I spent a couple of hours last night listening and watching him on utube last night.
We listened to him in the car in the great trip up north last weekend.
Truly an inspiring man, living a replete life.
Hone should demand at question time, that Key resign for not getting a penny out of him for being absent. Call Key weak over and over. Then bring up Dunne and how weak Key was to catch the leak.
However there was great fact that came out. Hone has been up and down the country touching skin, just like Peters who worked the rooms from North to South.
Those who are buying into the PM’s nonsense about MPs being absent and skivving off, have obviously not been watching Parliament since National took office.
If the sums being paid are the issue, the House of Representatives is where the criticism should be focused. The behaviour of the Government benches is a good place to start. We could begin with the PM himself.
The Prime Minister is the only representative who whilst sitting in the House, made a throat slitting gesture towards the opposition. This is a man whose own rampant absenteeism is for what? Photo ops and roundtable reach-arounds. A PM who has repeatedly refused to answer direct questions with direct answers. All the while being accommodated by a Speaker whose allowance to Ministers not to answer questions at all, makes Lockwood Smith’s loose interpretations of Ministers’ answers look responsible and fair.
Whoever does take the reigns later this year has to begin our nation’s recovery by reforming the behaviour of the House of Representatives. Without that vital step, even the best policy will flounder and our nation will continue to fail. We are better than the bleating of the backbenches. We are stronger than the rubber spine of our Speaker. We are a nation that once lead the world towards democracy and equality. New Zealand did not destroy that dream, politicians did.
This year, your vote has never been more important. Do not waste it on wishes. Offer it the care with which you would handle any taonga and hand it to someone you respect, someone you trust and someone you believe will build again the great nation of Aotearoa.
Labour should AXE the super toll motorways proposed by John Key ( no one wants them except John Key and his ‘ Chosen’ cronyist Capitalist mates….to line their pockets
…eg from what I have heard at least one of these motorways is proposed to be constructed by an Australian company ….AXE them !
…….. and and put the money into:
1.) free university education for young New Zealanders up to and including PhD level ( these young people are NZ’s future!)
2.)…..reinstating Continuing Education around the country( a great way for adults..from school leavers to 90 year olds….from Maori to Pakeha….from country to city….from new- comer immigrants to generational NZers to learn new skills and meet people…. and make life -long friends)
( John Key’s NACT axed Continuing Education!….. and gave the $90 million dollars directly to private schools… SHAME ON THEM!)
3)…..Free polytech education, apprenticeships and internships ( we owe it to our young to look after them and help them into employment…before allowing in workers from overseas)
( Hear that Winston….no dirty deals with the Key NACT desperate Banksters…as John Armstrong suggests!)
4) pour money into our starved STATE SCHOOLS ( better pay for All teachers not just John Key’s Ponzi few bullshit so called ‘excellent’ Principals)…Bring back the State School Inspectorate with very little extra cost ….Make all NZ schools genuinely run and funded by the State! ….not done on the cheap by unqualified, struggling and stressed parents
….Teaching is a Profession like Law and Medicine …..TREAT EDUCATION and TEACHERS with the RESPECT they deserve.!!!!!…this will raise education attainment levels to world class as in Finland)
These policies would be a huge vote winner for Labour/Greens from young New Zealanders ( our future) and their parents….as well as every other New Zealander who values education and social cohesion.
New Zealand has a proud record in Education which has been undermined by monetarism , Neo Liberal economics and John Key and his mates who would split it, undermine teachers and unions ……and privatise it a la USA charter school businesses and religious organisations…..This is not the New Zealand way! Hands off our New Zealand State Secular education system for ALL New Zealanders! ( the unions should be fighting for this)..
Crikey dick, she moves in mysterious ways alright.
After freeing up our most accomplished politician for wonderful world-serving roles at the UN, our wee interim manager is cracking glorious home goals (Hone 68 days off, the Keyster…..81!) and thus ensuring the ascendance of a genuine human for our leader once again.
And all at the very reasonable cost this time of only a few billions from workers and the poor to the rich, and a level of immiserating victim-bashing almost benign by historical tory standards.
Hone calls Slippery the Prime Minister ‘petty’ for His ridiculous attack,(obviously a hypocrite as well), i think Hone is being far too reserved in His riposte to the ‘used car salesman in charge’…
There was a wide-ranging embargo in place against Japan back then. Lack of domestic energy sources was one of the reasons they embarked on military expansion. Post WWII, that lack of oil, gas etc was behind the US and the UK slapping up nuclear power stations there…
Court cases defending defamation, a web-site that He has been unable to make work for 24 hours, and death threats from those close to a young man who tragically died while the back-seat passenger in a car,
Hell we could almost feel sorry for ‘Wail Oils’ Blubber boy, yes what the hell am i saying, as far as i can see Cameron Slater is simply getting the rewards of His own feral behavior in the vein of the old old adage ”you reap what you sow”,
It appears that there are many out in the real world who have had enough of Slater’s ugliness and feral attacks on those who havn’t the means of public reply,
In saying that we here at the Standard cannot support criminal behavior of any sort(said with a snigger)…
Slater’s sewage pond has tarnished all NZ blogs and his constant media appearances for opinion demonstrates how lazy and devoid of substance our news media is. If Labour do anything, our intrepid reporters go out and interview a deranged slob who sits online all day in his underwear eating chips and whose life is paid for by daddykins.
One day we might see a reporter interviewing real people affected by National’s sociopathic policies. But after National’s chilling response to the child poverty doco near the last election, our tired hack reporters are probably all scared of being sued or fired.
WhaleOffal is a nasty little man, when the Christchurch earthquakes were mentioned he goes (verbatim, to me) “Fuck Christchurch” and raves on about how they are freeloaders subsidised by Auckland. There is no logical response to this sort of wilful malice.
I”m guessing Slater said something incredibly rude and offensive (as usual) to offend the whole West Coast community.
Yes he did. A young man was killed in a car accident where his mate was driving. He’s the third and last son in that family to die (one was killed as a boy by a drunk driver, the other died in Pike River mine). Slater’s response to this was an article headlined “Feral dies in Greymouth, did world a favour”.
SCOOP:
Foreign power demands right to harpoon Whale boil for experimental purposes. “It is the only living example of an organisn with a zero blubber/ integrity ratio and needs further exploration” a foreign minsistry spokesman explained.
Can someone take David Clark aside and then swiftly lock him in a cupboard? Firstly, we had Clare Curran talking absolute nonsense on anything to do with technology and now we have David Clark threatening to ban websites like Facebook, Amazon and Google.
Firstly, it’s ridiculous. You can’t ban them. People get around it with ease. Secondly, really? That is such an easy hit for National now. The problem of these companies not paying tax is an important one to solve. And instead Labour suggests a stupid fix, which will also be mocked by National for the next few months.
I sighed too, but more at Clark’s media ineptness.
“Firstly, it’s ridiculous. You can’t ban them. People get around it with ease”
I get really sick of people saying this. It might be easy for some people to get around, but not all.
When the NZ Police raided Tuhoe and others, the Ao Cafe website got taken down. It’s never returned, and there is no trace of it in the Internet Archive (how is that possible?). Generic statements like ‘you can’t ban the internet’ are just as ridiculous as what Clark did.
While I agree with NRT that comparisons with child porn were stupid, it’s also stupid to use the example of child porn to say you can’t control the internet. It’s harder to access child porn now than if it was just left as a free for all.
Would also like to know the source of “2.2 million users in New Zealand” for FB. I’m guessing that it’s more like 2.2 million NZ based accounts, which is not the same thing.
Anyone got a link to the Labour press release that NRT refers to? Can’t find it on Labour’s website.
I think you may find that many in the IT sector would not agree everything Clare Curran said on technology was absolute nonsense considering that she worked closely with them on several issues…
lprent
Has the system changed from any comment that refers to another’s name showing up in that person’s archives? I have always used my archives to check on comments directed to or referring to me. Lately there have been none so perhaps no-one is bothering to read what I have written. It is interesting to see who is commenting within a numbered comment on a thread, but I haven’t got time to scroll through looking at each.
It actually is difficult as a double click on the thread for the particular comment in the list doesn’t take me to the actual comment position, just to the head of the site. To find the comment I have to go back to the list and click on the same place. But sometimes I can’t find where the comment is listed again.
I haven’t changed anything (but here is a reply to test with).
I had the code for the “Replies” section (next to comments) working two weeks ago. But it won’t go in until I have a holiday at home (Yay!!!!) next week. I have to tune the database so that it doesn’t chew too much CPU.
You may (haven’t tested it for anyone else) get the same effect by logging in using a wordpress.com account. Then the dashboard (under Site Admin on my screen) will have a little orange chat box highlighted. That shows people replying to you across a range of wordpress sites.
hi, while you are on tech issues, im using firefox & for some reason my standaRD page is tiny, the lettering is small, its like the margins are squeezed into the middle. other web page sites are normal size, just seems to be when i visit the standard. any idea what could be happening to my text? any remedies? thank you.
lprent
And here was I thinking it was all fun times for you. My son was sent over to France for his firm to assist with something in transition, and he said looking at his photos of Paris, doesn’t it look good, we were in that high, modern building which looks somehow luxurious.
And then showed us their working room. One of many that closed off on each side of a bare corridor, with 6-8 chairs and computers down each side of the room and just a narrow alley between the people in the chairs from the window one end to the door at the other, and blank concrete walls. Didn’t have any Matisses, or the Mona Lisa, or reproductions of anything.. inspiring. And walking along the corridor, all that could be seen was closed doors.
He did get to see a bit of Paree, but mostly it was soulless stuff. So if that was old times, you probably can get a lot done, but it isn’t too different from being in a battery hen farm.
I live in a cave at the top of a ridge. Actually a largish one bedroom apartment with a 10 ft stud and polished concrete floor.
The nice thing for a programmer is that you can place yourself so you don’t get the sun on your screens or on your eyes. It doesn’t get too hot or cold because it has near perfect insulation. If there is wind then there is always an airflow. If it is cold then the concrete by the 10ft high windows retains all heat that falls on it even in winter. I use a oil heater for maybe 30-40 days in the year. If there is no wind or it gets too muggy then there is aircond – which I usually use for about 10 days in Feburary when it goes really muggy.
I live next to the corner of Ponsonby and Newton Roads in Auckland. Right next to some major bus routes.Near enough to the motorways that I can get on them with ease.
I have had jobs in Albany and Manakau. Currently I work within 15 minutes walking distance. But I also spent 7 years working from home with monthly meetings for one company.
And if I get bored and/or stuck on whatever I was working on there was always the long streets of cafes up the road… Family tend to live pretty close apart from those offshore or my parents who retired and moved out of Auckland.
It is pretty damn comfortable for the type of lifestyle I have. Also a hell of a nice place to jump into the computer from. I can roll my set the fridge and the coffee machines! What can I say – I’m a geek
Of course having Lyn arrive into my life has caused a bit of adjustment for an “mature” bachelor like myself. Fortunately she is almost as much of a geek as I am in her own special, irritating and fun way.
But it was less of an adjustment than having to move out while the building was de-leaked and leak-proofed.
It’s a different life style working from home a lot isn’t it. You have been able to organise your own work surroundings for practical outcomes for you better than you would get probably in an office. My son lives within biking distance of his work and within child care close by for when they are both working.
So that’s pretty good too.
Thought so. When Key was using Hone as a target about absences from Parliament, he forgot the target on his own head. From Andrea Vanse on Stuff:
“Prime Minister John Key scored an embarrassing own goal yesterday after launching an attack on Hone Harawira’s attendance record.
Key accused the Mana party leader of “taking the mickey” over his frequent absences from Parliament. Mr Harawira has taken 68 days leave – all approved by the Speaker – since 2011. National, along with Labour and the Maori Party, refused yesterday to release the records of its own MPs.
However, the Green Party used Hansard, the official record of Parliament, to calculate that over the same period Mr Key was absent on 81 of 186 sitting days. Three of these were urgency days on a Friday or Saturday.
ianmac
Is that Andrea Vance A Good One then? What a jolly good piece from her.
And Hone made a dignified and reasoned and factual response to the mocking smarmy piece of political cowpat from apprentice dung beetle the Jokeyhen.
I must stop using that term perhaps my comments are so influential that he is getting a bad feedback loop or something! How one addresses people affects their response doesn’t it. So, sorry from me Mr Key. You can get on and be the good PM you always intended and I’ll withdraw from my evil influence. (Magical thinking from me.) Hah!
I have been away for a few weeks, so when I came back into “net” range I did a quick survey of the blogs etc.
Somethings caught my eye, first Max Keiser was talking about Tom Perkins, a multibillionaire who complained in the Wall St Journal that the 1% were being persecuted, Kristallnacht was invoked on their behalf…poor poor sods, so much money and so little perspective. Joe 90 was onto it, http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-26012014/#comment-763280 I am surprised that this extravagant whinge elicited so little comment from Standardistas.
To top things off I read two Trotter articles, the first of which indicated that all is not well in the Labour caucus with the same old suspect neo lib leaning types doing their best to undermine Cunliffe and prop up their failed ideology. Goff and crew, must be thinking about the nice little roles they might garner post being an MP, at the WTO, or on some board of directors. Dont rock the boat…..
The second Trotter article I read pretty much confirmed the thinking of the first, that capitalism wont deliver to non capitalists because it is not meant to BUT DONT MENTION IT…and Trotter flays all of the party leaders including Cunliffe…….None of our political leaders has yet delivered an adequate response to the extraordinary statistic released by Oxfam on the eve of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland. According to the UK based aid organisation, the world’s 85 richest individuals control a sum of wealth equal to that of the poorest half of the world’s human population – 3.5 billion people.
i am pretty sure i heard David Cunlifffe make a reference to who controlled the wealth,(in a New Zealand sense), in His reply to Slippery the Prime Minister on the opening day of the Parliament,(yesterday), and, Chris Trotter might want to pay more attention because i have heard various Green MP’s including both Metiria and Russell include such details when speaking in the Parliament,
i don’t always agree with Trotter but always find Him a good read….
Ennui
We can’t think about that stuff at present – we are too busy thumbing our nose at the execrable
Slater, who has emerged from the woodwork a sadder but not wiser blogger or pilgrim of life.
Has Imperator Fish satire leaked over to the Herald or is this issue truly what Crosby Textor have told John Key will inspire the public in an election year?
From today’s articles: PM tests water for NZ flag change. (They forgot to add: – again)
With his usual concise and decisive language… “I’d like to see a change. But one of the problems is that firstly it’s not the single … biggest issue that we as a country face. And secondly, even with those who want to change there’s not universal support for what we should change to.”…
…The Prime Minister’s personal preference was for a silver fern on a black background, but he said it would be very difficult to get a consensus on a new design….
Guessing this will be difficult to get a consensus on because of the Rugby trademark associated with his personal preference.
Shades of Susan Devoy in the final sentences of the same article – (where is she by the way?) “…Mr Key had earlier said that he hoped Waitangi Day this year would be a day of celebration instead of being marred by protests.
He wished New Zealand’s national day was similar to Australia Day, with shows of patriotism such as flag-waving..”
Why do you think they picked Dame Susan Devoy ?? Silence. She will be like the Maori Party, sitting at the table, silent and smiling, happy with the trinkets that fall her way. In her case, a very nice case of “trinkets”.
Both the PPTA and NRT have blogged on this today, but it is worth re-iterating that those guardians of fiscal responsibility in NACT have in the last year managed to piss about $14 million against the wall for their ideological charter schools project (to educate 369 students).
“Our flag.
Great emotive topic to take attention away from anything and everything.
And Jesus wept.”
+1
…particularly to distract New Zealanders from the complete hash John Key and his cohorts are making of governing this country
…and hoping to distract New Zealanders from the delightful alternative being presented to the New Zealand public by Labour & the left
Distraction tactics are about the only hope to stay in government they have left, really – well that and horribly divisive hate politics that appeal to peoples’ worst nature….
It occurred to me that neo lib direction in NZ has come from experiencing duty free advantages when they went overseas all those years ago, and got special tax free advantages. So they thought why not go overseas and have tax free advantages all the time.
So therefore, the duty free economy and country where you are free to not do your duty, if you can pay your way out of it. (Here I’m thinking of paying fair tax on earnings, the higher then more, to a reasonable degree. and sharing that portion you do pay with everyone instead of trying to capture it back.)
The flag design is to be chosen by National. I think not. No way are they going to get away with giving us the opinion of either Key’s silver on black (and as someone says that is already probably trademarked), or another one chosen by the government.
The flag is a symbolic thing to wave in the breeze and carry at events etc. and we want one that is worthwhile and represents us with something meaningful. Though it is not the sacred icon that Helen Clark’s government raised it to, making it an offence to jump on it or burn it etc. What a dopey idea, it’s far better to vent at a symbol, hang it upside down, stick holes through it than more destructive actions to buildings or people. All the same we need to have a say, not this grimy bunch of charlatans take over.
I would suggest we have an on-line consultation with people being able to send designs in, which would be added to those already held over about two months, with a vote held every fortnight.
and the residual flags put in order of popularity. Any new ones would be shown alongside so they could be compared to the top ones to see if anything offered was better. At the end of the two months, the best twenty or thirty would go up for voting for a month and then the best four would go to the referendum which would be binding. After everyone had had time to form their opinion the result would go ahead and be instituted in say 6 months.
The Maori flag if that was not chosen, would become a second official flag, with the national flag to be flown outside NZ if there was only one to be flown, and within NZ it would be flown at the same height if it was up, and at times could be the only one flying if appropriate.
Key wants to leave a legacy – excuse me while I baff . Funny while we can “vote” on a flag but not on the supposed referendum to the changes that was supposed to take place within MMP.
As Hone said, is this just a distraction to mask the real issues at the general elections. I tend to concur.
And why should John Key think he should make the decision as to which flag we should have to replace our present one, if we do decide to replace it – the man’s self entitlement knows no bounds.
Abuse by the Salvation Army in Australia? and to a woman in Ireland when she was young was the topic of news tonight. The European Commission has said that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that children are safe, and that this remains throughout the years. The Irish woman has been awarded $30,000 for what was done when she was a child.
The ongoing nature of this unmet responsibility is going to be a matter in the future as we hear things about the charter schools that will be very regrettable because they were expected before the schools began. In 20 years or so we will start hearing the cases, and they will come to light for some time as people feel strong enough to make their protest and gain some solace from delayed justice.
The Electricity Authority spokesperson Carl Hansen has been talking about how they are judging the price which should be charged for power. They allow for a 10% return to the shareholders.
So the government has sold our electricity assets, and this is the profit that gets returned to the
shareholders by us, while we continue to pay more and more to others for what we used to own ourselves. And the more we pay the more the 15% GST amount will be, and the line charge goes up regularly and arbitrarily, now we are paying about $30 a month. And so it goes on.
And if the 10% is calculated on the assets, to give a satisfactory return to the shareholders.
And the assets are revalued, according to constantly rising market value, then we will have to pay more for the same amount of electricity.
Just to keep the books right in the market system which treats the system and the returns from it as if it was God-given prognostications chiselled in stone, instead of an approach to counting things, valuing things and dealing with one another in a rational symbolic way. This is just so that we don’t have to personally take a duck to the shops, or a sack of lemons to exchange for 5 loaves of bread, or whatever the going rate would be. And perhaps no-one wants lemons that day. Trouble is along the way, it is easier to get rorted.
I have been declined speaking rights at tomorrow’s Auckland Council Governing Body meeting:
(Thursday 30 January 2014
9.30am
Auckland Town Hall)
My response:
__________________________________________________________________________
29 January 2014
‘OPEN LETTER’
Dear Elaine,
Please be advised that I do NOT accept that the declining of my request for ‘speaking rights’ at the Auckland Council Governing Body upcoming meeting (to be held at the Auckland Town Hall on Thursday 30 January 2014) was lawful.
“3.21.3 Subjects of Public Input
Public Input is not to be used to speak to a matter:
(i) that has already been considered and determined.”
The FACT is that the (former) CEO of Auckland Council, Doug McKay, and his appointment of Ernst and Young to conduct this ‘Independent Review’ of Auckland Mayor Len Brown, did NOT follow the ‘due process’ as clearly outlined in the Auckland Council ‘Code of Conduct’ (s.8 Compliance), thus has NOT ‘already been considered and determined.’
Please be reminded that as an ‘anti-corruption’ campaigner, I attended a full-day specialist workshop on ‘How to Conduct an Inquiry’ at the recent 2013 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference.
I now have a very comprehensive understanding of how such an inquiry should have been carried out, and the Ernst and Young ‘Independent Review’ was anything but, in my considered opinion.
I respectfully request that this decision to decline my speaking rights, is reconsidered as a matter of urgency.
Also, I do NOT consider it appropriate, or in keeping with the basic principles of ‘natural justice’, for Auckland Mayor Len Brown, to the one to make the ultimate decision on whether or not speaking rights should be granted in this case, for this matter, as he is a directly-affected party.
A fundamental principle of natural justice which states that no person can judge a case in which he or she is party or in which he/she has an interest.
Also known as:
nemo judex in sua causa; or
nemo debet esse judex in propria causa
__________________________________________________________
(As Auckland Mayor Len Brown has been a lawyer, I’m sure understands this fundamental principle).
Please also be reminded of the statutory duties arising from the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987:
(a)to provide for the availability to the public of official information held by local authorities, and to promote the open and public transaction of business at meetings of local authorities, in order—
(i) to enable more effective participation by the public in the actions and decisions of local
authorities; and
(ii) to promote the accountability of local authority members and officials,—
and thereby to enhance respect for the law and to promote good local government in
New Zealand:
(b) to provide for proper access by each person to official information relating to that person:
(c) to protect official information and the deliberations of local authorities to the extent consistent with the public interest and the preservation of personal privacy.
Compare: 1982 No 156 s 4
____________________________________________________________________________
Please also be reminded of the rights of citizens to ‘freedom of expression’ as guaranteed under the NZ Bill Of Rights Act 1990:
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form.
__________________________________________________________________________
Please be advised that I shall be attending this Auckland Council Governing Body meeting to be held tomorrow, Thursday 30 January 2014, starting as 9.30am at the Auckland Town Hall.
Please finally be reminded that I have a proven track record of successfully defending my above-mentioned lawful rights as a citizen, in Court, in the (hopefully) unlikely event of these matters being taken to the point of arrest.
Kind regards,
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation’ campaigner
Attendee : 2009 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
Attendee: 2010 Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference
Attendee: 2013 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
geoff over on the Note to Media post suggested we do a mail out of Blip’s List
that is a hugely expensive undertaking, so i thought there may be a better cost to publicity stream we could tap into, so i posted the following, repeating it here for general consideration.
=================================================
maybe we crowd-source a basic and sporadic poster campaign and take Blip’s List to the people
pretty sure the companies who do the paste ups would be ok with it, and we know then they are pretty safe, (although for the dedicated poster grabber they become instant collector items)
they may even cut us a good $ deal too
so to get Blip’s List public we need:
; the data – check
; Layout and formatting
– I think i just saw a couple of dozen hands go up
– perhaps they all put one together and we have Standardistas choose the preferred design
– It would be good to print the links in full under each line
– people will snap images of the poster with their phones so it is useful to include the info
; a call to Sticky Fingers to fix a contract price & terms
– i think they cover paste ups for all the main centers now
; approximately a couple of grand for printing a whole bunch of posters,
– I am guessing that price would be generously supported by the printers
– posters can be printed in whatever center that they end up in so freight is not necessary
seems pretty doable to me
I pledge $20 here and now
(which is 9% of my income this week)
I think a separate new article is needed about Key’s flag urgent red herring. Wish one of the regular article writers of this site would consider writing it.
Here is my opinion on it:
[1] For National, the Warner Bros logo may be more appropriate.
[2] Key is trying desperately to raise a red herring to distract people during this election year because he is sensing that he and his party and coalition partners are going to lose this coming election and/or, Key is trying to create an immortal legacy for himself by pushing this issue forward now and wanting a referendum on it at the election this year!
[3] During this year, people should be more focused on political party policies and leaders and not be distracted by Key’s cunning tactics of introducing what is at present an unnecessary and absolutely non urgent ‘change of flag’ issue.
[4] In my opinion, the flag issue should be raised sometime in the near or distant future when the people are ready to change to a Republic.
[5] And at that time, it would be very fair and good to incorporate some Maori cultural aspect too in the design.
errr….. what happens when it is the PRIME MINISTER who fails to uphold, and is SEEN to fail to uphold, the ‘highest ethical standards’, as required by the ‘Cabinet Manual’?
Is Prime Minister John Key going to tell himself off, or stand himself down as a Minister, over his arguably disgraceful treatment of Mana MP and Leader, Hone Harawira?
When is New Zealand going to have an enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for Members of Parliament – given that we’re supposed to be ‘the least corrupt country in the world’ …. blah blah…… ?
2.50 To protect the integrity of the decision-making process of executive government and to maintain public trust in the Executive, Ministers and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries must conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to their office. Accordingly, the guidance in paragraphs 2.52 – 2.96:
explains the standards of personal conduct expected of Ministers;
assists Ministers to identify those personal interests that might be seen to influence their decision making;
sets out options for managing conflicts of interest where necessary.
2.51 The guidance on conduct, public duty, and personal interests applies to all Ministers (inside and outside Cabinet) and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries. References to Ministers in this guidance include Parliamentary Under-Secretaries.
Conduct of Ministers
2.52 A Minister of the Crown, while holding a ministerial warrant, acts in a number of different capacities:
in a ministerial capacity, making decisions, and determining and promoting policy within particular portfolios;
in a political capacity as a member of Parliament, representing a constituency or particular community of interest; in a personal capacity.
2.53 In all these roles and at all times, Ministers are expected to act lawfully and to behave in a way that upholds, and is seen to uphold, the highest ethical standards. Ultimately, Ministers are accountable to the Prime Minister for their behaviour.
…Changing the flag issue is a real red herring( and note John Key wants to be the final arbiter on the flag…..what an arrogant EGO ).
…As a strategy Key is trying to shore up his credentials as a real NZer for the people , by the people, of the people by waving the flag …… when he is nothing of the sort ……He is a NACT monetarist Neo Liberal rorter of NZers assets and way of life…he cares not a fig for NZers only his rich crony Capitalist Bankster mates overseas
Lets hope other politicians from Labour and the Greens don’t fall for this…… but keep their eye on the ball and the impetus going on the REAL issues for New Zealanders!….
….for example I dont think it will do the Greens vote any good if Russell Norman falls for this and gets distracted and swings in behind Key’s agenda for changing the the flag and also brings up the Republican anti -Royal issue….as I heard him do on radio
1) Norman doesnt understand NZers attachment to their flag and Queenie…there are very very few votes in this for the Greens no matter what Norman’s personal feelings ( and Charles is a Greenie!)
2) as an Australian it will backfire badly on Norman and the Greens..it will just remind NZers that Norman is an Australian ( Winnie will be the vote winner)
3) John key will have provided a successful red herring and undermined the Labour/Greens roller coaster on real issues concerning NZers….and if this issue is allowed to gather momentum Mana will have been sidelined also on the flag issue….Key will have grabbed the flag from the Maori and done a one- up-man-ship on Hone ( which for some reason he is keen to do….maybe because Hone Harawira is a real genuine NZer and he shows Key up as a Ponzi)
imo….Let John Key swing with the flag issue….and let him hang himself out to dry …in other words he should be ignored ….so people see it for what it is…as a red herring and a distraction to the most important issues facing New Zealanders
I think it would be good idea for the leaders of opposition parties to state that Key is simply trying to distract the voters from the important and urgent issues and the voters should not fall for it at this time.
A matter such as the change of flag of a country is a serious issue and needs some time, a few years of discussion and careful consideration, different designs incorporating history, aspirations and culture. The ideal time would be when and if the nation is ready to become a Republic.
Perhaps a campaign needs to be started to thwart Key’s cunning trick by pushing the point that it is too hasty to change the flag at this time. The discussion and debate needs at least a couple of years. If Key decides to have a referendum, among others, ONE of the choices in the vote should be
(..) This is not the right time to change the flag.
The fact that John Key is pushing for this flag change exposes him as a schill for the corporates.
Just like the TPPA it is all part of the plan to sell New Zealand down the river.
Money is his only loyalty if the British ensign in the corner of our flag is getting in the way of that, get rid of it.
In a contradiction to the flag issue, John Key has invited the Royal couple and their new born member of the British aristocracy to tour the country in election year. John Key supports the political concept of having a small privileged elite that the majority should bow and scrape to, Because sees himself as member and shyster for that same global elite.
(even though he comes off as a social climber in the Basil Fawlty mold.)
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
I was interested in David Seymour's public presentation of the Justice Select Committee's report after the submissions to the Treaty Principles Bill.I noted the arguments he presented and fact checked him. I welcome corrections and additions to what I have written but want to keep the responses concise.The Treaty of ...
Well, he runs around with every racist in townHe spent all our money playing his pointless gameHe put us out; it was awful how he triedTables turn, and now his turn to cryWith apologies to writers Bobby Womack and Shirley Womack.Eight per cent, asshole, that’s all you got.Smiling?Let me re-phrase…Eight ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The S&P 500 fell another 5.6% this morning after China retaliated with tariffs of 34% on all US imports, and the Fed warned of stagflation without rate cut relief.Delays for heart surgeries and scans are costing lives, specialists have told Stuff’s Nicholas Jones.Meanwhile, ...
When the US Navy’s Great White Fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1908, it was an unmistakeable signal of imperial might, a flexing of America’s newfound naval muscle. More than a century later, the Chinese ...
While there have been decades of complaints – from all sides – about the workings of the Resource Management Act (RMA), replacing is proving difficult. The Coalition Government is making another attempt.To help answer the question, I am going to use the economic lens of the Coase Theorem, set out ...
2027 may still not be the year of war it’s been prophesised as, but we only have two years left to prepare. Regardless, any war this decade in the Indo-Pacific will be fought with the ...
Australia must do more to empower communities of colour in its response to climate change. In late February, the Multicultural Leadership Initiative hosted its Our Common Future summits in Sydney and Melbourne. These summits focused ...
Questions 1. In his godawful decree, what tariff rate was imposed by Trump upon the EU?a. 10% same as New Zealandb. 20%, along with a sneer about themc. 40%, along with an outright lie about France d. 69% except for the town Melania comes from2. The justice select committee has ...
Yesterday the Trump regime in America began a global trade war, imposing punitive tariffs in an effort to extort political and economic concessions from other countries and US companies and constituencies. Trump's tariffs will make kiwis nearly a billion dollars poorer every year, but Luxon has decided to do nothing ...
Here’s 7 updates from this morning’s news:90% of submissions opposed the TPBNZ’s EV market tanked by Coalition policies, down ~70% year on yearTrump showFossil fuel money driving conservative policiesSimeon Brown won’t say that abortion is healthcarePhil Goff stands by comments and makes a case for speaking upBrian Tamaki cleared of ...
It’s the 9 month mark for Mountain Tūī !Thanks to you all, the publication now has over 3200 subscribers, 30 recommendations from Substack writers, and averages over 120,000 views a month. A very small number in the scheme of things, but enough for me to feel satisfied.I’m been proud of ...
The Justice Committee has reported back on National's racist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, and recommended by majority that it not proceed. So hopefully it will now rapidly go to second reading and be voted down. As for submissions, it turns out that around 380,000 people submitted on ...
We need to treat disinformation as we deal with insurgencies, preventing the spreaders of lies from entrenching themselves in the host population through capture of infrastructure—in this case, the social media outlets. Combining targeted action ...
After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read. The review makes ...
After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read. The review makes ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Donald Trump has shocked the global economy and markets with the biggest tariffs since the Smoot Hawley Act of 1930, which worsened the Great Depression.Global stocks slumped 4-5% overnight and key US bond yields briefly fell below 4% as investors fear a recession ...
Hi,I’ve been imagining a scenario where I am walking along the pavement in the United States. It’s dusk, I am off to get a dirty burrito from my favourite place, and I see three men in hoodies approaching.Anther two men appear from around a corner, and this whole thing feels ...
Since the announcement in September 2021 that Australia intended to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with Britain and the United States, the plan has received significant media attention, scepticism and criticism. There are four major ...
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and Elaine Monaghan on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s tariff shock yesterday; and,Labour’s Disarmament and Associate ...
I'm gonna try real goodSwear that I'm gonna try from now on and for the rest of my lifeI'm gonna power on, I'm gonna enjoy the highsAnd the lows will come and goAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreams never dieSongwriters: Ben Reed.These are Stranger Days than ...
With the execution of global reciprocal tariffs, US President Donald Trump has issued his ‘declaration of economic independence for America’. The immediate direct effect on the Australian economy will likely be small, with more risk ...
The StrategistBy Jacqueline Gibson, Nerida King and Ned Talbot
AUKUS governments began 25 years ago trying to draw in a greater range of possible defence suppliers beyond the traditional big contractors. It is an important objective, and some progress has been made, but governments ...
I approach fresh Trump news reluctantly. It never holds the remotest promise of pleasure. I had the very, very least of expectations for his Rumble in the Jungle, his Thriller in Manila, his Liberation Day.God May 1945 is becoming the bitterest of jokes isn’t it?Whatever. Liberation Day he declared it ...
Beyond trade and tariff turmoil, Donald Trump pushes at the three core elements of Australia’s international policy: the US alliance, the region and multilateralism. What Kevin Rudd called the ‘three fundamental pillars’ are the heart ...
So, having broken its promise to the nation, and dumped 85% of submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill in the trash, National's stooges on the Justice Committee have decided to end their "consideration" of the bill, and report back a full month early: Labour says the Justice Select Committee ...
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review offers a mature and sophisticated understanding of workforce challenges facing Australia’s National Intelligence Community (NIC). It provides a thoughtful roadmap for modernising that workforce and enhancing cross-agency and cross-sector collaboration. ...
OPINION AND ANALYSIS:Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier’s comments singling out Health NZ for “acting contrary to the law” couldn’t be clearer. If you find my work of value, do consider subscribing and/or supporting me. Thank you.Health NZ has been acting a law unto itself. That includes putting its management under extraordinary ...
Southeast Asia’s three most populous countries are tightening their security relationships, evidently in response to China’s aggression in the South China Sea. This is most obvious in increased cooperation between the coast guards of the ...
In the late 1970s Australian sport underwent institutional innovation propelling it to new heights. Today, Australia must urgently adapt to a contested and confronting strategic environment. Contributing to this, a new ASPI research project will ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital waiting list crisis just gets worse, including compelling interviews with an over-worked surgeon who is leaving, and a patient who discovered after 19 months of waiting for a referral that her bowel and ovaries were fused together with scar tissue ...
Plainly, the claims being tossed around in the media last year that the new terminal envisaged by Auckland International Airport was a gold-plated “Taj Mahal” extravagance were false. With one notable exception, the Commerce Commission’s comprehensive investigation has ended up endorsing every other aspect of the airport’s building programme (and ...
Movements clustered around the Right, and Far Right as well, are rising globally. Despite the recent defeats we’ve seen in the last day or so with the win of a Democrat-backed challenger, Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, over her Republican counterpart, Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, in the battle for ...
In February 2025, John Cook gave two webinars for republicEN explaining the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change. 20 February 2025: republicEN webinar part 1 - BUST or TRUST? The scientific consensus on climate change In the first webinar, Cook explained the history of the 20-year scientific consensus on climate change. How do ...
After three decades of record-breaking growth, at about the same time as Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, China’s economy started the long decline to its current state of stagnation. The Chinese Communist Party ...
The Pike River Coal mine was a ticking time bomb.Ventilation systems designed to prevent methane buildup were incomplete or neglected.Gas detectors that might warn of danger were absent or broken.Rock bolting was skipped, old tunnels left unsealed, communication systems failed during emergencies.Employees and engineers kept warning management about the … ...
Regional hegemons come in different shapes and sizes. Australia needs to think about what kind of hegemon China would be, and become, should it succeed in displacing the United States in Asia. It’s time to ...
RNZ has a story this morning about the expansion of solar farms in Aotearoa, driven by today's ground-breaking ceremony at the Tauhei solar farm in Te Aroha: From starting out as a tiny player in the electricity system, solar power generated more electricity than coal and gas combined for ...
After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, and almost a year before the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991, US President George H W Bush proclaimed a ‘new world order’. Now, just two months ...
Warning: Some images may be distressing. Thank you for those who support my work. It means a lot.A shopfront in Australia shows Liberal leader Peter Dutton and mining magnate Gina Rinehart depicted with Nazi imageryUS Government Seeks Death Penalty for Luigi MangioneMangione was publicly walked in front of media in ...
Aged care workers rallying against potential roster changes say Bupa, which runs retirement homes across the country, needs to focus on care instead of money. More than half of New Zealand workers wish they had chosen a different career according to a new survey. Consumers are likely to see a ...
The scurrilous attacks on Benjamin Doyle, a list Green MP, over his supposed inappropriate behaviour towards children has dominated headlines and social media this past week, led by frothing Rightwing agitators clutching their pearls and fanning the flames of moral panic over pedophiles and and perverts. Winston Peter decided that ...
Twilight Time Lighthouse Cuba, Wigan Street, Wellington, Sunday 6 April, 5:30pm for 6pm start. Twilight Time looks at the life and work of Desmond Ball, (1947-2016), a barefooted academic from ‘down under’ who was hailed by Jimmy Carter as “the man who saved the world”, as he proved the fallacy ...
The landedAnd the wealthyAnd the piousAnd the healthyAnd the straight onesAnd the pale onesAnd we only mean the male ones!If you're all of the above, then you're ok!As we build a new tomorrow here today!Lyrics Glenn Slater and Allan Menken.Ah, Democracy - can you smell it?It's presently a sulphurous odour, ...
US President Donald Trump’s unconventional methods of conducting international relations will compel the next federal government to reassess whether the United States’ presence in the region and its security assurances provide a reliable basis for ...
Things seem to be at a pretty low ebb in and around the Reserve Bank. There was, in particular, the mysterious, sudden, and as-yet unexplained resignation of the Governor (we’ve had four Governors since the Bank was given its operational autonomy 35 years ago, and only two have completed their ...
Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated. Neither side is in a position to achieve its stated objectives through military force. But now there is significant diplomatic activity as well. Ukraine has agreed to ...
One of the first aims of the United States’ new Department of Government Efficiency was shutting down USAID. By 6 February, the agency was functionally dissolved, its seal missing from its Washington headquarters. Amid the ...
If our strategic position was already challenging, it just got worse. Reliability of the US as an ally is in question, amid such actions by the Trump administration as calling for annexation of Canada, threating ...
Small businesses will be exempt from complying with some of the requirements of health and safety legislation under new reforms proposed by the Government. The living wage will be increased to $28.95 per hour from September, a $1.15 increase from the current $27.80. A poll has shown large opposition to ...
Summary A group of senior doctors in Nelson have spoken up, specifically stating that hospitals have never been as bad as in the last year.Patients are waiting up to 50 hours and 1 death is directly attributable to the situation: "I've never seen that number of patients waiting to be ...
Although semiconductor chips are ubiquitous nowadays, their production is concentrated in just a few countries, and this has left the US economy and military highly vulnerable at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. While the ...
Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology, not evidence said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. Changes to health and safety legislation proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden today comply with ACT party ideology, ignores the evidence, and will compound New ...
In short in our political economy this morning:Fletcher Building is closing its pre-fabricated house-building factory in Auckland due to a lack of demand, particularly from the Government.Health NZ is sending a crisis management team to Nelson Hospital after a 1News investigation exposed doctors’ fears that nearly 500 patients are overdue ...
Exactly 10 years ago, the then minister for defence, Kevin Andrews, released the First Principles Review: Creating One Defence (FPR). With increasing talk about the rising possibility of major power-conflict, calls for Defence funding to ...
In events eerily similar to what happened in the USA last week, Greater Auckland was recently accidentally added to a group chat between government ministers on the topic of transport.We have no idea how it happened, but luckily we managed to transcribe most of what transpired. We share it ...
Hi,When I look back at my history with Dylan Reeve, it’s pretty unusual. We first met in the pool at Kim Dotcom’s mansion, as helicopters buzzed overhead and secret service agents flung themselves off the side of his house, abseiling to the ground with guns drawn.Kim Dotcom was a German ...
Come around for teaDance me round and round the kitchenBy the light of my T.VOn the night of the electionAncient stars will fall into the seaAnd the ocean floor sings her sympathySongwriter: Bic Runga.The Prime Minister stared into the camera, hot and flustered despite the predawn chill. He looked sadly ...
Has Winston Peters got a ferries deal for you! (Buyer caution advised.) Unfortunately, the vision that Peters has been busily peddling for the past 24 hours – of several shipyards bidding down the price of us getting smaller, narrower, rail-enabled ferries – looks more like a science fiction fantasy. One ...
Completed reads for March: The Heart of the Antarctic [1907-1909], by Ernest Shackleton South [1914-1917], by Ernest Shackleton Aurora Australis (collection), edited by Ernest Shackleton The Book of Urizen (poem), by William Blake The Book of Ahania (poem), by William Blake The Book of Los (poem), by William Blake ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
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sue moroney was on tvone breakfast..
..and she did a good job..
phillip ure..
She always does a good job ,Phillip .Most likely the hardest working MP in the house. Cabinet post after the election a certainty .
pete seeger..sonny terry..and brownie mcghee..
‘down by the riverside’..
..and this will take you to a pete seeger playlist..
phillip ure..
I spent a couple of hours last night listening and watching him on utube last night.
We listened to him in the car in the great trip up north last weekend.
Truly an inspiring man, living a replete life.
Hone Harawira got it so right in his reponse to Key’s “taking the mickey’ comments about his (Harawira’s) speaker approved absences from Parliament:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11193245
He said Mr Key’s remarks were “just a continuation of his petty bickering about my going to South Africa.”
Clearly John Key still smarts about the fool he looked rushing off to South Africa with two architects of the anti-Anti-Tour Movement whom he chose.
Little Churchill asprayshins fucked up again.
Any way Key and English seemed to be missing on every Thursday in the last period.
Mandate
Hone should demand at question time, that Key resign for not getting a penny out of him for being absent. Call Key weak over and over. Then bring up Dunne and how weak Key was to catch the leak.
However there was great fact that came out. Hone has been up and down the country touching skin, just like Peters who worked the rooms from North to South.
Those who are buying into the PM’s nonsense about MPs being absent and skivving off, have obviously not been watching Parliament since National took office.
If the sums being paid are the issue, the House of Representatives is where the criticism should be focused. The behaviour of the Government benches is a good place to start. We could begin with the PM himself.
The Prime Minister is the only representative who whilst sitting in the House, made a throat slitting gesture towards the opposition. This is a man whose own rampant absenteeism is for what? Photo ops and roundtable reach-arounds. A PM who has repeatedly refused to answer direct questions with direct answers. All the while being accommodated by a Speaker whose allowance to Ministers not to answer questions at all, makes Lockwood Smith’s loose interpretations of Ministers’ answers look responsible and fair.
Whoever does take the reigns later this year has to begin our nation’s recovery by reforming the behaviour of the House of Representatives. Without that vital step, even the best policy will flounder and our nation will continue to fail. We are better than the bleating of the backbenches. We are stronger than the rubber spine of our Speaker. We are a nation that once lead the world towards democracy and equality. New Zealand did not destroy that dream, politicians did.
This year, your vote has never been more important. Do not waste it on wishes. Offer it the care with which you would handle any taonga and hand it to someone you respect, someone you trust and someone you believe will build again the great nation of Aotearoa.
Labour should AXE the super toll motorways proposed by John Key ( no one wants them except John Key and his ‘ Chosen’ cronyist Capitalist mates….to line their pockets
…eg from what I have heard at least one of these motorways is proposed to be constructed by an Australian company ….AXE them !
…….. and and put the money into:
1.) free university education for young New Zealanders up to and including PhD level ( these young people are NZ’s future!)
2.)…..reinstating Continuing Education around the country( a great way for adults..from school leavers to 90 year olds….from Maori to Pakeha….from country to city….from new- comer immigrants to generational NZers to learn new skills and meet people…. and make life -long friends)
( John Key’s NACT axed Continuing Education!….. and gave the $90 million dollars directly to private schools… SHAME ON THEM!)
3)…..Free polytech education, apprenticeships and internships ( we owe it to our young to look after them and help them into employment…before allowing in workers from overseas)
( Hear that Winston….no dirty deals with the Key NACT desperate Banksters…as John Armstrong suggests!)
4) pour money into our starved STATE SCHOOLS ( better pay for All teachers not just John Key’s Ponzi few bullshit so called ‘excellent’ Principals)…Bring back the State School Inspectorate with very little extra cost ….Make all NZ schools genuinely run and funded by the State! ….not done on the cheap by unqualified, struggling and stressed parents
….Teaching is a Profession like Law and Medicine …..TREAT EDUCATION and TEACHERS with the RESPECT they deserve.!!!!!…this will raise education attainment levels to world class as in Finland)
These policies would be a huge vote winner for Labour/Greens from young New Zealanders ( our future) and their parents….as well as every other New Zealander who values education and social cohesion.
New Zealand has a proud record in Education which has been undermined by monetarism , Neo Liberal economics and John Key and his mates who would split it, undermine teachers and unions ……and privatise it a la USA charter school businesses and religious organisations…..This is not the New Zealand way! Hands off our New Zealand State Secular education system for ALL New Zealanders! ( the unions should be fighting for this)..
+1 Chooky. When I read your posts, I feel as if I am reading my own thoughts exactly.
Crikey dick, she moves in mysterious ways alright.
After freeing up our most accomplished politician for wonderful world-serving roles at the UN, our wee interim manager is cracking glorious home goals (Hone 68 days off, the Keyster…..81!) and thus ensuring the ascendance of a genuine human for our leader once again.
And all at the very reasonable cost this time of only a few billions from workers and the poor to the rich, and a level of immiserating victim-bashing almost benign by historical tory standards.
Well done that wairua!
Hone calls Slippery the Prime Minister ‘petty’ for His ridiculous attack,(obviously a hypocrite as well), i think Hone is being far too reserved in His riposte to the ‘used car salesman in charge’…
Agreed.
Hone should call it like it is, race-baiting and being divisive.
+1, the lazy maori meme/dog whistle. national voters are treated like idiots, can they not see that?
This just goes from bad to worse.
http://dissentingdemocrat.wordpress.com/2014/01/28/fukushima-what-fukushima-there-is-no-fukushima/
A re-armed Japan is a worry. But a re-armed Japan with this type of power – mmm 1935 anyone.
http://naturalsociety.com/dead-sea-creatures-98-percent-ocean-floor/
1935? No.
There was a wide-ranging embargo in place against Japan back then. Lack of domestic energy sources was one of the reasons they embarked on military expansion. Post WWII, that lack of oil, gas etc was behind the US and the UK slapping up nuclear power stations there…
You must be hanging out at the RSA for too long mate. We have nothing to fear from Japan.
We should really be worried about the Chinese — though they seem to be happy with using chequebooks in leiu of guns ATM.
My point was that the restriction of democratic principles and rearmament have a historical comparison with Japan military Circa 1935.
Indeed Bill the forcing of Nuclear stations on Japan was a disgusting, especially as like her, NZ is another country directly on the ring of fire.
I think the fear of Chin is pushing a lot of crap Millsy, I just don’t think a rearmed Japan is a good response.
It is the removal of the ability to question the state which is the real problem.
Court cases defending defamation, a web-site that He has been unable to make work for 24 hours, and death threats from those close to a young man who tragically died while the back-seat passenger in a car,
Hell we could almost feel sorry for ‘Wail Oils’ Blubber boy, yes what the hell am i saying, as far as i can see Cameron Slater is simply getting the rewards of His own feral behavior in the vein of the old old adage ”you reap what you sow”,
It appears that there are many out in the real world who have had enough of Slater’s ugliness and feral attacks on those who havn’t the means of public reply,
In saying that we here at the Standard cannot support criminal behavior of any sort(said with a snigger)…
Slater’s sewage pond has tarnished all NZ blogs and his constant media appearances for opinion demonstrates how lazy and devoid of substance our news media is. If Labour do anything, our intrepid reporters go out and interview a deranged slob who sits online all day in his underwear eating chips and whose life is paid for by daddykins.
One day we might see a reporter interviewing real people affected by National’s sociopathic policies. But after National’s chilling response to the child poverty doco near the last election, our tired hack reporters are probably all scared of being sued or fired.
hahahaha poor old cam says its malicious I say its delicious
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/2583839
WhaleOffal is a nasty little man, when the Christchurch earthquakes were mentioned he goes (verbatim, to me) “Fuck Christchurch” and raves on about how they are freeloaders subsidised by Auckland. There is no logical response to this sort of wilful malice.
I”m guessing Slater said something incredibly rude and offensive (as usual) to offend the whole West Coast community.
Yes he did. A young man was killed in a car accident where his mate was driving. He’s the third and last son in that family to die (one was killed as a boy by a drunk driver, the other died in Pike River mine). Slater’s response to this was an article headlined “Feral dies in Greymouth, did world a favour”.
It’s called karma. He’s getting back everything he deserves.
SCOOP:
Foreign power demands right to harpoon Whale boil for experimental purposes. “It is the only living example of an organisn with a zero blubber/ integrity ratio and needs further exploration” a foreign minsistry spokesman explained.
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/not-credible-solution.html
Sigh.
Can someone take David Clark aside and then swiftly lock him in a cupboard? Firstly, we had Clare Curran talking absolute nonsense on anything to do with technology and now we have David Clark threatening to ban websites like Facebook, Amazon and Google.
Firstly, it’s ridiculous. You can’t ban them. People get around it with ease. Secondly, really? That is such an easy hit for National now. The problem of these companies not paying tax is an important one to solve. And instead Labour suggests a stupid fix, which will also be mocked by National for the next few months.
I sighed too, but more at Clark’s media ineptness.
“Firstly, it’s ridiculous. You can’t ban them. People get around it with ease”
I get really sick of people saying this. It might be easy for some people to get around, but not all.
When the NZ Police raided Tuhoe and others, the Ao Cafe website got taken down. It’s never returned, and there is no trace of it in the Internet Archive (how is that possible?). Generic statements like ‘you can’t ban the internet’ are just as ridiculous as what Clark did.
While I agree with NRT that comparisons with child porn were stupid, it’s also stupid to use the example of child porn to say you can’t control the internet. It’s harder to access child porn now than if it was just left as a free for all.
Would also like to know the source of “2.2 million users in New Zealand” for FB. I’m guessing that it’s more like 2.2 million NZ based accounts, which is not the same thing.
Anyone got a link to the Labour press release that NRT refers to? Can’t find it on Labour’s website.
I think you may find that many in the IT sector would not agree everything Clare Curran said on technology was absolute nonsense considering that she worked closely with them on several issues…
Uh, ill disciplined and stupid…
lprent
Has the system changed from any comment that refers to another’s name showing up in that person’s archives? I have always used my archives to check on comments directed to or referring to me. Lately there have been none so perhaps no-one is bothering to read what I have written. It is interesting to see who is commenting within a numbered comment on a thread, but I haven’t got time to scroll through looking at each.
It actually is difficult as a double click on the thread for the particular comment in the list doesn’t take me to the actual comment position, just to the head of the site. To find the comment I have to go back to the list and click on the same place. But sometimes I can’t find where the comment is listed again.
I haven’t changed anything (but here is a reply to test with).
I had the code for the “Replies” section (next to comments) working two weeks ago. But it won’t go in until I have a holiday at home (Yay!!!!) next week. I have to tune the database so that it doesn’t chew too much CPU.
You may (haven’t tested it for anyone else) get the same effect by logging in using a wordpress.com account. Then the dashboard (under Site Admin on my screen) will have a little orange chat box highlighted. That shows people replying to you across a range of wordpress sites.
lprent
Ta and I hope you have good weather for your holiday. Enjoy!!!
hi, while you are on tech issues, im using firefox & for some reason my standaRD page is tiny, the lettering is small, its like the margins are squeezed into the middle. other web page sites are normal size, just seems to be when i visit the standard. any idea what could be happening to my text? any remedies? thank you.
Doesn’t matter. I intend to (mostly) stay inside. I have some code to write and no socialising to do….
Be like old times.
lprent
And here was I thinking it was all fun times for you. My son was sent over to France for his firm to assist with something in transition, and he said looking at his photos of Paris, doesn’t it look good, we were in that high, modern building which looks somehow luxurious.
And then showed us their working room. One of many that closed off on each side of a bare corridor, with 6-8 chairs and computers down each side of the room and just a narrow alley between the people in the chairs from the window one end to the door at the other, and blank concrete walls. Didn’t have any Matisses, or the Mona Lisa, or reproductions of anything.. inspiring. And walking along the corridor, all that could be seen was closed doors.
He did get to see a bit of Paree, but mostly it was soulless stuff. So if that was old times, you probably can get a lot done, but it isn’t too different from being in a battery hen farm.
Hope all your eggs hatch.
I live in a cave at the top of a ridge. Actually a largish one bedroom apartment with a 10 ft stud and polished concrete floor.
The nice thing for a programmer is that you can place yourself so you don’t get the sun on your screens or on your eyes. It doesn’t get too hot or cold because it has near perfect insulation. If there is wind then there is always an airflow. If it is cold then the concrete by the 10ft high windows retains all heat that falls on it even in winter. I use a oil heater for maybe 30-40 days in the year. If there is no wind or it gets too muggy then there is aircond – which I usually use for about 10 days in Feburary when it goes really muggy.
I live next to the corner of Ponsonby and Newton Roads in Auckland. Right next to some major bus routes.Near enough to the motorways that I can get on them with ease.
I have had jobs in Albany and Manakau. Currently I work within 15 minutes walking distance. But I also spent 7 years working from home with monthly meetings for one company.
And if I get bored and/or stuck on whatever I was working on there was always the long streets of cafes up the road… Family tend to live pretty close apart from those offshore or my parents who retired and moved out of Auckland.
It is pretty damn comfortable for the type of lifestyle I have. Also a hell of a nice place to jump into the computer from. I can roll my set the fridge and the coffee machines! What can I say – I’m a geek
Of course having Lyn arrive into my life has caused a bit of adjustment for an “mature” bachelor like myself. Fortunately she is almost as much of a geek as I am in her own special, irritating and fun way.
But it was less of an adjustment than having to move out while the building was de-leaked and leak-proofed.
It’s a different life style working from home a lot isn’t it. You have been able to organise your own work surroundings for practical outcomes for you better than you would get probably in an office. My son lives within biking distance of his work and within child care close by for when they are both working.
So that’s pretty good too.
Thought so. When Key was using Hone as a target about absences from Parliament, he forgot the target on his own head. From Andrea Vanse on Stuff:
“Prime Minister John Key scored an embarrassing own goal yesterday after launching an attack on Hone Harawira’s attendance record.
Key accused the Mana party leader of “taking the mickey” over his frequent absences from Parliament. Mr Harawira has taken 68 days leave – all approved by the Speaker – since 2011. National, along with Labour and the Maori Party, refused yesterday to release the records of its own MPs.
However, the Green Party used Hansard, the official record of Parliament, to calculate that over the same period Mr Key was absent on 81 of 186 sitting days. Three of these were urgency days on a Friday or Saturday.
ianmac
Is that Andrea Vance A Good One then? What a jolly good piece from her.
And Hone made a dignified and reasoned and factual response to the mocking smarmy piece of political cowpat from apprentice dung beetle the Jokeyhen.
I must stop using that term perhaps my comments are so influential that he is getting a bad feedback loop or something! How one addresses people affects their response doesn’t it. So, sorry from me Mr Key. You can get on and be the good PM you always intended and I’ll withdraw from my evil influence. (Magical thinking from me.) Hah!
I have been away for a few weeks, so when I came back into “net” range I did a quick survey of the blogs etc.
Somethings caught my eye, first Max Keiser was talking about Tom Perkins, a multibillionaire who complained in the Wall St Journal that the 1% were being persecuted, Kristallnacht was invoked on their behalf…poor poor sods, so much money and so little perspective. Joe 90 was onto it, http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-26012014/#comment-763280 I am surprised that this extravagant whinge elicited so little comment from Standardistas.
To top things off I read two Trotter articles, the first of which indicated that all is not well in the Labour caucus with the same old suspect neo lib leaning types doing their best to undermine Cunliffe and prop up their failed ideology. Goff and crew, must be thinking about the nice little roles they might garner post being an MP, at the WTO, or on some board of directors. Dont rock the boat…..
The second Trotter article I read pretty much confirmed the thinking of the first, that capitalism wont deliver to non capitalists because it is not meant to BUT DONT MENTION IT…and Trotter flays all of the party leaders including Cunliffe…….None of our political leaders has yet delivered an adequate response to the extraordinary statistic released by Oxfam on the eve of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland. According to the UK based aid organisation, the world’s 85 richest individuals control a sum of wealth equal to that of the poorest half of the world’s human population – 3.5 billion people.
Sigh, know your enemy.
i am pretty sure i heard David Cunlifffe make a reference to who controlled the wealth,(in a New Zealand sense), in His reply to Slippery the Prime Minister on the opening day of the Parliament,(yesterday), and, Chris Trotter might want to pay more attention because i have heard various Green MP’s including both Metiria and Russell include such details when speaking in the Parliament,
i don’t always agree with Trotter but always find Him a good read….
Ennui
We can’t think about that stuff at present – we are too busy thumbing our nose at the execrable
Slater, who has emerged from the woodwork a sadder but not wiser blogger or pilgrim of life.
This has niggled me for years…
The Open Mike intro ends with ‘Step right up to the mike.’ Maybe just ‘Step up to the mike’?
The ‘right’ is redundant. If the phrase was ‘Step right up…’ it might have a place but with ‘the mike’ there it’s unnecessary.
And, of course, it would be nice for a left blog not to have the word ‘right’ there.
Yes, I’m nitpicking. Yes, there are bigger problems in the world.
easy enough to fix…
+1 It’s a nice change not to have to worry about affairs of state all the time!
Has Imperator Fish satire leaked over to the Herald or is this issue truly what Crosby Textor have told John Key will inspire the public in an election year?
From today’s articles: PM tests water for NZ flag change. (They forgot to add: – again)
With his usual concise and decisive language…
“I’d like to see a change. But one of the problems is that firstly it’s not the single … biggest issue that we as a country face. And secondly, even with those who want to change there’s not universal support for what we should change to.”…
…The Prime Minister’s personal preference was for a silver fern on a black background, but he said it would be very difficult to get a consensus on a new design….
Guessing this will be difficult to get a consensus on because of the Rugby trademark associated with his personal preference.
Shades of Susan Devoy in the final sentences of the same article – (where is she by the way?)
“…Mr Key had earlier said that he hoped Waitangi Day this year would be a day of celebration instead of being marred by protests.
He wished New Zealand’s national day was similar to Australia Day, with shows of patriotism such as flag-waving..”
More confirmation that he does not read any newspapers – either here or from across the ditch, or watch tv.
Bingo: http://thestandard.org.nz/anti-democratic-tendencies/#comment-701020
Why do you think they picked Dame Susan Devoy ?? Silence. She will be like the Maori Party, sitting at the table, silent and smiling, happy with the trinkets that fall her way. In her case, a very nice case of “trinkets”.
Both the PPTA and NRT have blogged on this today, but it is worth re-iterating that those guardians of fiscal responsibility in NACT have in the last year managed to piss about $14 million against the wall for their ideological charter schools project (to educate 369 students).
http://ppta.org.nz/component/easyblog/entry/exorbitant-charter-schools-funding-revealed?Itemid=202
Does seem like a pretty useful counter against Nactional’s claims of left wing fiscal largesse?
All is good within NZ, as we must now have found a cure for the cold. Our next big issue is….
Our flag.
Great emotive topic to take attention away from anything and everything.
And Jesus wept.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9662819/Key-Silver-Fern-should-be-our-flag
@ Herodotus
“Our flag.
Great emotive topic to take attention away from anything and everything.
And Jesus wept.”
+1
…particularly to distract New Zealanders from the complete hash John Key and his cohorts are making of governing this country
…and hoping to distract New Zealanders from the delightful alternative being presented to the New Zealand public by Labour & the left
Distraction tactics are about the only hope to stay in government they have left, really – well that and horribly divisive hate politics that appeal to peoples’ worst nature….
It occurred to me that neo lib direction in NZ has come from experiencing duty free advantages when they went overseas all those years ago, and got special tax free advantages. So they thought why not go overseas and have tax free advantages all the time.
So therefore, the duty free economy and country where you are free to not do your duty, if you can pay your way out of it. (Here I’m thinking of paying fair tax on earnings, the higher then more, to a reasonable degree. and sharing that portion you do pay with everyone instead of trying to capture it back.)
The flag design is to be chosen by National. I think not. No way are they going to get away with giving us the opinion of either Key’s silver on black (and as someone says that is already probably trademarked), or another one chosen by the government.
The flag is a symbolic thing to wave in the breeze and carry at events etc. and we want one that is worthwhile and represents us with something meaningful. Though it is not the sacred icon that Helen Clark’s government raised it to, making it an offence to jump on it or burn it etc. What a dopey idea, it’s far better to vent at a symbol, hang it upside down, stick holes through it than more destructive actions to buildings or people. All the same we need to have a say, not this grimy bunch of charlatans take over.
I would suggest we have an on-line consultation with people being able to send designs in, which would be added to those already held over about two months, with a vote held every fortnight.
and the residual flags put in order of popularity. Any new ones would be shown alongside so they could be compared to the top ones to see if anything offered was better. At the end of the two months, the best twenty or thirty would go up for voting for a month and then the best four would go to the referendum which would be binding. After everyone had had time to form their opinion the result would go ahead and be instituted in say 6 months.
The Maori flag if that was not chosen, would become a second official flag, with the national flag to be flown outside NZ if there was only one to be flown, and within NZ it would be flown at the same height if it was up, and at times could be the only one flying if appropriate.
Key wants to leave a legacy – excuse me while I baff . Funny while we can “vote” on a flag but not on the supposed referendum to the changes that was supposed to take place within MMP.
As Hone said, is this just a distraction to mask the real issues at the general elections. I tend to concur.
And why should John Key think he should make the decision as to which flag we should have to replace our present one, if we do decide to replace it – the man’s self entitlement knows no bounds.
Abuse by the Salvation Army in Australia? and to a woman in Ireland when she was young was the topic of news tonight. The European Commission has said that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that children are safe, and that this remains throughout the years. The Irish woman has been awarded $30,000 for what was done when she was a child.
The ongoing nature of this unmet responsibility is going to be a matter in the future as we hear things about the charter schools that will be very regrettable because they were expected before the schools began. In 20 years or so we will start hearing the cases, and they will come to light for some time as people feel strong enough to make their protest and gain some solace from delayed justice.
The Electricity Authority spokesperson Carl Hansen has been talking about how they are judging the price which should be charged for power. They allow for a 10% return to the shareholders.
So the government has sold our electricity assets, and this is the profit that gets returned to the
shareholders by us, while we continue to pay more and more to others for what we used to own ourselves. And the more we pay the more the 15% GST amount will be, and the line charge goes up regularly and arbitrarily, now we are paying about $30 a month. And so it goes on.
And if the 10% is calculated on the assets, to give a satisfactory return to the shareholders.
And the assets are revalued, according to constantly rising market value, then we will have to pay more for the same amount of electricity.
Just to keep the books right in the market system which treats the system and the returns from it as if it was God-given prognostications chiselled in stone, instead of an approach to counting things, valuing things and dealing with one another in a rational symbolic way. This is just so that we don’t have to personally take a duck to the shops, or a sack of lemons to exchange for 5 loaves of bread, or whatever the going rate would be. And perhaps no-one wants lemons that day. Trouble is along the way, it is easier to get rorted.
FYI
I have been declined speaking rights at tomorrow’s Auckland Council Governing Body meeting:
(Thursday 30 January 2014
9.30am
Auckland Town Hall)
My response:
__________________________________________________________________________
29 January 2014
‘OPEN LETTER’
Dear Elaine,
Please be advised that I do NOT accept that the declining of my request for ‘speaking rights’ at the Auckland Council Governing Body upcoming meeting (to be held at the Auckland Town Hall on Thursday 30 January 2014) was lawful.
“3.21.3 Subjects of Public Input
Public Input is not to be used to speak to a matter:
(i) that has already been considered and determined.”
_____________________________________________________
The FACT is that the (former) CEO of Auckland Council, Doug McKay, and his appointment of Ernst and Young to conduct this ‘Independent Review’ of Auckland Mayor Len Brown, did NOT follow the ‘due process’ as clearly outlined in the Auckland Council ‘Code of Conduct’ (s.8 Compliance), thus has NOT ‘already been considered and determined.’
Please be reminded that as an ‘anti-corruption’ campaigner, I attended a full-day specialist workshop on ‘How to Conduct an Inquiry’ at the recent 2013 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference.
I now have a very comprehensive understanding of how such an inquiry should have been carried out, and the Ernst and Young ‘Independent Review’ was anything but, in my considered opinion.
I respectfully request that this decision to decline my speaking rights, is reconsidered as a matter of urgency.
Also, I do NOT consider it appropriate, or in keeping with the basic principles of ‘natural justice’, for Auckland Mayor Len Brown, to the one to make the ultimate decision on whether or not speaking rights should be granted in this case, for this matter, as he is a directly-affected party.
http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/N/NemoJudexInParteSua.aspx
A fundamental principle of natural justice which states that no person can judge a case in which he or she is party or in which he/she has an interest.
Also known as:
nemo judex in sua causa; or
nemo debet esse judex in propria causa
__________________________________________________________
(As Auckland Mayor Len Brown has been a lawyer, I’m sure understands this fundamental principle).
Please also be reminded of the statutory duties arising from the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1987/0174/latest/DLM122283.html
4 Purposes
The purposes of this Act are—
(a)to provide for the availability to the public of official information held by local authorities, and to promote the open and public transaction of business at meetings of local authorities, in order—
(i) to enable more effective participation by the public in the actions and decisions of local
authorities; and
(ii) to promote the accountability of local authority members and officials,—
and thereby to enhance respect for the law and to promote good local government in
New Zealand:
(b) to provide for proper access by each person to official information relating to that person:
(c) to protect official information and the deliberations of local authorities to the extent consistent with the public interest and the preservation of personal privacy.
Compare: 1982 No 156 s 4
____________________________________________________________________________
Please also be reminded of the rights of citizens to ‘freedom of expression’ as guaranteed under the NZ Bill Of Rights Act 1990:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0109/latest/DLM225513.html
14 Freedom of expression
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form.
__________________________________________________________________________
Please be advised that I shall be attending this Auckland Council Governing Body meeting to be held tomorrow, Thursday 30 January 2014, starting as 9.30am at the Auckland Town Hall.
Please finally be reminded that I have a proven track record of successfully defending my above-mentioned lawful rights as a citizen, in Court, in the (hopefully) unlikely event of these matters being taken to the point of arrest.
Kind regards,
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation’ campaigner
Attendee : 2009 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
Attendee: 2010 Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference
Attendee: 2013 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
2010 Auckland Mayoral candidate
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
lprent, any chance of a button to expand/collapse comments, or a 5000 character limit??
cheers
Will do. I have code to put in a collapse for a comment or a whole comment thread.
It got stalled on how to persist this data for a individual user for some period of time.
Looks like the only effective way is via client supplied cookies.
geoff over on the Note to Media post suggested we do a mail out of Blip’s List
that is a hugely expensive undertaking, so i thought there may be a better cost to publicity stream we could tap into, so i posted the following, repeating it here for general consideration.
=================================================
maybe we crowd-source a basic and sporadic poster campaign and take Blip’s List to the people
pretty sure the companies who do the paste ups would be ok with it, and we know then they are pretty safe, (although for the dedicated poster grabber they become instant collector items)
they may even cut us a good $ deal too
so to get Blip’s List public we need:
; the data – check
; Layout and formatting
– I think i just saw a couple of dozen hands go up
– perhaps they all put one together and we have Standardistas choose the preferred design
– It would be good to print the links in full under each line
– people will snap images of the poster with their phones so it is useful to include the info
; a call to Sticky Fingers to fix a contract price & terms
– i think they cover paste ups for all the main centers now
; approximately a couple of grand for printing a whole bunch of posters,
– I am guessing that price would be generously supported by the printers
– posters can be printed in whatever center that they end up in so freight is not necessary
seems pretty doable to me
I pledge $20 here and now
(which is 9% of my income this week)
Welcome to New Keyland
The All Black’s Shirts
freedom
$20 rest don’t know
I think a separate new article is needed about Key’s flag urgent red herring. Wish one of the regular article writers of this site would consider writing it.
Here is my opinion on it:
[1] For National, the Warner Bros logo may be more appropriate.
[2] Key is trying desperately to raise a red herring to distract people during this election year because he is sensing that he and his party and coalition partners are going to lose this coming election and/or, Key is trying to create an immortal legacy for himself by pushing this issue forward now and wanting a referendum on it at the election this year!
[3] During this year, people should be more focused on political party policies and leaders and not be distracted by Key’s cunning tactics of introducing what is at present an unnecessary and absolutely non urgent ‘change of flag’ issue.
[4] In my opinion, the flag issue should be raised sometime in the near or distant future when the people are ready to change to a Republic.
[5] And at that time, it would be very fair and good to incorporate some Maori cultural aspect too in the design.
errr….. what happens when it is the PRIME MINISTER who fails to uphold, and is SEEN to fail to uphold, the ‘highest ethical standards’, as required by the ‘Cabinet Manual’?
Is Prime Minister John Key going to tell himself off, or stand himself down as a Minister, over his arguably disgraceful treatment of Mana MP and Leader, Hone Harawira?
When is New Zealand going to have an enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for Members of Parliament – given that we’re supposed to be ‘the least corrupt country in the world’ …. blah blah…… ?
http://cabinetmanual.cabinetoffice.govt.nz/2.50
Conduct, public duty, and personal interests
General
2.50 To protect the integrity of the decision-making process of executive government and to maintain public trust in the Executive, Ministers and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries must conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to their office. Accordingly, the guidance in paragraphs 2.52 – 2.96:
explains the standards of personal conduct expected of Ministers;
assists Ministers to identify those personal interests that might be seen to influence their decision making;
sets out options for managing conflicts of interest where necessary.
2.51 The guidance on conduct, public duty, and personal interests applies to all Ministers (inside and outside Cabinet) and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries. References to Ministers in this guidance include Parliamentary Under-Secretaries.
Conduct of Ministers
2.52 A Minister of the Crown, while holding a ministerial warrant, acts in a number of different capacities:
in a ministerial capacity, making decisions, and determining and promoting policy within particular portfolios;
in a political capacity as a member of Parliament, representing a constituency or particular community of interest; in a personal capacity.
2.53 In all these roles and at all times, Ministers are expected to act lawfully and to behave in a way that upholds, and is seen to uphold, the highest ethical standards. Ultimately, Ministers are accountable to the Prime Minister for their behaviour.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Not exactly ‘leading from the front’ on this one – Prime Minister John Key?
Penny Bright
+100 Penny
+100 Clemgeopin
…Changing the flag issue is a real red herring( and note John Key wants to be the final arbiter on the flag…..what an arrogant EGO ).
…As a strategy Key is trying to shore up his credentials as a real NZer for the people , by the people, of the people by waving the flag …… when he is nothing of the sort ……He is a NACT monetarist Neo Liberal rorter of NZers assets and way of life…he cares not a fig for NZers only his rich crony Capitalist Bankster mates overseas
Lets hope other politicians from Labour and the Greens don’t fall for this…… but keep their eye on the ball and the impetus going on the REAL issues for New Zealanders!….
….for example I dont think it will do the Greens vote any good if Russell Norman falls for this and gets distracted and swings in behind Key’s agenda for changing the the flag and also brings up the Republican anti -Royal issue….as I heard him do on radio
1) Norman doesnt understand NZers attachment to their flag and Queenie…there are very very few votes in this for the Greens no matter what Norman’s personal feelings ( and Charles is a Greenie!)
2) as an Australian it will backfire badly on Norman and the Greens..it will just remind NZers that Norman is an Australian ( Winnie will be the vote winner)
3) John key will have provided a successful red herring and undermined the Labour/Greens roller coaster on real issues concerning NZers….and if this issue is allowed to gather momentum Mana will have been sidelined also on the flag issue….Key will have grabbed the flag from the Maori and done a one- up-man-ship on Hone ( which for some reason he is keen to do….maybe because Hone Harawira is a real genuine NZer and he shows Key up as a Ponzi)
imo….Let John Key swing with the flag issue….and let him hang himself out to dry …in other words he should be ignored ….so people see it for what it is…as a red herring and a distraction to the most important issues facing New Zealanders
I think it would be good idea for the leaders of opposition parties to state that Key is simply trying to distract the voters from the important and urgent issues and the voters should not fall for it at this time.
A matter such as the change of flag of a country is a serious issue and needs some time, a few years of discussion and careful consideration, different designs incorporating history, aspirations and culture. The ideal time would be when and if the nation is ready to become a Republic.
Perhaps a campaign needs to be started to thwart Key’s cunning trick by pushing the point that it is too hasty to change the flag at this time. The discussion and debate needs at least a couple of years. If Key decides to have a referendum, among others, ONE of the choices in the vote should be
(..) This is not the right time to change the flag.
Desperate Key
The fact that John Key is pushing for this flag change exposes him as a schill for the corporates.
Just like the TPPA it is all part of the plan to sell New Zealand down the river.
Money is his only loyalty if the British ensign in the corner of our flag is getting in the way of that, get rid of it.
In a contradiction to the flag issue, John Key has invited the Royal couple and their new born member of the British aristocracy to tour the country in election year. John Key supports the political concept of having a small privileged elite that the majority should bow and scrape to, Because sees himself as member and shyster for that same global elite.
(even though he comes off as a social climber in the Basil Fawlty mold.)