it is a wee bit confusing in the job market, – from a job vacancy ad on trademe jobs:
“We do not accept online applications if you wish to apply please email mxxxxxxd @ xxxx.net.nz.” (address edited for anonymity)
The breakdown by party support is interesting/amusing, with National Party supporters being the most “trusting” – or stupid, immoral, cognitively dissonant or whatever.
from Sunday on cycling;
two reporters left Te Atatu for TVNZ in the city, 13kms distance. With the motorist having to wait at the on-ramp for 20minutes and travel at approx 40km/h in traffic, find a park and walk the remainder, the cyclist arrived first travelling by cycle-way.
Aucklands transport problems according to Len Brown on Firstline require 60B investment, (under-investment for decades), with a 12B shortfall to be met by tolls, fuel tax proposals etc.
Although 600M could be invested in cycle-ways for Auckland, there would be a 20-1 long-term cost benefit according to cycle-safety specialist Glen Koorey.
from a cyclist-accident victim on the same article; “We have become such a mean-spirited nation…people used to say about Kiwis…” (encouraging things I imagine).
ahhh, missed it; what I haven’t missed are observations of the attitudes and emotions held by many motorists questioned by the media on their approach towards cyclists. freakin’ hicks.
The results of the Brain fade poll , reads as if the question asked was more like,
“Do you think John Key is a liar?”
That would explain the party split , nicely.
I recall somebody here , in the last week or so , saying their partner had been polled by Reids,
and one the questions was pretty much “do you think Key is a liar”
Reids wouldn’t change the question , after the poll result, would they? Na
Wouldn’t it be great if when publishing/referencing a poll the media had to supply the actual poll data, including the questions. Even better than that would be a declaration of whomever had commissioned the poll in the first place.
yes lanthanide, i should have added that the noted article did include the reference to it being a TV3 poll but as a general rule we both know the identity of those commissioning polls is largely anonymous.
“I recall somebody here , in the last week or so , saying their partner had been polled by Reids,
and one the questions was pretty much “do you think Key is a liar””
That is what they said, but they came back and corrected that the question asked of their partner was the polling question we are shown.
The dishonest and irresponsible work of Andrew Wakefield has claimed a victim
Wales has had low Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccination rates for some time … since about 1998, in fact, when Andrew Wakefield published his bogus study in the Lancet falsely linking the MMR vaccine to autism.
So what are you going to say when it comes out that the chronically sick 25 year old in question had already been immunised against measles?
By the way, according to the schedule the dead man should have been vaccinated years before the Wakefield study came out, as an infant, so I think its more likely that he had been immunised. Yet was so sick.
The point of vaccination is not just to protect yourself, but also to protect others.
How he contracted it in the first place is the real issue, not whether his particular jab didn’t work, or whether due to allergies he couldn’t get vaccinated, or whether his parents were nutty even before Wakefield’s fraud.
Bit of a climb down though innit joe, from has, to may! You get some credit, for the climb down, but its been sloppy from you lately, aer you ok?
No matter how hard McFlock tries to spin it, then pulls out the , * you should be guilty*, for not protecting others, what a legend you are McFlock /sarc!
What other illness did this unfortunate individual suffer from?
Article title:Measles Epidemic in Wales Has Roots in Antivax Movement.
Opening line of article: The measles outbreak in Wales may have claimed its first victim..
I never said “you should be guilty”.
I just think that people who refuse to vaccinate for no clear medical reason (e.g. egg allergy) are selfish idiots.
Population perspective: clear link.
Individual case perspective: who knows? There’s always the slim possibility he had some measles-like condition.
When attributing primary cause of mortality in individual cases there’s always oodles of theoretical wriggle room (from poor nutrition to undiagnosed heart problems), and you look set to use every inch of it. A bit like 50 years of tobacco industry wriggling – but then they were intentionally duplicitous, rather than wildly delusional, so I guess you’re not quite in their league.
Each year around Anzac Day, my electorate hosts a social event, the highlight of which is a lecture in memory of a popular former Labour MP who was killed in Crete in 1942. This year’s lecture was given by Nicky Hagar. The basis of the lecture was his latest book “Other People’s Wars”. It was gob-smacking stuff!
There were a number of former and even current senior military personnel – plus senior public servants – who were apparently only too willing to apprise Nicky of the behind the scenes activity particularly in relation to the war in Afghanistan. This was a measure of their profound concern for what they saw… and the blatant lies that we in New Zealand have been told about our involvement in that war. Politicians – on both sides of the fence and including Helen Clark – were tricked into believing we were there as peace keepers. The peace keeping played a role, but from all accounts it turned out not to be their primary function.
Add to that an over-all appraisal by Nicky about what he perceives is happening behind the political front, and I think there would be many here interested in what he had to say.
I know the lecture was recorded (sound-wise at least) and I think it might be possible for the Standard to seek to post that recording here. Labour MP, Phil Twyford would be the person to approach in the first instance, because he initiated the annual lectures and is still heavily involved.
Further to the above are two quotes from the book:
It would be nice for someone to pause and say, “Hell, we’re coming up to the 10th anniversary [Sept.11 attacks], are we better or are we worse?. I think the answer is we’re worse. How stupid are we to have allowed a reaction led by the United States that has actually made it worse for the world? – senior defence official.
People assume that politicians make decisions, but often they are busy, ill informed or actively excluded… The worst decisions were made by senior officials and military officers, often without [the ministers’] knowledge. – senior NZ government official.
People assume that politicians make decisions, but often they are busy, ill informed or
excluded… The worst decisions were made by senior officials and military officers, often without [the ministers’] knowledge. – senior NZ government official.
I think that is a salient point Anne and I’ve repeated it for me and any others who have had naive ideas about politicians and what they are doing with their time and influence while in the House and having some power.
In the USA it may be that the control of the country has largely passed out of the hands of those elected representatives who take their role for the people seriously. Where there is money there is power, which does seem to be a correct saying, and the budget of the Defence there is astro-astronomical. Scary stuff for sincere democracy believers.
I’d recommend anyone (everyone) read the book even though it is a big read.
It makes it pretty clear that senior defence people were determined to go against explicit government foreign policy (and directives) in order to preserve – or resurrect – their contact and ‘relationships’ with the US, UK and Australia. Ever since the nuclear ship ban and the suspension of ANZUS, parts of the defence leadership ran a de facto military foreign policy at odds with government policy, especially in the 2000s.
There’s a word for that, and when you need to apply it to the defence forces it is particularly concerning.
I am shocked that Hager’s book has received so little journalistic follow-through. There are stories in there that I would have thought any journalist worth their salt would have given an arm and a leg to have the opportunity to run with (if that isn’t mixing too many metaphors).
I am shocked that Hager’s book has received so little journalistic follow-through.
A bit of jealousy mixed with narrow, establishment thinking and a naive desire to be part of the American military scenario? Most of the MSM seem happy to go along with the authoritarian and anti-democratic flow if they think that is where their best interests may lie…
But it is heartening to know there were military and public service personnel who were willing to spill the beans in the interest of integrity and transparency.
“But it is heartening to know there were military and public service personnel who were willing to spill the beans in the interest of integrity and transparency.”
It certainly is – but no matter how heartening, I don’t think that’s the point. After all, the military went its own way despite the integrity of these people and their desire for transparency. The lack of ‘follow through’ reinforces that fact.
As with so many issues, the point is not about individuals and their motives (for good or ill). It’s about structures and institutional processes that bias against (or for) certain kinds of behaviours and, therefore, in favour of certain kinds of people with certain kinds of views.
The historical interweaving of the NZ military with the UK and then US military (training, experience under command, etc.) I imagine meant (and still means) that those with pro-UK/US leanings will have formed the useful overseas connections and ‘upward’ connections within the already established hierarchy that ensure they rise through the ranks and assume positions of power.
That process is common to all institutions – those who align themselves with powerful interests within and around the ‘system’ do better in the ‘system’. It’s Chomsky and Hermann’s point about the media and who ends up being an editor – the very people who agree with the direction.
The older I get the more I think that the interesting questions are hardly ever about motives, character, personal integrity, etc.. They are about the uses that structures make of people.
I’d love to hear the speech on audio or video.
Tried to go to the speech but it was sold out days early. I think you’ll find there is a keen interest for independent voices like Nicky Hager and, if it’s possible, maybe book a larger venue next time.
Thank for your efforts Anne in getting people like Nicky H to speak.
Thanks Paul. The effort was really put in by others including Phil Twyford. Yes, we are going to have to find a bigger venue. We have been fortunate thus far in attracting excellent speakers and the word has got around. So much so, people who are not associated with the Labour Party also want to attend. I think the recording was audio only but still well worth listening to. I will try and contact Phil Twyford and see if it’s possible to have it posted here.
Also from he Sunday Star Times http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8605428/Talking-about-a-New-Zealand-constitution
You should have a look at their poll and see what you think about it. It seems to be quite balanced and requires a bit of thought. They have a space for 130 words about your ideas for NZ which they may tweet.
I went to a meeting in the weekend hosted by a Nelson group. My feelings are that the appointed commissioners seem to be standing aside and leaving the bringing information and discussion to each region which has to find people with something to say and who can project their ideas. The visiting commissioners seem more like window dressing, and there does not seem to be a plan for a tour of the country by informative speakers, the appointees just attend the arranged meeting and give a quick run down of their instructions. Then at our meeting the speakers were invited to make their individual points.
There was a speaker from the country’s numerous old, white anti-Maori bigots, who also were a vocal group in the audience. Overturning agreements already reached, limiting the Treaty to a historical document with narrow meanings, and overturning decisions made already by eminent people in favour of Maori seemed to be their unswerving and bigoted goal. There was the usual white patronising and demeaning attitude to Maori heard from such people, mainly white-haired and probably old age beneficiaries, and I am one of this age so I can be reasonably objective. (Their thinking at base being – Maori are undeserving, they haven’t a case for consideration of their rights and wrongs, and that the decisions made by eminent people in favour of Maori stand for nothing)
Unfortunately for me, the bigot was the second speaker not the last. The first was a criminal lawyer who does good work and is aware of the need of the law to serve the citizens, poor and rich, and I am asking for the right to be able to access his submission paper for The Standard readers. (I now have that okay but have to speak to my advisor on how to go about putting it up tonight.)
But when the second speaker began and started with what to me is poisonous, backward diatribe that would have an acidic effect on good relations between Maori and pakeha and our moves forward to a better future, I had to leave. This man Bruce Moon was a co-author with John Robinson, David Round, Mike Butler, Hugh Barr, Peter Cresswell of a book called Twisting the Treaty – A Tribal Grap for Wealth and Power with a related web page headed Treatygate – The Conning of a Country which pitches it against one called Healing our History by Robert and Joanna Consedine. The large number of biased authors writing for the Twisting book make for a whiteout on the subject, one whole page of google is taken up with headings from their individual comments and initiatives.
Some people who are focussed on one approach with a tunnel vision that pours all their energy on their chosen mission, are a horrible obstacle to gathering wide information and take up the precious time set aside for that purpose. I had better things to do. But I want to see healthy discussion on a good constitution. I don’t trust National to do anything good, they are increasingly adopting fascist, and anti-democratic policies.
My point that NZ government doesn’t care about families much and won’t support them is backed up by the Super Grans business. These people in power are self absorbed social climbers and wealthy isolated types. They could care about a fine racehorse with good breeding but ordinary people – no.
And budget advisory, that would admit there is a necessity, a demand for this, and in a climate where people have to apply for five jobs a day in a recession well there is a certain coherence if they just keep on denying reality.
Following on from some comments concerning the state of private aged care in NZ the other day, this article from ‘The Independent’ on the unfolding crisis in England, Wales and Northern Ireland might be of interest to some – particularly if there are jots to be joined or comparisons made with any debt burden among NZ’s private providers.
“part of a wider collapse in social care driven by spending cuts”. (sound familiar)
“solving the inevitably rocketing (fixed) costs of social care for the elderly and disabled is an issue expected to dog governments for decades to come”. (energy, food, wages, oh wait Ryman et al; will be able to pay lower wages).
Well, NZ Government is already working on the Euthanasia bill…… it will be introduced under the umbrella that there is too much suffering. Watch this space.
Canadian foreign minister John Baird is now a human rights champion!
April 29, 2013
Liberals and human rights activists will welcome the news that the formerly hard right Canadian foreign minister John Baird has made a spectacular and sudden conversion to being a champion of human rights.
After a Canadian friend of mine yesterday damned Mr Baird as “a disgusting piece of sh!t”, and urged me to “Google the useless f+ck” I decided to follow his advice and do a little bit of research on him. What I have found tends to reinforce my friend’s observation.
John Baird has developed a reputation as an hysterical opponent of the Kyoto Protocols, and he has been roundly denounced by virtually everybody who has come into contact with him. After observing Baird’s irresponsible conservation policies, Al Gore called them “a complete and total fraud” and accused him of trying to “mislead the Canadian people”. Baird’s conservation policies have been damned by David Suzuki as a “sham”. Activists at the Cancun climate conference in 2010 were scathing of his environmental policies and awarded Canada three “Fossil” awards for disrupting and undermining U.N. climate talks.
When he is not trashing the environment, John Baird likes to hang out with soldiers. He spent Christmas 2006 in Afghanistan with Canadian occupation troops.
Baird is an aggressive and shameless supporter of the Likud party in Israel, and last year he made a widely condemned statement that Iran was “the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today.”
Wow. He was a really cool guy. The nats gave him a hard time because he did not accord to their concepts of a parliamentarian but he was a very gracious person. On a marae he could not be matched and when talking to kiwis his ability to relate to them was phenomenal.
I had the pleasure of being at the Avondale Markets with him campaigning and I can honestly say that he was without his peers. Even though he was 400 kilometers from home it seemed he knew half the people. I was really, really impressed with his ability to relate to ordinary kiwis.
Labour MP and former Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia has died from health complications at his home in Tolaga Bay.
The 62-year-old, who is survived by three sons and one grandchild, was surrounded by family, friends and Parliamentary colleagues when he passed away a short time ago.
His condition deteriorated rapidly since his health problems were made public this morning.
The cause of his death has not been confirmed and his family has requested privacy.
RIP Parekura. Few would have a bad word to say about him. Shocking news.
Meanwhile, this piece of sh*t works for Auckland radio stations. I’ll be writing to them telling them what I think, and why I’ll be boycotting them and their ads – you may want to as well …
So Labour MP Parekura Horomia has passed away aged 62.
In unrelated news KFC's share price has dropped 20 points #toosoon
Jim Mora poses the Ironic Question of the Month
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Monday 29 April 2013
Jim Mora, Jonathan Krebs, Tim Watkin
Today, due to unforeseen circumstances, host Jim Mora found himself in the position of having ten minutes at the end of the program to fill up somehow. Being an experienced and competent operator, this was no problem for him. “We have a spare ten minutes,” he told his two guests, “so we’ll just have a chat about various issues that have come up lately.”
First up, he read out an exceptionally foolish statement by an English chemical analysis, who after she had debunked the false claims that Syria has used chemical weapons, had gone on to claim that even if the “evidence” was entirely false, the “rebels” had done it because they were “desperate”.
The Panelists, including Mora, actually did a good job here, discussing the Syrian question with intelligence and a degree of responsibility—thank God that Panel regulars Dr Michael Bassett or Barry Corbett or Garth “Gaga” George were not on today—and mentioned that the “rebels” were largely Al Qaeda terrorists.
Then, in a deadly serious tone, Jim Mora asked the following question: “Is there a tendency in our society for people to voice their opinion on subjects that they know nothing about?”
To their credit, both Jonathan Krebs and Tim Watkin stifled the guffaws and pretended to ignore the screaming irony of that screamingly funny question.
DISCUSS:
Is Jim Mora the world’s most brilliant deadpan comic? Or did he simply forget, for a brief time this afternoon, that the guest Panelists on his show have included such Ignorami for the Ages as John Barnett, Graham Bell, Barry Corbett, Garth “Gaga” George, Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, Nevil “Breivik” Gibson, Claudette Hauiti, and Jordan Williams?
Here it is, one more time. Enjoy…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * “Is there a tendency in our society for people to voice their opinion on subjects that they know nothing about?”
Hah1. The ‘voice of the people’, the everyman’s best, bester, bestest EVER friend Jum’, the wordsmuth, the intellect…… it’s just so overwhelming.
Save yourself the stress Morissey. Best policy is to just ignore the gittus.
I had some conversation with the guy a few years ago. Back then he promised how he was going to rejuvinate things.
Instead ….. same old shit, same old hacks, same old yearning to be liked, same old kaka to be perceived as the voice of reason…..
(Same shit – different stink).
Not sure why the Slacks et al bother these days – perhaps they just like the same brand of CHardonnay.
IF RNZ ever consider its time for a shapkeup – it’s be Mora in the afternoon, closely followed by Kethluk Guuuuurl in the mourn
Yes Tim I agree. The Mora Borer Show has become almost unlistenable. Coast, Breeze, whatever, at least they deliver what they promise. Often in my car 4-5 pm weekdays. As a consciously careful and attentive driver over the 33 km to home Radio Live and other talkback is just too dangerous. Mora seemed the safe bet.
Unfortunately it’s now just Aunty Affable and his unconscionable gushing over a series of wankers (in the main) who fancy themselves “celebs”. Thus emboldening them in the ignorant mouthing off of which Morrissey complains. I think the name’s Chris Wikaira, an aggressive wahanui on everything who brews yuppie fucking beer for God’s Sake. He’s one of the worst. If that’s not him I apologise to the less offensive Chris Wikaira. Not to overlook Mrs Brassy Voyeur Private Investigator………forget her name, Julia double barrelled something. David Slack is one of the few exceptions. He’s genuinely wry as well.
I think the obnoxious brewer you are thinking of is actually Neil Miller. Your concerns about him are entirely justified.
Chris Wikaira is a National Party-sympathizing dope that manages to say nothing serious or interesting whenever he is on the programme. Last time he was on, his Soapbox contribution consisted of a rant about what he reckons is the poor quality of contributions to the Minecraft discussion boards.
Publicly funded radio fulfills a very important role in our society, but “Afternoons with Jim Mora” always leaves me wondering why we’re publicly funding what is essentially talkback radio.
The five year old whom the pakeha school bus passed on by. Surprisingly, never bitter. Lovely man living magnificent wairua.
In brief answer to Morrissey: yes, ugly mouthing is not merely a tendency, it is positively encouraged. It’s in the nature of an opiate for dullards, their spittle then harnessed by unscrupulous self-promoters and careerists.
man, this Auckland Transport problem is gonna cost; “a multi-billion dollar shortfall”
-tolls
-fuel tax
-rates rises
-possible public transport tax
-congestion tax
(any 2 or more of the above)
“even this is not a silver bullet”- Simon Lambourne.
The Christchurch rebuild needs 17000 more workers before 18 months time passes.
Heard Joyce talking of the need for flexibility from “officials” and “immigration” in the same sentence.
more migrant workers will be required.
Apparently, there is no guarantee of the entire “private investment” counted on by the government for Christchurch.
Anyway – Those that may bother to get out of their little spaces, and away from blogs and PC or laptop screens:
01 May 2013:
Labour Action against the owners of Pak’n Save supermarket, at Royal Oak, Manukau Road, Auckland (just near the roundabout), due to decision by that employer to introduce and accept the new youth wage rate at about $ 11 per hour, below the minimum wage of $ 13 something, close to $ 14, as it applies to adults! Also are there other employment issues of staff employed there, First Union have more info. AAAP and others are preparing to take action and present a picket there.
As far as I know they used to have a collective agreement, but only on that site, and it appears to be under threat.
I encourage all in the area to join and support the workers at that supermarket, especially the youth ones, 16 to 19. They are in award negotiations and need all support. Also consider doing your shopping somewhere else, at least for a time, until they have come to the party to pay staff what they deserve.
The minimum wage, also there paid to largely migrant workers, is not sufficient to survive on, and it is an insult as it is. A living wage would be better, but we are fighting to simply even defend the minimum legal wage for those that will likely be short changed!
Also on 01 May 2013:
Joe Carolan communicated that due to a breakdown in negotiations with Mc Donald’s, there will be a 01 May picket outside McDonald’s in Queen Street at 03:30 pm on Mayday.
If any have questions about Mayday, perhaps do a search, look up Wikipedia or else, it has tradition with workers being shot and killed in Chicago some many years ago, for standing up for their worker’s rights, but Mayday is a celebrated Worker’s Day in many countries, in Europe, some countries in Asia, and for some here in Aotearoa NZ.
Labour Day is another affair, but some of us think that Mayday is the day to stand up, take a stand, join others and make a point. So a couple of pickets at mentioned venues will serve the purpose to a degree, and all are asked and invited to join!
The action at Pak’ Save Royal Oak, Auckland is planned for 08:30 am on Wednesday (“benefit day” for the unemployed), 01 May 2013 – MAYDAY!
Unemployed be mindful, a new, harsh, draconian regime for yours and other beneficiaries will start 15 July this year, due to law changes, so be prepared. Also sick and disabled, the onslaught and harassment will hit you and force you to look for work, so show solidarity thanks!
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The Herald reprints an Australian story on a couple of tragic deaths in Bali from drinking cocktails that had methanol in them. The story argues that methanol is likely the result of home distillation. But what the young tourists were experiencing was far from a hangover. They’d consumed a toxic cocktail ...
Last month, the police announced a trial of specialist roaming armed units, which would drive round (poor, brown) areas in armoured SUVs, armed to the teeth. When they announced the trial, they told us it was about having armed police "ready to attend major incidents at any time if needed". ...
Spain went to the polls today in the second elections this year, after the Socialists (who had come to power in a confidence vote, then gone to the polls in April) rejected the offer of a coalition with the left-wing PoDemos, and instead decided to gamble n a better outcome ...
A couple of days ago I attended (and spoke at) the University of Waikato’s “LearnFest” event. There were lots of talks and sessions on very diverse aspects of teaching, mostly at tertiary level. One was by Myra Williamson from Te Piringa Faculty of Law here at Waikato, on Contract Cheating ...
There will be a transit of Mercury – the planet Mercury will pass across the face of the Sun – taking place at sunrise in New Zealand on Tuesday, 12th November. It was by observing such an event 250 years ago that James Cook and his scientist colleagues were able ...
Since becoming the world’s first openly transexual mayor and member of parliament, Georgina Beyer has been recognised as a trailblazer for trans rights. Daphna Whitmore talks with her about where she sees the current trans movement We start out talking about legislation the government put on hold that would have ...
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ...
National Messiah? Chris Luxon identifies himself as an evangelical Christian. If he is genuine in this self-characterisation, then he will take every opportunity his public office provides to proselytise on behalf of his faith. He will also feel obliged to bear witness against beliefs and practices he believes to be ...
I'm going to make a Reckless Prediction™ that the Tories have 'topped out' in the 'poll of polls' / Britain Elects multipoll tracker at about 38%, and in the next week we will start to see Labour creep up on them.In fact, we might just be seeing the start of ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Lizzie Marvelly: “I may have missed this… has @afterellen gone all terf-y? Or am I reading something incorrectly? “ https://twitter.com/LizzieMarvelly/status/1191840059105742849 After Ellen is a lesbian website that is unashamedly pro-lesbian, as you’d expect. So why is Ms Marvelly so bothered about lesbians having their ...
Did you know there once was a time when it was illegal to be a gypsy (aka Romani) in Britain?That was between 1530, when the Egyptians Act was passed, and 1856, when it was repealed.Amongst other things, the act forbade the entry of 'Egyptians' into England, ordered those already there ...
Some days I sit and think, “what will I write…?” What do you say when you get to 1000 posts? Maybe you just start where you are, diverge to where this all began, then offer a collection of reader’s favourite posts, and a few of your own? (And throw in ...
Counter-Puncher: The “activists” and “radicals” (his own words) from the Indian community who took such strong exception to Shane Jones’ remarks about Immigration NZ’s treatment of arranged marriages, may end up bitterly regretting their intervention. Jones is not the sort of person who turns the other cheek to his critics.SHANE ...
In the spirit of Remember, remember the fifth of November, let's keep this in mind FOREVER.
Oh dear. Extraordinary interview on PM with Andrew Bridgen and @EvanHD just now. Bridgen was defending Jacob Rees Mogg’s Grenfell comments. Evan asked him if JRM had meant to say he would have left ...
Collision Course? In conditions of ideological white-out, the international bankers’ “Woop-Woop! Pull Up!” warning may have come too late to save global capitalism.WHAT DOES IT MEAN when international bankers are more willing to embrace radical solutions than our politicians and their electors? At both the International Monetary Fund and the ...
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a conundrum. It is a disease that was described hundreds of years ago and the bacteria that causes it (Bordetella pertussis) isolated in 1906. We have had vaccines for about 80 years but this disease is defiant in the face of human immunity. I wanted to ...
The Zero Carbon Bill has just passed its third reading, uanimously. In the end, National supported it - but we all know they'll turn around and gut it the moment they regain power. Meanwhile, I guess ACT's David Seymour didn't even bother to show up. I am on record as ...
Dr Lindsay Robertson, Dr Jerram Bateman, Professor Janet HoekMembers of the public health community hold divergent views on how access to vaping products or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products should be arranged. Some believe ENDS should be as widely available as smoked tobacco and argue for liberal ...
When the Police were trying to cover up for the National Party over Dirty Politics, they went all-in with their abuses of power. They illegally search Nicky Hager's house, violating his journalistic privilege and invading his privacy. They unlawfully acquired Hager's bank records. They did the same to left-wing blogger ...
Last month, in response to a wave of protests by Extinction Rebellion, the British government purported to ban their protests from the whole of London. It was a significant interference with the freedoms of expression and assembly, and another sign of the country's decline into tyranny. But now, a court ...
Last year, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security reported on significant problems with the intelligence warrant system. While they were unwilling to declare any warrant "irregular" (meaning unlawful) due to the recent law change, they were also not willing to give the system a clean bill of health. Now, they've ...
The National Party has come out in support of encouraging greater vaccination uptake. But it sure isn’t the way I’d do it. National’s suggested docking the benefits of those on benefit whose kids aren’t keeping up with their vaccinations. Some in National have suggested extending that to payments under Working ...
Feeding The Flames: It is simply not enough to demand an end to “corruption”, or “inequality”, or the overbearing influence of the authorities in Beijing. These are just “lowest common denominator” demands: the sort of slogans that pull people onto the streets. They are not a plan.WHERE’S THE PLAN? Across ...
The labour market statistics have been released, and unemployment has risen to 4.2%. There are 115,000 unemployed - 11,000 fewer than when Labour took office. In that time the minimum wage has gone up by $2 an hour, which shows that the right's fears about increases causing unemployment are simply ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has called for submissions on Andrew Little's tyrannicalTerrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill. Normally I encourage participation in the democratic process. I am not doing so in this case. Instead, I encourage all of you to boycott this submissions process, and to post ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzIf tiny concentrations of carbon dioxide can hold enough heat ...
Aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and within it, one of the fastest sources is elite travel: billionaires flitting around the world in their private jets, spewing excessive pollution into the atmosphere just so they can avoid mixing with us dirty peasants. But in ...
That's what we face if we don't stop climate change, according to a warning from 11,000 scientists:The world’s people face “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless there are major transformations to global society, according to a stark warning from more than 11,000 scientists. “We declare clearly and unequivocally ...
by Phil Duncan Here’s just a few of the kind of threats issued day in and day out against gender-critical women – feminists, marxists, etc – overwhelmingly by MEN (albeit men identifying as women). “Kill all Terfs”. “Shoot a Terf today”. “All terfs deserve to be shot in the head”. ...
This is the third of the synopses of parts of the opening chapter of John Smith’s Imperialism in the 21st Century (New York, Monthly Review Press, 2016). The synopsis and commentary below is written by Phil Duncan. Unlike the humble cup of coffee and t-shirt that we looked at in ...
Tom MooreTraditionally a food source and cutting tool, freshwater mussels/kākahi are now widely valued as water filters that help clean our waterbodies and maintain ecosystem health throughout Aotearoa. The improvement they provide in water quality can make it easier for other animals to live in streams and rivers, as ...
And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…Installation complete: this was nothing ...
The Zero Carbon Bill is back in the House today for its second reading. While this isn't the final stage, its still effectively D-Day for the bill. Because today, at around 5pm, is when we're going to find out if it has a majority, whether National will support it or ...
Winston Peters is in court today, suing a bunch of former Minister and civil servants over their pre-election leak of his superannuation repayment. He's characterised the leak as malicious, and said that it is repugnant that his information was passed on to Ministers to use for political advantage. And he's ...
Murray CoxDo I have to finish my favourite genome? That’s an often-asked question. Geneticists generally strive to produce high-quality genomes that sequence every last gene, making full use of the state-of-the-art technologies coming on stream. Sequencing DNA means determining the order of the four chemical building blocks – called ...
Transformative Politics: The idea is to turn each recipient into an unwitting accomplice in their own transformation. From interested observer to hyped-up activist, sharing our messages promiscuously with ‘friends’. You’ll be part of an ever-expanding circulatory system, Jennifer, for the ideas that will win us the election.”JENNIFER SKITTERED her chair ...
The boycott is a fundamental tool of protest. By choosing who we buy from, we can send a message, and hopefully change corporate behaviour. Historically, boycotts have been effective, for example over apartheid in South Africa and Israel, in forcing divestment from Myanmar, and in ending bus segregation in the ...
Jan Rivers spoke at the Abortion Legislation Select Committee in favour of the bill, but in opposition to calls from other submitters to exchange the word ‘woman’ for ‘person’ throughout the bill. Jan is a supporter of the feminist group Speak Up For Women and has recently written an excellent ...
I checked my traffic stats:I was intrigued by 'monica29' - who was this very dedicated individual? I clicked on the link, to be greeted with ...Ho, hum.Spreadin' the word, spreadin' the word. Doesn't matter who hears it, as long as it gets out there. ...
There have been three polls since the election was announced, and I will shamelessly steal YouGov / UK Polling Report's Anthony Wells' summary of them:Survation – CON 34%, LAB 26%, LDEM 19%, BREX 12%, GRN 1% Ipsos MORI – CON 41%, LAB 24%, LDEM 20%, BREX 7%, GRN 3% YouGov ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First backs the public to decide on the End of Life Choice Bill via a referendum at the 2020 General Election. The Bill, with New Zealand First’s referendum provision incorporated, passed its final reading in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Justice New Zealand First is proud that a key Coalition Agreement commitment which will provide for a more transparent and effective criminal justice system has been realised. Legislation to establish the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body focused on identifying and responding to possible miscarriages of ...
"Today we have made a choice that will leave a legacy... I hope that means that future generations will see that we, in New Zealand, were on the right side of history." - Jacinda Ardern, Third Reading of the Zero Carbon Bill ...
Darroch Ball, New Zealand First List MP A Member’s bill has been proposed that would provide income tax exemptions for all New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel while on operational deployment overseas. The Income Tax (Exemption for Salary or Wages of NZDF Members on Active Deployment) Amendment Bill proposed by New Zealand First ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have brought common sense to the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill, which passed its final reading in Parliament today. Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says months of hard work went into negotiating a balanced ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First has listened to calls to recognise paramedics as registered health professionals under the Health Practitioners’ Competence Assurance Act (the Act).Today, the Coalition Government announced plans for paramedics to be registered as health practitioners under the Act, and the establishment of a ...
We began the week by commemorating the New Zealand Wars and celebrating a major increase in the number of teachers. Then, we were busy supporting offenders into work and getting our rail back on track after years of underinvestment. And that's just the start! ...
In October I was sworn in as the Mayor of Lower Hutt.It’s the privilege of my life to serve Hutt people as their Mayor. There is something really special to be able to serve the community where I was raised, and where I live. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters met with Korea Racing Authority Chairperson Nak Soon Kim in Seoul today to discuss closer cooperation between the New Zealand and Korean horse racing industries. As part of the visit to the Seoul Racecourse, Mr Peters witnessed ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10 million to establish Otago as the centre of New Zealand’s creative digital industry over the next ten years, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “The initiative will bring us closer to the vision of ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)’s skills and employment programme will help young Otago people into long-term forestry careers, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Te Ara Mahi will invest $63,000 in the 2020 school year to support eight 17 and 18 ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will support local plans to revitalise and stimulate economic development opportunities in Otago, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The four Regional Economic Development Ministers have approved an in-principle investment of $19.9 million towards the region’s ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is pleased to have received the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report on the Coalition Government’s Mycoplasma bovis eradication efforts, which shows significant progress in the fight against the disease. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, says the report’s findings ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon David Parker, Minister for Trade and Export Growth The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing to support economic growth opportunities for Otago’s engineering and manufacturing sectors, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Trade and Export Minister David Parker announced today. Almost $20 million ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, discussed in Seoul today opportunities to work more closely in the Pacific and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Mr Peters and Minister Kang confirmed New Zealand and the ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Māori Development The three marae in the historic Parihaka Pa complex in Taranaki have been upgraded to high speed broadband with the support of the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Connecting the ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence Minister of Defence Ron Mark will today launch the Advancing Pacific Partnerships 2019 Defence Assessment during a speech at Te Papa. The Assessment outlines how Defence will partner with our Pacific Island neighbours and invest in Pacific regional security architecture. The Plan aligns with the Coalition ...
A new Provincial Growth Fund investment could create about 80 new jobs in Gisborne over the next two years, turning a local small business into a “beacon of employment” in the process. Regional Economic Development Parliamentary Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau said the PGF’s Te Ara Mahi funding stream would provide $1.6m ...
The Government is asking the food industry to step up work to tackle obesity including reducing sugar, fat and salt in their products, better information for consumers, and tighter restrictions on advertising to children. Health Minister David Clark and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor have responded to a ...
ew, modern emergency department and outpatient facilities at Queenstown’s Lakes District Hospital mean better emergency care for the growing tourist mecca’s visitors and locals, says Health Minister David Clark. Today Dr Clark officially opened the hospital’s redeveloped Emergency Department and Outpatient facilities. The new facilities include: • An extended Emergency Department ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter says today’s release of sexual and reproductive health data reinforces the significance of the Government’s commitment to providing free or very low-cost contraception. The Ministry of Health today published statistics from the Ministry of Health’s 2014/15 Health Survey. “It is important people can make ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced that at the request of the Samoan Government, New Zealand will be providing further support to Samoa as it faces a worsening measles outbreak. “In response to a request from the people of Samoa, New Zealand is providing 3000 measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) ...
“The new Disability Action Plan 2019–2023 moves us towards the inclusive and accessible New Zealand that this government has committed to,” Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni announced today. “The Action Plan was designed by disabled people, their family and supporters, the disability sector and government agencies. It will ensure ...
Third Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting 14 November 2019 Joint Statement 1. Defence Ministers Ron Mark and Dr Ng Eng Hen today conducted their third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore. 2. Building on the Enhanced Partnership signed between both countries in May this year, this annual meeting ...
A Bill to improve the court system’s response to sexual violence has passed its first reading in Parliament today. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Sexual Violence Legislation Bill will reduce the trauma sexual violence complainants experience in court, while maintaining defendants’ fundamental rights and making sure the trial process ...
Streamlined payment practices are a step closer for Kiwi businesses with the formal launch of New Zealand’s e-Invoicing framework. Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says the government has now established the structure to enable automated and direct data exchange between the accounting systems of buyers and sellers. “The move to ...
Another 51 quarantine officers and four new biosecurity detector dog teams will help protect New Zealand from invasive pests and diseases this summer, says Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. “The Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity system and support our valuable primary sector “New Zealand’s flora, fauna ...
A new report has found New Zealand’s space sector contributed $1.69 billion to the economy in the last financial year and employs 12,000 people, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. The report by Deloitte was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and shows New Zealand ...
Judge Coral Shaw has been appointed as the new Chair of the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. "Judge Shaw, who is currently one of the inquiry commissioners, is extremely well qualified for the ...
The Government has confirmed its third major mental health facility upgrade since the Budget, this time at Palmerston North Hospital. The Prime Minister and Health Minister today visited MidCentral DHB to announce that $30 million has been allocated to upgrade its acute mental health facility. It follows earlier announcements in ...
The roll out of the National Bowel Screening Programme has reached the halfway mark, with 10 out of 20 District Health Boards now part of the programme. MidCentral DHB, which covers Palmerston North, Manawatu and surrounding districts, this week became the latest to DHB to offer free bowel screening to ...
The Government welcomes PHARMAC’s decision to fund a vaccine to protect young people from meningococcal disease from 1 December this year. “Meningococcal disease is a serious threat which people at higher risk should be protected from,” says Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter. “The combined pharmaceutical budget was increased by ...
Groups involved with innovative fisheries research projects are encouraged to apply for government support in the latest funding round from the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures programme. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash says the SFF Futures funding is designed to be flexible enough to support small or large projects across a ...
The Government has fixed an issue affecting how Immigration New Zealand has processed visa applications for culturally arranged marriages, which will now see a consistent process applied which ensures people with legitimate arranged marriages can visit New Zealand while also preventing any rorting of the system. Earlier this year Immigration ...
The Royal Commission into the Attacks on Christchurch Mosques will report back on 30 April 2020 to give it more time to hear submissions and consider information, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Royal Commission was originally scheduled to report back to Government by 10 December 2019. “There has ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington DC today to attend a ministerial meeting focused on defeating ISIS, and to continue pursuing New Zealand’s trade opportunities. Mr Peters will participate in a meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers from key countries contributing to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. ...
The recently crowned Bird of the Year, the hoiho/yellow eyed penguin, is getting a much needed helping hand alongside more than 168 other community conservation projects announced Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage today. 168 community conservation projects throughout New Zealand are benefiting from $8 million in government grants, including $500,000 ...
Controls on assault rifles and semi-automatic firearms are to be broadened to include some types of pistols, under changes to a bill currently making its way through Parliament. Police Minister Stuart Nash has tabled a Supplementary Order Paper to the Arms Legislation Bill, which is currently before a Select Committee ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark will travel to Singapore today to conduct a counterpart visit and to co-chair the third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting with his counterpart, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. “Singapore is one of our most important defence partners in the region, and our ...
Nelson’s Salisbury School is to be rebuilt, creating a modern and suitable learning environment for students at the residential special school, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The school for girls aged 8-15, in Richmond, was earmarked for closure by National until the process ...
The panel undertaking a comprehensive review of the Resource Management Act has identified the main issues to be addressed and options for reform and is calling for feedback to inform its final report. In July the Government announced the comprehensive review of the resource management system, including the RMA - ...
An important safety valve has been added to New Zealand’s criminal justice system with the third reading of the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill today. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “We’ve seen how our justice system can very occasionally get things spectacularly wrong, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters welcomes the tabling of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) 2019 Annual Report in Parliament today. He says the 2019 Annual Report marks the point when New Zealand’s racing industry’s decline was arrested and a turnaround started. RITA’s 2019 Annual Report recorded an industry net profit ...
The New Zealand Government is today sending 21 firefighters to help fight the ongoing catastrophic Australian bushfires. “The fires in Australia are in some of the toughest, most challenging conditions ever,” says Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin. “As of yesterday morning, there were 100 active bushfire-related incidents across Queensland and ...
More frontline support for schools through a new education agency, as part of a redesigned Ministry of Education More support for principals and school boards including through a new centre of leadership and local leadership advisor roles New independent disputes panels for parents and students Management of school property ...
The Government’s reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system is a watershed moment in education and an opportunity to create meaningful change for ākonga Māori and their whānau, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said today. “Last year through Kōrero Mātauranga | Education Conversation, Māori teachers, parents, ākonga, whānau, hapū and iwi ...
Infrastructure Minister is welcoming the first of many updated project pipelines from the newly established New Zealand Infrastructure Commission today. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, has released an expanded pipeline of major capital projects – another crucial step towards delivering better infrastructure outcomes. “The first iteration of the ...
Tougher gun laws designed to improve public safety through firearms prohibition orders are proposed in a new document released for public input. Police Minister Stuart Nash says firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) would give new powers to Police to ensure high-risk individuals come nowhere near firearms. “We have already prohibited the ...
Andy Coupe has been confirmed as TVNZ’s new Board Chair. “Mr Coupe has strong commercial and capital markets experience and TVNZ has benefited from his technical knowledge of business and finance, as well as his extensive governance experience,” the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Kris Faafoi said. Andy ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today officially opened a separated pathway, following the completion of the Kaiwharawhara Stream bridge, which will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along Hutt Road. The $6.8m Hutt Road project provides a separated path for cycling and pedestrians, the replacement of informal parking ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of career diplomat Si’alei van Toor as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Russia. “I’m pleased to appoint Ms van Toor to this position. She brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously served as Senior Trade Adviser to the ...
The Treasury’s 2019 Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) will be released on Wednesday December 11, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Coalition Government will publish the 2020 Budget Policy Statement at the same time, outlining the priorities for Budget 2020. Further details on arrangements for the release will ...
A new initiative to better support small businesses through hands-on mentoring and advice has been launched by the Minister for Small Business. The first event in the Kiwi Business Boost series of regional workshops and online tools has been launched in Wairoa by Stuart Nash. “The Business Boost initiative combines ...
The latest Quarterly Connectivity Report shows that more and more New Zealanders are moving to Ultra-fast Broadband (UFB), with Rolleston having the highest uptake at 74 per cent, as at the end of September. “This means that nearly three quarters of Rolleston’s households and businesses have moved to ultra-fast services. ...
The passing of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill will help ensure a safe planet for our kids and grandkids, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw said today. The landmark legislation which provides a framework to support New Zealanders to prepare for, and adapt to, the effects ...
The review of Oranga Tamariki practice around the planned uplift of a Hastings baby in May shows significant failings by the Ministry and that the planned and funded changes to shift from a child crisis service to a proper care and protection service need to be accelerated, Children’s Minister Tracey ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins has wished students the best of luck for this year’s NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams which start tomorrow. Around 140,000 students will have participated in 119 NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams by the end of the exam period on 3 December. “I want to ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of Bede Corry as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. “The appointment of a senior diplomat to this important role underlines the significance New Zealand places on our relationship with the United Kingdom,” said Mr Peters. “The United ...
As a follow-up to our post about police station office hours for the public and in the cause of balance, we bring positive news – or rather, we are passing on the positive news which the police delivered in a press statement, It’s all about the productivity gains achieved – it ...
Books editor Catherine Woulfe follows Wellington author Lawrence Patchett into his extraordinary story of heat and humanity and history repeating. The Burning River begins like the best kind of yarn. “Someone had been there. Someone strange. In the centre of his camp, a new circle of sooted rocks. A campfire, with ...
SPECIAL REPORT: By Philip Cass in BrisbaneMelanesian Media Freedom Forum – Day two –The second day of the Melanesian Media Freedom Forum began with praise for the work of young Pacific journalists by Professor David Robie and ended with a warning that threats to journalism in the ...
In this special episode of The Real Pod, brought to you by Nando’s, we chat to the champions of My Restaurant Rules NZ 2019.In the afterglow of Rustic Kitchen’s historic win on My Restaurant Rules NZ, Duncan and Alex got on the blower with Tyson and Denise. Then we forgot ...
Hannah Kronast attends a women’s empowerment panel focused on the huge disparities in training and employment within science and technology. In the far back left-hand corner of a women’s equality and empowerment event, a male stuck up his hand. “What can men do to help?” he asked.It was at a panel ...
Our recent Spinoff Art survey provided a snapshot on gender equality in the local art scene, but it wasn’t the full story. Anna Knox continues the conversation by asking some gallery owners and directors for their responses to our findings.The Spinoff’s survey of gender bias in visual arts found that ...
Based on their study of trans wellbeing Aotearoa, the research team at Counting Ourselves find six data points that highlight the strength of our trans and non-binary community.Last month the first comprehensive national survey on transgender health and wellbeing in Aotearoa was published by the academics and researchers at Counting ...
The SpinoffBy Dr Jaimie Veale, Jack Byrne and Ahi Wi-Hongi
Ten thousand years ago, roasted hares and figs were flat-layed on Levantine flax leaves. Now, we drape prosciutto over strawberries on computer desks. Josie Adams mourns the death of the platter.Three days ago I stumbled on an accidental recreation of a 1950s platter: a giant ham, a cake that was ...
India’s decision not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership promoted by China is politically significant. But its impact on trade and prosperity is more nuanced, as Bloomberg explains.It avoids some market opening on both sides (India to agriculture; others to services) that would have been economically beneficial. But ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]University of Canberra Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoff Crisp discusses the the week in politics the government’s response to the bush fires as well as the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action. They also talk about ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The proposed acquisition of infant formula producer Bellamy’s Australia Ltd by China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited has been given approval by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Strict, legally enforceable conditions, have been set by the treasurer, which ...
The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) is condemning the All Saints Day evening raid on 31 October. With the arrest of over 60 union organisers, human rights defenders and activists in the Philippines province of Negros. The 16th of November is an international ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Assistant professor, University of Canberra What’s happening? Suddenly, at the level of central banks, Australia is regarded as an investment risk. On Wednesday Martin Flodén, the deputy governor of Sweden’s central bank, announced that because Australia and Canada were “not ...
SPECIAL REPORT: By Philip Cass in Brisbane Opening session – Day OneThe problems of operating in the Pacific and the impact of online news and the emergence of ‘citizen journalists’ were common concerns for all delegates to this week’s Melanesian Media Freedom Forum.The forum, held at Griffith ...
Standoff between protesters and the police at Yeung Uk Road, Hong Kong. Image by Studio Incendo – 20190825 Tsuen Wan March. CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81751531.The recent surge in social protests world-wide is quantitatively and qualitatively different than in previous ages. The advent of individualised mass communications technologies and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is going to start asking internet service providers to block certain offshore gambling websites. The decision follows former New South Wales premier ...
The Zero Carbon Act (ZCA) is over a week old, but it’s still being heavily debated and analysed. After all, depending on who you listen to, it’s the most significant new law of the year, of this Government, or even of some people’s lifetime. And it deals with a giant ...
Green MP and refugee Golriz Ghahraman was there last night when the former Manus Island detainee and acclaimed writer arrived in New Zealand.Last night, quietly and without fanfare a small group made up of human rights activists, literary folk, and just two journalists, came together at Auckland Airport to welcome ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra D’urso, Researcher, The Australian Centre, University of Melbourne To perform an exit is not as simple as it sounds. In fact, exiting a situation can be almost impossible for some. Exit Strategies is a new production by indie performer and theatre ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niro Kandasamy, Tutor, University of Melbourne Sri Lanka’s presidential election on Saturday comes at a critical time for the country. The government has been in turmoil since President Maithripala Sirisena sacked the prime minister last year and replaced him with former strongman ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Hansen, Chief of Staff, The Conversation If you have kids, chances are you’ve worried about their presence on social media. Who are they talking to? What are they posting? Are they being bullied? Do they spend too much time on it? ...
New Zealand Police has won a prestigious World Class Policing Award for its ‘more street than station approach’ Mobility programme, which has saved millions of hours of officers’ time. ...
SEA-Unite SkyCity workers are expected to strike this weekend after 50 called in sick with symptoms linked to smoke inhalation from the convention centre fire. ...
In a powerful rebuff to critics who question whether the prime minister is willing to use her political capital, this morning she powerfully demonstrated her commitment to New Zealand culture.For two years, my professional life has been devoted to winning respect for the lowbrow, beaten-up, off-brand artefacts that truly define ...
MPs and staffers will likely begin moving out of their Bowen House offices over the next six months, so the building can undergo earthquake strengthening work. ...
The party that sold off the BNZ, NZ Rail, Petrocorp, Postbank, the Shipping Corporation, Air New Zealand, the State Insurance Office, the Tourist Hotel Corporation and a host of other New Zealand assets is at it again – with the assistance of its coalition ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trent Penman, Associate professor, University of Melbourne As sure as night follows day, this week’s bushfires prompted inevitable debate about whether fire authorities should have carried out more hazard reduction burning, and whether opposition from conservationists prevented this. There are two key ...
A new poem by writer and performer Freya Daly Sadgrove.TURDUCKEN I blow my body around like the huge clump of brown hairthat I once saw blowing up Cuba StreetI follow its movements with interestI put a video of it on the internet my favourite bragis that a groundskeeper ...
PHARMAC has backed down on a controversial drug brand switch affecting patients with epilepsy and mental health conditions after three people died following the change. ...
Tara Ward reviews Goodnight Kiwi, a new series that features well-known New Zealanders reading bedtime stories to kids. It’s strange to think that New Zealand television wasn’t always the 24-hour, infomercial-tastic extravangza that it is today. Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, our televisions used to go dark every night at ...
FIRST Union members at Countdown have ratified a new agreement that will set their supermarket team on a path towards a living wage, and significantly raise the pay of 15,000 workers across the country. ...
13 moments that prove the music awards are so much > than all other award showsBENEE cleaned up, every performance was somewhere between an eight and a ten, there was an unfeasible quantity of award presenter awkwardness and many nights ended very late. The music awards are over 50 and ...
While the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights Commission are examining whether New Zealand laws properly balance the issues of freedom of speech and hate speech (whatever that might be), taxpayers are helping to finance Chinese propaganda. Hateful propaganda, we suggest. The Screen Production Grant has handed a $243,000 subsidy to a ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Media Peter Thompson (Stuff): A new model for public media – but have the old ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout (Viking Penguin $35)“Olive struggles to figure herself out, and has an urgent ...
After more than seven months of trying to end a tenancy to protect neighbours, a Rotorua property manager has finally received approval from the High Court to end the tenancy. ...
We agree with the Ombudsman Peter Boshier in his new report on councils QUOTE ; “leaders, officials lack of action to "ensure an approach is adopted that is consistent with openness and transparency" Un-quote. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1911/S00186/chief-ombudsman-new-report-wakeup-call-for-council-leaders.htm ...
Māori food systems are rich with potential, and whānau-based food producers across the country are looking to traditional ways to ensure their communities thrive in the future. Alice Neville reports from the Eat New Zealand Food Hui.In recent years there has been much talk – in food business, hospitality, tourism ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) commends the Government’s proposal to take school zoning responsibilities out of the hands of school boards and principals and instead have these taken up by a new Education Service Agency. ...
SINGAPORE, Nov 15, 2019 - (ACN Newswire) - Global BioLife Inc, the U.S. subsidiary of Singapore eDevelopment Ltd (SeD), will present its 3F Antimicrobial Fragrance as a new method to prevent and treat Tuberculosis at the ASM Biothreats Conference, ...
The National Party is calling for the Auditor General to investigate a bid for tax payer money made by a forestry company set up by a senior New Zealand First figure; and an award-winning author detained on Manus Island by Australia for six years has touched down in Auckland ...
Responding to news that the Screen Production Grant handed a $243,000 subsidy to a propaganda film produced by Chinese state-owned enterprises, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Louis Houlbrooke says: “Taxpayers have all been made complicit ...
The campaign to take more colour coded bins into the regions has been developed by The Packaging Forum which promotes recycling under the Government’s Love NZ brand and The Auckland Litter Prevention Steering Group which manages the Be a Tidy Kiwi ...
Shane Jones calls protesting farmers 'rednecks' following rowdy march on Parliament; and top council staff 'manipulated' reports to hide bad news from councillors and public. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodie Bradby, Professor of Physics, Australian National University There’s a lot of uncertainty in a research career. Most funding – and most jobs – are doled out by the project, or in chunks of a few years at a time. Recently, however, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wanning Sun, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of Technology Sydney The Australian government has indicated that “diaspora communities” are crucial to Australia’s public diplomacy mission to promote the country abroad. It has also identified online and social media as essential ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bright, Senior Lecturer of Addiction, Edith Cowan University For many parents whose teenage children are completing Year 12, this time of year means mixed emotions. Parents might feel proud, exhausted and excited. And as young people start heading to schoolies and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heiko Timmers, Associate Professor of Physics, School of Science, UNSW Canberra, UNSW Much is made of the “next generation” of nuclear reactors in the debate over nuclear power in Australia. They are touted as safer than older reactors, and suitable for helping ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fran Gale, Senior Lecturer, Social Work and Community Welfare, School of Social Science and Psychology, Western Sydney University Children are too rarely asked their perspectives on public spaces. Traditionally, adults make choices for children, particularly about how they live and play. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW What do a billionaire, a former vice president, and a US democratic socialist have to do with Australia’s nearly three-decade run of economic growth? More than you might think. The race for the Democratic Party’s 2020 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lydia Edwards, Fashion historian, Edith Cowan University Eyebrows can turn a smile into a leer, a grumpy pout into a come hither beckoning, and sad, downturned lips into a comedic grimace. So, it’s little wonder these communicative markers of facial punctuation have ...
The rules around use of parliamentary TV are set to be liberalised and MPs will no longer have to give permissions for clips of them to be used in political advertising. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When five former fire chiefs held a news conference on Thursday to urge the federal government to take more action on climate change, it was a challenging moment for Scott Morrison. Those who fronted the ...
A powerful New Zealand First figure helped establish a forestry company that then pushed for money from two key funding streams controlled by a New Zealand First Minister. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Farmers square off with Shane Jones at parliament, tax rebates for Chinese propaganda film criticised, and ructions over future shape of public media.Now first of all, I just want to make it clear rednecks isn’t the term I’d use. But it was ...
The biggest shakeup in the country’s broadcasting history looks to be looming as the Government gets serious about its options for strengthening public service broadcasting. ...
Support for the Zero Carbon Bill shows our action on climate will have to disrupt the status quo, writes Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton. That will mean new opportunities - and costs. ...
Football Ferns captain Ali Riley is making the most of her opportunity to play for German giants Bayern Munich, harbouring a dream to represent NZ at her fifth World Cup ...
'Policing' is increasingly falling to private security and citizen-led initiatives. Yet the wages and the training don't match the responsibility. So what can we do? ...
Yesterday, Stuff reported that the 2017 Chinese-made propaganda blockbuster Wolf Warrior 2 was partially made in New Zealand. Sam Brooks watched it and – spoiler alert – found it weird as hell.About halfway through Wolf Warrior 2 on Netflix, the unnamed leader of a revolution in an unnamed African country marches up ...
Rather than get distracted by the stadium debate, we need to urgently acknowledge that unlocking this land now for future integration into the CBD is critical for Auckland’s future, aruges Paul Winstanley.Don’t be fooled. This is not just another story about the waterfront stadium. Well, not really. Like the mayor ...
The Period Poverty Solution Petition: The Health and Wellbeing Implications was presented by the Positive Periods campaign team, of which The Period Place is a part of, at a cross-party breakfast, thanks to Louisa Wall MP and Joanne Hayes MP in Parliament ...
Open mike 29/04/2013 
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And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…
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it is a wee bit confusing in the job market, – from a job vacancy ad on trademe jobs:
“We do not accept online applications if you wish to apply please email mxxxxxxd @ xxxx.net.nz.” (address edited for anonymity)
Poll on public attitudes to “brain fades”.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10880335
The breakdown by party support is interesting/amusing, with National Party supporters being the most “trusting” – or stupid, immoral, cognitively dissonant or whatever.
from Sunday on cycling;
two reporters left Te Atatu for TVNZ in the city, 13kms distance. With the motorist having to wait at the on-ramp for 20minutes and travel at approx 40km/h in traffic, find a park and walk the remainder, the cyclist arrived first travelling by cycle-way.
Aucklands transport problems according to Len Brown on Firstline require 60B investment, (under-investment for decades), with a 12B shortfall to be met by tolls, fuel tax proposals etc.
Although 600M could be invested in cycle-ways for Auckland, there would be a 20-1 long-term cost benefit according to cycle-safety specialist Glen Koorey.
from a cyclist-accident victim on the same article; “We have become such a mean-spirited nation…people used to say about Kiwis…” (encouraging things I imagine).
ghost
There was an interesting discussion on transport in the city on radionz soon after 9am today.
ahhh, missed it; what I haven’t missed are observations of the attitudes and emotions held by many motorists questioned by the media on their approach towards cyclists. freakin’ hicks.
Yup TPTB (the backers of them at least), can’t wait to get tolls on roads all over AKL.
Just look at the mess that the nothern tunnel toll road has become!
NZ has become a *mean spirited nation* – Thats the result of being used as an experiment!
It seems the whale and his followers have been involved in a stoush over a Facebook page aiming at generating discussion over the (non) merits of Charter Schools. Here’s the page owner’s take on it.
http://howmelulaterseesit.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/beware-bullies-who-dont-want-you-to.html?spref=fb
an interesting read at the link
And this is what they teach in charter schools. Can you imagine that child ever being employable if they keep on believing that bullshit?
plenty of Exclusive Brethren employers dotted all through-out New Zealand.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Internet Blogger
The results of the Brain fade poll , reads as if the question asked was more like,
“Do you think John Key is a liar?”
That would explain the party split , nicely.
I recall somebody here , in the last week or so , saying their partner had been polled by Reids,
and one the questions was pretty much “do you think Key is a liar”
Reids wouldn’t change the question , after the poll result, would they? Na
Wouldn’t it be great if when publishing/referencing a poll the media had to supply the actual poll data, including the questions. Even better than that would be a declaration of whomever had commissioned the poll in the first place.
This was part of the standard TV3 Reid Research poll, so we know who commissioned it.
yes lanthanide, i should have added that the noted article did include the reference to it being a TV3 poll but as a general rule we both know the identity of those commissioning polls is largely anonymous.
Actually for the main political polling, it’s done by the newspapers or the TV networks or Roy Morgan.
Not sure why you’d want individual names for those polls.
Now for other polling, sure, we don’t necessarily know. But other polling doesn’t tend to be national-level political polls.
“I recall somebody here , in the last week or so , saying their partner had been polled by Reids,
and one the questions was pretty much “do you think Key is a liar””
That is what they said, but they came back and corrected that the question asked of their partner was the polling question we are shown.
So no conspiracy here, sorry.
Reids have done well to link Shearer with Keys’ lies.
The ambiguous question, helped in this regard . (that and Shearers memory)
Most ,surely would have answered that question ,with Key in mind.
That would explain party split
Would have been interesting if to know what angle the MSM would taken ,if Shearers’ memory hadn’t let him down.
The dishonest and irresponsible work of Andrew Wakefield has claimed a victim
Wales has had low Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccination rates for some time … since about 1998, in fact, when Andrew Wakefield published his bogus study in the Lancet falsely linking the MMR vaccine to autism.
So what are you going to say when it comes out that the chronically sick 25 year old in question had already been immunised against measles?
By the way, according to the schedule the dead man should have been vaccinated years before the Wakefield study came out, as an infant, so I think its more likely that he had been immunised. Yet was so sick.
The dishonest and irresponsible work of Andrew Wakefield
hasmay have claimed a victim.has most likely claimed a victim
The point of vaccination is not just to protect yourself, but also to protect others.
How he contracted it in the first place is the real issue, not whether his particular jab didn’t work, or whether due to allergies he couldn’t get vaccinated, or whether his parents were nutty even before Wakefield’s fraud.
Bit of a climb down though innit joe, from has, to may! You get some credit, for the climb down, but its been sloppy from you lately, aer you ok?
No matter how hard McFlock tries to spin it, then pulls out the , * you should be guilty*, for not protecting others, what a legend you are McFlock /sarc!
What other illness did this unfortunate individual suffer from?
Article title:Measles Epidemic in Wales Has Roots in Antivax Movement.
Opening line of article: The measles outbreak in Wales may have claimed its first victim..
I never said “you should be guilty”.
I just think that people who refuse to vaccinate for no clear medical reason (e.g. egg allergy) are selfish idiots.
Population perspective: clear link.
Individual case perspective: who knows? There’s always the slim possibility he had some measles-like condition.
When attributing primary cause of mortality in individual cases there’s always oodles of theoretical wriggle room (from poor nutrition to undiagnosed heart problems), and you look set to use every inch of it. A bit like 50 years of tobacco industry wriggling – but then they were intentionally duplicitous, rather than wildly delusional, so I guess you’re not quite in their league.
Each year around Anzac Day, my electorate hosts a social event, the highlight of which is a lecture in memory of a popular former Labour MP who was killed in Crete in 1942. This year’s lecture was given by Nicky Hagar. The basis of the lecture was his latest book “Other People’s Wars”. It was gob-smacking stuff!
There were a number of former and even current senior military personnel – plus senior public servants – who were apparently only too willing to apprise Nicky of the behind the scenes activity particularly in relation to the war in Afghanistan. This was a measure of their profound concern for what they saw… and the blatant lies that we in New Zealand have been told about our involvement in that war. Politicians – on both sides of the fence and including Helen Clark – were tricked into believing we were there as peace keepers. The peace keeping played a role, but from all accounts it turned out not to be their primary function.
Add to that an over-all appraisal by Nicky about what he perceives is happening behind the political front, and I think there would be many here interested in what he had to say.
I know the lecture was recorded (sound-wise at least) and I think it might be possible for the Standard to seek to post that recording here. Labour MP, Phil Twyford would be the person to approach in the first instance, because he initiated the annual lectures and is still heavily involved.
Further to the above are two quotes from the book:
It would be nice for someone to pause and say, “Hell, we’re coming up to the 10th anniversary [Sept.11 attacks], are we better or are we worse?. I think the answer is we’re worse. How stupid are we to have allowed a reaction led by the United States that has actually made it worse for the world? – senior defence official.
People assume that politicians make decisions, but often they are busy, ill informed or actively excluded… The worst decisions were made by senior officials and military officers, often without [the ministers’] knowledge. – senior NZ government official.
Thanks, Anne. It is significant stuff, and I would be interested to see or read Hager’s latest lecture.
People assume that politicians make decisions, but often they are busy, ill informed or
excluded… The worst decisions were made by senior officials and military officers, often without [the ministers’] knowledge. – senior NZ government official.
I think that is a salient point Anne and I’ve repeated it for me and any others who have had naive ideas about politicians and what they are doing with their time and influence while in the House and having some power.
In the USA it may be that the control of the country has largely passed out of the hands of those elected representatives who take their role for the people seriously. Where there is money there is power, which does seem to be a correct saying, and the budget of the Defence there is astro-astronomical. Scary stuff for sincere democracy believers.
Eisenhowers departure speech warning of the dangers of the military industrial complex
I’d recommend anyone (everyone) read the book even though it is a big read.
It makes it pretty clear that senior defence people were determined to go against explicit government foreign policy (and directives) in order to preserve – or resurrect – their contact and ‘relationships’ with the US, UK and Australia. Ever since the nuclear ship ban and the suspension of ANZUS, parts of the defence leadership ran a de facto military foreign policy at odds with government policy, especially in the 2000s.
There’s a word for that, and when you need to apply it to the defence forces it is particularly concerning.
I am shocked that Hager’s book has received so little journalistic follow-through. There are stories in there that I would have thought any journalist worth their salt would have given an arm and a leg to have the opportunity to run with (if that isn’t mixing too many metaphors).
A bit of jealousy mixed with narrow, establishment thinking and a naive desire to be part of the American military scenario? Most of the MSM seem happy to go along with the authoritarian and anti-democratic flow if they think that is where their best interests may lie…
But it is heartening to know there were military and public service personnel who were willing to spill the beans in the interest of integrity and transparency.
“But it is heartening to know there were military and public service personnel who were willing to spill the beans in the interest of integrity and transparency.”
It certainly is – but no matter how heartening, I don’t think that’s the point. After all, the military went its own way despite the integrity of these people and their desire for transparency. The lack of ‘follow through’ reinforces that fact.
As with so many issues, the point is not about individuals and their motives (for good or ill). It’s about structures and institutional processes that bias against (or for) certain kinds of behaviours and, therefore, in favour of certain kinds of people with certain kinds of views.
The historical interweaving of the NZ military with the UK and then US military (training, experience under command, etc.) I imagine meant (and still means) that those with pro-UK/US leanings will have formed the useful overseas connections and ‘upward’ connections within the already established hierarchy that ensure they rise through the ranks and assume positions of power.
That process is common to all institutions – those who align themselves with powerful interests within and around the ‘system’ do better in the ‘system’. It’s Chomsky and Hermann’s point about the media and who ends up being an editor – the very people who agree with the direction.
The older I get the more I think that the interesting questions are hardly ever about motives, character, personal integrity, etc.. They are about the uses that structures make of people.
You have hit the nail, on the head!
Structure exists to ensure a couple of things, primarily:
1: Control
2: To ensure that the structure which are necessary to support society, and humanity’s best social interests, remain broken!
To what end!
I’d love to hear the speech on audio or video.
Tried to go to the speech but it was sold out days early. I think you’ll find there is a keen interest for independent voices like Nicky Hager and, if it’s possible, maybe book a larger venue next time.
Thank for your efforts Anne in getting people like Nicky H to speak.
Thanks Paul. The effort was really put in by others including Phil Twyford. Yes, we are going to have to find a bigger venue. We have been fortunate thus far in attracting excellent speakers and the word has got around. So much so, people who are not associated with the Labour Party also want to attend. I think the recording was audio only but still well worth listening to. I will try and contact Phil Twyford and see if it’s possible to have it posted here.
See Anne at 9 above concerning Nicky Hager’s speech.
Message for Paul, karol, prism, Puddleglum, muzza and anyone else who is interested:
Phil Twyford will be posting the Hagar lecture on Red Alert as soon as he’s received it. Will keep you posted.
Mark Steel on the demonisation of the poor and the dickensian meanness of neoliberalism plus an extra on the french revolution.
On the present submission time for a constitution. First Chris Trotter makes important points.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/not-debating-constitution.html
Also from he Sunday Star Times
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8605428/Talking-about-a-New-Zealand-constitution
You should have a look at their poll and see what you think about it. It seems to be quite balanced and requires a bit of thought. They have a space for 130 words about your ideas for NZ which they may tweet.
I went to a meeting in the weekend hosted by a Nelson group. My feelings are that the appointed commissioners seem to be standing aside and leaving the bringing information and discussion to each region which has to find people with something to say and who can project their ideas. The visiting commissioners seem more like window dressing, and there does not seem to be a plan for a tour of the country by informative speakers, the appointees just attend the arranged meeting and give a quick run down of their instructions. Then at our meeting the speakers were invited to make their individual points.
There was a speaker from the country’s numerous old, white anti-Maori bigots, who also were a vocal group in the audience. Overturning agreements already reached, limiting the Treaty to a historical document with narrow meanings, and overturning decisions made already by eminent people in favour of Maori seemed to be their unswerving and bigoted goal. There was the usual white patronising and demeaning attitude to Maori heard from such people, mainly white-haired and probably old age beneficiaries, and I am one of this age so I can be reasonably objective. (Their thinking at base being – Maori are undeserving, they haven’t a case for consideration of their rights and wrongs, and that the decisions made by eminent people in favour of Maori stand for nothing)
Unfortunately for me, the bigot was the second speaker not the last. The first was a criminal lawyer who does good work and is aware of the need of the law to serve the citizens, poor and rich, and I am asking for the right to be able to access his submission paper for The Standard readers. (I now have that okay but have to speak to my advisor on how to go about putting it up tonight.)
But when the second speaker began and started with what to me is poisonous, backward diatribe that would have an acidic effect on good relations between Maori and pakeha and our moves forward to a better future, I had to leave. This man Bruce Moon was a co-author with John Robinson, David Round, Mike Butler, Hugh Barr, Peter Cresswell of a book called Twisting the Treaty – A Tribal Grap for Wealth and Power with a related web page headed Treatygate – The Conning of a Country which pitches it against one called Healing our History by Robert and Joanna Consedine. The large number of biased authors writing for the Twisting book make for a whiteout on the subject, one whole page of google is taken up with headings from their individual comments and initiatives.
Some people who are focussed on one approach with a tunnel vision that pours all their energy on their chosen mission, are a horrible obstacle to gathering wide information and take up the precious time set aside for that purpose. I had better things to do. But I want to see healthy discussion on a good constitution. I don’t trust National to do anything good, they are increasingly adopting fascist, and anti-democratic policies.
There is an academic Dr Paul Moon at AUT so don’t confuse the two. This link has something about him.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/auckland-city-harbour-news/8382933/Key-bits-of-history
‘neonicotinoids’ may yet Bee banned’
so much for “SuperGrans” to the rescue…
and don’t expect the Army to be able to afford picking up the pieces
My point that NZ government doesn’t care about families much and won’t support them is backed up by the Super Grans business. These people in power are self absorbed social climbers and wealthy isolated types. They could care about a fine racehorse with good breeding but ordinary people – no.
And budget advisory, that would admit there is a necessity, a demand for this, and in a climate where people have to apply for five jobs a day in a recession well there is a certain coherence if they just keep on denying reality.
Thoughts and prayers to Parekura Horomia and his whanau.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10880438
Yes. Best wishes to Parekura and his whanau and friends.
Na, kia noho te Atua o te rangimarie ki a koutou katoa, Amene.
Following on from some comments concerning the state of private aged care in NZ the other day, this article from ‘The Independent’ on the unfolding crisis in England, Wales and Northern Ireland might be of interest to some – particularly if there are jots to be joined or comparisons made with any debt burden among NZ’s private providers.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-5bn-care-home-crisis-that-is-seeing-record-numbers-of-providers-close-their-doors-8591849.html
“part of a wider collapse in social care driven by spending cuts”. (sound familiar)
“solving the inevitably rocketing (fixed) costs of social care for the elderly and disabled is an issue expected to dog governments for decades to come”. (energy, food, wages, oh wait Ryman et al; will be able to pay lower wages).
Well, NZ Government is already working on the Euthanasia bill…… it will be introduced under the umbrella that there is too much suffering. Watch this space.
Canadian foreign minister John Baird is now a human rights champion!
April 29, 2013
Liberals and human rights activists will welcome the news that the formerly hard right Canadian foreign minister John Baird has made a spectacular and sudden conversion to being a champion of human rights.
After a Canadian friend of mine yesterday damned Mr Baird as “a disgusting piece of sh!t”, and urged me to “Google the useless f+ck” I decided to follow his advice and do a little bit of research on him. What I have found tends to reinforce my friend’s observation.
John Baird has developed a reputation as an hysterical opponent of the Kyoto Protocols, and he has been roundly denounced by virtually everybody who has come into contact with him. After observing Baird’s irresponsible conservation policies, Al Gore called them “a complete and total fraud” and accused him of trying to “mislead the Canadian people”. Baird’s conservation policies have been damned by David Suzuki as a “sham”. Activists at the Cancun climate conference in 2010 were scathing of his environmental policies and awarded Canada three “Fossil” awards for disrupting and undermining U.N. climate talks.
When he is not trashing the environment, John Baird likes to hang out with soldiers. He spent Christmas 2006 in Afghanistan with Canadian occupation troops.
Baird is an aggressive and shameless supporter of the Likud party in Israel, and last year he made a widely condemned statement that Iran was “the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today.”
Oh! There is one person who thinks that Baird is all right. He has been praised for his “bold leadership” by THIS fellow….
http://www.veteranstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/netanyahu-bomb-un.jpg
But all this has changed suddenly! John Baird has now joined the struggle for human rights!
Read the following and cheer….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22322999
In terms of guise and process alone and mark it, not personal at all, shades of last appointment of Race Relations Commissioner ?
RIP Parekura Horomia.
RIP.
Wow. He was a really cool guy. The nats gave him a hard time because he did not accord to their concepts of a parliamentarian but he was a very gracious person. On a marae he could not be matched and when talking to kiwis his ability to relate to them was phenomenal.
I had the pleasure of being at the Avondale Markets with him campaigning and I can honestly say that he was without his peers. Even though he was 400 kilometers from home it seemed he knew half the people. I was really, really impressed with his ability to relate to ordinary kiwis.
Best wishes to his whanau.
Labour MP and former Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia has died from health complications at his home in Tolaga Bay.
The 62-year-old, who is survived by three sons and one grandchild, was surrounded by family, friends and Parliamentary colleagues when he passed away a short time ago.
His condition deteriorated rapidly since his health problems were made public this morning.
The cause of his death has not been confirmed and his family has requested privacy.
Read more: Labour MP Parekura Horomia dies, age 62 – Story – Politics – 3 News http://www.3news.co.nz/Labour-MP-Parekura-Horomia-dies-age-62/tabid/1607/articleID/295933/Default.aspx#ixzz2RpOsKktE
Very sad. A good man with a big heart.
A very sad loss. May he rest in peace.
RIP Parekura. Few would have a bad word to say about him. Shocking news.
Meanwhile, this piece of sh*t works for Auckland radio stations. I’ll be writing to them telling them what I think, and why I’ll be boycotting them and their ads – you may want to as well …
Speaking of wankers, the wankers at David Farrar’s troll farm are comparing him to Thatcher.
Who is rikdog?
So sad to read of the passing of Parekura Horomia. R.I.P
Jim Mora poses the Ironic Question of the Month
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Monday 29 April 2013
Jim Mora, Jonathan Krebs, Tim Watkin
Today, due to unforeseen circumstances, host Jim Mora found himself in the position of having ten minutes at the end of the program to fill up somehow. Being an experienced and competent operator, this was no problem for him. “We have a spare ten minutes,” he told his two guests, “so we’ll just have a chat about various issues that have come up lately.”
First up, he read out an exceptionally foolish statement by an English chemical analysis, who after she had debunked the false claims that Syria has used chemical weapons, had gone on to claim that even if the “evidence” was entirely false, the “rebels” had done it because they were “desperate”.
The Panelists, including Mora, actually did a good job here, discussing the Syrian question with intelligence and a degree of responsibility—thank God that Panel regulars Dr Michael Bassett or Barry Corbett or Garth “Gaga” George were not on today—and mentioned that the “rebels” were largely Al Qaeda terrorists.
Then, in a deadly serious tone, Jim Mora asked the following question: “Is there a tendency in our society for people to voice their opinion on subjects that they know nothing about?”
To their credit, both Jonathan Krebs and Tim Watkin stifled the guffaws and pretended to ignore the screaming irony of that screamingly funny question.
DISCUSS:
Is Jim Mora the world’s most brilliant deadpan comic? Or did he simply forget, for a brief time this afternoon, that the guest Panelists on his show have included such Ignorami for the Ages as John Barnett, Graham Bell, Barry Corbett, Garth “Gaga” George, Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, Nevil “Breivik” Gibson, Claudette Hauiti, and Jordan Williams?
Here it is, one more time. Enjoy…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Is there a tendency in our society for people to voice their opinion on subjects that they know nothing about?”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hah1. The ‘voice of the people’, the everyman’s best, bester, bestest EVER friend Jum’, the wordsmuth, the intellect…… it’s just so overwhelming.
Save yourself the stress Morissey. Best policy is to just ignore the gittus.
I had some conversation with the guy a few years ago. Back then he promised how he was going to rejuvinate things.
Instead ….. same old shit, same old hacks, same old yearning to be liked, same old kaka to be perceived as the voice of reason…..
(Same shit – different stink).
Not sure why the Slacks et al bother these days – perhaps they just like the same brand of CHardonnay.
IF RNZ ever consider its time for a shapkeup – it’s be Mora in the afternoon, closely followed by Kethluk Guuuuurl in the mourn
Yes Tim I agree. The Mora Borer Show has become almost unlistenable. Coast, Breeze, whatever, at least they deliver what they promise. Often in my car 4-5 pm weekdays. As a consciously careful and attentive driver over the 33 km to home Radio Live and other talkback is just too dangerous. Mora seemed the safe bet.
Unfortunately it’s now just Aunty Affable and his unconscionable gushing over a series of wankers (in the main) who fancy themselves “celebs”. Thus emboldening them in the ignorant mouthing off of which Morrissey complains. I think the name’s Chris Wikaira, an aggressive wahanui on everything who brews yuppie fucking beer for God’s Sake. He’s one of the worst. If that’s not him I apologise to the less offensive Chris Wikaira. Not to overlook Mrs Brassy Voyeur Private Investigator………forget her name, Julia double barrelled something. David Slack is one of the few exceptions. He’s genuinely wry as well.
Helpful redirection would be appreciated.
I think the obnoxious brewer you are thinking of is actually Neil Miller. Your concerns about him are entirely justified.
Chris Wikaira is a National Party-sympathizing dope that manages to say nothing serious or interesting whenever he is on the programme. Last time he was on, his Soapbox contribution consisted of a rant about what he reckons is the poor quality of contributions to the Minecraft discussion boards.
That horrible P.I. is Julia Hartley-Moore.
Indeed North.
Publicly funded radio fulfills a very important role in our society, but “Afternoons with Jim Mora” always leaves me wondering why we’re publicly funding what is essentially talkback radio.
Respects for Parekura Horomia.
The five year old whom the pakeha school bus passed on by. Surprisingly, never bitter. Lovely man living magnificent wairua.
In brief answer to Morrissey: yes, ugly mouthing is not merely a tendency, it is positively encouraged. It’s in the nature of an opiate for dullards, their spittle then harnessed by unscrupulous self-promoters and careerists.
Haere ra Parekura Horomia, takoto mai, e koro.
man, this Auckland Transport problem is gonna cost; “a multi-billion dollar shortfall”
-tolls
-fuel tax
-rates rises
-possible public transport tax
-congestion tax
(any 2 or more of the above)
“even this is not a silver bullet”- Simon Lambourne.
The Christchurch rebuild needs 17000 more workers before 18 months time passes.
Heard Joyce talking of the need for flexibility from “officials” and “immigration” in the same sentence.
more migrant workers will be required.
Apparently, there is no guarantee of the entire “private investment” counted on by the government for Christchurch.
Brian Easton will have a few words to say on the austerity program in the economy on radionz between 8.30 and 9 I think.
No Combrendo, still, aye, Standardistas?
Anyway – Those that may bother to get out of their little spaces, and away from blogs and PC or laptop screens:
01 May 2013:
Labour Action against the owners of Pak’n Save supermarket, at Royal Oak, Manukau Road, Auckland (just near the roundabout), due to decision by that employer to introduce and accept the new youth wage rate at about $ 11 per hour, below the minimum wage of $ 13 something, close to $ 14, as it applies to adults! Also are there other employment issues of staff employed there, First Union have more info. AAAP and others are preparing to take action and present a picket there.
As far as I know they used to have a collective agreement, but only on that site, and it appears to be under threat.
I encourage all in the area to join and support the workers at that supermarket, especially the youth ones, 16 to 19. They are in award negotiations and need all support. Also consider doing your shopping somewhere else, at least for a time, until they have come to the party to pay staff what they deserve.
The minimum wage, also there paid to largely migrant workers, is not sufficient to survive on, and it is an insult as it is. A living wage would be better, but we are fighting to simply even defend the minimum legal wage for those that will likely be short changed!
Also on 01 May 2013:
Joe Carolan communicated that due to a breakdown in negotiations with Mc Donald’s, there will be a 01 May picket outside McDonald’s in Queen Street at 03:30 pm on Mayday.
If any have questions about Mayday, perhaps do a search, look up Wikipedia or else, it has tradition with workers being shot and killed in Chicago some many years ago, for standing up for their worker’s rights, but Mayday is a celebrated Worker’s Day in many countries, in Europe, some countries in Asia, and for some here in Aotearoa NZ.
Labour Day is another affair, but some of us think that Mayday is the day to stand up, take a stand, join others and make a point. So a couple of pickets at mentioned venues will serve the purpose to a degree, and all are asked and invited to join!
Thank you.
The action at Pak’ Save Royal Oak, Auckland is planned for 08:30 am on Wednesday (“benefit day” for the unemployed), 01 May 2013 – MAYDAY!
Unemployed be mindful, a new, harsh, draconian regime for yours and other beneficiaries will start 15 July this year, due to law changes, so be prepared. Also sick and disabled, the onslaught and harassment will hit you and force you to look for work, so show solidarity thanks!