I'll have another look at it this weekend (assuming that my bug list from QA doesn't grow again today). My current server had problems with the upgrade to the latest LTS version.
However the new server is sitting under my desk at the workplace. I just received the order of disk bays for it yesterday which was the last bit.
So I'll transfer the TS array to it this weekend and get that running, then do a fresh install on the current server.
I/S @ No Right Turn doesn't treat Luxon's anti-abortionism lightly:
"Over the weekend, the US Supreme Court followed through on its threat, and overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively outlawing abortion in much of the United States. People were outraged, in America and around the world. And in Aotearoa, this meant a lot of sudden questions for the National Party, which is led by a fundamentalist anti-abortionist, stuffed with fundamentalist anti-abortionist MPs, and which tends to take its lead from whatever crack the US Republicans are smoking this week. While National's fundy backbenchers celebrated the imposition of forced birth in America, Christopher Luxon desperately tried to backpedal on his past views and reassure the public that National had no intention of changing the law. Except that today, he's doubling down on being anti-abortion:"
Like I've said ad nauseam, when Jacinda needs a disaster, one appears. And this ones a beauty.
As night follows day, dumb voters have knee jerked in response. HDA received texts saying people are now reconsidering voting for National. You can bet there are many others thinking similar.
Seems they don’t understand abortion issues are the least of our worries.
I’ve already had two under 40-year-olds tell me they’re worried about the Nats and the abortion issue, and they’re both actually National voters. One of them now says they don’t think they can vote for National this time around.
No, there were others during open talkback, but that was the only link I could find to show I wasn't making stuff up. That link was her opening comments for that day's session.
My point is, even just using those two examples, there would be thousands of other women having second thoughts about voting National just like them. All they see is National has too many fundies in their party. And Luxon is one, too. And he's the leader.
From AB's post below.
''The might be the least of yours mate, but for women of childbearing age, it might be a bit different. And maybe a bit different too for men with daughters, sisters and female relatives in that category. Quite a few people then.''
That's how middleclass women and others will be thinking. People who previously were considering voting for National.
thanks. What I’m hoping is that you will learn to explain your thinking up front like that, so I don’t have to drag it out of you as a mod or commenter. What you have since provided that wasn’t in yoru original comment:
an explanation that HDPA opened her show with the example of two women
that others texted in during the show and said similar
your analysis of what women voters might be doing.
If you look at your first comment, it’s just some offhand, throw them out there reckons. But you can obviously formulate a decent political argument, so I’m asking that you do that up front.
This isn’t twitter or FB, we’re not here for the reckons, we’re here for the robust debate. When people put there argument (and links and quotes) up front, the debate improves. Everyone knows what is being discussed and the context. Good and robust debate is the point of the commentariat (robust doesn’t mean fractious, it means vigorous and resilient and of a certain standard).
Gordon Campbell brings his wisdom to the tawdry situation:
"After all… And starting at around 4 minutes into this December 2021 interview, Luxon (a) agreed that abortion is “tantamount to murder” and (b) refused to answer a question about whether he thought abortion should be allowed for victims made pregnant by rape or incest. This man is not a social liberal.
Footnote One: Apparently, access to abortion is not something the National caucus regards as being important. In yesterday’s mea culpa to his colleagues O’Connor said that his offensive tweet “had caused distress and trouble for the party, that just wants to focus on big issues.” Women voters, take note. Abortion rights = no big deal. Blokes got more important things to talk about."
The might be the least of yours mate, but for women of childbearing age, it might be a bit different. And maybe a bit different too for men with daughters, sisters and female relatives in that category. Quite a few people then.
And let's consider what it is emblematic of. This basically:
Luxon calls himself 'pro-life' but appears not care about the quality of life of the woman forced to bring the foetus to term, the eventual child itself or any other children the woman may already be caring for
Nor is he offering to make this imposition on women any easier through free universal contraception, free universal childcare, job guarantees from the state when he private sector can't or won't provide them at a livable wage, or a guaranteed right in the BORA to freedom from financial and housing insecurity, etc.
In fact, this latter point seems to dovetail exactly with his anti-human (not pro-life at all) extremism on economic matters in general, such as tax-cuts overwhelmingly favouring people with the most already, re-inflation of the housing market through removing brightline extensions further impoverishing future generations without inheritances from parents and turning them into debt serfs or lifelong renters, wage suppression through opening immigration taps again, etc.
Your saying Luxons poll levelling was down to a large faction of dumb voters? Good of Heather to be so up front and tell it to their faces on newstalk then.
Blade, there are people who vote on single issues- they're called single issue voters.
The abortion issue is one such issue. People on both sides of the issue can be very passionate about it. Some will vote against Luxon because to their one issue passion, but not many on his side of that debate will be impressed by his conflicted approach.
Even people who agree with Luxon's views on abortion as being 'tantamount to murder' will find it difficult to reconcile the seriousness of that moral position with his stated position not to have the National party do anything under his leadership.
If I were in that position of having a very strong anti-abortion stance that is of the 'die in a ditch' moral standing, then I'd be very disappointed even if I realised the political implications for Luxon. I'd want him to be telegraphing that he'd be working to change his party policy for the future.
Then there are voters who see inconsistencies in politician's views and summing them up accordingly vote for others.
There are others who see extremism in one set of a politician's views and wonder whether there are other similar views not yet revealed but that would also be undesirable if acted upon.
These are often middle of the road voters, centrist in nature who are suspicious of extremism.
Luxon has shown extremism, conflicted beliefs and an authoritarian approach to party dissent.
Some might argue that the member for The Upper Room might be better suited in a minority Christian conservative party, rather than leader of a political party that has been traditionally and largely liberal especially in its urban wing.
Others might argue that National is becoming a party with a growing and alarming group of social conservative, even extremist, MPs.
They would already be worried by the exodus from their ranks of socially liberal women MPs like Adams and Bennett. National has been struggling to regain women voters. Luxon's views, and those of illiberal members like O'Connor and Brown, will not help.
Lastly, if National is looking to reclaim the young vote with younger MPs like Brown and O'Connor, then they will be hard pressed with their espousal of illiberal causes that goes beyond the abortion issue but into other issues as gay rights and same-sex marriage where the young are far more liberal.
In sum, then, I'd say that National looks like a party for the socially conservative, male, older voter.
They're welcome………
An important factor for National will be the removal of a President who presided over a selection of politically dodgy candidates. Will they also look to their selection procedures to allow through more acceptable candidates, more representative, more liberal, more reasonable and uncontroversial?
The next few months as parties go into election and selection modes will be very revealing as to the direction of National- urban, liberal, centrist or rural, conservative, extremist?
" The voting gender gap is one thing. National‘s other dilemma on abortion is that it doesn’t want to alienate its Christian base before the election, but it also can’t risk looking to the general public as of it is captive to the Christian right. Answer: shut down the issue ASAP. Try to look as if you’re merely the steward of the status quo. Until such time as you can achieve the power to be otherwise."
I find it depressing that sections of the population think Roe v Wade is about banning abortion and even worse, it applies to New Zealand.
New Zealand already has the most liberal abortion regime in the world, voted in overwhelmingly with bi partisan support from both parties. Sure some National MPs voted against as did some Labour MPs. It is NOT going to change.
The US Supreme Court decision had little to do with abortion, it was about interpretation of the US Constitution and the separation of powers between the Legislative and Judicial Branches.
Certainly a highly contrived wedge issue in the NZ context at the moment … but that's how politics works … parties fighting tooth & nail for the affections of swing-voters (particularly those women – many of a morally-liberal disposition – who flowed from Clark to Key to Ardern then back to Luxon again).
It'll all end in tears before bedtime … but whose tears ? That's the question.
That doesn't really fit with a description of wedge issues, imo. They usually don't have a downside for the political faction pushing them forward.
In particular with Luxon he has only really shown a very detached position on any issues. It seems to be all high level rhetoric without much substance.
His actual policy positions are pretty extreme where he takes them. In particular on the economy he started regurgitating 80s monetarism as the only appropriate policy. I don't understand why saying most families should take a further pay cut so we can hand out tax increases to very few, is a viable political position. Never the less this was the proposal and it didn't seem relevant that QE was running for a decade without inflation, there has been massive supply side disruption, or that most families have taken a real wage cut due to inflation. Instead the only economic thinking of National is austerity must be the approach.
No, I'm saying Labour's indulging in the wedge politics here … not the Nats. [I'm not criticising, incidentally, it's a perfectly legitimate tactic in the game of electoral politics].
That sums him up. He constantly falls back on empty slogans and platitudes, and it only makes things worse.
Trying not to say what you really believe is rarely a smart approach in politics. But Luxon no doubt has advisers whispering in his ear "Don't be you. Be empty".
G, K and B, from the anti-abortion stable, saying that they respect the law of the land, then when on SOCTUS with a case before them then change the law. Team Luxon we have no plan to change the law, but individually will vote our conscience should a bill be before the House.
Well put. Now time for those in power to do something about one of the main sources of this inflation, those making record profits:
Banks making record profits, but impact of economic shocks to come
The country's banking sector continues to rack up record profits as it counters a slowdown in lending with improved margins, and lower expenses, but it could soon be the end of the golden weather.
I don't think it matters what environment banks want, record profits are record profits and when regular depositors are struggling with inflation related cost increases it's unacceptable that banks are setting profit records,
And then there's the global petrol companies record profits:
Largest oil and gas producers made close to $100bn in first quarter of 2022
Shell made $9.1bn in profit, almost three times what it made in the same period last year, while Exxon raked in $8.8bn
Regardless, my point is that bragging about profits while the majority of society is being pummelled by inflation costs and stagnant wages, should really be seen as the industry publicly requesting a windfall tax on their rampant profits.
when you change your email address, or make a typo, or can't remember what it is, your comments get treated as a new person and held back for manual approval. Might be good to take a note of the exact email address you are using 👍
Once upon a time the English told their cricket venues to develop pitches that lasted 5 days. A team toured the country and was put into bat first in two tests. In both tests England demonstrated they could score runs quickly and in great volume on the final day and thus no target set for them would be enough.
Then in the third test KW, the so called best captain in the world, decided to bat first. Is it the elbow, the time in the IPL or covid?
The next team to tour there will not make the same mistake and England will get burnt.
I can't believe how badly National have bungled this abortion issue. Luxon is hobbled by his own Christian fundamentalism, which leave him gruesomely floundering between credibility and electability on this issue and between him and his dumb as a sack of hammers fundy caucus they just can't help keeping the story alive. Judith Collins must be laughing her head off. What it shows is how brittle, undisciplined and bumbling their unrepresentative caucus is under pressure.
Goodfellow has a lot to answer for. One only hopes that now he is gone National can get some people into realistically electable positions who are representative of what constitutes the the bounds of NZ's social attitudes.
But it also shows that our MSM are ridiculously loaded into specialist minor-use health areas when in terms of thousands of people using the service the far more important health crises are in Emergency Departments and Eldercare. Those areas are where rights to health are in NZ under direct threat.
Agree Ad about the health cate crisis. Under this govt abortion likely to become less available cause of staffing shortages. Ironic isn’t it…….but never mind we will have our marvellous new health authority!
Well that is the lazy news cycle writ large. Morning Report and Checkpoint etc etc love these specialist minor-use health stories because they practically write themselves – and fact often do, given a lot of them seem to come from drug company funded lobby groups that want Pharmac to buy their latest incredibly expensive wonder drug.
Format for human interest health story (guaranteed outage and clicks):
< Desperate Deserving Person> with <specialist minor-use health problem>
complains to <outraged presenter> they can't get <specialist minor-use health outcome>
< Desperate Deserving Person> gives heart rending interview about their imminent demise
<outraged presenter> declares scandal and demands answers from <relevant minister>
And that is the lead 10 minutes of checkpoint or Morning Report four out of ten days.
Nine to Noon can then do a full thirty minutes twice a week talking about the health crisis du jour related to the above.
My partner went to the Dr last week and mentioned a mole on her toe. The Dr took a pic and mailed it to the Dermatology specialist at Auckland Hospital. On Monday she got an email from Green Lane hospital giving her an appointment with Dermatology for next Thursday.
Dreadful PR, actually. Luxon with three explanations about National's varied abortion views and then telling the women of New Zealand that National is their party was terrible public relations……
1. Trump wanted armed people waved onto the Hill because they were not there to threaten him
2. After calling for the crowd to go to Congress to protest the EC vote he wanted to join them – and tried to take control of the vehicle from secret service agents.
3. Meadows and his staff were given legal advice that anyone from the White House involved in trying to block the EC vote by attending the protest would likely go to prison.
According to what was said in the hearing this morning Trump was happy for armed people to be in his crowd. Get them there, rouse them, stir them up, get them heading for the Capitol. Angry and armed.
"Backstage at the rally, Trump was irate that people with weapons were not being let through the magnetometers by Secret Service officers and agents who screen all attendees at any event featuring a sitting president. But Trump wanted the armed individuals to be allowed to attend the rally and complained that the magnetometers were adversely affecting his crowd size, Hutchinson overheard."
“I don’t f—ing care that they have weapons. They’re not here to hurt me,” Trump said, according to Hutchinson’s recollection. “Take the f—ing mags away. Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here. Let the people in. Take the f—ing mags away.”
Great to see central government put its stake in the ground for public transport in central Wellington. Next test is to see Wellington Council and GWRC get on board and formally align.
Right before an election, this is what elections were for.
It also worked really well before they decided to trolley bus and then just bus. Enjoyed many a ride from the station to the zoo, Athletic Park, and the Basin on the trams light rail.
It would be great to see any passenger train in New Zealand get to 80kms an hour, whereas now from Huntly to Karapiro you can now put the pedal down and go 110km an hour.
I heard on RNZ yesterday something along the lines of "submissions received strongly supported the 110 km limit."
Well d'oh. There is huge gung-ho car/truck lobby out there always demanding higher speed limits. That doesn't mean it makes sense for safety and environmental reasons.
I drive the Waikato express way reasonably frequently ( It is in fact the easiest and quickest way to Te Rapa, Te Awa, The Base, and Hamilton from here. There are many sections where 110kph is quiet safe* – a very well formed road right up to international standards. Not unreasonable in my view to raise the limit a notch.
*personal view after 60+ years of incident free driving and having raced motorbikes and organised motorcycle racing events.
Ardern said misinformation, often originated as propaganda from foreign actors such as Russia, was harming New Zealand’s social cohesion and was proven to duel terrorism.
She described it as a threat which could stoke anything from war and terrorism to public health risks.
The response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the riot on Parliament’s grounds in Wellington, and the March 15 terror attack all had expressions of misinformation, she said.
I was reading the Finnish defense minister doing an only slightly more polite version of "we will kick Russia's ass if they try it on" interview the other day and I was struck at how bellicose the Europeans are given half a chance.
We haven't yet seen the energy equivalent of NATO evolve in Europe, but odds on this will occur.
Every time European states intervene, the markets have been shown to fail.
The hard open question is whether European countries can follow Lithuania's lead and built the port importing capacity to rid themselves of Russian gas addiction.
I think this is a really big shift.
Turkey has been remaining very cautiously neutral over the Ukraine situation (I think because of Russian involvement in Syria – and therefore the Kurdish situation on their border).
For them to come out supporting an expansion of NATO – when it's clearly an area Russia want to veto for their cordon saintaire countries (more Finland than Sweden) – is significant.
The Turks are playing a canny game. They may be neutral, but that didn't stop Bayraktar donating three TB2 drones in additional to the four a donation drive purchased (apparently fifty have now be delivered to the Ukraine.
Johnny Turk is happily hunting with the hounds and running with the hares and getting concessions and $$$ everywhere for their troubles.
In a very bad direction – towards nuclear escalation.
The Russians have effectively stated with this war that they are fed up with meaningless negotiations, with USA and NATO negotiating in bad faith.
The Russians do not trust the West's bad faith negotiations any more. They have been planning this for some time.
Don't expect them to conform to our standards of morality. They don't believe we have any.
They will escalate. Be very careful of what you wish for.
Personally, I do not like Putin, but I fear that we in the West have been propagandized to the point where we have no idea of the dangers that now face us.
Those of you who are more dialled into local body politics in Wellington – do you think that Eagles is likely to take the mayoralty? And will it make a difference?
I would think he has a very good chance and is probably favourite at the moment. I don't think he will be any good at the job but it is 12 years since we had a decent Mayor and at least 30 since we had a good one so I doubt if he will make any difference.
He was a reasonable Councillor though so we may be surprised. He'll have to get rid of the arrogance that he has picked up as a Labour MP though. He has developed their typical attitude that laws don't apply to them while he has been in the House. As an example try this
Why are those managing Kiwibuild now approaching lead contractors requesting fixed price contracts and the message is being relayed to sub contractors with expectations of those prices to both drop and be adhered to? All so price ceilings announced 4 years ago can still be achieved. I am aware of a development exceeding 50 Kiwibuild will be cancelled as the head provider can not provide product and still achieve ANY financial benefit(unless subbies reduce price) and that is not factoring in the element of risk. https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/129103773/weve-never-seen-anything-like-it-cost-increases-leave-builders-scrambling
'Figures released to Q+A with Jack Tame under the Official Information Act show just 4.8% of KiwiBuild buyers who gave their ethnicity on their application forms are Māori, and 4.4% are Pasifika.'
'These figures are well below the ethnicity breakdown of the general population, which is 16.5% Māori, and 8% Pasifika.'
'At the current rate of progress, the original target of 100,000 KiwiBuild homes will be reached around the year 2300'
National housing spokesperson Jacqui Dean falsely claims they built 30,000 state homes when last in power In fact, the state housing stock fell by 2000 between 2009 and 2017.
Turkyie may well have had a rethink and does not favour having on almost half its borders a belligerent Russia, if it is not stopped or contained. The Black Sea is more Turkyies sea with almost half the coastline and with a vulnerable Georgia and Bulgaria north and east of it, a Russian ally in Syria to the south the future huge costs and problems of defence and refugees etc would loom large.
Kiwibuild did its job, the building industry got its arse into gear and started building and selling houses and suddenly finding land that had been forgotten in the “ bank “, because it could see that Govt would dictate the future direction and it did not want to be sidelined. We must be close to peak house anytime soon with the number already consented and with the Govt continuing to build State Houses, downward price pressure may leaven the product inflation.
Dont fear a building bust so long as the Auckland and now Wellington light rail, Lake Onslow and other big badly needed infrastructure projects go ahead.
Yes Kiwibuild did its job. The job of kiwibuild was never to build 100,000 homes, it was simply to get Labour in to government. Job done. Everyone with half a brain said it was not achievable and have been proved right.
Three people hospitalised following violent attack during Dublin Pride
Three people have allegedly been hospitalised following a suspected transphobic attack which occurred in Dublin’s Stephen’s Green on Saturday, June 25 at 6.50 pm. According to a message received by Labour TD Aodhan O Riordain, the assault was carried out on a group of five LGBTQ+ people following Pride celebrations.
Gender Dynamix building fire labelled 'suspicious' by police
A building used by Gender Dynamix – an organisation that aims to meet the mental health needs of the transgender and nonbinary community in the Bay of Plenty – has been targetted by a ‘suspicious’ fire.
A 42-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and terrorist acts after a shooting in the centre of Norway's capital, Oslo.
Two people died and 21 were wounded early on Saturday in what police called an "act of Islamist terrorism".
The shootings were in and near the London Pub, a popular LGBTQ+ venue, the Herr Nilsen jazz club and another pub.
In Tuesday’s hearing, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — vice chair of the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack — played police transmissions that described people carrying firearms near the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., where Trump held his rally the morning of Jan. 6.
“Three men walking down the street in fatigues carrying AR-15s… at 14th and Independence,” a voice says in one transmission.
“White male… stock of an AR-15,” someone can be heard saying in another recording. “Green fatigues… Glock-style pistols in their waistband.”
“Elevated threat in the trees… American flag face mask… weapon on the right-side hip,” a third transmission says.
Cheney noted that among the supporters who chose to pass through metal detectors so they could get closer to Trump, security screened weapons and equipment including pepper spray, knives, batons and gas masks. Several thousand more people did not go through metal detectors and watched from the nearby Washington Monument lawn.
The committee also showed a report sent by Secret Service at 11 a.m. that day warning of a man with a rifle near the Ellipse, where Trump was speaking.
Just as we dont have the same problem with gun control legislation as the U.S. ,we dont have the same problem with abortion rights…our political systems are worlds apart so whipping ourselves into a moral panic over Roe v Wade appears to me to be superfluous.
Its highly relevant. Candidates for office and Parties will never have the opportunity to tell us precisely what they will do for every issue. We need to make future voting decisions based on how they approach issues which come up. In this case were observing the differences between a Luxon and an English approach to conscience questions.
Did you read Sandbrook ,I would suggest the member did not either,in a recent yougov poll only 2% were against abortion in the UK,not even significant at the 2 sigma level.More own goal there.
Posting as somebody who once wondered why Bill English was an electoral flop. I didn't understand the harm in his politics till he was already finance minister because his views were hardly news worthy. Its already apparent Luxon harbours multiple socially regressive traits, along with his economic wealth pandering tendencies.
This 'Social Investment' idea and its existing screwups should definitely have more focus. Unfortunately what seems to be reasonable social research program was basically undermined by the attempted pay off of implementing it as a money saving device.
Thats an interesting confession, however it dosnt address the point….how has the U.S. Supreme court decision changed any politicians ability to change NZ's abortion laws?
Hilarious to see the Herald come out as anti-capitalist on behalf of rural NZ and then try and blame the government too.
Two vodka entrepreneurs try to do something a bit different on a farm, which like their vodka is a bit kooky, but market focused and the absolute rural fap sees them top of the Herald online.
The rural establishment has a bit of trouble rationalising someone buying a farm and making more money off the land by not 'farming' it.
You start to wonder what, or rather, who, is being farmed.
But in reality most of the land between Queenstown and Wanaka is now retired / carbon farm / private conservation estate now. And one by one the old high country runs are going that way.
Halfway Bay sold last month and was immediately de-stocked and the farm manager laid off, going into carbon farm / conservation / high end tourism. Property covers the Lochy catchment which is one of the best trout fisheries around and has always been private, and has excellent hunting, so they should do better than the farm, and probably be a lot easier on the land.
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Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
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Test saving a message
Improved a lot with the innodb pool size increase. Still higher than I’d like.
Try running an optimize to clean up any db issues. The site will be a bit slower for about an hour.
Completed. I'll have a look at database performance under load today, but it appears to have been a issue with data pool sizes.
better but still noticeably slow loading at my end.
I'll have another look at it this weekend (assuming that my bug list from QA doesn't grow again today). My current server had problems with the upgrade to the latest LTS version.
However the new server is sitting under my desk at the workplace. I just received the order of disk bays for it yesterday which was the last bit.
So I'll transfer the TS array to it this weekend and get that running, then do a fresh install on the current server.
slowness could be my crappy internet connection too.
Yes, seems better. DR missed its schedule last night, which tends to happen when there are speed issues with TS (aka a canary in the coalmine).
I/S @ No Right Turn doesn't treat Luxon's anti-abortionism lightly:
"Over the weekend, the US Supreme Court followed through on its threat, and overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively outlawing abortion in much of the United States. People were outraged, in America and around the world. And in Aotearoa, this meant a lot of sudden questions for the National Party, which is led by a fundamentalist anti-abortionist, stuffed with fundamentalist anti-abortionist MPs, and which tends to take its lead from whatever crack the US Republicans are smoking this week. While National's fundy backbenchers celebrated the imposition of forced birth in America, Christopher Luxon desperately tried to backpedal on his past views and reassure the public that National had no intention of changing the law. Except that today, he's doubling down on being anti-abortion:"
Read more: http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2022/06/still-digging.html
he's doubling down on being anti-abortion
In other words, his position today is the same as it was yesterday. Yeah I can see how that might be annoying for some in the media. 🙂
So what is his position, yesterday or today?
Is he anti-abortion or is he not?
Like I've said ad nauseam, when Jacinda needs a disaster, one appears. And this ones a beauty.
As night follows day, dumb voters have knee jerked in response. HDA received texts saying people are now reconsidering voting for National. You can bet there are many others thinking similar.
Seems they don’t understand abortion issues are the least of our worries.
[citation needed for the HDA claim – weka]
mod note
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/opinion/heather-du-plessis-allan-luxon-needs-to-wheel-out-simon-oconnor-and-make-him-apologise/
this?
"two"?
Two?
Yikes!!
No, there were others during open talkback, but that was the only link I could find to show I wasn't making stuff up. That link was her opening comments for that day's session.
My point is, even just using those two examples, there would be thousands of other women having second thoughts about voting National just like them. All they see is National has too many fundies in their party. And Luxon is one, too. And he's the leader.
From AB's post below.
''The might be the least of yours mate, but for women of childbearing age, it might be a bit different. And maybe a bit different too for men with daughters, sisters and female relatives in that category. Quite a few people then.''
That's how middleclass women and others will be thinking. People who previously were considering voting for National.
thanks. What I’m hoping is that you will learn to explain your thinking up front like that, so I don’t have to drag it out of you as a mod or commenter. What you have since provided that wasn’t in yoru original comment:
If you look at your first comment, it’s just some offhand, throw them out there reckons. But you can obviously formulate a decent political argument, so I’m asking that you do that up front.
This isn’t twitter or FB, we’re not here for the reckons, we’re here for the robust debate. When people put there argument (and links and quotes) up front, the debate improves. Everyone knows what is being discussed and the context. Good and robust debate is the point of the commentariat (robust doesn’t mean fractious, it means vigorous and resilient and of a certain standard).
there is still another mod note for you to respond to, comments will be held back until that is attended to.
Understood.
Gordon Campbell brings his wisdom to the tawdry situation:
"After all… And starting at around 4 minutes into this December 2021 interview, Luxon (a) agreed that abortion is “tantamount to murder” and (b) refused to answer a question about whether he thought abortion should be allowed for victims made pregnant by rape or incest. This man is not a social liberal.
Footnote One: Apparently, access to abortion is not something the National caucus regards as being important. In yesterday’s mea culpa to his colleagues O’Connor said that his offensive tweet “had caused distress and trouble for the party, that just wants to focus on big issues.” Women voters, take note. Abortion rights = no big deal. Blokes got more important things to talk about."
http://werewolf.co.nz/2022/06/gordon-campbell-on-nationals-ongoing-problems-with-abortion/
The might be the least of yours mate, but for women of childbearing age, it might be a bit different. And maybe a bit different too for men with daughters, sisters and female relatives in that category. Quite a few people then.
And let's consider what it is emblematic of. This basically:
In short – the guy is even worse than Key.
Your saying Luxons poll levelling was down to a large faction of dumb voters? Good of Heather to be so up front and tell it to their faces on newstalk then.
Blade, there are people who vote on single issues- they're called single issue voters.
The abortion issue is one such issue. People on both sides of the issue can be very passionate about it. Some will vote against Luxon because to their one issue passion, but not many on his side of that debate will be impressed by his conflicted approach.
Even people who agree with Luxon's views on abortion as being 'tantamount to murder' will find it difficult to reconcile the seriousness of that moral position with his stated position not to have the National party do anything under his leadership.
If I were in that position of having a very strong anti-abortion stance that is of the 'die in a ditch' moral standing, then I'd be very disappointed even if I realised the political implications for Luxon. I'd want him to be telegraphing that he'd be working to change his party policy for the future.
Then there are voters who see inconsistencies in politician's views and summing them up accordingly vote for others.
There are others who see extremism in one set of a politician's views and wonder whether there are other similar views not yet revealed but that would also be undesirable if acted upon.
These are often middle of the road voters, centrist in nature who are suspicious of extremism.
Luxon has shown extremism, conflicted beliefs and an authoritarian approach to party dissent.
Some might argue that the member for The Upper Room might be better suited in a minority Christian conservative party, rather than leader of a political party that has been traditionally and largely liberal especially in its urban wing.
Others might argue that National is becoming a party with a growing and alarming group of social conservative, even extremist, MPs.
They would already be worried by the exodus from their ranks of socially liberal women MPs like Adams and Bennett. National has been struggling to regain women voters. Luxon's views, and those of illiberal members like O'Connor and Brown, will not help.
Lastly, if National is looking to reclaim the young vote with younger MPs like Brown and O'Connor, then they will be hard pressed with their espousal of illiberal causes that goes beyond the abortion issue but into other issues as gay rights and same-sex marriage where the young are far more liberal.
In sum, then, I'd say that National looks like a party for the socially conservative, male, older voter.
They're welcome………
An important factor for National will be the removal of a President who presided over a selection of politically dodgy candidates. Will they also look to their selection procedures to allow through more acceptable candidates, more representative, more liberal, more reasonable and uncontroversial?
The next few months as parties go into election and selection modes will be very revealing as to the direction of National- urban, liberal, centrist or rural, conservative, extremist?
Gordon Campbell adds a pithy footnote:
" The voting gender gap is one thing. National‘s other dilemma on abortion is that it doesn’t want to alienate its Christian base before the election, but it also can’t risk looking to the general public as of it is captive to the Christian right. Answer: shut down the issue ASAP. Try to look as if you’re merely the steward of the status quo. Until such time as you can achieve the power to be otherwise."
I find it depressing that sections of the population think Roe v Wade is about banning abortion and even worse, it applies to New Zealand.
New Zealand already has the most liberal abortion regime in the world, voted in overwhelmingly with bi partisan support from both parties. Sure some National MPs voted against as did some Labour MPs. It is NOT going to change.
The US Supreme Court decision had little to do with abortion, it was about interpretation of the US Constitution and the separation of powers between the Legislative and Judicial Branches.
Your history of spreading citation-less bullshit consequence-free on here is depressing.
That’s inaccurate. The final vote was 68/51 (for/against).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_Legislation_Act_2020#Third_reading
.
Certainly a highly contrived wedge issue in the NZ context at the moment … but that's how politics works … parties fighting tooth & nail for the affections of swing-voters (particularly those women – many of a morally-liberal disposition – who flowed from Clark to Key to Ardern then back to Luxon again).
It'll all end in tears before bedtime … but whose tears ? That's the question.
That doesn't really fit with a description of wedge issues, imo. They usually don't have a downside for the political faction pushing them forward.
In particular with Luxon he has only really shown a very detached position on any issues. It seems to be all high level rhetoric without much substance.
His actual policy positions are pretty extreme where he takes them. In particular on the economy he started regurgitating 80s monetarism as the only appropriate policy. I don't understand why saying most families should take a further pay cut so we can hand out tax increases to very few, is a viable political position. Never the less this was the proposal and it didn't seem relevant that QE was running for a decade without inflation, there has been massive supply side disruption, or that most families have taken a real wage cut due to inflation. Instead the only economic thinking of National is austerity must be the approach.
No, I'm saying Labour's indulging in the wedge politics here … not the Nats. [I'm not criticising, incidentally, it's a perfectly legitimate tactic in the game of electoral politics].
Yes, they are. Good thing too – public service, I reckon!
Mac1, Well put .
It's not only the "abortion issues". It's the Luxon issue.
Today he declared that National is "a party for women".
https://thespinoff.co.nz/live-updates/29-06-2022/luxons-morning-media-round-dominated-by-aftermath-of-roe-v-wade
That sums him up. He constantly falls back on empty slogans and platitudes, and it only makes things worse.
Trying not to say what you really believe is rarely a smart approach in politics. But Luxon no doubt has advisers whispering in his ear "Don't be you. Be empty".
He can't keep that up for long. Nobody can.
Luxon needs to improve his party’s scorecard (but so does Labour).
https://www.genderjustice.nz/scorecard_election_2020
G, K and B, from the anti-abortion stable, saying that they respect the law of the land, then when on SOCTUS with a case before them then change the law. Team Luxon we have no plan to change the law, but individually will vote our conscience should a bill be before the House.
Parseltongues.
Never trust a religious fundamentalist!
When the crunch comes, he'll do what his god (conveniently) tells him to do.
And it’ll all be justified by words in his little book of myths!
Very true.
Try reading The Book of Mormon sometime.
I have, and I couldn't!
I just wish god would text me occasionally.
Robert, that is illuminating. Thank you.
Got a text from our local medical centre telling us that they are having to put their prices up because of inflation.
I texted them back, "Putting prices up, is what causes inflation."
Well put. Now time for those in power to do something about one of the main sources of this inflation, those making record profits:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/469976/banks-making-record-profits-but-impact-of-economic-shocks-to-come
While lots of people think that a low interest rate environment is the ideal one for commercial banks and what they lobby for this is miss leading.
It's actually a high interest rate environment which is more profitable for banks.
I don't think it matters what environment banks want, record profits are record profits and when regular depositors are struggling with inflation related cost increases it's unacceptable that banks are setting profit records,
And then there's the global petrol companies record profits:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/13/oil-gas-producers-first-quarter-2022-profits
In most countries, including NZ, commercial banks are directly involved in central bank lobbying activities via the media. Thats why this is relevant.
Regardless, my point is that bragging about profits while the majority of society is being pummelled by inflation costs and stagnant wages, should really be seen as the industry publicly requesting a windfall tax on their rampant profits.
Govt don’t fund the health services properly. So the health centre needs to cover its costs. Write to Andrew Little about it
when you change your email address, or make a typo, or can't remember what it is, your comments get treated as a new person and held back for manual approval. Might be good to take a note of the exact email address you are using 👍
Apologies Weka!
Once upon a time the English told their cricket venues to develop pitches that lasted 5 days. A team toured the country and was put into bat first in two tests. In both tests England demonstrated they could score runs quickly and in great volume on the final day and thus no target set for them would be enough.
Then in the third test KW, the so called best captain in the world, decided to bat first. Is it the elbow, the time in the IPL or covid?
The next team to tour there will not make the same mistake and England will get burnt.
We need a change in the leadership thinking so we can encourage our spinners and stop selecting bits and pieces players
Williamson to stop playing IPL and to relinquish the captaincy would also help immeasurably
I can't believe how badly National have bungled this abortion issue. Luxon is hobbled by his own Christian fundamentalism, which leave him gruesomely floundering between credibility and electability on this issue and between him and his dumb as a sack of hammers fundy caucus they just can't help keeping the story alive. Judith Collins must be laughing her head off. What it shows is how brittle, undisciplined and bumbling their unrepresentative caucus is under pressure.
Goodfellow has a lot to answer for. One only hopes that now he is gone National can get some people into realistically electable positions who are representative of what constitutes the the bounds of NZ's social attitudes.
Agree.
But it also shows that our MSM are ridiculously loaded into specialist minor-use health areas when in terms of thousands of people using the service the far more important health crises are in Emergency Departments and Eldercare. Those areas are where rights to health are in NZ under direct threat.
Agree Ad about the health cate crisis. Under this govt abortion likely to become less available cause of staffing shortages. Ironic isn’t it…….but never mind we will have our marvellous new health authority!
Well that is the lazy news cycle writ large. Morning Report and Checkpoint etc etc love these specialist minor-use health stories because they practically write themselves – and fact often do, given a lot of them seem to come from drug company funded lobby groups that want Pharmac to buy their latest incredibly expensive wonder drug.
Format for human interest health story (guaranteed outage and clicks):
< Desperate Deserving Person> with <specialist minor-use health problem>
complains to <outraged presenter> they can't get <specialist minor-use health outcome>
< Desperate Deserving Person> gives heart rending interview about their imminent demise
<outraged presenter> declares scandal and demands answers from <relevant minister>
And that is the lead 10 minutes of checkpoint or Morning Report four out of ten days.
Nine to Noon can then do a full thirty minutes twice a week talking about the health crisis du jour related to the above.
My partner went to the Dr last week and mentioned a mole on her toe. The Dr took a pic and mailed it to the Dermatology specialist at Auckland Hospital. On Monday she got an email from Green Lane hospital giving her an appointment with Dermatology for next Thursday.
You cannot complain about that sort of service.
VV Glad you got good service. Good wishes for a good diagnosis.
"dumb as a sack of hammers fundy caucus"….brilliant….excelling yourself today Sanc.
The abortion issue in NZ is a nothing burger led by the media desperate to create another 'controversy'
100% PR.
Dreadful PR, actually. Luxon with three explanations about National's varied abortion views and then telling the women of New Zealand that National is their party was terrible public relations……
The National Party created the controversy when one of their MPs celebrated the US Supreme Court decision.
And another of their MPs approved the celebration.
Trump watch resumes on Capitol Hill
1. Trump wanted armed people waved onto the Hill because they were not there to threaten him
2. After calling for the crowd to go to Congress to protest the EC vote he wanted to join them – and tried to take control of the vehicle from secret service agents.
3. Meadows and his staff were given legal advice that anyone from the White House involved in trying to block the EC vote by attending the protest would likely go to prison.
According to what was said in the hearing this morning Trump was happy for armed people to be in his crowd. Get them there, rouse them, stir them up, get them heading for the Capitol. Angry and armed.
"Backstage at the rally, Trump was irate that people with weapons were not being let through the magnetometers by Secret Service officers and agents who screen all attendees at any event featuring a sitting president. But Trump wanted the armed individuals to be allowed to attend the rally and complained that the magnetometers were adversely affecting his crowd size, Hutchinson overheard."
https://rollcall.com/2022/06/28/trump-wanted-armed-supporters-allowed-into-jan-6-rally-and-to-lead-capitol-charge/
Great to see central government put its stake in the ground for public transport in central Wellington. Next test is to see Wellington Council and GWRC get on board and formally align.
Right before an election, this is what elections were for.
'Once in a generation': Government backs light rail for $7.4b Wellington transport overhaul | Stuff.co.nz
is that like light rail in Auckland?
Brilliant-well done the government. Light rail will do wonders for Wellington.
From personal experience it works really well in Sydney and Seville.
Of course if fundy Luxon is elected as PM this will be canned and it will be roads roads roads.
It also worked really well before they decided to trolley bus and then just bus. Enjoyed many a ride from the station to the zoo, Athletic Park, and the Basin on the
tramslight rail.And the Gold Coast QLD.
Thanks Patricia…I didn't know that.
This is what Wellington needs. Great. We are gathering momentum.
It would be great to see any passenger train in New Zealand get to 80kms an hour, whereas now from Huntly to Karapiro you can now put the pedal down and go 110km an hour.
Speed limit on parts of Waikato Expressway increasing to 110km/h (1news.co.nz)
That's the result of all that money put into cars.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your Polestar.
I heard on RNZ yesterday something along the lines of "submissions received strongly supported the 110 km limit."
Well d'oh. There is huge gung-ho car/truck lobby out there always demanding higher speed limits. That doesn't mean it makes sense for safety and environmental reasons.
TBF I'm looking forward to bypassing Hamilton post haste and doing a circuit of the Cambridge and Paeroa antique shops in an easy day.
The antique shops in Paeroa suffered a bit over the past couple of years – but still a good supply of children's dolly prams to be had. 🙂
I drive the Waikato express way reasonably frequently ( It is in fact the easiest and quickest way to Te Rapa, Te Awa, The Base, and Hamilton from here. There are many sections where 110kph is quiet safe* – a very well formed road right up to international standards. Not unreasonable in my view to raise the limit a notch.
*personal view after 60+ years of incident free driving and having raced motorbikes and organised motorcycle racing events.
NZ is well placed to use the NATO summit to accentuate this message:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300624319/misinformation-is-a-threat-and-affecting-nz-jacinda-ardern-says-ahead-of-nato-speech
I think the author meant "fuel" not duel.
NATO expansion is all on. Turkey agrees.
Turkey ready to back Sweden, Finland NATO bids | News | DW | 28.06.2022
In your eye Putin.
I was reading the Finnish defense minister doing an only slightly more polite version of "we will kick Russia's ass if they try it on" interview the other day and I was struck at how bellicose the Europeans are given half a chance.
What a quarrelsome lot they are.
Fiins have history here.
Russia isn't likely to forget the Winter War any time soon….
Europe will lose the winter war,as it has insufficient energy reserves,or an ability to produce sufficient heating.
https://twitter.com/JavierBlas/status/1541830101351948295?cxt=HHwWjoCz8dyT1-UqAAAA
https://twitter.com/SStapczynski/status/1541806195903971328?cxt=HHwWgIDStZ-kzOUqAAAA
We haven't yet seen the energy equivalent of NATO evolve in Europe, but odds on this will occur.
Every time European states intervene, the markets have been shown to fail.
The hard open question is whether European countries can follow Lithuania's lead and built the port importing capacity to rid themselves of Russian gas addiction.
Germany needs 2 LNG stations to be ready for NOV, consents have yet to be formatted.( nor have investment decisions)
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/germanys-lng-terminals-completion-could-be-delayed-sector-lobby-says-2022-06-27/
Producing around 400gwh a day from coal and lignite a day,and still not diverting enough gas to winter storage.168 gwh in generation a day (gas)
Lithuania's lead? Ha ha. USA obviously behind that. Strangely enough, not NATO?
Anyway, this adds to the danger of nuclear escalation.
Nobody should be stupid enough to write shallow inanities like, "In your eye, Putin.'
Sorry Ad – that was really disappointing for me.
If only they'd listened to Trump:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfJv9QYrlwg
Nice smirking by the Germans, wonder if they're smirking now
The British disease has crossed the channel.
https://twitter.com/SStapczynski/status/1541731378210803712?cxt=HHwWgMCglaShquUqAAAA
I think this is a really big shift.
Turkey has been remaining very cautiously neutral over the Ukraine situation (I think because of Russian involvement in Syria – and therefore the Kurdish situation on their border).
For them to come out supporting an expansion of NATO – when it's clearly an area Russia want to veto for their cordon saintaire countries (more Finland than Sweden) – is significant.
The Turks are playing a canny game. They may be neutral, but that didn't stop Bayraktar donating three TB2 drones in additional to the four a donation drive purchased (apparently fifty have now be delivered to the Ukraine.
Johnny Turk is happily hunting with the hounds and running with the hares and getting concessions and $$$ everywhere for their troubles.
It's called "field testing" and remarkably successfully too. Orders from observing countries will be flooding in.
I agree, Belladonna – a really big shift.
In a very bad direction – towards nuclear escalation.
The Russians have effectively stated with this war that they are fed up with meaningless negotiations, with USA and NATO negotiating in bad faith.
The Russians do not trust the West's bad faith negotiations any more. They have been planning this for some time.
Don't expect them to conform to our standards of morality. They don't believe we have any.
They will escalate. Be very careful of what you wish for.
Personally, I do not like Putin, but I fear that we in the West have been propagandized to the point where we have no idea of the dangers that now face us.
Nor of the duplicity of our own leaders.
Those of you who are more dialled into local body politics in Wellington – do you think that Eagles is likely to take the mayoralty? And will it make a difference?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rongotai-mp-paul-eagle-announces-wellington-mayoral-bid/ZD5WUG3IOJLSLDWMFZVR3UCJ74/
Darn it, autocorrect…. Eagle
I would think he has a very good chance and is probably favourite at the moment. I don't think he will be any good at the job but it is 12 years since we had a decent Mayor and at least 30 since we had a good one so I doubt if he will make any difference.
He was a reasonable Councillor though so we may be surprised. He'll have to get rid of the arrogance that he has picked up as a Labour MP though. He has developed their typical attitude that laws don't apply to them while he has been in the House. As an example try this
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/06/wellington-mayoral-candidate-and-labour-mp-paul-eagle-refuses-to-remove-campaign-billboards-despite-being-ordered-to.html
test
Why are those managing Kiwibuild now approaching lead contractors requesting fixed price contracts and the message is being relayed to sub contractors with expectations of those prices to both drop and be adhered to? All so price ceilings announced 4 years ago can still be achieved. I am aware of a development exceeding 50 Kiwibuild will be cancelled as the head provider can not provide product and still achieve ANY financial benefit(unless subbies reduce price) and that is not factoring in the element of risk.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/129103773/weve-never-seen-anything-like-it-cost-increases-leave-builders-scrambling
Don't worry the ( kiwibuild )affordable homes are unaffordable at 6%,there will be no takers at 10% mortgages.
Is Kiwibuild still a thing?
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/06/26/revealed-how-kiwibuild-failed-maori-and-pasifika/
'Figures released to Q+A with Jack Tame under the Official Information Act show just 4.8% of KiwiBuild buyers who gave their ethnicity on their application forms are Māori, and 4.4% are Pasifika.'
'These figures are well below the ethnicity breakdown of the general population, which is 16.5% Māori, and 8% Pasifika.'
'At the current rate of progress, the original target of 100,000 KiwiBuild homes will be reached around the year 2300'
"the original target of 100,000 KiwiBuild homes will be reached around the year 2300"
Now that statement shows a spectacular degree of wishful thinking. Add another thousand I would say.
Generational thinking all right
At least they're having a go
Chris Bishop’s baby now; Dean’s moved on to Conservation (presumably not of state houses).
I've really changed my views on Russell Brand, hes got some good ideas
Nope, being behind the times, more like it.
Turkyie may well have had a rethink and does not favour having on almost half its borders a belligerent Russia, if it is not stopped or contained. The Black Sea is more Turkyies sea with almost half the coastline and with a vulnerable Georgia and Bulgaria north and east of it, a Russian ally in Syria to the south the future huge costs and problems of defence and refugees etc would loom large.
Kiwibuild did its job, the building industry got its arse into gear and started building and selling houses and suddenly finding land that had been forgotten in the “ bank “, because it could see that Govt would dictate the future direction and it did not want to be sidelined. We must be close to peak house anytime soon with the number already consented and with the Govt continuing to build State Houses, downward price pressure may leaven the product inflation.
Dont fear a building bust so long as the Auckland and now Wellington light rail, Lake Onslow and other big badly needed infrastructure projects go ahead.
'Kiwibuild did its job'
I thought its job was to build 100 000 houses
You thought wrong, which you would have known if you had read your own link.
Yes Kiwibuild did its job. The job of kiwibuild was never to build 100,000 homes, it was simply to get Labour in to government. Job done. Everyone with half a brain said it was not achievable and have been proved right.
Ah well
https://nypost.com/2022/06/27/trans-woman-beats-13-year-old-in-womens-skateboarding-contest/
These are all completely unrelated
/
https://gcn.ie/three-people-hospitalised-violent-attack-dublin-pride/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/128986082/gender-dynamix-building-fire-labelled-suspicious-by-police
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61933817
What’s your point, this time?
Lots of good bits still to come.
https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1540399689098579968
https://twitter.com/darinself/status/1541839007021240324
Not a bunch of unarmed yahoos, eh Pucks.
/
In Tuesday’s hearing, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — vice chair of the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack — played police transmissions that described people carrying firearms near the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., where Trump held his rally the morning of Jan. 6.
“Three men walking down the street in fatigues carrying AR-15s… at 14th and Independence,” a voice says in one transmission.
“White male… stock of an AR-15,” someone can be heard saying in another recording. “Green fatigues… Glock-style pistols in their waistband.”
“Elevated threat in the trees… American flag face mask… weapon on the right-side hip,” a third transmission says.
Cheney noted that among the supporters who chose to pass through metal detectors so they could get closer to Trump, security screened weapons and equipment including pepper spray, knives, batons and gas masks. Several thousand more people did not go through metal detectors and watched from the nearby Washington Monument lawn.
The committee also showed a report sent by Secret Service at 11 a.m. that day warning of a man with a rifle near the Ellipse, where Trump was speaking.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/house-committee-describes-weapons-trump-190545024.html
Just as we dont have the same problem with gun control legislation as the U.S. ,we dont have the same problem with abortion rights…our political systems are worlds apart so whipping ourselves into a moral panic over Roe v Wade appears to me to be superfluous.
Its highly relevant. Candidates for office and Parties will never have the opportunity to tell us precisely what they will do for every issue. We need to make future voting decisions based on how they approach issues which come up. In this case were observing the differences between a Luxon and an English approach to conscience questions.
British historians cannot understand the angst,of the Relevance to the UK either.
Sandbrook blames the Americanisation of the social culture such as tv and film.
https://twitter.com/holland_tom/status/1541681953509867520
Nothing to see here.
https://twitter.com/MirrorPolitics/status/1541778555088011264
Did you read Sandbrook ,I would suggest the member did not either,in a recent yougov poll only 2% were against abortion in the UK,not even significant at the 2 sigma level.More own goal there.
https://twitter.com/dcsandbrook/status/1541676279073837056
how exactly do you deem it relevant?
Posting as somebody who once wondered why Bill English was an electoral flop. I didn't understand the harm in his politics till he was already finance minister because his views were hardly news worthy. Its already apparent Luxon harbours multiple socially regressive traits, along with his economic wealth pandering tendencies.
Gordon Campbell on Luxon’s scary ‘social investment’ neither investment or social adherence.
Campbell in scoop
This 'Social Investment' idea and its existing screwups should definitely have more focus. Unfortunately what seems to be reasonable social research program was basically undermined by the attempted pay off of implementing it as a money saving device.
Thats an interesting confession, however it dosnt address the point….how has the U.S. Supreme court decision changed any politicians ability to change NZ's abortion laws?
The answer quite simply it hasnt.
Hilarious to see the Herald come out as anti-capitalist on behalf of rural NZ and then try and blame the government too.
Two vodka entrepreneurs try to do something a bit different on a farm, which like their vodka is a bit kooky, but market focused and the absolute rural fap sees them top of the Herald online.
The rural establishment has a bit of trouble rationalising someone buying a farm and making more money off the land by not 'farming' it.
You start to wonder what, or rather, who, is being farmed.
But in reality most of the land between Queenstown and Wanaka is now retired / carbon farm / private conservation estate now. And one by one the old high country runs are going that way.
Halfway Bay sold last month and was immediately de-stocked and the farm manager laid off, going into carbon farm / conservation / high end tourism. Property covers the Lochy catchment which is one of the best trout fisheries around and has always been private, and has excellent hunting, so they should do better than the farm, and probably be a lot easier on the land.