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.
Europe will lose the winter war,as it has insufficient energy reserves,or an ability to produce sufficient heating.
Let's try (again): Europe MUST save energy this summer if it has a chance of avoiding huge problems this winter — above all, becoming an energy hostage of Vladimir Putin (and yes, bad policies etc, but now, focus on solving current problem, no argue yesterday's bad decisions)
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.
French power prices are surging as strikes curb generation 🇫🇷 ⚡️
🚶♂️ A walkout by workers at energy companies including EDF is cutting output 📈 Long-term power rates are rallying amid fears nuclear reactors won’t be able to meet demand this winterhttps://t.co/vcTMcsEA3hpic.twitter.com/nYGZbvkPRX
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 a heated confrontation today, Jamie Raskin asks Marge if she thinks people have a right to carry guns wherever they want, was it ok for J6 rioters to have guns. Marge says, “What evidence do you have that people were armed that day?” Raskin responds, “Oh, just wait for it.” pic.twitter.com/d7G0McteMN
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) June 24, 2022
The president ordered Secret Service to remove metal detectors so weapons would stop being confiscated — knowing he would push the crowd towards the Capitol https://t.co/Qzf2AUZnUF
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.
An essay for @unherd about how Britain isn't America and why it's demented to pretend that "it's coming … it's going to happen here", and so on. It really isn't.https://t.co/qAFuZGJ5Ff
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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This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler Poor air quality is a long-standing problem in Los Angeles, where the first major outbreak of smog during World War II was so intense that some residents thought the city had been attacked by chemical weapons. Cars were eventually discovered ...
Yesterday I was reading an excellent newsletter from David Slack, and I started writing a comment “Sounds like some excellent genetic heritage…” and then I stopped.There was something about the phrase genetic heritage that stopped me in tracks. Is that a phrase I want to be saying? It’s kind of ...
Brian Easton writes – Two senior economists challenge some of the foundations of current economics. It is easy to criticise economic science by misrepresenting it, by selective quotations, and by ignoring that it progresses, like all sciences, by improving and abandoning old theories. The critics may go ...
This week marks the twentieth anniversary of the Iraq War. While it strongly opposed the US-led invasion, New Zealand’s then Labour-led government led by Prime Minister Helen Clark did deploy military engineers to try to help rebuild Iraq in mid-2003. With violence soaring, their 12-month deployment ended without being renewed ...
After seventy years, Auckland’s motorway network is finally finished. In July 1953 the first section of motorway in Auckland was opened between Ellerslie-Panmure Highway and Mt Wellington Highway. The final stage opens to traffic this week with the completion of the motorway part of the Northern Corridor Improvements project. Aucklanders ...
National’s appointment of Todd McClay as Agriculture spokesperson clearly signals that the party is in trouble with the farming vote. McClay was not an obvious choice, but he does have a record as a political scrapper. The party needs that because sources say it has been shedding farming votes ...
Rays of white light come flooding into my lounge, into my face from over the top of my neighbour’s hedge. I have to look away as the window of the conservatory is awash in light, as if you were driving towards the sun after a rain shower and suddenly blinded. ...
The columnists in Private Eye take pen names, so I have not the least idea who any of them are. But I greatly appreciate their expert insight, especially MD, who writes the medical column, offering informed and often damning critique of the UK health system and the politicians who keep ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Mar 12, 2023 thru Sat, Mar 18, 2023. Story of the Week Guest post: What 13,500 citations reveal about the IPCC’s climate science report IPCC WG1 AR6 SPM Report Cover - Changing ...
Buzz from the Beehive The building of financial capability was brought into our considerations when Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced she had dipped into the government’s coffers for $3 million for “providers” to help people and families access community-based Building Financial Capability services. That wording suggests some ...
Do you ever come across something that makes you go Hmmmm?You mean like the song?No, I wasn’t thinking of the song, but I am now - thanks for that. I was thinking of things you read or hear that make you stop and go Hmmmm.Yeah, I know what you mean, ...
By the end of the week, the dramas over Stuart Nash overshadowed Hipkins’ policy bonfire. File photo: Lynn GrieveasonTLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and the political economy covered on The Kākā included:PM Chris Hipkins’ announcement of the rest of a policy bonfire to save a combined $1.7 billion, but ...
When word went out that Prime Minister Chris Hipkins would be making an announcement about Stuart Nash on the tiles at parliament at 2:45pm yesterday, the assumption was that it was over. That we had reached tipping point for Nash’s time as minister. But by 3pm - when, coincidentally, the ...
Two senior economists challenge some of the foundations of current economics. It is easy to criticise economic science by misrepresenting it, by selective quotations, and by ignoring that it progresses, like all sciences, by improving and abandoning old theories. The critics may go on to attack physics by citing Newton.So ...
Photo by Walker Fenton on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week again when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kaka for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on Riverside (we’ve moved from Zoom) for our chat about the week’s news with ...
In a nice bit of news, my 2550-word deindustrial science-fiction piece, The Dream of Florian Neame, has been accepted for publication at New Maps Magazine (https://www.new-maps.com/). I have published there before, of course, with Of Tin and Tintagel coming out last year. While I still await the ...
And so this is Friday, and what have we learned?It was a week with all the usual luggage: minister brags and then he quits, Hollywood red carpet is full of twits. And all the while, hanging over the trivial stuff: existential dread, and portents of doom.Depending on who you read ...
When I changed the name of this newsletter from The Daily Read to Nick’s Kōrero I was a bit worried whether people would know what Kōrero meant or not. I added a definition when I announced the change and kind of assumed people who weren’t familiar with it would get ...
There was a time when a political party’s publicity people would counsel against promoting a candidate as queer. No matter which of two dictionary meanings the voting public might choose to apply – the old meaning of odd, strange, weird, or aberrant, or the more recent meaning of gay, homosexual ...
Photo by Joakim Honkasalo on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for the next hour, including:PM Chris Hipkins announcement of the rest of a policy bonfire to save a combined $1.7 billion, but which blew up ...
Even though concern over the climate change threat is becoming more mainstream, our governments continue to opt out of the difficult decisions at the expense of time, and cost for future generations. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Now we have a climate liability number to measure the potential failure of the ...
Thomas Cranmer writesLike it or not, the culture wars have entered New Zealand politics and look set to broaden and intensify. The culture wars are often viewed as an exclusively American phenomenon, but the reality is that they are becoming increasingly prominent in countries around the world, ...
Here’s an analogy for the Stuart Nash saga. If people are to be forgiven for their sins,Catholic dogma requires two factors to be present. There has to be a sincere act of confession about what has been done, but also a sincere act of contrition, which signals a painful ...
Here’s an analogy for the Stuart Nash saga. If people are to be forgiven for their sins,Catholic dogma requires two factors to be present. There has to be a sincere act of confession about what has been done, but also a sincere act of contrition, which signals a painful ...
Human Destabilisers: Russia now has a new strategic weapon – migratory waves of unwelcome human-beings. Desperate people with different coloured skins and different religious beliefs arriving at, or actually breaching, the national borders of Russia’s enemies can wreak as much havoc, culturally and politically, as a hypersonic missile exploding in the ...
Hi,After Webworm contributor Hayden Donnell wrote his latest piece, ‘RIP to Millennials Killing Everything’, he delivered this exciting and important bonus content.It will make more sense if you’ve read his piece.David. Read more ...
Hi,Before we get to Hayden’s column — RIP to Millennials Killing Everything — a quick observation.There was a day last week where it had suddenly reached 10pm and I hadn’t eaten all day. Hunger had suddenly gripped me with a panicky all-consuming force, so I jumped onto Uber Eats and ...
We add some of the CMIP6 models to the updateable MSU comparisons. After my annual update, I was pointed to some MSU-related diagnostics for many of the CMIP6 models (24 of them at least) from Po-Chedley et al. (2022) courtesy of Ben Santer. These are slightly different to what ...
In a memorable Pulp Fiction scene, Vincent inadvertently shoots their backseat passenger in the head. This leads our heroes Jules and Vincent to express alarm about their predicament.We're on a city street in broad daylight here!says Vincent. We gotta get this car off the roads. You know cops tend to ...
Primary, secondary and kindergarten teachers are all on strike today, demanding higher pay and an end to systematic understaffing. While the former is important - wages should at least keep up with inflation - its the latter which is the real issue. As with the health system, teachers have been ...
So the teachers are on strike, marching across Aotearoa today to press their demands for better pay and working conditions.Children remained in bed this brisk morning, many no doubt quite pleased about a day off school. Parents perhaps taking the day off to look after the kids, or working from ...
After the Cold War the consensus among Western military strategists was that the era of Big Wars, defined as peer conflict between large states with full spectrum military technologies, was at an end, at least for the foreseeable future. The … Continue reading → ...
Dairy giant Fonterra has posted a 50% lift in net profit to $546m, doubled its interim dividend, and is proposing a return of capital of 50c a share, injecting a note of optimism into the nation’s dairy industry. Fonterra’s strong performance is against a backdrop of market volatility. It ...
Buzz from the Beehive The bothersome economic news today is that New Zealand’s GDP fell by 0.6% in the December quarter, weaker than market forecasts of a fall of around 0.2% and much weaker than the Reserve Bank’s assumption of a 0.7% rise. This followed the even-more-bothersome news yesterday that ...
Ouch: Hipkins’ policy bonfire has resulted in an expensive self-administered removal of a Budgetary foot with an explosive device. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Bonfires can be dangerous things when they get out of control. They also create a lot of smoke and heat and burn the grass. ...
* Dr Bryce Edwards writes – I teach a first-year course at Victoria University of Wellington about government and the political process in New Zealand. In “Introduction to Government and Law”, students learn there are rules preventing senior public servants from getting involved in big political debates – as we ...
I teach a first year course at Victoria University of Wellington about government and the political process in New Zealand. In “Introduction to Government and Law”, students learn there are rules preventing senior public servants from getting involved in big political debates – as we have recently witnessed with Rob ...
An issue of integrity has claimed the first ministerial scalp in Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ premiership. Police Minister Stuart Nash lasted mere weeks in the role after admitting in a radio interview this morning that he had called Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to ask him if police were going to ...
For some time now we’ve known that the cost and completion timeframe for the City Rail Link would increase. Yesterday we finally learned by just how much. Costs City Rail Link Ltd (CRL Ltd) today confirms it has submitted a formal funding request to its Sponsors – the Crown and ...
The Government’s decision to back peddle on lowering speed limits is hitting potholes. At this stage, although it is part of the Government’s reprioritisation efforts to free up money to alleviate cost of living increases, the speed limit change looks unlikely to do that. And it appears that it ...
The University of Otago – the oldest university in New Zealand – towers over my home city of Dunedin. When classes are on, something like a fifth of Dunedin’s population are university students. It is also the largest employer in the South Island. To say that this is a ...
Last weekend brought the latest instalment in Stuff’s bravura satirical series Of course you can afford a house! Just dig deeper!I love how much their appreciation of humour has evolved in just a few short years since the days when I would get to produce, for a few meagre dollars, ...
Australia’s move to strengthen its defence capability with five nuclear-powered attack submarines underlines how relatively defenceless New Zealand is in the Pacific. Kiwis may gasp that the Labor government in Australia recognises it must outlay $400bn on the nuclear subs, but this ensures that Australia is not exposed ...
Ironically, a repurposed Auckland Ratepayers Alliance placard (with a demand for climate action on the front) featured at the recent climate march. Voting ratepayers don’t want ‘bureaucrats in cushy council jobs’ borrowing or increasing rates, even when the need for investment is becoming increasingly obvious. So is council cost-cutting a ...
The quarterly ETS auction was held today. In the past, these have seen collusion by big players to game the price and force a dump of extra credits from the cost-containment reserve (essentially, trying to pick stuff up cheap now in the belief that it will be more valuable later). ...
Buzz from the Beehive Exempting bikes, electric bikes and scooters from fringe benefit tax looked like something of a sop for a Green Party that had good grounds to grumble after a bunch of climate change measures was tossed on to the PM’s policy bonfire. The combustibles included the clean car ...
Today is a Member's Day, the first of the year. Unfortunately it also looks to be a boring one. First, there's a two hour debate on the budget policy statement (somehow inexplicably "member's business", despite it being fundamentally a government thing). Then there's a couple of "private bills" - people ...
Most days, Chris Hipkins and James Shaw seem a bit like the Seals and Crofts of the centre-left: Earnest, inoffensive, and capable of quite nice harmonies at times. They blow gently through the jasmine in your mind, but you know they’re never going to rock your world. Back in 2020, ...
The reflection gazed back at him. Pale and a little paunchy, he wasn’t a well man.He had a toga made from a fitted sheet and it kept bunching up under his armpits.His Laurel wreath was made from some Christmas tree branches he’d found in the shed, not a real pine ...
Yesterday we covered the government’s latest policy/delivery changes with a focus on light rail. But there was another important transport part of the announcement: The government will also intends to scale back its road safety plans. The programmes that are being reprioritised include: Significantly narrowing the speed reduction programme to ...
Unbridled Consumption: This civilisation we have built (we being the whole human species) is the most astonishingly wonderful thing homo sapiens has ever seen. We love it. We cannot imagine how awful life would be without it. And, we most certainly are not going to co-operate with anyone who advises ...
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 ...
Let’s start with the absolute truisms.Politics is the art of the possibleHalf of something is better than all of nothingLet us now consider these with reference to the Under New Management government.What is a supporter of progressive politics to make of the abandonment of various policies, as announced in recent post-cabinet ...
Chris Hipkins has surprised even some of his closest friends and backers with the bounce he has secured for Labour in public polls since he became Prime Minister. He has been put to the test since he took over from Jacinda Ardern in the top job, and has shown a ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised in their State of the Planet speech today. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party after the election must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised today. ...
You will never truly understand, from the pictures you’ve seen in the newspapers or on the six o-clock news, the sheer scale of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle. ...
We’re boosting incomes and helping ease cost of living pressures on Kiwis through a range of bread and butter support measures that will see pensioners, students, families, and those on main benefits better off from the start of next month. ...
The error Labour Ministers made by stopping work on a beverage container return scheme will be reversed by the Greens at the earliest opportunity as part of the next Government. ...
“Cabinet needs to do better - and today has shown exactly why we need Green Ministers in cabinet, so we can prioritise action to cut climate pollution and support people to make ends meet,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. ...
Biggest increase in food prices for over three decades shows the need for an excess profit tax on corporations to help people put food on the table. ...
The Green Party has today launched a submission guide to help Aucklanders give crucial input and prevent potentially disastrous Auckland Council budget proposals. ...
With calls growing for inquiries and action on bank profits, the Greens say the Government has all the information it needs to act now and put a levy on banks. ...
As large parts of Aotearoa recover from two of the worst climate disasters we have ever experienced, it would be a huge mistake for the Government to deprioritise climate action from future transport investments, the Green Party says. ...
The Green Party is celebrating the signing of a historic United Nations Ocean Treaty, and calls on the new Oceans and Fisheries Minister to urgently step up protection for Aotearoa’s oceans. ...
This year has seen a series of extreme weather events, unparalleled in New Zealand’s recent history. From Cape Reinga in the far north down to the Tararua Ranges, families and businesses across the country have suffered enormous loss and hardship. While the severe weather hasn’t directly affected every part of ...
The Government’s priority to keep New Zealand at the cutting edge of food production and lift our sustainability credentials continues by backing the next steps of a hi-tech vertical farming venture that uses up to 95 per cent less water, is climate resilient, and pesticide-free. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited ...
E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...
Education Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...
A vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...
Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...
The Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...
Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...
Fifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...
High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...
The economy has continued to show its resilience despite today’s GDP figures showing a modest decline in the December quarter, leaving the Government well positioned to help New Zealanders face cost of living pressures in a challenging global environment. “The economy had grown strongly in the two quarters before this ...
Aucklanders now have more ways to get around as Transport Minister Michael Wood opened the direct State Highway 1 (SH1) to State Highway 18 (SH18) underpass today, marking the completion of the 48-kilometre Western Ring Route (WRR). “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, more ...
This section contains briefings received by incoming ministers following changes to Cabinet in January. Some information may have been withheld in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. Where information has been withheld that is indicated within the document. ...
Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reaffirmed her commitment to working together with the new Government of Fiji on issues of shared importance, including on the prioritisation of climate change and sustainability, at a meeting today, in Nadi. Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand’s close relationship is underpinned by the Duavata ...
The Government is delivering a coastal shipping lifeline for businesses, residents and the primary sector in the cyclone-stricken regions of Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The Rangitata vessel has been chartered for an emergency coastal shipping route between Gisborne and Napier, with potential for ...
The Government will progress to the next stage of the NZ Battery Project, looking at the viability of pumped hydro as well as an alternative, multi-technology approach as part of the Government’s long term-plan to build a resilient, affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system in New Zealand, Energy and Resources ...
This morning I was made aware of a media interview in which Minister Stuart Nash criticised a decision of the Court and said he had contacted the Police Commissioner to suggest the Police appeal the decision. The phone call took place in 2021 when he was not the Police Minister. ...
The Government’s sharp focus on trade continues with Aotearoa New Zealand set to host Trade Ministers and delegations from 10 Asia Pacific economies at a meeting of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission members in July, Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor announced today. “New Zealand ...
$25 million boost to support more businesses with clean-up in cyclone affected regions, taking total business support to more than $50 million Demand for grants has been strong, with estimates showing applications will exceed the initial $25 million business support package Grants of up to a maximum of $40,000 per ...
80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visas applications have been processed – three months ahead of schedule Residence granted to 160,000 people 84,000 of 85,000 applications have been approved Over 160,000 people have become New Zealand residents now that 80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visa (2021RV) applications have been ...
The Government continues to invest in New Zealand’s burgeoning space industry, today announcing five scholarships for Kiwi Students to undertake internships at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash congratulated Michaela Dobson (University of Auckland), Leah Albrow (University of Canterbury) and Jack Naish, Celine Jane ...
The Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques travels to Melbourne, Australia today to represent New Zealand at the fourth Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Security. “The Government is committed to reducing the threat of terrorism ...
The health and safety practices at our nation’s ports will be improved as part of a new industry-wide action plan, Workplace Relations and Safety, and Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “Following the tragic death of two port workers in Auckland and Lyttelton last year, I asked the Port Health ...
Bikes, electric bikes and scooters will be added to the types of transport exempted from fringe benefit tax under changes proposed today. Revenue Minister David Parker said the change would allow bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, and micro-mobility share services to be exempt from fringe benefit tax where they ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will hold bilateral meetings with Fiji this week. The visit will be her first to the country since the election of the new coalition Government led by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka. The visit will be an opportunity to meet kanohi ki ...
The Government is introducing the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill to ensure the recovery and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle is streamlined and efficient with unnecessary red tape removed. The legislation is similar to legislation passed following the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes that modifies existing legislation in order to remove constraints ...
Approximately 1.4 million people will benefit from increases to rates and thresholds for social assistance to help with the cost of living Superannuation to increase by over $100 a pay for a couple Main benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children ...
$1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders with the cost of living A range of transport programmes deferred so Waka Kotahi can focus on post Cyclone road recovery Speed limit reduction programme significantly narrowed to focus on the most dangerous one per cent of state ...
The remaining state of national emergency over the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions will end on Tuesday 14 March, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. Minister McAnulty gave notice of a national transition period over these regions, which will come into effect immediately following the end of the ...
The Government is today delivering on one of its commitments as part of the New Zealand Government’s Dawn Raids apology, welcoming a cohort of emerging Pacific leaders to Aotearoa New Zealand participating in the He Manawa Tītī Scholarship Programme. This cohort will participate in a bespoke leadership training programme that ...
Industry Transformation Plan to transform advanced manufacturing through increased productivity and higher-skilled, higher-wage jobs into a globally-competitive low-emissions sector. Co-created and co-owned by business, unions and workers, government, Māori, Pacific peoples and wider stakeholders. A plan to accelerate the growth and transformation of New Zealand’s advanced manufacturing sector was launched ...
New Zealand will provide support for Pacific countries to prevent the spread of harmful animal diseases, Associate Minister of Agriculture Meka Whaitiri said. The Associate Minister is attending a meeting of Pacific Ministers during the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry in Nadi, Fiji. “Highly contagious diseases such as African ...
The Public Transport Futures project will deliver approximately: 100 more buses providing a greater number of seats to a greater number of locations at a higher frequency Over 470 more bus shelters to support a more enjoyable travel experience Almost 200 real time display units providing accurate information on bus ...
An author on the death of a baby and "a calm respectful grace" The normal world was out there. The clocks and the jobs and the traffic and the mortgages and the death. Especially the death. Death in suburbia means funerals with piped fake Celtic music despite the fact ...
One of New Zealand’s brightest young netball talents, Paris Lokotui has returned to the court 10 months after a knee reconstruction. Now she hopes her tough journey back paves a better way for other Māori and Pasifika players. Paris Lokotui remembers the moment time stood still. The 21-year-old was playing ...
A month on from Cyclone Gabrielle, many residents in Muriwai are still living in limbo, unable to return to their homes "I can't look back because it's too sad. I can't look forward because it is too daunting." Kat Corbett's Muriwai home remains out-of-bounds more than a month after ...
The Climate Change Commission's chair says the Government's decisions to ignore its advice could weaken the country's most important climate policy. ...
Coconut plantations are far from being ‘natural’ environments, coconut oil is high in saturated fats, and, despite the advertising, most of the global supply of coconut oil doesn’t come from the Pacific Islands eitherOpinion: Coconut oil has gained a halo as a natural health product, with claims it can ...
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By Hamish Cardwell, RNZ News senior journalist There is “is much to win by trying” to take action on climate change — that is a key finding in a major new international climate report the UN chief is calling a “survival guide for humanity”. It is something of a mic ...
A pōwhiri, a pie, and a grilling from primary school kids: Today was the day the boy from the Hutt who grew up to be prime minister went home for a visit. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Australia’s decision to buy three nuclear-powered submarines and build another eight is so expensive that, for the A$268 billion to $368 billion price tag, we could give a million dollars ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Denniss, Adjunct Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Australia has 116 new coal, oil and gas projects in the pipeline. If they all proceed as planned, an extra 1.4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases would be released into ...
Figures unearthed by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union reveal that the growth in public sector managers is almost twice that of frontline social, health and education workers. Since 2017, the frontline workforce for social services, health and education ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic O’Sullivan, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University A referendum will be held later this year to enshrine a First Nations’ Voice to Parliament into the Australian constitution. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Haoyang Zhai, PhD Candidate, The University of Melbourne Alexander Schimmeck/Unsplash Since its inception in 1921, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has officially promoted an atheist and materialist ideology. But belief systems in China are making a comeback – and ...
Scott Robertson has been announced successor to Ian Foster as head coach of the All Blacks, completing a controversial and highly idiosyncratic appointment process. He will assume the role in 2024, following the world cup at the end of this year. The contract for the breakdancing current coach of the ...
Multicultural New Zealand (MNZ) has expressed concern about events scheduled to take place in Auckland and Wellington on March 25th and 26th, respectively. The events will feature British anti-transgender activist, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull. MNZ is ...
Race Relations Day is celebrated annually in New Zealand on March 21st to promote and celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and harmony among different cultural, ethnic, and religious groups. As part of Race Relations Day 2023, Multicultural New Zealand ...
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s suggestion to make council budget cuts by reducing staffing hours and replacing librarians and library assistants with volunteers is concerning says New Zealand’s library association. “Limiting access to the valued ...
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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.
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:
Nice smirking by the Germans, wonder if they're smirking now
The British disease has crossed the channel.
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.
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.
Nothing to see here.
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.
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.