Did anyone else hear yesterday's early around the 7am RNZ news when Lisa Owens was stating that a leakier has released a document linking NZ First to arranging funding for the party?
It seemed at the time to be a hot story she was sending, among the current investigation going on by the Electoral Commission and may have been a hoax?
So since then the story was not repeated again, – did anyone hear that?.
That would have been a promo for her Checkpoint show between 5 and 6pm cleangreen. They always pick a soundbite from the previous evening which is supposed to whet the cerebral appetite.
Yes maybe it was a promo as I had just awaken and turned RNZ on and she was going hard at it so I tuned out and never heard the end because it was off the wall for me at that early time.
Cheers for that, a promo from Lisa Owens is most probably was.
Document leak: Why the NZ First Foundation was set up
Key documents about a mysterious foundation loaning money to New Zealand First have been leaked to RNZ, detailing why the New Zealand First Foundation was set up, how it would operate and who knew about the idea from the outset.
"The precedent is clear. It is the National Party's National Foundation. In essence this proposal suggests a cloning of that model into the New Zealand First Foundation," the document says. "There can be little doubt that the model is legally sound and is operated in a manner that meets all legal and ethical obligations."
But Bridges is calling for a full enquiry so will that be extended to National's Foundation?
I think its Owen (singular @cleangreen, though I can't be certain given a lot of people's desire to pluralise S'John (going forward)
And if you heard it in the mouring, was more likely to be a Fergusson.
Can't be certain these days tho' eh bro? A Fergusson here and an Owen there.
What's a big of partisan populist fuckwittery 'tween and twixt frenz (even those that come with benefits).
I think the problem is with all those 'other people' – possibly all those "ONES" the gummint's official stakeholders are unwilling to consult with (in this space, going forward, AND in the fullness of time)
Could be wrong tho' eh bro'! Good things apparently take time these days eh?
So even as spatial awareness diminishes (and all that goes with that), AND as change becomes faster and faster, we're assured that the responses to it should get slower ans slower – might be better to just drop the big OD now and be done with it eh?
Yes that was the one for sure, and Lisa was banging it out like it was a 21st century miracle development but it appears to be cloned to most political parties now for reasons we are awaiting to find out.
Media are very hungry for any story now it seems..
The Ministry of Health continues to exhibit symptoms…the latest is insisting on telling cute little girls who once were overflowing with joy and confidence "fat".
But Carey said it was a bizarre measure. As a result of the test: "Short people think they are thinner than they are, and tall people think they are fatter.
"What worries me is families who may really want support don't get it because their child has been categorised as being a healthy weight and some families don't actually need the referral but they think they do," Carey said.
Wellington mum Kym Clough said her daughter Abby, now 7, was told by a Plunket nurse she was fat at the age of 4 and, three years on, the comment has stuck.
"She'll finish a two-hour tap class and say 'Mummy do you think I've lost weight?'
"As a parent it's awful knowing she is constantly thinking about her body image like that," Clough told the Herald.
The mum-of-two said she remembers coming home after the B4SC and crying thinking she was a bad mother.
"I was horrified because she eats healthy, we grow our own vegetables and are not the type of family who sit in front of the TV for ages.
"The next day I took my daughter to kindy and asked the kindy teachers if they thought she was fat, because I knew they would be honest, and they said absolutely not."
Clough said hearing the nurse tell her daughter she was fat came as a huge shock because she was always an active kid.
"Even from a young age we would go to the park and she wouldn't walk, she'd run and my brother would always say she's going to be a gymnast or a long-distance runner."
Well that was before, now after assistance from the Ministry of Health she might end up with an eating disorder instead. I hope she learns to love herself more than the opinions of healthcare professionals.
Is this going to be an intelligent investment in a world being ruined by technical developments and their consequences?
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to develop the plan which sets out goals and actions for how the city will become a world recognised aerospace hub.
The port moving and the four lane highway are two different things. We have to keep on doing things. The economy has to keep grinding on, but keeping on dropping a cog, trying for an adequate sustainable level not 8-10% return on capital, and keeping climate change in mind all the time.
Like I think a railway north would be a good idea for transporting the goods. But what about extreme heat on the rail tracks I wonder. They could buckle and derail. I will have a look on google.
Practical methods: How we prevent tracks from getting too hot: We work closely with specialist weather forecasters and local weather stations to make necessary plans and take action so rails are less likely to buckle.
Our teams check track stability each winter as part of ongoing maintenance, and strengthen any weak parts before summer.
We paint certain parts of the rail white so they absorb less heat – and expand less. Typically, a rail painted white is 5°C to 10°C cooler than one left unpainted.
As most track is made up of long pieces of rail that are stretched and welded together, there is much less chance of buckling in very high temperatures because there is reduced compression.
When a track is made up from short rails bolted together, we leave small gaps between each one so that expansion doesn’t cause a problem.
We’re always improving how we measure and calculate rail temperatures. One way we’re doing this is by installing probes that alert us when track temperatures rise to give us chance to take action and stop a problem before it happens.
you dont' really have to explain trains to me.- I grew up in Germany, lived in France and have never owned a car. Not even in NZ have i owned a car.
Seriously, i grew up with them, they are my preferred method of transport and no one is gonna build a train up to Whangarai. You are lucky if you get a 4 lane highway that will then be destroyed by trucks like any other highway in NZ that is covered in Trucks.
In this country we can't even build a commuter train to hamilton/rotorua/wellington etc. Heck we can't even build a train to AKL Airport.
But they are gonna build a train to Whangarai. Yeah, right Tui.
All those rail projects are coming, despite any amount of denial or whinging about them. A 4-lane motorway north on the other hand is just a Nat/banker fantasy.
Subject; Article below entitled; “The Hidden Trucking Industry Subsidy” This US based article shows we ‘public’ give an exorbitant unfair amount of subsidy to the trucking industry. We now want the Transport Minister to please drive around regional NZ and just see the impacts of 50 to 60 tonne “B train ‘trucks and their destruction of our “soft roads” that do not even have an adequate under base to carry the 50+ tonne laden weight trucks, as they need a ‘steel mesh reinforced concrete base’ as US/Canadian and EU roads have installed under their truck routes.
Quote; Freight trucks cause 99% of wear-and-tear on US roads, but only pay for 35% of the maintenance. This $60B subsidy causes extra congestion and pollution, and taxpayers pay the bill. SO; This is a question for NZTA “why is it fair that the NZ taxpayer gives trucking industry a subsidy and not our own publicly owned rail”? We must now request ‘public’ money for roading must also be given to restoring our public owned regional rail. Since this document came out we know that the public is massively funding road repairs for private trucking companies so now we need to level the playing field for rail as it is a public owned entity owned by us taxpayers so we now desperately need at least an equal 50% contribution of the ‘public road funding’ be given to rail to restore the regional rail services around NZ. Here are the plain facts;
hidden-trucking-industry-subsidy/ The Hidden Trucking Industry Subsidy Freight trucks cause 99% of wear-and-tear on US roads, but only pay for 35% of the maintenance. This $60B subsidy causes extra congestion and pollution, and taxpayers pay the bill….. more to come so read all.
There used to be a train to the Far North – the North Auckland Line went to Whangarei. The grading for most of the tracks still remain.
The Okaihau branch which went from Opua on the North Auckland line, was intended to reach Kaitaia but was never completed. Some of the graded tracks are part of the northern cycleway.
I think there will be a train and a 4 lane highway to Whangarei, they will need them when the port moves their. It might take another ten or fifteen years.
I am posting in relation to the Julian Assange matter, which drew a lot of attention here on TS yesterday, but this is not entirely Julian Assange specific, so I post it today on Open Mike.
The treatment of both remand and convicted prisoners by prison authorities, including assessing and intervention in an attempt to ensure that both the physical and mental well being of the prisoner is adequate, can often be seen as equating to, or consistent with the general attitude and culture of the both the state, and society in any ne jurisdiction.
So for example, compare our prisons with prisons in say, Thailand or South America, and equate it to attitude, demographic and both culture and what is believed to be acceptable.
If we were to take a look at the Jeffery Epstein incarceration and death in custody, we might detect that many in New York probably privately believe that it was the best outcome and acceptable given the allegations. Of course, rightly or wrongly, New Zealand takes a lot of markers and cues from the United States of America in relation to justice, law and order principles, even though we are more closely aligned to England, Australia and even Canada.
So, in relation to what happened to Epstein, why have many throughout the United States, or at least throughout New York not expressed seriously concerns, and why are they not insisting on finding out just what occurred?
Well, perhaps they should be, not so much out of a concern as to what Epstein went through personally once incarcerated, but in relation to what they or others they care about might also undergo if they were ever to find themselves on remand, and subject to less publicly visible hostility of one sort or another.
I have no doubt that the Jeffery Epstein attitude held by many also applies to people considered to be traitors or whistle blowers leaking national security material.
The litmus test in relation to the above "traitor" assessment might relate to the general determination of motivation and the overall detrimental impact or damage caused by such disclosures. Also, the extent (if any) of any subversion attempt if subversion was believed to be an objective.
Many believe Julian Assange to be a traitor, but many also consider him simply to be a former political commentator or journalist who is being politically targeted, and perhaps quite cruelly.
Who will win out in relation to this (suspected) game of cat and mouse is anybody's guess.
Whichever way it pans out, it seems very unlikely that Julian Assange will emerge from it gaining or winning much of anything at all.
Mainstream media have utilised him and dropped him, and they have latterly had their fun with him as well. He certainly brings in advertising revenue for them by way of the various news article presented and associated with him.
Despite cries of little or no transparency and of prisoner maltreatment, most people just leave the system, or the law of the prison jungle to "do what it wilt" on many occasions. This is how society usually behaves, especially when their focus is regularly redirected (and occasionally misdirected) here, there and elsewhere. There is so much going on.
Prison managers and all staff have duty of care to the prisoners they manage and house.
Both psychiatric and psychological evaluations should be regularly made on high (personal and health) risk prisoners such as Assange, and the evaluations should be both free of any personal bias by the assessors, and free from any undue influence further up the ladder.
This of course is an idealised, would be, should be, could be deliberation by me. In reality, who really can determine how it works from one day to the next, or from one situation to another?
Locally, and more especially on Howard League, it is clear that so many support an overhaul of one kind or another. This is healthy. Never stop taking an interest in these matters, and never stop asking questions when they need to be asked.
Perhaps this would be an opportune time to continue to vocalise as a lobby group whilst also lending support to those MP's and both those local body representatives and candidates who have a track record of approaching the matter realistically and supporting change if or where it is needed.
I can think of two MP's already, (focused less on the driving licence aspect and more on the generic). Both are Labour Crown Ministers, and are well respected.
Another ran for Auckland mayoralty recently and appears to have had a lot of support in relation to attempting to realistically address many social reform issues, and where prison reform is actually one of them.
Why not seize the opportunity to push for positive change this time if you believe that change must take place in New Zealand?
The Tohu (symbol) is shaped by our natural landscape which stretches from the top of the Southern Alps to the depths of our moana. Taking the form of the letter 'C' but expressed in a way that is unique to us. It nods to our legacy while moving us forward.
…
Ultimately, it was decided that no name better represented the club's commitment to living its values – crusading for social improvement and inclusiveness, and crusading with heart for our community and for each other – than 'Crusaders' did.
Yep, it's some sort of Māori social improvement agency, not a ruddy sporting entertainment corporation rooted in posh school classics.
1. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to instruct, advise, save the life of, spare, guide, direct, instruct, appoint.
2. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to point out, show, indicate, point at, gesticulate.
3. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to preserve, conserve.
4. (verb) (-a) to perform a ritual.
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
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Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
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A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
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“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
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The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
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TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
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 ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University A year ago, the AUKUS agreement was formally announced between Australian and UK Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden. The agreement mapped out the “optimal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andreas Helwig, Associate Professor, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern Queensland SmartS/Shutterstock Steam locomotives clattering along railway tracks. Paddle steamers churning down the Murray. Dreadnought battleships powered by steam engines. Many of us think the age of steam has ended. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carrie Leonetti, Associate Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Victims who experience family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand are treated differently, depending on which part of the justice system they turn to for help. But a new member’s bill ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Tesch, Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, Australian National University In perhaps the least surprising news of the year, Vladimir Putin has triumphed at the Russian ballot box and been enthroned for the fifth time as president. He ...
The Papua New Guinea Supreme Court has stopped a byelection for the Madang Open seat being held until an appeal filed by former MP Bryan Kramer is concluded. Kramer had appealed to the Supreme Court over a National Court decision not to review his application of the Leadership Tribunal decision ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Despite a “historic” ceasefire agreement in Papua New Guinea between Enga authorities and tribal leaders after months of bitter warfare, a young woman has been found brutally killed near Kaekin village, Wapenamanda. Despite the peace agreement and signing concluded in Port Moresby last Thursday ...
The second season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud is a sadder and slower entry into his canon of true story-telling, leaning heavily on a verdict about the cost of a single work of art. Hollywood heavyweight Ryan Murphy has had a bit of “ick” about him in the last few years. ...
Are you deeply passionate about sharing Māori stories? We’re on the hunt for an experienced writer/editor to lead coverage in our Ātea section.Ātea is a deeply valued section of The Spinoff site, offering Māori perspectives and insights across politics, current affairs and culture. We are thrilled to be looking ...
By Aisha Azeemah in Suva With the lights on one of his sneakers blinking as he ran through the gallery, a little boy looked up at several works of art. One of them was a sculpture of his grandfather: the man who changed how we see the Pacific — Epeli ...
WHAT: Uber drivers are holding a rally outside the Court of Appeal in Wellington tomorrow, as the company begins its appeal against 2022’s Employment Court verdict (in a case taken jointly by FIRST Union and E tū) that four drivers were permanent ...
RNZ Pacific The Fiji Meteorological Service has a heavy rain warning still in place for the whole of the country after a weekend of flooding, although some floodwaters have receded. Flood and flash flood warnings and alerts are also in place, including a warning for all flash flood-prone areas, small ...
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Did anyone else hear yesterday's early around the 7am RNZ news when Lisa Owens was stating that a leakier has released a document linking NZ First to arranging funding for the party?
It seemed at the time to be a hot story she was sending, among the current investigation going on by the Electoral Commission and may have been a hoax?
So since then the story was not repeated again, – did anyone hear that?.
If Lisa made an error will she be fired?
Lisa Owens is not usually on at 7am Clean. Could not find any record of such a leak on Thursday's program
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/20191128
That would have been a promo for her Checkpoint show between 5 and 6pm cleangreen. They always pick a soundbite from the previous evening which is supposed to whet the cerebral appetite.
Thanks Anne & Ianmac,
Yes maybe it was a promo as I had just awaken and turned RNZ on and she was going hard at it so I tuned out and never heard the end because it was off the wall for me at that early time.
Cheers for that, a promo from Lisa Owens is most probably was.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/404385/document-leak-why-the-nz-first-foundation-was-set-up
This is the article you are referring to? It appears to be an Espiner joint, nor does it seem to be a hoax.
Very interesting arkie and cleangreen.
This bit stood out:
But Bridges is calling for a full enquiry so will that be extended to National's Foundation?
hahahahahahah
I think its Owen (singular @cleangreen, though I can't be certain given a lot of people's desire to pluralise S'John (going forward)
And if you heard it in the mouring, was more likely to be a Fergusson.
Can't be certain these days tho' eh bro? A Fergusson here and an Owen there.
What's a big of partisan populist fuckwittery 'tween and twixt frenz (even those that come with benefits).
I think the problem is with all those 'other people' – possibly all those "ONES" the gummint's official stakeholders are unwilling to consult with (in this space, going forward, AND in the fullness of time)
Could be wrong tho' eh bro'! Good things apparently take time these days eh?
So even as spatial awareness diminishes (and all that goes with that), AND as change becomes faster and faster, we're assured that the responses to it should get slower ans slower – might be better to just drop the big OD now and be done with it eh?
OncewasTim
Yes that was the one for sure, and Lisa was banging it out like it was a 21st century miracle development but it appears to be cloned to most political parties now for reasons we are awaiting to find out.
Media are very hungry for any story now it seems..
The Ministry of Health continues to exhibit symptoms…the latest is insisting on telling cute little girls who once were overflowing with joy and confidence "fat".
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12289228
But Carey said it was a bizarre measure. As a result of the test: "Short people think they are thinner than they are, and tall people think they are fatter.
Well that was before, now after assistance from the Ministry of Health she might end up with an eating disorder instead. I hope she learns to love herself more than the opinions of healthcare professionals.
Is this going to be an intelligent investment in a world being ruined by technical developments and their consequences?
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to develop the plan which sets out goals and actions for how the city will become a world recognised aerospace hub.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1911/S00585/christchurch-plan-to-be-nzs-aerospace-testbed-by-2025.htm
no worse then moving the port to whangarai and then building a 4 lane road to truck the goods back to AKL and beyond.
But then i am not an economist.
The port moving and the four lane highway are two different things. We have to keep on doing things. The economy has to keep grinding on, but keeping on dropping a cog, trying for an adequate sustainable level not 8-10% return on capital, and keeping climate change in mind all the time.
Like I think a railway north would be a good idea for transporting the goods. But what about extreme heat on the rail tracks I wonder. They could buckle and derail. I will have a look on google.
Google – People in a speed train affected. https://mashable.com/article/train-tracks-climate-change-warping/ Germany
France http://www.rfi.fr/en/environment/20190726-french-railroad-tracks-can-t-keep-extreme-heat
USA https://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-warp-railroad-tracks-sun-kinks-17470
India has let its vital railway system run down. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28156439
Smart tech fixes all!! https://www.smartrailworld.com/5-fascinating-future-rail-trends-and-when-we-can-expect-to-see-them
Practical methods: How we prevent tracks from getting too hot: We work closely with specialist weather forecasters and local weather stations to make necessary plans and take action so rails are less likely to buckle.
you dont' really have to explain trains to me.- I grew up in Germany, lived in France and have never owned a car. Not even in NZ have i owned a car.
Seriously, i grew up with them, they are my preferred method of transport and no one is gonna build a train up to Whangarai. You are lucky if you get a 4 lane highway that will then be destroyed by trucks like any other highway in NZ that is covered in Trucks.
In this country we can't even build a commuter train to hamilton/rotorua/wellington etc. Heck we can't even build a train to AKL Airport.
But they are gonna build a train to Whangarai. Yeah, right Tui.
You will come in handy if there is a fire by you. You have the biggest supply of wet blankets in NZ.
All those rail projects are coming, despite any amount of denial or whinging about them. A 4-lane motorway north on the other hand is just a Nat/banker fantasy.
A 4-lane motorway north on the other hand is just a Nat/banker fantasy.
Yep. Here's hoping.
Sasha try reading this logic
Subject; Article below entitled; “The Hidden Trucking Industry Subsidy” This US based article shows we ‘public’ give an exorbitant unfair amount of subsidy to the trucking industry. We now want the Transport Minister to please drive around regional NZ and just see the impacts of 50 to 60 tonne “B train ‘trucks and their destruction of our “soft roads” that do not even have an adequate under base to carry the 50+ tonne laden weight trucks, as they need a ‘steel mesh reinforced concrete base’ as US/Canadian and EU roads have installed under their truck routes.
https://truecostblog.com/2009/06/02/the-hidden-trucking-industry-subsidy/
Quote; Freight trucks cause 99% of wear-and-tear on US roads, but only pay for 35% of the maintenance. This $60B subsidy causes extra congestion and pollution, and taxpayers pay the bill. SO; This is a question for NZTA “why is it fair that the NZ taxpayer gives trucking industry a subsidy and not our own publicly owned rail”? We must now request ‘public’ money for roading must also be given to restoring our public owned regional rail. Since this document came out we know that the public is massively funding road repairs for private trucking companies so now we need to level the playing field for rail as it is a public owned entity owned by us taxpayers so we now desperately need at least an equal 50% contribution of the ‘public road funding’ be given to rail to restore the regional rail services around NZ. Here are the plain facts;
https://truecostblog.com/2009/06/02/the-
hidden-trucking-industry-subsidy/ The Hidden Trucking Industry Subsidy Freight trucks cause 99% of wear-and-tear on US roads, but only pay for 35% of the maintenance. This $60B subsidy causes extra congestion and pollution, and taxpayers pay the bill….. more to come so read all.
Well aware, thank you. The more rail replacing freight the better.
There used to be a train to the Far North – the North Auckland Line went to Whangarei. The grading for most of the tracks still remain.
The Okaihau branch which went from Opua on the North Auckland line, was intended to reach Kaitaia but was never completed. Some of the graded tracks are part of the northern cycleway.
I think there will be a train and a 4 lane highway to Whangarei, they will need them when the port moves their. It might take another ten or fifteen years.
I am posting in relation to the Julian Assange matter, which drew a lot of attention here on TS yesterday, but this is not entirely Julian Assange specific, so I post it today on Open Mike.
The treatment of both remand and convicted prisoners by prison authorities, including assessing and intervention in an attempt to ensure that both the physical and mental well being of the prisoner is adequate, can often be seen as equating to, or consistent with the general attitude and culture of the both the state, and society in any ne jurisdiction.
So for example, compare our prisons with prisons in say, Thailand or South America, and equate it to attitude, demographic and both culture and what is believed to be acceptable.
If we were to take a look at the Jeffery Epstein incarceration and death in custody, we might detect that many in New York probably privately believe that it was the best outcome and acceptable given the allegations. Of course, rightly or wrongly, New Zealand takes a lot of markers and cues from the United States of America in relation to justice, law and order principles, even though we are more closely aligned to England, Australia and even Canada.
So, in relation to what happened to Epstein, why have many throughout the United States, or at least throughout New York not expressed seriously concerns, and why are they not insisting on finding out just what occurred?
Well, perhaps they should be, not so much out of a concern as to what Epstein went through personally once incarcerated, but in relation to what they or others they care about might also undergo if they were ever to find themselves on remand, and subject to less publicly visible hostility of one sort or another.
I have no doubt that the Jeffery Epstein attitude held by many also applies to people considered to be traitors or whistle blowers leaking national security material.
The litmus test in relation to the above "traitor" assessment might relate to the general determination of motivation and the overall detrimental impact or damage caused by such disclosures. Also, the extent (if any) of any subversion attempt if subversion was believed to be an objective.
Many believe Julian Assange to be a traitor, but many also consider him simply to be a former political commentator or journalist who is being politically targeted, and perhaps quite cruelly.
Who will win out in relation to this (suspected) game of cat and mouse is anybody's guess.
Whichever way it pans out, it seems very unlikely that Julian Assange will emerge from it gaining or winning much of anything at all.
Mainstream media have utilised him and dropped him, and they have latterly had their fun with him as well. He certainly brings in advertising revenue for them by way of the various news article presented and associated with him.
Despite cries of little or no transparency and of prisoner maltreatment, most people just leave the system, or the law of the prison jungle to "do what it wilt" on many occasions. This is how society usually behaves, especially when their focus is regularly redirected (and occasionally misdirected) here, there and elsewhere. There is so much going on.
Prison managers and all staff have duty of care to the prisoners they manage and house.
Both psychiatric and psychological evaluations should be regularly made on high (personal and health) risk prisoners such as Assange, and the evaluations should be both free of any personal bias by the assessors, and free from any undue influence further up the ladder.
This of course is an idealised, would be, should be, could be deliberation by me. In reality, who really can determine how it works from one day to the next, or from one situation to another?
Locally, and more especially on Howard League, it is clear that so many support an overhaul of one kind or another. This is healthy. Never stop taking an interest in these matters, and never stop asking questions when they need to be asked.
Perhaps this would be an opportune time to continue to vocalise as a lobby group whilst also lending support to those MP's and both those local body representatives and candidates who have a track record of approaching the matter realistically and supporting change if or where it is needed.
I can think of two MP's already, (focused less on the driving licence aspect and more on the generic). Both are Labour Crown Ministers, and are well respected.
Another ran for Auckland mayoralty recently and appears to have had a lot of support in relation to attempting to realistically address many social reform issues, and where prison reform is actually one of them.
Why not seize the opportunity to push for positive change this time if you believe that change must take place in New Zealand?
The marketers have been all over this one. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12289584
Yep, it's some sort of Māori social improvement agency, not a ruddy sporting entertainment corporation rooted in posh school classics.
I think they scraped all that up after one of their horsies trotted by with a chap in a suit of armour on its back.
1. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to instruct, advise, save the life of, spare, guide, direct, instruct, appoint.
2. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to point out, show, indicate, point at, gesticulate.
3. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to preserve, conserve.
4. (verb) (-a) to perform a ritual.
https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?&keywords=tohu
They looked for a Maori word/expression/symbol to connect to the Crusaders brand and localise/modernise it. And no connotation of violence …
https://youtu.be/qQfetkoGrpU
Kia Ora 1 News.
Condolences to the family of the people who we losted on London Bridge.
That's the great phenomenon about Aotearoa there is only one predator to worry about humans?????.
Its good to see Tuhoe history told in art Ka pai.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Ka pai to Monga Taranaki getting its real name back.
I remember that lol.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora 1 News.
Its great to see a Wahine get given Mana.
I see that working with mother natures creatures is a great way for humanity to live a learn.
Ka kite Ano
https://youtu.be/g_D5vzqBVWo
Kia Ora 1 News.
We need to become carbon neutral.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I agree with Ngai Te
Rangi in Tauranga Aotearoa it should be tangata whenua welcoming visitors in Maori not other cultured people.
That's the way Opotiki tangata our mokopuna coming into this World are very important so champion for your maternity unit to stay open in Opotiki.
That's awesome Maori and Pacific tangata mahi together to get better health treatment and other things to help our mokopuna.
Ka kite Ano