselves would be appointed by the regional representation group, based on competency requirements with a ban on conflicts of interest – including a prohibition for councillors to be on the entity boards. There will also be extra protections against privatisation which would require at least three quarters of Parliament to agree before any sale or merger could be done.
Professor Troy Baisden from the School of Environment at the University of Auckland stated that the number of failures should point to the reason for the change. "New Zealand’s performance on the Three Waters has been poor by the standards of peer nations: for every success that can be pointed to as a case to retain the status quo there are multiple failures,” Baisden said.
Continuing with the current status quo wasn’t an option, according to Lokesh Padhye from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Auckland.
"The New Zealand water sector needs reforms, and there is not much debate in the science and engineering community that the status quo is not working when it comes to improving water quality and water management practices,” Padhye said. "The government-established Working Group has provided some excellent suggestions to the Government in that regard. It is good to see that the Government has taken most of the recommendations on board."
You can't read my mind. The policy change will influence politics more via the general view in the body politic, ultimately. I reckon those who want cleaner water will have an effective majority there easily. The science & engineering view are two bodies of expert opinion likely to influence most punters. Those doing turf-protection will struggle to catch up – probably only getting traction where councils have been traditionally competent…
New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Jordan Williams has said Grant Robertson’s claim that “this co-governance model is supported by most councils is laughable”.
Given that neither produced stats to back up their competing views, their dumb & dumber routine is indeed entertaining.
Communities 4 Local Democracy labelled the Government’s move as a “worrying attack on property rights and community voice”.
“This is a dark day for local democracy as the Government has continued to force this reform through without the consent of its stakeholders or their communities,” said C4LD Chair and Manawatu District Mayor Helen Worboys.
No evidence from her either.
Local Government New Zealand President Stuart Crosby also welcomed the Government’s decisions on the Three Waters to provide certainty for ratepayers. “Councils face big future bills for water services given the new regulator, the unknown condition of many pipes and the impact of climate change. Without reform, ratepayers will be hit in the pocket,” Crosby said.
“Everyone in the local government sector is advocating for change to our water systems, even those opposed to the Government’s model. No one thinks the status quo is sustainable."
The relevant authority figure must believe the woman is from another planet.
“The current system is not up to scratch, but the Government’s Three Waters reforms are not the answer,” said ACT’s local government spokesperson Simon Court. “Taking control of water assets away from councils is wrong. Moving water assets from one government body to another is a recipe for more bureaucracy and less local input.”
I'll give him credit for acknowledging the status quo is shit. I even agree that Labour's penchant for padding bureaucrats into governance structures has had a legendary tendency to clog them up & make them dysfunctional. However, it is always possible for Labour to exhibit competence. We live in hope.
Russia may not be so concerned about reviving Russian glory and exterminating Nazis in its campaign in Ukraine. And Europe may have more tangible interests that may outweigh the humanitarian concerns and moral outrage at Russia's behaviour.
It turns out that Ukraine has huge untapped resources of a wide variety of minerals and commodities under its soil. So it starts to make sense why Europe is so enthusiastic about protecting Ukrainian sovereignty and why Russia is so keen to grab it.
Purely coincidental of course that most of Ukraine's fossil fuel resources sit under Luhansk, Donetsk, and Southern Ukraine. Funny how Moldov's Transnistria region is disputed territory, too.
Untapped Potential
Excluding Russia’s gas reserves in Asia, Ukraine today holds the second biggest known gas reserves in Europe. As of late 2019, known Ukrainian reserves amounted to 1.09 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, second only to Norway’s known resources of 1.53 trillion cubic meters. Yet, these enormous reserves of energy remain largely untapped. Today, Ukraine has a low annual reserve usage rate of about 2 percent. Moreover, more active exploration may yield previously undiscovered gas fields, which would further increase the overall volume of Ukraine’s deposits.
Yes, and I am sure that Europe would like to be customers to Ukraine who would likely be much more cooperative suppliers than Russia and its random tantrums.
Following the crackdown on anti-war protesters and independent news outlets, the Russian Federation further cracks down on free thought by targeting artists.
The government directive for the Arts and culture community, is War.
The Muses Are Silenced: Russian Arts Community Targeted As State Imposes Conformity Over Ukraine War
….Shortly after Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow adopted new laws and regulations aimed at stifling dissent over the war and preventing the spread of information other than that provided by the government….
….huge banners featuring the Z symbol have festooned theaters, museums, and other cultural institutions across the country, as the government has pushed the country's cultural communities to publicly express their support for the war, the military, and President Vladimir Putin.
….Sergei Levitsky, the former artistic director of the Russian Drama Theater in Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Buryatia region, who was fired on March 22 for speaking out against the war…..
…..Prominent Buryatia actress Svetlana Polyanskaya told RFE/RL that with Levitsky's dismissal, the theater has lost its "locomotive."
"The theater was pulsating, thoughtful, and compelled others to think," she said. "It fostered empathy and discussed some very important and necessary themes. It attracted a young generation of theatergoers. It was alive and now it is dead."
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
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Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
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1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
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TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
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Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
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Respects Poli:
Born mid August 1980 –
Murdered some time between the last Friday night of April,
and the early hours of the following Saturday, 2021.
But it is the life in-between that matters most &
He did the best he could with the time he had.
Newsroom's senior political reporter:
I'm surprised that Hipkins has abandoned mask-wearing as strategy! Even more surprised that cabinet has apparently made that official. I still wear mine in supermarkets & at public events.
As for his reliance on vaccination, how will that play to senior citizens? I went in to the local govt vaccination center on April 8th, to get my second booster, and was told the govt hadn't authorised it. Well, their own goddam website told me a while back that the first booster was only 50% effective after 3 months, and my first booster was exactly 3 months before April 8th. How many senior citizens in Aotearoa are only 50% protected now?
Being Labour, he'll dodge the question so no point asking. Commenters here who persist in defending Labour even when there's no reasonable basis for doing so, and who are senior citizens with 50% protection, ought to have a go at explaining govt policy, huh? See if it really is credible. Here's a clue:
Well, we're already a month into autumn. Time for Hipkins to pull finger?? And Labour also has a minister for seniors, who does monthly emails to us. Why did she not foreshadow a roll-out of a the second booster in her most recent bulletin? Explain how the official vaccine reliance strategy, as declared above by Hipkins, fits in with this omission. Can you?
My guess is this is why Bloomfield and other senior MOH bods resigned. Unconscionable and unnecessary.
(afaik, masks are still official policy)
No Dennis, they’re just implementing Nationals well thought through Omicron Strategy of having everyone take personal responsibility for their own health. So Dennis rather than whining that you couldn’t get a second booster from our socialist free public health system you take personal responsibility and pay for your own shot rather than trying to jump the queue when and if the Goverment decide whether a second booster is desirable.
Well I did ask at the local medical center where my doctor works. They didn't offer me that option. If you believe it is available somewhere, why not post the details here? I checked a non-govt site too, since the option isn't presented on the govt covid site, but nothing there either…
https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/medicines/c/covid-19-vaccine-booster/
To Dennis Frank at 2 : Surely you have seen and heard repeated advice from Chris Hipkins , other M.P.'s and epidemiologists that wearing of masks, distancing, good hygiene practice are advised, meaning that mature commonsense should prevail.
mature commonsense
Don't see any evidence Labour does that! I agree that it ought to prevail, Heather. That's why mentioned that I still wear one for indoor public situations.
I notice that you didn't try to explain why Hipkins seems to have changed his policy. Does that mean you're a typical Labour supporter?
Two experts strongly endorsed mask wearing on Morning Report this morning (RNZ).
If the Government is giving out a personalised mask exemptions in May, your premise is wrong. Chris may not have mentioned mask wearing in close quarters but the PM and others still choose it, as it states when masks are mandatory under Orange setting.
WHO is still mulling 4th shot but want all nations to have two shots. So is Australia, our Dr. says no plan for a 2nd booster/ 4th shot as yet.
Getting used to Orange settings takes time. It has not abandoned masks. Read the site.
I suspect the govt feel that any mandate measure has been effectively undermined by the fuckwits, so the next-least-bad is to "encourage".
Pisses me off, but at least we got to a position that saved thousands of lives before the wreckers succeeded.
None of the commenters have addressed my point of concern: protection of seniors. I have no problem with encouraging as official stance. I just see the lack of addressing the follow-up to the booster as weird.
I mean, if they just want to allow the darwinian norm to prevail, can't they be honest and say so? If they felt discouraged by the mandate outcome, why not share their feelings with voters? It's human. We don't actually want robot politicians, do we??
I think seniors as a group are likely to know they have collective vulnerability and I expected those commenting here to comment on that basis. I'm puzzled by their aversion to doing so…
I missed that this was your particular point of concern. Frankly, how it "plays" to seniors (or at least those who are aware of the realities of endemic c19) is how it plays to everyone else who understands that one can't just stare down a virus.
The trouble is, we're not just in the "endemic" phase, we're in the phase where laziness-inspired optimism has taken over for a lot of folks. They might not be "sherrifs" or any of that bullshit, but they'll happily forget their masks and then ask if they should go back to their car to get it. Looking for a sanction for the easy way out.
Specifics of 4th shots or whatever are likely in the pipeline once the current situation has been assessed. Will we stay at daily-double-digit-deaths, or will it genuinely get down to flu/traffic levels. Are the deceased boosted, or are they barely-vaxxed? And so on.
Me, I'm liking the actual nano-tech US military vaccine that's being trialled at the moment (last I heard). But I guess we'll see what we see.
Why don't you surrender already!
https://www.ft.com/content/8c235262-265e-4318-a925-bc167b83cc3e
The people of Ukraine know why they cannot surrender to the Russian Federation.
War crimes and genocide committed by Putin's fascist ally Bashar Assad in Syria are an example what Ukraine will suffer under Russian occupation.
Already Russia is recruiting thousands of Assad's armed forces linked to war crimes and atrocities in Syria for the invasion and occupation of Ukraine.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/1/in-syria-moscow-leads-effort-to-recruit-fighters-for-ukraine
Everyone: time to stock up on your cooking oil, the shelves are going to get tight.
The world's largest producer of cooking oil, Indonesia, banning all exports – the Ukraine war has stuffed this market as well.
Indonesia widens export ban to include crude palm oil | Food News | Al Jazeera
But do our dairy farmers still get to import Palm Kernel Expeller for feed?
fortunately NZ is replete with butter.
and margarine.
$6 a block at New World and rising weekly.
Great for baking but not for an average family shop.
PaknSave have butter Tararua at $5.49.
neoliberal chickens. Time for a conversation about globalisation and why we produce so much dairy but it's so expensive to buy here*.
Indonesia just protected its people, maybe NZ should be thinking about how to do this as well.
*or maybe it's not, and this is the real cost of food.
Or we could wait until people here are desperate enough to protest.
Hope not. If they start whining, point them in the direction of organics and regenag and tell them to get with the programme.
And tell them to stock only the number of cattle/sheep that their farm can sustain.
Indeed!
Where we got ourselves in deep trouble is farm values and the amount that could be borrowed were based on high milk prices and ridiculous stock numbers supported by supplementary feed and irrigation. Bit of a ponzi scheme really with the real winners been the banks.
Quite frightening to go to a small beach settlement for the first time in 5 years recently, lots of irrigation and cows on sand. The creek feed from a small dune lake would just about dry up every summer now flows strongly even in drought. Basically we're emptying aquifers and running nutrient and shit rich water into the sea.
Difficult to see PKE being available (at anything like current levels) if the oil production is slashed….but perhaps Indonesia uses vast quantities of palm oil domestically, whether enough to supply 2 million tons PKE pa that NZ uses would seem unlikely.
We produce food oils here but current prices will make most blanche….imported canola at around 3-4 dollars a litre as opposed to NZ produced at around 12 dollars…..that'll hurt.
Have just looked up Indonesian consumption, and it looks like enough PKE would be available to meet NZ consumption assuming its not caught up in the export ban….and is also available from Malaysia.
This guy has a good information on the oil situation. As Weka points out we have plenty of butter but for many from Asia its use is a big part of cooking .
https://youtu.be/kyD4SauT5lE
we will all have to adapt. People that rely on wheat bread might want to be thinking about this now. Not stockpiling, but learning how to eat local and more variety.
I wasn't aware that Indonesia was a exporter of Olive oil?
Decided long ago that it was worth the price every 2-3 months. As the primary cook I don’t use much oil anyway.
Just wanting the opinions of any Labour supporters here about the actions of Labour to block requests by Select committees to call government officials to answer questions on various topics. This is something that Labour has stopped for a range of political parties including The Greens. Surely you can see this is not good for open and transparent governance.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300574267/opposition-mps-hit-out-at-labours-select-committee-gatekeeping
Nothing wrong with wanting them but you aint gonna get them. I went fishing for the same thing yesterday & got no response (OM #1).
Just the usual syndrome you get from Labour supporters is retreat into denial: this ain't happening. So they move on, hurriedly & nervously, hoping nobody will notice.
Well: Gosman & DF, maybe people are so accustomed to scrolling past your comments unread that they miss it when you do have something of substance to contribute? I was reading that Boy Who Cried Wolf story to my kids at bedtime the other day, perhaps you should re-read it yourself?
But then I am usually a Green Party supporter, if not member at the moment. I really should sign up once more to get a vote on the list rankings next year, but that means getting spammed with donations requests again. I do agree with Swarbrick and Willis on this; select committees are the workhorses of parliament (question time as a rodeo?), they need their feed of good quality information to be able to pull their weight.
But if it comes down to numbers, even all the opposition (and loosely aligned – with coleaders in the stable of cabinet eating fine oats, while the rest of the GP MPs shiver under horse-blankets out in the fields) parties combined couldn't pass a motion of no confidence over this. I generally support the actions of this Ardern government (with some reservations), but hopefully next election no party will be able to secure an absolute majority and will instead have to seek meaningful consensus with at least one other party, preferably several, in order to operate. Until then, they get to run rough-shod as they will, until they face the muster of the hustings (apologies for all the equine metaphors, not quite sure how I started galloping into that conceit).
Aversion to negative feedback tends to produce a failure to learn from what happens. It's why leftists tend to be chronic under-performers in politics…
DF
People have limited time for online reading and commenting on the Social Media Platform that is The Standard. What many call; Cancelling, or; Aversion to Negative Feedback, is simply boredom with tiresome drivel. Freedom to express oneself is not a guarantee of an attentive audience.
I personally think we need to distinguish between malicious; Trashing, and disinterested removal of attention. But that is a topic for another discussion; which I have had before, and will no doubt have again in the future (plus I can't be bothered hunting out the links just now).
It is a poor author who disparages their audience for failing to bask in glow of their genius. The golden showers falling upon those upturned faces eager for illumination may feel like something other than sunlight to those below. In which case; who can blame them for turning elsewhere?
Yeah but addiction to trivia is a poor excuse for coming onsite here & demonstrating an inability to get a grip on the issues discussed…
That’s rather presumptuous of you on a number of counts:
1) You presume that one can learn something from your copy & pasta comments with short ‘snappy’ yet verbose commentary.
2) You presume something negative about leftists in general.
3) You presume you are able to judge everything on which and everybody on whom you provide negative feedback.
4) You presume that negative feedback is similar or equivalent to constructive feedback.
5) You presume that ignoring your comments is their loss.
Well said Temp-too many meaningless posts and too many long posts from Gosman and DF means I often skim past.
Gosman does long posts too? Hadn't noticed any. Anyway since the essays are usually twice or three times longer than my comments I commend your diligence in spending the inordinate amount of time it takes to work your way thro.
Yep, regular DF, ALwyn, Gos etc scroller here, life's too short.
[Any reason why you changed your user name? – Incognito]
Mod note
To point out the constitutional aspects that they clearly know, and you appear to have missed.
You reckon Labour's strategy is constitutionally correct? Interesting. If so, I'd change my tune on the topic. Let's assume you are right in that assessment. It would imply that the Greens/ACT/National are either ignorant of the relevant clause in our constitutional law or are being disingenuous.
Or perhaps it comes down to competing interpretations of the relevant section of constitutional law? In which case there is no correct answer until a court judges the issue, eh? I'm open to enlightenment if you want to elaborate…
These are MPs, not constitutional lawyers. Quite why you expect them to be aware of the limitation of their role is beyond me. That is why they have to get advice on what they can or cannot do. You'll notice the absence of any advice or legal basis for their blathering?
Bloody unlikely. You'd have to find the 'section' first. Select committees are an internal convenience for Parliament. They are raised via the standing orders of parliament. Select committees have no constitutional standing at all – they are just a internal parliamentary tool to allow smaller groups to advise the whole of the house.
More a case of trying to find any part of the law that claims select committees to do anything unless parliament as a whole authorises it. Even then parliament itself is severely contained by how little direct power parliament itself has.
Parliaments direct power is strictly limited by what the crown allows them and little of that is present outside of taxation, funding and passing legislation – which has to be approved. The actual direct powers are held by the governor general or the executive council – both of whom 'advise' the crown.
In practice of course the 'crown', Executive Council and the GG all tend to defer to parliament for year to year operations within limits. That the Executive Council is almost entirely made up of ministers helps with that. But Parliament only really rules itself.
That is because anything that isn't explicitly stated in law of regulations derived from laws as being a requirement is simply not a requirement. This is how our legal system works.
Again, you'll notice the complete lack of any discussion of any detail of anything that would authorise select committees to compel testimony or attendance?
That is because even the bullshitting dickheads like Luxon are probably aware of this and are relying that most citizens of NZ aren't. The alternative is that we have a fool like Trump who can't distinguish between running a rorting company and being a more limited servant of the state.
Basically NZ and even its MPs could do to get a good education in civics.
MPs could do to get a good education in civics
One wonders what their induction course actually covers, eh? I'm inclined to suspect that you're right to suspect Luxon of grandstanding but I doubt Chloe would get sucked in on that basis – she must see a principled stand in the troika, which suggests the induction didn't cover select committee appearances by public servants sufficiently well.
They shouldn't be doing it, it makes a mockery of select committees.
Amazing that the Greens (Swarbrick) and Nats and Act all agreeing on something! Labour are not a transparent government.
These stories are months old now.
I'm sure the way these select committees operate is the same as the way they have always operated, the difference being we have not had a one party government recently.
For that, opposition parties can only blame themselves.
It is difficult to assess without more detail.
1. If the information requested relevant to the particular select committee or whether National are trying to use the select committee processes to get access to information they would not normally be able to get i.e. they are abusing the select committee processes – call me cynical.
2. Why was it withheld? e.g. budget sensitive has been used in the past for instance.
I do take solace that their are select committees – National solved that issue by doing lots of things under urgency. Noting also that some Labour governments in my view have also done too many things under urgency as well.
Someone should ask Luxon though whether they are saying they would not block things if they were government. Are they saying if in government they would be releasing all and sundry?
It isn't just the opposition parties that are complaining about this. The Greens are annoyed as well.
I wasn't aware that there was a right for members of select committees to call them at all, ever.
Public servants are employed by the crown – not by parliament. Parliament merely provides the funding, laws and policy direction – all on behalf of the crown. Outside of the speakers control over Parliamentary services parliament has their most influence on the public services via ministers of the crown (usually MPs) and the funding and laws. They don't have direct operational control.
The Public Service Commission is the effective head of the Public Service employees. Ministers have some operational influence (but not control) over a lot of the public service. Except for course for things like military, police, probably customs and a few other branches which answer directly to the crown.
To me it just sounds like Luxon is just being a stupid wanker waving his dick in public.
Clearly has watched too much US TV. He really is a pathetic ignorant dipshit and appears profoundly unprepared to be a MP. He'd be useless as a minister.
Your awareness is flawed. A Select committee can call upon government officials to act as either a Witness or Advisor on various matters. Ultimately the officials responsibility is to the Minister in charge though so they have to defer to them but it is quite clear that the Select committee can request they appear before them.
https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/assets/Legacy/resources/officials-selectcommittees-guidelines07-v2.pdf
You're an idiot… The select committee or members thereof can request or ask. So can anyone.
Hell I can ask as well in my capacity as person who wants to request an answer to something. I cannot demand or assert a right to compel. MPs and select committees have no rights more than anyone else outside of the public servants operational hierarchy, or the various rights of the justice system or some of te intelligence community.
The only avenue that I or an MP can demand with is via a OIA or by bringing a case in court or possibly appealing to the public services commission. The select committee as a body lacks the ability to do the OIA or the courts because they have little legal presence.
To demand a public servant to front up to a select committee is objectionable, ignorant, and unavailable. Luxon and you are complete dickheads if you think that is possible or even desirable.
Not even the Ministers can demand that. They can only request that of someone in the public service in a position of operational control of an employee.
I'd add that there are a couple of bits of legislation and regulation that compel some public servants to submit reports to parliament. For instance the auditor-general for instance. Parliament often passes perusing these tasks to select committees as a convention.
But the select committees themselves have no significant powers themselves outside of the responsibility to look at things that parliament chooses them to look at (just as they do with legislation), and expressing their opinions on those matters. They have no judicial powers what so ever.
Looks like you're right, but it would be clearer if both you & Gosman cited the actual bit of the pdf that made you each believe what you believe.
That's #20 on the Officials and Select Committees – Guidelines pdf.
Not definitive, since it does not mention any right of refusal by the department which the request addressed. Can they refuse?
They can't refuse to appear before the Public Service Commission, maybe not the Executive Council, most of the Justice system, and probably parts of the Intelligence system. There are other situations like being a state of war or civil emergency that would give other bodies partial control as well.
The only ones that I would be sure of is the Public Service Commission for direct control and the Justice system for judicial control.
The minister themselves probably could only request. With more weight given to the Ministers of the crown on Executive Council.
I didn’t read it, I only looked at it for the legal reasoning. There wasn’t any. So my basic background knowledge is what I presented.
That came out of the history, the army (very finicky on things like this), general law courses in undergraduate and graduate degrees, having to suffer with a partner doing her law degree, and general reading on history and law.
In other words this for me is general knowledge.
If you ask for a reference on a general topic, then wikipedia is your friend. I’ll be happy to dig references out – if I have spare time.
If you want something difficult – like how to crack into an embedded system on the other side of the world or how to do impossible things with code – then you’re clean out of luck. Other people already pay me to do those things.
Good stuff, thanks. Reminds us that a lot of what happens in governance is based on convention rather than law. And conventions evolve…
You stated there was no right for members of Select committee to call for officials to appear before them. There is. What there isn't is an ability to OBLIGE them to appear before them. Language matters.
Its not good for democracy either, but we are told that we have to "tweak" that because democracy is changing. Well, just in this country though and I don't know to what.
Just as I posed I looked at Jimmy’s comment…..hmmmm
You just know this was crap from the start, when even David Parker who is on your team doesn't like it!
Rotorua District Council agrees to pause its representation bill | Stuff.co.nz
Contrary to some angry comments here, the MIQ case is not a win for expat Grounded Kiwis. I suspect they and some media are suggesting it is a win are trying to save face.
The judge did not recommend abandoning the lottery system, rather making a few places available outside it, noting that this could create, "a whole new set of grievances".
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-front-page-constitutional-law-expert-on-why-the-miq-case-is-actually-a-win-for-the-government/IJ2G5V5RWFOVVGJQDSYWLBNRBI/
Still, Grounded Kiwis and other pandemic sceptics have what they wanted now, no MIQ.
And people are dying.
I read the decision.
I also read the grounded kiwis take on it.
Came to the conclusion that they had read a different decision – probably one that Ian Taylor fetched out of Cameron Slaters arse. It really was that delusional.
My opinion of their ability to understand anything dropped even lower.
The MIQ was going to be phased out in the first quarter of this year anyway. I guess the numbskulls of NZ don't actually listen to news and the explore the actual requirements about as well as they read legal decisions.
Covid-19 is endemic. We have put in about as much protection as is possible based on the available vaccines (although Dennis Frank is right, the second booster is due about now). The trick now is to let the un-vaccinated to vaccinated the traditional way while the vast majority of the vaccinated to still have a functioning hospital system.
Basically seems to say that next time we should have an "urgent" category as well, i.e. everyone gets evaluated as "emergency" (within 2 weeks), "Urgent" (priority place in a month or two, the Bellis situation), and the rest take their chances once the first two have been filled.
Robertson and Mahuta have just announced that they want Labour to lose the next election in a land slide, great work you guys.
Aw, you tease. You come here, dangle something like that, and provide no link – not even a quote. Do you hang out on K Rd in fishnet stockings too?
3 Waters. The "terra nullius" racists will scream – and so will thieves, opportunists and privatisers with their eyes on water as a monetisable commodity. The rest of us get to see if it actually works before it is sabotaged by some future Nat/ACT government seeking to enable the aforesaid groups.
And who is to say that all that 3 water work is not in preparation for precisely that: privatisation.
3 waters.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/128489597/government-accepts-three-waters-recommendations-councils-to-have-shareholding-aspects-of-cogovernance-to-remain
Good on them. I'm glad to be able to say something nice about Labour today! Will be fascinating to see the media analysis & commentary ensuing…
Here's the guts then:
Stuff has put up a compilation of verdicts: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300576023/three-waters-reaction-mayor-phil-goff-says-auckland-is-being-penalised-lgnz-welcomes-ratepayer-certainty
The science/engineering is not the issue Dennis, as you well know.
You can't read my mind. The policy change will influence politics more via the general view in the body politic, ultimately. I reckon those who want cleaner water will have an effective majority there easily. The science & engineering view are two bodies of expert opinion likely to influence most punters. Those doing turf-protection will struggle to catch up – probably only getting traction where councils have been traditionally competent…
"the majority", you say.
When it was one person, one vote, that concept worked well.
Under co- governance, well……….
"tweaking" democracy its called. Democracy is changing, maybe to autocracy?
Waiting waiting for the Right wing response…. Yeah/ Nah.
watch the Act response on the Herald web site.
For a laugh?
Given that neither produced stats to back up their competing views, their dumb & dumber routine is indeed entertaining.
No evidence from her either.
The relevant authority figure must believe the woman is from another planet.
I'll give him credit for acknowledging the status quo is shit. I even agree that Labour's penchant for padding bureaucrats into governance structures has had a legendary tendency to clog them up & make them dysfunctional. However, it is always possible for Labour to exhibit competence. We live in hope.
Starting to make sense now.
Russia may not be so concerned about reviving Russian glory and exterminating Nazis in its campaign in Ukraine. And Europe may have more tangible interests that may outweigh the humanitarian concerns and moral outrage at Russia's behaviour.
It turns out that Ukraine has huge untapped resources of a wide variety of minerals and commodities under its soil. So it starts to make sense why Europe is so enthusiastic about protecting Ukrainian sovereignty and why Russia is so keen to grab it.
Purely coincidental of course that most of Ukraine's fossil fuel resources sit under Luhansk, Donetsk, and Southern Ukraine. Funny how Moldov's Transnistria region is disputed territory, too.
Untapped Potential
Excluding Russia’s gas reserves in Asia, Ukraine today holds the second biggest known gas reserves in Europe. As of late 2019, known Ukrainian reserves amounted to 1.09 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, second only to Norway’s known resources of 1.53 trillion cubic meters. Yet, these enormous reserves of energy remain largely untapped. Today, Ukraine has a low annual reserve usage rate of about 2 percent. Moreover, more active exploration may yield previously undiscovered gas fields, which would further increase the overall volume of Ukraine’s deposits.
https://hir.harvard.edu/ukraine-energy-reserves/
Yes, and I am sure that Europe would like to be customers to Ukraine who would likely be much more cooperative suppliers than Russia and its random tantrums.
And you thought '1984' was just a book.
Following the crackdown on anti-war protesters and independent news outlets, the Russian Federation further cracks down on free thought by targeting artists.
The government directive for the Arts and culture community, is War.