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."
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A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
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Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...
RNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...
With funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown.(Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...
Responding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...
Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations?Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary.Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
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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.