Open mike 29/10/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 29th, 2015 - 84 comments
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84 comments on “Open mike 29/10/2015 ”

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  1. Paul 1
    29 October 2015 at 6:21 am

    Seymour Hersh interviewed on Nicky Hager.

    Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Seymour Hersch says there is something ‘dramatically wrong’ with the way the government has behaved toward Nicky Hager.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201776345/-government's-treatment-of-hager-is-'dramatically-wrong‘

    • tc 1.1
      29 October 2015 at 6:26 am

      Hager has shown the true nature of this current govt and the lengths it will go to against anyone who dares expose their dirty and corrupt ways.

      Has anyone in opposition taken a position on this given keys besties cam and jase weren’t even charged by nationals police.

      • srylands 1.1.1
        29 October 2015 at 6:53 am

        The only unlawful act ever exposed by Hager was his own. I hope he faces prosecution and, if found guilty, which in my view is likely, a long custodial sentence.

        And if that happens, the Opposition will make fake noises and then drop him. Because if they run on the issue, history will repeat – they will lose the 2017 election on the back of Hager just like they did the 2014 one.

        • Morrissey 1.1.1.1
          29 October 2015 at 6:57 am

          The only unlawful act ever exposed by Hager was his own.

          You need to read Hager’s book Dirty Politics.

          Right now, you’re posting from a position of sheer ignorance. Please stop embarrassing yourself and (more importantly) wasting our time.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.1.2
          29 October 2015 at 7:26 am

          Beyond pathetic. Not only has S Rylands not read Dirty Politics, he hasn’t even read the Dixon judgement.

          …information, even confidential information, is not property…

          I note that S Rylands the Stalinist creep wants to jail his political opponents. I say that sociopaths (especially those who are also policy advisers who’ve spent their entire working lives on the taxpayer teat) need supervision orders.

        • Tracey 1.1.1.3
          29 October 2015 at 8:38 am

          Fortunately on such matters your statement is of little significance. Of course if you laid out in detail the legal basis for your opinion it might become more significant.

        • Smilin 1.1.1.4
          29 October 2015 at 9:04 am

          you trying to wind us up mate, get a brain we live in a Democracy NOT an AUTOCRACY

  2. Manuka AOR 2
    29 October 2015 at 6:38 am

    Kiwibank is being censured for, in effect, insufficient spying on and monitoring of customers! The given concern is for “anti-money laundering”, yet during the same timespan (2013-14) the gov claimed to have no register or clear record of offshore buyers of NZ real estate.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/73441633/stateowned-kiwibank-censured-over-antimoney-laundering-failings

    • srylands 2.1
      29 October 2015 at 6:48 am

      Funny I thought it was because they breached the Act, or there were good grounds to conclude that.

      • North 2.1.1
        29 October 2015 at 7:16 am

        Not strange that SSLands @ 2.1 should sniffingly miss Manuka’s point……neither that the Ponce-Key Media should purport to make the irrelevant point that Kiwibank is “state owned”.

        Anything vaguely ‘collective’ Bad……all ‘private greed’ Good.

        You never disappoint SSLands !

        • vto 2.1.1.1
          29 October 2015 at 7:37 am

          “Anything vaguely ‘collective’ Bad……all ‘private greed’ Good.”

          The funny thing is that this exposes the poorly thinking that goes on in right wing nutter heads ….. they don’t even know their own arse

          Evidence 1: Farmers embrace everything collective such as cooperatives like Fonterra, Ravensdown.

          Evidence 2: Business people embrace collectivism through shareholdings in limited liability companies.

          Evidence 3: right winger nutters are embracing collective war-mongering action in the middle east

          Right wingers such as srylands have bricks in their heads because they vote one way but act out their lives in another entirely.

          brainless (and there is empirical evidence that right wingers like srylands are measurably thicker than the rest)

      • Tracey 2.1.2
        29 October 2015 at 8:40 am

        Agreed. It will be interesting to see whether Westpac will be have found to have breached the Privacy Act. certainly having an independent set of eyes seeing the basis of their release of a customer’s records will be interesting.

  3. Morrissey 3
    29 October 2015 at 7:08 am

    Amis is a humourless joke, says writer Morrissey Breen
    by SERENA SOPWITH-FOTHERINGTON, Daisycutter Sports Digest, Tuesday 27 October 2015
    http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1446005701.html

    Playboy, snooker hustler, bon vivant and writer Morrissey Breen has described B-grade novelist and hate merchant Martin Amis as “a joke” and said he’s “undeserving of a single reader”.

    In a highly critical article for his own Daisycutter Sports Digest, reprinted in Media Lens, Breen, author of BERNADINE, or “Hell Hath No Fury” [1] said Amis was the “fluky beneficiary of a famous name”, and that his carefully cultivated Oxbridge stammer and air of studied insouciance fails to cover up the “painfully obvious” fact that he “reads little, and knows virtually nothing about anything.”

    Breen’s intervention comes as Amis faces continued reaction from people disgusted with his crude race-baiting, which has proved to be a disturbing re-run of the notorious outbursts against “coons”, “wops”, “darkies” and Jews by his father, the late author Kingsley Amis.

    Breen, who said he has spent “much too much” of his time struggling through really third-rate British fiction, also called Mr Amis “humorless”, “talentless”, and a “pathetic creep”, who had traded on his father’s fame and assiduously “sucked up” to the likes of the late Christopher Hitchens, who always poured scorn on Amis’s academic pretensions and treated his attempts to foot it with him intellectually with amused disdain. Breen noted how the notoriously lazy and ill-read Amis had boasted often about his “Congratulatory” Oxford First in English — “the sort where you are called in for a viva and the examiners tell you how much they enjoyed reading your papers.”

    Mr Amis was a man “without the slightest semblance of character, leave alone discernible talent”, he added, and cited the academic Terry Eagleton’s opinion of some newspaper opinion pieces Amis had written as akin to the “ramblings of a British National Party thug.”

    The Standardista and Media Lens regular commentator also said Mr Amis was “obviously objectionable” and predicted he would “end up like his father: hopelessly retrograde, self-absorbed, self-pitying and self-righteous, quite unembarrassable, necessarily and increasingly hostile to democracy, and in any sane view undeserving of a single reader.”

    [1] https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.sport.rugby.union/Morrissey$20$2B$20Bernadine/rec.sport.rugby.union/Ern1_QrFIw8/xFfPVadVB44J

    http://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/corbyns-a-humourless-joke-says-writer-martin-amis-11364012763325

  4. marty mars 4
    29 October 2015 at 7:55 am

    This article is worth considering – especially with the ‘all black’ stuff on

    Is this all just political correctness gone too far?
    Woodward says it’s not asking much to simply respect other people’s ways of life. “It’s about power. Those marginalised communities have already suffered a huge amount of discrimination in every aspect of life, from education to housing to the justice system — you name it — so this is just another form of discrimination, because it’s saying, ‘I have rights over you and your culture, to take it, represent it how I want and do what I want with it, just for fun’.”

    http://www.viva.co.nz/article/culture/is-your-costume-horribly-offensive/?ref=nzhbox

  5. Rosemary McDonald 5
    29 October 2015 at 9:12 am

    And from the WTFF files…..

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/education/73451531/Marlborough-Boys-College-under-fire-for-charging-28-to-attend-prizegiving-ceremonies

    So…if you son achieves at Marlborough Boys, you pay $28 to see him collect his prize.

    Beyond belief.

    • vto 5.1
      29 October 2015 at 9:15 am

      The students should respond by invoicing the school for their attendance at the prize-giving

    • Draco T Bastard 5.2
      29 October 2015 at 11:32 am

      It’s what inevitably happens when the government refuses to fully fund schooling. The schools have to look for funds elsewhere and, as people get used to paying for schooling individually, that opens them up to full privatisation. Which will cost more, make huge profits and provide a reduced service.

  6. ianmac 6
    29 October 2015 at 9:22 am

    At the moment Nine to Noon are discussing the Police requests for information re Nicky Hager, Very interesting,

    • veutoviper 6.1
      29 October 2015 at 10:12 am

      An excellent interview with Hayden Wilson, a privacy lawyer, which clarifies and puts into context the various legal issues with the release of information without a production order, informal information requests from NZ Police, and the possible ramifications of the recent Supreme Court decision on computer info as ‘property’. Well worth listening to.

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201776522/westpac-will-ask-for-warrants-in-future

      • Muttonbird 6.1.1
        29 October 2015 at 10:20 am

        The worst bit for the police is that the corner-cutting erodes public confidence in them. A perception of police corruption is creeing into New Zealand.

        A real shame.

        • ianmac 6.1.1.1
          29 October 2015 at 11:09 am

          Very interesting that the Police pursuit of Hager involving a hell of a lot of staff and so many man hours and so many dollars must have been authorised and insisted upon by someone high up in the chain.
          We could discount any Government MP of course. The Key hands are very clean. (Chokes.)

          • Tracey 6.1.1.1.1
            29 October 2015 at 11:15 am

            35 or 35 police at one stage according to hagers lawyer… and all when the PM was almost sure he knew who Rawshark was. Haver should call Key as a witness 😆

        • Rosemary McDonald 6.1.1.2
          29 October 2015 at 11:12 am

          “The worst bit for the police is that the corner-cutting erodes public confidence in them. A perception of police corruption is creeing into New Zealand.”

          One of the most shocking aspects of my family’s dealings with the police, when we were left with the question…”are they incompetent or corrupt?”….was that most people we shared our tail of woe with were NOT surprised.

          There is no “perception” about it Muttonbird.

          • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.2.1
            29 October 2015 at 11:46 am

            IMO, many in NZ realised that the police were corrupt a long time ago. It’s now a question of how much longer we’re going to put up with it.

            Of course, we just voted in National for the third time in a row despite all the lies that they’ve been telling over the years.

            • Rosemary McDonald 6.1.1.2.1.1
              29 October 2015 at 12:29 pm

              “IMO, many in NZ realised that the police were corrupt a long time ago. ”

              Yeah, okay. Some of us were living under illusions. ALL sorted now!

              BTW…not just our immediate family…but the extended family and my ex and his family, and friends….all the folk who can look at the official paperwork…not just our angry rantings.

              We will NEVER trust any police officer ever again.

              (unless of course their bots are picking up on this talk and the cops want to have a proper look? No? didn’t think so.) 🙂

          • Treetop 6.1.1.2.2
            29 October 2015 at 2:00 pm

            Not a perception of police corruption, a perception of a police state.

      • Treetop 6.1.2
        29 October 2015 at 1:57 pm

        “informal information requests from NZ Police,”

        A fishing expedition, and who, why and what is the fishing expedition really for?

        I’d love to get hold of some police files. For sure bullshit castle has many hidden secrets.

      • Tracey 6.1.3
        29 October 2015 at 4:19 pm

        Thanks veutovier – I just listened in the car

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1
      29 October 2015 at 11:57 am

      The USA seems to be spoiling for a major war. I suspect this has something to do with their declining influence around the world. They’re starting to panic as the resources of the world start to go elsewhere and they’re powerless to stop it.

      • Tracey 9.1.1
        29 October 2015 at 1:44 pm

        i note journalists are now reporting on the ground in syria much more than before russia officially joined in….

        • The Chairman 9.1.1.1
          29 October 2015 at 1:52 pm

          Perhaps it’s because Russia is making so much progress there is more to report on?

          • Tracey 9.1.1.1.1
            29 October 2015 at 4:20 pm

            I was just comparing it to NO journos reporting from alongside the rebels, or anywhere near the US bombing of Medecines sans frontieres?

      • The Chairman 9.1.2
        29 October 2015 at 1:45 pm

        Alternatively, China are flexing their muscle, talking tough while further ratcheting up tensions in the region turning sandbars (in waters that have multiple territorial claims) into islands. Developing and expanding its military presence in the strategic and disputed region.

    • McFlock 9.2
      29 October 2015 at 3:51 pm

      actually not much in the way of a lowered flashpoint, IMO. Both sides would have thoroughly gamed their strategies and contingencies, so this latest round will probably be pretty well managed with mutually-acceptable posturing and an eventual “shrug, I’m not bovvered” by one side or the other.

      The real danger will come from an unexpected destabilisation/crisis, rather than the planned chessgame. An unmanaged economic collapse that affects the governement’s liquidity and internal stability in one of the superpowers, for example.

      • vaughan little 9.2.1
        29 October 2015 at 11:47 pm

        i doubt these guys have gamed much out. the chinese are autistic as hell – they can’t read any of their neighbours. the US really doesn’t get China, so they have not much analytical to draw on at all. but the US has pretty much everyone in the region behind them, so eventually a light may go on in the senior leadership’s collective thinking. maybe.

    • vaughan little 9.3
      29 October 2015 at 11:13 pm

      so the headline was pulled from a piece in a newspaper called the global times. it gets quoted a lot and while there are ‘links’ between it and the communist party, it’s by no means an official mouthpiece of the party. it’s just some idiot editor whose business model is heavily reliant on getting references in western media. and you do that by saying outrageous things. within china itself the rag has a pretty small voice.

      • The Chairman 9.3.1
        30 October 2015 at 7:51 am

        Nevertheless, it was accompanied by staunch comment from China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Lu Kang.

  10. Herodotus 10
    29 October 2015 at 10:44 am

    How data could be manipulated.
    According to Stats NZ, 2014 was the 1st year that more than 30,000 people died in NZ.
    http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/births/BirthsAndDeaths_HOTPYeDec14.aspx

    • ianmac 10.1
      29 October 2015 at 11:13 am

      You would expect that the births would be balanced by deaths. According to that graph, the birth rate has been for years double the death rate. Really?

      • alwyn 10.1.1
        29 October 2015 at 12:22 pm

        Why on earth would you expect the number of births and deaths to be the same in any given year?
        Look at the total population of the world. You don’t have to worry about migration then since, as far as I know, there isn’t any net immigration or emigration. Believers in flying saucers may care to differ.
        Hence the only way to get here is to be born and the only way to leave is to die.
        The population was about 1 billion in 1800. If the number of births and deaths in each year since then was the same the population would still be 1 billion.
        It is actually about 7.5 billion isn’t it?

    • McFlock 10.2
      29 October 2015 at 3:56 pm

      why “manipulated”?
      I’m not sure what your point is.

  11. savenz 11
    29 October 2015 at 10:47 am

    Joseph Stiglitz: Under TPP, Polluters Could Sue U.S. for Setting Carbon Emissions Limits

    http://www.democracynow.org/2015/10/27/joseph_stiglitz_under_tpp_polluters_could

  12. savenz 12
    29 October 2015 at 11:10 am

    Why Norway is rich…. they are not a free market obsessed low commodity driven economy like NZ and manage their resources as efficiency as possible.

    Because the government is highly invested, (oil profits are taxed at 78 per cent, and in 2011 tax revenues were $36-billion), it is as interested as oil companies, which want to maximize their profits, in extracting the maximum amount of hydrocarbons from the reservoirs. This has inspired technological advances such as parallel drilling, Mr. Lindseth says.

    “The extraction rate in Norway is around 50 per cent, which is extremely high in the world average,” he adds.

    Norway has also managed to largely avoid so-called Dutch disease (a decline in other exports due to a strong currency) for two reasons, Mr. Lindseth says. The GPFG wealth fund is largely invested outside Norway by legislation, and the annual maximum withdrawal is 4 per cent. Through these two measures, Norway has avoided hyper-inflation, and has been able to sustain its traditional industries.

    In Norway, there’s no industry more traditional than fishing.

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/canada-competes/what-norway-did-with-its-oil-and-we-didnt/article11959362/

    “As far back as the 12th century they were already exporting stock fish to places in Europe,” explains Rashid Sumaila, director of the Fisheries Economics Research Unit at the University of British Columbia Fisheries Centre.

    Prof. Sumaila spent seven years studying economics in Norway and uses game theory to study fish stocks and ecosystems. Fish don’t heed international borders and his research shows how co-operative behaviour is economically beneficial.

    “Ninety per cent of the fish stocks that Norway depends on are shared with other countries. It’s a country that has more co-operation and collaboration with other countries than any other country I know,” Prof. Sumaila says.

    “That’s [partly] why they still have their cod and we’ve lost ours,” he adds, pointing out that not only are quotas and illegal fishing heavily monitored, policy in Norway is based on scientific evidence and consideration for the sustainability of the ecosystem as a whole.

    Prof. Sumaila cites the recent changes to Canada’s Fisheries Act, as a counter-example: “To protect the habitat, you have to show a direct link between the habitat, the fish and the economy,” he says, adding, “That’s the kind of weakening that the Norwegians don’t do.”

    • ianmac 12.1
      29 October 2015 at 11:17 am

      ““To protect the habitat, you have to show a direct link between the habitat, the fish and the economy,” he says, adding, “That’s the kind of weakening that the Norwegians don’t do.””
      Does that mean that like our system the economy trumps environment. For example dairy farming can and does trump rivers because we need the money, or so they say.

      • savenz 12.1.1
        29 October 2015 at 11:47 am

        NZ and the ‘free market neoliberal way’ seems to be to kill the golden goose. Go after as much short term profit as possible and kill or injure the underlying business such as environment, innovation, employees, etc (which by starving them off) eventually kills or undermines the initial business.

        That why we have so much debt. Our businesses are not healthy profitable ones, we are borrowing and selling off our assets but still not getting ahead.

        Eventually they fold like Pike River, solid energy, Kaipara council, Mainzeal and so forth when the business is completely non functional. Fonterra is on it’s way, inflated executive salaries, staff lay offs, refusing to change to more sustainable, lobbying to pollute (or being handed it on a plate by government and council), buying in too much supplementary feed (palm oil one of the world’s most destructive practises) etc The executives are actively pursuing a low commodity agenda that is risky and damaging to it’s farmers.

      • savenz 12.1.2
        29 October 2015 at 11:50 am

        Like our government wet dream RMA reforms. The economy is considered as a legal factor. We can pollute i.e. rivers if someone can make a dollar from it and both needs are to weighted equally legally. Very scary stuff. The opposite of what they should be doing as we know the planet is in trouble.

  14. Whispering Kate 14
    29 October 2015 at 11:35 am

    Changing the topic. Back on to Ministers and their snouts in the trough with travel and hotels etc under the guise of conferences etc to include in with their main events – rugby finals for example, my partner has just come back from Canberra where he did two days of looking around the old and new parliament buildings – along with other holiday things. He did a “proper” tour as well as just looking around. He found out that all politicians, cabinet included – everybody that is, has to pay their own way when they go overseas and on all expenses – and then on their arrival back home they submit their expenses/chits and get reimbursed by supposedly a type of expenses committee.

    Presumably this is to curb sundry expenses which go on the card and helps to remind the ministers where their money is going and what might not be accepted as genuine expenses once they get home. I know a lot of large private companies do this to keep their expenses down and to stop wilful wastage. It seems the Australian government is doing this as well. Good on them – can’t see it happening under Key’s government or any government who is in power over here.

    • tc 14.1
      29 October 2015 at 12:28 pm

      Oz still has independant and public media still (watch that space) whereas here with the owned MSM assisting shonky they get away with all kinds of troughing.

      Recent example of Bronwyn Bishop across in OZ being made an example of and embarrassing Tony towards the end even further by the media.

  15. Draco T Bastard 15
    29 October 2015 at 11:40 am

    ‘The worst calories’: Sugar even more harmful than it seems, study finds

    Sugar intake was reduced from about 28 percent of total calories to about 10 percent. Fructose – a form of sugar believed to be particularly bad for health – was reduced from 12 percent to four percent of total calories.

    Sugary foods were then replaced with starchier alternatives, such as hot dogs, potato chips, and pizza.

    “This ‘child-friendly’ study diet included various no- or low-sugar added processed foods including turkey hot dogs, pizza, bean burritos, baked potato chips, and popcorn that were purchased at local supermarkets,” the study authors wrote.

    Each child’s caloric intake closely resembled the amount they ate before the study began. However, the children reported feeling less hungry with the new diet.

    “They told us it felt like so much more food, even though they were consuming the same number of calories as before, just with significantly less sugar. Some said we were overwhelming them with food,” Schwarz said.

    And the result of this change in diet?

    After weighing themselves daily as part of the study’s requirements, one-third of the children said they could not eat enough food to stop losing weight. The children lost an average of nearly two pounds in just nine days.

    “I have never seen results as striking or significant in our human studies; after only nine days of fructose restriction, the results are dramatic and consistent from subject to subject,” Schwarz added.

    Blood pressure went down by an average of five points. The triglyceride measurement of cholesterol fell by 33 points, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, also known as “bad” cholesterol) fell by 10 points. Blood sugar and insulin levels also fell. Glucose tolerance and the amount of excess insulin circulating in the blood improved.

    So, when are our politicians really going to do something about reducing the amount of sugar added to foods?

    Forget taxing sugar – regulate how much can be added. Many foods should be at zero added sugar.

    I may have to give up coffee.

  16. savenz 16
    29 October 2015 at 12:58 pm

    Auckland Council has today voted to support oil exploration off the city’s west coast.

    Mayor Len Brown said the council was “handcuffed”, as it did not have the final say on whether drilling went ahead.

    (OH so we will agree it anyway??)

    Len Brown said it was better to present a submission with recommendations on how drilling should be managed, rather than throwing out the plan altogether.

    (OH what a NatLite approach, umm can’t be bothered to make a decision so support a yes position while pretending you don’t really!)

    Councillor Wayne Walker called the decision “gutless”.

    Shirin Brown from the Waiheke Local Board addressed counsellors in a last ditch attempt to sway their vote. She says New Zealand exudes a “clean green” image and if there was a disaster such as the Rena in Bay of Plenty, the main port of call for tourism in New Zealand would be tarnished.

    Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner Steve Abel called on the council to have the “political courage” to vote no on the issue.

    “We need oil like a heroin addict needs heroin – we don’t need it, we are dependent,” he said.

    Throughout the meeting similarities were drawn between the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill, which saw 4.2 million barrels of oil spill over 87 days, and a potential disaster on Auckland’s West Coast.

    Christchurch and Kaikoura councils have already strongly opposed the move.

  17. Morrissey 17
    29 October 2015 at 9:09 pm

    Fear of Corbyn palpable in hysterical right wing and “liberal” media coverage.
    Media Activism In A Time Of Hope – An Appeal For Support
    by Medialens editors DE and DC | 17.09.2015 11:23 | Other Press | Sheffield
    https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2015/09/521556.html

    It is normally impossible for us to regard the leader of a major British or American political party without cringing at their compromised, corporatised, plastic personalities.

    We like the fact that Jeremy Corbyn wears uncool shorts and sandals, that he doesn’t look ‘prime ministerial’ or ‘presidential’. We have always reviled Blair’s self-assured, Clintonian head-waggle; Obama’s all-knowing, fatherly smile. We never understood how anyone could be deceived by Thatcher’s sonorous, strident ‘sincerity’.

    We might disagree with Corbyn on any number of issues, but he is at least recognisably human. He seems more like the people we know, less like the people with serious suits and unserious souls who view themselves as ‘The Masters of Mankind’.

    In three earlier media alerts, we described how media futurologists have been tirelessly informing their long–suffering readers that Corbyn will be ‘catastrophic’ for the Labour party, the country, the world. Every last one of the claims has been rooted in the assumption that they truly know what is good for UK democracy, what is the limit of possible political change. But the fact is they don’t know – nobody does. Consider a couple of simple thoughts:

    1) Let’s assume that, before Corbyn’s victory on September 12, the press was correct in arguing that deep political change was impossible in the UK. After all, journalists were writing at a time when voters had been without hope for decades, when they believed the political system was 100% sewn up and locked down by the 1%. But even if the press was right then, it does not mean that radical political change is impossible now when hope has clearly been restored, when people can see that that an honest and compassionate leader can be voted into a position of genuine influence. Nobody can know what might happen now because the hopelessness of several decades really has been overthrown. The cat is out of the bag, democracy has broken free from its establishment box of choice-as-no-choice. People were given a fleeting chance to vote for someone real and they jumped at it.

    2) Even if a hopelessly unelectable, flawed and uncool individual was elected leader of the opposition, he or she might nevertheless bring huge benefits to democracy. Why?

    One of the default assumptions of the corporate media is that it is their democratic responsibility to cover the full range of ‘mainstream’ political opinions. Specifically, it is their job to report what the party of government and the major opposition parties are saying and doing.

    Since Tony Blair’s New Labour/’Red Tory’ coup of the 1990s, this default position has required that the press report the views of two establishment parties saying much the same thing. This has been disastrous for the range of honest and compassionate opinion. ‘Presentational’ politics has meant ‘presentational’ journalism pitifully denuded of anything challenging powerful interests at a time when those challenges have been desperately needed.

    One of the potentially far-reaching consequences of Corbyn’s success is that it obliges the corporate press to pay attention to views that have previously been marginalised or ignored. ….

    Read more….
    https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2015/09/521556.html

  18. Ron 18
    29 October 2015 at 10:52 pm

    I saw the movie 99 Homes tonight. Quite a gripping movie and well worth going to see it if you can. It did not explain the mess that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac did to the US Financial systems and just how US banks could do the things they did, but do go see it.
    Four stars

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    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    12 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    13 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    13 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    16 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    17 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    18 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    18 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    19 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    19 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    20 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    22 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    23 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
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  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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