Open mike 29/05/2013
Written By:
- Date published:
6:00 am, May 29th, 2013 - 150 comments
Categories: open mike -
Tags:
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.
The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).
Step right up to the mike…
150 comments on “Open mike 29/05/2013”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
Recent Comments
- The coronavirus outbreak in China: what a difference a week makes
When it comes to emerging infectious diseases and outbreaks, so much can happen in a week. In the case of the coronavirus outbreak in China, I’ve gone from not being too alarmed, to thinking “oh, crap!”. But that still doesn’t mean we should all panic. As I’m writing this on ...10 hours ago - National cries wolf over Coronavirus
Opposition MP Michael WoodhouseLast week, the current National Party leader, Simon Bridges, claimed that the Minister of Health wasn’t leading on ‘significant issues that matter to New Zealanders within his Health portfolio’ when commenting about the Government’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak.This silly comment was made despite David Clark working ...19 hours ago - Fluoridation and sex steroid hormones – or the mouse that roared
All the recent research anti-fluoride campaigners promote as “evidence” of harm from community water fluoridation amount to cherry-picking a very few statistically significant results from a large number of non-significant results. The whole exercise is a bit like the “Mouse that Roared.” Credit: The Mouse that Roared – TMTR Intro ...21 hours ago - Leave Neve alone2 days ago
- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #4
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jan 19, 2020 through Sat, Jan 25, 2020 Editor's Pick The companies that have contributed most to climate change Thought-provoking readings on those most responsible for the pollution. Sometimes, ...2 days ago - The swimming pool paradoxIt’s another warm day, but the breeze isn’t helping much, so off I go to the inviting outdoor swimming pool (banner picture) at the other end of campus. It’s an unheated pool (well, there’s no artificial heat source), which means one thing: It’s going to feel cold when I get ...4 days ago
- 100 seconds to midnight
The Doomsday Clock is a tracker created by he Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists for how close we are to global destruction. Created in 1947, it got worse as the Cold War started, then improved as it cooled down, then got worse again as Ronald Reagan tried to confront the ...4 days ago - A multitude of drops: Social tipping points in climate actionIf you’re here, you probably know that the climate crisis is upon us, that it’s getting steadily worse, and that attempts to address it haven’t worked yet. People are still driving and even advertising SUVs with impunity, and oil companies are exploring like crazy, even in New Zealand. Politically, socially, ...4 days ago
- The Thoughtful Mr Parker.
Stunningly Wrong-Headed: So blinded are the “left-wing” believers in free markets and free trade (like Trade Minister, David Parker) that even when they are staring directly at the wreckage of the lives and communities which these “unconscionable freedoms” (to borrow Marx’s telling phrase) have left in their wake, they cannot ...4 days ago - What’s the problem with all science being “done” in English?I’ve been listening to a wonderful podcast this morning which left me thinking. The podcast was a 30-min well-spent break, in the company of Daniel Midgley and Michael Gordin. You might know Daniel Midgley from the Talk the Talk linguistics podcast. Michael Gordin is the author of “Scientific Babel”, which ...4 days ago
- Snakeflu?! An intriguing source suggested for new Chinese coronavirusThe whole world is on edge over a coronavirus outbreak that started in early December in Wuhan City, China. The virus is thought to have first infected people working at a seafood and live animal market. So what could the original source have been? There’s no official word yet, but ...4 days ago
- Simon’s Philippine jaunt: #LittleBoysPlayingToughguys
Not too far back, Simon Bridges the Leader of the Opposition and National Party, went on an excursion to China. This was arranged not by MFAT (NZ’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade), but by their MP Jian Yang – a man who also just happened to “forget to mention” ...4 days ago - Will Turia ever forgive Labour?Dame Tariana Turia with former PM John KeyWhat is it about Tariana Turia’s grudge against the Labour Party? Not content with attacking the Government over Whānau Ora funding, which was increased by $80 million in 2019, she has now made it personal by saying that Jacinda Ardern is out of her ...5 days ago
- What are the recent fluoride-IQ studies really saying about community water fluoridation?
Scaremongering graphic currently being promoted by Declan Waugh who is well known for misrepresenting the fluoride science This graphic is typical of current anti-fluoride propaganda. It is scare-mongering, in that it is aimed at undermining community ... 5 days ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #3, 2020
Biography of a policy metric Bård Lahn performs a sweeping literature review to present the history of our notion of a "global carbon budget" and how this number has come to encapsulate a massive amount of scientific research into a useful, easily grasped tool in our policy skill set. A ...5 days ago- Oxfam Report: Time to Care – Unpaid and underpaid care work and the global inequality crisis
January 2020 Economic inequality is out of control. In 2019, the world’s billionaires, only 2,153 people, had more wealth than 4.6 billion people. This great divide is based on a flawed and sexist economic system that values the wealth of the privileged few, mostly men, more than the billions of ...5 days ago- How to avoid being a cunt to hospo workers’
Working hospo is hard mahi for many reasons, from long hours and gruelling high-volume weekends to customers who treat us as their servants. There are always lovely and polite customers who treat hospo workers with respect and kindness but, throughout my 15-years in the biz, I’ve collected a number of ...5 days ago- 2019-nCoV (the new coronavirus): Should we be concerned, and will there be a vaccine?
Probably yes to both but don’t panic yet. There is a plan. What is this virus? 2019 novel coronavirus, aka 2019-nCoV, belongs to a family of viruses called coronavirus. These are very common viruses that infect a wide range of animals including humans and can cause mild to severe disease, ...6 days ago- The Chinese coronavirus outbreak: what are the options for vaccines and treatments?
By now you’ve probably heard of the coronavirus outbreak that started in Wuhan City, China. The number of cases is rising, up to about 300 with six deaths. Cases have been reported in several more Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, as well as in Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. ...6 days ago- Educating New Zealand’s future workforce
Judy Kavanagh Do you remember your first day at school? The education I received was for a very different world than the world of today. Along with huge social shifts there have been big changes in the New Zealand economy and the work people do. There are occupations unheard of ...6 days ago- A casual attitude towards transparency
Back in December, when the government was introducing new secrecy legislation on an almost daily basis, I posted about the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Bill. The Bill establishes a new class of public entity, "special purpose vehicles", which collect and spend public money and enjoy statutory powers. Despite this, they ...6 days ago- Against a carbon bailout
If we are to avoid making the planet uninhabitable, we need to cut carbon emisisons fast. Which basicly means putting the fossil fuel industry - coal, gas, and oil - out of business. But this means that the banks and other lenders who have bankrolled the industry's environmental destruction will ...6 days ago- Still a criminal industry
More evidence that the fishing industry suffers from pervasive criminality, with Forest & Bird highlighting some odd numbers in the annual statistics:The Annual Review Report For Highly Migratory Species Fisheries 2018/19 (Pg 4, Table 4) showed only 4% of commercial long lining trips for tuna and swordfish reported non-fish bycatch ...6 days ago- Controversy? Or Manufactroversy?
A few days ago, New Zealand’s Minister of Education announced the wider release of a resource on climate change, which was initially trialled at a Christchurch school during 2018. According to the Minister, children will learn about “the role science plays in understanding climate change, aids understanding of both the response ...6 days ago- The emerging coronavirus outbreak in China
By now you’ve probably heard of the new virus causing an outbreak of severe pneumonia in China. The question on most people’s minds is, how worried should we be, especially as hundreds of millions of people will soon be travelling across China and beyond to visit family for the Lunar ...6 days ago- How did climate change get so controversial?
An excerpt from the book Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change, released Feb 25. Our human brain is poorly equipped to deal with a threat like climate change. Over millions of years, we’ve evolved to avoid life-threatening dangers like predators jumping out of bushes. We’ve survived by quickly detecting and avoiding immediate, short-term ...6 days ago- Farmers are ruining Canterbury’s rivers
Its summer, so people naturally want to go for a swim. But in South Canterbury, you can't, because the rivers are full of toxic goo:As of Monday, the Waihi River at Wilson Street footbridge, Geraldine, the Waihao River at Bradshaws Bridge, and three spots on the Opihi River - at ...7 days ago- Sack Shane Jones
Late last year, NZ First was caught trying to enrich itself from public office, with a dodgy forestry company linked to a number of NZ First figures sticking its hand out repeatedly for government money. Regional Economic Development Minister shane Jones' "explanations" were patently unconvincing, and his recusal from deciding ...7 days ago- BIG idea physics
This morning I’ve been having a quick look through some documentation from The Ministry of Education on proposed changes to NCEA Level 1 Science. For those not familiar with the NZ secondary education system, a typical student would complete NCEA level 1 at the end of year 11. In this ...7 days ago- Revolution in New Zealand? Not Even Close!
No Fires Thanks, We're Kiwis: For the moment, in those close-to-home places where revolutions are born, there may be tetchiness and resentment, frustration and complaint, but nowhere is anybody uttering the cry that will bring a New Zealand revolution into being: “We have found the way to make tomorrow better ...7 days ago- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #3
Story of the Week... Editorial of the Week... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Graphic of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... 'It's heart-wrenching': 80% of Blue Mountains and 50% of ...1 week ago- Britain exits the European Union and takes a sharp right turn
by John Smith Britain’s exit from the imperialist bloc known as the European Union (EU) is now irreversible. The crushing electoral defeat of the Labour Party has dismayed many workers and youth who had placed their hopes in Jeremy Corbyn, its left-wing leader. This article assesses these historic events, neither of which ...1 week ago- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #3
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jan 12, 2020 through Sat, Jan 18, 2020 Editor's Pick The Past and the Future of the Earth’s Oldest Trees Bristlecone pines have survived various catastrophes over the millennia, and they ...1 week ago- How climate change influenced Australia’s unprecedented fires
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections, and has been adapted into a new myth rebuttal on climate-wildfire connections with the short URL sks.to/wildfires Australia’s frightening bushfires, which kicked off an early fire season in September 2019, have already had cataclysmic effects, and the continent is still just in the early ...1 week ago- Gender Identity Ideology – A Partial Bibliography of Online Coverage
This great resource has been contributed to Redline by Janie Doebuck. Janie made some notes on the bibliography: 1) It is by no means exhaustive. There are tons more gender critical posts, essays, articles, podcasts, youtube videos, etc. online. 2) There are links in the bibliography that are behind paywalls. There ...1 week ago- About those biased Oscar Nominations
There’s been a lot written about the 2020 Oscar Nominations and their apparent lack of diversity. It’s true, there are in fact no women nominated for the Best Director and very few nominees of colour across the board. But is this a result of a biased process or a symptom ...2 weeks ago- How New Zealand media reports chronic pain
Hemakumar Devan Around three million New Zealanders access news media (both paper and online) every week. Yes, you heard that right! So, the potential for news media to shape public health beliefs is common sense. As chronic pain affects one in five New Zealanders, we wanted to find out how ...2 weeks ago- Still Waiting For American Democracy.
Unfinished Republic: Though the United States' crimes against democracy are legion, most Americans are blissfully unaware of them. The brutal realities of American life: the officially sanctioned violence; the refusal to hold racists accountable for their actions; the seemingly endless tragedy of African-American suffering; of which White America is the ...2 weeks ago- In Outrage Over Its Bunk Science, Goop Finds Fuel for Growth
Michael Schulson For years, experts have said that Goop, the wellness and lifestyle brand founded by the actor and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow, markets pseudoscience and overblown cures. And for years, despite the criticism, Goop has just kept growing. Now the company, which was valued at $250 million in 2018, ...2 weeks ago- Tobacco Excise Taxes and the Smokefree 2025 Goal: Some Ways Forward
Janet Hoek, Richard Edwards, George Thomson, Andrew Waa, Nick Wilson Debate over tobacco tax increases has intensified as research indicates potentially conflicting policy directions. On the one hand, excise tax increases continue to stimulate quit attempts among smokers yet, on the other hand, they may lead to financial hardship for ...2 weeks ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #2, 2020
Conflation and how to fix it VIa AMS, Raul Lejano looks at what in a layperson's thinking would be called conflation— confusion and blending of entirely different topics— when people think about climate change. Ideology and the Narrative of Skepticism (open access) starts with some arguably frightening false connections between the science and ...2 weeks ago- ‘Cranky Uncle’ smart phone game will show you how to disarm climate deniers
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bud Ward (Image: Courtesy of John Cook) When it comes to climate change, it seems every family has its own version of the proverbial Cranky Uncle. An uncle, cousin, grandparent, in-law, neighbor, whatever. Just think back to the recent holiday season’s large ...2 weeks ago- Science in the ’20s – part 1
Outrageous, immoral or downright dangerous. That’s a description of the lifestyle of women “flappers” in the 1920s. Could it apply to science (and scientists) in the 2020s? Actually, you could look back at the past decade and see those, or similar terms, used about some science and scientists. Sometimes ...2 weeks ago- Postscript: Citizenship Granted.
I am pleased to say that I have been granted NZ citizenship. I need to do the ceremony for things to be official, but the application was a success. I now join my son as a dual NZ-US citizen. To be fair, very little will change other than the fact ...2 weeks ago- Hard News: Music: Morales is coming
It will be no secret to longtime readers that I, Russell Brown, love the disco. So I'm pretty excited by the fact that one of the greats of the game is returning this summer – and also pleased to say I have tickets to give away.Legendary mixer and DJ ...2 weeks ago- The WHO Vaccine Safety Summit – from someone who was actually there
The conspiracy I saw a new conspiracy theory flying around the other day. According to the conspiracy (that seems to originate from Del Bigtree), the World Health Organization have been ‘caught on camera’ questioning the safety of vaccines. Gosh this sounds as though someone was a mole at a ...2 weeks ago- The timely death of the British Labour Party
Below is an article submitted to Redline by Alec Abbott At its inception, the British Labour Party was a vehicle for the propagation of racist and imperialist views within the working-class. Such views are still widespread in the party, as they are in Europe’s Social-Democratic parties, though, in the case of ...2 weeks ago- Mystery China pneumonia outbreak likely caused by new human coronavirus
Connor Bamford, Queen’s University Belfast Since December 2019, there has been a cluster of 59 cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, eastern China. The pneumonia is associated with a previously unidentified coronavirus related to the deadly SARS virus. Seven of those cases are thought to be serious, and one person – ...2 weeks ago- Yes, koalas are cute – but should we bring them to NZ? Errm, no
It’s been hard to miss the extreme fires raging across Australia and the tragic plight of the animals – human and otherwise – affected by the fires’ insatiable spread. I know I’ve been captivated and concerned by the tales of how Australia’s famous wildlife has been coping. Koalas approaching cyclists ...2 weeks ago- National’s negative campaigning
Anybody who looked into the Dirty Politics saga knows all too well that honesty is often in short supply within the National Party. You would think that after the exposure the John Key government received over their untruthful attack politics, the National Party would learn from its "mistakes" and leave ...2 weeks ago- Ending the government’s charade over water
For the past decade, the government has been responding to the obvious Treaty issues raised by water allocation with the mantra that "no-one owns water". But last year, the Waitangi Tribunal ruled that actually, Māori owned it, and that those rights had never been extinguished. They recommended that iwi bring ...2 weeks ago- Northern Ireland joins the civilised world
Same-sex marriage has finally become legal in Northern Ireland. But not through any decision of the Northern Irish Executive or Assembly, which has only just reformed after a three year walkout by the DUP; instead, Westminster made that decision for them. I've talked before about the constitutional impropriety of this, ...2 weeks ago- I had an intense conversation at work today.
Claire Cohen-Norris volunteers with Citizens Climate Lobby as a chapter founder and leader in rural New York. Her climate advocacy sprung from her drive to provide a secure, joyful and fulfilling life for her two wonderful children. It has become a life’s mission, shared with her like-minded husband and partner. Claire ...2 weeks ago- French transport workers take on Macron over pension reform
by John Edmundson Starting on December 5th, 2019 workers in the Parisian rail network commenced an open-ended strike in opposition to French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed changes to their pension scheme. Rail workers in the Metro Underground have, for decades, had retirement conditions that compensate them for the low wages, ...2 weeks ago- What a difference the decimal point makes
I’m back at work following a nearly three-week break over Christmas. We were fortunate to be offered a house to stay in for a week over Christmas, which enabled us to have a holiday in Dunedin and see the extended family reasonably cheaply. But the house came with a catch: ...2 weeks ago- Who’s Going To Stop Him?
Blank And Pitiless: Having ordered the assassination of the Iranian General, Qasem Soleimani, President Donald Trump promised to reduce the cultural monuments of Iran’s 3,000 year-old civilisation to rubble if a revenge attack was mounted. A breach of international law? Certainly. A war crime? Indisputably. Who’s going to stop him? Nobody.WHAT ...2 weeks ago- A worker’s story
This interview is from Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement (AWSM) and is the first of an ongoing series of interviews they plan to do with workers from various sectors who are having their well being and livelihoods damaged. They begin with an educator in Southland. Due to the attitude and actions ...2 weeks ago- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #2
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jan 5, 2020 through Sat, Jan 11, 2020 Editor's Pick Debunked Australian Bushfire Conspiracy Theories Were Pushed by Alex Jones, Murdoch Media As unusually intense and widespread bushfires have ...2 weeks ago- J.K. Rowling, the Seattle Library, and the Issue That Must Not Be Named
This article was submitted to Redline by Seattle-based activist Lucinda Stoan J.K. Rowling recognizes repression when she sees it. That’s why the author of the wildly popular Harry Potter books recently tweeted in defense of Maya Forstater. Forstater lost her job for stating that sex is real and immutable. A judge ...2 weeks ago- Rules of Empire: Laws simply do not apply and “National Security” excuses all else.
Empires rise and fall, and the American Empire is absolutely no different. But while an Empire, in order to further the footprint, it seems to pay to do one primary thing above all else: project that everything – everything – is “simply for the good of the world” at large, ...2 weeks ago- Indian lessons for NZ workers – the January 8 general strike
by Phil Duncan On Wednesday (January 8) another massive general strike took place in India. Some 250 million industrial workers, white-collar workers, agricultural labourers struck against the government’s economic policies and attacks on the Muslim population through new proposed citizenship rules. This ...3 weeks ago- Climate Change: The action that counts
Over on Newsroom, Professor Jacqueline Beggs writes about the action she is taking on climate change. Its the usual list: reduce meat, don't fly, consume less. I'm doing some of this myself, and none of it hurts - but the way our economic system is constructed means the impact of ...3 weeks ago- Fossil fuel political giving outdistances renewables 13 to one
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk Corporations, special interest groups, and individuals inject billions of dollars into the American political system every year. Much of the financial support in politics is concealed from public view, as some rules – and loopholes – allow “dark money” and ...3 weeks ago- Animal response to a bushfire is astounding. These are the tricks they use to survive
Dale Nimmo, Charles Sturt University Have you ever wondered how our native wildlife manage to stay alive when an inferno is ripping through their homes, and afterwards when there is little to eat and nowhere to hide? The answer is adaptation and old-fashioned ingenuity. Australia’s bushfire season is far from ...3 weeks ago- Should I ditch my fossil-fueled car?
Yes. Reducing the number of cars in your household, or switching from petrol/diesel to electric, will dramatically reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. It’s one of the easiest and highest-impact climate steps you can take. New Zealand is being flooded with cars The New Zealand vehicle fleet is increasing rapidly. In ...3 weeks ago- Speaker: Planet History: Taking Tea with Quentin
This interview with Quentin Crisp is part of a series of articles republished from Planet, the independent magazine I edited in the early 90s from a base at 309 Karangahape Road, along with Grant Fell, Rachael Churchward, Fiona Rae, David Teehan, Mere Ngailevu and others.Inevitably, you forget things, and over ...3 weeks ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #1, 2020
Supply Side How are we doing with CO2 emissions? It's an important question, increasingly posed to a mixed bag of CO2 contributors who may or may not provide accurate reportage. Liu et al present a new, additional means of measurement based on satellite observations of nitrogen dioxide co-emitted from ...3 weeks ago- Donald Trump’s strategic gamble
There’s a meme going around the Internet at the moment claiming that Donald Trump is a bit of an idiot. To outside eyes it does seem as though the President of the United States thumbs his nose at his own countries laws and administration far too often to be taken ...3 weeks ago- Is the prostitute the seller or the sold?
Excerpts from Being and Being Bought, by Kajsa Ekis Ekman, Spinifex Press, 2013. Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book. This is the third part of a synopsis and brief commentary of the book by Daphna Whitmore. Part 1 was ...3 weeks ago- The climate crisis is also a biodiversity crisis
Dr Andrea Byrom Like many of us, the summer break has seen me transfixed with horror at the scale and magnitude of the bushfire crisis in Australia. As an ecologist, I can’t help but be appalled at the loss of some of Australia’s most beautiful ecosystems and landscapes. And ...3 weeks ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #3, 2020
- Week That Was: 2020
We are back for 2020! From changes to Family Funded Care, to a record high number of Kiwis in construction in the trades - we're already back making progress on those long-term challenges. Read all about it and more ...4 days ago - Winston Peters: “Ihumātao deal still a long way off”
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told Mike Hosking that a settlement deal regarding Ihumātao in Auckland is still a long way off. The Maori King's flag was lowered at the site near Auckland Airport yesterday, sparking suggestions an announcement of a deal could be made by Waitangi Day. Pania Newton, ...5 days ago - Winston Peters accuses Gerry Brownlee of ‘politicising’ Holocaust memorialForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters is accusing Gerry Brownlee of "politicising" a Holocaust memorial event after the National MP questioned the lack of Kiwi representation there. The Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem, Israel, is holding the World Holocaust Forum on January 23 to mark 75 years since ...5 days ago
- Provincial Growth Fund to help Waipukurau Pā sites attract thousands of touristsThe Ngā Ara Tipuna - Waipukurau Pā Site Interpretation project is receiving $2.798 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. It is is expected to boost the town's employment and tourism, creating sixteen new jobs once completed and attract up to 15,000 visitors a year. Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development ...6 days ago
- “Common sense will prevail, not extremism” Winston Peters backs Shane Jones’ pro-meat stanceNew Zealand First leader Winston Peters is backing his MPs who have spoken out against a new climate change teaching resource that advises students to eat less meat to save the planet. The new teaching resource, announced by Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Climate Change Minister James Shaw, tells students ...7 days ago
- Violent assault on paramedic highlights need for law changeDarroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Justice Today’s horrific violent assault of an on-duty female paramedic which rendered her unconscious is truly unsettling. “Our thoughts are with the paramedic, her loved ones and the St John’s team at Warkworth Station,” says New Zealand First Justice Spokesperson Darroch Ball. “Harsher penalties for perpetrators ...1 week ago
- Acting PM Winston Peters confirms NZDF troops in Iraq not hit by Iranian attacksActing Prime Minister Winston Peters called for calm and diplomacy following Iranian missile strikes on bases housing United States troops in Iraq, but confirmed New Zealand's base in the country was not hit. The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) was earlier today investigating claims New Zealand's base in Iraq had ...1 week ago
- Kaikōura $10.88 million boost in tourism & businessFletcher Tabuteau MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10.88 million to boost business and tourism opportunities in Kaikōura, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Regional Economic Development, Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. As part of the Kaikōura Marina Development Programme, the following two projects will receive ...2 weeks ago
- Delivering a stable water supply to WairarapaHon. Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in Wairarapa The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $7.11 million to create a sustainable water supply for the Wairarapa. The PGF will provide a $7 million investment to Wairarapa Water Limited to progress the Wairarapa Water Storage Scheme towards procurement, consenting, ...2 weeks ago
- Housing consents hit highest level since 1974Housing consents have hit a 45-year high, as Statistics NZ data shows a total of 37,010 residential consents were issued in the year to November --- the first time they have breached the 37,000 mark since the mid-1970s. Statistics NZ said the trend had been rising since late 2011, when ...2 weeks ago
- Darroch Ball MP: “Violence against first responders is a problem on the rise”New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball says that a paramedic being kicked unconscious last night in an attempted burglary in Warkworth, north of Auckland, is a symptom of a larger problem. "Incidents like this are becoming more and more frequent...and it’s getting worse," Mr Ball said. The MP is pushing for ...2 weeks ago
- Minister Ron Mark asks NZDF to conduct fire risk assessment from defence point of viewDefence Minister Ron Mark said there was nothing to prevent similar large-scale bushfires seen in Australia from also happening in New Zealand, and has asked the New Zealand Defence Force to conduct a nfire risk assessment from a defence point of view. The defence assessment would help prevent a disaster ...3 weeks ago
- Defence Minister Mark expresses “absolute confidence” in NZDF forces stationed in IraqWhile feeling worried about increased Middle East tensions, Defence Minister Ron Mark said he had "absolute confidence" in New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) leadership. His statements come as the fate of Kiwi troops stationed in Iraq comes under intense scrutiny. Forty-five Defence Force personnel were thought to be in the ...3 weeks ago
- Minister pays tribute to journalist, author and broadcaster, Gordon McLauchlan
The Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media, Kris Faafoi, has paid tribute to well-known New Zealand author, journalist and broadcaster, Gordon McLauchlan, following Mr McLauchlan’s death today. “Gordon held a statesman-like place in New Zealand’s media, which was fittingly acknowledged in last year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours, when he was ...16 hours ago - Minister wishes best of luck to those heading back to schoolAs Kiwi kids and teachers return to classrooms over the coming weeks, the families of around 428,000 students will feel a bit less of a financial pinch than in previous years, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The Government’s decision to increase funding for schools that don’t ask parents for ...19 hours ago
- Health staff to meet flights from China as precautionary measurePublic health staff will begin meeting flights from China from tomorrow, to actively look for signs of the novel coronavirus and provide advice, information and reassurance to passengers. Health Minister Dr David Clark says the additional measures are being taken following the arrival of the disease in Australia, via flights ...2 days ago
- National Yearling Sales 2020National Yearling Sales at Karaka 26 January 2020 [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here on opening day of the 2020 National Yearling Sales Series. Let us all acknowledge Sir Peter Vela and the Vela family for their outstanding contribution to the New ...2 days ago
- Government and construction industry to build big, lift productivity with Transformation PlanDelivering the workforce and productivity gains required to build the houses, schools, roads, rail and hospitals New Zealand needs will become easier with the Government-industry Construction Sector Transformation Plan launched today, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa says. “The action plan launched today delivers on the Government’s Construction Sector ...2 days ago
- Log trains to begin on Wairoa-Napier lineLog trains are about to start running between Wairoa and Napier following Provincial Growth Fund investment to reopen the rail line, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Government invested $6.2 million to reopen the mothballed rail line which was closed after significant storm damage in 2012. “With PGF ...3 days ago
- Minister of Defence concludes successful visit with his US counterpartMinister of Defence Ron Mark met with United States Secretary of Defense Mark Esper today. “This was an excellent opportunity to meet with one of our closest security partners,” Ron Mark said. “The main focus of the meeting was to discuss challenges that New Zealand and the United States share ...3 days ago
- New Zealand acknowledges ICJ decision on MyanmarForeign Minister Winston Peters today acknowledged the ruling of the International Court of Justice in relation to the Rohingya people in Myanmar. The ruling ordered the Government of Myanmar to take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of acts of genocide in relation to members of the ...3 days ago
- NZ’s trade aims advanced at Davos meetingsA proposal to cut “trade and production-distorting subsidies” in the agricultural sector by 2030 has set out important measures to ensure a fair agricultural trading system. Speaking after attending meetings of trade ministers in Davos, Switzerland, Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker welcomed the joint proposal from the ...4 days ago
- Great news for New Zealanders with cystic fibrosisHealth Minister Dr David Clark says he is delighted that PHARMAC has struck a provisional deal to fund Kalydeco – a medicine which is set to improve the quality of life for about 30 New Zealand children and adults with cystic fibrosis. “While rare, cystic fibrosis is an awful inherited ...4 days ago
- New Zealand least corrupt country in the worldNew Zealand has regained its position as the least corrupt country in the world for the second time under this Coalition Government, says Justice Minister Andrew Little. “New Zealanders can be proud that our reputation as one of the least corrupt countries in the world has been restored,” says Andrew ...4 days ago
- Boost for Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands Community ConservationCommunity conservation in Rēkohu/Wharekauri/the Chatham Islands is receiving a boost, with grants to support local projects announced today by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “Rēkohu/Wharekauri/ the Chatham Islands are home to 20 per cent of New Zealand’s threatened bird species and 11 per cent of New Zealand’s threatened plant species. ...5 days ago
- Rātana Pā goes high-tech with UFBIwi, hapu and visitors to Rātana Pā near Whanganui now have access to ultra-fast broadband following its connection, completed in time for annual Rātana celebrations, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. The connection and associated hardware were funded from the Provincial Growth Fund’s $21 million Marae Digital Connectivity programme, ...5 days ago
- Govt’s strong financial management acknowledgedThe Government’s strong financial management and plan to future proof the economy with new infrastructure investment has gained further recognition from an international ratings agency. Credit rating agency Fitch has upgraded one of its main metrics assessing the Government’s books, lifting its foreign currency AA rating outlook to ‘positive’ from ...5 days ago
- Boost in Whānau Ora funding to keep changing livesWhānau throughout New Zealand are set to benefit from an extra three million dollars that will go directly to Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies, the Minister for Whānau Ora Peeni Henare announced today. Including previous funding boosts, the Agencies will now receive $87 million this year between them. In Budget 2019 ...5 days ago
- More people getting into workThe December quarter benefit numbers released today show the Government’s plan to get people off the benefit and into work is starting to pay off,” Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni said. “Nearly 19,000 people cancelled their benefit and went into work in the last few months of the year – ...5 days ago
- Wairoa gets up to $6.1m to rebuild heart of CBDThe Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing up to $6.1 million to revitalise business and tourism opportunities in Wairoa, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. The PGF is funding: Up to $4.8 million for the Wairoa Integrated Business and Tourism Facility Up to $960,000 for the ...6 days ago
- Major Events support for creative and cultural eventsCreative and cultural events that highlight New Zealand’s diverse culture and build national pride are set to get a funding boost through the Major Events Fund, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford said today. The new Creative and Cultural Events Incubator, which is funded through the Major Events Fund, will open ...6 days ago
- Classroom internet in hundreds of schools to get a boostThe Government has begun a massive IT upgrade to provide more seamless internet access to 200 schools around the country. Te Mana Tūhono – Technology in Schools work programme will launch with a pilot of 10 smaller state schools early this year. IT equipment that gives students access to the ...6 days ago
- Construction workforce, apprenticeships hit record highsWorking with industry and committing to rebuild New Zealand’s infrastructure has produced a record high number of Kiwis working in the construction industry and learning trades, says Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. New figures available today from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Tertiary Education ...6 days ago
- NZ concludes digital economy trade talks with Singapore and ChileA new trade agreement concluded today helps New Zealand exporters and consumers take advantage of opportunities from digital trade. Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker together with Chile’s Vice Minister of Trade Rodrigo Yañez and Singapore’s Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing, have announced conclusion of ...6 days ago
- Provincial Growth Fund to fund Waipukurau cultural development and tourismThe Ngā Ara Tipuna - Waipukurau Pā Site Interpretation project will receive $2.798 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to create an authentic cultural tourism experience, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today “The project will inform visitors about the history of six pā sites in Waipukurau with a combination ...7 days ago
- 21 new judges boost diversity, improve access to justiceTwenty-one new District Court judges have been appointed in a move that will improve access to justice and boost diversity on the bench. The new judges include replacements for retirements and 10 new positions. Attorney-General David Parker today announced the 14 judges who can immediately be named, with the remainder ...7 days ago
- Puhinui to Auckland Airport in 10 minutesAucklanders are another step closer to getting rapid transit to the airport, with the start of construction to upgrade State Highway 20B to the airport, Transport Minister Phil Twyford announced today. SH20B will be upgraded with additional lanes in each direction, dedicated to bus and high-occupancy vehicles between Pukaki Creek ...7 days ago
- Advancing New Zealand’s trade agenda focus of Europe meetingsWorld Trade Organisation reform, agricultural trade and a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom will be the focus of Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker’s visit to Europe this week. David Parker leaves on Tuesday for a series of meetings in the UK and Switzerland that aim ...1 week ago
- Minister of Defence to visit counterparts in US and CanadaThe Minister of Defence, Ron Mark, departed today for the United States and Canada where he will meet with his counterparts. While in Canada Minister Mark will meet with his counterpart, Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan. “New Zealand and Canada are close friends, and share an instinctive like-mindedness on ...1 week ago
- Government to deliver family carers $2000 pay rise, expand scheme to spouses this yearThe Coalition Government is delivering this year the changes to Funded Family Care the disability sector has long-asked for, says Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa. “Today we are announcing the details of our big changes to Funded Family Care, including an annual average pay boost of $2,246.40 for funded ...1 week ago
- Ko te reo kua mū: Piri SciasciaMinister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta joins te ao Māori in their sorrow as they learn of the loss of one of the great orators and spokespersons of a generation – Piri Sciascia. “The son of Pōrangahau was a staunch advocate for Māori development and served his people for over ...1 week ago
- Minister opens new ecosanctuary at Cape FarewellA new ecosanctuary with a predator proof fence on Golden Bay’s Cape Farewell, which will restore a safe home for sea birds, rare native plants, giant snails, and geckos, was officially opened today by the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “There has been a fantastic community effort supported by the ...1 week ago
- Pacific partners work together to provide additional support to AustraliaThe NZDF continues to support the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as it battles fires in Victoria and New South Wales, including by transporting Republic of Fiji Military engineers from Nadi to Australia, announced Defence Minister Ron Mark. On Saturday morning a NZDF Boeing 757 will depart New Zealand to uplift ...2 weeks ago
- Kaikōura $10.88 million boost in tourism & businessThe Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10.88 million to boost business and tourism opportunities in Kaikōura, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Regional Economic Development, Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. As part of the Kaikōura Marina Development Programme, the following two projects will receive PGF funding: A $9.88 million investment to begin the ...2 weeks ago
- Govt accounts in surplus, debt remains lowThe Government’s books are in good shape with the accounts in surplus and expenses close to forecast, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Treasury today released the Crown accounts for the five months to November. The operating balance before gains and losses (OBEGAL) was above forecast by $0.7 billion resulting ...2 weeks ago
- Auckland focus for first Police graduation of 2020The number of Police on the Auckland frontline is increasing with the graduation today of a special locally-trained wing of new constables. Police Minister Stuart Nash says the graduation of eighteen officers from Recruit Wing 333-5 means that more than 1900 new Police have been deployed since the Coalition Government ...2 weeks ago
- Wairarapa gets $7.11m PGF water boostThe Provincial Growth Fund is putting $7.11 million into creating a sustainable water supply for Wairarapa, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. The following two projects will receive Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) funding: A $7 million investment in Wairarapa Water Limited for the pre-construction development of ...2 weeks ago
- Progress with new Police station in MahiaCommunity safety and crime prevention in the East Coast community of Mahia has moved forward with the opening of a new Police station to serve the growing coastal settlement. Police Minister Stuart Nash has officially opened the new station, which was relocated almost 20 kilometres along the coast from the nearby ...2 weeks ago
- Plans to protect the future of whitebaiting announcedWith several native whitebait species in decline the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage has today released proposals to standardise and improve management of whitebait across New Zealand. “The need for action for a healthy whitebait fishery has never been greater,” Eugenie Sage said. “Four of the six whitebait species are ...2 weeks ago
- New resource for schools to increase awareness and understanding of climate changeA new Ministry of Education resource available for schools in 2020 will increase awareness and understanding of climate change, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The resource, Climate Change – prepare today, live well tomorrow, will help students understand the effects of climate change at a local, national and global ...2 weeks ago
- Getting more out of our most productive firmsFinance Minister Grant Robertson has approved the terms of reference for an Inquiry into the economic contribution of New Zealand's frontier firms. Frontier firms are the most productive firms in the domestic economy within their own industry. “These firms are important as they diffuse new technologies and business practices into ...2 weeks ago
- NZDF sends more support to AustraliaThe New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is sending an Environmental Health Team, a Primary Health Care Team and a Chaplain to Australia, boosting New Zealand support for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as it battles bush fires in Victoria and New South Wales, Defence Minister Ron Mark announced today. The ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand joins partners in calling for full investigation into air crash in IranActing Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rt Hon Winston Peters says that developments suggesting a surface-to-air missile is responsible for the downing of the Ukrainian International Airlines flight in Iran is disastrous news. “New Zealand offers its deepest sympathies to the families of the 176 victims. It is ...3 weeks ago
- The Wuhan coronavirus is highly likely to arrive in NZ, but please don’t freak out
When it comes to emerging infectious diseases and outbreaks, so much can happen in a week. In the case of the coronavirus outbreak in China, I’ve gone from not being too alarmed, to thinking, oh, crap! But that still doesn’t mean we should all panic, writes Siouxsie Wiles. The ...4 hours ago - The Real Pod: Art Green dissects episode one of The Bachelorette NZIn this very special episode of The Real Pod, Art Green joins us to yarn about The Bachelorette NZ premiere. Brought to you by our friends at Nandos. It’s been five years in the making, but we finally got Art Green on our podcast. Joining us fresh out of episode one ...7 hours ago
- The Bachelorette NZ Power Rankings: Send in the ladsAlex Casey delivers her first impression power rankings after episode one of The Bachelorette NZ.Isn’t it incredible what a difference five years makes? Since the first season of The Bachelor NZ, Art Green has found the love of his live, written a book, married the love of his life, launched ...7 hours ago
- Government’s ‘play nicely’ building accord
The Government has unveiled a 'Transformation plan' it hopes will reduce risks for wary contractors. ...9 hours ago - Ngāti Paoa agree to keep reserve at Pt England
The Ngāti Paoa Iwi Trust, mandated to receive all treaty settlement assets on behalf of Ngāti Paoa, has recently agreed with the Crown to forgo its 11.69-hectare commercial housing opportunity at Pt England reserve. In exchange, Ngāti Paoa will instead ...9 hours ago - Hawke’s Bay councils get $1.5m to assess ‘three waters’ agency viability
Five Hawke's Bay councils are getting government funding to investigate setting up a water agency to manage drinking, storm and sewage water across the whole region. ...9 hours ago - Promoting the legal recognition of sign languagesA group of international delegates will convene in Wellington this week for a two-day workshop progressing a collaborative project aimed at promoting the legal recognition of sign languages in Asia Pacific countries. ...10 hours ago
- After Ihumātao, Māori Party calls for Treaty overhaul
The Māori Party says all stolen land should be up for negotiation, even if it's now privately owned. ...10 hours ago - The importance of promoting mining for the benefit of NZers27 January 2020 (Wellington): Public policy think tank The New Zealand Initiative opposes changing the purpose of the Crown Minerals Act from the promotion of mining for the benefit of New Zealanders. ...11 hours ago
- Govt’s new plan seeks to tackle construction sector issues
Leading construction figures acknowledge a degree of cynicism in the sector at a newly touted Transformation Plan, but say it's the best shot of tackling long-standing problems. ...12 hours ago - Bernard’s Pick of the links- Jan 27
Simon Bridges defends Philippines trip: 'There is a lot of common ground'; and BNZ sale price likely to top $10b, experts predict. ...12 hours ago - Grounds established to reassess neonicotinoidsThe Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has determined that grounds exist to reassess approvals of substances containing neonicotinoids used in New Zealand. ...13 hours ago
- Withdrawal agreement – done; Brexit – happening; now for the EU – UK trade deal …
As Britain ticks closer to its formal departure from the European Union on 31 January, attention is focusing on negotiations for a trade and economic treaty. Britain’s PM, Boris Johnson, has said a deal has to be done before transitional arrangements expire at the end of 2020. European leaders are ...13 hours ago - Adulttoymegastore supports Australian bushfire reliefAdulttoymegastore is proud to have supported a major fundraiser for Red Cross Australia’s bushfire relief efforts. ...13 hours ago
- Businesses in central NZ more confident economy will improve
Business confidence has improved in the central provinces despite ongoing labour shortages. ...14 hours ago - Synlait increases forecast milk payout
Dairy company Synlait has increased its forecast payout for the current production of milk solids on the back of strong market prices. ...14 hours ago - SPVs are hailed as a way of funding infrastructure for housing – but will they be open to public s...
Readers who haven’t encountered the concept should brace to hear more about the use of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV). An SPV is a legal entity created for a specific purpose, such as raising capital – the SPV then can be a funding structure, through which all investors (or investors under ...14 hours ago - Government’s new plan seeks to tackle construction sector issuesLeading construction figures acknowledge a degree of cynicism in the sector at a newly touted Transformation Plan, but say it's the best shot of tackling long-standing problems. ...15 hours ago
- What’s on RNZ News at midday – Jan 27
The Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis has declined to comment on the impact of the virus on the country’s biggest export industry. ...15 hours ago - Ihumātao deal looks dirtier by the dayThe New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Winston Peters and Auckland Councillors to veto the rumoured dirty deal at Ihumātao. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “If Grant Robertson funnels $45 million through Auckland Council ...17 hours ago
- Wholesome, witty and woke: The unproblematic comedy of John MulaneyJean Sergent writes about her comedy crush John Mulaney, and what makes his brand of wholesome yet sharp comedy so special.Who is John Mulaney and why do people love him so dang much? John Mulaney is a white, middle class, American stand up comedian. He’s a former Saturday Night Live ...18 hours ago
- Five issues company directors can’t ignore this year
Action on climate change is top of the list of matters company directors will need to grapple with in 2020. ...18 hours ago - On the far-right soldier charged with disclosing intelBy Tom Peters, Socialist Equality Group 25 January 2020, original url: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/25/fasc-j25.html ...19 hours ago
- Seafood may be among first trade casualties of coronavirus
The deadly new virus that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan will affect New Zealand exporters, a top seafood official says. ...20 hours ago - What’s on RNZ News at 8am – Jan 27
The Police Minister Stuart Nash says it is investing in a long term plan to fight gangs and stop them recruiting new members. ...20 hours ago - What’s in the newspapers – Jan 27
New Zealand authorities have stepped up measures to combat the deadly coronavirus as it spreads to more countries and the global death toll climbs. ...20 hours ago - How smart were our ancestors? Turns out the answer isn’t in brain size, but blood flow
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger S. Seymour, Professor Emeritus of Physiology, University of Adelaide How did human intelligence evolve? Anthropologists have studied this question for decades by looking at tools found in archaeological digs, evidence of the use of fire and so on, and changes in ...20 hours ago - Yes, this continent was invaded in 1788 – an international law expert explainsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowan Nicholson, Associate Lecturer and Co-director of the Sydney Centre for International Law, University of Sydney Should we remember January 26 1788 as “Invasion Day”? The colonisation of Australia was an invasion from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective. But critics ...20 hours ago
- 29,000 cancers overdiagnosed in Australia in a single yearSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Barratt, Professor of Public Health, University of Sydney Almost one in four cancers detected in men were overdiagnosed in 2012, according to our new research, published today in the Medical Journal of Australia. In the same year, we found that approximately ...20 hours ago
- How a year of trying to buy nothing made me a smarter shopper and a better teacherSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ellen Heyting, PhD student in Education and Head of Years 11 and 12, Monash University It started as a New Year’s resolution driven by guilt and a touch of sibling rivalry – but by the end of the year, it taught me ...20 hours ago
- 10½ commandments of writingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Williams, Lecturer, Flinders University Every author is asked by new writers for advice. There is, however, no all-encompassing, single answer that also happens to be correct. Quite a lot of commonly offered suggestions (“write every day”) don’t work for everyone and ...20 hours ago
- Newshub’s Hal Crawford on Mark Weldon, Paul Henry and the TV rating circusIn episode two of The Spinoff’s newish media podcast The Fold, host Duncan Greive conducts an exit interview with Hal Crawford, the departing head of Newshub. Hal Crawford landed into a TV3 newsroom in crisis in 2016. Campbell Live had been axed. Hilary Barry had resigned. He had been hired by ...21 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Māori Party revival gathers steamGood morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Māori Party revival gathers steam, Coronavirus response screening stepped up, and rural economists predict dairy land value slide.A clear theme has emerged from the political gathering at Rātana this weekend – the Māori Party are getting ready for a serious ...21 hours ago
- Will Govt appoint Auckland’s light rail builder in 2020?
There’s a possibility nobody will be selected to build light rail this year, but we will have, apparently by mid-year, a decision on who pays for it. ...22 hours ago - Understanding KiwiSaver, part two: the fundHow to stop procrastinating and actually (finally) get on top of KiwiSaver. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it. Read part one here.In a lot of ways, KiwiSaver is a bit of a misnomer. Sure you’re saving for your future ...23 hours ago
- Coronavirus: don’t panic yet – the global medical world is responding
Much action has already been taken globally to address the Wuhan-originated Coronavirus, the University of Auckland's Dr Helen Petousis-Harris explains. ...23 hours ago - Dick Scott, RIP: the Pakeha of Parihaka, part 1
All week ReadingRoom acknowledges the great New Zealand writer Dick Scott, who died on January 1. Today: an excerpt from his ground-breaking book, Ask That Mountain, which alerted New Zealanders to the disgrace of the Parihaka invasion. ...23 hours ago - Beca: a 100 year-old, Kiwi-grown multinational
The largest New Zealand owned and headquartered professional services business, Beca, is about to enter its second century with a global reach and staff in offices from Myanmar to the Pacific Islands. Tim Murphy asked its chair and chief executive the secrets of its success. ...23 hours ago - The miracle worker who took on the Black Sticks
A massive year for the Black Sticks women starts this weekend - so who is the Irishman guiding them, hopefully, to their first Olympic medal? David Leggat finds out. ...23 hours ago - The remarkable Kiwi surgeon who’s helped hundreds in Nepal
Every year 33 million people globally are left impoverished after paying for surgery. Others die for lack of treatment. New Zealander Ian Bissett has been operating on desperately poor patients in Nepal for more than 20 years. He tells Eloise Gibson his remarkable story. ...23 hours ago - Ex tycoon’s nurse fights on for millions
A rugby and business legend with longstanding links to New Zealand is still being pursued in US courts by his former personal nurse for millions of dollars. ...23 hours ago - In New Zealand we need to recall our own links to the HolocaustLast week the discovery of Nazi symbols sprayed outside a Wellington synagogue brought shock and condemnation. But New Zealand is no stranger to anti-semitism. In light of increasing ignorance about the Holocaust, we need to revisit and acknowledge our history, writes Scott Hamilton.Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Around the world, ...23 hours ago
- How is Christchurch now, after everything?At a recent wedding I was asked how Christchurch is doing now. It turns out that question is more difficult to answer than I thought.On a warm autumn night in Melbourne, a nice man wearing a nice suit has two questions. The first is easy: Where do you live?“Christchurch,” I ...23 hours ago
- Indonesia releases US Mongabay journalist held on visa chargePacific Media Watch An American environmental journalist accused of violating the terms of his visa has been freed after three days in jail and is likely to be deported soon, a top Indonesian government minister said, reports The New York Times. The journalist, Philip Jacobson, 30, who works for ...1 day ago
- Samoan PM Tuilaepa attacks Observer over criticism of media banBy Mata’afa Keni Lesa in Apia Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr Sa’ilele Malielegaoi has attacked the Samoa Observer, accusing the nation’s only daily newspaper of being “nosy,” spreading “lies” and employing “kids” whose writing, he says, are misleading the public. Tuilaepa issued his attack in response to the Samoa Observer’s ...1 day ago
- The Wuhan coronavirus is now in Australia – here’s what you need to knowSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sanjaya Senanayake, Associate Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Physician, Australian National University New South Wales Health has confirmed three men in their 30s, 40s and 50s in Sydney have tested positive to the new Wuhan coronavirus after returning from China. This follows ...2 days ago
- Shane Jones: Pay heed to the dignity of womenAt the annual gathering at Rātana pā last Friday, Shane Jones unleashed an unhinged attack on Pania Newton. He referred to Pania as, “a young putiputi (flower)” then doubled down on his diatribe against Pania by stating that “Pania must not ...2 days ago
- Lucy Lawless as Stevie Nicks is New Zealand’s forgotten comedy masterpieceTwenty-two years ago, Lucy Lawless wasn’t just playing Xena, she was part of one of SNL’s greatest ever sketches. Sam Brooks pays tribute to Stevie Nicks Fajita Round-Up.The year is 1998. Jenny Shipley is prime minister, we win zero medals at the Olympics, and an actress named Lucy Lawless is the ...2 days ago
- Recipe: Best-ever potato saladEveryone needs a good spud salad recipe in their repertoire, and this herb-packed offering is hard to beat. This is my go-to potato salad recipe and it was one I had never written down nor considered sharing. Until before Christmas, that is, when we headed inland to celebrate the festive season ...2 days ago
- A handy guide to being a good friend to a new mumThe fourth trimester is exhausting for new parents. Here’s how you can help.There are no visitors, only staff. This was the most empowering advice I got as a new māmā because it gave me permission to let go of the people-pleasing and embrace the generosity of those around me.They call ...2 days ago
- Island FútbolFar from home, the Latin American football fanatics of Waiheke Island are fighting to regain their place on the New Zealand football league. It’s a tale of passion, pride and love for the beautiful game, writes Michael Andrew.This story was made possible by Spinoff Members. To support independent, homegrown journalism, ...2 days ago
- Minto calls for ‘mobilisation’ backing peace, justice in Middle EastJohn Minto praises Iraqi protests against US aggression in the Middle East and calls for NZ troops to be recalled at a rally in Auckland’s Aotea Square today. Video: David Robie/Cafe Pacific Pacific Media Centre Veteran campaigner John Minto, UNITE union national director Mike Treen and other speakers today ...2 days ago
- First Australian coronavirus case confirmed – 41 now dead in ChinaBy RNZ News The first Australian case of Wuhan coronavirus has been confirmed, with a man being held under isolation in a Melbourne hospital. News of the case came after Chinese authorities said they were treating 1287 patients with the virus, while the death toll has risen to 41. ...3 days ago
- Extinction Rebellion encouraged as police drop chargesJust three days prior to his court hearing, the Police have withdrawn their case against Dylan Parker, the first Extinction Rebellion member to be charged in Aotearoa. ...3 days ago
- Outdoors Party on 5G5G NEWS: REQUEST FOR REGULATIONS REVIEW OF “NESTF” REGULATIONS WHICH EXEMPT CELLTOWERS AND OTHER RFEMR EMISSIONS FROM RMA ...3 days ago
- Protect Our People From 2019-nCoVThe state-funded RNZ reports that in the coming weeks visitors from Wuhan will begin arriving into New Zealand, while the "Ministry of Health says there are currently no restrictions on travel or border screening in New Zealand and the risk here is ...3 days ago
- Faster broadband comes to Rātana – and now they are better connected to the world than many peopl...
The Jones boy is back in the business of making good-news announcements about the Provincial Growth Fund, rather than being asked to explain his role in one of hundreds of applications made by business people keen to slurp a few million from the $3 billion trough. Today our Regional Development ...3 days ago - Make it so-so: Star Trek: Picard, reviewedThe Frenchest man to helm a starship is back! The first episode of Star Trek: Picard is out, and José Barbosa and Josie Adams have some thoughts.Warning: contains spoiler (kind of a big one)Josie AdamsCaptain Jean-Luc Picard was a father figure to me for a couple of years, so seeing ...3 days ago
- Short story: Sharks of Porangahau, by Elizabeth Morton
"That summer of shark-attacks, they never found a missing person": a short story by Elizabeth Morton, ...3 days ago - ‘My life is one big experiment’ Laurie Anderson on the power of art and terriersLaurie Anderson talks with Martin Patrick about the power of art, the complexity of language, transforming the voice, working amid a dire political situation, Buddhism and Burroughs, and their shared love of terriers.A familiar voice is on the line. When we talk, American artist and musician Laurie Anderson is in Massachusetts, ...3 days ago
- India, Aoteaora, and the road beyond colonisationAnd in the effort to decolonise, each can learn from the other, writes Gaurav Sharma, editor of the Multicultural Times.For nation-states that emerged from centuries of brutal colonial rule, decolonisation is needed, in all its forms. The coloniser left India in 1947, and still the country is struggling. In Aotearoa, ...3 days ago
- How anxiety and illiteracy inspired a young adult fantasy seriesA new fantasy series by Isa Pearl Ritchie focuses on a girl who struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. Here, Ritchie explains how her own childhood sparked Awa and the Dreamrealm. I was confused a lot of the way through my schooling. I would zone out a lot in class and ...3 days ago
- Election 2020 fires up at Rātana Pa
Election politics were in full swing at the first political event of the year. ...3 days ago - Comment from Davos: End the billionaire bonanza
The head of Oxfam in India writes that governments - including ours - are the key to combating inequality. ...3 days ago - ‘Slow-minded and bewildered’: Donald Trump builds barriers to peace and prosperitySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Assistant Professor, School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra The US president “had no plan, no scheme, no constructive ideas whatever”, according to one of the world’s most influential economists. He was “in many respects, perhaps inevitably, ill-informed”. ...3 days ago
- Is NZ’s innovation culture snagged on number 8 wire?New research from Redvespa points to a lack of imagination behind New Zealand’s slide down the Global Innovation Index ...4 days ago
- What we learn from a fish that can change sex in just 10 daysSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Graves, Distinguished Professor of Genetics, La Trobe University The bluehead wrasse is a fish that lives in small social groups in coral reefs in the Caribbean. Only the male has a blue head – signalling his social dominance over a harem ...4 days ago
- A Friday Poem by Bob Orr
A little inspiration for those sailing into a long weekend of sunlight and water. ...4 days ago - Federated Farmers backs call to slice agricultural subsidiesCutting agricultural subsidies that distort trade and production is a vital step in tackling world hunger and climate change challenges, Federated Farmers says. ...4 days ago
- Sports A-Gender: Can Barty end Australia’s OZ Open drought?
Which storyline will play out in the women's draw of the Australian Open? Can Serena Williams equal the record for the most Grand Slam victories? Will Naomi Osaka be able to repeat last year's feats? Or, will the home favourite Ashleigh Barty end Australia's 42-year title drought at Melbourne Park? ...4 days ago - How The Dead Lands hopes to change New Zealand televisionThe first two episodes of TVNZ’s new action series The Dead Lands were released to a worldwide audience of millions last night. Alice Webb-Liddall spoke to some of the cast and crew about the epic genre-bending show, and what it means for New Zealand television.When The Dead Lands was released ...4 days ago
- Oceania Healthcare half-year profit rises
A lift in sales and higher income from aged care services have lifted the half-year profit of the country's third largest rest home operator. ...4 days ago - Rising rents help drive up inflation in past three months
Rising rents, other household costs and airfares have driven consumer inflation in the past three months, dampening prospects of an interest rate cut any time soon. ...4 days ago - The Real Pod: New year, new decade, same old podThe Real Pod reassembles to dissect the summer in reality television and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s.We’re ba-ack! After a long cruel summer full of Jay Jay and Minou heartbreak, The Bachelorette NZ reveals and a mild case of ring worm, there is much to discuss. Why has ...4 days ago
- White, male and straight – how 30 years of Australia Day speeches leave most Australians outSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Bromfield, Lecturer, University of Sydney Last year on Australia Day, Prime Minister Scott Morrison used Facebook to describe Australia as a place “made up of so many peoples”. But he also stressed the importance of January 26 as the day Australia ...4 days ago
Tracy Watkins asks……How long before Labour asks whether David Shearer is the solution or the problem?http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8728086/Shearers-invisible-cloak-thinning
Some on the site have been asking this for a while.
Yes, surely he must go now. The detailed poll results are at http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/8728030/National-leaving-Labour-in-its-wake
Right wingers bash left wing leader. Should I be surprised?
Hooton on Shearer:
Yep, I was wrong. But how was anyone to know he would be this hopeless?
No, you were lying. Just like we all said you were.
No. No-one lies all the time. Shearer is hopeless.
But by dumping him now the Labour caucus would be hopelessly divided and broken. Just in time for the next election.
I’m resigned to Key being Prime Minister for two or three more elections.
Maybe one more, but I doubt two.
There is a reasonable chance on one more term for Slippery (I say this mainly because of the TV debates), but I suspect that Key will want to slit his own wrists before putting up with the pain of a 4th lame duck term in office.
However the polls are right – Labour are in with a chance but I believe that chance relies entirely on either Winston, or on the Greens hitting no less than 14% to 15%. One question which no done has answered for me: will Labour be brave enough to include Hone in the next coalition, in Cabinet. Or will they try and hold the radical extreme left maori guy that the middle class thinks is fringe and dangerous, out at arms length.
Shearer is going to need a lot of training if he is to succeed in the debates.
Also if the economy doesn’t tank or if power prices remain static then Key will have a ‘told you so’ angle so yeah, a third term is highly possible.
My general feeling is the public generally want to change after 9 years, no matter who is in charge which is why I couldn’t see a 4th term IMO.
Sometimes, no amount of training can make up for an innate skill deficit.
CV
Surely the only answer in a democracy is. “We must and will, work with whoever the people vote for..Hone, Winston,……… (gulp).. Banks.
Actually, in a democracy, the answer is to let the people decide and not dictate from on high. What we have in our parliamentary system is the latter.
Dumping Shearer now is the only sane course of action. The Labour caucus is divided and broken. The sooner the broken parts are swept aside, the better. One of the worst things that I can see happening would be for the present front bench to run the country, which they’d do in much the same way Key is. That would be the death knell of the parliamentary left for a generation. Mana and the Greens are not yet in a position to fully take over and, even though parliament is largely a sideshow, it is a highly visible one.
They have some inspiring people. Give them a chance. If Cunliffe is on top of a bus talking, at least workers are in the street listening. When Shearer mumbles and makes excuses, who can be bothered listening? What do Mallard and Hipkins stand for except themselves? What do they have to say about the invasion of the Urewera that happened on their watch? Pffft. Let them go. Make them go.
I disagree with pretty much every assessment, comparison and solution you offered in that comment.
As I would have expected.
A Fairfax poll? Would that be the same Fairfax that in September 2011 gave the National Party 54%?
He should rename that trash he calls an article in the NBR to Hootens Horseshit, All the lies that are current!!
You and all the other righties backed Shearer over Cunliffe from the start of Labour’s leadership campaign. You did this because you were afraid of Cunliffe and you knew the right’s best chance of success was to have Shearer in charge.
Now when you think it is too late to change you are dumping on Shearer.
You are so predictable Hooton.
Little bit skeptical Mr Hooton.
I think you always knew he’d be:
a) hopeless
b) in favour of the neo-liberal project your puppet masters benefit from.
Isn’t that why you encouraged him to go for the job at that bbq?
Labour are in a mess because they have a poor leader.
Isn’t this what you always wanted?
Yep, I was wrong. But how was anyone to know he would be this hopeless?
You were lying, and everyone knows it.
Not at all – it’s amazing how the situation has completely turned on its head in only three months.
“Its amazing”
You mean “I’m amazed” right McFlock?
Everyone is amazed – I’m sure even hoots is amazed how the circumstances have changed so much that he had to completely reverse a weeks-old assessment.
Or maybe things have merely altered in their own, gradual way, passing no major threshold or “tipping point” one way or the other, and hoot’s reversal is simply the result of his natural spin cycle. In which case I reckon it does not cause amazement for anyone 🙂
Ah so you were being sarcastic about Hooten’s sudden ‘abandon the Shearer ship’ call after months of talking him up on this blog. Fair enough.
A contemptibly cynical stirrer writes….
Yes, surely he must go now.
It’s not so long ago you and every other National Party operative in the country was praising Shearer, and lobbying for his appointment as Labour leader as enthusiastically as anybody in his official team.
There’s a football analogy for this nasty manipulation of the unwitting. Back in 1966 the All Blacks pulled off a similar coup over the management of the touring British Lions. Whenever journalists asked anyone in the All Blacks who impressed them the most in the tourists, they always said “the captain, Campbell-Lamerton”. They made sure to praise Campbell-Lamerton with special fervour and generosity after every test, when the Lions were disconsolately licking their wounds. Of course, anyone with any nous knew that Campbell-Lamerton was not up to the task of playing test football. The All Blacks wanted the Lions to keep selecting him in the test team, where he was repeatedly outclassed, indeed destroyed, by the Meads brothers, Waka Nathan, Kel Tremain and the rest of the formidable NZ pack, as the Lions lost all four tests.
Maybe someone should appoint you to a football team somewhere, Mr Hooton. After all, you couldn’t possibly be as controversial a choice as the war criminal that came down here in 2005 as the “manager” of the British & Irish Lions.
Interesting. Its a very simple strategy and worked well then, has worked well again for National and the right.
Rob/Felix/SP/Paul/Morrissey/Saarbo: It wasn’t like that at all. I had no preference of Shearer over Cunliffe until, yes, Shearer turned up to my post-election party and Cunliffe didn’t, after both were invited by – small country we live in – Martyn Bradbury. And Shearer impressed all the politicos there that day – from memory, as well as Martyn and some of his crowd like Phoebe Fletcher, there was Willie & JT, Matt McCarten, Sean Plunket, Fran O’Sullivan, John Pagani, Andrew Campbell from the Greens, Chris Trotter …. So it really wasn’t a right-wing conspiracy (in fact, Slater and Farrar refused to show up in protest that Martyn was invited) . What happened is that we all just thought Shearer would do a good job – “50 million lives vs 50 million dollars” etc – and wrote columns and did radio and TV stuff accordingly.
There is probably a lesson here – parties should listen to their own members rather than the media talking heads. It would be interesting to look back to 2003, and I think most of the talking heads thought Brash was too dangerous for National and supported the moderate Bill English. In that case, the party membership, especially in the North Island, demanded Brash and the caucus followed (just). And, for all Brash’s awkwardness and ultimate failure, he certainly turned the polls around more than English ever could have (until now it seems thanks to his economic management).
“the moderate Bill English”
?!!!?????!!???
Compared with Brash, English was the moderate candidate in 2003.
It shows how far National has shifted left under Key that English is now seen as the bold reformer within the government.
Four words missing from your memory there :
no no brash cash
It’s no secret why Brash got the nod from caucus.
The “no brash no cash” speech was never given.
Who said anything about a speech? oops.
Well, its a line made famous in the Hollow Men. There was a speech written for Brash to give to the caucus that referenced the line and much was made of that, but it was never given by Brash. “No Brash No Cash” was a theme but it was as much about ordinary party members deciding whether or not to go to $40 party fundraisers as the bigger donations.
Again, who said it was a speech?
Laugh.
It was all just a big coincidence and $40 donations that made National flush and caused ACT to have to go selling itself to climate denial loons and the SST mob.
Key ….left wing ….you must try to stop those porkies Mr Hooton.
“Compared with Brash, English was the moderate candidate”
Compared with nuclear weapons, cluster bombs aren’t so terrible.
Come on Hooton you were engaging in sabotage of Cunliffe well before election day. This was calculated on your part and on the part of Farrar et al. I bet you even had a media strategy behind it.
There is a lesson here. The left should never, ever follow your advice. In fact the left should most of the time do the exact opposite.
But don’t think that you have succeeded. This Government is that appalling that there is this grim determination on the part of the left to get rid of it. And this will happen whoever the leader of the Labour Party is, be it Shearer, Cunliffe, Robertson or anyone else.
+1
“The left should never, ever follow your advice. In fact the left should most of the time do the exact opposite.”
No mickey. the left should take no regard. Frankly I wouldn’t even let him comment here. What good can it possibly serve to invite a vampire into your house?
+1. The man is a worthless blight on the discourse. Active poison to the demos, etc.
You should raise this matter with lprent. He may or may not agree that the discourse here would be improved without alternative views.
I was talking about here Hooton, but in the nation in general.
And I’m not saying you should be silenced, I’m saying people would be wise to discount your views to zero. You add nothing of value to anyone’s understanding because you are a bullshit artist.
You are an unreliable narrator in the novel of life, as it were.
The way I understand it alternative views are welcome here, but tr0lls get banned.
We (as in the site) like people who can express their own clear opinions with intelligence, articulation, and support when they rely on specific facts.
We tend to restrict the mindlessly repetitive, those who can’t express a clear opinion or assert facts without support, and those who are needlessly argumentative. That is because they tend to add nothing to the debate apart from boring the crap out of
meus.Both you and Pascal’s Bookie do it pretty well in all of the important criteria. Of course none of those things mean that we have to be particularly polite to each other. I never try for that lofty standard myself, I usually just go for the mutually exclusive (with politeness) objective of clarity.
“Frankly I wouldn’t even let him comment here. What good can it possibly serve to invite a vampire into your house?”
Got to disagree with you there Felix. I like to see him here, spouting his lying bullshit This way it can get dissected and revealed for what it is, and answered. Otherwise he will regurgitate (throw up, spew) his right wing crap on radio where he does his utmost to talk down any opposition, or write in the pathetic excuses we have as newspapers, We need good opposing arguments to his crap, otherwise he and his mates from the right will start to believe the crap he expounds that this is how the real world should work.
I laugh that you guys think Farrar, Slater, Hooten etc have such a huge impact on who ended up leader of labour – and your your own members cannot make the same impact.
cracks me up.
Who said anything about Cunliffe, Matthew? Gave the game away with that comment mate.
No, the truth is you backed Shearer because he was a mug, knowing that later you could attack him for being a mug.
It was obvious then, it’s obvious now, we all said all along that this is exactly what you would do, and you fooled no-one.
(Except the Labour hierarchy and front bench of course, but hey…)
Mickey/Felix/One Anon: No, that’s not the truth. That is your constructed view of reality.
And now you are taking the piss Matthew.
Can I urge everyone to take steps to prevent Hooton’s lot from remaining in power because the future of your country depends on it.
If you want to join the Labour Party go to http://www.labour.org.nz/join
If you want to donate go to http://www.labour.org.nz/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=8
If you want to join the Greens go to https://my.greens.org.nz/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=17
And if you want to donate go to https://my.greens.org.nz/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=19
Don’t understand what you are trying to say?? Are you really saying there was a right-wing conspiracy, led by or at least involving me and also people like Chris Trotter, to impose Shearer as Labour leader because he was known to be hopeless??? I wish the NZ right was that good!
Why are you trying to make out that conspiracies are required?
You backed Shearer because he’s a lemon. And now you’re attacking him because he’s a lemon.
Where’s the conspiracy?
No, I backed him (and many others did) because I thought he would make a great leader and prime minister. Now I have learned he is a lemon and I (and many others) were totally wrong. This is embarrassing and Mickey is right – don’t take my advice on Labour’s leader ever again! I am not close enough to the individuals to make a good assessment (although I did get to work with Cunliffe over the carpark tax issue and found he was much better to deal with and switched on than I had thought).
The more you say it the more ridiculous it sounds.
Keep talking.
‘
Amusing, and, at the same time, annoying, isn’t it? Watching Hooten’s lies spill out so easily is the fun part, but the Aaron Gilmore level of arrogance in thinking he will get away with is, oh, I dunno, just aggravating.
Yeah, he’s just smart enough to be devious but still dumb enough to let his ego get the better of him and tell everyone what he’s up to.
Ladies and germs, one of New Zealand’s elite
rightwing spin geniusespolitical commentators, Matthew “No Spin Here” Hooten.Why don’t you just accept that your credibility here is zero? No one swallowed your weak concern tr0ll shit before, why do you think we’ll suddenly give you the benefit of the doubt?
I recommend a story for you call ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ it’s a good one. It’s about a boy who thinks it’s funny to fool people, until nobody believes anything he says. Usually it’s to help small children grasp this point, but you’re a big boy who can’t figure it out.
Maybe try logging in under a different name so you can commence bagging Shearer more freely? How about ‘Mud’?
Whatever Matthew. Our amateur view of reality is nothing compared to the one you’ve been paid to construct.
That’s the point. Hooton is a paid puppet.
Like you give a flying fuck about the truth Hoots.
Felix, I mentioned Cunliffe because those are the two Labour MPs Martyn invited to my party because they had appeared on the iPredict TV show in the week or so before the election. That’s why Tim Groser was invited too – I think he did the iPredict show the Friday before the election. This really was just a party, hosted by me and Busted Blonde, to drink the Veuve Clicquot she had won from the NBR (which reminds me, Ellen Read from the NBR, now Fairfax, was also there, which led to Shearer getting good coverage in the NBR over the following week or so – not that that would have mattered much. Also, while Farrar and Slater boycotted the party on political grounds, Cactus Kate showed up for reasons discussed in the previous sentence). You would do better understanding political developments if you look Freud’s advice – sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
don’t you righties know as/call shearer ‘the insurance-policy’..?
phillip ure..
Matthew you protest too much.
No-one cares about your party or your mates. You’ve done exactly what everyone said you would do, more or less to the day.
A cigar is just a cigar indeed.
Whereas Hoots proves that a dick is indeed a dick.
Brash…. he certainly turned the polls around
Nup. Blatant and deliberate racist hatemongering did that: aided, abetted, planned and delivered by the very same clique that delivered and now fetes this latest poll.
A poll of 863 by landline with an undisclosed several thousand who refused to participate.
Lets panic. Until the next Roy Morgan. Yawn.
Next Roy Morgan will be released in 24 hours or so. You won’t have long to wait. Big bounce back up for Labour to 35% or 36% you reckon?
Well if you are right Matthew, and the Labour leader was chosen mainly because he was endorsed by a number of commentators at a piss up, it pretty much explains why the decision has turned out to be a major fuck up for Labour.
😀
yes, that is my theory
If this is the way politics and by extension public policy gets done in this country, then I spit on the lot of you. Political operators are a pack of contemptible lizard brained psychopaths.
The interesting thing about psychopaths is that they have the ability to choose to believe their own lies. That’s what makes them such good liars. They also genuinely believe they are doing nothing wrong.
just like Shonkey ??
we call him donkey jonkey at our place.
I’ve started referring to him as ol’ brain fade.
Hmmmm at the rate we are going you might have to specify which political leader you are referring to
No mention of a margin of error, wow what a surprise.
No mention of the methods of polling, wow what a surprise.
And of course, no mention of the actual questions asked.
How can you defend the publication of fraudulent statistics?
oh that’s right, you are paid to.
and the other two polls this week that also showed labour looking poorly ????
rouges as well?
Yes we know, it just makes us all want to not vote for Labour or the Green Party’s in 2014,
Snigger, the Slippery slope National are now on is known to the present Government best illustrated by the Slippery Prime Minister brushing crumbs off of the Tory table of over abundance in the direction of kiwi kids that do not have the income directed at them so as to guarantee their nutritional needs…
Shows just how one-eyed and blind you are. The poll results hardly point to a slipery slope for national and to think it does just beggars belief.
Makes you sound more like a cult than a rational person.
Rational??? who me ??? around these parts i am known as anything but rational, cult doesn’t quite ascribe a correct descriptive either,
But enough about ‘i’, the fact that you base your view of the electoral cycle on polling data that has continually in the face of reality loudly proclaimed to all and sundry that National have the numbers to ‘govern alone’ makes yours the voice of the rational does it ???,
Any Government that bounces up and down 4 whole % points between polls barely a month apart is in my opinion on the Slippery slope, Slippery the PM of course also knows this and He is operating with the added bonus of a damned sight better data source than little old ‘i’ can manage, (which of course is why the Shyster has managed to swallow such a large dead rat and pretend to unveil a comprehensive ‘food in schools program’,
i do of course except you critique of the one eyed nature of my political view which extends as far as holding a belief that the National Government’s suffered by this country are usually made up of well practiced liars and in some cases outright scum,
Perhaps you would care to post a comment, any comment, which would tend to offer a re-education to me changing my overall view of the present National Government, at the least you will be providing the readers with a much needed dose of mirth at the effort…
James, who mentioned rogues?
All I stated are simple facts. The polls are fraudulently represented statistics and have repeatedly been published as such for about two years now.
Not including the statement of methodology and the margin of error are deliberate exclusions that skew any data they purport to represent.
“All I stated are simple facts. The polls are fraudulently represented statistics and have repeatedly been published as such for about two years now.”
says it all really. Everyone is against us. Its a conspiracy of all the polling companies.
Not simply facts – more the rantings of somebody who has lost the plot.
Polls have a margin of error, Y or N ?
Has this margin of error been reported, Y or N ?
Polls have a methodology of data collection Y or N ?
Has this methodology been reported Y or N ?
are you a pavlovian reactionary with the comprehension skills of an innebriated mollusc
Y or N ?
p.s. I made no such accusation of conspiracy against the polling companies as they are not the vehicle with which the information was made public. I merely stated that the basics of poll data reporting i.e: margin of error and method are no longer reported to the public. I am convinced both of those items would have been supplied to the publishers and it is the news services themselves that decided to publish the polls sans that particular information.
jeez, james – even hoots thinks the polls are biased…
Is Hooten not yanking on the collective Open Mike chain today?
Gee i thought you meant the other anking word beginning with the letter W…
I also noticed that Mike Williams (on nine to noon on Monday) was rather negative on Shearer, up to now he has been one of his strong supporters. I expect to see more of Shearers supporters squirming away from him as his poll rating and performance continues to languish. The unfortunate thing is it is probably too late to change leaders now, whoever takes over will be accepting a hospital pass.
If Labour don’t win in 2014 there needs to be a serious cleanout of deadwood. And you don’t have to be a politics graduate to realise that Labour has a very low chance of winning with Shearer as Leader.
What a crappy but predictable situation Labour has found itself in!
It is not too late provided that a change of leader also means a genuine change of tactics, but it is far too late for another round of “let’s put in x and urge everyone to love x,” especially when the people doing the urging have diminished credibility. However, the longer they fail to rattle National from the opposition benches, the more confident National becomes and the more ground they lose.
I’ve had a quick look up the page, and I haven’t seen anyone else question this.
In the highly unlikely event of the leadership challenge against Shearer, does the membership get a vote?
I only ask because the Labour caucus does tend to feverishly enslave itself to the will of the MSM, and the MSM does seem to be actively on the hunt for a new scalp….. and Shearer does seem to be the one they ‘prepared earlier’, so to (cooking show) speak…..
Wouldn’t it be ironic if the only reason that the Labour Leadership would be willing to buck the msm was that doing so might allow the rest of the membership to participate democratically.
Well, if Tracey Watkins and Matthew Hooton are now questioning Shearer’s leadership, so much for pandering to the media. I am not sure about the rules of voting in the case of a leadership challenge. With the vote of confidence, Shearer needed at least 40% support and did manage to get it, arguably helped by Hipkins being included among the vote-counters. If he had not got that level of support the vote would have gone to the members. Given that, in the absence of a resignation, it would take over 50% against him to end his leadership, you would think that the members would get to vote, but I am not sure that is so.
+1
Shearer will be breathing a big sigh of relief at the latest Roy Morgan. National down to 41%, Labour up to 35% and the Greens on 12% …
Of course what the reality is is something that we can only speculate on.
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/new-zealand-voting-intention-may29-201305290604
[lprent: charts – still not happy with the GCR.
Amidst all of the random spiking and slumping, Labour has a slight trend upwards. National has a stronger long-term trend downwards. At present with the usual fortune shifts towards the election, I suspect that Winston would be the decider. I wonder how Key will like the replaying of those 2008 statements about Winston? Of course the National caucus could just dump Key and put in someone without that baggage…
BTW: National should sack Brownlee as I suspect that his mishandling of Christchurch is not helping them. Of course I personally hope that they do not. He is so useful at educating Christchurch residents on National party attitudes.. ]
LIARS OF OUR TIME
No. 15: Donald Rumsfeld
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“I did not lie… Colin Powell did not lie.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
—-U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, speaking in Atlanta, Friday May 5, 2006.
* * * * Coming soon: Look for our Matthew Hooton feature! * * * *
See also….
No. 14: Colin Powell: “a post-9/11 nexus between Iraq and terrorist organizations…connections are now emerging…”
No.13: Barack Obama: “Simply put, these strikes have saved lives.”
No. 12: U.K. Ministry of Defence: “Protecting the Afghan civilian population is one of ISAF and the UK’s top priorities.”
No. 11: Brendan O’Connor: “Australia’s approach to refugees is compassionate and generous.”
No. 10: Boris Johnson: “Londoners have… the best police in the world to look after us and keep us safe.”
No. 9: NewstalkZB PR dept: “News you NEED! Fast, fair, accurate!”
/open-mike-21052013/#comment-635850 No. 8: Simon Bridges: “I don’t mean to duck the question” /open-mike-20052013/#comment-635343
No. 7: Nigel Morrison: “Quite frankly, they’ve been VERY tough.”
/open-mike-15052013/#comment-633295
No. 6: NZ Herald PR dept: “Congratulations—you’re reading New Zealand’s best newspaper.” /open-mike-13052013/#comment-632598
No. 5: Rawdon Christie: “…a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti.” /open-mike-13052013/#comment-632594
No. 4: Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!” /open-mike-06052013/#comment-628803
No. 3: John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.” /open-mike-06052013/#comment-628703
No. 2: Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.” (TV3 News, 24 April 2013) /open-mike-25042013/#comment-624381
No. 1: Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”
/open-mike-19042013/#comment-621738
Yes please make your series more contemporary.
Focusing on Messrs Hooton, Farrar and Slater would be a more relevant area today.
Yes please make your series more contemporary.
Focusing on Messrs Hooton, Farrar and Slater would be a more relevant area today.
Fair point, Paul. I was going to put up a choice lie from Hooton—there are so many to choose from—but I had to put in the Rumsfeld thing to reinforce yesterday’s Colin Powell obscenity. The Powell-Rumsfeld lies were always a twofer, and work most effectively when they are put together like that. They’re funnier (in a black kind of way) when they’re back to back.
Hooton will keep, as will Michelle Boag and Bill English….
Fair call Morrissey
Colin Espiner on ‘Feed The Kids’
In my opinion Espiner is wrong in thinking;“It’s an unfortunate political reality that governments of all hues pinch the best ideas opposition parties come up with.”
Harawira actively lobbied all parties to take up his idea.
(Though not as comprehensive as what he sought he has achieved a hell of a lot for a party pretty much isolated with only one MP. And he can count this as a success, and hungry children who would not be fed will now will be.)
When political parties refuse to forward good solutions to pressing problems facing their constituents and the country, because they fear their opponents will take them, then you know that they are being run by sectarian careerists who put their narrow sectarian interests before helping solve society’s most pressing problems.
I hope I never again hear such an argument put forward for keeping a political party’s policies under wraps.
You may say that there are other reasons why politicians, oft time argue not announce their party’s policies to the last minute. But what are they? Is it because they have none? Is it because they have none that are different to their erstwhile opponents? Is it because they have policies that are so close to their opponent’s policies, that they need to ambush their members and supporters at the last minute?
The other reason of course is to limit democratic discussion within a political party to just a few at the top, asking their membership to take them on trust.
When a political party says that they are holding off their policy announcements until closer to the election then you know that they have seriously lost their way.
Exactly. Parties are policy delivery devices, no more.
When a party that is normally useless to you, is ‘stealing’ policies from a party that usually delivers what you want, it’s a win.
Hone Harawira just on RNZ actually sounding like a real opposition when talking about this governments priorities on spending. Maybe Shearer and the Labour Party could listen to that interview.
It’s called standing up for the people.
harawira was also good on tv3 this morn..
..well worth the watch..
..phillip ure..
I agree, he was clear, forthright and did not pull his punches.
Olwyn+1 and his swearing was appropriate if there was any. Certainly the message was most memorable and had the punch of an unwavering and sincere politician committed to NZ people, and particularly Maori and the low-income.
you most probably won’t get this from the mainstream media..
..but colorado has just become the first place in the world to sign into law a legalised/regulated/taxed pot-regime for adults..
..so there is our blueprint of how to do it..eh..?
..apparantly they are so onto it..the regulators are able to track from seed to end-product..
..phillip ure
Lolz, learn how to clone and free the weed…
Must suck to be a Labour supporter right now (not as bad for the Greens) but don’t worry about the polls I’m sure they’re not indicitive of the massive groundswell of support building for Labour under the astute stewardship of David Shearer…at this rate Labour will be back in power by 2020 🙂
‘
Interesting poll, that Reid one. Of course, the sample is too small to justify your confidence but did you see that most National Ltd™ voters were in favour of the NZ Power solution to being rorted by the corporates? There’s a skerrick of hope for youse yet. Psychologically, I mean.
You actually put your reasoning on one poll a year out from election day? National doesn’t have that great a lead, and all these polls always write off NZ First and Mana, even though they have a strong following in their own way. I doubt even National’s inner circle believe you can know who will most likely win, till the months or weeks before election day.
Snigger, we really really believe it when we are told constantly by the polls that National have enough support to govern alone,
We all know this has to be true because for the past two election cycles the polls have been telling us this,
There is of course only one small problem with that which in abbreviated terminology says, ”they didn’t and they still haven’t”
Minus 1 or 2% in November 2014 and it’s haere ra National and who cares who the leader of the Labour Party is if He or She supports the stopping of the electricity rort with things like NZPower and intends to support a guaranteed living wage for ALL workers…
Well most of Europe right now has weak coalition governments (especially Germany – where NZ took it’s MMP system from), Australia really is no different, and the US is very much divided. It is doubtful that even if National wins again, it would have anything but a weak coalition, it can’t break international trends. 😉
Have you got anything better to do than trolling for comments?
Constructive debate and discussion, maybe…
Peter Jackson takes to skies in $80M style
So good to know that NZ tax payers money went to a good cause. Also, how about sparing an extra pittance or three so that NZ workers can have union protection just like the actors you hire from Australia and USA? Or in fact, just like you have yourself?
The very definition of “rich prick”.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/8728148/Jackson-takes-to-skies-in-80m-style
Well well. There’s a lesson for us all in that possums – something we can all ASPIRE to aye? (not)
An economy for the elite that we can all expire to
Yes keep on attacking Sir Peter Jackson because its worked so well in the past.
Because he is a manipulative arsehole. What was your point?
We aren’t politicians. We have sufficient rejects from real life for that task (you look quite good as a potential National candidate BTW). What happens here is that we express our opinions. And occasionally in my moderator role I’ll squash some cretinous fuckwit like yourself (see that is an opinion) who wants to insinuate that the site or the commentators are a political organisation.
This is a “gentle” warning..
I insinuated nothing, I said “keep attacking Sir Peter Jackson because its worked so well in the past” because this blog has had numerous attempts at smearing Sir Peter Jackson…as a rich prick, anti-union, lackey of Warner Bros etc etc
Nothing to do with this site or the commentators being a political organisation or otherwise
Bit touchy at the moment…
“…this blog has…”
Sigh, and 😆
Yeah, this winston has a problem with individualism. Seems like one of those conformist totalitarian dickheads to me… Obviously every author and commentator is “The Standard” – including himself.
After all he reads like just about every other right wing troll to me. Dispose of one and another duplicate pops up like a head at a fair’s shooting gallery with the same lame assertions about computer programs having opinions.
At least this one tries to reply and even attempts the difficult art of arguing rather than doing crapping an assertion and then immediately leave (like an incontinent poodle moving down a street).
So, basically, he read the book and thought it was all about communism, so figured he would use the name as a pseudonym in his valiant, solitary struggle against the left.
Yeah. Of course as with many of the Orwellian novels it is often hard to figure out which brand of totalitarian conformist nutters he was parodying. He was after all a democratic socialist* with a distinct dislike of all brands of conformist totalitarianism.
But it is clear that if that was where he got his name from and why he took it, then he clearly hasn’t read to the end of the book. After the rat room the fictional Winston Smith become just another blob staring adoringly at the image of his leader with an inability to think. Just like this one I suspect…..
* A stream of political thought that encourages individualism – far more so than the daft conformity of the libertarians with their obsessive theology of toy collection. Or for that matter or almost any other political philosophy I have seen. Even the anarchists have this strange obsession at having to all agree (conformity) or they’ll dissolve into complete societies of one. The democratic socialist acceptance and even promotion of eccentricity amongst groups has always been a wonder to behold. And most importantly it fosters agreeing to disagree….
Yes you got something right, the anti union antics of the Warner Bros lackey have been well documented here and elsewhere…
Arsehole Peter Jackson smeared himself with his lies. All that happened on this blog was that those lies were pointed out.
Indeed he did. But you know what’s more depressing? !!!!
It’s when someone (with a history of someone struggling in the industry, and having sampled the lowliest of the low – including serious jailtime as a result of Sth American totalitarian juntas) becomes so SO immune to the plight of ‘the film-maker’s community’ (i.e. his peers). That Petey isn’t such a bad bloke after all – AYE?.
I’m not exactly sure what the Paekak dak delivers – but it’s obviously pretty potent.
Thats Sir Peter Jackson to the likes of you
Fucktard McSellout, more likely. Not everyone immediately cums at the thought of someone who bought a tin-plate title off a used currency salesman.
Nope. If I was to even use the title “sir” (not going to happen because I’m not a brown noser like yourself) to someone it would be to someone I respect. I don’t respect liars.
“Sir” Graham Henry is another notorious liar.
Watch for him in my series Liars of Our Time….
Jackson is yesterday’s news.
Game of Thrones is a much better watch than his dragged out travelogues.
Season 3 was more anticipated in this household than the Hobbit was, and it will be the same for season 4.
Movies are dead. High end TV series with a guaranteed pay TV audience are the future.
lol.
Peters asks Dunne (during an unrelated committee meeting) if it was him what leaked the Kitteridge report. Cue arguments about whether the question is in order or whatever nevermind Dunne ends up confirming that he’s been spoken to as part of the investigation into who leaked ouch. *laughs*
With a few exceptions most forget ( or don’t want to acknowledge ) that poll proportions are a % of those who didn’t say fuck off( not of the general population. Therefore 45% may well be only 45% of 18-20% of those with a landline. That should leave at least 70% to be influenced by good policy and if that policy is telegraphed too early pale imitations or window-dressed versions of it will be stolen, and thats why we have a ( albeit better than nothing ) half-arsed ” Breakfast in Schools” programme.
On Shearer/ Cuniliffe, be careful not to buy in and feed the MSM’s castigation of DS, if DC was leader the arseholes would be in paroxysms of red-baiting and thunderous editorials of communist takeovers and I’m sure that that buck-toothed idiot Gower would even come in his pants on a live cross to the Beehive over some concocted Stalinist bullshit.
Remember Hooten et al are just doing what they are paid for.
Level the playing field for solar power in New Zealand!
As an investor in a NZ solar company, I was shocked to discover that a careless change in the rules – requiring solar companies to use a particular inverter technology that hasn’t even been invented yet – could come into force any day now and stop our solar industry dead in its tracks. If this were the fossil fuel lobby, would we ever have to worry about something like this?
Solar panels are not just a green technology, they’re also a great financial investment for New Zealand homes and businesses and a potentially huge source of economic growth. We should be pulling out all the stops to help the solar industry develop, not putting one obstacle after another in its path. Even John Key called for reducing “the Pacific region’s reliance on expensive fossil fuels for electricity” a few weeks ago.
New Zealand has almost unlimited potential to generate clean energy from the sun. That’s why I’m calling on regulators — who have been asleep at the wheel — to roll up their sleeves and level the playing field for solar energy by creating a clear, nationally-enforced standard; reducing the soft costs for installing solar; and creating a nationwide financing scheme and easy way for people to sell back their extra solar power production with a net-metering law. These measures would give so many more people access to this smart, environmentally beneficial investment! Please add your name and tell all your friends, and I’ll make sure the law-drafters get our message loud and clear.
Join us! Click below to sign the petition and forward to everyone:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_New_Zealands_solar_industry_from_accidental_death/?bhNKcdb&v=25172
With hope,
Iain, Michelle, Scott and the whole Avaaz team
PS: This petition was started by an Avaaz member on our Community Petitions site. It’s quick and easy to start a petition on any issue you care about, click here: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?bgMYedb&v=25121
If people think that the (from the earth) fuel companies, will take solar heating lying down, I would be very surprised.
The oil/banking cartel own the politicians, and are not going anywhere, as long as they can drill it from the earth!
The other problem to deal with for the solar energy proponents, is that of global dimming, and the impact of geo-engineering on the amount of suns rays reaching the planets surface!
More cronyism from National:
So, firstly the applicant didn’t apply in time and then the minister didn’t accept the candidates until she had the one she wanted in the list.
This was raised yesterday in Question Time by Robertson.
Robertson has a further question on it scheduled for today’s QT:
The database server (and therefore the site) will be offline for a period late tonight.
I need to adjust some of the settings and that will require it to be offline for up to 20 minutes.
unexpected earthquake observation # 432
The Great Earth Monster shivers in the snow…
S.S. thugs still getting free air time on public radio
Will Kyle Chapman be next?
Nine to Noon, Radio NZ National, Wednesday 29 May 2013
Host: Lynn Freeman
First item up on Nine to Noon this morning was an interesting and learned discussion about the insane “Three Strikes” legislation. The guests were Hastings barrister Eric Forster and Victoria University criminology professor John Pratt. In contrast to many of the blowhards, maniacs and hypocrites who usually get air time on this issue, both of these men are learned and serious scholars of the law; both of them condemned the Three Strikes legislation as “insane”, and the consequence of a small number of ignorant politicians who believed in “magical thinking” being given a totally disproportionate amount of power. This discussion ended about 9:40 a.m.
Just over two hours later, host Lynn Freeman felt compelled to read out a long and belligerent email in favour of Three Strikes. This email was written by the disgraced, discredited convicted grave-robber, doctor-assaulter, serial sexual harasser, former ACT MP, and S.S. man David Garrett. Poor old Lynn Freeman, who I know detests and despises David Garrett and his evil organization, read the email in a tone of obvious distress, as well as distaste.
Then, incredibly, a few minutes later, just before the end of the programme, she read ANOTHER urgent email from the bowels of Hell. This time it was from the Grand Wizard of the S.S. himself, Garth “The Knife” McVicar. In contrast to the rabid David Garrett, the Grand Wizard’s email was written in a tone of wounded disappointment; the two experts, he whined, were “well known opponents of the legislation”. The entirely false display of emotion by this creep rendered that email even more offensive and insulting than Garrett’s.
Surely, if any organization has thoroughly discredited itself and should not be indulged in any way, it is this vicious and hypocritical bunch of gangsters. I know that there is not one person at Radio New Zealand who feels anything other than loathing for the S.S. Trust and for David Garrett and Garth “The Knife” McVicar. Yet here we were, this morning, forced to listen to the thoroughly unedifying phenomenon of a fine broadcaster being forced to read out crass emails from not just one, but TWO personae non grata.
I have no doubt that the receptionsists at Radio NZ National suffered a deluge of coordinated abuse, through telephone calls and emails, for the two hours before those two emails were read out.
I wonder who made the decision to cave in to their hectoring; I know that it was not the journalists.
Sometimes, sunshine, I worry about you……..
Sometimes, sunshine, I worry about you……..
Thanks, buddy! I’m feeling the love.
Where are the ‘three strikes’ against ‘white collar’ crime and ‘white collar’ criminals?
Penny Bright
Where are the ‘three strikes’ against ‘white collar’ crime and ‘white collar’ criminals?
For them, it’s three chances.
Or, to use corporate-speak, three OPPORTUNITIES.
Or more, if they need them.
Everytime I think of the SS Trust, I think of a bunch of hooded people standing round a lynched brown person.
Everytime I think of the SS Trust, I think of a bunch of hooded people standing round a lynched brown person.
Entirely understandable, millsy, but in reality it’s a bunch of intolerant people sitting in a radio studio (NewstalkZB) pouring scorn and abuse on a lynched brown person in South Auckland, and ridiculing his family. That’s what they did, day in, day out, session after session, hour after hour in 2008 and 2009, and still occasionally do whenever somebody mentions the word “tagger”.
Wait until a two strikes offender kills a victum because he cant get his skateboard. What a fuss that will cause.
I thought the most compelling argument was that those on 2 strikes dont really have the moral judgemnt needed to ‘obey’ the law.
Something called “Dv” tried, unwisely, to be clever….
Wait until a two strikes offender kills a victum because he cant [sic] get his skateboard.
What possible precedent do you have to suggest such a scenario?
What a fuss that will cause.
Nonsense. Your dull fantasy lacks even the slightest plausibility.
I thought the most compelling argument was that those on 2 strikes dont really have the moral judgemnt needed to ‘obey’ the law.
Nor, as recent events have reinforced, do the people in the top echelons of the New Zealand police. And, as shown by their failures in Afghanistan, neither do the top brass in the New Zealand Defence Force.
No doubt you will be calling for these people to be sent to jail for fifteen to twenty years. Or do you get ALL your opinions directly from talk radio?
Am I correct in believing that a third guest (aside from Eric Forster and John Pratt) was invited to participate, but declined?
The ‘trickle down’ effect does work! – at least at RNZ.
Am I correct in believing that a third guest (aside from Eric Forster and John Pratt) was invited to participate, but declined?
Possibly that awful Ruth Money, who I see has become the main spokesghoul for the S.S. Trust.
The ‘trickle down’ effect does work! – at least at RNZ.
This comment has me intrigued. Could you explain what you mean?
Martian thingamajig?
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/breadmaker99/corregated1_zpsc5e1f7c7.jpg
Hoaxed. It’s part of the Rover.
http://marswatch.astro.cornell.edu/pancam_instrument/images/Sol3137B_Matijevic_Pan_L257atc.jpg
Better images here
http://earth-chronicles.ru/news/2013-04-09-42015
The DEFENDANT – ‘dodgy’ John Banks is back in the Auckland District Court, (Albert St) Thursday 30 May 2013.
As I understand it – this case will be stood down until 11.45am, because Private Prosecutor Graham McCready will not be able to attend before that time.
It is my intention to have banners up outside the Court from 11am.
Do come along if you are able! 🙂
Being FINALLY held accountable in a Court of Law – has been a VERY long time coming for the DEFENDANT John Banks.
The BIG question is – how come Prime Minister John Key has not yet stood down as Minister, the DEFENDANT, Minister of Regulatory Reform, Minister of Small Business, Associate Minister of Education and Associate Minister of Commerce – ACT MP for Epsom – the arguably ‘Not-So-Honorable’ John Banks?
Former National MP Aaron Gilmore, was effectively forced to leave Parliament, yet he never faced charges in Court, unlike the DEFENDANT John Banks!
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption/ anti-privatisation’ campaigner
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate