The Herald front page screams ‘Russian serial killer.’
Any excuse to recreate the fear and hatred of the Cold War.
Shameful.
Just another reminder that a real people’s government should seize control of the narrative from the plutocrats.
This tinkering crew will do too little for fear of offending the capitalists.
And no, I did not buy it and did not click on it.
Saw the headline on a paper lyiing ona table in a cafe.
Russian authorities hunting a serial killer asked New Zealand police to search their DNA database in a bid to catch the dangerous and wanted murderer.
Y’know, yes, there’s a whole lot of simplistic “black and white”, and “with us or agin us” bullshit going on in the world today.
But jumping up on a chair and getting all arm wavy on the flimsiest of contexts or (in this case) a completely bogus context is just …why fcking do that?
That the NZH wants to recreate the fear and hatred of the Cold War? Nope, I think that’s just more addled gobshite. That the NZLP won’t do the things he wants? Maybe so, but since the things he wants are motivated by addled gobshite, that’s hardly surprising.
If you think my views on inequality, taxes, obesity, housing, transport, health and education are ‘gobshite’, or ‘steaming drivel’, then you clearly are not left wing.
When a Blairite insults me, I wear it as a badge of honour.
Probably most relevant Russian story today is not Ed’s little piece but that another anti Putin journalist and former Russian parliamentary candidate Oles Bunyan has been murdered in Kiev Probably nothing to do with russua though, suggest it was the British ( sarc)
While the meth cirus reigns on TV today; – look what the Government is pushing forward at the same time as they threw the ‘distraction’ of meth at us!!!!
Did they think we would not see them shifting to ‘a thumbs up to CPTPP???????
We are being played big time now folks sadly.
Our verbal submission was 10 minutes last week and we are bitterly disapointed they did not even add any protectins we advocated for.
When will Labour/National /NZF appologise to NZ, after the new cases of other disease comes here after their final rush to pass the final report to Parliament simnce the phoney “select Committee to review the TPTPP” was hoisted on us all as a “diversion” while their intent was to pass this toxic trade agreement as it already was???
Chair Simon O’Connor (National MP) said he believed the CPTPP is o/k; – as is????
Even though us and a lot of other submitters warned him and his committee that they will be setting us up for more “micro-plasma bovis” events.
The submitters said they should include a clause be added to the ISDS agreement to allow in all cases Government contracts or with other parties allowing local/state governments and other parties to encourage Government to pass regulations to protect NZ citizens and the environment against foreign activities in NZ that may damage their future economic, environmental, health, and well-being after the trade agreement will be enacted in 2019.
‘Editored’ section involving environmental protection and no change from draft report originally proposed in march 2018.
(Chair Simon O’Connor said he believed the CPTPP is o/k; – as is????)
COMPREHENSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (CPTPP)
Page; 5
Summary of issues discussed with submitters
Many submitters, notably those opposed to the CPTPP, believe that the changes from the
TPP do not substantively address their concerns. They consider that the CPTPP is
effectively the same as the TPP.
Investor-State dispute settlement and sovereignty
We discussed some submitters’ concerns about the effect the CPTPP would have on the
sovereign rights of New Zealanders to determine their own future through an elected
Parliament. In particular, these submitters consider that the ISDS provisions unnecessarily
empower and protect international investors.
Some submitters believe that the threat of substantial awards against governments is a
strong disincentive for the New Zealand Government to act in the interests of New
Zealanders when those interests conflict with those of CPTPP investors. Submitters consider
that this could have a chilling effect on the Government’s ability to make policy and regulate
in areas including labour law and the mitigation of climate change.
We also discussed the CPTPP’s relationship with New Zealand’s many international
obligations, including the Paris Agreement to address climate change, and the United
Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. We understand that this is problematic because
many of these obligations are not enforceable, but the CPTPP contains enforcement
mechanisms.
Two dispute settlement mechanisms in CPTPP
We understand that the CPTPP provides for two dispute settlement mechanisms: a
government-to-government system to resolve disputes in the agreement, and ISDS. The
ISDS mechanism provides for the settlement of disputes between foreign investors and the
Government of the country in which the investment is made.
Application of ISDS in CPTPP
In the CPTPP, ISDS only applies to the Investment chapter and limited investment-related
elements of the Financial Services chapter. The scope of the ISDS mechanism is narrower
that it was in the TPP. Claims are no longer permitted in relation to investment contracts and
COMPREHENSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (CPTPP)
6
approval. This means that private companies which enter into an investment contract with
the Government would not be able to use ISDS if there were a dispute about that contract.
Decisions made under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 are also not subject to ISDS.
Suspensions around the minimum standard of treatment concerning financial services
further reduce the risk of successful claims under the CPTPP being taken against New
Zealand. The minimum standard of treatment is an obligation that forms part of the body of
customary international law, to accord fair and equitable treatment to covered investments,
and not to deny justice.
Once a treaty is entered into, it cannot be changed by any one state. So any submission to the New Zealand Parliament asking for that will necessarily fail.
It is basically an up and down vote. And there is zero chance (given the make up of the committee) that the select committee would recommend a down vote.
But I presume you knew all of this already, and your submission was merely another way of showing your opposition, rather than an expectation it would have actual effect.
However, presumably the Greens will put in a minority report covering your points.
“Once a treaty is entered into, it cannot be changed by any one state. So any submission to the New Zealand Parliament asking for that will necessarily fail.”
Different situation as the US, Canada and Mexico are in the middle of formal negotiations called to renegotiate NAFTA; whereas the CP TPP is now post the end of formal negotiations and sign off by all parties (countries) to the agreement and in the ratification stage where individual states are processing the agreement through their national legislative requirements for ratification.
Therefore, are we about to make the same costly mistake all over again?
As for the initial mistake (the low level adopted) should and will there be compensation for homeowners and others affected? Moreover, will heads roll?
“I lose count of the number of times that I questioned [Housing New Zealand] about it. To the point that I was told as a minister that I was on the edge of getting involved of day to day running of the technical issues of a crown entity,” Bennett said.
Seems Bennett is pointing the finger at HNZ, Robert.
In response to the recommendations, Housing Minister Phil Twyford has announced new standards and less stringent standards will be set for houses within the next year – with Housing NZ immediately changing its policy.
It appears ms Bennett wasn’t smart enough to translate her concerns into action as mr Twyford did. Mr Twyford needs to be congratulated on such a positive result.
Could be. Or it could be she lacked compelling evidence to back action being taken. Then again, she may of had the evidence and failed to act, therefore she would also be culpable.
Chairman, I also think you are a fake leftie, and it is your normal haughty, super-correct tone that prompts me to write this.
‘may of had’????
If Maori have the right to protect and promote their language ( as I believe they have) then you should try to avoid barbaric solecisms, and those who value our language should help you.
You may write either “may have” or “may’ve’ – but “may of” simply reflects badly upon all else that you write.
If you consistently strike a haughty, super-correct tone, please live up to it in your use of English.
However, in several news stories at the time Bennett and English said they approved of the Housing NZ regime.
English said the agency was “rightly taking a firm stance on the health risks posed by meth, and will continue to do so for as long as it is detected in its properties” in 2016.
And Bennett told Newshub in 2016 there was “no evidence” Housing NZ had evicted tenants unfairly.
Bennett, Chairman, was unable to effect the necessary change to an unjust situation affecting many New Zealanders? What was she there for???
Labour’s only been in a short while, yet the job is done! Tells the story…
Full kudos to them for commissioning this report and acting to make improvements.
However, the concern here is the rather conservative level HNZ has now adopted. We now risk repeating the same mistake again, unless the Government swiftly acts to correct this.
Additionally, a decent Government would see the injustice caused, therefore would willingly offer compensation to all those unfairly impacted. We are not seeing this from this Government.
Never satisfied, you. “Full kudos to them”, you say, then go on to qualify your praise, as you inevitably do, “good job, but …
Compensating for National’s fubar? Galling. Let’s wait till they own their actions then talk of compensation.
Satisfied risking repeating the same mistake all over again? Of course I’m not and nor should you be.
National aren’t going to own this, evident by their pointing the finger at HNZ.
We now have compelling evidence, therefore we know people have been unfairly treated. Hence, the current Government should be acknowledging this and offering compensation. At the least, announcing they are looking into it.
They are, of course, “looking into it”. Your attempts to read between the lines in order to find failure is … tiresome and your glossing-over/dismissal of National’s culpability is … expected.
paula bennet is so full of it and just covering her arse.
“However, in several news stories at the time Bennett and English said they approved of the Housing NZ regime.
English said the agency was “rightly taking a firm stance on the health risks posed by meth, and will continue to do so for as long as it is detected in its properties” in 2016.
And Bennett told Newshub in 2016 there was “no evidence” Housing NZ had evicted tenants unfairly.”
Bennett was on RNZ tonight saying she had real concerns about the meth testing and eviction of state house tenants,but even though she expressed concern to HNZ and other agencies,she was powerless to act.
From what I’ve seen it’s all about liability, we’re paying for the steady erosion of the ‘no fault’ ethos behind ACC.
The bureacrats and interested parties really don’t have a lot of choice in these matters. If something is said to be a risk then ignoring the risk leaves people open to future claims for damages. That looming liability threat pushes people to take extremely conservative measures. No-one goes to work to be sued or face criminal charges so people do everything they can to eliminate the risk of that happening.
As it transpired the meth threat was a bust but no-one was to know that for sure until it did transpire. People acted on the information available at the time and who can blame them for that. Sure, common sense said it was a gross overreaction but the law doesn’t give a rats arse about common sense does it.
To my mind the only culpable party is the Government of the day and, sadly, they can’t be sued or charged for their refusal to establish reasonable and proper meth testing standards.
The potential liability threat of taking an extremely conservative approach should have also been given far more consideration considering the massive costs and unnecessary stress it has caused.
Therefore, risk should be correctly established before levels are set and lives are thrown into disarray.
And while the Government of the day could well be culpable, just because they can’t be sued or charged doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get to the bottom of this.
Surely we’ll want to prevent similar from occurring again, thus we need to establish who was culpable and what went wrong.
You missed the point by some margin there. The risk to landlords was being sued or charged for any harm that might befall their tenants.
You can’t contract out of the law so creating your own testing standards would have been a foolish move, there’s no guarantees ‘the law’ would accept it. It was always for the Govt to set the standards. This Govt has shown how easy it was and one is left to wonder at the motives of the last Govt in refusing to do so.
What about the tenants who were evicted and more than likely incorrectly labelled by their communities or neighbours as P addicts? Don’t know about you, but if that happened to me I’d be devastated for myself and my children especially if one lived in a small community.
How many children have suffered as a result, did one parent find out that another parent had been evicted and then try and take their kids away from them as a result? That’s a very likely scenario.
Indeed, others were also impacted. As I have mentioned further up. And at this stage the Government hasn’t ruled out compensating them. But there has been no mention that I’ve heard of in regards to compensating homeowners that were also impacted.
I’m thinking we may now see class action suits similar to the leaky homes debacle.
Just as well there are some NZs now keeping an eye on housing and the government. Everyone in Britain in the Great Depression got worn out by the amount of deprivation. And it would be echoed here if we aren’t careful as we have brought the British callousness over with us as colonials and it has persisted over nearly two centuries.
This is a bit from George Orwell’s look at the homeless in Britain as in his book The Road to Wigan Pier from 1937.
[The wagon/caravan will contain] such furniture as can be crammed in – sometimes two beds, more usually one, into which the whole family have to huddle as best they can. It is almost impossible to sleep on the floor, because the damp soaks up from below. I was shown mattresses which were still wringing wet at eleven in the morning. In winter it is so cold that the kitcheners have to be kept burning day and night, and the windows, needless to say, are never opened.
Water is got from a hydrant common to the whole colony, some of the caravan-dwellers having to walk 150 or 200 yards for every bucket of water. There are no sanitary arrangements at all. Most of the people construct a little hut to serve as a lavatory on the tiny patch of ground….All the people I saw…especially the children, were unspeakably dirty…The thought that haunted me….was, What can happen in those cramped interiors when anybody dies? But that, of course, is the kind of question you hardly care to ask.
Some of the people have been in their caravans for many years. Theoretically the Corporation are…getting the inhabitants out into houses; but as the houses don’t get built, the caravans remain standing….one woman with a worn skull-like face… struggling to keep her large brood of children clean,…[must have felt as if] coated all over with dung.
One must remember that these people are not gypsies; they are decent English people who have all,,,had homes in their day.,,their caravans are,,,inferior to those of gypsies and they have not the…advantage of being on the move.
“On the contrary. They have shown that despite the info that has come to light, it’s still going to take the Government up to a year to set new levels.”
Be realistic. It’s a bit like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder.
I believe the relevant Standard that HNZ and others have used as a reference is NZS 8510:2017. I’m not going to buy a copy just to have a look at it so I can’t comment on its content.
IIRC Standards are not of themselves statutory laws but one would be rather foolish to ignore them in pursuant of your own standards.
Those standards are developed with input from different parties, some with their own self-interests. I believe the science-oriented input to NZS 8510:2017 was somewhate looser than the end result.
Gosman, WTF has the politics of the reporter, as you imagine them, got to do with the demolition job that reporter did on the daft ideas of the ACT candidate?
Except of course, to deflect from the actual arguments raised by the reporter.
And to deflect from the daffiness of the ACT candidates ideas.
Play the ball, Gosman, not the man.
I note that NZ First had the wisdom to let go the candidate who was 38th on their list and who is now standing in Northcote for a Right-Wing Hansen style party. By-elections certainly bring out the dillies, the daffies and the daft.
There was no demolition job here. This is merely an opinion piece by a well known left leaning journalist. As such his political leanings are entirely valid when determining if his piece has any validity. It does not.
Gosman, if your sole or main determinant as to whether argument is correct is the political views of the writer, then what are you doing here on a left-wing blog?
I say there is a demolition job. I read the article.
The proposals of the ACT candidate in resurrecting 1972 proposals to advocate for a 6 lane highway through the myriad green spaces in Auckland were rightly ridiculed.
At the end, the writer said that a vote for this candidate is similar to voting for the anti-fluoride homeopathic candidate whose name appears next to the ACT candidate’s.
I note that the writer’s left wing views are the sole determinant for your dismissal of his arguments. You have not attempted to justify your belief that his views have no validity, have you?
If you want to have arguments why his opinion has no validity beyond his political bias (as well as showing why he has political bias) then look no further than his argument that the proposal is an old one. So what? Transmission Gully was first proposed back in the 1940’s or even earlier. It was still a good idea and one that the last National government took up in the past 5 years. The Rail loop in Auckland is also an old idea which seems to have merit. Trying to dismiss ideas because they are not original highlights the fact the author is scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of objections.
It looks like it goes directly through the Birkenhead Shopping Centre. That’s it folks. Your shops and mall will be gone. Never mind, you can drive to Glenfield or even Albany for your daily shopping commutes. 😡
And where are the shops and the mall going to go while it is being built? Whenever a tunnel is being built the topical landscape gets smashed to pieces and a small fortune is spent on rebuilding it at a much later date.
What Gluckman said was that there was no danger from houses where there has only been smoking/taking P. But Labs can leave far more dangerous chemicals. So what they have done is raise the level to where smoking/taking P will be eliminated. Only a lab is likely to leave more than the new limit. And in that case there could be more dangerous chemicals there.
My source, before you ask, Chairman, is my own fertile imagination working in conjunction with my amazing alcohol-enhanced powers of logic.
And if I turn out to be right, you will have wasted considerable time once again trying to sow doubt and dissension, won’t you, Chairman?
The report clearly states the most commonly used methods no longer use solvents. Therefore, the primary contaminant associated with manufacturing is methamphetamine itself.
So testing for methamphetamine alone would give no indication that other potentially harmful chemicals are present. Therefore, we risk creating unnecessary costs and harm all over again, albeit with a higher but still conservative standard.
Recently the Italian president vetoed the formation of an Italian government. This was because the proposed finance minister had previously looked at a proposal to exit the Euro, if needed. Its not the first time that the needs of the currency have overruled a democratic decision.
Now we need to look into the earthquake standards.
I’m not too sure about anyone else, but I’m not too comfortable with the idea of emptying buildings and letting them stand empty for years on end, and this practice needs looking into.
If our old state housing stock was largely multi-storey apartments built on reclaimed land, with unreinforced masonry and dodgy steel connections holding up heavy floors you might have a point. However I very much doubt it.
To clarify, the USA is happy to smash any country that doesn’t bow to the demands of its corporations, or attempts to defy the stranglehold of the petrodollar.
I am interested to see if your views on Venezuela gather much support amongst lefties here. I suspect not as Venezuela is now becoming a pariah nation and one to avoid mention at all costs for most mainstream leftists. It is only hard core ones like you that will be banging this particular drum.
Speak for yourself I always thought Venezuela was an economic nutcase country sustained largely by resource extraction.
I also could never quite understand the nutcase right wing droning on and on about it as being the epitome of what the ‘left’ thought as their fandom economy. My opinion was that was largely the right nutbars grabbing their crotch with excitement to build a meme about how the left ‘thinks’. Which appears to be what you are doing?
As you are aware, there is no monolithic left and never has been.
BTW: exactly the same economic issue or over indulgence in resource extraction is what I think is the same fundamental weakness in the NZ (and the aussie) economies as well as Venezuela .
However here the idiotic economic numb skulls who indulge in it appear to be largely from the right. They mine the soils, water and and different mineral resource rather than oil and put the benefits to their beneficiaries among the affluent rather than the poor. But it is exactly the same thing. Unsustainable stupidity indulged in for political reasons to benefit a group voting for selfish reasons. In our case by the National party.
Interesting view that I suspect will not be shared by the more extreme leftist on this site. As already evidenced by some the cause of the problems in Venezuela is not the narrow resource based extractive nature of it’s economy but the actions of the US taken against the Socialist government.
The opposition candidate Falcon issued a statement calling for a new election citing a low voter turnout as the reason. Only 48% of those eligible cast their vote but he forgot to mention that the opposition had called its supporters to boycott the elections and not to vote.
I haven’t seen anything of socialism in either Russia or China.
Venezuela was definitely getting worse under capitalism and the people now keep voting for socialism despite the capitalist attacks upon it from other countries so things must be better than before.
Russia was a socialist state. The author of this piece refers to communism, but try not to be confused:
“Gorbachev understood that the shabby socialist economy was incapable of sustaining a world power. Perestroika was introduced, and with it glasnost, a limited opening up of channels of criticism. Glasnost proved suicidal. The surrealism of Soviet society could not survive the light of criticism. Inevitably, the ideological house of cards erected by the Party propagandists and disseminated by foreign fellow-travelers over seven decades collapsed.” https://fee.org/articles/the-soviet-tragedy-a-history-of-socialism-in-russia-1917-1991-and-russia-under-the-bolshevik-regime/
“Venezuela was definitely getting worse under capitalism…”
I think not. But it can’t possibly have been any worse than it is now.
“adoption of an economic system that fails everywhere it is tried. It’s called socialism.”
Yeah, But I think the beneficiary Dairy Farmers including that dick who had the notice about Ardern are thankful at the “adoption” of a good old bit of Socialism
at the moment.
Interesting, So I take it then that as they were so grateful and are so “internationally competitive.” they will not take or need the generous benefit these pack of beneficiaries are getting from the government.
“They will be more thankful to the economic reforms of the 80’s and 90’s that made them internationally competitive.”
Also, that is bullshit as if I remember correctly there was nothing but winging how were they going to survive now all the export incentives were being stopped and the suspensory loans and tax avoidance schemes like having a swimming pool c/w Barbecue area “just in case of fire”
“So I take it then that as they were so grateful and are so “internationally competitive.” they will not take or need the generous benefit these pack of beneficiaries are getting from the government.”
That’s up to them. They have been the victims of a natural disaster beyond their control, a bit like the citizens of Christchurch. But then many businesses experience that and don’t get government aid.
“…as if I remember correctly there was nothing but winging how were they going to survive now all the export incentives were being stopped…”
Absolutely there was, and yet 35 years later we lead the world, and are selling our expertise to the world. Isn’t the market a wonderful thing.
Since the outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis, the authorities have repeatedly told us there is no risk to human health from eating meat or milk from infected animals. They would say that wouldn’t they – got to keep the ‘confidence of the market’.
Now, a Massey University professor of food safety describes the disease as a *low* risk to humans. In time, I expect the risk deniers will obfuscate as scientific evidence mounts, in much the same way as the concerns over the A1/A2 milk proteins.
“Amateurs Talk Strategy, Professionals Talk Logistics”
Perhaps it is time for the government to evolve their policies with a mind open to the above quote.
Good morning The AM Show there is a good reasoning for ECO MAORI pushing for equality for the ladies it’s the fair thing to do ladies are more intelligent than men and humane it’s good to have Amanda on the show this raises the humanity and intelligence of the show.
You cannot see the flaws in locking people up for years 5000 Maori young men most who just need a bit of guidance who come from broken family created by this system no father to gide them set boundaries for them wake up you know they wanted to privatise Hospitals Prison school so what did national do the ran these to the ground and say the system in not working let’s privatise every thing like America . Duncan its is the justice system that failed to do there job of keeping the people who killed while on bail not the 5000 Maori men it’s not hard to observe people look at there history and identify the risky people and keep them in jail 1 persent of the 5000 50 mistake the justice system has made that’s a fact that’s what these civil servents get paid to do this is a logical way of thinking about this problem
Its is best to try the eradication route for this bovine virus this virus will effect beef farmers as well as dairy farmers. Culling of these cows should have started on the 1/1/2017 No then it would not have blown out to what we have now Ana to kai Ka kite ano
The AM Show there you go Simon Bridge using crime and scare tactics to try and raise his polling rates the same phenomenon that made the bovine virus blow out to this mess. If he really cared about Aotearoa he would work with labour greens to come to a intelligent humane solutions to OUR Prison population look at our scandernavion cousins empty prison.
Ka kite ano
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Last year, California burned. This year, to stop it happening again (or rather, to stop themselves from being found liable if it happens again), Pacific Gas and Electric is cutting power to half the state for a week:Schools are closed. Traffic lights down. Tunnels dark. Businesses unopened. Hospitals running on ...
The Best Way: Missing from the on-line voting debate is any reference to the voting system that produces turn-out figures ranging from 77 to 93 percent of registered voters. The voting system used to collect and count the votes cast in our parliamentary elections. The system that involves citizens making ...
Among the great new bunch of political friends we have been making recently is the excellent Australian-based Marxist gender-critical site, Freer Lives. So we asked the comrade who set up that blog to write something for Redline on the blog, himself, his analysis of the rise of gender politics and ...
by Don Franks The Auckland City Mission is struggling with a 40 percent increase in demand for food parcels this year. A total of 23,020 were needed by June. Last month Missioner Chris Farrelly told the Herald the “cupboards are bare” and without an emergency food drive, he can’t see ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Massey Wellington Student Association had a sit-in today. Imagine a sit-in. On a campus. Against a women’s rights meeting. Did the ’60s really happen or did we fucking dream it? They gathered in the student square, an echo chamber. Sitting on soft pillows ...
For some reasons, my post about the mystery message from inside the Downing Street bunker seemed to catch people's attention. Quite a lot of hits from NZ (unsurprisingly) and the USA (a bit more puzzlingly, but hi there, USAians!!) and 76 views from the Ukraine.I've celebrated my Ukrainian readers in ...
First, almost a score of Labour MPs seem to have sent a letter to the EU basically begging them to accept a deal - any deal - just so Britain can get the Heck on with Brexiting instead of being trapped in limbo:
by Phil Duncan In 2016 the National-led government suspended the Parent Visa Category, through which migrants were able to bring their parents into New Zealand. Since then over 5,700 people have been in immigration limbo, stuck on the visa wait list. Labour is now bringing back the scheme. Well, sort ...
The following was released yesterday (Tues, October 8) by the women’s liberation organisation Speak Up for Women. On 23 September Speak Up For Women announced that we would be holding an event at the Massey University Theaterette in Wellington. The event is called Feminism 2020. The intention of the event ...
The government is currently consulting on plans to improve freshwater quality. So naturally, farmers oppose it:South Taranaki farmers are preparing to fight proposed national freshwater changes that some fear will bankrupt them. The Government's proposed National Environment Standard on Freshwater Management, released in September, rated the Waingongoro River as one ...
Yesterday was the last day for (reliably) posting your vote away in local body elections. Turnouts are mostly much lower than the equivalent time last year (Palmerston North is down 2.3%), and so naturally people are pushing their online-voting snake oil again. Because the online census worked so well, lets ...
This essay, on the political legacy of the eugenics movement, by Kenan Malik was originally published in the Observer on 6 October 2019, under the headline ‘The spirit of eugenics is still with us, as immigrants know to their cost’. Birth control. Intelligence tests. Town planning. Immigration controls. It’s striking how ...
Another year, and the government has announced another enormous government "surplus". And just like last year, its nothing of the sort. When we have people homeless and sick and hungry, when we have schools and hospitals still falling down, when we have underpaid public servants and infrastucture unmaintained or unbuilt, ...
James Forsyth at The Spectator (I know, I know) has tapped one of his contacts inside Number Ten for an insight into the Johnson administration's thinking and strategy.It is fascinating, unsettling and quite, quite mad. Some key points:Negotiations have stalled and the Johnson administration are keen to blame the EU: ...
Fatal Contact: With the arrival of captain James Cook in October 1769, the islands of what would become New Zealand ceased to be the preserve of Polynesian navigators and settlers and became a part of both the world’s map and the world’s history.THE MAORI NATIONALIST assault upon the historical meaning ...
Another round of tactical talks about forming a Government of National Unity have come to nothing with the Liberal Democrats still refusing countenance putting Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street:Opposition talks on Monday made little headway over when to try and vote down Boris Johnson's government and who might succeed him as ...
by Nick Rogers The debate around the meaning of sex and gender made an appearance at this year’s British Labour Party conference in Brighton. Women’s Place UK – an organisation that questions the demand that biological males who self-identify as woman should have access to women’s spaces, to all-women shortlists, ...
Yesterday I went down to Wellington to participate in the Extinction Rebellion protest. Its part of the latest global wave of XR actions, with actions happening all over the world. Some of those protests are massively disruptive: in Canada, XR is blocking major bridges, stopping people from getting to work. ...
The Workshop is a charitable trust for public good. The Workshop undertake research to find ways of communicating that will build support for the solutions that work to solve complex social and environmental problems. See their Report on Talking about Poverty and Welfare Reform below. ...
Being and Being Bought (Spinifex Press, 2013) by Kajsa Ekis Ekman A synopsis and commentary of Chapters 1-2 by Daphna Whitmore Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book She opens the discussion with a definition of ...
I make no claims to having much legal knowledge, so I defer to those trained in this area.I am very much enjoying this twitter stream from m'learned friend in Edinburgh, deciphering the legal arguments around the Scottish court challenge to Boris Johnson, based on the charmingly obscure principle of Nobile ...
Ivory Folly? The University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, upheld the right of the radical nationalist group, Action Zealandia to exercise their freedom of speech – not matter how distasteful that speech might be. A wiser community of students and scholars would have nodded their agreement and moved on. ...
If you are not convinced terrorist Organisation ‘Extinction Rebellion’ is very, very dangerous – watch this video at one of their recent meetings. Not only is this obviously mentally ill Woman begging the other terrorists to promote killing and “eating” babies and children, if you watch carefully other members nod ...
The Ombudsman has been surveying people about their knowledge of the OIA and the right to information. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that widespread:The Chief Ombudsman says too many New Zealanders were in the dark over their right to access official information. Peter Boshier said an independent survey released yesterday on ...
In the wake of last Friday's climate strike, Peter McKenzie had an article in The Spinoff about protest strategies. The school strike movement is "polite" and cooperates with those in power because that's its kaupapa - its led by schoolkids who understandably don't want to risk arrest. But there's more ...
So, the latest ruminations on the gnews from Westminster (Again, sorry; I'll stop making that pun right now). This follows on from, and likely repeats bits of, my last post, on the suggestion that a Government of National Unity (GNU) should be set up and then oversee a referendum before ...
New Zealand likes to think of itself as not a racist country (despite being founded on the racist dispossession and subjugation of Maori). But for years, we've had a racist refugee policy, which basicly excludes refugees from Africa and the Middle East unless they already have relatives here. Now, the ...
Several people have asked me whether a particular repeat litigant could be declared a vexatious litigant, in light of their recent decision to appeal an adverse High Court ruling. My nascent tweet thread was getting ridiculously long, so it became this blog post instead.The short answer is: no. The particular ...
Appealing To The Past: Action Zealandia, like so many of the organisations springing up on the far-Right, across what they call the “Anglosphere”, is born out of the profound confusion over what a man is supposed to be in the twenty-first century and, more importantly, what he is supposed to do.THE STATUE OF ...
The attempts of anti-democratic transactivists to (often violently) disrupt women’s rights organising is largely ignored by those sections of the left most prone to misogyny and authoritarianism in New Zealand. In Britain, however, scores of trade union and left activists added their names to a letter in July, defending ...
The Justice Committee has reported back on the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill. The Bill would establish an independent, quasi-judicial body to investigate and review potential miscarriages of justice, and refer them back to the Court of appeal if required. It would be a vital backstop to our judiciary, help ...
by The Spark On September 14, a total of 22 drones and cruise missiles struck two oil installations in Saudi Arabia, the Abqaiq processing facility and the Khurais oil field. Abqaiq is the largest oil production facility in the world. For a few days afterwards, Saudi Aramco, the Saudi national ...
How much will NeoLiberal irregulation of the building sector and subsequent leaky homes crisis cost us? $47 billion, according to a new book:The total cost to fix all of New Zealand's leaky homes would be $47 billion, probably. The estimate comes from a new book, Rottenomics written by journalist Peter ...
Below is the start of another excellent article on the Freer Lives blog. Click onto the link at the end of this extract to read the full article. The punch-a-terf, kill-a-terf message pervades social media, always righteously delivered, chin held high. By contrast, the dehumanised “terfs” themselves, that is gender-critical ...
The Reserve Bank is currently planning tighter banking regulation, requiring banks to hold enough local capital to survive a 1-in-200 year financial crisis in order to protect consumers. The big Aussies banks, those foreign leeches who suck $5 billion in profit out of our economy every year, don't like that, ...
Its the usual story: a police officer beats a handcuffed suspect so hard they break one of their own fingers. The IPCA investigates and concludes that the use of force was unlawful. And the police refuse to do anything about it:A man punched repeatedly in the face by a police ...
From time to time we add links to our blogroll. The latest blog we have added is Freer Lives. This is a Marxist gender-critical blog, based in Melbourne, Australia. On it you will find a bunch of excellent articles which use the tools of Marxist analysis to critique the rise ...
Last Friday say the largest protest in a generation, as 170,000 people joined the school strike and marched to demand real action on climate change. The demands of the school strike were simple and clear: declare a climate emergency, set a climate target of net-zero by 2040, impose a total ...
Labour is a rather middle of the road capitalist party and earlier this year we discussed how far from being ‘transformative’, Ardern’s government is. An article published this week in the Guardian, by Bryce Edwards (political scientist and commentator at Victoria University), looks at Ardern’s business as usual performance. Where ...
In the hours since my last interminable wittering about the possibility of a Government of National Unity (GNU) in Britain, there has been a slight maybe development:A Corbyn-led caretaker government could then sit for several months while it enacted and delivered a referendum with the support of smaller parties and ...
Jeremy Clarkson says much like Greta Thunberg, Anne Frank “didn’t like what was going on”, but “she didn’t have a tantrum about it.” Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has offered praise to historical figure Anne Frank, comparing her favourably to 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, who he attacked in ...
Press release by Speak Up For Women Lesbians from women’s rights group Speak Up For Women are furious at reports that Rainbow Tick are threatening Massey University with the removal of their ‘tick’ if they let the group’s event go ahead. The group has been under attack from trans ...
By Duncan Garner Before you jump down my throat, nobody cares about the environment more than me. I have a garden, and since my wife and I broke up, I’ve let it grow wildly out of control, so please don’t tell me I’m not doing enough for plants. They’re ten ...
Local government elections are upon us again. It is a fair bet that, when they are over, we will have all the usual complaints that, despite their undoubted importance, the turnout was depressingly low. So, why do local elections attract so little attention and involvement from the general public? I ...
Yesterday the High Court released its decision in Moncrief-Spittle v Regional Facilities Auckland Limited, on the (alleged) decision by the Auckland Council and Mayor Phil Goff to deny use of a public venue to a pair of visiting nazi grifters. Based on the information available back then, I said that ...
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...
Defence Minister Ron Mark has used his powers to overrule a noise complaint ruling against Whenuapai airbase on the grounds of "national security". The Environment Court last month released a ruling in favour of a private developer, declaring the Auckland airbase had to comply with noise restrictions when it performs ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has opened fire against "unreconstructed morons" after NZ First MP Shane Jones was photographed on holiday holding an AR-15 rifle. Mr Peters is defending Mr Jones, telling Magic Talk host Peter Williams that his MP was just having fun "like most people do". "The ...
New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau was in attendance during the morning blessing of the Rotorua Lakefront development project. Around 60 people gathered on the shores of Lake Rotorua, including city mayor Steve Chadwick and deputy Dave Donaldson. The Lakefront development is a ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones has backed the ambitious plan to move Auckland’s port to Northport, at Whangarei harbour, which he says will be the “King Kong of infrastructure”. The plan is part of the recommendations of a six-person independent working group, which has recommended the Ports of Auckland be ...
A six-member independent working group selected the option of moving Auckland’s port to Northport, in Whangarei, ahead of other options. In what could be New Zealand’s most ambitious infrastructure project yet, a major expansion of the Marsden Point port could happen within 15 years. The project, officially called the “Upper ...
The final Electricity Price Review recommended prohibiting prompt payment discounts but allowing “reasonable” late fees. The findings of this review was welcomed by the Coalition Government, but they hope companies will follow through with its recommendations without regulations needed to be passed. Meridian Energy had already stopped prompt payment discounts, ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi,will invest nearly $600,000 to ensure work opportunities for locals in Turangia and Whanganui, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “I’m pleased to announce the PGF ...
An export-led economy is one of New Zealand First’s key principles, and our commitment to achieving this is shown by the continuing skyrocketing demand for our beef and sheep meat exports. Beef + Lamb New Zealand's New Season Outlook 2019-20 report forecasts beef, lamb and mutton prices to lift from ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today in Gisborne an investment of $17.27m into bringing “world-leading” food-growing technology and the creation of more than 100 new jobs in the East Coast city. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund, and included a $15 million loan to LeaderBrand, a ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development More than 100 people in Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga Bay will benefit from two employment initiatives supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. “Tolaga Bay is an incredibly tight-knit community, but one in ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is supporting Gisborne business Leaderbrand to produce salad vegetables year round and create more jobs in the Tairāwhiti region, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Our support for Leaderbrand will help them build large greenhouses ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has praised the promise by New Zealand’s biggest banks not to close any provincial branches while the Coalition Government trials regional banking hubs across the country. The Minister said the announce was the “first sign of hope for regional communities”, many of which have ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have delivered an upgrade of the SuperGold Card website and a new smartphone app, which will help unlock the full benefits of the SuperGold Card for 750,000 New Zealand seniors.Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters, ...
Delivering a key election campaign promise, New Zealand First is proud to have accomplished a long overdue upgrade of the SuperGold Card today. At an event in Auckland, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters joined Minister for Seniors Hon. Tracey Martin in unveiling the new website and smartphone app which ...
Another busy week, from speaking with world leaders on the world stage about climate change, to equipping our school leavers with everything they need to get ahead in life. ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says Air New Zealand has "an obligation to look after Kiwis", and urged the national carrier not to hike up their prices after Jetstar airline announced their withdrawal from regional flights this week. The Provincial Champion also expressed his disappointment at Jetstar’s decision on ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will help fund a new dredge for the Port of Greymouth to ensure the regional fishing fleet have a reliable and productive harbour, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today “Last year the movements of ...
Ladies and gentlemen, NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff, members of respective unions – thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. This might be preaching to the choir, but the importance of trade unions in New Zealand’s historical arch is difficult to understate. And it is my belief that ...
"Let’s start by acknowledging that it has been a huge year. " Police Association Annual Conference James Cook Grand Chancellor Hotel Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou katoa. President of the Police Association, Chris Cahill; Members of the Association and ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark have announced the New Zealand Government’s decision to again deploy a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. New ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand continues to have serious concerns for peace and stability in north-east Syria. “Recent reports that hundreds of ISIS-affiliated families have fled from a camp are deeply concerning from a humanitarian and security perspective”, Mr Peters says. “While we acknowledge Turkey’s domestic security ...
Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor is warning travelling Kiwis to be vigilant as the high-season for the crop-eating brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is under way. “We’re on high alert to stop BMSB arriving in NZ. The high season runs until April 30 and we’ve strengthened our measures to stop stink ...
The Government is moving swiftly to change the law to improve the welfare and pastoral care of students living in university halls of residence and other tertiary hostels. Cabinet has agreed to several changes, including creating a new mandatory Code of Practice that sets out the duty of pastoral care ...
The Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage has launched a new comprehensive trapping guide for community trappers to help them protect our native birds, plants and other wildlife, at Zealandia in Wellington today. ‘A practical guide to trapping’, has been developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), and was launched during ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter welcomes PHARMAC’s move to improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). PHARMAC has today announced it will fund the full cost of Mirena and Jaydess for anyone seeking long term contraception, lifting previous restrictions on access to Mirena. “I welcome women having greater choices ...
The Government has approved the next stage of a major redevelopment of Taranaki Base Hospital, which will deliver new and improved facilities for patients. Health Minister Dr David Clark has announced details of a $300 million dollar project to build a new East Wing at the New Plymouth hospital. It ...
Extra funding will allow Rural Support Trusts to help farming families, says Minister for Rural Communities and Agriculture Damien O’Connor. “I know that rural families are worried about some of the challenges facing them, including the ongoing uncertainty created by the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. “Those concerns sit alongside ongoing worries ...
Thank you for the opportunity to be here to present certificates to the 16 graduates who have completed a beekeeping course delivered by the Howard League. Let us start by acknowledging Auckland Prison’s Deputy Prison Director Tom Sherlock, and Acting Assistant Regional Commissioner of Corrections Northern Region Scott Walker - ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson leaves this weekend to attend the APEC Finance Ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile. Discussions between APEC Finance Ministers at the meeting will include the effects of the current global economic uncertainty, risks for APEC economies and sustainable development of the region. While at APEC Grant Robertson ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says for Pacific people, language can be a source of strength. It can help ground us and give us confidence. When we speak them, our languages provide us with an immediate and intimate access to our identity and our story - and ...
The Coalition Government has announced an action plan to improve the wellbeing of disabled New Zealanders by addressing inequalities in play, active recreation and sport. The initiative includes training to develop a workforce that understands the needs of children and young people with a range of impairments, advocacy for fit ...
The construction sector is being freed up to allow more homes to be built more quickly as the Government cuts through some of the red tape of the Building Act. “Every New Zealander deserves a warm, dry, safe home and old inefficiencies in the Building Act make building slow and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed further details on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to New Zealand next month. Their Royal Highnesses will visit New Zealand from 17-23 November – their third joint visit to New Zealand and first in four years. They arrive in Auckland ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, heads to Thailand today to attend the final Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial meeting, as negotiations enter their final stages. “The RCEP Agreement would anchor New Zealand in a regional agreement that covers 16 countries, ...
Pacific young people living in the Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Otago regions will have access to support services that have proved successful in helping young people find new earning and learning opportunities. “Tupu Aotearoa is about changing Pacific young peoples’ lives. Our young people are talented, they are smart, they ...
Introduction As the Minister for ACC I thank you all for the work that you do supporting New Zealanders in their literally most vulnerable moments. From those who hold people’s lives in their hands, to the people who research technique, technology and trends, your work is highly valued. A special ...
Notes prepared for speeches in Christchurch – Wednesday 9 October 2019 Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There ...
Minister of Health Dr David Clark and Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare say this year’s World Mental Health Day theme is a reminder of why the Government’s work on mental health is so important. “This year the World Federation for Mental Health has made suicide prevention the main theme ...
Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni will represent the government at Australia’s Meeting of Cultural Ministers in Adelaide this week. “This year’s meeting is special because New Zealand is expected to become an International Member of the Meeting of Cultural Ministers at this Australian forum,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “The meeting is an opportunity to ...
The Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service has resolved 608 insurance and EQC claims in its first year in operation, Minister Megan Woods has announced. The government service, which celebrates its first birthday today, provides a one stop shop to help Cantabrians still battling to get their homes repaired or rebuilt ...
Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There has been an increasing amount of attention paid to the outlook ...
The Government is acting swiftly to strengthen NZTA’s regulatory role following a review into the Transport Agency, and Ministry of Transport’s performance as its monitor, Transport Minister Phil Twyford said today. An independent review by Martin Jenkins has found NZTA failed to properly regulate the transport sector under the previous ...
The Netherlands and New Zealand have a long-standing and close relationship based on many shared interests and values. We value the rule of law, our democracies, and multilateralism. And we value our environment – at home and globally. Right now there are major global challenges in all of these areas – ...
The Government is putting right a decade’s worth of underpayment to nurses, doctors and other health workers, says Health Minister Dr David Clark. Initial sampling of District Health Boards payroll records has found that around $550-$650 million is owed to DHB staff to comply with the Holidays Act. It’s expected ...
A strong surplus and low debt show the economy is performing well, and means the Government is in a good position to meet the challenges of global economic uncertainty. “The surplus and low levels of debt show the economy is in good shape. This allows the Government to spend more ...
New applications from mining company OceanaGold to purchase land in Waihi for new tailings ponds associated with its gold mines have been approved. Minister of Finance Grant Robertson and Associate Minister of Finance David Parker considered the applications under the Overseas Investment Act. Earlier this year, applications from OceanaGold to ...
New Zealanders in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa / Poverty Bay will witness Māori, Pākehā and Pacific voyaging traditions come together today as the Tuia 250 Voyage flotilla assembles for the first time, Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Minister Kelvin Davis says. “Tuia 250 is a national commemoration and an opportunity for honest conversations ...
Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker leaves tomorrow for Dubai, London and Berlin for a series of meetings to advance New Zealand’s trade interests. In Dubai he will visit New Zealand’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 where construction is underway. There he will meet Minister of State for International Cooperation, Her ...
Confirmation that PHARMAC will fund two new cancer drugs is further evidence of the good progress the Government is making to improve the treatment of New Zealand’s leading cause of death, Health Minister David Clark says. From 1 December PHARMAC will fund alectinib (Alecensa) for ALK positive advanced non-small cell ...
An additional $2.7 million has been announced for the Government Strategy for Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation on the first anniversary of the strategy’s launch. Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson gave the opening address to the first Sport NZ Women + Girls Summit in Wellington today, ...
As part of its work to ensure businesses can get the skilled workers they need, the Coalition Government is re-opening and re-setting the Parent Category visa programme, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. The move will: support skilled migrants who help fill New Zealand’s skills gaps by providing a pathway for ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has today announced Major General Evan Williams of the New Zealand Defence Force has been selected as the commander of a significant, longstanding peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. In December, Major General Williams takes over as Force Commander for the Multinational Force and Observers ...
A record number of nurses are now working to deliver health services to New Zealanders as the Government’s increased funding and new initiatives rebuild key workforces start to show results, Health Minister Dr David Clark says. • 1458 more DHB nurses since the Government took office • 106 more midwives ...
Farmer and former Nuffield scholar Mel Poulton has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, Minister for Trade and Export Growth, David Parker, and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, announced today. The position supports key Government objectives, including raising the value of New Zealand agricultural goods and services. Mel is ...
New Zealand’s Pacific and Māori voyaging heritage is acknowledged and celebrated today as waka of the Tuia 250 voyage flotilla arrive in Tūranga / Gisborne. “Today we celebrate Tangata Whenua, the first people of Aotearoa, and the triumphs of the voyaging tradition that brought our ancestors here from Polynesia 1000 ...
“Fijian Language Week starts on Sunday and the theme reminds us how important it is that we each have something to anchor ourselves to, something that can help us pause and feel in control in a rapidly changing world,” says Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “Family, culture, faith, ...
The Government is establishing an Airspace Integration Trials Programme to support the safe testing and development of advanced unmanned aircraft and accelerate their integration into the aviation system, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods announced today. The Government will work with leading, innovative aviation industry partners to test and ...
Researchers from Lincoln University are investigating how to use nanotechnology in agriculture to increase productivity and reduce environmental impact. ...
The increased presence of anti-trans and white supremacist stickers around the University of Auckland campus is proof that inaction is enabling hate groups, write Anisha Sankar and Max Whitehurst.Anisha Sankar is a Chennai-born, Te Awakairangi-raised, South Indian Tamil studying at the University of Auckland. Max Whitehurst is a transgender Pākehā ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Following the Christchurch mosque shootings, the New Zealand government’s first response was to ban the firearms the alleged gunman had used to murder 51 people. Seven months later, the second tranche of this process ...
The nine members for the next three year term of the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) for Auckland have been appointed by the statutory Selection Body. Their appointments begin on 1 November 2019 and continue to 31 October 2022. Mana Whenua ...
“If we are truly to solve the challenge of poverty within the Te Ao Maori world we must lift our people from the low wage and low skills growth side of the economy. At the same time we must continue to ensure our people, no matter where they are, ...
Alex Casey asks Rose Stewart from Family Planning every single question she can think of about New Zealand’s new free IUDs. Listen up, womb-owners who love free shit and long-term contraceptive options: Pharmac announced that they will be fully funding two new long-lasting, reversible contraceptives in New Zealand from November 1, ...
Patients are increasingly being turned away for treatment and there can be no more excuses from the Government over properly funding district health boards to boost specialist numbers in public hospitals, says Ian Powell, Executive Director of the ...
Today’s Council of Trade Unions’ report, Fair Pay Agreements: A Framework for Fairness , provides a much-needed pathway to fair wages and conditions across several major industries, and the Government must deliver on its promise to introduce FPAs ...
The Speaker has limited the number of questions Simon Bridges can ask in the House as a punishment for the National Party defying Trevor Mallard by not pulling down their attack ads. ...
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The Herald front page screams ‘Russian serial killer.’
Any excuse to recreate the fear and hatred of the Cold War.
Shameful.
Just another reminder that a real people’s government should seize control of the narrative from the plutocrats.
This tinkering crew will do too little for fear of offending the capitalists.
And no, I did not buy it and did not click on it.
Saw the headline on a paper lyiing ona table in a cafe.
Ed? pfft.
Y’know, yes, there’s a whole lot of simplistic “black and white”, and “with us or agin us” bullshit going on in the world today.
But jumping up on a chair and getting all arm wavy on the flimsiest of contexts or (in this case) a completely bogus context is just …why fcking do that?
Didn’t read the story. Has no idea what the story says. Indulges monomania anyway 🙄
He’s still got a point, though.
Has he? I think he writes a load of steaming drivel on almost any subject you care to name.
Granted. He’s still got a point here, though.
That the NZH wants to recreate the fear and hatred of the Cold War? Nope, I think that’s just more addled gobshite. That the NZLP won’t do the things he wants? Maybe so, but since the things he wants are motivated by addled gobshite, that’s hardly surprising.
If you think my views on inequality, taxes, obesity, housing, transport, health and education are ‘gobshite’, or ‘steaming drivel’, then you clearly are not left wing.
When a Blairite insults me, I wear it as a badge of honour.
However, when someone who isn’t a Blairite calls out your drivel, you attack the messenger because you can’t handle the criticism.
“Real left wing thinking” ≠ regurgitating kleptocrat propaganda whilst seeing conspiracies everywhere.
Plus what Bill said.
Many on this site are sick of your bully boy tactics.
Just because you don’t agree with my views does not give you the right in verbal abuse.
My views are left of the NZ Labour Party.
Conspiracies everywhere?
No.
Do they exist?
Yes
Skripal
Yes – a conspiracy.
Syrian chemical attack
Yes – a conspiracy
The plan to attack Iraq in 2003.
Yes – a conspiracy.
The plan to attack the U.S in 2001
Yes – a conspiracy.
😆
Calls me a Blairite, bleats about verbal abuse.
Nice riposte Ed, you are part of the true left imo. Thanks for trying to mend the bridge with armed offenders bloke.
Probably most relevant Russian story today is not Ed’s little piece but that another anti Putin journalist and former Russian parliamentary candidate Oles Bunyan has been murdered in Kiev Probably nothing to do with russua though, suggest it was the British ( sarc)
OAB
Don’t be so quick to diss Ed. A bowl of steaming drivel might be all a poor person has on a winter morning to keep them going!
I would argue most real left wing thinking is closely aligned to what I say on this site.
Like a “True Scotsman”, I suspect the definition of “real left wing thinking” is in the eye of the proclaimer.
scroll past.
While the meth cirus reigns on TV today; – look what the Government is pushing forward at the same time as they threw the ‘distraction’ of meth at us!!!!
Did they think we would not see them shifting to ‘a thumbs up to CPTPP???????
We are being played big time now folks sadly.
Our verbal submission was 10 minutes last week and we are bitterly disapointed they did not even add any protectins we advocated for.
When will Labour/National /NZF appologise to NZ, after the new cases of other disease comes here after their final rush to pass the final report to Parliament simnce the phoney “select Committee to review the TPTPP” was hoisted on us all as a “diversion” while their intent was to pass this toxic trade agreement as it already was???
Chair Simon O’Connor (National MP) said he believed the CPTPP is o/k; – as is????
Even though us and a lot of other submitters warned him and his committee that they will be setting us up for more “micro-plasma bovis” events.
The submitters said they should include a clause be added to the ISDS agreement to allow in all cases Government contracts or with other parties allowing local/state governments and other parties to encourage Government to pass regulations to protect NZ citizens and the environment against foreign activities in NZ that may damage their future economic, environmental, health, and well-being after the trade agreement will be enacted in 2019.
‘Editored’ section involving environmental protection and no change from draft report originally proposed in march 2018.
https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/SCR_78363/a1acbf19b29fdfcfb0f773ee52bffd2dfd522be3
(Chair Simon O’Connor said he believed the CPTPP is o/k; – as is????)
COMPREHENSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (CPTPP)
Page; 5
Summary of issues discussed with submitters
Many submitters, notably those opposed to the CPTPP, believe that the changes from the
TPP do not substantively address their concerns. They consider that the CPTPP is
effectively the same as the TPP.
Investor-State dispute settlement and sovereignty
We discussed some submitters’ concerns about the effect the CPTPP would have on the
sovereign rights of New Zealanders to determine their own future through an elected
Parliament. In particular, these submitters consider that the ISDS provisions unnecessarily
empower and protect international investors.
Some submitters believe that the threat of substantial awards against governments is a
strong disincentive for the New Zealand Government to act in the interests of New
Zealanders when those interests conflict with those of CPTPP investors. Submitters consider
that this could have a chilling effect on the Government’s ability to make policy and regulate
in areas including labour law and the mitigation of climate change.
We also discussed the CPTPP’s relationship with New Zealand’s many international
obligations, including the Paris Agreement to address climate change, and the United
Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. We understand that this is problematic because
many of these obligations are not enforceable, but the CPTPP contains enforcement
mechanisms.
Two dispute settlement mechanisms in CPTPP
We understand that the CPTPP provides for two dispute settlement mechanisms: a
government-to-government system to resolve disputes in the agreement, and ISDS. The
ISDS mechanism provides for the settlement of disputes between foreign investors and the
Government of the country in which the investment is made.
Application of ISDS in CPTPP
In the CPTPP, ISDS only applies to the Investment chapter and limited investment-related
elements of the Financial Services chapter. The scope of the ISDS mechanism is narrower
that it was in the TPP. Claims are no longer permitted in relation to investment contracts and
COMPREHENSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (CPTPP)
6
approval. This means that private companies which enter into an investment contract with
the Government would not be able to use ISDS if there were a dispute about that contract.
Decisions made under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 are also not subject to ISDS.
Suspensions around the minimum standard of treatment concerning financial services
further reduce the risk of successful claims under the CPTPP being taken against New
Zealand. The minimum standard of treatment is an obligation that forms part of the body of
customary international law, to accord fair and equitable treatment to covered investments,
and not to deny justice.
Once a treaty is entered into, it cannot be changed by any one state. So any submission to the New Zealand Parliament asking for that will necessarily fail.
It is basically an up and down vote. And there is zero chance (given the make up of the committee) that the select committee would recommend a down vote.
But I presume you knew all of this already, and your submission was merely another way of showing your opposition, rather than an expectation it would have actual effect.
However, presumably the Greens will put in a minority report covering your points.
“Once a treaty is entered into, it cannot be changed by any one state. So any submission to the New Zealand Parliament asking for that will necessarily fail.”
What wayne means is BOKYAG.
Cant be changed ?
tell that to Trump as hes doing just that with NAFTA
Different situation as the US, Canada and Mexico are in the middle of formal negotiations called to renegotiate NAFTA; whereas the CP TPP is now post the end of formal negotiations and sign off by all parties (countries) to the agreement and in the ratification stage where individual states are processing the agreement through their national legislative requirements for ratification.
Trump is an example no sane politician would wish to follow.
With the Chief Science Advisor to the Government, Peter Gluckman, stating he wouldn’t be worried about “toddlers crawling around on the floor” until the meth residue reached the level of several hundred micrograms per 100cm2, why is the new testing standard level (at 15mcg per 100cm2) recommended so low?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104287037/the-meth-house-is-a-myth-theres-no-risk-from-drug-smoking-residue-govt-report-finds
In fact, the country’s top scientists are recommending people not test their homes unless the police specifically indicate it was a meth lab.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/358454/meth-house-contamination-debunked-by-pm-s-science-advisor
Therefore, are we about to make the same costly mistake all over again?
As for the initial mistake (the low level adopted) should and will there be compensation for homeowners and others affected? Moreover, will heads roll?
The head’s of Key, English et al, rolling…
“I lose count of the number of times that I questioned [Housing New Zealand] about it. To the point that I was told as a minister that I was on the edge of getting involved of day to day running of the technical issues of a crown entity,” Bennett said.
Seems Bennett is pointing the finger at HNZ, Robert.
You often ask for evidence of you being a fake leftie. Defending Bennett’s I-know-nothing approach and the blaming of officials is one example.
Highlighting what has been reported isn’t defending Bennett.
Nevertheless, are you prepared to let your dislike for Bennett get in the way of getting to the truth?
She could actually be telling the truth, do you have any evidence to the contrary?
And yet Twyford reversed the Meth test policy on becoming Govt.
So twas possible.
Twyford?
Wasn’t that done on their (HNZ) own initiative? Rather than it being a Government directive?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104287037/the-meth-house-is-a-myth-theres-no-risk-from-drug-smoking-residue-govt-report-finds
“Less stringent standards will be set for houses within the next year”
So despite what has come to light, seems it will still take Twyford sometime before he can set new standards.
If Bennett had info that she could have used to push through changes, but failed too, then she could also be held to account.
In the meantime, HNZ has announced it’s own changes. So they can call their own shots, therefore can also be held to account on their decisions taken.
It appears ms Bennett wasn’t smart enough to translate her concerns into action as mr Twyford did. Mr Twyford needs to be congratulated on such a positive result.
Could be. Or it could be she lacked compelling evidence to back action being taken. Then again, she may of had the evidence and failed to act, therefore she would also be culpable.
Chairman, I also think you are a fake leftie, and it is your normal haughty, super-correct tone that prompts me to write this.
‘may of had’????
If Maori have the right to protect and promote their language ( as I believe they have) then you should try to avoid barbaric solecisms, and those who value our language should help you.
You may write either “may have” or “may’ve’ – but “may of” simply reflects badly upon all else that you write.
If you consistently strike a haughty, super-correct tone, please live up to it in your use of English.
Yeah, he is.
Indications are that Bennett is lying:
Bennett, Chairman, was unable to effect the necessary change to an unjust situation affecting many New Zealanders? What was she there for???
Labour’s only been in a short while, yet the job is done! Tells the story…
Labour haven’t got the job done yet, Robert. See my post above.
Okay, “being done”. Good enough for me. Better than “not being done”(National).
Full kudos to them for commissioning this report and acting to make improvements.
However, the concern here is the rather conservative level HNZ has now adopted. We now risk repeating the same mistake again, unless the Government swiftly acts to correct this.
Additionally, a decent Government would see the injustice caused, therefore would willingly offer compensation to all those unfairly impacted. We are not seeing this from this Government.
Does that sit right with you, Robert?
Never satisfied, you. “Full kudos to them”, you say, then go on to qualify your praise, as you inevitably do, “good job, but …
Compensating for National’s fubar? Galling. Let’s wait till they own their actions then talk of compensation.
Satisfied risking repeating the same mistake all over again? Of course I’m not and nor should you be.
National aren’t going to own this, evident by their pointing the finger at HNZ.
We now have compelling evidence, therefore we know people have been unfairly treated. Hence, the current Government should be acknowledging this and offering compensation. At the least, announcing they are looking into it.
They are, of course, “looking into it”. Your attempts to read between the lines in order to find failure is … tiresome and your glossing-over/dismissal of National’s culpability is … expected.
“They are, of course, ‘looking into it’”.
More rubbish from you as usual, Robert.
“I haven’t given any thought to compensation and I don’t intend to.” – Phil Twyford.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/landlords-won-t-get-compensation-for-following-incorrect-meth-standards.html
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018647263/no-compensation-for-meth-evictions-housing-nz
paula bennet is so full of it and just covering her arse.
“However, in several news stories at the time Bennett and English said they approved of the Housing NZ regime.
English said the agency was “rightly taking a firm stance on the health risks posed by meth, and will continue to do so for as long as it is detected in its properties” in 2016.
And Bennett told Newshub in 2016 there was “no evidence” Housing NZ had evicted tenants unfairly.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104287037/the-meth-house-is-a-myth-theres-no-risk-from-drug-smoking-residue-govt-report-finds
“And Bennett told Newshub in 2016 there was ‘no evidence’ Housing NZ had evicted tenants unfairly.”
Yes, I know. Do you have the evidence to prove otherwise – i.e. that Bennett had the evidence?
TC, am on a quest to find out and when I do, you’ll be the first to know.
Off hand, there was questioning by some in the scientific community in regards to the low level set. So there may be something to find.
The chairman ms Bennett never got off her back side to find the information unlike mr Twyford
You could well be right, Ankerrawshark. Off hand, around 2000 scientist made submissions in 2017 with many of them stating testing was unnecessary.
Moreover, as Draco highlighted below, there was concern raised by the Ministry of Health in 2016 (hat tip to mickysavage).
Bennett was on RNZ tonight saying she had real concerns about the meth testing and eviction of state house tenants,but even though she expressed concern to HNZ and other agencies,she was powerless to act.
From what I’ve seen it’s all about liability, we’re paying for the steady erosion of the ‘no fault’ ethos behind ACC.
The bureacrats and interested parties really don’t have a lot of choice in these matters. If something is said to be a risk then ignoring the risk leaves people open to future claims for damages. That looming liability threat pushes people to take extremely conservative measures. No-one goes to work to be sued or face criminal charges so people do everything they can to eliminate the risk of that happening.
As it transpired the meth threat was a bust but no-one was to know that for sure until it did transpire. People acted on the information available at the time and who can blame them for that. Sure, common sense said it was a gross overreaction but the law doesn’t give a rats arse about common sense does it.
To my mind the only culpable party is the Government of the day and, sadly, they can’t be sued or charged for their refusal to establish reasonable and proper meth testing standards.
The potential liability threat of taking an extremely conservative approach should have also been given far more consideration considering the massive costs and unnecessary stress it has caused.
Therefore, risk should be correctly established before levels are set and lives are thrown into disarray.
And while the Government of the day could well be culpable, just because they can’t be sued or charged doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get to the bottom of this.
Surely we’ll want to prevent similar from occurring again, thus we need to establish who was culpable and what went wrong.
You missed the point by some margin there. The risk to landlords was being sued or charged for any harm that might befall their tenants.
You can’t contract out of the law so creating your own testing standards would have been a foolish move, there’s no guarantees ‘the law’ would accept it. It was always for the Govt to set the standards. This Govt has shown how easy it was and one is left to wonder at the motives of the last Govt in refusing to do so.
“This Govt has shown how easy it was”
On the contrary. They have shown that despite the info that has come to light, it’s still going to take the Government up to a year to set new levels.
The risk to landlords being sued wasn’t the only risk. What about homeowners that were impacted, they may now look at suing the Government.
What about the tenants who were evicted and more than likely incorrectly labelled by their communities or neighbours as P addicts? Don’t know about you, but if that happened to me I’d be devastated for myself and my children especially if one lived in a small community.
How many children have suffered as a result, did one parent find out that another parent had been evicted and then try and take their kids away from them as a result? That’s a very likely scenario.
Indeed, others were also impacted. As I have mentioned further up. And at this stage the Government hasn’t ruled out compensating them. But there has been no mention that I’ve heard of in regards to compensating homeowners that were also impacted.
I’m thinking we may now see class action suits similar to the leaky homes debacle.
Just as well there are some NZs now keeping an eye on housing and the government. Everyone in Britain in the Great Depression got worn out by the amount of deprivation. And it would be echoed here if we aren’t careful as we have brought the British callousness over with us as colonials and it has persisted over nearly two centuries.
This is a bit from George Orwell’s look at the homeless in Britain as in his book The Road to Wigan Pier from 1937.
[The wagon/caravan will contain] such furniture as can be crammed in – sometimes two beds, more usually one, into which the whole family have to huddle as best they can. It is almost impossible to sleep on the floor, because the damp soaks up from below. I was shown mattresses which were still wringing wet at eleven in the morning. In winter it is so cold that the kitcheners have to be kept burning day and night, and the windows, needless to say, are never opened.
Water is got from a hydrant common to the whole colony, some of the caravan-dwellers having to walk 150 or 200 yards for every bucket of water. There are no sanitary arrangements at all. Most of the people construct a little hut to serve as a lavatory on the tiny patch of ground….All the people I saw…especially the children, were unspeakably dirty…The thought that haunted me….was, What can happen in those cramped interiors when anybody dies? But that, of course, is the kind of question you hardly care to ask.
Some of the people have been in their caravans for many years. Theoretically the Corporation are…getting the inhabitants out into houses; but as the houses don’t get built, the caravans remain standing….one woman with a worn skull-like face… struggling to keep her large brood of children clean,…[must have felt as if] coated all over with dung.
One must remember that these people are not gypsies; they are decent English people who have all,,,had homes in their day.,,their caravans are,,,inferior to those of gypsies and they have not the…advantage of being on the move.
Recapping The Road to Wigan Pier in the 2000s.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/feb/20/orwell-wigan-pier-75-years
“On the contrary. They have shown that despite the info that has come to light, it’s still going to take the Government up to a year to set new levels.”
Huh? How long was National in power for?
When did compelling info to the contrary first come to light is what you need to ask.
Compelling to whom?
To everyone concerned to force through change.
Be realistic. It’s a bit like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder.
I believe the relevant Standard that HNZ and others have used as a reference is NZS 8510:2017. I’m not going to buy a copy just to have a look at it so I can’t comment on its content.
IIRC Standards are not of themselves statutory laws but one would be rather foolish to ignore them in pursuant of your own standards.
Those standards are developed with input from different parties, some with their own self-interests. I believe the science-oriented input to NZS 8510:2017 was somewhate looser than the end result.
I believe it can be downloaded for free here:
https://www.standards.govt.nz/sponsored-standards/testing-and-decontamination-of-methamphetamine-contaminated-properties/
Thanks, wonders will never cease I haven’t come across a free AUS/NZS Standard before.
It looks to pretty much explain how this all came about, except perhaps for an explanation as to how meth use became conflated with meth labs.
“Be realistic. It’s a bit like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder.”
The reality is we now have compelling evidence, thus change is being made.
The standard that HNZ and others have used was flawed and the Government of the day seem to have failed in their oversight of that.
Longer than two years ago.
Headline of the week:
Act candidate Stephen Barry has a dream for the North Shore . It’s very stupid .
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104310522/act-candidate-north-shore-motorway-is-breathtakingly-stupid
Headline:
‘Shocker ! – Left wing reporter disagrees with plan of right wing candidate’
You are in favour of a plan to destroy public green spaces with a road which duplicates the Northern motorway?
You can’t be serious.
I am neither in favour or not in favour. I leave that up to the good citizens of Auckland to decide.
I was in favour of Transmission Gully which many here disagreed with but which thankfully the last Government fast tracked.
Stephen Berry, no relation to Maggie. Nepotism is not yet rife.
Gosman, WTF has the politics of the reporter, as you imagine them, got to do with the demolition job that reporter did on the daft ideas of the ACT candidate?
Except of course, to deflect from the actual arguments raised by the reporter.
And to deflect from the daffiness of the ACT candidates ideas.
Play the ball, Gosman, not the man.
I note that NZ First had the wisdom to let go the candidate who was 38th on their list and who is now standing in Northcote for a Right-Wing Hansen style party. By-elections certainly bring out the dillies, the daffies and the daft.
There was no demolition job here. This is merely an opinion piece by a well known left leaning journalist. As such his political leanings are entirely valid when determining if his piece has any validity. It does not.
Gosman, if your sole or main determinant as to whether argument is correct is the political views of the writer, then what are you doing here on a left-wing blog?
I say there is a demolition job. I read the article.
The proposals of the ACT candidate in resurrecting 1972 proposals to advocate for a 6 lane highway through the myriad green spaces in Auckland were rightly ridiculed.
At the end, the writer said that a vote for this candidate is similar to voting for the anti-fluoride homeopathic candidate whose name appears next to the ACT candidate’s.
I note that the writer’s left wing views are the sole determinant for your dismissal of his arguments. You have not attempted to justify your belief that his views have no validity, have you?
If you want to have arguments why his opinion has no validity beyond his political bias (as well as showing why he has political bias) then look no further than his argument that the proposal is an old one. So what? Transmission Gully was first proposed back in the 1940’s or even earlier. It was still a good idea and one that the last National government took up in the past 5 years. The Rail loop in Auckland is also an old idea which seems to have merit. Trying to dismiss ideas because they are not original highlights the fact the author is scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of objections.
You’ve changed again Gosman…
Gosman, I suggest you look further.
There is more out there.
Out beyond the familiar, the known, the safe………
Other argument, other views, other perceptions.
Welcome to the Left Wing!
That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?
It looks like it goes directly through the Birkenhead Shopping Centre. That’s it folks. Your shops and mall will be gone. Never mind, you can drive to Glenfield or even Albany for your daily shopping commutes. 😡
I believe the plan involves tunnels.
And where are the shops and the mall going to go while it is being built? Whenever a tunnel is being built the topical landscape gets smashed to pieces and a small fortune is spent on rebuilding it at a much later date.
I like your new handle, Go smell.
As i understand it the 15mcg level(previously 5) is the level to which a known lab should be cleaned before further use.
Its set very low because there are other harmful by products produced during meth manufacture which are difficult to detect or verify cleanup of.
15 is higher and should have fewer false positives but its still use of a cleaning standard for a detection standard.
“As i understand it the 15mcg level (previously 5) is the level to which a known lab should be cleaned before further use.”
It’s still miles away from the several hundred micrograms Peter Gluckman is concerned about.
And while 15mcg is higher, is it really high enough to be concerned about? According to Gluckman it’s not.
Therefore, it potentially leads to us repeating the same mistake. Only this time, with a slightly higher but still conservative level being set.
I’m wondering if Gluckman is confusing 100cm2 to 1m2. Hundreds per 1m2 would be fine I suspect but not hundreds per 100cm2.
I don’t believe so as it aligns with other info I’ve heard.
What Gluckman said was that there was no danger from houses where there has only been smoking/taking P. But Labs can leave far more dangerous chemicals. So what they have done is raise the level to where smoking/taking P will be eliminated. Only a lab is likely to leave more than the new limit. And in that case there could be more dangerous chemicals there.
My source, before you ask, Chairman, is my own fertile imagination working in conjunction with my amazing alcohol-enhanced powers of logic.
And if I turn out to be right, you will have wasted considerable time once again trying to sow doubt and dissension, won’t you, Chairman?
The report clearly states the most commonly used methods no longer use solvents. Therefore, the primary contaminant associated with manufacturing is methamphetamine itself.
So testing for methamphetamine alone would give no indication that other potentially harmful chemicals are present. Therefore, we risk creating unnecessary costs and harm all over again, albeit with a higher but still conservative standard.
“my own fertile imagination working in conjunction with my amazing alcohol-enhanced powers of logic”
Thinking at it’s best! In vino veritas!
Recently the Italian president vetoed the formation of an Italian government. This was because the proposed finance minister had previously looked at a proposal to exit the Euro, if needed. Its not the first time that the needs of the currency have overruled a democratic decision.
https://rwer.wordpress.com/2018/05/28/president-mattarella-of-italy-from-moral-drift-to-tactical-blunder/#more-32724
Its really a ‘soft coup’.
Its to be expected of course, and the new government is disposed of and a toady moves in.
Now we need to look into the earthquake standards.
I’m not too sure about anyone else, but I’m not too comfortable with the idea of emptying buildings and letting them stand empty for years on end, and this practice needs looking into.
Would you be comfortable if there was an earthquake and 00’s of people died if you were wrong ?
Building codes and regs are a little bit more evidenced based with global acceptance than meph standards Likewise established over many years
If our old state housing stock was largely multi-storey apartments built on reclaimed land, with unreinforced masonry and dodgy steel connections holding up heavy floors you might have a point. However I very much doubt it.
Nice story about Venezuelan democracy on TDB today.
Remember their economic problems are caused by capitalist thievery and the US led economic blockade
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/05/28/guest-blog-vinnie-molina-the-bolivarian-revolution-in-venezuela-shall-overcome/
“Remember their economic problems are caused by capitalist thievery and the US led economic blockade”
LOL!
I love how the failures of socialism is always blamed on other things and never on the stupid policies themselves.
Also how come the US has this amazing ability to collapse socialist economies but less power over other Capitalist ones?
Sounds like that’s where we should be importing builders from doesn’t it gosmerp.
> Also how come the US has this amazing ability to collapse socialist economies but less power over other Capitalist ones?
because corporate profits are at stake
How are corporate profits at stake in Venezuela? The main industry in the country is State controlled .
Which means less profits for the bludging capitalists.
To clarify, the USA is happy to smash any country that doesn’t bow to the demands of its corporations, or attempts to defy the stranglehold of the petrodollar.
Witness US smear jobs on NZ now that we have a slightly left leaning government
http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2018/05/cherry-picking-chinese-influence/
The financial blockade isn’t a result of socialist policies but the result of capitalist ones.
How is this supposed financial blockade impacting Venezuela exactly?
It’s listed in the article. It’s one of the problems of ‘free-trade’.
The reason are not listed at all. It is merely posted as if it was a fact (which it is not).
So, you’re saying that the US sanctions are having no effect at all?
So, what would be the point of the US’s financial war upon Venezuela?
Loving not one piece of evidence of counter argument. Do we need to bring up Argentina again Gosman to prove how much of a plonker you are?
Any country / cult run on pure ideology no matter what is rooted It usually comes down it will be better this time because I will be in charge
I am interested to see if your views on Venezuela gather much support amongst lefties here. I suspect not as Venezuela is now becoming a pariah nation and one to avoid mention at all costs for most mainstream leftists. It is only hard core ones like you that will be banging this particular drum.
Speak for yourself I always thought Venezuela was an economic nutcase country sustained largely by resource extraction.
I also could never quite understand the nutcase right wing droning on and on about it as being the epitome of what the ‘left’ thought as their fandom economy. My opinion was that was largely the right nutbars grabbing their crotch with excitement to build a meme about how the left ‘thinks’. Which appears to be what you are doing?
As you are aware, there is no monolithic left and never has been.
BTW: exactly the same economic issue or over indulgence in resource extraction is what I think is the same fundamental weakness in the NZ (and the aussie) economies as well as Venezuela .
However here the idiotic economic numb skulls who indulge in it appear to be largely from the right. They mine the soils, water and and different mineral resource rather than oil and put the benefits to their beneficiaries among the affluent rather than the poor. But it is exactly the same thing. Unsustainable stupidity indulged in for political reasons to benefit a group voting for selfish reasons. In our case by the National party.
Interesting view that I suspect will not be shared by the more extreme leftist on this site. As already evidenced by some the cause of the problems in Venezuela is not the narrow resource based extractive nature of it’s economy but the actions of the US taken against the Socialist government.
What is an extreme leftist, as described by Gosman, whose politics lie to the right of Attila the Hun?
My politics are mainstream. People like Draco support policies that are fringe
To be consistent he must also be demanding new elections in the US where turnout isn’t much better.
No, Venezuela’s economic problems are caused by the adoption of an economic system that fails everywhere it is tried. It’s called socialism.
Bit like capitalism then?
Ah, no.
https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2015/12/19/its-not-capitalism-that-causes-poverty-its-the-lack-of-it/&refURL=https://www.bing.com/&referrer=https://www.bing.com/
Strange that, throughout history, it’s always been socialism that’;s saved capitalism. Without it capitalism destroys the society that it arises in.
That’s 5000 years of recorded history for you.
Proof that capitalism is a failure because of the greed of the rich.
Yeah like Socialism is saving capitalism in Venezuela. And Russia. And China.
I haven’t seen anything of socialism in either Russia or China.
Venezuela was definitely getting worse under capitalism and the people now keep voting for socialism despite the capitalist attacks upon it from other countries so things must be better than before.
The people who can be bothered to vote in a rigged political system keep voting for Socialism.
Fixed it for you Draco 😉
Russia was a socialist state. The author of this piece refers to communism, but try not to be confused:
“Gorbachev understood that the shabby socialist economy was incapable of sustaining a world power. Perestroika was introduced, and with it glasnost, a limited opening up of channels of criticism. Glasnost proved suicidal. The surrealism of Soviet society could not survive the light of criticism. Inevitably, the ideological house of cards erected by the Party propagandists and disseminated by foreign fellow-travelers over seven decades collapsed.”
https://fee.org/articles/the-soviet-tragedy-a-history-of-socialism-in-russia-1917-1991-and-russia-under-the-bolshevik-regime/
“Venezuela was definitely getting worse under capitalism…”
I think not. But it can’t possibly have been any worse than it is now.
“adoption of an economic system that fails everywhere it is tried. It’s called socialism.”
Yeah, But I think the beneficiary Dairy Farmers including that dick who had the notice about Ardern are thankful at the “adoption” of a good old bit of Socialism
at the moment.
They will be more thankful to the economic reforms of the 80’s and 90’s that made them internationally competitive.
Interesting, So I take it then that as they were so grateful and are so “internationally competitive.” they will not take or need the generous benefit these pack of beneficiaries are getting from the government.
“They will be more thankful to the economic reforms of the 80’s and 90’s that made them internationally competitive.”
Also, that is bullshit as if I remember correctly there was nothing but winging how were they going to survive now all the export incentives were being stopped and the suspensory loans and tax avoidance schemes like having a swimming pool c/w Barbecue area “just in case of fire”
“So I take it then that as they were so grateful and are so “internationally competitive.” they will not take or need the generous benefit these pack of beneficiaries are getting from the government.”
That’s up to them. They have been the victims of a natural disaster beyond their control, a bit like the citizens of Christchurch. But then many businesses experience that and don’t get government aid.
“…as if I remember correctly there was nothing but winging how were they going to survive now all the export incentives were being stopped…”
Absolutely there was, and yet 35 years later we lead the world, and are selling our expertise to the world. Isn’t the market a wonderful thing.
Since the outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis, the authorities have repeatedly told us there is no risk to human health from eating meat or milk from infected animals. They would say that wouldn’t they – got to keep the ‘confidence of the market’.
Now, a Massey University professor of food safety describes the disease as a *low* risk to humans. In time, I expect the risk deniers will obfuscate as scientific evidence mounts, in much the same way as the concerns over the A1/A2 milk proteins.
“Amateurs Talk Strategy, Professionals Talk Logistics”
Perhaps it is time for the government to evolve their policies with a mind open to the above quote.
Don Franks on Jim Rose’s attempt to justify a racist judicial and prison system:
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2018/05/29/a-response-to-jim-rose-on-maori-prison-population/
Norman Finkelstein on the “quite unimpressive” Alan Dershowitz.
Highly Recommended!
“I told him his book was a tissue of lies, a complete fabrication…”
http://normanfinkelstein.com/2018/05/28/10-the-book-you-claim-to-have-written/
Good morning The AM Show there is a good reasoning for ECO MAORI pushing for equality for the ladies it’s the fair thing to do ladies are more intelligent than men and humane it’s good to have Amanda on the show this raises the humanity and intelligence of the show.
You cannot see the flaws in locking people up for years 5000 Maori young men most who just need a bit of guidance who come from broken family created by this system no father to gide them set boundaries for them wake up you know they wanted to privatise Hospitals Prison school so what did national do the ran these to the ground and say the system in not working let’s privatise every thing like America . Duncan its is the justice system that failed to do there job of keeping the people who killed while on bail not the 5000 Maori men it’s not hard to observe people look at there history and identify the risky people and keep them in jail 1 persent of the 5000 50 mistake the justice system has made that’s a fact that’s what these civil servents get paid to do this is a logical way of thinking about this problem
Its is best to try the eradication route for this bovine virus this virus will effect beef farmers as well as dairy farmers. Culling of these cows should have started on the 1/1/2017 No then it would not have blown out to what we have now Ana to kai Ka kite ano
The AM Show there you go Simon Bridge using crime and scare tactics to try and raise his polling rates the same phenomenon that made the bovine virus blow out to this mess. If he really cared about Aotearoa he would work with labour greens to come to a intelligent humane solutions to OUR Prison population look at our scandernavion cousins empty prison.
Ka kite ano
Here’s someone crying in his coffee link below
Male, pale, but not stale
OPINION: I can’t help that I’m white and ageing. But it feels like society’s kicking me.
Ka kite ano