Happy Birthday Ianupnorth. Have a great day!
Taking a positive spin on that article.. it has given Goff a wonderful opportunity to promote not selling NZ’s assets and to remind people of Labour having to buy Air New Zealand back and fix it after the last attempt to privatise it! Makes Fyfe’s point a little petty don’t you think/? (no disrepsrect to the koro)
I got a mild case of cognitive whiplash reading Fyfe’s logic. I mean here the guy is running an airline that wouldn’t exist if it were not for the previous Labour govt and then he wants to tell us that politics should keep off his precious grass.
I read the rest of his spam email to his unfortunate staff. Turns out Fyfe has a broken finger. He claims it was a boating accident, but I suspect it was PM’s arse related.
Forget Pete George, he would be to dumb to comment on this.
Tax Justice media release
28 October 2011
“The Occupy Movement is protesting the injustice of the world’s 99% having to bear the costs of a financial crisis caused by an elite few,” says Vaughan Gunson, Tax Justice spokesperson.
“The best mechanism for making the super-rich 1% pay is a financial transaction tax, or Robin Hood Tax,” says Gunson. “It’s very exciting to see that the global movement for this tax which targets banks, big corporates and financial speculators is growing.”
The Robin Hood Tax international day of action on Saturday 29 October is timed to put pressure on the leaders of the G20 before their summit meeting in Cannes on 3 November. In New Zealand, actions are being organised in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch.
“Tax Justice has been campaigning over the last year for financial speculation to be taxed. It’s criminal that the profits of speculators go untaxed, while ordinary New Zealanders are taxed every which way,” says Gunson.
The Tax Justice petition signed by 40,000 New Zealanders was presented to Parliament on 16 August. The petition calls for GST to be removed from food and a tax placed on financial speculation instead.
“Politicians in New Zealand need to respond to the global movement and start looking at how we can introduce a Robin Hood Tax in New Zealand,” says Gunson.
Tax Justice would like to see the parties of the left come together on tax policy. “A broad coalition that brings together left parties inside and outside of Parliament, along with unions and other grassroots organisations, could achieve a decisive shift towards a more just fairer tax system,” says Gunson.
“The beauty of financial transaction taxes is that they can target the super-rich who aren’t paying enough tax; it’s almost impossible to avoid; and modern technology makes it a simple and low cost form of tax collection,” says Gunson.
Tax Justice has produced a Fact Sheet on Financial Transactions Taxes and their feasibility for New Zealand. To download PDF click here.
Sort of. He complained about the waste of taxpayer money. I agree wholeheartedly.
The National party effort was a complete waste of time and money. It was that bad I felt a little bit sorry for the National Party. I expected a razzamatazz Crosby Textor polished juggernaut of an effort that would have had Labour reeling. Instead I got this?
If taxpayer money was used to fund this piece of shyte then I agree there should be an inquiry and at least the complete repayment of any money paid.
That ship’s on fire, she’s sinking fast,
There’s one man standing on the mast,
His arms are spread in the flames around his head
He’d better jump before the blast,
PM John Key is standing on the quay
He’s taking colour photographs.
It’s not ‘Occupy’ that is being deceitful and dishonest.
It is the organisations that have inserted themselves into it and generated a platform themselves and elevated their their agendas and their programmes over any message/ action that might otherwise have emerged from a genuine dialogue between people ‘coming together’ over stuff they are rightfully pissed off about.
Thanks Bill, you are right, I know quite a few people (including myself) that thought Occupy would be a great opportunity to make a difference regardless of affiliations but are quite pissed off about what’s happened in NZ.
I know Green party supporters who are very sympathetic to the theoretical aims of Occupy who deliberately kept their politics out of it, and they amongst many others have been shat on.
Once again in agreement with Bill and suggest we take inspiration from the fact that today Egypt will once again inhabit Tarhir Sq, in solidarity with Occupywallstreet and oocupyoakland. It’s international, so whatever happens in Dunedin, although its a missed opportunity here, it is insignificant in the bigger picture.
This person writes a brilliant first hand account of an awakening in Oakland…
Well that pretty much destroys (yet again) the credibility of those making wild predictions of National’s collapse following the Rena incident. Given the desperately dishonest efforts of Labour & the Greens to somehow blame it on John Key, I had expected the Govt to take a hit. However, it seems that the public has seen through that.
Hopefully, the dirty campaigning has ended, and the campaigns – and the polls – will focus on substantive policy and issues.
“Hopefully, the dirty campaigning has ended, and the campaigns – and the polls – will focus on substantive policy and issues.”
Agree, entirely, Queenie. Do let us know when National make the switch to substantive policy and issues, because on last night’s effort, relying on John Key won’t do it for them this time round.
Well that pretty much destroys (yet again) the credibility of those making wild predictions of National’s collapse following the Rena incident.
No-one here predicted National’s collapse. What we did suggest is that it could well be an ‘inflexion point’. Putting words into other people’s mouths is very bad form.
National have been very, very fortunate that the Rena has held together against expectations , or that there hasn’t been another big storm causing a final break-up. Because that is all that has prevented far more oil landing on the beaches of the BOP.
And if that had happened the focus would have inevitably come back onto that first 100 hours after the grounding when it is now blatantly obvious more could have and should have been done. That and the RWC, which also was a very fortunate distraction for the government.
I suggest you look at the numerous Rena-related posts on this site. Here’s just one example:
My guess is that National will keep losing votes as this crisis drags on, and more and more questions are asked about their credibility.
What we did suggest is that it could well be an ‘inflexion point’. Putting words into other people’s mouths is very bad form.
Well, it seems I am addressed by the official spokesman for this entire site, which makes it ironic that you accuse me of putting words into other people’s mouths. Please tell me, what words did I put into other people’s mouths?
[lprent: RL is both an author and moderator. There are no official spokespeople – just a grumpy sysop who tends to prefer to bite the head off media rather than prancing around being a glory hound.
There were posts and comments that said it was likely that Rena would drop National support (not a collapse). A single small poll (750 wtf?) taken while the issue was still unfolding is hardly likely to show that.
RL is right. You are wrong. Bullshitting about the site as a whole is a Darwin award infraction. Trying to tell authors what they did not say is a dangerous trait. I very nearly gave you an educational ban. But I am feeling lazy this morning. ]
I trust it is not to trifle with the sysop to state that I do not know what I supposedly told an author they didn’t say, and nor do I know what words I supposedly put in anyone’s mouth.
All I did was assert what had been said, and then provide a quote in support when challenged. RL said “No-one here predicted National’s collapse”, and I posted a quote – by an author – to refute that. I don’t see how providing a quote constitutes “bullshitting about the site as a whole”.
On further review, perhaps RL does not consider that the comment “keep losing votes” to fall within the definition of “collapse” – the term I used. If that is the objection, then I would say that on dictionary definitions the term collapse is a perfectly valid term to describe comments such as “losing votes”, especially as a result of losing votes following a sudden, unexpected event. From the definition of “collapse”:
collapse… 3: to cave or fall in or give way… 4: to suddenly lose force, significance, effectiveness, or worth
On further review, perhaps RL does not consider that the comment “keep losing votes” to fall within the definition of “collapse” – the term I used.
Just to be clear… no I do not. A collapse would be something far more dramatic, like plunging within a week or two from 60% ratings to below 40% for instance. None of the authors or commenters who wrote about the Rena were saying anything like that.
What many people did suggest was that it was possibly a turning point, from which the trend for National might start to slowly loose ground.
Was I hearing things – was listening to the news on the radio this morning and heard the latest Horizon poll has Labour up in the polls and the Nats down. Cant find anything about it online,
maybe I was dreaming but it sounded quite impressive.
It came out a week ago, and suggests that the Nat’s can’t make it without Banks coming through in Epsom.
The highlights include a massive 0.4% support for United Follicles and ACT and the Maori party only marginally better off.
National has 36.8% of registered voters (down 2.7% since September 22)
Labour 25.7% (-1.1%)
Green Party 11.6% (up 0.9%)
New Zealand First 6.2% (- 1.1%)
Mana Party 2.3% (+ 0.3%)
Act 3.4% (down 1.4% from September and down from a high of 5.3% in May shortly after Don Brash became leader)
Maori Party 1.7% (+0.7%)
United Future 0.4% ( 0% in September)
Conservative Party of New Zealand 2.2% (new party, first time measured)
New Citizens 0%
Other parties 1.2%
I likewise found the Herald Digi-Poll a little difficult to believe in the face a poor six weeks for National.Although 10.6% of respondants were uncommited or 79.5 people (!). The election will of course be a major proving ground between the methodologies of the regular polls against the newcomer Horizon.
No doubt our neo-liberal cougar has a cushy pension fund stashed away somewhere, where as others, if she had her way would have to sell everything they own in order to get some subsistence in their retirement.
National want to make it hard for the poor to strike for better wages and conditions…..
The National Party wants pay to be cut when workers stage partial strikes or work-to-rules.
In its election policy on industrial relations announced on Friday, National says workers can sometimes do very little work for months under the guise of a partial strike and still be paid.
The party says with approval from the Department of Labour, company executives should be able to cut some of their income.
The proposal would particularly affect groups such as nurses and fire fighters, who stage only partial strikes in order to maintain emergency cover.
Trade unions say National’s proposal would harm low-paid workers who cannot afford full strike action.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly says it could increase disruption as workers move faster to all-out strike action fearing loss of money anyway.
“For very low-paid workers, it’s intended to remove a form of industrial action that is often the only one they can afford. For groups like nurses, who are very reluctant to take strike action and often show their objection by doing things like refusing extra shifts, they’ll actually be forced to take strike action.
But Business New Zealand is pleased, saying partial strikes are extremely damaging to industry.
Paul Mackay, of Business Zealand is pleased, saying the greatest industrial damage in New Zealand is caused by partial strikes.
“If we all accept that this country has got an awful lot of work to do on the productivity front, the idea that there’s no penalty for deliberately slowing the boat down so that it won’t arrive on time or won’t deliver the goods has got to have some frustration attached to it.
“So I think what we’re seeing now is the Government being prepared to say, ‘If you want to frustrate productivity, be prepared for it to cost you something.'” – Source : RadioNZ
For “If you want to frustrate productivity, be prepared for it to cost you something.” read…
“In order to conquer, we are dividing the work force into those who can strike and those who can’t!”
Not only did we have to put up with Hekia Parata’s bold faced lies that New Zealand had the resources and manpower to deal with an oil spill the size of Deepwater Horizon… we now have to put up with oil and dead animals washing up all over our beaches precisely because she was lying…
On the news last night she was at the site of the repair of the Maui pipeline.
Reporter was in regular hard hat and high vis vest (as would be expected).
Parata had a helmet with ear protectors and was wearing a pair of safety goggles like she was intimately involves in the repair!
Talk about poser! Do they now have PR wardrobe consultants with them when they fly in for the photo-ops?
She probably learned that from her boss Gerry. The first thing you do when recovering from a fatal, city destroying earthquake – get a new jacket with CERA embroided on it.
Wardrobe first, bulldozers second.
And i read this morning, in stuff or herald both by Parata. I cant find them again.
The problem with the pipe was ground movement NOT maintence
And
The pictures of the leaking gas posted on u tube were a hoax
Agreed. Thankfully we have affordable general hospital healthcare. However you view Roger Kerr he was an effective advocate for his side. The cancer is another thing: It’s more than likely he would have gone through the mill battling the effects of metastatic melanoma… Condolences to his family.
What I said on Armstrong’s National Party political ad today. Doubt if it will be published though.
“Economical with the truth again!
Like DPF you should have a disclaimer, saying rabid National party supporter.
Labour had to spend to repair the damage done to our national infrastructure and public services by decades of Neo-liberal Government.
No Government would have escaped a deficit with the GFC.
Labour left us in a much better position than the present, borrow, hope and give our assets away at fire sale prices to their future employers. National.
I suppose National cannot really campaign on their real policies though.
Stealing our wealth by reducing wages, giving away money earning assets, killing manufacturing, borrowing to give more money to those who spend it on Hawaii holidays and offshore gambling and making sure they have high paying jobs in finance, when they finally get voted out.”
Simon Power couldn’t even wait that long for his earthly reward.
” National would comfortably govern on its own with 53.5 per cent of decided voters, up 1.5 percentage points on the previous poll, in August.”
and
“Labour has 30.3 per cent support (down 1.2), ”
and in case anyone tries to say that the Rena wasn’t really in view when this poll was taken…
“As well as the Rugby World Cup, events leading up to the polling included the Rena oil spill off Tauranga, a downgrade for New Zealand by two credit rating agencies, and accusations that Mr Key misled the House when he claimed Standard & Poor’s had said another credit downgrade would be more likely if Labour became the Government.”
“The poll of 750 respondents was taken between October 20 and 27.”
750 respondants, does this huge number represent the way a majority of New Zealand is thinking or the number of national suporters found during a week of searching for people who will give the approved reply?.
I was disgusted the other day to hear that up himself Paul Henry Drive on radio live gloating (gloating on the unproven basis G was responsible for Lockerbie) about the murderous war crime of Gadaffi’s death He didn’t leave out the horror of the man being sodomized by some sort of object during the process of his dying. He is a total U$$ toady.
Some facts about the good things Gadaffi did for his people in this article:
“He also wanted Libyans to share in the country’s oil wealth, a notion foreign to America and other Western societies.
Under his 1999 Decision No. 111, all Libyans got free healthcare, education, electricity, water, training, rehabilitation, housing assistance, disability and old-age benefits, interest-free state loans, as well as generous subsidies to study abroad, buy a new car, help couples when they marry, practically free gasoline, and more.
Literacy under Gaddafi rose from 20 – 80%. Libya’s hospitals and private clinics were some of the region’s best. Now they’re in shambles. Some, in fact, were bombed or damage
The young people are well dressed, well fed and well educated….Every Libyan gets free, and often excellent, education, medical and health services. New colleges and hospitals are impressive by any international standard.
All Libyans have a house or a flat, a car, and most have televisions” and other conveniences. “Compared with most citizens of Third World countries, and with many (others), Libyans have it very good indeed,” including decent housing or a rent-free apartment.
Green Book ideology rejects Western-style democracy and predatory capitalism, especially neoliberal exploitation. It’s one of many reasons why Gaddafi was ousted.
He had nothing to do with downing Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. Neither did Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi. Scottish judges knew he was innocent but were pressured to convict.
Gaddafi never admitted fault. He took responsibility solely to have international sanctions removed. To this day, he and al-Megrahi stand falsely accused. Likely CIA /MI6/and/or Mossad involvement is never mentioned. ”
So is Labour going to announce funding for Len Brown’s train project Monday? Also I am presuming both TV 3 and TV One will release a poll on Sunday and Roy Morgan must be due to drop another poll very soon.
Overthrew a democratically elected Government.
Murdered between 700 thousand and a million of his own citizens to get into power.
Brutally squashed two independence movements. Now engaged in squashing a third.
Keeps about 2/3 of his country in poverty.
Allows foreign companies to repatriate almost 100% of their profits. Especially Western oil companies.
Has the worst environmental record in the Pacific..
Allows abuse of workers in virtual slave labour.
Sends troops in to kill unionists.
Country has unsustainable debt.
Streets of beggars and homeless.
This Dictator of an oil rich country.
Left his country with no external debt.
Gave interest free loans to citizens.
Had Western standards of living.
Increased literacy from 25% to 83%.
Had the Highest Standard of living in Africa.
A proportion of all oil sales was credited to every citizens bank account.
No beggars in the streets and no homeless.
Guess which one was helped into place by the US Government and is supported by other Western Governments, including ours.
Guess which one is considered so bad that we should support his overthrow.
Pity he is not still here to answer for the blighted lives, suicides, poverty, NZ’s heading for the third world, and the other effects, of his and others worship of a mean, spiteful discredited economic religion.
Given that I believe in an afterlife (also in universal salvation), I did a little bit, thinking that he was in for a bit of a shock, as he would have thought himself to have done only good…
This Hobbit themed article has nothing to do with Key other than to say he was given a photo op with his ‘mate’ Jackson. Key isn’t Minister of Arts (why didn’t Finlayson get the photo op?).
I call bs. Also, is that an old photo? Jackson is looking like his old self.
Key and his mates have done nothing for the film industry. Yes, they jumped at the chance to brown-nose Jackson and stick their beaks into an industrial dispute (enjoying your residual checks negotiated for you by fucking unions, Sir Peter?) but they’ve done sweet f-all for the industry.
I still remain completely disgusted with Peter Jackson. It’s really tough on me as I was such a fangirl. On the hobnobbing with celebs theme though, which doesn’t Russel Norman get his sister in law Anna Paquin to do an ad for the Greens? That would be awesome 🙂
Its sad when somebody dies, young or old there are the emotionally attached and the family, so with the death of Roger Kerr whilst I bear his ideology total malice I have sympathy with those who were close to him.
Not so those who carry forward the twisted logic of neo liberalism. In the media there are the likes of Deborah Hill Cone (whose image of too tight jeans in her column frightens the shit out of us)..The late Roger said this of her …“Deborah Hill Cone is one of my favourite journalists. Her cosmopolitan reading habits are unique in the New Zealand media, and she’s generally no slouch in business and economic commentary either”.(aka she read the copy of Atlas by the Sainted Ayn Rand I gave to her)…
Fekk its proof Roger was a lightweight AND its a damnation by faint praise from a suspect source for Debs…..QED
It’s all kicking off in Oz, with Qantas grounding their entire fleet to force the Government’s hand in the industrial dispute. Fairwork Australia meeting in emergency council, Gillard addressing the nation. Thousands of workers locked out, thousands of travellers affected. Amazing!
Excitement in the seaside village! Look what might be coming! 400 million dollars worth of investment! In the very beating heart of the village! Are we excited and eager to see this happen, what with every last bank branch gone and shops sitting forlornly quiet awaiting a customer?Yes please, apply ...
Much discussion has been held over the Regulatory Standards Bill (RSB), the latest in a series of rightwing attempts to enshrine into law pro-market precepts such as the primacy of private property ownership. Underneath the good governance and economic efficiency gobbledegook language of the Bill is an interest to strip ...
We are concerned that the Amendment Bill, as proposed, could impair the operations and legitimate interests of the NZ Trade Union movement. It is also likely to negatively impact the ability of other civil society actors to conduct their affairs without the threat of criminal sanctions. We ask that ...
I can't take itHow could I fake it?How could I fake it?And I can't take itHow could I fake it?How could I fake it?Song: The Lonely Biscuits.“A bit nippy”, I thought when I woke this morning, and then, soon after that, I wondered whether hell had frozen over. Dear friends, ...
Early reports indicate that the temporary Israel/Hamas ceasefire deal (due to take effect on Sunday) will allow for the gradual release of groups of Israeli hostages, the release of an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails (likely only a fraction of the total incarcerated population), and the withdrawal ...
My daily news diet is not what it once was.It was the TV news that lost me first. Too infantilising, too breathless, too frustrating.The Herald was next. You could look past the reactionary framing while it was being a decent newspaper of record, but once Shayne Currie began unleashing all ...
Hit the road Jack and don't you come backNo more, no more, no more, no moreHit the road Jack and don't you come back no moreWhat you say?Songwriters: Percy MayfieldMorena,I keep many of my posts, like this one, paywall-free so that everyone can read them.However, please consider supporting me as ...
This might be the longest delay between reading (or in this case re-reading) a work, and actually writing a review of it I have ever managed. Indeed, when I last read these books in December 2022, I was not planning on writing anything about them… but as A Phuulish Fellow ...
Kia Ora,I try to keep most my posts without a paywall for public interest journalism purposes. However, if you can afford to, please consider supporting me as a paid subscriber and/or supporting over at Ko-Fi. That will help me to continue, and to keep spending time on the work. Embarrassingly, ...
There was a time when Google was the best thing in my world. I was an early adopter of their AdWords program and boy did I like what it did for my business. It put rocket fuel in it, is what it did. For every dollar I spent, those ads ...
A while back I was engaged in an unpleasant exchange with a leader of the most well-known NZ anti-vax group and several like-minded trolls. I had responded to a racist meme on social media in which a rightwing podcaster in the US interviewed one of the leaders of the Proud ...
Hi,If you’ve been reading Webworm for a while, you’ll be familiar with Anna Wilding. Between 2020 and 2021 I looked at how the New Zealander had managed to weasel her way into countless news stories over the years, often with very little proof any of it had actually happened. When ...
It's a long white cloud for you, baby; staying together alwaysSummertime in AotearoaWhere the sunshine kisses the water, we will find it alwaysSummertime in AotearoaYeah, it′s SummertimeIt's SummertimeWriters: Codi Wehi Ngatai, Moresby Kainuku, Pipiwharauroa Campbell, Taulutoa Michael Schuster, Rebekah Jane Brady, Te Naawe Jordan Muturangi Tupe, Thomas Edward Scrase.Many of ...
Last year, 292 people died unnecessarily on our roads. That is the lowest result in over a decade and only the fourth time in the last 70 years we’ve seen fewer than 300 deaths in a calendar year. Yet, while it is 292 people too many, with each death being ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob HensonFlames from the Palisades Fire burn a building at Sunset Boulevard amid a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The fast-moving wildfire had destroyed thousands of structures and ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.The Regulatory Standards Bill, as I understand it, seeks to bind parliament to a specific range of law-making.For example, it seems to ensure primacy of individual rights over that of community, environment, te Tiriti ...
Happy New Year!I had a lovely break, thanks very much for asking: friends, family, sunshine, books, podcasts, refreshing swims, barbecues, bike rides. So good to step away from the firehose for a while, to have less Trump and Seymour in your day. Who needs the Luxons in their risible PJs ...
Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the Auckland City Centre Advisory Panel and a director of Greater Auckland In 2003, after much argument, including the election of a Mayor in 2001 who ran on stopping it, Britomart train station in downtown Auckland opened. A mere 1km twin track terminating branch ...
For the first time in a decade, a New Zealand Prime Minister is heading to the Middle East. The trip is more than just a courtesy call. New Zealand PMs frequently change planes in Dubai en route to destinations elsewhere. But Christopher Luxon’s visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 5, 2025 thru Sat, January 11, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The decade between 1952 and the early 1960s was the peak period for the style of music we now call doo wop, after which it got dissolved into soul music, girl groups, and within pop music in general. Basically, doo wop was a form of small group harmonising with a ...
The future teaches you to be aloneThe present to be afraid and coldSo if I can shoot rabbits, then I can shoot fascists…And if you tolerate thisThen your children will be nextSongwriters: James Dean Bradfield / Sean Anthony Moore / Nicholas Allen Jones.Do you remember at school, studying the rise ...
When National won the New Zealand election in 2023, one of the first to congratulate Luxon was tech-billionaire and entrepreneur extraordinaire Elon Musk.And last year, after Luxon posted a video about a trip to Malaysia, Musk came forward again to heap praise on Christopher:So it was perhaps par for the ...
Hi,Today’s Webworm features a new short film from documentary maker Giorgio Angelini. It’s about Luigi Mangione — but it’s also, really, about everything in America right now.Bear with me.Shortly after I sent out my last missive from the fires on Wednesday, one broke out a little too close to home ...
So soon just after you've goneMy senses sharpenBut it always takes so damn longBefore I feel how much my eyes have darkenedFear hangs in a plane of gun smokeDrifting in our roomSo easy to disturb, with a thought, with a whisperWith a careless memorySongwriters: Andy Taylor / John Taylor / ...
Can we trust the Trump cabinet to act in the public interest?Nine of Trump’s closest advisers are billionaires. Their total net worth is in excess of $US375b (providing there is not a share-market crash). In contrast, the total net worth of Trump’s first Cabinet was about $6b. (Joe Biden’s Cabinet ...
Welcome back to our weekly roundup. We hope you had a good break (if you had one). Here’s a few of the stories that caught our attention over the last few weeks. This holiday period on Greater Auckland Since our last roundup we’ve: Taken a look back at ...
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partnerSometimes I feel like my only friendIs the city I live in, The City of AngelsLonely as I am together we crySong: Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, Flea, John Frusciante.A home is engulfed in flames during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area. ...
Open access notablesLarge emissions of CO2 and CH4 due to active-layer warming in Arctic tundra, Torn et al., Nature Communications:Climate warming may accelerate decomposition of Arctic soil carbon, but few controlled experiments have manipulated the entire active layer. To determine surface-atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide and ...
It's election year for Wellington City Council and for the Regional Council. What have the progressive councillors achieved over the last couple of years. What were the blocks and failures? What's with the targeting of the mayor and city council by the Post and by central government? Why does the ...
Over the holidays, there was a rising tide of calls for people to submit on National's repulsive, white supremacist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, along with a wave of advice and examples of what to say. And it looks like people rose to the occasion, with over 300,000 ...
The lie is my expenseThe scope of my desireThe Party blessed me with its futureAnd I protect it with fireI am the Nina The Pinta The Santa MariaThe noose and the rapistAnd the fields overseerThe agents of orangeThe priests of HiroshimaThe cost of my desire…Sleep now in the fireSongwriters: Brad ...
This is a re-post from the Climate BrinkGlobal surface temperatures have risen around 1.3C since the preindustrial (1850-1900) period as a result of human activity.1 However, this aggregate number masks a lot of underlying factors that contribute to global surface temperature changes over time.These include CO2, which is the primary ...
There are times when movement around us seems to slow down. And the faster things get, the slower it all appears.And so it is with the whirlwind of early year political activity.They are harbingers for what is to come:Video: Wayne Wright Jnr, funder of Sean Plunket, talk growing power and ...
Hi,Right now the power is out, so I’m just relying on the laptop battery and tethering to my phone’s 5G which is dropping in and out. We’ll see how we go.First up — I’m fine. I can’t see any flames out the window. I live in the greater Hollywood area ...
2024 was a tough year for working Kiwis. But together we’ve been able to fight back for a just and fair New Zealand and in 2025 we need to keep standing up for what’s right and having our voices heard. That starts with our Mood of the Workforce Survey. It’s your ...
Time is never time at allYou can never ever leaveWithout leaving a piece of youthAnd our lives are forever changedWe will never be the sameThe more you change, the less you feelSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan.Babinden - Baba’s DayToday, January 8th, 2025, is Babinden, “The Day of the baba” or “The ...
..I/We wish to make the following comments:I oppose the Treaty Principles Bill."5. Act binds the CrownThis Act binds the Crown."How does this Act "bind the Crown" when Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which the Act refers to, has been violated by the Crown on numerous occassions, resulting in massive loss of ...
Everything is good and brownI'm here againWith a sunshine smile upon my faceMy friends are close at handAnd all my inhibitions have disappeared without a traceI'm glad, oh, that I found oohSomebody who I can rely onSongwriter: Jay KayGood morning, all you lovely people. Today, I’ve got nothing except a ...
Welcome to 2025. After wrapping up 2024, here’s a look at some of the things we can expect to see this year along with a few predictions. Council and Elections Elections One of the biggest things this year will be local body elections in October. Will Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Canadians can take a while to get angry – but when they finally do, watch out. Canada has been falling out of love with Justin Trudeau for years, and his exit has to be the least surprising news event of the New Year. On recent polling, Trudeau’s Liberal party has ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Much like 2023, many climate and energy records were broken in 2024. It was Earth’s hottest year on record by a wide margin, breaking the previous record that was set just last year by an even larger margin. Human-caused climate-warming pollution and ...
Submissions on National's racist, white supremacist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill are due tomorrow! So today, after a good long holiday from all that bullshit, I finally got my shit together to submit on it. As I noted here, people should write their own submissions in their own ...
Ooh, baby (ooh, baby)It's making me crazy (it's making me crazy)Every time I look around (look around)Every time I look around (every time I look around)Every time I look aroundIt's in my faceSongwriters: Alan Leo Jansson / Paul Lawrence L. Fuemana.Today, I’ll be talking about rich, middle-aged men who’ve made ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 29, 2024 thru Sat, January 4, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Hi,The thing that stood out at me while shopping for Christmas presents in New Zealand was how hard it was to avoid Zuru products. Toy manufacturer Zuru is a bit like Netflix, in that it has so much data on what people want they can flood the market with so ...
And when a child is born into this worldIt has no conceptOf the tone of skin it's living inAnd there's a million voicesAnd there's a million voicesTo tell you what you should be thinkingSong by Neneh Cherry and Youssou N'Dour.The moment you see that face, you can hear her voice; ...
While we may not always have quality political leadership, a couple of recently published autobiographies indicate sometimes we strike it lucky. When ranking our prime ministers, retired professor of history Erik Olssen commented that ‘neither Holland nor Nash was especially effective as prime minister – even his private secretary thought ...
Baby, be the class clownI'll be the beauty queen in tearsIt's a new art form, showin' people how little we care (yeah)We're so happy, even when we're smilin' out of fearLet's go down to the tennis court and talk it up like, yeah (yeah)Songwriters: Joel Little / Ella Yelich O ...
Open access notables Why Misinformation Must Not Be Ignored, Ecker et al., American Psychologist:Recent academic debate has seen the emergence of the claim that misinformation is not a significant societal problem. We argue that the arguments used to support this minimizing position are flawed, particularly if interpreted (e.g., by policymakers or the public) as suggesting ...
What I’ve Been Doing: I buried a close family member.What I’ve Been Watching: Andor, Jack Reacher, Xmas movies.What I’ve Been Reflecting On: The Usefulness of Writing and the Worthiness of Doing So — especially as things become more transparent on their own.I also hate competing on any day, and if ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by John Wihbey. A version of this article first appeared on Yale Climate Connections on Nov. 11, 2008. (Image credits: The White House, Jonathan Cutrer / CC BY 2.0; President Jimmy Carter, Trikosko/Library of Congress; Solar dedication, Bill Fitz-Patrick / Jimmy Carter Library; Solar ...
Morena folks,We’re having a good break, recharging the batteries. Hope you’re enjoying the holiday period. I’m not feeling terribly inspired by much at the moment, I’m afraid—not from a writing point of view, anyway.So, today, we’re travelling back in time. You’ll have to imagine the wavy lines and sci-fi sound ...
Completed reads for 2024: Oration on the Dignity of Man, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola A Platonic Discourse Upon Love, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola Of Being and Unity, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola The Life of Pico della Mirandola, by Giovanni Francesco Pico Three Letters Written by Pico ...
Welcome to 2025, Aotearoa. Well… what can one really say? 2024 was a story of a bad beginning, an infernal middle and an indescribably farcical end. But to chart a course for a real future, it does pay to know where we’ve been… so we know where we need ...
Welcome to the official half-way point of the 2020s. Anyway, as per my New Years tradition, here’s where A Phuulish Fellow’s blog traffic came from in 2024: United States United Kingdom New Zealand Canada Sweden Australia Germany Spain Brazil Finland The top four are the same as 2023, ...
Completed reads for December: Be A Wolf!, by Brian Strickland The Magic Flute [libretto], by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder The Invisible Eye, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Owl’s Ear, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Waters of Death, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Spider, by Hanns Heinz Ewers Who Knows?, by Guy de Maupassant ...
Well, it’s the last day of the year, so it’s time for a quick wrap-up of the most important things that happened in 2024 for urbanism and transport in our city. A huge thank you to everyone who has visited the blog and supported us in our mission to make ...
Leave your office, run past your funeralLeave your home, car, leave your pulpitJoin us in the streets where weJoin us in the streets where weDon't belong, don't belongHere under the starsThrowing light…Song: Jeffery BuckleyToday, I’ll discuss the standout politicians of the last 12 months. Each party will receive three awards, ...
Hi,A lot’s happened this year in the world of Webworm, and as 2024 comes to an end I thought I’d look back at a few of the things that popped. Maybe you missed them, or you might want to revisit some of these essay and podcast episodes over your break ...
Hi,I wanted to share this piece by film editor Dan Kircher about what cinema has been up to in 2024.Dan edited my documentary Mister Organ, as well as this year’s excellent crowd-pleasing Bookworm.Dan adores movies. He gets the language of cinema, he knows what he loves, and writes accordingly. And ...
Without delving into personal details but in order to give readers a sense of the year that was, I thought I would offer the study in contrasts that are Xmas 2023 and Xmas 2024: Xmas 2023 in Starship Children’s Hospital (after third of four surgeries). Even opening presents was an ...
Heavy disclaimer: Alpha/beta/omega dynamics is a popular trope that’s used in a wide range of stories and my thoughts on it do not apply to all cases. I’m most familiar with it through the lens of male-focused fanfic, typically m/m but sometimes also featuring m/f and that’s the situation I’m ...
Hi,Webworm has been pretty heavy this year — mainly because the world is pretty heavy. But as we sprint (or limp, you choose) through the final days of 2024, I wanted to keep Webworm a little lighter.So today I wanted to look at one of the biggest and weirdest elements ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 22, 2024 thru Sat, December 28, 2024. This week's roundup is the second one published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, ...
We’ll have a climate change ChristmasFrom now until foreverWarming our hearts and mindsAnd planet all togetherSpirits high and oceans higherChestnuts roast on wildfiresIf coal is on your wishlistMerry Climate Change ChristmasSong by Ian McConnellReindeer emissions are not something I’d thought about in terms of climate change. I guess some significant ...
KP continues to putt-putt along as a tiny niche blog that offers a NZ perspective on international affairs with a few observations about NZ domestic politics thrown in. In 2024 there was also some personal posts given that my son was in the last four months of a nine month ...
I can see very wellThere's a boat on the reef with a broken backAnd I can see it very wellThere's a joke and I know it very wellIt's one of those that I told you long agoTake my word I'm a madman, don't you knowSongwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton JohnIt ...
.Acknowledgement: Tim PrebbleThanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..With each passing day of bad headlines, squandering tax revenue to enrich the rich, deep cuts to our social services and a government struggling to keep the lipstick on its neo-liberal pig ...
The Green Party has welcomed the provisional ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, and reiterated its call for New Zealand to push for an end to the unlawful occupation of Palestine. ...
The Green Party welcomes the extension of the deadline for Treaty Principles Bill submissions but continues to call on the Government to abandon the Bill. ...
Complaints about disruptive behaviour now handled in around 13 days (down from around 60 days a year ago) 553 Section 55A notices issued by Kāinga Ora since July 2024, up from 41 issued during the same period in the previous year. Of that 553, first notices made up around 83 ...
The time it takes to process building determinations has improved significantly over the last year which means fewer delays in homes being built, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “New Zealand has a persistent shortage of houses. Making it easier and quicker for new homes to be built will ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is pleased to announce the annual list of New Zealand’s most popular baby names for 2024. “For the second consecutive year, Noah has claimed the top spot for boys with 250 babies sharing the name, while Isla has returned to the most popular ...
Work is set to get underway on a new bus station at Westgate this week. A contract has been awarded to HEB Construction to start a package of enabling works to get the site ready in advance of main construction beginning in mid-2025, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“A new Westgate ...
Minister for Children and for Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is encouraging people to use the resources available to them to get help, and to report instances of family and sexual violence amongst their friends, families, and loved ones who are in need. “The death of a ...
Uia te pō, rangahaua te pō, whakamāramatia mai he aha tō tango, he aha tō kāwhaki? Whitirere ki te ao, tirotiro kau au, kei hea taku rātā whakamarumaru i te au o te pakanga mo te mana motuhake? Au te pō, ngū te pō, ue hā! E te kahurangi māreikura, ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says people with diabetes and other painful conditions will benefit from a significant new qualification to boost training in foot care. “It sounds simple, but quality and regular foot and nail care is vital in preventing potentially serious complications from diabetes, like blisters or sores, which can take a long time to heal ...
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour is pleased to see Pharmac continue to increase availability of medicines for Kiwis with the government’s largest ever investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the government,” says Mr Seymour. “When this government assumed ...
Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora e mua - Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead. Māori recipients in the New Year 2025 Honours list show comprehensive dedication to improving communities across the motu that ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is wishing all New Zealanders a great holiday season as Kiwis prepare for gatherings with friends and families to see in the New Year. It is a great time of year to remind everyone to stay fire safe over the summer. “I know ...
From 1 January 2025, first-time tertiary learners will have access to a new Fees Free entitlement of up to $12,000 for their final year of provider-based study or final two years of work-based learning, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Targeting funding to the final year of study ...
COMMENTARY:By Monika Singh The lack of women representation in parliaments across the world remains a vexed and contentious issue. In Fiji, this problem has again surfaced for debate in response to Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica’s call for a quota system to increase women’s representation in Parliament. Kamikamica was ...
What compels someone of significant status in society to break the law, repeatedly, might be the same reason I did as a poor teenager. Former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman, who left parliament a year ago today following revelations of shoplifting, is now at the centre of another shoplifting complaint. As ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kath Albury, Professor of Media and Communication and Associate Investigator, ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making + Society, Swinburne University of Technology natamrli/Shutterstock Last week, social media giant Meta announced major changes to its content moderation practices. This includes an ...
"Gisborne has suffered from housing underdevelopment and a lack of supply, coupled with damage from severe weather events," Minister Tama Potaka says. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marta Andhov, Associate Professor, Law School, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Iconic Bestiary/Shutterstock They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But in the world of legal contracts, pictures can be worth even more by making complicated concepts more ...
Asia Pacific Report The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Egyptian, Palestinian and Israeli authorities to allow foreign journalists into Gaza in the wake of the three-phase ceasefire agreement set to to begin on Sunday. The New York-based global media watchdog urged the international community “to independently investigate ...
The agreement will ease Palestinians’ suffering, but international agencies will struggle to meet the massive need for humanitarian relief. This is an excerpt from The World Bulletin, our weekly global current affairs newsletter exclusively for Spinoff Members. Sign up here. We start the World Bulletin’s year with a rare piece of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marika Sosnowski, Postdoctoral research fellow, The University of Melbourne After 467 days of violence, a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel has been reached and will come into effect on Sunday, pending Israeli government approval. This agreement will not end the ...
We love to suffer through tramps to enjoy natural beauty… except when we don’t.It can feel a bit shitty to stay inside and wallow all day when it’s nice out. Hot sunlight hits your window and your mum’s voice rings around in your head: get outside and enjoy the ...
Requests for official information involving potentially damning correspondence are totally legitimate – but have been put in the ‘too hard basket' by officials refusing to properly follow the Local Government Official Information and Meetings ...
With the local body elections in October, a long-awaited upgrade of Courtenay Place, and big changes for water, housing and the economy, it’s set to be another dramatic year for the capital city. The Golden Mile Conservative city councillors made a last-minute attempt in November to scrap the Golden Mile ...
I’ve already broken most of my resolutions, and it’s only January. How do I salvage my clean slate? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera,It’s only 6 days into the new year, and I’m already ready for 2026. I made five resolutions and have already broken ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate, UNSW Beach Safety Research Group + School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney byvalet/Shutterstock Australia is considered a nation of beach lovers. But with all this water surrounding us, drownings remain tragically common. At least 55 people have ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney Sergii Gnatiuk/Shutterstock Over the past two years, generative artificial intelligence (AI) has captivated public attention. This year signals the beginning of a new phase: the rise of AI agents. AI ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dorina Pojani, Associate Professor in Urban Planning, The University of Queensland shisu_ka/Shutterstock A wide range of voices in the Australian media have been sounding the alarm about the phenomenon of “forever-renting”. This describes a situation in which individuals or families ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney Originally known as 2JJ, or Double Jay, when it launched in Sydney at 11am on January 19 1975, Triple J has since become the national youth network. The station now encompasses broadcast ...
Currently, under 18s are legally allowed to buy Lotto tickets. That’s about to change, explains The Bulletin’s Stewart Sowman-Lund. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The anonymised database is crucial to the government's social investment approach to funding programmes - but was incapable of doing so without extra investment. ...
Opinion: As I reflect on the tumultuous year that has passed and look forward to the year ahead, I wonder what it will hold.For me I can’t look past the middle of February right now as that is when my dissertation must be submitted, hopefully completing my master’s degree. It ...
Opinion: 2025 is a critical year for Aotearoa New Zealand’s natural world. With the entire environmental management system slated for reform, it’s the most important year in decades. If the hot-headed excesses of last year’s law-making continue, it will lead to terrible long-term outcomes. But if sense prevails, we could ...
An anticipated move to tax charities’ business operations would reduce charitable activity and may cause businesses to leave New Zealand, a lawyer warns. In a push to find new sources of revenue the Government is looking at implementing a charity tax, which would see the business arm of companies such as ...
As parliamentary staff start to read through thousands of submissions on the Treaty principles bill, Shanti Mathias explores how submitting became the go-to way to engage with politics – and asks whether it makes a difference. While the exact number is currently being confirmed, it seems almost certain that submissions ...
A plan about ferries, highly anticipated select committee hearings and a new deputy prime minister are all on the cards for Aotearoa in the 2025 political year. Here’s a rundown of what to expect and when to expect it. The ‘brace for impact, it’s coming soon’ bitsThe political calendar ...
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, Thursday 16 January appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Summer reissue: Six months on from the tale of a homeless man making street coffee, Lyric Waiwiri-Smith reflects on the story that became a hit, and then a punchline. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read ...
Summer reissue: Over 10,000 school students in New Zealand learn outside of school, but that doesn’t mean they’re always learning at home. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Manisha Caleb, Senior Lecturer in Astrophysics, University of Sydney Artist’s impression of ASKAP J1839-0756.James Josephides When some of the biggest stars reach the end of their lives, they explode in spectacular supernovas and leave behind incredibly dense cores called neutron stars. ...
Democracy Now!AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman.We turn now to Gaza, where Israel’s assault on the besieged strip continues despite ongoing talks over a possible ceasefire. Palestinian authorities say 5000 people are missing or have been killed in this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Walker-Munro, Senior Lecturer (Law), Southern Cross University Elon Musk is no stranger to news headlines. His purchase of Twitter and subsequent decision to rebrand the platform as X has seen it called “a true black mirror of the most worrying parts ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Port Vila The electoral commission in Vanuatu is trying its best to clear up some confusion with the voting process for tomorrow’s snap election. Principal Electoral Officer Guilain Malessas said this is due to the tight turnaround to deliver this election after Parliament ...
Today is my birthday and to celebrate I am happily first in and in doing so stopping Pete George from his regular first spot! Shame Rod Fyfe spoiled it! http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10762436
Happy birthday Ian!
Happy Birthday Ianupnorth. Have a great day!
Taking a positive spin on that article.. it has given Goff a wonderful opportunity to promote not selling NZ’s assets and to remind people of Labour having to buy Air New Zealand back and fix it after the last attempt to privatise it! Makes Fyfe’s point a little petty don’t you think/? (no disrepsrect to the koro)
My sentiments exactly. Happy birthday.. !
From the article:
Which is to promote an airline, right? Piss off, Fyfe.
Happy Birthday Ian!
I got a mild case of cognitive whiplash reading Fyfe’s logic. I mean here the guy is running an airline that wouldn’t exist if it were not for the previous Labour govt and then he wants to tell us that politics should keep off his precious grass.
Yeah, a perfect illustration of right-wing ideology.
Fyfe is a Paul Henry hiring prick.
I read the rest of his spam email to his unfortunate staff. Turns out Fyfe has a broken finger. He claims it was a boating accident, but I suspect it was PM’s arse related.
LMAO!
Happy Birthday Ianupnorth !
Happy birthday Ian!
Forget Pete George, he would be to dumb to comment on this.
Tax Justice media release
28 October 2011
“The Occupy Movement is protesting the injustice of the world’s 99% having to bear the costs of a financial crisis caused by an elite few,” says Vaughan Gunson, Tax Justice spokesperson.
“The best mechanism for making the super-rich 1% pay is a financial transaction tax, or Robin Hood Tax,” says Gunson. “It’s very exciting to see that the global movement for this tax which targets banks, big corporates and financial speculators is growing.”
The Robin Hood Tax international day of action on Saturday 29 October is timed to put pressure on the leaders of the G20 before their summit meeting in Cannes on 3 November. In New Zealand, actions are being organised in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch.
“Tax Justice has been campaigning over the last year for financial speculation to be taxed. It’s criminal that the profits of speculators go untaxed, while ordinary New Zealanders are taxed every which way,” says Gunson.
The Tax Justice petition signed by 40,000 New Zealanders was presented to Parliament on 16 August. The petition calls for GST to be removed from food and a tax placed on financial speculation instead.
“Politicians in New Zealand need to respond to the global movement and start looking at how we can introduce a Robin Hood Tax in New Zealand,” says Gunson.
Tax Justice would like to see the parties of the left come together on tax policy. “A broad coalition that brings together left parties inside and outside of Parliament, along with unions and other grassroots organisations, could achieve a decisive shift towards a more just fairer tax system,” says Gunson.
“The beauty of financial transaction taxes is that they can target the super-rich who aren’t paying enough tax; it’s almost impossible to avoid; and modern technology makes it a simple and low cost form of tax collection,” says Gunson.
Tax Justice has produced a Fact Sheet on Financial Transactions Taxes and their feasibility for New Zealand. To download PDF click here.
For more information on the Tax Justice campaign go to http://www.nogstonfood.org
For comment, contact:
Vaughan Gunson
Tax Justice spokesperson
021-0415 082
svpl@xtra.co.nz
or
Grant Brookes
Tax Justice spokesperson
021-0532 973
grant_brookes@paradise.net.nz
Grant Brookes will be speaking to the Wellington Occupy movement on the subject of a Robin Hood Tax at 1pm, Saturday 29 October, Civic Square.
It is interesting that neither the slithery one nor Farrar have commented on the respective TV launches last night.
I wonder why?
To be fair, Farrar has posted crossword answers this morning.
Whaleoil has now.
Sort of. He complained about the waste of taxpayer money. I agree wholeheartedly.
The National party effort was a complete waste of time and money. It was that bad I felt a little bit sorry for the National Party. I expected a razzamatazz Crosby Textor polished juggernaut of an effort that would have had Labour reeling. Instead I got this?
If taxpayer money was used to fund this piece of shyte then I agree there should be an inquiry and at least the complete repayment of any money paid.
Third container ship aground off Tauranga. It’s the MV National Party
Pretty damn good…
Occupy Octagon/Dunedin have claimed the council hasn’t been honest with the public or the occupiers.
Council dishonest over Armistice Day – who’s really being dishonest?
It’s not ‘Occupy’ that is being deceitful and dishonest.
It is the organisations that have inserted themselves into it and generated a platform themselves and elevated their their agendas and their programmes over any message/ action that might otherwise have emerged from a genuine dialogue between people ‘coming together’ over stuff they are rightfully pissed off about.
I wrote about all of ths here. http://thestandard.org.nz/over-or-into-the-wall/
Thanks Bill, you are right, I know quite a few people (including myself) that thought Occupy would be a great opportunity to make a difference regardless of affiliations but are quite pissed off about what’s happened in NZ.
I know Green party supporters who are very sympathetic to the theoretical aims of Occupy who deliberately kept their politics out of it, and they amongst many others have been shat on.
Once again in agreement with Bill and suggest we take inspiration from the fact that today Egypt will once again inhabit Tarhir Sq, in solidarity with Occupywallstreet and oocupyoakland. It’s international, so whatever happens in Dunedin, although its a missed opportunity here, it is insignificant in the bigger picture.
This person writes a brilliant first hand account of an awakening in Oakland…
http://www.theawl.com/2011/10/the-livestream-ended-how-i-got-off-my-computer-and-into-the-streets-at-occupy-oakland
This may happen here yet, depending on how it grows and articulates itself abroad.
Ali Mustafa will be live tweeting from Egypt. Follow him for real news.
twitter:@_fbtm
I can’t post the results of the latest herald digi-poll in OPEN MIKE???
Poor handling of Oil Spill what?
As the article notes, there was a spike in support from rugger loving Aucklanders in the days before the final. I’d have never predicted that … sigh.
Well that pretty much destroys (yet again) the credibility of those making wild predictions of National’s collapse following the Rena incident. Given the desperately dishonest efforts of Labour & the Greens to somehow blame it on John Key, I had expected the Govt to take a hit. However, it seems that the public has seen through that.
Hopefully, the dirty campaigning has ended, and the campaigns – and the polls – will focus on substantive policy and issues.
“Hopefully, the dirty campaigning has ended, and the campaigns – and the polls – will focus on substantive policy and issues.”
Agree, entirely, Queenie. Do let us know when National make the switch to substantive policy and issues, because on last night’s effort, relying on John Key won’t do it for them this time round.
Well that pretty much destroys (yet again) the credibility of those making wild predictions of National’s collapse following the Rena incident.
No-one here predicted National’s collapse. What we did suggest is that it could well be an ‘inflexion point’. Putting words into other people’s mouths is very bad form.
National have been very, very fortunate that the Rena has held together against expectations , or that there hasn’t been another big storm causing a final break-up. Because that is all that has prevented far more oil landing on the beaches of the BOP.
And if that had happened the focus would have inevitably come back onto that first 100 hours after the grounding when it is now blatantly obvious more could have and should have been done. That and the RWC, which also was a very fortunate distraction for the government.
No-one here predicted National’s collapse.
I suggest you look at the numerous Rena-related posts on this site. Here’s just one example:
What we did suggest is that it could well be an ‘inflexion point’. Putting words into other people’s mouths is very bad form.
Well, it seems I am addressed by the official spokesman for this entire site, which makes it ironic that you accuse me of putting words into other people’s mouths. Please tell me, what words did I put into other people’s mouths?
[lprent: RL is both an author and moderator. There are no official spokespeople – just a grumpy sysop who tends to prefer to bite the head off media rather than prancing around being a glory hound.
There were posts and comments that said it was likely that Rena would drop National support (not a collapse). A single small poll (750 wtf?) taken while the issue was still unfolding is hardly likely to show that.
RL is right. You are wrong. Bullshitting about the site as a whole is a Darwin award infraction. Trying to tell authors what they did not say is a dangerous trait. I very nearly gave you an educational ban. But I am feeling lazy this morning. ]
Qsf dictionary
Loose is to collapse
I trust it is not to trifle with the sysop to state that I do not know what I supposedly told an author they didn’t say, and nor do I know what words I supposedly put in anyone’s mouth.
All I did was assert what had been said, and then provide a quote in support when challenged. RL said “No-one here predicted National’s collapse”, and I posted a quote – by an author – to refute that. I don’t see how providing a quote constitutes “bullshitting about the site as a whole”.
On further review, perhaps RL does not consider that the comment “keep losing votes” to fall within the definition of “collapse” – the term I used. If that is the objection, then I would say that on dictionary definitions the term collapse is a perfectly valid term to describe comments such as “losing votes”, especially as a result of losing votes following a sudden, unexpected event. From the definition of “collapse”:
On further review, perhaps RL does not consider that the comment “keep losing votes” to fall within the definition of “collapse” – the term I used.
Just to be clear… no I do not. A collapse would be something far more dramatic, like plunging within a week or two from 60% ratings to below 40% for instance. None of the authors or commenters who wrote about the Rena were saying anything like that.
What many people did suggest was that it was possibly a turning point, from which the trend for National might start to slowly loose ground.
Rather large difference.
“I didn’t ram that ship into the reef!!!” 😛
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19473099@N05/6238850035/in/photostream
Good example of what I am talking about.
You’re a rat mate, so you better start swimming.
Swimming from what? What ship do you think I am aboard?
Was I hearing things – was listening to the news on the radio this morning and heard the latest Horizon poll has Labour up in the polls and the Nats down. Cant find anything about it online,
maybe I was dreaming but it sounded quite impressive.
It came out a week ago, and suggests that the Nat’s can’t make it without Banks coming through in Epsom.
The highlights include a massive 0.4% support for United Follicles and ACT and the Maori party only marginally better off.
National has 36.8% of registered voters (down 2.7% since September 22)
Labour 25.7% (-1.1%)
Green Party 11.6% (up 0.9%)
New Zealand First 6.2% (- 1.1%)
Mana Party 2.3% (+ 0.3%)
Act 3.4% (down 1.4% from September and down from a high of 5.3% in May shortly after Don Brash became leader)
Maori Party 1.7% (+0.7%)
United Future 0.4% ( 0% in September)
Conservative Party of New Zealand 2.2% (new party, first time measured)
New Citizens 0%
Other parties 1.2%
I likewise found the Herald Digi-Poll a little difficult to believe in the face a poor six weeks for National.Although 10.6% of respondants were uncommited or 79.5 people (!). The election will of course be a major proving ground between the methodologies of the regular polls against the newcomer Horizon.
Someone else who thinks that the fact that we have the lowest rate of senior poverty in the OECD is unacceptable
No doubt our neo-liberal cougar has a cushy pension fund stashed away somewhere, where as others, if she had her way would have to sell everything they own in order to get some subsistence in their retirement.
More good news for Labour, compulsory Kiwisaver is a winner.
And it looks like we like MMP.
rod fyfe thinks because he once flew a fighter jet then ipso facto he knows everything.
National want to make it hard for the poor to strike for better wages and conditions…..
For “If you want to frustrate productivity, be prepared for it to cost you something.” read…
“In order to conquer, we are dividing the work force into those who can strike and those who can’t!”
A whole new class of worker!
Hekia Parata – Asshole of the Week Award
Not only did we have to put up with Hekia Parata’s bold faced lies that New Zealand had the resources and manpower to deal with an oil spill the size of Deepwater Horizon… we now have to put up with oil and dead animals washing up all over our beaches precisely because she was lying…
On the news last night she was at the site of the repair of the Maui pipeline.
Reporter was in regular hard hat and high vis vest (as would be expected).
Parata had a helmet with ear protectors and was wearing a pair of safety goggles like she was intimately involves in the repair!
Talk about poser! Do they now have PR wardrobe consultants with them when they fly in for the photo-ops?
She probably learned that from her boss Gerry. The first thing you do when recovering from a fatal, city destroying earthquake – get a new jacket with CERA embroided on it.
Wardrobe first, bulldozers second.
And i read this morning, in stuff or herald both by Parata. I cant find them again.
The problem with the pipe was ground movement NOT maintence
And
The pictures of the leaking gas posted on u tube were a hoax
Roger Kerr has just died.
Edit: I have removed some of the nasty stuff out because regardless of his political beliefs, he was still a human being.
Sympathies to his family.
I wonder if he learnt in time that you can’t take material wealth with you and that dollars will not help smooth your way into the after life.
Agreed. Thankfully we have affordable general hospital healthcare. However you view Roger Kerr he was an effective advocate for his side. The cancer is another thing: It’s more than likely he would have gone through the mill battling the effects of metastatic melanoma… Condolences to his family.
What I said on Armstrong’s National Party political ad today. Doubt if it will be published though.
“Economical with the truth again!
Like DPF you should have a disclaimer, saying rabid National party supporter.
Labour had to spend to repair the damage done to our national infrastructure and public services by decades of Neo-liberal Government.
No Government would have escaped a deficit with the GFC.
Labour left us in a much better position than the present, borrow, hope and give our assets away at fire sale prices to their future employers. National.
I suppose National cannot really campaign on their real policies though.
Stealing our wealth by reducing wages, giving away money earning assets, killing manufacturing, borrowing to give more money to those who spend it on Hawaii holidays and offshore gambling and making sure they have high paying jobs in finance, when they finally get voted out.”
Simon Power couldn’t even wait that long for his earthly reward.
The Rena disaster will cause National to drop in the polls……NEK MINNIT….
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10762430
” National would comfortably govern on its own with 53.5 per cent of decided voters, up 1.5 percentage points on the previous poll, in August.”
and
“Labour has 30.3 per cent support (down 1.2), ”
and in case anyone tries to say that the Rena wasn’t really in view when this poll was taken…
“As well as the Rugby World Cup, events leading up to the polling included the Rena oil spill off Tauranga, a downgrade for New Zealand by two credit rating agencies, and accusations that Mr Key misled the House when he claimed Standard & Poor’s had said another credit downgrade would be more likely if Labour became the Government.”
“The poll of 750 respondents was taken between October 20 and 27.”
Winning the RWC does not seemed to have helped Key’s polling much. Imagine if Donald’s kick had missed?
750 respondants, does this huge number represent the way a majority of New Zealand is thinking or the number of national suporters found during a week of searching for people who will give the approved reply?.
Typical reply when your team is losing is to blame it on who does the polling, who was polled, or the sample size.
I gaurantee that if the result had showed a gain for labour you wouldn’t even be questioning the sample size.
Remember….many on the left were saying that the Rena was “Key’s, ‘Katrina'” and that the Nat’s would suffer in the polls.
That they have gone up shows the most people realise that this was just left wing spin.
Interesting, Nothing matters until four weeks from now.
I was disgusted the other day to hear that up himself Paul Henry Drive on radio live gloating (gloating on the unproven basis G was responsible for Lockerbie) about the murderous war crime of Gadaffi’s death He didn’t leave out the horror of the man being sodomized by some sort of object during the process of his dying. He is a total U$$ toady.
Some facts about the good things Gadaffi did for his people in this article:
“He also wanted Libyans to share in the country’s oil wealth, a notion foreign to America and other Western societies.
Under his 1999 Decision No. 111, all Libyans got free healthcare, education, electricity, water, training, rehabilitation, housing assistance, disability and old-age benefits, interest-free state loans, as well as generous subsidies to study abroad, buy a new car, help couples when they marry, practically free gasoline, and more.
Literacy under Gaddafi rose from 20 – 80%. Libya’s hospitals and private clinics were some of the region’s best. Now they’re in shambles. Some, in fact, were bombed or damage
The young people are well dressed, well fed and well educated….Every Libyan gets free, and often excellent, education, medical and health services. New colleges and hospitals are impressive by any international standard.
All Libyans have a house or a flat, a car, and most have televisions” and other conveniences. “Compared with most citizens of Third World countries, and with many (others), Libyans have it very good indeed,” including decent housing or a rent-free apartment.
Green Book ideology rejects Western-style democracy and predatory capitalism, especially neoliberal exploitation. It’s one of many reasons why Gaddafi was ousted.
He had nothing to do with downing Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. Neither did Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi. Scottish judges knew he was innocent but were pressured to convict.
Gaddafi never admitted fault. He took responsibility solely to have international sanctions removed. To this day, he and al-Megrahi stand falsely accused. Likely CIA /MI6/and/or Mossad involvement is never mentioned. ”
refer link: http://www.rense.com/general95/hyd.htm
So is Labour going to announce funding for Len Brown’s train project Monday? Also I am presuming both TV 3 and TV One will release a poll on Sunday and Roy Morgan must be due to drop another poll very soon.
I can confidently predict gc that labour will make no such announcement on Monday.
This Dictator of an oil rich country.
Overthrew a democratically elected Government.
Murdered between 700 thousand and a million of his own citizens to get into power.
Brutally squashed two independence movements. Now engaged in squashing a third.
Keeps about 2/3 of his country in poverty.
Allows foreign companies to repatriate almost 100% of their profits. Especially Western oil companies.
Has the worst environmental record in the Pacific..
Allows abuse of workers in virtual slave labour.
Sends troops in to kill unionists.
Country has unsustainable debt.
Streets of beggars and homeless.
This Dictator of an oil rich country.
Left his country with no external debt.
Gave interest free loans to citizens.
Had Western standards of living.
Increased literacy from 25% to 83%.
Had the Highest Standard of living in Africa.
A proportion of all oil sales was credited to every citizens bank account.
No beggars in the streets and no homeless.
Guess which one was helped into place by the US Government and is supported by other Western Governments, including ours.
Guess which one is considered so bad that we should support his overthrow.
RIP Roger Kerr
I cannot bring myself to feel sorry for him.
Pity he is not still here to answer for the blighted lives, suicides, poverty, NZ’s heading for the third world, and the other effects, of his and others worship of a mean, spiteful discredited economic religion.
Wasn’t he one of the insider traders in SCF also?
Nobody said you had to feel sorry for him.
I felt the same way when Ed Hillary passed, I just did not care given his long support of the Labour government.
Given that I believe in an afterlife (also in universal salvation), I did a little bit, thinking that he was in for a bit of a shock, as he would have thought himself to have done only good…
WTF is Key doing in this photo?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10762437
This Hobbit themed article has nothing to do with Key other than to say he was given a photo op with his ‘mate’ Jackson. Key isn’t Minister of Arts (why didn’t Finlayson get the photo op?).
I call bs. Also, is that an old photo? Jackson is looking like his old self.
Oh I see Stuff covered it also. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5871787/Key-adds-stardust-to-campaign-trail
Key and his mates have done nothing for the film industry. Yes, they jumped at the chance to brown-nose Jackson and stick their beaks into an industrial dispute (enjoying your residual checks negotiated for you by fucking unions, Sir Peter?) but they’ve done sweet f-all for the industry.
I still remain completely disgusted with Peter Jackson. It’s really tough on me as I was such a fangirl. On the hobnobbing with celebs theme though, which doesn’t Russel Norman get his sister in law Anna Paquin to do an ad for the Greens? That would be awesome 🙂
Jackson and key sold out the film workers for the love of money.
Key and national are traitors, they have made that plain with their plans for this country if we are stupid enough to vote them back in.
Vote for Change has confirmed that it wants to go back to an unrepresentative model for elections.
JK with Sir Peter, Knighted for services to Warner Brothers
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/full-coverage/chogm-2011/a/-/article/10950129/new-zealand-pm-snubs-queen-for-hobbits/
never seena wingnut flic in my life.
they dont do it for me.
I like stuff with balls.
Its sad when somebody dies, young or old there are the emotionally attached and the family, so with the death of Roger Kerr whilst I bear his ideology total malice I have sympathy with those who were close to him.
Not so those who carry forward the twisted logic of neo liberalism. In the media there are the likes of Deborah Hill Cone (whose image of too tight jeans in her column frightens the shit out of us)..The late Roger said this of her …“Deborah Hill Cone is one of my favourite journalists. Her cosmopolitan reading habits are unique in the New Zealand media, and she’s generally no slouch in business and economic commentary either”.(aka she read the copy of Atlas by the Sainted Ayn Rand I gave to her)…
Fekk its proof Roger was a lightweight AND its a damnation by faint praise from a suspect source for Debs…..QED
It’s all kicking off in Oz, with Qantas grounding their entire fleet to force the Government’s hand in the industrial dispute. Fairwork Australia meeting in emergency council, Gillard addressing the nation. Thousands of workers locked out, thousands of travellers affected. Amazing!
Radio NZ finally decided to mention that this morning… I had already read about it in the Italian press first.. 🙁
Appalling!