Yeah, ummmm. Sorry, how would they have changed the paradigm? Seriously, I’m keen to hear solutions, cause with the feed back I’m getting from the Bots around here, seems my plans where deluded.
Please correct me, but I thought orthodox-economic-norms where set in stone from several decades of entrenched financial regulations, both internal and external.
Must add that Winnie always has a pair of rose smelling underpants up the sleeve, he’ll some how come out of this smelling ok.
Which way forward, Mr Ed?
(Eco-Maori, the invite is open. Bright ideas? Could we innovate with a little Babylonian Banking Number?)
Let’s all come together to rally for our communities that have been at the forefront on the fight to end poverty. Now, more than ever, we need to continue the conversation that Metiria started. We know that an Aotearoa where no one lives in poverty is possible. Where Government serves the interests of people, not big business. Where everyone has access to a warm, dry, healthy home and beneficiaries aren’t treated as second class citizens.
Metiria will be joining me, because we must continue to speak the truth about poverty.
More than ever, New Zealanders living below the breadline need a voice. For too long they have been ignored and sidelined in our communities. For too long, privilege and money have determined who can have a say and it’s time to say enough.
Thursday 31st August 2017, 7pm, Cardboard Cathedral, Latimer Square
Meeting organised by the Christchurch Progressive Network.
NOTE: The Christchurch Progressive Network is not a party-political organisation but we have taken the step of inviting a Green MP and local election candidate for Te Tai Tonga electorate to speak at this public meeting because the issues at the heart of her personal experiences on a benefit are of critical national importance – and no better time for them to be discussed that in the heart of an election campaign.
The media may have hounded her out of her co-leadership of the Greens but we refuse to allow the issues she raised to be swept aside. This will be a meeting not to be missed. A poster to circulate will be sent out later today.
This is where positive change will come from for those suffering most from poverty and inequality: from the flax roots.
Join the rally, or remain door-knocking locally, good options.
Hey the Green policy you link is adequate to stabilise short term. And yes, it’s the only politically speakable alternative. But the Greens would also do govt funded research into the TOP strategies around tax and UBI for medium term solutions. Plus research into Financial Innovation for sustainable funding during the transition/national-rehabilition. Agreed, Greens will get the job do.
“but I thought orthodox-economic-norms where set in stone from several decades of entrenched financial regulations”
This is entirely voluntary. Sovereign nations have lost none of their ability to regulate big (multinational) businesses. All that has changed is the norms by which they typically do so.
The biggest change under the neo liberal era has been the deregulation (see above) and the abandonment of full employment as a policy goal (presently unemployment is a policy tool). Both changes were voluntary, drive inequality and should be reversed to a great extent.
In turn the neo liberal era has been a slow growth era which is why house and asset prices have been so out of whack.
“This is entirely voluntary. Sovereign nations have lost none of their ability to regulate big (multinational) businesses. All that has changed is the norms by which they typically do so.”
thats true, however consider the constituent response should the likes of Apple, or big oil et al remove or price themselves out of the local market…..the ability to regulate such entities is effectively determined by the size of the market….and NZ is a very small market.
Your saying these industries would leave a safe stable profitable market like NZ on the table? I think thats highly unlikely and I can’t think of any examples of it happening either.
Im saying depending on the level of enforcement /cost that some would determine the trouble was not worth it and note i also said price themselves into a position where they may still remain but accessibility (to the wider populace) would be greatly reduced….no time to look now but internet access costs are one that spring to mind, in many countries internet access is only available to the wealthy due to that very reason.
You have examples of countries where internet access is only available to the wealthy due to regulative overheads? I would think the lack of infrastructure would be relevant but hardly the amount of regulation.
“In other places, like South Africa and Namibia, prices are high simply because of a monopoly or duopoly. Further examination reveals at least two other reasons for these high prices: the largest fiber owners in-country, have until recently, not been allowed to sell or provide services and most importantly, African service providers are still beset with archaic business models and anti-customer mindset! Let’s examine these two factors in some detail.”
Industry regulation can and does, as does tax law and corruption…..yes there needs to be regulation and TAXATION but it is a balancing act….and the smaller the market the lesser the leverage
I don’t find that very convincing as a story about burdensom regulation. Regulation was preventing some capacity from being used for internet access and for ISPs to effectively not have access to that infrastructure. Otherwise nothing seems to be preventing ISPs from selling to a broad market but their business model isnt there yet.
If you don’t push regulation onto the likes of Apple or big oil you will never know if there is a boundary there and will effectively just leave them deregulated.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1506/S00005/z-energy-buys-caltex-service-station-chain-for-785-million.htm
“Chevron New Zealand Holdings reported a net profit of $43.3 million in calendar 2014 on revenue of $2.23 billion, down from a profit of $86.5 million on sale of $2.34 billion in 2013. Chevron’s total assets were valued at $573.9 million with liabilities totalling $374.4 million as at Dec. 31, compared to assets worth $784.9 million and liabilities of $536 million a year earlier.”
Problem is that the current fix-it solutions will all cost money, so where do you want to borrow that money from. It will take Financial Innovation and Money Sovereignty, otherwise it’s just the old debt spiral again. Can’t truly solve it with tax changes alone, though the full tax reforms from TOP would buy us time.
The NZ government is already fully sovereign in the NZ dollers via the RBNZ. Taxation is about things like, not allowing an aristocracy to develop, making the burden of taxation more equitable, or discouraging certain businesses or activities without making them illegal or removing inflationary spending pressures from an overheated economy. Its never about revenue gathering.
If the old debt spiral is referring to an eventual currency crisis then the point is NZ fully floated the NZ $ in about 1985. It can’t have currency crisis any more as a result.
NZD is in relation to international currencies, especially USD. And RBNZ don’t create NZDs, this would be sovereign. RBNZ buy other currencies, at cost.
We have a crisis if the Rating Agencies give us a crisis. Current official cash rate in NZ is 1.75%, vs Europe at 0.25%, or 0.0% When they buy our houses against their foreign capital, they have a 1.5% advantage over Kiwi buyers.
Interest repayment requires new money, growth. New money comes from debt, thus “debt spiral”. Though interest-rates are very low, but new problem is the effects of Quantitative Easing, lowering the value of our money.
Planet size is limited, and new efficencies from new technology are less significant than the losses from wars and storms. Debt system requires growth. Planet requires a steady state economy. Even the Greens don’t have this in their economic policy. Compromising with orthodox system, though steady state economic system would be investigated once Greens are in Govt.
This is not to say that commercial banks don’t create money when they lend, they do, however the money created is commercial bank deposits and not of the form of the currency which is created by the reserve bank and spent and collected in tax by the government.
Obviously most of your comment is derivative on the RBNZ not being able to issue NZ dollers.
“where will the money come from?”
money (in all its forms) is simply a means of resource rationing, the real question is how do we use that rationing system?…we can create all the money we like but we are still restricted by resource availability and the desire for those resources….we currently allow ‘the market’ to determine how those resources are rationed…and we see where that has led and is leading, however that is not to say any other form will be any better or worse as ultimately any system will still be driven by human beings wants and needs…changing the amount of ‘money’ doesn’t change human nature
Come on Pat, obviously it’s better to do finance with public banks. Why do you think private banks should be able to profit from money creation? Surely the benefits of this should go back to the people rather than a small group of shareholders.
Deals with state owned banks could be done very different. Creating though debt is driving that growth. If all banking was though the state, then steady state economics would be possible, and the need from more resources to pay back debt, and new debt to pay off the old debt… all could be mathematically solved.
This argument simply invalidates itself where it says ‘however that is not to say any other form will be any better’ and goes on to assume the alternatives will further be the same or worse.
Ultimately it appears to be based on some form of Ricardian equivalence where supposidely (but actually not) when the government changes the quantity of spending the non government sector inversely compensates and reduces spending. In reality both quantity and quality of spending effect the outcome and Ricardian equivalence mechanisms don’t happen in the real world.
‘This argument simply invalidates itself…..”
Indeed?..you assume too much, I clearly state…..”that is not to say any alternative will be better or worse” based on the premise they are operated by and for human wants and needs….the onus is on you(or anyone else for that matter) to make the case for an alternative that IS indeed better.
If you take the time to read what I wrote you may grasp that what I am saying is the polar opposite of Ricardian Equivalence…i.e human beings are not forward looking nor rational in their habits….nor are they (in the main ) socially orientated….rather they are self serving and short sighted.
so back to government spending and debt monetisation….what does human nature tell you about the likely outcome of an increase in the willingness of governments to increase the money supply?
Isn’t money supply increased every time someone takes a loan and buys a house? Guess the private lending mechanism would have to change, in balance. Better accounting at RBNZ. Your thinkin is still orthodox economics, I’m trying to talk alternatives.
yes I’m analysing orthodox economics (that is not to say I’m promoting any particular school) for that is what we operate under and to know where you are going you need to know where you are starting from….indeed I seek and zero/negative growth model that appears to have a chance of working in the real world….im still waiting and time is agin us….so kindly talk alternatives but don’t expect me to accept them simply because they are alternative.
“what does human nature tell you about the likely outcome of an increase in the willingness of governments to increase the money supply?”
This is a weird way of putting it but I assume you are referring to something like the government buying up all the unemployed labour and putting the work towards public goods. Whats the outcome? First of all the labour will be for sale because the unemployment is not due to a voluntary choice but due to an actual lack of jobs. Second the unemployment rate will go down because many people who were unemployed will be in work (this will be an improvement in the outcome). Third growth of GDP will increase in real and nominal terms with the additional public goods the government purchased being produced being the real increase. Fourth there will be no inflationary outcome because the idle labour never had a bid in the jobs market so the additional spending does not compete with the private sector in setting wages.
You don’t get a similar outcome just focusing on quality because the economy is facing a quantity of spending problem. The mainstream of economic thought and your dogma believes that the economy is inherently self rebalancing in real terms
but there is no evidence for this in the real world.
I would say the market mechanism is the only future, but if we’re feeding the markets wholesome organic money from a central bank and not GE sugar from private banks, then govt can regulate lightly. Current system requires very heavy regulation.
Labour think they can fix the country and contiune with orthodox TPPA etc. Is this a pre-election bluff to win votes, avoid media attack?. Or are they really planning to fail?
Pivoting international economic relations is very bold, but we are well poised. The last 30sec of this video shows what’s required. If global finance isn’t going to play cricket, then we’ll have to change the game to rugby.
you’re a strange fellow….I am constantly amazed how you attribute positions to me that are frequently diametrically opposed to those i state…this comprehension problem may resolve itself if you spend less time learning text by rote and practise applying the theory to the real world.
Its pretty clear we can identify the nexus of the problem here.
“Yes I’m analysing orthodox economics (that is not to say I’m promoting any particular school) for that is what we operate under and to know where you are going you need to know where you are starting from”
Your misunderstanding is that orthodox economics is not something that we ‘operate under’ at all. It is instead a consistent failure to explain how the actual economy functions. The related problem being you don’t appear to know or understand the assumptions being made by the orthordox economics when you say for example ‘expand the money supply’. Do you not know the assumptions there do imply Ricardian equivalence is a genuine phenomenon there?
Thanks Pat, working on it. Moving from farming support, to small business, but seasonal work requirements and family issues also to hurdle.
Hey, pointing out paradox is part of my job here. Failure to spot paradox seems no less common among the politically educated.
You may be an exception Pat, I’m still undecided. Qualitative reflection upon degree content is generally very low especially in economics. How many people at the end of their first year still don’t know where money comes from? Don Brash still claims money isn’t created by private banks! It’s guys like him who give the Free Masons a bad name.
Analysis of orthodox views can reinforce them. So seeking to express alternative economic paradigms is very important, though yes, confusing.
Range of organic veges grown and marketed this year. Developments for next year: sell vege boxes at a set price, along with vouchers, thus creating a tradable regional currency alternative. The central bank need not fear me at this stage, but the future is open. And yes, I can still find some normal money to pay my taxes on transactions. Ethics are valuable, but costly.
Yeah Nic, you could be on to it, but does sound more like a side-step that a try or a conversion. I think their biggest assumption is, that after 3 years of orthodox economics, graduates will be whip-lashed and hypnotized from the magic of supply-n-demand curves.
Yes. We should have some pity on the poor graduates of economics who have paid for the privelege of being brainwashed. Unfortunately some of the more successful ones (like Don Brash and Bill English) will be rewarded for further basing policy on and popularizing their delusions so this is self perpetuating.
Tracy Watkins sayys Dunne knew in advance. He is Revenue Minister and has not called for an investigation of his office. Or has Tolley taken over since he resigned?
Why arent the press hounding the revenue minister and PM til they say they will investigate?
Sad thing is that often the participants in that ‘deep state’ don’t actually realise they are.
Whether its a WINZ case manager at the coal face (probably on a short term contract); or an Ummagration officer, or many others “only following orders”. Worse still, when shit hits fan, they’re the obvious targets when blame is apppoetioned.
Watch what happens over the Winnie affair…..or perhaps after the election when we look back on the dawn raids (modern day equiv) that come to light
Shout out to those from Nelson, Bill English will be addressing Grey Power at a public meeting TODAY at 2pm in Stoke at the Annesbrook Church on Saxton Rd.
If you are not working or busy go and check it out, they are taking questions from the floor, if it’s the same moderators from grey power that run the motueka meet the candidates, and if you are a young woman with a question, I strongly suggest you stand up and make it known you have a question, the old boys don’t like young women with questions, and will do their best to ignore you.
Would be really nice if people asked questions that concern many peoples needs instead of just their own
I’ve a huge workload today, but if time allows I will go check it out.
Remember Bill English’s shifty/shifting stories on the taping saga? Maybe a repeat at Stoke today over the superannuation leak. But he is better prepared now at just saying “I know nothing”.
Sadly i was unable to make due to work commitments.
Lmao Smith still trying to get elected from pushing the same agenda he has been doing for around 20 years. The southern link lmfao, if any politician wants to win the nelson seat, I’d suggest they look at bringing back rail.
Southern link is massively polarising in Nelson, and with Matt Lawrey against it, and he has been for years, it will be an important topical issue. Looks like the government tried to withhold info on the southern link from the council until after the election.
My condolences go out to the people in Texas.But as a fellow blogger on this site points out there are much more people died in India Bangladesh because of global warming and these events don’t make our headline news.WTF Now I don’t like to capitalise my views on someone else’s disaster.We have had the reality of what’s going on around our WORLD sencered by National Muppets .
So I will endorse the Greens please if you want to leave a habitable World for our grandchildren vote Green Party
Considering the bumpLabour got I’d suggest Labour had something to do with Turei, I can just see how the conversation went: “Hi Labour as per the MOU we’re thinking of having MT announce she ripped off the taxpayer, do you think its a good idea”
Labours response, after doing a dance of celebration, “oh yes Greens its absolutely a good idea, we foresee no issues with this at all”
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I’m going to make a plea.
On this Winston ‘affair’
Can we all stop pontificating for a moment?
Bit by bit, more is emerging-the latest being the ladder puller upper was involved.
I’m by no means a Winnie fan.
He’s smart enough to know however not to show his cards.
You show me yours and I’ll show you mine.
There are bubbles and bloody big egos at play here.
There is no reason WP should release details to a gotcha-inspired media UNTIL the source ( peraps sauce) of the leak is identified.
Phat chance tho eh?
If we STFU, my suspicions are there’ll be one or two resignations.
If not, opportunity lost
Tracy Watkins suggests Seymour Dunne (Revenue Minister) and Tax Payers union new in advance about Peters. Can you find someone from the press corps wjo suggests labour did for MT?
Silly me. There I was thinking that the bump came from superior policies, fatigue with a tired and failing government, a bright and connecting leader, and small matters of ongoing corruption, mismanagement and ignorance.
New Zealanders are world leaders let’s lead the WORLD in the right direction.
And promote a carbon free industries that create local jobs and a healthy environment!!!!! .WE CAN DO IT
This sure puts the Greens’ proposed 20cent tax on single use plastic bags into perspective:
Kenyans producing, selling or even using plastic bags will risk imprisonment of up to four years or fines of $40,000 (£31,000) from Monday, as the world’s toughest law aimed at reducing plastic pollution came into effect.
The east African nation joins more than 40 other countries that have banned, partly banned or taxed single use plastic bags, including China, France, Rwanda, and Italy.
Bill English doubts anyone wakes up worried about Climate change.
I doubt he woke up worrying about nuclear war and his predecessor didnt give a shit about apartheid… enough did and change happened. We have done big stuff without National. It is time to do it again.
Yep and I DON’T think he likes what we have to say on this site looks like the Muppets have spun to get someone high in the national party to think I’m a threat to national with letting everyone no national and John Key sign OUR PRIVACY RIGHTS AWAY SO SOME COUNTRY CAN USE US TO SNOP ON THE REST OF the World
After three years, Labour MP Sue Moroney’s bill to extend paid leave to 26 weeks will be voted down by National and ACT in Parliament tonight.
An amendment to that bill would have seen it also extended to people in special circumstances.
ACT Party leader David Seymour had the deciding vote – National is down one vote because of Mike Sabin’s resignation.
What was Hooton on last night and why was he not dressed down by the host. Is this what is to be expected in the lead up to the election ?
I ask those more aware. Is there an issue regarding Broadcasting standards here ?
His rant commenced at 12 minutes. Bt be warned you may feel a little nauseous http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/ZB/auckland/2017.08.28-16.45.00-S.mp3
Why do commentators on the left continue with this Jacinda syndrome. This makes it IMO all about her. Should it not be that Labours vision is now being given a vehicle in which it is being heard and accepted by the nation ?
“Okay, so there are two sausages in a frying pan and one sausage turns to the other sausage and says, ‘Oh my god it is so hot in here,’ and the other sausage says, ‘Oh my god a talking sausage.'”
Man the police must have heaps of money to follow me around all day and any were I go O hang no it’s national money or is it our tax dollars being wasted I no I pay taxes WTF
Respect, Eco Maori. I have never known conversation to be killed for nearly 3 hours. I am sure it is not your fault, old boy.. (Often wish I could do the same on some threads.)
I don’t mean to be mean, but …. to get things going again?
All this new language learning The Nats are proposing for primary schools it now turns out comes to one hour per week per student. Huh?
One hour per week will NOT produce anything other than the ability to say hello and parrot 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in some other language and they will soon forget it.
None of the policy-setters can ever have tried to master a second language, let alone teach it. What a bunch of buck-tooth idiots.
Financial Innovation can be solely limited to gentle price stability tools. The beauty is that Rating Agencies will up interest-rates for NZ, and the NZD will fall. NZ thus gains income on exports and tourism, to cover fiscally. At the same time all first-home-lenders with floating-rates could be covered from a govt top-up to prevent melt-down in housing market. Only a small international money transaction tool will be require to prevent further foreign investment in real-estate and markets, plus minor restrictions on govt bonds. All these factors will essential freeze the market for a year or two until Royal Commissions come back with clear and democratic solutions on further Financial Innovation, to gently land prices. Meanwhile UBI and rent controls can stabilise poverty, while general reforms in Corrections, Tax, Education, Health and All are implemented.
Declare a State of National Disaster over Real Estate prices within the first three months of the next term. This will spook the markets early, hopefully before the crash/irreversible-dysfunction. The Govt then doesn’t use their new financial powers, they just focus on Corrections, Tax, etc. So claim can slowly return to the international observers.
Then, apply non-orthodox Financial Innovation before the 2020 election. Passing on a hot-but-functional-potato, to hopefully a second Green/NZF/TOP govt. If Nats or Labour got back in in 2020, they would fail big to turn back to old orthodox ways.
Apologies to my fellow bloggers for the eco maori effect. I have notice this effect has been influencing others in our beautiful country.
Now we need a Paradigm shift with all our policys as one can not run a country like a business like National has they are to totally different Beast and do not responed the same.
My opinion about our education get the basic right first English Math teach our children about civic teach our children to respect everyone surviving in our system get the class sizes down to 25 pupils per class .
Our best teachers no how to come down to our children level and engage them. the good teachers have a lot of art in there class room and there pupils ardor them
NOW TEACHING CHILDREN IS NOT THAT COMPLICATED GIVE THE TEACHERS THE RIGHT TRAINING AND THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN .
I no that using the KICKS systems works so Keep the system that run our school simple.
Come on this works give all our children at least the Basic make sure our children are well fed well housed one wont listen if you are hungry .These children are our future.
lets invest in our Future . Its not rocket science!!!!
When I was fifteen I discovered the joy of a free bar. All you had to do was say Bacardi and Coke, thanks to the guy in the white shirt and bow tie. I watched my cousin, all private school confidence, get the drinks in, and followed his lead. Another, ...
The Financial Times reported last week that China’s coast guard has declared China’s sovereignty over Sandy Cay, posting pictures of personnel holding a Chinese flag on a strip of sand. The landing apparently took place ...
You might not know this, but New Zealand’s at the bottom of the global league table for electric vehicle (EV) chargers, and the National government’s policies are ensuring we stay there, choking the life out of our clean energy transition.According to the International Energy Agency’s 2024 Global EV Outlook, we’ve ...
We need more than two Australians who are well-known in Washington. We do have two who are remarkably well-known, but they alone aren’t enough in a political scene that’s increasingly influenced by personal connections and ...
When National embarked on slash and burn cuts to the public service, Prime Minister Chris Luxon was clear that he expected frontline services to be protected. He lied: The government has scrapped part of a work programme designed to prevent people ending up in emergency housing because the social ...
When the Emissions Trading Scheme was originally introduced, way back in 2008, it included a generous transitional subsidy scheme, which saw "trade exposed" polluters given free carbon credits while they supposedly stopped polluting. That scheme was made more generous and effectively permanent under the Key National government, and while Labour ...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...
The news of Virginia Giuffre’s untimely death has been a shock, especially for those still seeking justice for Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. Giuffre, a key figure in exposing Epstein’s depraved network and its ties to powerful figures like Prince Andrew, was reportedly struck by a bus in Australia. She then apparently ...
An official briefing to the Health Minister warns “demand for acute services has outstripped hospital capacity”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāThe key long stories short in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, April 28 are: There’s a nationwide shortage of 500 hospital beds and 200,000 ...
We should have been thinking about the seabed, not so much the cables. When a Chinese research vessel was spotted near Australia’s southern coast in late March, opposition leader Peter Dutton warned the ship was ...
Now that the formalities of saying goodbye to Pope Francis are over, the process of selecting his successor can begin in earnest. Framing the choice in terms of “liberal v conservative” is somewhat misleading, given that all members of the College of Cardinals uphold the core Catholic doctrines – which ...
A listing of 30 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 20, 2025 thru Sat, April 26, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
Let’s rip the shiny plastic wrapping off a festering truth: planned obsolescence is a deliberate scam, and governments worldwide, including New Zealand’s, are complicit in letting tech giants churn out disposable junk. From flimsy smartphones that croak after two years to laptops with glued-in batteries, the tech industry’s business model ...
When I first saw press photos of Mr Whorrall, an America PhD entomology student & researcher who had been living out a dream to finish out his studies in Auckland, my first impression, besides sadness, was how gentle he appeared.Press released the middle photo from Mr Whorrall’s Facebook pageBy all ...
It's definitely not a renters market in New Zealand, as reported by 1 News last night. In fact the housing crisis has metastasised into a full-blown catastrophe in 2025, and the National Party Government’s policies are pouring petrol on the flames. Renters are being crushed under skyrocketing costs, first-time buyers ...
Would I lie to you? (oh yeah)Would I lie to you honey? (oh, no, no no)Now would I say something that wasn't true?I'm asking you sugar, would I lie to you?Writer(s): David Allan Stewart, Annie Lennox.Opinions issue forth from car radios or the daily news…They demand a bluer National, with ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Do the 31,000 signatures of the OISM Petition Project invalidate the scientific consensus on climate change? Climatologists made up only 0.1% of signatories ...
In the 1980s and early 1990s when I wrote about Argentine and South American authoritarianism, I borrowed the phrase “cultura del miedo” (culture of fear) from Juan Corradi, Guillermo O’Donnell, Norberto Lechner and others to characterise the social anomaly that exists in a country ruled by a state terror regime ...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...
Chris Bishop has unveiled plans for new roads in Tauranga, Auckland and Northland that will cost up to a combined $10 billion. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short from Aotearoa political economy around housing, poverty and climate in the week to Saturday, April 26:Chris Bishop ploughed ahead this week with spending ...
Unless you've been living under a rock, you would have noticed that New Zealand’s government, under the guise of economic stewardship, is tightening the screws on its citizens, and using debt as a tool of control. This isn’t just a conspiracy theory whispered in pub corners...it’s backed by hard data ...
The budget runup is far from easy.Budget 2025 day is Thursday 22 May. About a month earlier in a normal year, the macroeconomic forecasts would be completed (the fiscal ones would still be tidying up) and the main policy decisions would have been made (but there would still be a ...
On 25 April 2021, I published an internal all-staff Anzac Day message. I did so as the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, which is responsible for Australia’s civil defence, and its resilience in ...
You’ve likely noticed that the disgraced blogger of Whale Oil Beef Hooked infamy, Cameron Slater, is still slithering around the internet, peddling his bile on a shiny new blogsite calling itself The Good Oil. If you thought bankruptcy, defamation rulings, and a near-fatal health scare would teach this idiot a ...
The Atlas Network, a sprawling web of libertarian think tanks funded by fossil fuel barons and corporate elites, has sunk its claws into New Zealand’s political landscape. At the forefront of this insidious influence is David Seymour, the ACT Party leader, whose ties to Atlas run deep.With the National Party’s ...
Nicola Willis, National’s supposed Finance Minister, has delivered another policy failure with the Family Boost scheme, a childcare rebate that was big on promises but has been very small on delivery. Only 56,000 families have signed up, a far cry from the 130,000 Willis personally championed in National’s campaign. This ...
This article was first published on 7 February 2025. In January, I crossed the milestone of 24 years of service in two militaries—the British and Australian armies. It is fair to say that I am ...
He shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.Age shall not weary him, nor the years condemn.At the going down of the sun and in the morningI will remember him.My mate Keith died yesterday, peacefully in the early hours. My dear friend in Rotorua, whom I’ve been ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on news New Zealand abstained from a vote on a global shipping levy on climate emissions and downgraded the importance ...
Hi,In case you missed it, New Zealand icon Lorde has a new single out. It’s called “What Was That”, and has a very low key music video that was filmed around her impromptu performance in New York’s Washington Square Park. When police shut down the initial popup, one of my ...
A strategy of denial is now the cornerstone concept for Australia’s National Defence Strategy. The term’s use as an overarching guide to defence policy, however, has led to some confusion on what it actually means ...
The IMF’s twice-yearly World Economic Outlook and Fiscal Monitor publications have come out in the last couple of days. If there is gloom in the GDP numbers (eg this chart for the advanced countries, and we don’t score a lot better on the comparable one for the 2019 to ...
For a while, it looked like the government had unfucked the ETS, at least insofar as unit settings were concerned. They had to be forced into it by a court case, but at least it got done, and when National came to power, it learned the lesson (and then fucked ...
The argument over US officials’ misuse of secure but non-governmental messaging platform Signal falls into two camps. Either it is a gross error that undermines national security, or it is a bit of a blunder ...
Cost of living ~1/3 of Kiwis needed help with food as cost of living pressures continue to increase - turning to friends, family, food banks or Work and Income in the past year, to find food. 40% of Kiwis also said they felt schemes offered little or no benefit, according ...
Hi,Perhaps in 2025 it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the CEO and owner of Voyager Internet — the major sponsor of the New Zealand Media Awards — has taken to sharing a variety of Anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish conspiracy theories to his 1.2 million followers.This included sharing a post from ...
In the sprint to deepen Australia-India defence cooperation, navy links have shot ahead of ties between the two countries’ air forces and armies. That’s largely a good thing: maritime security is at the heart of ...
'Cause you and me, were meant to be,Walking free, in harmony,One fine day, we'll fly away,Don't you know that Rome wasn't built in a day?Songwriters: Paul David Godfrey / Ross Godfrey / Skye Edwards.I was half expecting to see photos this morning of National Party supporters with wads of cotton ...
The PSA says a settlement with Health New Zealand over the agency’s proposed restructure of its Data and Digital and Pacific Health teams has saved around 200 roles from being cut. A third of New Zealanders have needed help accessing food in the past year, according to Consumer NZ, and ...
John Campbell’s Under His Command, a five-part TVNZ+ investigation series starting today, rips the veil off Destiny Church, exposing the rot festering under Brian Tamaki’s self-proclaimed apostolic throne. This isn’t just a church; it’s a fiefdom, built on fear, manipulation, and a trail of scandals that make your stomach churn. ...
Some argue we still have time, since quantum computing capable of breaking today’s encryption is a decade or more away. But breakthrough capabilities, especially in domains tied to strategic advantage, rarely follow predictable timelines. Just ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Pearl Marvell(Photo credit: Pearl Marvell. Image credit: Samantha Harrington. Dollar bill vector image: by pch.vector on Freepik) Igrew up knowing that when you had extra money, you put it under a bed, stashed it in a book or a clock, or, ...
The political petrified piece of wood, Winston Peters, who refuses to retire gracefully, has had an eventful couple of weeks peddling transphobia, pushing bigoted policies, undertaking his unrelenting war on wokeness and slinging vile accusations like calling Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick a “groomer”.At 80, the hypocritical NZ First leader’s latest ...
It's raining in Cockermouth and we're following our host up the stairs. We’re telling her it’s a lovely building and she’s explaining that it used to be a pub and a nightclub and a backpackers, but no more.There were floods in 2009 and 2015 along the main street, huge floods, ...
A recurring aspect of the Trump tariff coverage is that it normalises – or even sanctifies – a status quo that in many respects has been a disaster for working class families. No doubt, Donald Trump is an uncertainty machine that is tanking the stock market and the growth prospects ...
The National Party’s Minister of Police, Corrections, and Ethnic Communities (irony alert) has stumbled into yet another racist quagmire, proving that when it comes to bigotry, the right wing’s playbook is as predictable as it is vile. This time, Mitchell’s office reposted an Instagram reel falsely claiming that Te Pāti ...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...
In a world crying out for empathy, J.K. Rowling has once again proven she’s more interested in stoking division than building bridges. The once-beloved author of Harry Potter has cemented her place as this week’s Arsehole of the Week, a title earned through her relentless, tone-deaf crusade against transgender rights. ...
Health security is often seen as a peripheral security domain, and as a problem that is difficult to address. These perceptions weaken our capacity to respond to borderless threats. With the wind back of Covid-19 ...
Would our political parties pass muster under the Fair Trading Act?WHAT IF OUR POLITICAL PARTIES were subject to the Fair Trading Act? What if they, like the nation’s businesses, were prohibited from misleading their consumers – i.e. the voters – about the nature, characteristics, suitability, or quantity of the products ...
Rod EmmersonThank you to my subscribers and readers - you make it all possible. Tui.Subscribe nowSix updates today from around the world and locally here in Aoteaora New Zealand -1. RFK Jnr’s Autism CrusadeAmerica plans to create a registry of people with autism in the United States. RFK Jr’s department ...
We see it often enough. A democracy deals with an authoritarian state, and those who oppose concessions cite the lesson of Munich 1938: make none to dictators; take a firm stand. And so we hear ...
370 perioperative nurses working at Auckland City Hospital, Starship Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre will strike for two hours on 1 May – the same day senior doctors are striking. This is part of nationwide events to mark May Day on 1 May, including rallies outside public hospitals, organised by ...
Character protections for Auckland’s villas have stymied past development. Now moves afoot to strip character protection from a bunch of inner-city villas. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories shortest from our political economy on Wednesday, April 23:Special Character Areas designed to protect villas are stopping 20,000 sites near Auckland’s ...
Artificial intelligence is poised to significantly transform the Indo-Pacific maritime security landscape. It offers unprecedented situational awareness, decision-making speed and operational flexibility. But without clear rules, shared norms and mechanisms for risk reduction, AI could ...
For what is a man, what has he got?If not himself, then he has naughtTo say the things he truly feelsAnd not the words of one who kneelsThe record showsI took the blowsAnd did it my wayLyrics: Paul Anka.Morena folks, before we discuss Winston’s latest salvo in NZ First’s War ...
Britain once risked a reputation as the weak link in the trilateral AUKUS partnership. But now the appointment of an empowered senior official to drive the project forward and a new burst of British parliamentary ...
Australia’s ability to produce basic metals, including copper, lead, zinc, nickel and construction steel, is in jeopardy, with ageing plants struggling against Chinese competition. The multinational commodities company Trafigura has put its Australian operations under ...
There have been recent PPP debacles, both in New Zealand (think Transmission Gully) and globally, with numerous examples across both Australia and Britain of failed projects and extensive litigation by government agencies seeking redress for the failures.Rob Campbell is one of New Zealand’s sharpest critics of PPPs noting that; "There ...
On Twitter on Saturday I indicated that there had been a mistake in my post from last Thursday in which I attempted to step through the Reserve Bank Funding Agreement issues. Making mistakes (there are two) is annoying and I don’t fully understand how I did it (probably too much ...
Indonesia’s armed forces still have a lot of work to do in making proper use of drones. Two major challenges are pilot training and achieving interoperability between the services. Another is overcoming a predilection for ...
The StrategistBy Sandy Juda Pratama, Curie Maharani and Gautama Adi Kusuma
As a living breathing human being, you’ve likely seen the heart-wrenching images from Gaza...homes reduced to rubble, children burnt to cinders, families displaced, and a death toll that’s beyond comprehension. What is going on in Gaza is most definitely a genocide, the suffering is real, and it’s easy to feel ...
Donald Trump, who has called the Chair of the Federal Reserve “a major loser”. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories shortest from our political economy on Tuesday, April 22:US markets slump after Donald Trump threatens the Fed’s independence. China warns its trading partners not to side with the US. Trump says some ...
Last night, the news came through that Pope Francis had passed away at 7:35 am in Rome on Monday, the 21st of April, following a reported stroke and heart failure. Pope Francis. Photo: AP.Despite his obvious ill health, it still came as a shock, following so soon after the Easter ...
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review found the NIC to be highly capable and performing well. So, it is not a surprise that most of the 67 recommendations are incremental adjustments and small but nevertheless important ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkThe world has made real progress toward tacking climate change in recent years, with spending on clean energy technologies skyrocketing from hundreds of billions to trillions of dollars globally over the past decade, and global CO2 emissions plateauing.This has contributed to a reassessment of ...
Hi,I’ve been having a peaceful month of what I’d call “existential dread”, even more aware than usual that — at some point — this all ends.It was very specifically triggered by watching Pantheon, an animated sci-fi show that I’m filing away with all-time greats like Six Feet Under, Watchmen and ...
Once the formalities of honouring the late Pope wrap up in two to three weeks time, the conclave of Cardinals will go into seclusion. Some 253 of the current College of Cardinals can take part in the debate over choosing the next Pope, but only 138 of them are below ...
The National Party government is doubling down on a grim, regressive vision for the future: more prisons, more prisoners, and a society fractured by policies that punish rather than heal. This isn’t just a misstep; it’s a deliberate lurch toward a dystopian future where incarceration is the answer to every ...
The audacity of Don Brash never ceases to amaze. The former National Party and Hobson’s Pledge mouthpiece has now sunk his claws into NZME, the media giant behind the New Zealand Herald and half of our commercial radio stations. Don Brash has snapped up shares in NZME, aligning himself with ...
The Green Party has renewed its call for the Government to ban the use, supply, and manufacture of engineered stone products, as the CTU launches a petition for the implementation of a full ban. ...
Te Pāti Māori are appalled by Cabinet's decision to agree to 15 recommendations to the Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector following the regulatory review by the Ministry of Regulation. We emphasise the need to prioritise tamariki Māori in Early Childhood Education, conducted by education experts- not economists. “Our mokopuna deserve ...
The Government must support Northland hapū who have resorted to rakes and buckets to try to control a devastating invasive seaweed that threatens the local economy and environment. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill that would ensure the biological definition of a woman and man are defined in law. “This is not about being anti-anyone or anti-anything. This is about ensuring we as a country focus on the facts of biology and protect the ...
After stonewalling requests for information on boot camps, the Government has now offered up a blog post right before Easter weekend rather than provide clarity on the pilot. ...
More people could be harmed if Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey does not guarantee to protect patients and workers as the Police withdraw from supporting mental health call outs. ...
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul O’Hare, Lecturer in Human Geography and Urban Development, Manchester Metropolitan University John_T/Shutterstock Climate breakdown poses immense threats to global economies, societies and ecosystems. Adapting to these impacts is urgent. But many cities and countries remain chronically unprepared in what the ...
After the high court backed Wellington City Council’s decision to reduce the city’s character areas, Joel MacManus looks back at the five decades that shaped the restrictive housing policy. The motorway came and tore the community in two. A great big gash of concrete. Eight lanes of destruction and separation. ...
The mayor of Wellington has announced she will not be seeking re-election at this year’s local election, and will instead stand in the Māori ward.Wellington mayor Tory Whanau has announced that she will not be seeking a second term when the city heads to the polls later this year. ...
In 2022, 40 Aucklanders met over five weekends to make a huge decision – how to provide enough drinking water for our biggest city for the next 20 years.These 40 people weren’t engineers or hydrologists, planners, or even environmentalists. They were a bunch of randomly selected non-experts: young and old, ...
For generations, New Zealand’s remotest community existed without outside help.Now the 600-odd residents of the Chatham Islands can’t live and thrive here without a lot of public money.Millions of dollars is needed for a long-awaited new ship to freight goods on and off the islands, replacing the old Southern Tiare. ...
The Denniston Plateau is an historical site. There are wonderful interpretation panels up there, telling the story of that great engineering wonder – the Denniston Incline – and of the people who lived and worked in those harsh and isolated towns, now long gone. I’m proud to have helped in ...
This week marks International Day of Immunology, with this year’s theme focusing on the connection between the brain and the immune system – a relationship crucial to understanding the impacts of post-acute infection syndromes like Long Covid, which is currently estimated to affect 400 million people.Cognitive dysfunction, sensory sensitivity, and ...
Earlier this year, Pope Francis became the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to publish his autobiography while still alive.Entitled Hope: An Autobiography, Pope Francis’ last major work provides personal insights into the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio (later Pope Francis), as well as some instructive self-reflections on his ...
Analysis: Canada’s major political parties have been pledging support for the manufacturing sector ahead of Monday’s election, but Canada’s working class is much broader than just manufacturing.Canadians are on edge because as many as 600,000 jobs are at stake due to tariffs levied by United States President Donald Trump.But the ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 29 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As we enter the final days of campaigning, Labor leads with its nose in front on most polls, but the devil is in the detail of particular seats. To help get a read ...
Communities in Vanuatu are learning to grow climate resilient crops, 18 months after Cyclone Lola devastated the country. The category 5 storm struck in October 2023, generating wind speeds of up to 215 kmph, which destroyed homes, schools, plantations, and left at least four people dead. It was all ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government has dug out last-minute savings of more than A$7 billion, to ensure its election commitments are more than offset in every year of the forward estimates. Its costings, released Monday, include savings ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra The federal budget will be stronger than suggested in last month’s budget, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers who released Labor’s costings on Monday. Many of the policies included in the costings were already detailed ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra With the May 3 federal election less than a week away, voters have only just received Labor’s costings and are yet to hear from the Coalition. At the 2022 election, the costings were not ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University WPixz/Shutterstock An antidepressant containing a form of the drug ketamine has been added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), making it much cheaper for the estimated 30,000 Australians with treatment-resistant depression. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne In front of a crowd of party faithful last weekend, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton referred to the ABC, Guardian Australia and other news platforms as “hate media”. The language ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Yellishetty, Professor, Co-Founder, Critical Minerals Consortium, and Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub, Monash University RHJPhtotos/Shutterstock The world needs huge quantities of critical minerals to make batteries, electric vehicles, wind turbines, mobile phones, computers and advanced weaponry. Many of these ...
PodTalk.live After a successful beta-launch this month, PodTalk.live has now called for people to register as foundation members — it’s free to join the post and podcast social platform. The foundation membership soft-launch is a great opportunity for founders to help shape a brand new, vibrant, algorithm-free, info discussion and ...
"This is an abandonment of Pharmac’s commitment to the health of Māori and another breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi," said Janice Panoho, Te Kaihautū Māori for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Angus, Professor of Digital Communication, Director of QUT Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology In the lead-up to the 2025 Australian federal election, political advertising is seemingly everywhere. We’ve been mapping the often invisible world of digital political advertising ...
This Aussie kids’ TV juggernaut has always packed an emotional punch, and the live stage show was no exception – giving one toddler and her mother a valuable lesson in dealing with disappointment. As a parent, a neat game to play is to think about which of your many failures ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra With the May 3 federal election less than a week away, voters still have little reliable information on the costs of Labor or Coalition policies. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said Labor’s policy costings will ...
We have three exciting new roles! The Spinoff is advertising for three new roles – one permanent and two fixed term opportunities. This is an opportunity for three creative people in vastly different areas to join our small team. Video journalistThe Spinoff has been funded by NZ On Air ...
As New Zealanders marked Anzac Day, Italians commemorated 80 years since the country was liberated from fascism. Have celebrations changed in the shadow of Italy’s first postwar far-right government? Nina Hall writes from Bologna. For Italians, April 25 is very different to New Zealand’s Anzac Day. It’s the day to ...
As Shortland Street’s mysterious new ‘Back in Black’ season starts tonight, Tara Ward explains exactly what’s going on in Ferndale. What’s all this then? Back in Black is the name of Shortland Street’s new mini-season, which begins tonight. In 2025, the long-running soap is dividing the year into four “mini-seasons”, ...
Approved building firms, plumbers, and drainlayers will now be able to sign off their own work, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced. ...
From 1 July, teachers will save up to $550 when applying for registration or renewing their practising certificate, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced. ...
This election demonstrated what the deep state will do to ensure the continuity of neoliberal rule in New Zealand.
Little
Turei
Peters
What do they all have in common?
They would have challenged the neoliberal paradigm.
+100 ed
Yeah, ummmm. Sorry, how would they have changed the paradigm? Seriously, I’m keen to hear solutions, cause with the feed back I’m getting from the Bots around here, seems my plans where deluded.
Please correct me, but I thought orthodox-economic-norms where set in stone from several decades of entrenched financial regulations, both internal and external.
Must add that Winnie always has a pair of rose smelling underpants up the sleeve, he’ll some how come out of this smelling ok.
Which way forward, Mr Ed?
(Eco-Maori, the invite is open. Bright ideas? Could we innovate with a little Babylonian Banking Number?)
If you’re in Auckland, maybe you could join Marama Davidson and Metiria Turei at a rally against poverty on September 16 at 2.30pm at Otara Town Centre;
And Turei will also be speaking about poverty at the Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch on 31 August.
This is where positive change will come from for those suffering most from poverty and inequality: from the flax roots.
Thanks.
Join the rally, or remain door-knocking locally, good options.
Hey the Green policy you link is adequate to stabilise short term. And yes, it’s the only politically speakable alternative. But the Greens would also do govt funded research into the TOP strategies around tax and UBI for medium term solutions. Plus research into Financial Innovation for sustainable funding during the transition/national-rehabilition. Agreed, Greens will get the job do.
See link here for the full detail that would really solve things: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-29082017/#comment-1375826
“but I thought orthodox-economic-norms where set in stone from several decades of entrenched financial regulations”
This is entirely voluntary. Sovereign nations have lost none of their ability to regulate big (multinational) businesses. All that has changed is the norms by which they typically do so.
The biggest change under the neo liberal era has been the deregulation (see above) and the abandonment of full employment as a policy goal (presently unemployment is a policy tool). Both changes were voluntary, drive inequality and should be reversed to a great extent.
In turn the neo liberal era has been a slow growth era which is why house and asset prices have been so out of whack.
“This is entirely voluntary. Sovereign nations have lost none of their ability to regulate big (multinational) businesses. All that has changed is the norms by which they typically do so.”
thats true, however consider the constituent response should the likes of Apple, or big oil et al remove or price themselves out of the local market…..the ability to regulate such entities is effectively determined by the size of the market….and NZ is a very small market.
Your saying these industries would leave a safe stable profitable market like NZ on the table? I think thats highly unlikely and I can’t think of any examples of it happening either.
Im saying depending on the level of enforcement /cost that some would determine the trouble was not worth it and note i also said price themselves into a position where they may still remain but accessibility (to the wider populace) would be greatly reduced….no time to look now but internet access costs are one that spring to mind, in many countries internet access is only available to the wealthy due to that very reason.
You have examples of countries where internet access is only available to the wealthy due to regulative overheads? I would think the lack of infrastructure would be relevant but hardly the amount of regulation.
“In other places, like South Africa and Namibia, prices are high simply because of a monopoly or duopoly. Further examination reveals at least two other reasons for these high prices: the largest fiber owners in-country, have until recently, not been allowed to sell or provide services and most importantly, African service providers are still beset with archaic business models and anti-customer mindset! Let’s examine these two factors in some detail.”
http://www.ictworks.org/2010/05/05/why-african-internet-bandwidth-prices-are-still-high/
Industry regulation can and does, as does tax law and corruption…..yes there needs to be regulation and TAXATION but it is a balancing act….and the smaller the market the lesser the leverage
I don’t find that very convincing as a story about burdensom regulation. Regulation was preventing some capacity from being used for internet access and for ISPs to effectively not have access to that infrastructure. Otherwise nothing seems to be preventing ISPs from selling to a broad market but their business model isnt there yet.
If you don’t push regulation onto the likes of Apple or big oil you will never know if there is a boundary there and will effectively just leave them deregulated.
never said don’t push, simply said there is a tipping point which you appear to deny…and there we differ
https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/shell-poised-announcement-nz-assets-182791
“In the year to December it reported revenue of $1.37 billion and net profit of $252.6 million.”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1506/S00005/z-energy-buys-caltex-service-station-chain-for-785-million.htm
“Chevron New Zealand Holdings reported a net profit of $43.3 million in calendar 2014 on revenue of $2.23 billion, down from a profit of $86.5 million on sale of $2.34 billion in 2013. Chevron’s total assets were valued at $573.9 million with liabilities totalling $374.4 million as at Dec. 31, compared to assets worth $784.9 million and liabilities of $536 million a year earlier.”
a quick couple close to home…
Problem is that the current fix-it solutions will all cost money, so where do you want to borrow that money from. It will take Financial Innovation and Money Sovereignty, otherwise it’s just the old debt spiral again. Can’t truly solve it with tax changes alone, though the full tax reforms from TOP would buy us time.
The NZ government is already fully sovereign in the NZ dollers via the RBNZ. Taxation is about things like, not allowing an aristocracy to develop, making the burden of taxation more equitable, or discouraging certain businesses or activities without making them illegal or removing inflationary spending pressures from an overheated economy. Its never about revenue gathering.
If the old debt spiral is referring to an eventual currency crisis then the point is NZ fully floated the NZ $ in about 1985. It can’t have currency crisis any more as a result.
NZD is in relation to international currencies, especially USD. And RBNZ don’t create NZDs, this would be sovereign. RBNZ buy other currencies, at cost.
We have a crisis if the Rating Agencies give us a crisis. Current official cash rate in NZ is 1.75%, vs Europe at 0.25%, or 0.0% When they buy our houses against their foreign capital, they have a 1.5% advantage over Kiwi buyers.
Interest repayment requires new money, growth. New money comes from debt, thus “debt spiral”. Though interest-rates are very low, but new problem is the effects of Quantitative Easing, lowering the value of our money.
Planet size is limited, and new efficencies from new technology are less significant than the losses from wars and storms. Debt system requires growth. Planet requires a steady state economy. Even the Greens don’t have this in their economic policy. Compromising with orthodox system, though steady state economic system would be investigated once Greens are in Govt.
Taken from here,
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/about-us/what-we-do
“Currency Issue”
“The Reserve Bank is the only organisation authorised to issue currency for New Zealand. ”
This is not to say that commercial banks don’t create money when they lend, they do, however the money created is commercial bank deposits and not of the form of the currency which is created by the reserve bank and spent and collected in tax by the government.
Obviously most of your comment is derivative on the RBNZ not being able to issue NZ dollers.
“where will the money come from?”
money (in all its forms) is simply a means of resource rationing, the real question is how do we use that rationing system?…we can create all the money we like but we are still restricted by resource availability and the desire for those resources….we currently allow ‘the market’ to determine how those resources are rationed…and we see where that has led and is leading, however that is not to say any other form will be any better or worse as ultimately any system will still be driven by human beings wants and needs…changing the amount of ‘money’ doesn’t change human nature
Come on Pat, obviously it’s better to do finance with public banks. Why do you think private banks should be able to profit from money creation? Surely the benefits of this should go back to the people rather than a small group of shareholders.
Deals with state owned banks could be done very different. Creating though debt is driving that growth. If all banking was though the state, then steady state economics would be possible, and the need from more resources to pay back debt, and new debt to pay off the old debt… all could be mathematically solved.
Oh, it matters Pat.
“….the real question is how do we use that rationing system?…”
quality not quantity
This argument simply invalidates itself where it says ‘however that is not to say any other form will be any better’ and goes on to assume the alternatives will further be the same or worse.
Ultimately it appears to be based on some form of Ricardian equivalence where supposidely (but actually not) when the government changes the quantity of spending the non government sector inversely compensates and reduces spending. In reality both quantity and quality of spending effect the outcome and Ricardian equivalence mechanisms don’t happen in the real world.
‘This argument simply invalidates itself…..”
Indeed?..you assume too much, I clearly state…..”that is not to say any alternative will be better or worse” based on the premise they are operated by and for human wants and needs….the onus is on you(or anyone else for that matter) to make the case for an alternative that IS indeed better.
If you take the time to read what I wrote you may grasp that what I am saying is the polar opposite of Ricardian Equivalence…i.e human beings are not forward looking nor rational in their habits….nor are they (in the main ) socially orientated….rather they are self serving and short sighted.
so back to government spending and debt monetisation….what does human nature tell you about the likely outcome of an increase in the willingness of governments to increase the money supply?
I say again….quality over quantity
Isn’t money supply increased every time someone takes a loan and buys a house? Guess the private lending mechanism would have to change, in balance. Better accounting at RBNZ. Your thinkin is still orthodox economics, I’m trying to talk alternatives.
“Your thinkin is still orthodox economics, ”
yes I’m analysing orthodox economics (that is not to say I’m promoting any particular school) for that is what we operate under and to know where you are going you need to know where you are starting from….indeed I seek and zero/negative growth model that appears to have a chance of working in the real world….im still waiting and time is agin us….so kindly talk alternatives but don’t expect me to accept them simply because they are alternative.
Its dead simple in that regard.
“what does human nature tell you about the likely outcome of an increase in the willingness of governments to increase the money supply?”
This is a weird way of putting it but I assume you are referring to something like the government buying up all the unemployed labour and putting the work towards public goods. Whats the outcome? First of all the labour will be for sale because the unemployment is not due to a voluntary choice but due to an actual lack of jobs. Second the unemployment rate will go down because many people who were unemployed will be in work (this will be an improvement in the outcome). Third growth of GDP will increase in real and nominal terms with the additional public goods the government purchased being produced being the real increase. Fourth there will be no inflationary outcome because the idle labour never had a bid in the jobs market so the additional spending does not compete with the private sector in setting wages.
You don’t get a similar outcome just focusing on quality because the economy is facing a quantity of spending problem. The mainstream of economic thought and your dogma believes that the economy is inherently self rebalancing in real terms
but there is no evidence for this in the real world.
I would say the market mechanism is the only future, but if we’re feeding the markets wholesome organic money from a central bank and not GE sugar from private banks, then govt can regulate lightly. Current system requires very heavy regulation.
Labour think they can fix the country and contiune with orthodox TPPA etc. Is this a pre-election bluff to win votes, avoid media attack?. Or are they really planning to fail?
Pivoting international economic relations is very bold, but we are well poised. The last 30sec of this video shows what’s required. If global finance isn’t going to play cricket, then we’ll have to change the game to rugby.
you’re a strange fellow….I am constantly amazed how you attribute positions to me that are frequently diametrically opposed to those i state…this comprehension problem may resolve itself if you spend less time learning text by rote and practise applying the theory to the real world.
Its pretty clear we can identify the nexus of the problem here.
“Yes I’m analysing orthodox economics (that is not to say I’m promoting any particular school) for that is what we operate under and to know where you are going you need to know where you are starting from”
Your misunderstanding is that orthodox economics is not something that we ‘operate under’ at all. It is instead a consistent failure to explain how the actual economy functions. The related problem being you don’t appear to know or understand the assumptions being made by the orthordox economics when you say for example ‘expand the money supply’. Do you not know the assumptions there do imply Ricardian equivalence is a genuine phenomenon there?
Thanks Pat, working on it. Moving from farming support, to small business, but seasonal work requirements and family issues also to hurdle.
Hey, pointing out paradox is part of my job here. Failure to spot paradox seems no less common among the politically educated.
You may be an exception Pat, I’m still undecided. Qualitative reflection upon degree content is generally very low especially in economics. How many people at the end of their first year still don’t know where money comes from? Don Brash still claims money isn’t created by private banks! It’s guys like him who give the Free Masons a bad name.
Analysis of orthodox views can reinforce them. So seeking to express alternative economic paradigms is very important, though yes, confusing.
Range of organic veges grown and marketed this year. Developments for next year: sell vege boxes at a set price, along with vouchers, thus creating a tradable regional currency alternative. The central bank need not fear me at this stage, but the future is open. And yes, I can still find some normal money to pay my taxes on transactions. Ethics are valuable, but costly.
Yeah Nic, you could be on to it, but does sound more like a side-step that a try or a conversion. I think their biggest assumption is, that after 3 years of orthodox economics, graduates will be whip-lashed and hypnotized from the magic of supply-n-demand curves.
Yes. We should have some pity on the poor graduates of economics who have paid for the privelege of being brainwashed. Unfortunately some of the more successful ones (like Don Brash and Bill English) will be rewarded for further basing policy on and popularizing their delusions so this is self perpetuating.
CoroDale gemmon
Here it is. A serious Strategy of the next Govt to end poverty:
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-29082017/#comment-1375826
Apparently Tolley knew about Peters, I’m guessing the leak came from her office.
They are well on their way to being the least trustworthy govt dept.
Tracy Watkins sayys Dunne knew in advance. He is Revenue Minister and has not called for an investigation of his office. Or has Tolley taken over since he resigned?
Why arent the press hounding the revenue minister and PM til they say they will investigate?
Dunne is not Revenue Minister now. He’s Internal Affairs, and has a couple of associate minister roles: health and conservation.
Sad thing is that often the participants in that ‘deep state’ don’t actually realise they are.
Whether its a WINZ case manager at the coal face (probably on a short term contract); or an Ummagration officer, or many others “only following orders”. Worse still, when shit hits fan, they’re the obvious targets when blame is apppoetioned.
Watch what happens over the Winnie affair…..or perhaps after the election when we look back on the dawn raids (modern day equiv) that come to light
Shout out to those from Nelson, Bill English will be addressing Grey Power at a public meeting TODAY at 2pm in Stoke at the Annesbrook Church on Saxton Rd.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/96241989/pm-to-face-questions-at-nelson-grey-power-election-meetings
If you are not working or busy go and check it out, they are taking questions from the floor, if it’s the same moderators from grey power that run the motueka meet the candidates, and if you are a young woman with a question, I strongly suggest you stand up and make it known you have a question, the old boys don’t like young women with questions, and will do their best to ignore you.
Would be really nice if people asked questions that concern many peoples needs instead of just their own
I’ve a huge workload today, but if time allows I will go check it out.
Remember Bill English’s shifty/shifting stories on the taping saga? Maybe a repeat at Stoke today over the superannuation leak. But he is better prepared now at just saying “I know nothing”.
Paula’s there with him
Ask about Winnie and the overpayment. Its been admitted that she was personally briefed before it all broke
Sadly i was unable to make due to work commitments.
Lmao Smith still trying to get elected from pushing the same agenda he has been doing for around 20 years. The southern link lmfao, if any politician wants to win the nelson seat, I’d suggest they look at bringing back rail.
Southern link is massively polarising in Nelson, and with Matt Lawrey against it, and he has been for years, it will be an important topical issue. Looks like the government tried to withhold info on the southern link from the council until after the election.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/96235755/national-pledges-green-light-for-southern-link-route-at-nelson-if-reelected
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/96267494/southern-link-announcement-draws-mixed-reactions
My condolences go out to the people in Texas.But as a fellow blogger on this site points out there are much more people died in India Bangladesh because of global warming and these events don’t make our headline news.WTF Now I don’t like to capitalise my views on someone else’s disaster.We have had the reality of what’s going on around our WORLD sencered by National Muppets .
So I will endorse the Greens please if you want to leave a habitable World for our grandchildren vote Green Party
Considering the bumpLabour got I’d suggest Labour had something to do with Turei, I can just see how the conversation went: “Hi Labour as per the MOU we’re thinking of having MT announce she ripped off the taxpayer, do you think its a good idea”
Labours response, after doing a dance of celebration, “oh yes Greens its absolutely a good idea, we foresee no issues with this at all”
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I doubt that happened.
Absolutely not ! chris 73. You’re just trying it on ….. we all know you’re a Nat – so just quit the stupid trolling.
I’m going to make a plea.
On this Winston ‘affair’
Can we all stop pontificating for a moment?
Bit by bit, more is emerging-the latest being the ladder puller upper was involved.
I’m by no means a Winnie fan.
He’s smart enough to know however not to show his cards.
You show me yours and I’ll show you mine.
There are bubbles and bloody big egos at play here.
There is no reason WP should release details to a gotcha-inspired media UNTIL the source ( peraps sauce) of the leak is identified.
Phat chance tho eh?
If we STFU, my suspicions are there’ll be one or two resignations.
If not, opportunity lost
Tracy Watkins suggests Seymour Dunne (Revenue Minister) and Tax Payers union new in advance about Peters. Can you find someone from the press corps wjo suggests labour did for MT?
Seymour is a nasty chap who is fully capable of trashing Peters at every turn. Why would he have known in advance? Leaky leaky!
Silly me. There I was thinking that the bump came from superior policies, fatigue with a tired and failing government, a bright and connecting leader, and small matters of ongoing corruption, mismanagement and ignorance.
But why not prefer a conspiracy to sense?
New Zealanders are world leaders let’s lead the WORLD in the right direction.
And promote a carbon free industries that create local jobs and a healthy environment!!!!! .WE CAN DO IT
This sure puts the Greens’ proposed 20cent tax on single use plastic bags into perspective:
Bill English doubts anyone wakes up worried about Climate change.
I doubt he woke up worrying about nuclear war and his predecessor didnt give a shit about apartheid… enough did and change happened. We have done big stuff without National. It is time to do it again.
Yes!
Yep and I DON’T think he likes what we have to say on this site looks like the Muppets have spun to get someone high in the national party to think I’m a threat to national with letting everyone no national and John Key sign OUR PRIVACY RIGHTS AWAY SO SOME COUNTRY CAN USE US TO SNOP ON THE REST OF the World
Farmers Bill hayseed English
Labour makes tertiary education first year of degree free from next year:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11913047
Plus the student allowance goes up.
If she implented this, it would be getting back to like it was back in my day.
We need hundreds of thousands more bright minds pushing our national productivity along. Without debt.
Hope those young people get out and vote, if they want this.
I think Ardern will take the news cycle for at least today with this:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news
Worth a look
Thanks.
It all sounds alarmingly familiar.
Nationals latest attempt
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11913181
But didn’t National use a financial veto against parliament to prevent the same thing they are offering now?
Ok so its fake but still a good image
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIWtC8bUQAA0BHu.jpg
This isn’t.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/8847784-3×4-700×933.jpg
Yes it is, the electricity is on they must be all dead.
Bonded neutral.
Houston,we have a problem.
Well over the 500-year-average-return event risk now, and still going.
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/28/16211392/100-500-year-flood-meaning
This is a good start at shifting the climate change discourse in the USA – even with this kind of President.
Francis Maxwell aces it.
Oh yeah, that Hitler humor never gets old. Funny as that Two and a Half Men, Christmas special.
What was Hooton on last night and why was he not dressed down by the host. Is this what is to be expected in the lead up to the election ?
I ask those more aware. Is there an issue regarding Broadcasting standards here ?
His rant commenced at 12 minutes. Bt be warned you may feel a little nauseous
http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/ZB/auckland/2017.08.28-16.45.00-S.mp3
Why do commentators on the left continue with this Jacinda syndrome. This makes it IMO all about her. Should it not be that Labours vision is now being given a vehicle in which it is being heard and accepted by the nation ?
Jacinda Ardern’s favourite joke is actually pretty funny!
“Okay, so there are two sausages in a frying pan and one sausage turns to the other sausage and says, ‘Oh my god it is so hot in here,’ and the other sausage says, ‘Oh my god a talking sausage.'”
Man the police must have heaps of money to follow me around all day and any were I go O hang no it’s national money or is it our tax dollars being wasted I no I pay taxes WTF
Respect, Eco Maori. I have never known conversation to be killed for nearly 3 hours. I am sure it is not your fault, old boy.. (Often wish I could do the same on some threads.)
I don’t mean to be mean, but …. to get things going again?
All this new language learning The Nats are proposing for primary schools it now turns out comes to one hour per week per student. Huh?
One hour per week will NOT produce anything other than the ability to say hello and parrot 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in some other language and they will soon forget it.
None of the policy-setters can ever have tried to master a second language, let alone teach it. What a bunch of buck-tooth idiots.
Financial Innovation can be solely limited to gentle price stability tools. The beauty is that Rating Agencies will up interest-rates for NZ, and the NZD will fall. NZ thus gains income on exports and tourism, to cover fiscally. At the same time all first-home-lenders with floating-rates could be covered from a govt top-up to prevent melt-down in housing market. Only a small international money transaction tool will be require to prevent further foreign investment in real-estate and markets, plus minor restrictions on govt bonds. All these factors will essential freeze the market for a year or two until Royal Commissions come back with clear and democratic solutions on further Financial Innovation, to gently land prices. Meanwhile UBI and rent controls can stabilise poverty, while general reforms in Corrections, Tax, Education, Health and All are implemented.
Declare a State of National Disaster over Real Estate prices within the first three months of the next term. This will spook the markets early, hopefully before the crash/irreversible-dysfunction. The Govt then doesn’t use their new financial powers, they just focus on Corrections, Tax, etc. So claim can slowly return to the international observers.
Then, apply non-orthodox Financial Innovation before the 2020 election. Passing on a hot-but-functional-potato, to hopefully a second Green/NZF/TOP govt. If Nats or Labour got back in in 2020, they would fail big to turn back to old orthodox ways.
Check-mate!
Apologies to my fellow bloggers for the eco maori effect. I have notice this effect has been influencing others in our beautiful country.
Now we need a Paradigm shift with all our policys as one can not run a country like a business like National has they are to totally different Beast and do not responed the same.
My opinion about our education get the basic right first English Math teach our children about civic teach our children to respect everyone surviving in our system get the class sizes down to 25 pupils per class .
Our best teachers no how to come down to our children level and engage them. the good teachers have a lot of art in there class room and there pupils ardor them
NOW TEACHING CHILDREN IS NOT THAT COMPLICATED GIVE THE TEACHERS THE RIGHT TRAINING AND THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN .
I no that using the KICKS systems works so Keep the system that run our school simple.
Come on this works give all our children at least the Basic make sure our children are well fed well housed one wont listen if you are hungry .These children are our future.
lets invest in our Future . Its not rocket science!!!!
Hey, thinking I’ve solved the riddle. It’s not “Eco maori”, its short for Emo. It’s not a bot, its an Emo Kid.
Cheer Up Emo Kid. Here, a FB page specially for you.
https://www.facebook.com/cheerupemokid