Open mike 29/02/2012
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6:00 am, February 29th, 2012 - 87 comments
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- International statement – End-to-end encryption and public safetyWe, the undersigned, support strong encryption, which plays a crucial role in protecting personal data, privacy, intellectual property, trade secrets and cyber security. It also serves a vital purpose in repressive states to protect journalists, human rights defenders and other vulnerable people, as stated in the 2017 resolution of the ...1 week ago
- Ministry of Defence Biodefence Assessment releasedThe Ministry of Defence has today released a Defence Assessment examining Defence’s role across the spectrum of biological hazards and threats facing New Zealand. Biodefence: Preparing for a New Era of Biological Hazards and Threats looks at how the NZDF supports other agencies’ biodefence activities, and considers the context of ...1 week ago
- New Approaches to Economic Challenges: Confronting Planetary Emergencies: OECD 9 October 2020New Approaches to Economic Challenges: Confronting Planetary Emergencies: OECD 9 October 2020 Hon David Parker’s response following Thomas Piketty and Esther Duflo. Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, wherever in the world you might be. I first acknowledge the excellent thought provoking speeches of Thomas Piketty and Esther ...2 weeks ago
- Kaipara Moana restoration takes next stepA Memorandum of Understanding has been signed today at Waihāua Marae between the Crown, local iwi and councils to protect, restore and enhance the mauri of Kaipara Moana in Northland. Environment Minister David Parker signed the document on behalf of the Crown along with representatives from Ngā Maunga Whakahī, Ngāti ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand and Uruguay unite on reducing livestock production emissionsAgriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Uruguayan Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries Carlos María Uriarte have welcomed the launch of a three-year project that will underpin sustainable livestock production in Uruguay, Argentina, and Costa Rica. The project called ‘Innovation for pasture management’ is led by Uruguay’s National Institute of Agricultural ...2 weeks ago
- 3100 jobs created through marae upgradesHundreds of marae throughout the country will be upgraded through investments from the Provincial Growth Fund’s refocused post COVID-19 funding to create jobs and put money into the pockets of local tradespeople and businesses, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced. “A total ...2 weeks ago
- Health volunteers recognised in annual awardsHealth Minister Chris Hipkins has announced 9 teams and 14 individuals are the recipients of this year’s Minister of Health Volunteer Awards. “The health volunteer awards celebrate and recognise the thousands of dedicated health sector volunteers who give many hours of their time to help other New Zealanders,” Mr Hipkins ...2 weeks ago
- Community COVID-19 Fund supports Pacific recoveryThe Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio says a total of 264 groups and individuals have successfully applied for the Pacific Aotearoa Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund, that will support Pacific communities drive their own COVID-19 recovery strategies, initiatives, and actions. “I am keen to see this Fund support Pacific ...2 weeks ago
- Community benefits from Māori apprenticeshipsUp to 50 Māori apprentices in Wellington will receive paid training to build houses for their local communities, thanks to a $2.75 million investment from the Māori Trades and Training Fund, announced Employment Minister Willie Jackson today. “This funding will enable Ngāti Toa Rangatira Incorporated to provide its Ngā Kaimahi ...2 weeks ago
- Training fund supports Māori jobseekersRapidly growing sectors will benefit from a $990,000 Māori Trades and Training Fund investment which will see Wellington jobseekers supported into work, announced Employment Minister Willie Jackson today. “This funding will enable Sapphire Consultants Ltd. to help up to 45 Māori jobseekers into paid training initiatives over two years through ...2 weeks ago
- Ruakura Inland Port development vital infrastructure for WaikatoThe Government is investing $40 million to develop an inland port at Ruakura which will become a freight super-hub and a future business, research and residential development for the Waikato, Urban Development and Transport Minister Phil Twyford, and Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The funding has been has ...2 weeks ago
- Appointments made to Defence Expert Review GroupDefence Minister Ron Mark announced today the establishment of an Expert Review Group to review a number of aspects of the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) structure, information management and record-keeping processes. The Expert Review Group’s work arises out of the first recommendation from the Report of the Government’s Inquiry ...2 weeks ago
- No active community cases of COVID-19There are no active community cases of COVID-19 remaining in the country after the last people from the recent outbreak have recovered from the virus, Health Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “This is a big milestone. New Zealanders have once again through their collective actions squashed the virus. The systems ...2 weeks ago
- Clean energy upgrade for more public buildingsMore public buildings will be supported by the Government to upgrade to run on clean energy, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. Minister Shaw announced that Lincoln and Auckland universities will receive support through the Clean-Powered Public Service Fund to replace fossil fuel boilers. Southern, Taranaki, and ...2 weeks ago
- Schools back donations scheme for the second yearMore schools have opted in to the donations scheme for 2021, compared to 2020 when the scheme was introduced. “The families of more than 447,000 students will be better off next year, with 94% of eligible schools and kura opting into the scheme,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “This is ...2 weeks ago
- Ruapehu cycle trails gets PGF boostThe spectacular Mountains to Sea cycle trail in Ruapehu District will receive $4.6 million in funding from the Provincial Growth Fund for two additional trails, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This is an exciting development for the local community, and one that will provide significant economic opportunities ...2 weeks ago
- Update to air border order strengthens crew requirementsAdditional measures coming into effect on Monday will boost our defence against COVID-19 entering New Zealand through the air border, Health Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “As part of our precautionary approach and strategy of constant review, we’re tightening the requirements around international aircrew,” Chris Hipkins said. The COVID-19 Public ...3 weeks ago
- A true picture of Māori business activityA better picture of the contribution Māori businesses make to the economy will be possible with changes to the way information is collected about companies and trading enterprises. Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash have announced a new option for Māori enterprises who are part ...3 weeks ago
- PGF funding for Taranaki projectsThe South Taranaki museum, a New Plymouth distillery and a Pasifika building firm will benefit from a Government investment totalling more than $1 million, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. The $1.05m in grants and loans from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will help the recipients expand and create ...3 weeks ago
- Fijian Language Week 2020 inspires courage and strength during COVID-19 pandemicThe Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio says the theme for the 2020 Fijian Language Week reflects the strong belief by Fijians that their language and culture inspires courage and strength that is strongly needed in times of emergencies, or through a significant challenge like the global COVID-19 pandemic ...3 weeks ago
- Trades training builds on iwi aspirationsAn investment of $2.025 million from the Māori Trades and Training Fund will support Māori to learn new skills while making a positive difference for their communities, announced Employment Minister Willie Jackson today. “K3 Development Limited Partnership will receive $2,025,000 for its Takitimu Tuanui apprenticeship programme, which will support the ...3 weeks ago
- Conservation Minister plants two millionth tree in Raglan restorationA long-term conservation project led by the Whaingaroa Harbour Care group in the western Waikato reaches a significant milestone this week, with the planting of the two millionth tree by the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “Planting the two millionth tree crowns 25 years of commitment and partnership involving Whaingaroa ...3 weeks ago
- Trump has changed America by making everything about politics, and politics all about himself
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Smith, Senior Lecturer in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney On October 14, Donald Trump held a rally attended by several thousand in Iowa, despite White House guidelines that gatherings in the state should be limited ...39 mins ago - Despite more than 30 major inquiries, governments still haven’t fixed aged care. Why are they gett...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eileen Webb, Professor of Law and Ageing, UniSA: Justice and Society, University of South Australia This article is part of our series on aged care. You can read the other articles in the series here. Australia’s aged care sector has been ...39 mins ago
- Why more housing stimulus will be needed to sustain recoverySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Rowley, Professor; School of Economics, Finance and Property, and Director, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Curtin Research Centre, Curtin University In response to the COVID-19 recession, federal, state and territory governments quickly provided support to the housing industry for two ...39 mins ago
- Mathias Cormann wants to lead the OECD. The choice it makes will be pivotalSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Blundell-Wignall, Adjunct Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney My old OECD boss Secretary General (SG) Angel Gurria’s third term is coming to an end and the race is on to replace him. Australia’s departing finance minister Mathias Cormann will face ...39 mins ago
- We vibrated earthworms to learn about safely connecting human brains to computersSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ivan Maksymov, Australian Research Council Future Fellow (Senior Lecturer), Swinburne University of Technology This year, my colleague Andrey Pototsky and I were awarded the Ig Nobel Prize in Physics for our experimental work involving vibrating living earthworms. The Ig Nobel Prizes are ...54 mins ago
- When too much news is bad news: is the way we consume news detrimental to our health?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evita March, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Federation University Australia Humans are curious and social creatures by nature. The news helps us make sense of the world around us and connects us with our local, national and international community. So it’s no wonder ...54 mins ago
- Food, tools and medicine: 5 native plants that illuminate deep Aboriginal knowledgeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zena Cumpston, Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Over countless millennia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have harnessed the tremendous potential of plants, ingeniously using them for medicines, nutrition, to express our culture and to develop innovative technologies. But as I learn ...54 mins ago
- Guide to the classics: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier — gender, gothic haunting and gaslightingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Gildersleeve, Associate Professor of English Literature, University of Southern Queensland A small group of novels are famous for their first lines: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813), Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (1851) and Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina (1877). Rebecca by Daphne ...54 mins ago
- Live updates, October 21: Labour-Green coalition off the table – report
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 21. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz7.45am: Labour-Green coalition off the table – reportA Newshub report last night suggests that the chances of a formal coalition deal between Labour and the Greens are slipping ...1 hour ago - Forget Ardern v Collins, it's Trump v Biden that matters
Why the US election is more critical for our financial markets than our own one. ...1 hour ago - The Bulletin: Climate change already happening, says new reportGood morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New report shows climate change already affecting New Zealand, new crop of managed isolation Covid cases, and National leader and ousted electorate MPs all staying on.As promised, today’s Bulletin will cover the government’s new climate change report, called Our Atmosphere ...2 hours ago
- Govt seeks to buy up motels for Christmas
With the election over, there's a renewed drive to lease or purchase hotels for transitional housing – but industry leaders warn it is simply subsidising the tourism industry without fixing the crisis in homelessness. ...3 hours ago - Business & Investing: RBNZ's shot across the property market
The Reserve Bank warns that it could act if house prices are driven by high leverage loans or investors rather than households, plus business sentiment improves ...3 hours ago - Why standing apart is good for the Greens
Labour not seeking a formal coalition with the Greens might actually be good for the minor party. David Williams reports The Green Party has overcome several fears in recent months, chief among them a potential blowback from the Green School debacle, and not making the five percent MMP threshold. Its ...3 hours ago - How did 3 year-old Lachie really meet his death?
WATCH: the Melanie Reid investigation here: Mysterious circumstances, improbable theories and a once-over-lightly police investigation spark calls for a new inquiry into how little Lachie Jones died in Gore last year. Melanie Reid and Bonnie Sumner report. Death by drowning. Case closed, according to the police. But the discovery of a ...3 hours ago - How did 3-year-old Lachie really meet his death?WATCH: the Melanie Reid investigation here: Mysterious circumstances, improbable theories and a once-over-lightly police investigation spark calls for a new inquiry into how little Lachie Jones died in Gore last year. Melanie Reid and Bonnie Sumner report. Death by drowning. Case closed, according to the police. But the discovery of a ...3 hours ago
- Labour's red wave hits Parliament as National soul searching begins
The first caucus meetings since Labour's thumping election win brought boundless joy for Jacinda Ardern and her team, but the beginnings of soul searching for National and Judith Collins Analysis: The newly enlarged Labour caucus streamed into their meeting room on Tuesday morning - or perhaps flooded was the more ...3 hours ago - A 'girl and her wolf' attack the Coastal Classic
She brought back a once-mighty trimaran from the dead, and now 'still green' sailor Liz Alonzi is about to race Timberwolf in one of the world's iconic coastal yacht races. Liz Alonzi lovingly calls her “Wolfy… with a Y” – the unmistakable bright green trimaran with a snarling wolf on her bow, sitting ...3 hours ago - Not in the cloud yet? Here are 5 reasons why you should be
The potential for disaster - fire, earthquakes and the Covid-19 pandemic – are all reasons for organisations to think about moving operations into the cloud. Many companies had to do it because of the Christchurch earthquakes and the recent lockdowns. But there are other advantages too. Vodafone NZ’s Glenn Johnstone ...3 hours ago - Emma Espiner on Māori women owning the written word
Newsroom columnist Emma Espiner delivered the following speech at Waitohu: Women Reclaiming The Ink, a celebration of mana wāhine hosted by the National Library He kārakia tēnei nā Stacey Morrison Karanga karanga te rangi e tū nei Karanga karanga te papa e takoto nei Rārangahia mai te ira ...3 hours ago - Solved: The mystery of Nick Smith’s ‘jam and scones’ election billboardIt was the campaign we could have all got behind: strong tea, more jam, better scones. How the heck did that sign end up on Nick Smith’s wall? When One News interviewed National Party candidate Nick Smith at his Nelson party headquarters during Saturday night’s election coverage, it seemed like just ...4 hours ago
- The only two words at parliament this week: no commentThe election is over and three of parliament’s parties have retreated behind closed doors, reports Justin Giovannetti.Parliament has entered, on the surface at least, a post-election hibernation. The government is in caretaker mode, barred from making major decisions, while party leaders eager for attention just days ago now have nothing ...4 hours ago
- Wringing the truth from those who sheltered abusers
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse in state care has been hearing some harrowing evidence - but an investigation by journalist Aaron Smale published in Newsroom recently has revealed just how difficult it's been to lever the truth out of the institutions that sheltered abusers. There are some harrowing and ...4 hours ago - Building up, squashing in
A growing population, cities straining at the edges, and everyone wants a back yard for the kids. Or do they? We may have reached the stage where a change of mindset is helping to house people. RNZ's Māori Strategy manager Shannon Haunui-Thompson recently bought her first ever home - and ...4 hours ago - Wildlife rules for private land queried by owners and businesses
A policy aimed to protect indigenous wildlife is on its final dash to the finish line. Public support is strong, but landowners and industry still have concerns. ...4 hours ago - Covid-19 outbreak among Russian fishers at NZ isolation facilitySealord responds to international fishers covid-19 outbreak at Christchurch MIQ. Video: RNZBy RNZ News Some 11 cases of covid-19 have been confirmed at a New Zealand managed isolation facility (MIQ) in Christchurch, with another 14 possible cases being investigated. The Ministry of Health said last night it was investigating after ...8 hours ago
- The 2020 NZ election saw record vote volatility — what does that mean for the next Labour governme...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Vowles, Professor of Political Science, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington As the dust begins to settle after the 2020 election, a new electoral landscape becomes visible. It is remarkably different from the one before. One way to put ...10 hours ago
- Melburnians will soon be able to have 2 visitors per day. It’s far riskier than an exclusive bubbl...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary-Louise McLaws, Professor of Epidemiology Healthcare Infection and Infectious Diseases Control, UNSW Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday a further easing of coronavirus restrictions, as Victoria’s 14-day average of new daily cases continues to trend downwards. Among the changes, Melburnians were ...12 hours ago
- Tears, goodbyes and silver trays for departing National MPs
It was haere rā to a massive chunk of National's caucus on Monday, after the blue bloodbath at the weekend. ...12 hours ago - What happens if electorate candidates are tied after the electionIt's never happened before, but if an electorate ends up with the candidates tied, the Electoral Commission "must determine by lot which of those candidates is to be elected". ...13 hours ago
- Another building-site death adds to demands for industrial manslaughter lawsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bobbie Oliver, Honorary Research Fellow, Humanities, University of Western Australia The death of 23-year-old apprentice Jonnie Hartshorn on a Perth university building site is the 23rd workplace fatality among construction workers in Australia in 2020. Hartshorn was killed on October 13 after ...13 hours ago
- Voting for first time at 37 years old: 'I felt really good after it'Inspired by the work Labour has done in Bay of Plenty, 37-year-old Chris Graham cast a vote for the first time on Saturday. ...13 hours ago
- New Zealand's new LGBTQ MPs make Parliament most rainbow in worldEleven LGBTQ people won seats in the weekend's election - that's 9.16 percent of the 120 MPs. ...14 hours ago
- View from The Hill: Morrison says he wants to run full term, and there are good reasons to believe h...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra We don’t have to credit Scott Morrison’s claim at Tuesday’s Coalition joint party room meeting that an election is the furthest thing from his mind, but we can take at face value his indication he ...14 hours ago
- Parliament still packed with lawyers – but is that a bad thing?Analysis - The new Parliament might be the most diverse in history, but some things remain the same, including the high number of lawyers who have just been elected, Craig Stephen writes. ...14 hours ago
- Māori Party's Rawiri Waititi arrives at Parliament in styleThe Māori Party's Rawiri Waititi - donning a white cowboy hat - touched down at Parliament today for the first time since winning the Waiariki electorate. ...14 hours ago
- My best worst film: dubbed a crass Adam Sandler comedy, Click is a deep meditation on relationshipsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jo Li Tay, Lecturer, School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University In a new series, our writers explore their best worst film. They’ll tell you what the critics got wrong – and why it’s time to give these movies another ...15 hours ago
- Defending state abuse: Follow the money
The cost to the Crown of fighting claims by victims of abuse in state care is finally revealed before a Royal Commission. Aaron Smale calculates where most of the money went As Deep Throat would say, follow the money. There were likely to be a few people gagging as they ...15 hours ago - As the Queensland campaign passes the halfway mark, the election is still Labor’s to loseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Williams, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities, Griffith University We’re at the mid-point of the Queensland election campaign. Pre-polling opened on Monday, with about two million Queenslanders expected to vote before election day on October 31. But with just 12 days to ...16 hours ago
- Tofiga isn’t sorry about itTofiga Fepulea’i is back on stage with some comedic relief in a truly dismal year. Tofiga Fepulea’i cracks up as we discuss some of the trends he’s clicked onto.First, there’s the fitness buzz. Anyone who follows the Laughing Sāmoans comedian online will have seen the videos he posts of he ...17 hours ago
- Two High Court of Australia judges will be named soon – unlike Amy Coney Barrett, we know nothing ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joe McIntyre, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of South Australia Many Americans were riveted last week by the at times absurd confirmation hearing for US Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. The death in mid-September of Ruth Bader Ginsburg thrust the ...17 hours ago
- Covid-19 has changed New Zealand forever. The experts explain howSome of the smartest people in the country examine the effects of the pandemic on Aotearoa’s future in 400 words or fewer. There are few corners of society that Covid-19 has not touched. From healthcare to the economy, education to professional sport, the pandemic has changed the way we interact with ...17 hours ago
- Anti-poverty Groups To Labour: Election Results Mean No More Excuses
Child Poverty Action Group, ActionStation and Auckland Action Against Poverty are calling on the new government to follow through quickly on their plan of raising income support so people receiving benefits are no longer locked into poverty. "Labour ...17 hours ago - ‘I wrote The Pōrangi Boy for kids like me’: Shilo Kino on her debut novelThe Marae TV journalist tells the origin story of her debut novel, a young adult book releasing this week.Patricia Grace wrote a story called “It used to be green once” and every year my Pākehā teacher would pull it out in English class and everyone would laugh at the poor ...18 hours ago
- Election night 2020: All the misery, all the tumescent joyA long election campaign finally ended in one five-hour period on Saturday, October 17. José Barbosa was there. This is what he saw.I forgot how covering an election is a lot of fun. My last working election was well over a decade ago, and there’s always this breathlessness that accompanies ...18 hours ago
- Ousted National MP Jo Hayes takes on role with Wairarapa iwiJo Hayes failed to win the seat of Mana and missed out on getting back as a list MP because of her party's big election defeat. ...18 hours ago
- When and how should the Victoria-NSW border reopen? Is fishing allowed in Victoria? When can I trave...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, La Trobe University Victoria recorded one new case of COVID-19 on Monday, another fantastic result that suggests the coronavirus outbreak there is now being well controlled. Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday the state was “well placed this ...18 hours ago
- Hard to spot, but worth looking out for: 8 surprising tawny frogmouth factsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Les Christidis, Professor, Southern Cross University The tawny frogmouth is one of Australia’s most-loved birds. In fact, it was first runner-up in the Guardian/BirdLife Australia bird of the year poll (behind the endangered black-throated finch). Tawny frogmouths are found throughout Australia, including ...18 hours ago
- Finance Minister’s Commitment To WEAG Recommendations WelcomeWelfare advocate and former Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) member Kay Brereton says she is pleased to hear Finance Minister Grant Robertson describe the WEAG report as the “blueprint” for their welfare policy. “The comments made by Grant on ...18 hours ago
- The budget promises jobs, but does little for workers in the gig economySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nat Kassel, PhD Candidate, Griffith University Treasurer Josh Frydenberg promised a federal budget focused on “jobs, jobs, jobs”. In one sense he didn’t disappoint. His budget speech mentioned jobs 37 times – an average of about once a minute. “This budget is ...18 hours ago
- Judith Collins speaks after National Party caucus meeting: 'Onwards and upwards'Judith Collins is giving a media briefing after the National Party's first caucus meeting since the election, which returned their worst result in years. Watch live here. ...19 hours ago
- What this election means for PasifikaNational’s Pacific MPs are gone, the Greens have their first, and Labour’s Pasifika caucus is now its biggest ever. But will any of this make any real difference to our communities? Do you reckon Moses could have parted the red sea on Saturday night? Because even the bluest, most conservative seats in ...19 hours ago
- Judith Collins speaks after National Party caucus meetingJudith Collins is giving a media briefing after the National Party's first caucus meeting since the election, which returned their worst result in years. Watch live here. ...19 hours ago
- You’ve probably heard of the Green New Deal in the US — is it time for one in Australia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Crowley, Associate Professor, Public and Environmental Policy, University of Tasmania After the 2008 global financial crisis, Green New Deals were proposed in various countries as a way to pick up the pieces of the economy. The general idea is to create ...19 hours ago
- On the Rag: What is imposter syndrome and how do we destroy it?Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden and a lineup of incredibly successful New Zealand women as they confront their imposter syndrome once and for all. For some it appears as a constant whisper, for others it’s a screeching megaphone in the face at the most inopportune of moments. Many of ...21 hours ago
- Peters and Mark remind us they still have ministerial work to do as governmental caretakers
Hey – look whose names appeared on the only press statement to be posted on The Beehive website yesterday, two days after Election Day and the first statement to be posted on the site since October 15. The names are those of Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister ...21 hours ago - Allbirds is launching a new T-shirt – and it’s partly made from crab shellsAfter years of specialising in low-carbon footwear, Allbirds has introduced a new line of sustainable apparel made from an unconventional yet innovative source.In April, when Allbirds announced it would be the first fashion label to introduce a sticker that measured the carbon footprint of each one of its products, it ...21 hours ago
- Government Must Lead Uncomfortable Conversations About SuicideInformation gained in the Key to Life Charitable Trust’s 1,000 Letters Report must be a part of the Government’s preventative measures to tackle suicide prevention in New Zealand – people’s lives depend upon it. “Our hope is that with the ...21 hours ago
- PETA Sends Duncan Garner Vegan GoodiesAs Auckland-based radio host Duncan Garner prepares to begin his new life as a vegan, making good on his promise to go vegan for a year if Labour won the 2020 election, animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) ...21 hours ago
- Injecting real change in NZ – Greens must not shy away from mandateANALYSIS: By Selwyn Manning, editor of EveningReport.nz There is a mood circulating among some New Zealand circles that it would end badly for the Green Party in 2023 should it negotiate a part within a now-powerful Labour-led government. The argument goes: that should the Greens negotiate roles within the new ...22 hours ago
- US law officials brace for the contingency of Trump refusing to accept election defeatUS law enforcement agencies from the FBI down are preparing contingency plans in case of violence after the November 3 presidential elections. These have been triggered by President Donald Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful exit from office, arguing the election results will be “rigged” because of his opposition ...22 hours ago
- With clear mandate, Labour must decide what it really stands forOpinion - A pandemic can change a society's foundations. But if this happens in New Zealand over the next three years, it will be for reasons beyond the control of the sixth Labour government. ...22 hours ago
- Biofouling Measures Approved For Naval VesselsNew measures to prevent biofouling will reduce the risk of Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) vessels introducing marine pests and diseases to New Zealand without creating any undue restrictions on naval operations. Biosecurity New Zealand and the RNZN ...22 hours ago
- 'Fighting every step of the way' – New Green MPNew Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March is ready to "fight tooth and nail" for his communities including rainbow and migrant groups. ...22 hours ago
- COVID-19 Outbreak On A Live Export ShipWhile New Zealand is gearing up to lift a temporary ban on live exports, 25 crew have tested positive for COVID-19 on the livestock carrier Al Messilah, which is docked at Fremantle Port in Western Australia. The ship, which was due to be loading ...22 hours ago
- A world beyond our feet: Rethinking our relationship with where we grow our kaiThe health of our soil is intrinsically linked to the health of our people, and a new book aims to centre matauranga Māori in the quest to stop treating our soil like, well, dirt.We hardly ever think about it, even though it’s literally under our feet. But in the coming ...23 hours ago
- Papua’s Asmat shut off following eight confirmed covid-19 casesPacific Media Centre Newsdesk Asmat regency in Papua has decided to limit access to and from the area for 28 days, starting last Sunday, after eight people in the regency’s capital Agats tested positive for covid-19 on Saturday, reports The Jakarta Post. Acting Asmat regent Triwarno Purnomo said the administration ...23 hours ago
- Election Delivers High Expectations For Working PeopleE tū congratulates the Labour Party and the Green Party for their respective victories after the preliminary results of General Election 2020. While the official count is yet to come, Labour have won enough votes to govern alone, and the Greens are ...23 hours ago
- Week in memes: Tōfā soifua to 19 National MPsToo much news? Here’s the only political round-up you need.I spent Saturday evening reporting from the Act Party election event and witnessed a crowd of Act supporters mumble halfheartedly through Sweet Caroline despite the DJ’s increasingly desperate words of encouragement. I tell you this only to give an indication of ...23 hours ago
- Duncan Garner Will Be Vegan For A YearThe AM Show's Duncan Garner said in July that if Labour won the election, he would go vegan. The Vegan Society is delighted to see a Labour government and we feel confident that after a year of being vegan, reaping the health benefits such as having more ...24 hours ago
- Op-Ed: Enhanced social protection an opportunity Asia Pacific must graspOpinion by By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and Chihoko Asada Miyakawa Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). In the fight against COVID-19, success has so far been defined by responses in Asia and the Pacific. ...24 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – October 20 2020Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Today’s content Coalition negotiations, shape of government Gordon Campbell: On why the Greens shouldn’t join the government Andrew Geddis (Pundit): What Sort Of Relationship Might Labour And The Greens Agree ...24 hours ago
- Labour’s Small Business Plan A Contradictory Mess“Labour’s plan for small businesses is a contradictory mess”, says ACT’s small business spokesperson and Nelson employer Chris Baillie. “Labour is piling new costs and red tape on SMEs with one hand and giving handouts with the other. ...1 day ago
- Trump took a sledgehammer to US-China relations. This won’t be an easy fix, even if Biden winsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hui Feng, ARC Future Fellow and Senior Research Fellow, Griffith University Few would have thought a US-China relationship marked by relative stability for half a century would be upended in just four years. But US President Donald Trump’s privileged tour of the ...1 day ago
- If we have the guts to give older people a fair go, this is how we fix aged care in AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joseph Ibrahim, Professor, Health Law and Ageing Research Unit, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University This article is part of our series on the future of aged care. In the face of the harrowing findings of the Royal Commission into Aged ...1 day ago
http://whoar.co.nz/2012/commentwhoar-media-mindlessly-parrots-anti-marijuana-lie-and-the-fact-that-disproves-that-lie/
ed:..you know the one..
…how..to scare parents who no longer smoke..the current big-lie is that cannabis is now four times stronger than it used to be…when they smoked it..
..here it is..the lie..
“..A study involving the police and Environmental Science and Research released last month found that levels of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, was more than four times stronger than in 1996 when ESR last tested it.
Police and ESR used sophisticated hydroponic equipment to complete three growing cycles, nursing six plants at a time to maturity. The study revealed the drug was more than four times as strong as in 1996…”
(ed:..as you can tell from the information…
..esr-techs grew pot in the ultimate perfect-conditions….perfect-nutrition/temps/growing-conditions..
..and surprise surprise..they got a good result…
..so what has been done..to create the big/scary-lie.. ..is to claim that result they got..is the new thc-standard of pot grown in new zealand..
..which if you think about for a nano-second…
..is a farcical comparison..
..and the fact that disproves this big lie..?
..the irrefutable facts are found in court records both here and in america..
..where busted-dope has been tested for thc-content..as part of the court process..
..so the record of these tests cannot be questioned..
..and what they show is that the/any increases in thc-levels from the 1970′s until now in busted-pot..
..are minimal…
..and certainly nowhere near this big ‘four-times-stronger’lie now being mindlessly parroted by the media/pot-prohibitionists…
..as a result of this ‘ideal-grow’…
..don’t believe the lies..people..
phil-at-whoar.
I’m sorry phil, I did read yr entry… but yr writing…style…..
no capital letters throw you does it..?
you wouldn’t be a virgo by any chance would you..?
phil-at-whoar.
Unfortunately Phil, star signs have nothing to do with it.
You comments are a pain in the ass to figure out so I just flick past them. You may have valid points and useful commentary, but I’m not going cross-eyed trying to work out the sentence structure.
ok..yr call..
..it’s just that over the years i have found many virgos to be anally-retentive to a very high degree…
..and liable to get over-engaged over the trivial..
..eh..?
..taurus..?..maybe..?
..(i hope you can read/comprehend this..eh..?..)
phil-at-whoar.
Not even close. Your knowledge of star signs is as confusing as your typing.
whew..!..that’s a relief..!
..you managed to read/comprehend it..
..well done..!..eh..?
see..it wasn’t so hard..was it..?
phil-at-whoar.
Why do you do it though? I mean I could understand if you were trying to save time by not capitalising. But then you use multiple full stops in every line and over use exclamation marks for no real purpose that I can see. So you can’t be doing it to make it easier for you to write and, as numerous people have pointed out, it doesn’t make it easier to read. Why do it then?
i started to use it at whoar to differentiate between words i had written..
..and others i was quoting..
..and i grew to like it…
..for a range of reasons..
..including how easy it is on the eye..
..basically..capital letters are bullshit/fake-honorifics..
(..and brutish/ugly to look at..)
..and a residual of the english class-system..
..and the need to cram as many words as possible onto an (expensive) piece of paper..
..i bow to the dictate that each idea/sentence deserves its’ own line/space..
..(the white stuff around the words is now free..eh..?..no trees were/get hurt.).
..and whoar..!..you should have seen the hue/cry/screams of protest..
..at the introduction of the paragraph..eh..?
..just think of yr reaction as that..redux..mmkay..?
phil-at-whoar.
I can read your stuff but its like an overextended bad Haiku
Does give a different effect then block text though.
Rubbish. It’s not easy on the eye at all and makes your thoughts meaningless on the page. It just makes you look like an illiterate prat.
Why don’t you just use quotes to distinguish between the words you write and the ones you quote. I mean that is what they were designed for after all.
It seems as though you wish to create your own punctuation system. This is fine if you do this in your own world. However to then attempt to use it with people who don’t and not expect to get pulled up on it it seems a little idiotic. It is kind of like going to a a place like Germany and yelling at them in English and then wondering why they find you a little strange.
That’s why we use blockquote. Also, putting large amounts of white space between words fails to differentiate them enough to tell the difference between what you wrote and what you’re quoting.
Which it isn’t.
˙ʇɐɯɹoɟ/ɹɐɯɯɐɹƃ ʇuǝɹǝɟɟıp ɐ ǝsn oɥʍ sɹǝɥʇo oʇ ǝʇɐɔıunɯɯoɔ ǝɯ dlǝɥ ʇ,uoʍ ʇı ʇnq ɹǝʇʇǝq pǝʞool ʇı ʇɥƃnoɥʇ I ɟı spɹɐʍʞɔɐq spɹoʍ ǝɥʇ ǝʇıɹʍ plnoɔ I
We have paragraphs for a reason – they get across a point more accurately than a single sentence.
“..and over use exclamation marks for no real purpose that I can see…”
um..!..that is my second exclamation mark in this thread..
your getting things wrong is really multi-faceted..isn’t it gosman..?
phil-at-whoar.
Me too – I haven’t read your contributions for a while now Phil, unless they’re only one or two lines.
it’s not compulsory..
phil-at-whoar.
Ditto mate, I have seen some good stuff from you, but in general I scoot past as it is all just too disconnected for my head to fathom out.
Back in my teens they were saying 4 TIMES AS STRONG AS 1972 in big screaming capital letters, so it’s not the first time that’s been pulled out.
Who cares if it’s 4 times stronger anyway? THC is the part that gets them high and if they only need to smoke 1/4 of a joint now then thats good isn’t it?
And in John Key’s New Zealand the trade union movement continues to be under attack.
MUNZ is getting much better with its social media presence. They have put out a well made high quality video that presents the case for the workers simply and effectively. A link is here.
Meanwhile AFFCO has locked out 750 workers. The response in the media is somewhat muted. It seems that if a trade union takes action then this marks the commencement of the sky falling in but if an employer does so then no one is meant to worry.
AFFCO’s aim, the total casualisation of the workforce is terrifying. Not only is it a barbaric way to treat workers with families, mortgages and living expenses but once installed such a system will destroy the trade union movement. Who would dare be active in union matters, let alone a shop stewart or delegate, if the employer can then starve you of work?
Serfdom in New Zealand is just around the corner. It seems clear that Key did want to see wages drop.
Serfdom is here already the sheeple just are too stupid to realise it which the NACT rely on as they did with their media mates in the election win…..cuppa tea anybody.
Where is Bradley ambrose BTW and who paid his legal fees as he was bitching he couldn’t afford them.
Paula Bennett tells the ‘noble’ peasants to shut up and stop complaining:
http://afinetale.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/soon-nobility-will-be-revolting.html
Good, you can give her what for here on her live web chat today! http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10788789
thanks 4 the heads-up on that video..
.i have featured it..
..phil-at-whoar.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6496132/Key-Mums-of-one-year-olds-better-working
So is the prime mincer wanting to develop a generation of latch-key children? Anyone else remember the clarion call of the champions of industry telling us that the new technologies were going to give us greater leisure time. (Yeah – the bosses perhaps – sod the workers – their jobs will be replaced and they can go figure …) Ah you’ve got to love him.
You have to wonder what his supporters in the various “congregations” around the country must feel about this direction and why they gave him another term.
too many congregations are up for a bit of benny-bashing/kicking…
..it’s ‘cos they are usually ‘sinners’…those sole-parents…
..and so deserve all they get..(kinda like a pre-hell for them..)
..and the more extreme of these congregations advocate removing children from the underclass/sole-parents altogether/by force….
..and ‘giving’ them to good christian families..to raise..
..where to start..?..eh..?
phil-at-whoar.
The headlines make it seem that Key is interested in the well-being of mothers and their children, but it’s actually all about the money:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6496132/Key-Mums-of-one-year-olds-better-working
And of course, it’s something Key and Bronagh never had to worry about:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Key#Personal_life
Of course Key has no interest in the welfare of mothers and children: if he did he might have questioned why mothers (or both parents) have to go to work?
Key has merely continued to represent that paradigm foisted on families, the need for a dual income. Money men like Key only think in terms of depressing wages and forcing more profit form it for themselves. The corollary is that the concept of a single income family has gone west since the 70s where it was the norm. One income is no longer enough.
i really wish we could bury this bullshit of key being a battler from struggle st…who thru his own good dint ..broke out/thru..
..reality/fact-check:..keys’ grandfather sucessfully bid for goebbels’ massive bedroom suite (think dotcom) at the end of the second world war..
..in an auction in london..
..not many ‘battlers’ at that auction..eh..?
..and not many ‘battlers’ with rooms large enough to hold such a suite..eh..?
..this lie about key is like the big one about hitler being a vegetarian..(used to sledge/demonise vegetarians ever since..)
..as with hitler…this is propaganda purely to enhance the subject..
..in the case of hitler it was to build the image of an ascetic-warrior….
..with key it is to somehow validate his kicking the crap out of the poorest..
..’cos ‘he’s been there’/is from there….
..a complete bag ‘o lies…
phil-at-whoar.
Hey Phil, you got a link or something to the grandfather info? Lot’s of available info around to show the Key manufactured background is balony, but ive not heard that before.
The thing is, that being able to spot lies is a handy skill to have, and being able to tell them convincingly is also helpful, but Key has neither of these, and as such being able to see through them is simple as A, B , C …
i had a cursory look..will try again later..
..questiontime starts in one minute..and i do a commentary on it..
..that’s why the ‘later’..
phil-at-whoar.
Could Key kindly tell us, of the 4000 babies born to a mother on a benefit, whether these mothers were on a benefit for the previous nine months? A fist in the face or gut whilst pregnant can be a pretty powerful incentive for becoming a single parent.
Litlle bit emotional there Red Baron. What I would like to see is the figures of a young mother whos mother is also so on the benefit.
Then I believe you will see how bad the benefit wrought is in New Zealand. The benefit is a trap it takes away people spirit ,and will to work. Some of them get very comfortable on the benefit.
It was meant to be a Hand up ,but labour have turned it into an all encompassing net with a cuddly ,and pillow as well.
Im not sure why Labour have such a fetish for keeping people on benefits can someone please tell me why? Is it a control thing ? in the hope that they will always vote Labour if they are on a Benefit?
So let me understand this James 111 you do not know what the figures of mother and daughter both being on the benefit are but you believe that they will show widespread rorting (I think this is what you mean) of the system?
Do you often have strongly held views on matters where you have no knowledge of the actual reality of the situation?
“Do you often have strongly held views on matters where you have no knowledge of the actual reality of the situation?”
Only on days ending in a y.
Do you know Micky. I have heard various commentators say that Intergenerational welfare dependency is a problem. I have no reason to doubt them. What I would like to see is hard data the quest for knowledge rather than ideaology. If you know where it is unconrrupted of course would like to see it.
Sure its a problem. It might affect 1% – 2% of people. And involve maybe $50M of Government benefits a year.
Let’s focus on things which are more important – let’s say the overseas banking wealth pump taking $3B pa out of our economy. A lot of jobs could be created with that money, helping people to escape from intergenerational benefit dependency.
BTW suggesting you are interested in facts is laughable.
james you raise as fair point, but again it is unblanced…how close is the nearest beneficiary to you, and what qualifies you to comment on them? – Be sure you answer this time!
Lets also see some figures for the corporate welfare thats been doled out over the past 30 years or so shall we, I am 100% certaint the difference would be staggering…note in corporate welfare I DO include the selling og public companies into private hands, shipping the profits offshore!
But James 111 you said that not only did something that you had no proof of exist, but you also said that it was all Labour’s fault and Labour has “a fetish for keeping people on benefits”.
Now you are saying that you think it is a problem because some unidentified people say it is a problem but you want to see “hard data”.
Why did you make such an outlandish comment? And why did you say the cause was Labour’s desire to keep people on benefits? All without the slightest shred of proof.
you think it is pretty aok to have our horrific (internationally-measured) child poverty rates..
..do you james..?
..care to justify that..?
..are you able to think past/beyond the slogans/name-calling..?
..and tell/explain how ..to your way of thinking..children raised in this misery is good for them or/and the country..?
phil-at-whoar.
I think the real problem is not people like james who play devils advocate to get a reaction on there, the real problem is the lack of public showings of disapproval by the sheeple. The lack of understanding or engagement is a differenent story, there are enough people who are aware, that I don’t really see doing much. I will be interested to see what happens at the Anti Asset Sale March , scheduled for April 28. This will be a very telling sign of the abilty for those who have given themselves “leader status”, to organise anything worthy by way of protest!
Until people get off their arse, blathering all over the internet, is not going to make any difference what so ever!
‘Im not sure why Labour have such a fetish for keeping people on benefits can someone please tell me why’
you obviously don’t want to be told anything you don’t want to hear 111
fetish? keeping people in benefits?
you seem to be fine with your variation on things
but have a nice day anyway
having figures that show someones parents were on a benefit as well only proves one thing – that their parents were on a benefit.
yes inter-generational welfare dependency isnt a good thing – but just going “see, their parents were on a benefit too” does nothing to address why they are on a benefit now or then.
you cant look at unemployment without also looking at the job market and policy settings at the same time.
also – drop this “labour wants to keep people on benefits so they vote labour” BS. All you achieve with that is to make yourself look foolish.
“The benefit is a trap it takes away people spirit ,and will to work.”
Dunno about that one James, but I do know when my parents split (domestic violence) my mother left home, and was employed full-time, split shifts. I was pregnant at 15 – maybe my parents working long hours had something to do with it… I was on a benefit for awhile, and my children have strong work ethics. Go figure.
Seconded and thirded! That’s very much the issue. (Earlier I mentioned on another thread, another way women could give birth while “on the benefit” – if they were in an unmarried relationship (so not eligible for widow’s benefit) and the man has died! As far as I know, at least 2 Pike River women are in this position…
Yesterdays column on the latest bit of beneficiariy bashing left me remembering some of the shibboleths of the Thatcher years (and the Douglas years), that are now accepted and not questioned.
Bennett saying how beneficiaries would be treated as individuals sounds great until you realise they are already, the shibboleth of individual responsibility is foisted on them at the same time as there is empirical evidence that there are no jobs. It reminded me of Thatcher there is no society, only individuals, who promptly after saying that released psych wards into community care.
There are a lot of weasel words out there masquerading as nice soft cuddly concepts…when stated by this pack of NACT grifters suspect your pocket will suffer, your community or whats left of it will be diminshed more. Follow the money, its going their way.
National’s nanny state
Bennett needs to look at policy that will achieve real outcomes like creating jobs and providing proper incentives for training that actually meets market requirements. National’s beneficiary bashing will achieve nothing.
Need to read this article shows how Welfare ,and the over use of it wrecks a persons spirit to work. Pretty much what I was saying
http://ips.ac.nz/publications/files/e3b5e3549a1.pdf
Wow welfare decreases as employment increases, amazing! And most people who are not employed would like to work, if there was work available!
Now explain to me James how slashing welfare and taking spending money out of communities is going to encourage small businesses to take on new staff.
Technically speaking that only works when the central banks are printing money because energy prices are projected to be cheaper for the next 30 years, started about the mid-70s. some lass called Thatcher got a free loader ride from being in the right place at the right time.
Hey Jimmy Dipstick, what part of the statement “there are no jobs” fails to register in the vacuous troll like and very dark hole that is where your brain should be?
Welfare wrecks a persons spirit to work… could you link to where the study shows that? The research you’ve linked to james 111 is not all that credible. Firstly it sets out to answer a question but limits the scope of information to find a predetermined answer. Here is the guts of what they say, which is repeated throughout the document:
The studies authors completely ignore the fact that New Zealand has a long history of entrenched racism, which essentially leads to Maori being repressed. This is a major factor in Maori being overrepresented in social welfare dependency. It could be that racism leading to less Maori being employed is the main factor, and without study into that area the research is largely defunct.
Personal responsibility is all well and good, but the sad fact of the matter is that many areas of New Zealand have less work opportunities available. These also happen to be areas mainly inhabited by Maori. The authors of the study cannot hope to answer the question without taking these factors into account.
I’ve never seen such a thorough excuse being made in a research paper.
A couple of Stats that were around in 2000 to 2004 that are very interesting
The Statistical Report released by the Ministry of Social Development shows welfare expenditure rose from $7.9 billion in 2000 to $8.5 billion to the year end June 2004.Or a $1million dollars an hour.
The number of people receiving a benefit for more than four years has increased from 95,664 in 2000 to 108,604 in 2004
It would appear that Labour had no idea how to get people off long term welfare dependency or no wish to do so even though economic conditions were much more positive in 2004. Why do you think this was?
I guess when you look at that pragmatically when a government come in and try to make change because the country simply cant go on like this. Then all the trendy lefties will come out squealing even though they had no idea how to fix it
Those numbers reflect how unsurvivable benefit levels and criteria were at the start of the 4th Labour govt. Not that you give a shit.
A 15% increase over 4 years – roughly half of that can be attributed to normal population increase, an aging population, and the long term societal damage from Ruthansia surfacing.
and if you look at the stats for the whole period labour were in power unemployment dropped to very low levels.
which kinda shoots a huge hole in your latest argument.
however we all look forward to your next hairbrained diversion in 3, 2, 1…
Unemplyment may have decreased but can anyone tell me the corresponding increase in civil servants during the same time that Labour were in power?
SFW. The question isn’t where the jobs where, it was the fact that they existed. Which they don’t now, obviously, in either public or private sectors.
The public service does a lot of good for the country mate. Some of this country’s top experience and top talent work for the interests of NZ in the public sector. And thanks to the NATs running it down (as they are again now) it had to be strengthened, since the private sector is incapable (or unwilling) to do some of the things this country needs.
If there is one criticism of the 5th Labour Govt it is the way they let private debt build up in uncontrolled ways, fuelling a housing price bubble.
I didn’t ask if the Public Service did good for NZ (as that’s a matter of opinion and we all have one of those – although not necessarily the same).
I asked for the corresponding increase in civil servants during the same time that Labour were in power?
Care to answer?
As an aside – how many of those roles that were created in that time were of the ilk that you describe (top experience and top talent) and how many were functionaries?
The question is really would you rather have people in jobs paying tax, and being able to spend money into the economy, or would you rather have people out of jobs, or being sacked, not being picked up by a shrinking private sector, going overseas, taking money from the economy, taking future generations with them, potentially collecting benefits if they hang around, not to mention the social costs that stem from higher unemployment…there are ripple effects right!
You have no point to make!
No that is your question – mine still hasn’t been answered!
Its kind of s zero sum debate though. Perhaps you will get an answer, additional to the one I gave you already, which I should not have confused by using the word question!
didn’t mean to confuse you….
Have you tried google? It’s your question after all. I can give you the answer to the quality vs functionary one though. It’s 100% quality, as far as i can tell. It’s this current Government that has overloaded the public service with overpaid consultants while reducing frontline services.
The point about the answer to your question that you will refuse to accept is that it doesn’t fucken matter. Having a strong public service is essential to the well-being of NZ (and every other country) and that’s a fact that you can’t, and won’t, accept.
The whole point of you asking is so that you can find someway to attack the increase in government service and no other reason.
By you, a functionary is what? As my son, a cardiothoracic staff nurse at Welly Hospital, points out – when ‘functionary’ ward clerks are rationalised away, nursing staff have to do their jobs, on top of their clinical tasks! Instead of caring for patients, my son and his colleagues have spent hours trying to send faxes, make appointments and doing things the ‘functionaries’ used to do until the Nats got rid of them
“my son and his colleagues have spent hours trying to send faxes, make appointments and doing things the ‘functionaries’ used to do”
Ha. Awesome…not. Wait and see the non-attendance rates at out-patient clinics shoot-up. That’ll leave some very expensive medical staff idle. A good use of public health money, that one!
One of the important tasks of the low-cost booking clerks is to provide appointment reminders. There is lots of good research showing massive improvements in attendance rates when patient are phoned 1-3 days before the appointment date. It takes hours to do this – not the right job for medical staff.
you mean the increase from when we barely had enough resources to hold an election?
Remind me what the unemployment figures were in 2007, someone. Lowest in NZ history or something wasn’t it? Yes, that’s right – I recall rubbing James111’s face in it not a few days ago.
Here we are: a record low of 3.50 percent in December of 2007.
The noise to signal ratio is high in this one.
you are correct james..the country ‘cannot go on like this’..
..we need a more progressive tax rate on the rich..
..a capital gains tax..
..and a financial transactions tax on the banksters..
..problem solved..
..eh..?
phil-at-whoar.
James111 hasn’t seen the graph which clearly shows the budget deficit timeline, which has a clear and direct correlation to the reduce tax take following Jokey Hen’s freebies to the uber rich.
A CGT will only put us back to some form of tax fairness, many countries fell over with a CGT.
The problem is people, people like to consume, or believe supporting the right they will aspire to the consumer lifestyle. Unfortuately they should have been born 50 years earlier, or a lot smart now.
I blame the unions as much as the boardrooms, neither put any thought into risks. Meat workers should have a back of the van butcher co-op on the side to pick up the lost business of their meat worker factory. Its a shame that in a country with a dairy co-op that other sectors are incapable of working out their own co-ops.
As for farmers, wtf, they are supporting fracking under their farms where they pump water up from!!! You have to wonder what the farmers are smoking.
The Diary of Bill English
Ripped the babies out of the arms of young mothers and forced them to work on the gut floor or starve – more abortions likely, then off to Mass with Mary. J still grumpy, all whites on tonight, should be good.
this is the aspect of the conservative-christians who support kicking the crap out of the poor…
..yet oppose abortion..
..that proves a major disconnect for them..
..their small/prejudiced/poisoned-minds seem unable to comprehend the basic fact/consequence…
..that their policies/wishes for lives of unrelenting misery for sole-parents..
..and ..not least..their wholesale stigmatising of them..
..drives many women to abort..
..and yes..this is the fact that bill and mary english have to take to mass with them on sundays..
phil-at-whoar.
Speak to the machine
National have announced that many Housing New Zealand personnel are going to be replaced by an answer machine. There’s one main reason for this, and that’s to lessen the amount of people applying for state houses. National are making the application process even harder, so that people are deterred and have to rent in the private sector.
and really..difficult for labour to get too finger-pointy over this attack on the poorest..eh..?
seeing as that in nine long years they not only didn’t move an inch to repair the towelling richardson gave the poorest..
..they actually cut benefits/allowances further..
..and now shearer is going to cut that pre-election ‘rash-promise’…to include the poorest families in working for (some) families..
..by..wait for it..!..2018..(out here in poverty-land we were giddy with excitement at that promise..eh..?)
..what were they thinking..?..eh..?
..we’ll have none of that..eh..?
..in the new/brave labour..
..eh..?
phil-at-whoar.
ha ha ha ha the brainlessness of the current government continues…
Not only can they not explain how having foreign landlords is of benefit to New Zealand…
Not only do they have to put ACC costs up to make it more efficient…
They also claim that having call centres provides better service ….. so, who thinks call centres provide better service? Not me. Just phoned IRD to be told that the wait is 1 hour and 15 minutes. ha ha ha ha how pathetic
For those that what to challenge Paula Bennett on welfare reforms
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10788789
Web chat 11.30 today
I submitted the following question (in my real name). I asked “Paula you said recently that things are much different now compared to how they were when you received the benefit. Can you detail what difference in
Angelina Jolie’s leggy pose at the Oscar’s has become an internet meme.
Like planking, our dear leader (Key John Ill) has joined the craze – link
“Bryan Gould: Austerity proven as wrong answer to recession”
What is interesting about Bryan’s column is that it shows that the Government’s Austerity plan was faulty and goes further with advice on how a recession should be handled.
Interesting too that Bryan is a consultant to the Labour Party Review.
Sounds great: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10788648
If I hear more about USA politics and Rick Santorem and Mick Romney I’ll throw up. There is more attention being paid on Radio New Zealand to the political machinations of that far away country than to any other important country.
And USA politics are so farcical. The wealthy have found out how to make money out of the process and turned it into a sham that doesn’t serve democracy but only ..you know who. As a smug NACT type said the other day as if it was holy writ It’s the Golden Rule – He who has the gold makes the rules.
Perhaps the USA model is one that should aspire to Prism? (Just kidding.)
Somehow Mr Dot Com being able to keep his bail pleases me. Not sure why. Perhaps its a “tiny country defies big bully” or something?
@ ianmac Ha, take that said NZ biting Uncle Sam on the toe or do we reach as high as the knee?
We might be a chip on Uncle Sam’s shoulder?
Mr Dot Com has an “only” interview tomorrow night on Campbell Live.
personally I can’t get enough of it – Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, so much good coverage – the Best Show in town – for a while
There was mention yesterday of a study of attitudes of wealthy compared to ordinary people’s attitudes to morality where they found that the wealthy were more likely to cheat etc.
Part of the summary is that the wealthy see pursuit of self-interest and greed as a positive moral approach to life. Hence the more for me and lower taxes plaint being heard all around.
And I feel that many poor people change to the same attitude if they have the opportunity to advance their income extremely. Perhaps an increasing rise in wealth has an affect on humans similar to climate changes on locusts except in reverse. Locusts change from solitary creatures to massing in huge swarms, humans become all individualistic and ‘I’m a self-made man or woman, worked hard, ran a successful business or whatever (maybe got rich from inheritance or property speculation – doesn’t matter it’s the money that counts).