So now there’s the specter of this corporate toady coming back in when clearly she is not what the public want. And despite her denial, she couldn’t help but entertain her ego in public, and thus the public rumor mill. Same shit different day. Simply not attractive anymore.
Having her about is just sowing doubt.
Clinton led Democrats… There’s nothing attractive in it except ‘not Trump’. Is that a platform?
I bet a lot of Trumps votes were votes for not-Hillary.
It’s akin to rolling Bridges out to comment on his possibly running during our next election (I scry the fools demise). He’ll only remind us why we don’t want Nats. Out of sight out of mind is the obvious smart choice for future Nats re Bridges, and today’s Democrats re Clinton.
I don’t think she is as bad as painted, and she did win the popular vote, but I don’t think she’ll seriously run again.
I think she might keep it open as long as possible to be Faux’s boogey-woman so that they have to invent hate from scratch when the actual candidates come to the podium.
As long as she’s a might-run, they’re looking at her. The far right (and sanctimonius left) have a real bugbear about the Clintons.
So heres where she says NO – twice
“Mrs. Clinton initially said “no” when asked whether she wanted to run for president again. She then paused and repeated “no.”
because she paused and said ( hypothetically) ‘Id like to be President’ the haters have gone crazy.
Merkel is like Helen Clark. A smart, good leader, but who got blinded on some issues and did not look forward to the future as well as she should have…aka now Germany divided more. NZ divided more by neoliberalism by Clark who signed the FTA with China. Nice idea, bad details left in, that is now going to make NZ a much less equal, less democratic society run to other countries agendas.
Leadership is very hard, but it is worse when maybe the leaders like the idea of something with out looking at how it can negatively impact the positives… and really looking at the fine print. Better to not sign a flawed deal than sign one and then think you will somehow get out easily. Brexit comes to mind if the UK leaders had managed the EU expansion better with policy, Brexit would not have come to pass.
Quote via Stuff: But aviation expert Neil Hansford said it was highly unlikely a technical fault within the plane’s structure had led it to plough into the ocean and the model was among the safest in the world.
While the aircraft is yet to take to Australian skies, Virgin Australia has 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes on order, with the first of the fleet due to arrive in late 2019. It is not known if the aircraft is heading to New Zealand airlines.
Have a look at flight stats in this article, either they had a serious cockpit management issue, an onboard disturbance or major technical/ systems failure. Either way it doesn’t look good especially when they were climbing out and suddenly lose altitude before nose diving into sea at high speed.
Note: this is the first serious crash of the 737 Max 8 aircraft. There is going to be a lot riding on this IRT the out come of this investigation especially Boeing, which could add fuel to the fire over Boeing’s alleged lax safety and quality control standards in which these rumours have been around for a wee while now.
When the Nacts lost the last election ….. they were bloated with millions in donations ,,,, and could easily afford to run another election campaign immediately … given the chance.
Not so for Labour and their coalition partners …… who were financially exhausted winners.
Starting From election night where they misrepresented the result … Our slanted media has been giving us bad reporting …. and bad Hosking maths …. where being the largest minority is considered more legitimate to rule …. than getting over 50% support.
There is a concerted effort to de-legitimize the new Govt … Just read bitter old Alwyns posts for the ‘attack lines’ …. making him good for something.
Reading a ‘stuff’ story on anonymous donations …. spurred by Jamies Lee Ross $100,000 dirty donations back stabbings … I was amazed by the Dirty Politics flavor as Stuff twisted the truth
And in a Wayne Mapp like way they claimed NZ first was the worst offender / biggest problem …
However the math in NZs secret political donations was roughly something like this …
National ———– 5 Million secret backhanders
Labour ———– 2 Million or so
NZ first ———— 1.2 Million or something
Now if Im looking for the worst offenders / biggest problems ….. 5 Million by the Nats stands out like dog balls ….. unlike the election results they do have the majority…. over half …. they rule when it comes to dirty donations.
I’d like Labour to do better … but i do not vote for them …. and I suppose they feel its the only way they can stay in the buying media space electioneering game.
But my point is ….. the reporting stunk …. and mislead readers ,,,,
Dirty Politics stands aligned with the dirty money….. we are buying ourselves corruption
Too true …. and double hard to find out about or prove …. when to many in our media run cover for the criminals.
Reading either a herald or stuff report …. on the single largest forfeiture that has occurred in New Zealand to date …. $43 million seized under our proceeds of crime laws.
I was struck by the language which described an ‘agreement’ between William Yan – also known as Bill Liu, Yang Liu and Yong Ming Yan … and our courts.
Other media has described it as ‘ struck a deal ‘.
Usually criminal matters uses court language like ‘ judgements ‘ or ‘ forfeiture ‘ , ‘seized’ etc.
but the criminally rich …. reach agreements.
New Zealand ………… moderately racist …… and the last 9 years growing economic apartheid
Thats Suzie Dawson, fearless self promoter and bully , Her modus operandi is to declare herself “spokesperson” and then divert resources and publicity towards supporting herself in the manner she feels she deserves IMHO. avoid , do not engage without witnesses !.
Who the fuck cares about Dawson, what about the issues, If people were less worried about individual people and more about how policy like TPPA is going to effect themselves, their families and the next generation, it might be harder to power interests to get everything through… forget about semantics and individuals and identity politics and concentrate on the results and effects of policy.
0.5% of the population cares about the TPPA in the way you do.
Its the well off people like yourself problem. And even then its a bogey that ‘might happen’.
Do you really lie awake at night thinking ‘the government is going to be sued’
Thanks for that Link, esoteric pineapples. As the commentator says you get punched with the left fist as well as the right fist.
The Green Party were the only ones who did not sell out the people. If they were in the media for that, instead of cunts, benefit frauds or woke left discourses we would have a lot more Green MP’s representing us.
Saying that the Green Party is still the best party in NZ to preserve democracy and hopefully whatever hic up going on with the Greens and how they represent their policies, they will overcome it.
Those who spoke the best against the TPP like Norman, Cunliffe, Metiria and Harawira were harassed out of parliament and big victims of dirty politics.
Now the issue is silent. Like Rogernomics though, not forgotten.
As the US commentator says we now have sham democracies…
Of course the Greens were in the media re TPPA as they were and still are staunchly opposed. You know this. Everybody who has opposed TPPA knows this. The reality is that this is not as bigger issue with most people as it is for you. We have lost this battle, but that is no reason to abandon all the social justice issues that the Greens have always stood for. Get over yourself.
Doesn’t even make the home page of the Greens website.
Seem to remember “trains for the shore” being a big headline on the Greens website during the election and ‘Te Reo’ for all…
I know crazy, how those working multiple jobs, with kids or in poverty, bad internet does not make the effort to search Green Party policy and find those 65 articles when the Greens don’t even put it on their home page website with all their other policy directives..
It’s the people’s fault, is that what the Greens tell themselves???
missing the point again Solka, with volunteers like you for Greens it explains a lot about how they languish in the polls.
BTW looked at Labour’s 355 day achievements, NO mention of TPPA, Labour knew nobody wanted it, fuckers. If it was that great for NZ, why no mention from Labour?
Saying that, strategically worse, is the Greens that were against it, but failed to have it on their home page even though there are 13 other policy directives such airport rail, Te reo and refugees.
What happened, run out of space???
Nothing about spying either… I guess after the Gutsy Greens were forced out, they wanted to ‘tone it’ down into what power interest feel more comfortable with.
Labour gave assurances on a number of points re TPPA and then reneged on the most important one, the investor category of ISDS. This was beyond the control of the Green Party. Even taking the government down would not have stopped CPTPP.
And they should be shouting they were the only honest ones on TPPA from the rooftops not hiding it from the public. NZ First publicly disagree with Labour all the time and they seem to get away with it.
As the US commentator says we now have sham democracies…
Representative Democracy was designed to keep the power in the hands of the rich.
That said, I can certainly see Representative Democracy being the only viable option prior to the present productivity, mass education and communications capabilities. Present capabilities allow us to drop from a 40 hour week down to a ~20 hour week while still maintaining a reasonable living standard and thus allow people time to engage in politics and voting directly for the policies that they want.
In other words, it’s time that we transitioned to Direct Democracy. Of course, that does mean shifting to online voting as paper voting simply isn’t responsive enough or give enough options.
It’s great that NZ councils are seriously thinking about climate change, emissions, pollution and more trucks on the road… (sarcasm) … In this case sounds like council is considering trucking rubbish 300KM’s away to save a few short term $$$$…
So much easier to do that than actually try to stop the pollution of rubbish at source by discouraging business from overproducing packaging rubbish, not enough compostable rubbish, or encouraging composting, less consumer goods and the the recycle of non recyclables back to the retailers or manufacturers…
@ Bearded Git- exactly surely not that hard… of course with TPPA our government probably can’t even tax manufacturers for packaging or they will sue, that’s the ‘new’ democracy… polluting corporations taking more and more taxpayer money to clean up after themselves and instead of money going to schools and hospitals it’s going to truck companies and rubbish dumps and lawyers.
They cant sue for local issues like that . They would have to use the locla courts not international arbitration
“We have narrowed their ambit. The last version of the agreement – for example – if you had disputes between the government and an overseas contractor building the Waterview Tunnel – they could have sued the government if they were in dispute through an international tribunal – now they can’t.”
An overseas contractor would now have to pursue the government through the New Zealand courts.
The government also had a bilaterial agreement with Australia and other countries that they would never use the ISDS clauses.” https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/348923/david-parker-defends-new-tpp-agreement
Not long term viable as Norway/Sweden(?) is now learning as they simply don’t create so much rubbish any more. Far better to simply not create so much in the first place and not need the furnaces.
“Far better to simply not create so much in the first place and not need the furnaces.”
Love your optimism !!
I believe they get paid to take other countries rubbish in Sweden . But building small should solve waste volume problems . On in every city as opposed to huge centralized ones.
We could save ourselves millions per year just banning the spam that arrives in the mail box. The fact that such rubbish wasn’t banned with the electronic form was because of tradition. Businesses had been doing it for decades (against everyone;s wishes which is why it’s called ‘junkmail’) and so the government decided that they couldn’t ban it despite it costing us so damn much more than electronic spam.
Speaking of junk mail.. from time to time when doIng the recycling in Feilding, I see the local junk mail distribution rooster emptying banana box after banana box (more than a dozen last count)into the paper bin.
Another example of a rate payer subsidy to business.
New Zealand Labour openly abandons all pretext of being a political party for the working classes in favour of defending the “deserving” middle classes…as if we didn’t already know…
Yes that centrist MF Phil Twyford made it quite clear in his RNZ interview this morning that the middle classes are the only kiwi’s who ‘deserve’ to own their own government built ‘affordable homes’ and that low wage earners can just get fucked.. that in the eyes of Labour that they are undeserving of the right to own their own government built ‘affordable home’.
Well one can only to come to this conclusion as Labour have and are doing absolutely nothing to change, modify, slowdown or in any way inhibit the hideous and obscene kiwi obsession with commodifying our homes into just another tradable commodity.
I read somewhere that only 40% of people can afford the ‘affordable’ houses. So what happens to the other 60%? No doubt some global corporate will come to the rescue with a taxpayer funded option.. after people live in cars and tents for a few years.
The only good news for renters, is that the locals and those that recently got residency here under the Natz are now leaving for better jobs and working conditions elsewhere and lower costs of living so I think there is a bit of boil off the rental market in Auckland. Had a look the other day and there seemed more rental properties on Trade me, maybe a sham, who knows.
Neoliberalism has screwed many industries now in NZ, hospitality, construction, I think they are after the teachers now with the big migration drive ramping up everyday in the MSM.
Not sure how a foreign teacher, new to NZ and without knowledge of our curriculum, is going to fair better than a local one with the amount of special needs kids, poverty, housing shortages and cost of living. But hey, lure them in, lure them in… don’t address the underlying problems on current teachers!!!
Only not hand in hand, because people are moving into houses that they will privately own on former state house land, but hey, the state house tenants are still in emergency hotels, housing, tents, cars and couch surfing. Not hand in hand at all, it is trickle down…
I know this is already linked to on TS, but this brilliant expose/analysis of the JLR affair (to date!) by Frank Macskasy needs to be read by everybody.
The extra strange part of this , and shows the medias working hand in glove with national.
When Mayor Browns extra marital affair was revealed , maybe 5 years ago, the other womans name wasnt mentioned by Slater at that time.
Very soon though NZ Herald put Bevan Chuang’s name all over its wrong page and multi page inside spread.
Currently the Herald just does exclusives from the National partys version of events in the Ross saga. Its our Pravda – and thats not news to a lot of people.
If one were to “go back through history” for a thought experiment of the type that King suggested, one would merely get confused. That’s because the idea that there is a separate and unique “Western civilization,” which King said was “rooted in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the United States of America and every place where the footprint of Christianity settled the world,” is actually only about a century old. Though the so-called Western canon is still studied and loved by many, the idea of Western civilization as something distinct from (or even superior to) the rest of the world is a product of a very specific early-20th-century moment.
Sighs … I never made it a cultural pissing contest. Still if the article wants posit that there is no such thing as “Western Civilisation”, then exactly on what basis can you argue for the existence of any other culture? Chinese? Polynesian? Amerindian? Mayan? Arabian? Persian? This is a very peculiar logic capable of erasing all these well-understood historic markers.
Nor would I be all that surprised if the specific notion of “Western Civilisation” arose quite late in the piece; for most of the post-Renaissance era everyone in Europe would have though of themselves as French, Italian, Spanish, Scottish, English, Hungarian, or one of many Germanic identities. The idea of a pan-European “Western” identity probably only arose almost in hindsight, and with the perspective lent by the distance across the Atlantic ocean.
And if you erase the idea of “Western Civilisation” and any possibility of it’s technical superiority, then you have zero explanation for the entire process of European colonisation which so transformed the planet. From it’s very early Portuguese origins, through to the extraordinary scope of the British Empire. You have no explanation for the first round of globalisation which began around the mid-1800’s and culminating in WW1. You have no explanation for the Scientific Revolution, for the multitude of intellectual discoveries by luminaries from Gallileo through to von Neuman. You have nothing on which to rest the Industrial Revolution, no explanation as to why it happened first in Europe and not say China, India or Mayan America. You don’t even have an explanation for the Treaty of Waitangi.
It was of course a highly materialistic revolution, and despite it’s transforming power, it has it’s own internal contradictions, it’s own terrible limitations we still grapple with. Nor does it mean there was not plenty of history happening everywhere else on the planet. But nonetheless the era of European colonisation was pivotal to the transformation of the world, from largely isolated groups of primarily tribal, insular peoples around say 1600, into the global world we live in today.
The whole of human history is highlighted by one group of people with better technology and social sophistication, overwhelming and subjugating their neighbours. The usual mistake people made was conflating their superior tools, with the idea of themselves being a superior people. If nothing else the post WW2 modern era should permanently put that mistake into the rubbish bin of history.
Because we are now on the cusp of being a single global people; there are no ‘others’ to invade, to conquer or imagine we are ‘superior’ to. That will soon be a notion as repugnant as we now consider the ancient practise of chattel slavery. We are stepping through a historic transition; our challenge now is to complete this globalised world we have all built, and breath a spiritual life into it. I rest my case by quoting the last sentence of your reference:
“Civilization is a worldwide phenomenon,” says Hunt, “and we have things in common with people everywhere.”
“‘Western civilization’ was invented during World War I as a way of explaining to American soldiers why they were going to fight in Europe, to stand up for the common values of our civilization, in this case against the Germans, who were seen as threatening the common values that the U.S. had with Britain and France,”
WW1 was a clash of civilization, and neo Darwinist ideals of the German Allmacht.
One of the most graphic pictures of the German attitude, the attitude which has rendered this war inevitable, is contained in Vernon Kellogg’s Headquarters Nights.’ It is a convincing, and an evidently truthful, exposition of the shocking, the unspeakably dreadful moral and intellectual perversion of character which makes Germany at present a menace to the whole civilized world.
The man who reads Kellogg’s sketch and yet fails to see why we are at war, and why we must accept no peace save that of over whelming victory, is neither a good American nor a true lover of mankind.
Interesting quote Poisson, and timely too. ” the unspeakably dreadful moral and intellectual perversion of character which makes ******* ( you choose the nation state ) at present a menace to the whole civilized world.”
History never repeats…?
As a Grey Power representative, I recently attended a meeting with board members and planning staff of the local District Health Board.
They were able to report that with a milder winter and a larger uptake of people taking influenza vaccinations, there has been far less hospital-based admissions. Another GP rep pointed out that the winter warmth payment will also have played its part in this positive outcome.
The CEO also reported that oral health plays a huge part in maintaining people’s general wellness. There have been good steps taken in this direction, too.
There would be some good results when the research is done and the figures published as to the positive effects that work and initiatives like this will have achieved.
Lets hope the era of ‘new build hospitals’ that have fewer beds than the ones they replace is over.
That was a political process where the future patient numbers were reduced to ‘make the business case work’ for the rebuild.
When you look at Goz and ChrisT’s comments and responses (above), it caused me to wonder what the best thing about the current gNatzi Party is.
All I can come up with with that none of them are ‘NEETS’ (Not in Empolyment, Education or Training).
They’re EMPLOYED – some as elected supposed representatives
They’re all in Ideological EDUCATION, some even reEDUCATION
And all are in TRAINING – whether it’s the martial and knife arts, or in media and spin, or re-imaging such as how to turn a Little Feat truck stop gal into a sophisticated leopard print gal who looks like she has some sort of authority bearing in mind her ‘colleagues’ are gaining experience day by day in the art of the knife.
xanthe, here’s one. I have a relative in Kiwirail who will be stoked by the retention of these electric trains, which is why I sought a link. Peters and the Greens also very happy.
Jami-Lee Ross
@jamileeross
I appreciate all the recent messages of support. I was well looked after by the fantastic people at Middlemore, and grateful for their care. On medical advice I remain on leave, but have given National my proxy vote to ensure Botany continues to be represented in Parliament.
1:45 PM – Oct 30, 2018
Jami-Lee Ross has broken his silence briefly today on Twitter to say that he was well treated at Middlemore Hospital and to thank people for their support.
He has also confirmed that he has given his proxy vote to National which allows him to continue to vote alongside his former party while he remains on leave from Parliament. This ensures the proportionality of Parliament is maintained thereby avoiding National being able to trigger the waka-jumping law.
In reality ,voting differently from national isnt a trigger for the waka jumping law.
Under the previous similar legislation Donna Awatere took her case to the Supreme court on the very issue of ‘voting with your former party’
the Court ruled , that voting didnt matter.
Once she was expelled left the party , as Ross is, and the Speaker recorded them as an ‘Independent’ that was the change in proportionality that the law talked about
All of the legal advice I have heard in the media (including a very clear opinion by Geddis) is that proportionality changes the moment JLR left the National Party, so in fact the WJL can be used.
I think National has to wait 21 days from the moment he resigned from the party before he can be chucked out.
The sentence on proportionality was clumsy, rushed wording on my part based on the Herald article, and also Ross’ letter. Mea cupla.
It does not reflect my personal view and IMO the whole issue of proportionality under the revised waka jumping additions to the Electoral Act is far from clear and constitutional lawyers are going to have a ball with this issue and its consequences.
Obviously no-one thought that the issue would arise quite so quickly (if at all) after the passing of the waka jumping amendments – ie IIRC the Royal Assent was only granted on 3 Oct and the changes then came into force from 4 Oct. (Checked – dates correct.)
It really is quite ironic that the Ross situation has arisen so soon – and that it pertains to the National Party in view of their absolute opposition to the changes. If it were not for the nature of the other issues involved (donations, sexual relationships, claims of harassment etc) one could almost wonder whether it was/is a conspriacy … LOL.
Newshub covered the whole situation last night in this article
The real question is whether National will seek to invoke the waka jumping provisions. Jane Patterson suggested this morning on RNZ Morning Report that indications are that they are very loathe to invoke the waka jumping law and that they had not yet decided whether they would even accept Ross’ proxy vote. (No audio yet up on RNZ website.)
Kia ora The Am Show I new that the media of the Papatuanuku were going to make a mountain out of a mole hill over the Earth Quake with the Prince and Duchess visiting
thats what the media does I did not feel the Quake.
That’s cool Duncan one must treat there guest with respect I wonder what they will name the new Kiwi chicks in Rotorua.
More mana for Te tangata whenua culture O Aotearoa culture with the Prince & Duchess speaking te reo ka pai.
Yes criminalizing abortion’s is a stupid .
Loyd looks quite happy with the new NZ chipped passport that skirts around the ques .
Amanda thats the way we cannot have people make it the noorm to be an ASS.
The US mid turm elections most mid term elections swing against the ruling party only 2 times in 80 od years has this phenomenon not happened but not to worry the Demacrats are more intelegint than the gop party they can forecast the future and care about there effects on it.
That’s a cool story of Mr Longman ABC reporter finding his grandparents photo in the New Zealand national library . Ka kite ano
Eco Maori say if they stopped sending actors and paying them thousands to do the impossible they send in 1 a fortnight and stopped escorting me were ever I go they will save a few million instead of pissing money into the wind the sandflys have at least 3 cars following me as they are scared.
Court staff at the Hastings and Napier district courts will walk off the job at 3pm today.
The PSA this afternoon advised the Ministry of Justice of strike action to take place today at the Napier and Hastings District Courts for two hours from 3pm. ana to kai Ka kite ano Link below.
Here is reality for African American farmers being bullied and ripped off by European American’s Eco Maori Tau tokos /supports all minority’s who are being treated like dirt
It’s not fair, not right’: how America treats its black farmers .
I hope big changes are going to happen in America in the next few days you all have to get up and out and vote for you childrens and grandchildren future our future Kia kaha / stand strong. Ka kite ano link below.
Kia ora Te Karea Eco Maori doesn’t agree on war so I tau toko the protesters .
The Prince and Duchess look good wearing te korowai It was good to here Chris words I watch him and his whano on Maori TV they make me proud of our culture Piripi.
Lets hope that our goverment has made the correct move on the trade agreement with the rest of the TPP Talasa.
I say all people should be aloud to vote even if you are in Prison.
I have all ready had my say on the Ngapuhi Treaty settlement im not sure about the take .
Ka kite ano Kia Kaha to the Maori All blacks
Kia ora Newshub Jo has been lucky to survive that avalanche all the best.
Its good that Galloway is reviewing his call on that immigrant in jail.
Rotorua had a bright beautiful day for the Royal couple visit and all the Maori culture people making us all proud of our culture and country.
Samantha Its atrocious what man is doing to our wild life we do need a Global Pact to STOP the sharp decline in our wild life I intend to write a post on that subject tomorrow.
That was a big show of mana in the protest against the defence arms display show in Palmerston North ka pai .
Halloween is for Te Tamariki my children went with it in my time we only seen it on TV.
Ka kite ano
The Crowd Goes Wild James & Mulls not to many cups of tea last nite with Grizz guys.
Maa going to play for the Blues and Marty back for Otago there is a lot of people with good skills in the Kiwi .
I ts cool that the coach of the Liverpool soccer teams coach Jurgen uses the mighty Haka some times ot motivate his player .
I say Bryce is a unreliable tomato guys lol he is shinning bright hows Rodger .
James thats cool that you acknowledge Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan visit to Rotorua .
All the best to the Breakers fingers crossed.
Ka kite ano P.S nice ties guy’s
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Twilight Time Lighthouse Cuba, Wigan Street, Wellington, Sunday 6 April, 5:30pm for 6pm start. Twilight Time looks at the life and work of Desmond Ball, (1947-2016), a barefooted academic from ‘down under’ who was hailed by Jimmy Carter as “the man who saved the world”, as he proved the fallacy ...
The landedAnd the wealthyAnd the piousAnd the healthyAnd the straight onesAnd the pale onesAnd we only mean the male ones!If you're all of the above, then you're ok!As we build a new tomorrow here today!Lyrics Glenn Slater and Allan Menken.Ah, Democracy - can you smell it?It's presently a sulphurous odour, ...
US President Donald Trump’s unconventional methods of conducting international relations will compel the next federal government to reassess whether the United States’ presence in the region and its security assurances provide a reliable basis for ...
Things seem to be at a pretty low ebb in and around the Reserve Bank. There was, in particular, the mysterious, sudden, and as-yet unexplained resignation of the Governor (we’ve had four Governors since the Bank was given its operational autonomy 35 years ago, and only two have completed their ...
Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated. Neither side is in a position to achieve its stated objectives through military force. But now there is significant diplomatic activity as well. Ukraine has agreed to ...
One of the first aims of the United States’ new Department of Government Efficiency was shutting down USAID. By 6 February, the agency was functionally dissolved, its seal missing from its Washington headquarters. Amid the ...
If our strategic position was already challenging, it just got worse. Reliability of the US as an ally is in question, amid such actions by the Trump administration as calling for annexation of Canada, threating ...
Small businesses will be exempt from complying with some of the requirements of health and safety legislation under new reforms proposed by the Government. The living wage will be increased to $28.95 per hour from September, a $1.15 increase from the current $27.80. A poll has shown large opposition to ...
Summary A group of senior doctors in Nelson have spoken up, specifically stating that hospitals have never been as bad as in the last year.Patients are waiting up to 50 hours and 1 death is directly attributable to the situation: "I've never seen that number of patients waiting to be ...
Although semiconductor chips are ubiquitous nowadays, their production is concentrated in just a few countries, and this has left the US economy and military highly vulnerable at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. While the ...
Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology, not evidence said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. Changes to health and safety legislation proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden today comply with ACT party ideology, ignores the evidence, and will compound New ...
In short in our political economy this morning:Fletcher Building is closing its pre-fabricated house-building factory in Auckland due to a lack of demand, particularly from the Government.Health NZ is sending a crisis management team to Nelson Hospital after a 1News investigation exposed doctors’ fears that nearly 500 patients are overdue ...
Exactly 10 years ago, the then minister for defence, Kevin Andrews, released the First Principles Review: Creating One Defence (FPR). With increasing talk about the rising possibility of major power-conflict, calls for Defence funding to ...
In events eerily similar to what happened in the USA last week, Greater Auckland was recently accidentally added to a group chat between government ministers on the topic of transport.We have no idea how it happened, but luckily we managed to transcribe most of what transpired. We share it ...
Hi,When I look back at my history with Dylan Reeve, it’s pretty unusual. We first met in the pool at Kim Dotcom’s mansion, as helicopters buzzed overhead and secret service agents flung themselves off the side of his house, abseiling to the ground with guns drawn.Kim Dotcom was a German ...
Come around for teaDance me round and round the kitchenBy the light of my T.VOn the night of the electionAncient stars will fall into the seaAnd the ocean floor sings her sympathySongwriter: Bic Runga.The Prime Minister stared into the camera, hot and flustered despite the predawn chill. He looked sadly ...
Has Winston Peters got a ferries deal for you! (Buyer caution advised.) Unfortunately, the vision that Peters has been busily peddling for the past 24 hours – of several shipyards bidding down the price of us getting smaller, narrower, rail-enabled ferries – looks more like a science fiction fantasy. One ...
Completed reads for March: The Heart of the Antarctic [1907-1909], by Ernest Shackleton South [1914-1917], by Ernest Shackleton Aurora Australis (collection), edited by Ernest Shackleton The Book of Urizen (poem), by William Blake The Book of Ahania (poem), by William Blake The Book of Los (poem), by William Blake ...
First - A ReminderBenjamin Doyle Doesn’t Deserve ThisI’ve been following posts regarding Green MP Benjamin Doyle over the last few days, but didn’t want to amplify the abject nonsense.This morning, Winston Peters, New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, answered the alt-right’s prayers - guaranteeing amplification of the topic, by going on ...
US President Donald Trump has shown a callous disregard for the checks and balances that have long protected American democracy. As the self-described ‘king’ makes a momentous power grab, much of the world watches anxiously, ...
They can be the very same words. And yet their meaning can vary very much.You can say I'll kill him about your colleague who accidentally deleted your presentation the day before a big meeting.You can say I'll kill him to — or, for that matter, about — Tony Soprano.They’re the ...
Back in 2020, the then-Labour government signed contracted for the construction and purchase of two new rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries, to be operational from 2026. But when National took power in 2023, they cancelled them in a desperate effort to make the books look good for a year. And now ...
The fragmentation of cyber regulation in the Indo-Pacific is not just inconvenient; it is a strategic vulnerability. In recent years, governments across the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, have moved to reform their regulatory frameworks for cyber ...
Welcome to the March 2025 Economic Bulletin. The feature article examines what public private partnerships (PPPs) are. PPPs have been a hot topic recently, with the coalition government signalling it wants to use them to deliver infrastructure. However, experience with PPPs, both here and overseas, indicates we should be wary. ...
Willis announces more plans of plans for supermarketsYesterday’s much touted supermarket competition announcement by Nicola Willis amounted to her telling us she was issuing a 6 week RFI1 that will solicit advice from supermarket players.In short, it was an announcement of a plan - but better than her Kiwirail Interislander ...
This was the post I was planning to write this morning to mark Orr’s final day. That said, if the underlying events – deliberate attempts to mislead Parliament – were Orr’s doing, the post is more about the apparent uselessness of Parliament (specifically the Finance and Expenditure Committee) in holding ...
Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC’s plan to build a plant in the United States looks like a move made at the behest of local officials to solidify US support for Taiwan. However, it may eventually lessen ...
This is a Guest Post by Transport Planner Bevan Woodward from the charitable trust Movement, which has lodged an application for a judicial review of the Governments Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 Auckland is at grave risk of having its safer speed limits on approx. 1,500 local streets ...
We're just talkin' 'bout the futureForget about the pastIt'll always be with usIt's never gonna die, never gonna dieSongwriters: Brian Johnson / Angus Young / Malcolm YoungMorena, all you lovely people, it’s good to be back, and I have news from the heartland. Now brace yourself for this: depending on ...
Today is the last day in office for the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Adrian Orr. Of course, he hasn’t been in the office since 5 March when, on the eve of his major international conference, his resignation was announced and he stormed off with no (effective) notice and no ...
Treasury and Cabinet have finally agreed to a Crown guarantee for a non-Government lending agency for Community Housing Providers (CHPs), which could unlock billions worth of loans and investments by pension funds and banks to build thousands of more affordable social homes. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest:Chris Bishop ...
Australia has plenty of room to spend more on defence. History shows that 2.9 percent of GDP is no great burden in ordinary times, so pushing spending to 3.0 percent in dangerous times is very ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Winston Peters will announce later today whether two new ferries are rail ‘compatible’, requiring time-consuming container shuffling, or the more efficient and expensive rail ‘enabled,’ where wagons can roll straight on and off.Nicola Willisthreatened yesterday to break up the supermarket duopoly with ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 23, 2025 thru Sat, March 29, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
For prospective writers out there, Inspired Quill, the publisher of my novel(s) is putting together a short story anthology (pieces up to 10,000 words). The open submission window is 29th March to 29th April. https://www.inspired-quill.com/anthology-submissions/ The theme?This anthology will bring together diverse voices exploring themes of hope, resistance, and human ...
Prime minister Kevin Rudd released the 2009 defence white paper in May of that year. It is today remembered mostly for what it said about the strategic implications of China’s rise; its plan to double ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Voters want the Government to retain the living wage for cleaners, a poll shows.The Government’s move to provide a Crown guarantee to banks and the private sector for social housing is described a watershed moment and welcomed by Community Housing Providers.Nicola Willis is ...
The recent attacks in the Congo by Rwandan backed militias has led to worldwide condemnation of the Rwandan regime of Paul Kagame. Following up on the recent Fabian Zoom with Mikela Wrong and Maria Amoudian, Dr Rudaswinga will give a complete picture of Kagame’s regime and discuss the potential ...
New Zealand’s economic development has always been a partnership between the public and private sectors.Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) have become fashionable again, partly because of the government’s ambitions to accelerate infrastructural development. There is, of course, an ideological element too, while some of the opposition to them is also ideological.PPPs come in ...
How Australia funds development and defence was front of mind before Tuesday’s federal budget. US President Donald Trump’s demands for a dramatic lift in allied military spending and brutal cuts to US foreign assistance meant ...
Questions 1. Where and what is this protest?a. Hamilton, angry crowd yelling What kind of food do you call this Seymour?b.Dunedin, angry crowd yelling Still waiting, Simeon, still waitingc. Wellington, angry crowd yelling You’re trashing everything you idiotsd. Istanbul, angry crowd yelling Give us our democracy back, give it ...
Two blueprints that could redefine the Northern Territory’s economic future were launched last week. The first was a government-led economic strategy and the other an industry-driven economic roadmap. Both highlight that supporting the Northern Territory ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
Nearly 25 years after the "corngate" saga, the debate on genetic modification is back thanks to the Gene Technology Bill currently in select committee. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Brodie, Research Scientist in Marine Ecology, CSIRO jittawit21, Shutterstock Picture this: you’re lounging on a beautiful beach, soaking up the sun and listening to the soothing sound of the waves. You run your hands through the warm sand, only to ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Although New Zealand and Australia seem to have escaped the worst of Donald Trump’s latest tariffs, some Pacific Islands stand to be hit hard — including a few that aren’t even “countries”. The US will impose a base tariff of 10 percent on all ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton both agree Australia should react to US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff regime by continuing to seek a special deal. They just disagree about which of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Orlando, Researcher, Digital Literacy and Digital Wellbeing, Western Sydney University UK Prime Minster Keir Starmer met with Adolescence writer Jack Thorne to discuss adolescent safety at Downing Street on Monday. Jack Taylor/ GettyImages Netflix’s Adolescence has ignited global debate. ...
By Anneke Smith,RNZ News political reporter A stoush between the Chief Human Rights Commissioner and a Jewish community leader has flared up following a showdown at Parliament. Appearing before a parliamentary select committee today, Dr Stephen Rainbow was asked about his recent apology for incorrect comments he made about ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rakesh Gupta, Associate Professor of Accounting & Finance, Charles Darwin University US President Donald Trump’s new trade war will not only send shockwaves through the global economy – it also upsets efforts to tackle the urgent issue of climate change. Trump has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Toohey, Professor of Law, UNSW Sydney It had the hallmarks of a reality TV cliffhanger. Until recently, many people had never even heard of tariffs. Now, there’s been rolling live international coverage of so-called “Liberation Day”, as US President Donald Trump ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Fuller, Clinical Trials Director, Department of Endocrinology, RPA Hospital, University of Sydney mavo/Shutterstock In the ever-changing wellness industry, one diet obsession has captured and held TikTok’s attention: protein. Whether it’s sharing snaps of protein-packed meals or giving tutorials to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sebastian Maslow, Associate Professor, International Relations, University of Tokyo Two months into US President Donald Trump’s second term, the liberal international order is on life support. Alliances and multilateral institutions are now seen by the United States as burdens. Europe and ...
Starving public services of resources, gutting the workforce and then proposing private market solutions has been a key strategy of this government, says Vanessa Cole, spokesperson for Public Housing Futures. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
The government’s own Regulatory Impact Statement acknowledges that organic producers will bear the financial burden of adapting to the risks posed by GMO expansion. ...
The committee has "rammed it through with outrageous haste", with a report now expected tomorrow, but excluding thousands of submissions, Duncan Webb says. ...
The US president’s sweeping programme of global tariffs will hit every country abroad, including New Zealand, and dramatically raise prices at home. This is an excerpt from The World Bulletin, our weekly global current affairs newsletter exclusively for Spinoff Members. Sign up here.In a dramatic, flag-draped address from the White ...
Alex Casey talks to Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi, the couple who launched a project to change 51 lives in honour of those lost in the Christchurch mosque attacks. When Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi walked into Naeem’s house in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, they knew immediately that he needed their help. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology US President Donald Trump has imposed a range of tariffs on all products entering the US market, with Australian exports set to face a 10% tariff, effective April ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Shutterstock Recent media coverage in the Nine newspapers highlights a surge in non-medical ultrasound providers offering “reassurance ultrasounds” to expectant parents. The service has resulted in serious harms, such as misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and ...
The three MPs whose rule-breaking haka caught the world’s attention didn’t attend their scheduled hearing yesterday. Constitutional law expert Andrew Geddis has the rundown of what happened, why, and what’s likely to come next. I see Te Pāti Māori and the privileges committee are in some sort of stand-off – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Turner, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University The Eurasian and North American tectonic plates in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland.Nido Huebl/Shutterstock Earth is the only known planet which has plate tectonics today. The constant movement of these giant slabs of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Meta has stolen millions of books to train its AI, including books by kaituhi Māori. What does that mean for mātauranga and its status as taonga? New Zealand authors are among the millions whose books have been pirated and scraped by Meta to train its AI. The New Zealand Society of ...
Some hoped the open of the New Zealand markets would open with a bounce as certain tariffs fell short of the worst-case scenario, but investors were met with a deflated thud.The New Zealand market fell immediately as stock market darling Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s shares were punished, with no update ...
Healthcare dominated the debate in an unusually sober and serious question time. “Hey David!” a group of high school students in the public gallery called out as Act leader David Seymour entered the debating chamber. Standing in the middle of the floor, before any other MPs had arrived, he happily ...
“Well I’d like to be President” – Hillary Clinton
So now there’s the specter of this corporate toady coming back in when clearly she is not what the public want. And despite her denial, she couldn’t help but entertain her ego in public, and thus the public rumor mill. Same shit different day. Simply not attractive anymore.
Having her about is just sowing doubt.
Clinton led Democrats… There’s nothing attractive in it except ‘not Trump’. Is that a platform?
I bet a lot of Trumps votes were votes for not-Hillary.
It’s akin to rolling Bridges out to comment on his possibly running during our next election (I scry the fools demise). He’ll only remind us why we don’t want Nats. Out of sight out of mind is the obvious smart choice for future Nats re Bridges, and today’s Democrats re Clinton.
Not really putting her country first, is she.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/29/hillary-clintons-curious-comments-about/?utm_term=.a62f18218179
Hillary is finding it hard to leave politics behind. She had to swallow a dead rat in Trump being elected the president.
Hillary cannot change the past. Surely there are other ways Hillary can enjoy herself, other than politics.
@Treetops “Surely there are other ways Hillary can enjoy herself, other than politics.”
the political leaders become addicted to power. Clinton should go. There was the opportunity to work with Sanders and win, the Democrats chose not to.
Labour and Greens in NZ combined and inspite of all the issues, they did managed to win.
They owe their backers…
Clinton leaves politics when she is allowed to…not when she want to…
I can’t stand Hilary and desperately hope she doesn’t run again but she is no more or less a corporate toady than Trump.
I don’t think she is as bad as painted, and she did win the popular vote, but I don’t think she’ll seriously run again.
I think she might keep it open as long as possible to be Faux’s boogey-woman so that they have to invent hate from scratch when the actual candidates come to the podium.
As long as she’s a might-run, they’re looking at her. The far right (and sanctimonius left) have a real bugbear about the Clintons.
Yep. I worry about the hate that family get generated towards them. It’s bubbling away in the “fuck the optics. I’m going in.” crew.
I don’t want them to go the Kennedy way.
Are you worried about cause, or just the effect?
Something else perhaps…
I dont understand your question.
No its not her wanting to run.
read what it says
“offered comments that some interpreted as leaning in to a 2020 run. Clinton’s words aren’t nearly so clear, ”
Interpret all you like – but shes isnt running again.
this is what she does want
“I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure we have a Democrat in the White House come January of 2021.”
So heres where she says NO – twice
“Mrs. Clinton initially said “no” when asked whether she wanted to run for president again. She then paused and repeated “no.”
because she paused and said ( hypothetically) ‘Id like to be President’ the haters have gone crazy.
People who know Hillary is an unpopular corporate suck-up = Haters.
Is it cheaper to run a life in black and white?
Reports Merkel to quit as party leader.
Will try to stay as Chancellor til 2021.
May be a big change for Europe?
Merkel is realistic and crafty when it comes to not being able to hold power due to instability.
Merkel has chosen to go on her own terms. Maybe were Merkel gone as leader, Britain may benefit with better terms for Brexit.
Merkel is like Helen Clark. A smart, good leader, but who got blinded on some issues and did not look forward to the future as well as she should have…aka now Germany divided more. NZ divided more by neoliberalism by Clark who signed the FTA with China. Nice idea, bad details left in, that is now going to make NZ a much less equal, less democratic society run to other countries agendas.
Leadership is very hard, but it is worse when maybe the leaders like the idea of something with out looking at how it can negatively impact the positives… and really looking at the fine print. Better to not sign a flawed deal than sign one and then think you will somehow get out easily. Brexit comes to mind if the UK leaders had managed the EU expansion better with policy, Brexit would not have come to pass.
You arent reading the story properly- Comprehension 101
“Maybe were Merkel gone as leader, Britain may benefit with better terms for Brexit.”
Merkel is letting go of being CDU party leader.( who doesnt run the country)
Shes staying on as Chancellor till 2021 or so.
I need to look up the difference in power between a chancellor and a party leader.
to be honest she should have found a successor and helped that person up rather then stay on for so long.
.
Well they do have a system where the various state leaders can have an opportunity to run for national leader.
After the documentary on the Boeing plant and the lax attitude to safety I don’t think making this claim is wise.
Doco discussion: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2014/09/10/documentary-questions-quality-and-safety-of-boeing-787/
Quote via Stuff:
But aviation expert Neil Hansford said it was highly unlikely a technical fault within the plane’s structure had led it to plough into the ocean and the model was among the safest in the world.
While the aircraft is yet to take to Australian skies, Virgin Australia has 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes on order, with the first of the fleet due to arrive in late 2019. It is not known if the aircraft is heading to New Zealand airlines.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/108203426/aircraft-model-at-centre-of-indonesia-plane-tragedy-bound-for-australian-airline
Have a look at flight stats in this article, either they had a serious cockpit management issue, an onboard disturbance or major technical/ systems failure. Either way it doesn’t look good especially when they were climbing out and suddenly lose altitude before nose diving into sea at high speed.
Note: this is the first serious crash of the 737 Max 8 aircraft. There is going to be a lot riding on this IRT the out come of this investigation especially Boeing, which could add fuel to the fire over Boeing’s alleged lax safety and quality control standards in which these rumours have been around for a wee while now.
https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/the-13-minutes-before-tragedy-struck-how-the-lion-air-disaster-unfolded/news-story/28de53a23285acd177d9f5386b6731fb
Dirty Politics donations and money ….
When the Nacts lost the last election ….. they were bloated with millions in donations ,,,, and could easily afford to run another election campaign immediately … given the chance.
Not so for Labour and their coalition partners …… who were financially exhausted winners.
Starting From election night where they misrepresented the result … Our slanted media has been giving us bad reporting …. and bad Hosking maths …. where being the largest minority is considered more legitimate to rule …. than getting over 50% support.
There is a concerted effort to de-legitimize the new Govt … Just read bitter old Alwyns posts for the ‘attack lines’ …. making him good for something.
Reading a ‘stuff’ story on anonymous donations …. spurred by Jamies Lee Ross $100,000 dirty donations back stabbings … I was amazed by the Dirty Politics flavor as Stuff twisted the truth
And in a Wayne Mapp like way they claimed NZ first was the worst offender / biggest problem …
However the math in NZs secret political donations was roughly something like this …
National ———– 5 Million secret backhanders
Labour ———– 2 Million or so
NZ first ———— 1.2 Million or something
Now if Im looking for the worst offenders / biggest problems ….. 5 Million by the Nats stands out like dog balls ….. unlike the election results they do have the majority…. over half …. they rule when it comes to dirty donations.
I’d like Labour to do better … but i do not vote for them …. and I suppose they feel its the only way they can stay in the buying media space electioneering game.
But my point is ….. the reporting stunk …. and mislead readers ,,,,
Dirty Politics stands aligned with the dirty money….. we are buying ourselves corruption
Woodhouse needed to sign for approx 100 people to avoid being deported. He did not have to disclose his reason for doing so.
Were donations made to the National party to influence the immigration minister?
Probably, but proving it is another matter.
NZ is no different than any other country, when it comes to the smell of money to sway politicians.
Too true …. and double hard to find out about or prove …. when to many in our media run cover for the criminals.
Reading either a herald or stuff report …. on the single largest forfeiture that has occurred in New Zealand to date …. $43 million seized under our proceeds of crime laws.
I was struck by the language which described an ‘agreement’ between William Yan – also known as Bill Liu, Yang Liu and Yong Ming Yan … and our courts.
Other media has described it as ‘ struck a deal ‘.
Usually criminal matters uses court language like ‘ judgements ‘ or ‘ forfeiture ‘ , ‘seized’ etc.
but the criminally rich …. reach agreements.
New Zealand ………… moderately racist …… and the last 9 years growing economic apartheid
New Zealand makes it on to the Jimmy Dore Show
Thats Suzie Dawson, fearless self promoter and bully , Her modus operandi is to declare herself “spokesperson” and then divert resources and publicity towards supporting herself in the manner she feels she deserves IMHO. avoid , do not engage without witnesses !.
And xanthe, is that your only take home from that link,
attack the person?
not actually any comment on the TPPA itself and how it came to be ratified when so many of the public were against it…
Dawson’s a self aggrandising POS who, despite being asked not to, inserted herself into a family’s grief to fulfill her own delusion of importance.
Who the fuck cares about Dawson, what about the issues, If people were less worried about individual people and more about how policy like TPPA is going to effect themselves, their families and the next generation, it might be harder to power interests to get everything through… forget about semantics and individuals and identity politics and concentrate on the results and effects of policy.
0.5% of the population cares about the TPPA in the way you do.
Its the well off people like yourself problem. And even then its a bogey that ‘might happen’.
Do you really lie awake at night thinking ‘the government is going to be sued’
Thanks for that Link, esoteric pineapples. As the commentator says you get punched with the left fist as well as the right fist.
The Green Party were the only ones who did not sell out the people. If they were in the media for that, instead of cunts, benefit frauds or woke left discourses we would have a lot more Green MP’s representing us.
Saying that the Green Party is still the best party in NZ to preserve democracy and hopefully whatever hic up going on with the Greens and how they represent their policies, they will overcome it.
Those who spoke the best against the TPP like Norman, Cunliffe, Metiria and Harawira were harassed out of parliament and big victims of dirty politics.
Now the issue is silent. Like Rogernomics though, not forgotten.
As the US commentator says we now have sham democracies…
Of course the Greens were in the media re TPPA as they were and still are staunchly opposed. You know this. Everybody who has opposed TPPA knows this. The reality is that this is not as bigger issue with most people as it is for you. We have lost this battle, but that is no reason to abandon all the social justice issues that the Greens have always stood for. Get over yourself.
Searching the Greens website for “TPPA” provides 65 articles and press releases: https://www.greens.org.nz/search/content/TPPA
Searching for “CPTPP” provides a further 6: https://www.greens.org.nz/search/content/CPTPP
Doesn’t even make the home page of the Greens website.
Seem to remember “trains for the shore” being a big headline on the Greens website during the election and ‘Te Reo’ for all…
I know crazy, how those working multiple jobs, with kids or in poverty, bad internet does not make the effort to search Green Party policy and find those 65 articles when the Greens don’t even put it on their home page website with all their other policy directives..
It’s the people’s fault, is that what the Greens tell themselves???
All press releases go on the front page as they come out and stay there in chronological order. The last on CPTPP was a week ago:
https://www.greens.org.nz/news/press-release/green-party-continues-oppose-cptpp-puts-amendments
missing the point again Solka, with volunteers like you for Greens it explains a lot about how they languish in the polls.
BTW looked at Labour’s 355 day achievements, NO mention of TPPA, Labour knew nobody wanted it, fuckers. If it was that great for NZ, why no mention from Labour?
Saying that, strategically worse, is the Greens that were against it, but failed to have it on their home page even though there are 13 other policy directives such airport rail, Te reo and refugees.
What happened, run out of space???
Nothing about spying either… I guess after the Gutsy Greens were forced out, they wanted to ‘tone it’ down into what power interest feel more comfortable with.
Labour gave assurances on a number of points re TPPA and then reneged on the most important one, the investor category of ISDS. This was beyond the control of the Green Party. Even taking the government down would not have stopped CPTPP.
And they should be shouting they were the only honest ones on TPPA from the rooftops not hiding it from the public. NZ First publicly disagree with Labour all the time and they seem to get away with it.
Representative Democracy was designed to keep the power in the hands of the rich.
That said, I can certainly see Representative Democracy being the only viable option prior to the present productivity, mass education and communications capabilities. Present capabilities allow us to drop from a 40 hour week down to a ~20 hour week while still maintaining a reasonable living standard and thus allow people time to engage in politics and voting directly for the policies that they want.
In other words, it’s time that we transitioned to Direct Democracy. Of course, that does mean shifting to online voting as paper voting simply isn’t responsive enough or give enough options.
It’s great that NZ councils are seriously thinking about climate change, emissions, pollution and more trucks on the road… (sarcasm) … In this case sounds like council is considering trucking rubbish 300KM’s away to save a few short term $$$$…
So much easier to do that than actually try to stop the pollution of rubbish at source by discouraging business from overproducing packaging rubbish, not enough compostable rubbish, or encouraging composting, less consumer goods and the the recycle of non recyclables back to the retailers or manufacturers…
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/369743/rubbish-offer-forces-councils-to-reconsider-42m-landfill-plan
The QLDC trucks all of Wanaka’s rubbish over to the Wakatipu Basin, about 80km.
There has to be a better way. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
@ Bearded Git- exactly surely not that hard… of course with TPPA our government probably can’t even tax manufacturers for packaging or they will sue, that’s the ‘new’ democracy… polluting corporations taking more and more taxpayer money to clean up after themselves and instead of money going to schools and hospitals it’s going to truck companies and rubbish dumps and lawyers.
TPPA?
They cant sue for local issues like that . They would have to use the locla courts not international arbitration
“We have narrowed their ambit. The last version of the agreement – for example – if you had disputes between the government and an overseas contractor building the Waterview Tunnel – they could have sued the government if they were in dispute through an international tribunal – now they can’t.”
An overseas contractor would now have to pursue the government through the New Zealand courts.
The government also had a bilaterial agreement with Australia and other countries that they would never use the ISDS clauses.”
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/348923/david-parker-defends-new-tpp-agreement
Burn in a furnace to make power .
Not long term viable as Norway/Sweden(?) is now learning as they simply don’t create so much rubbish any more. Far better to simply not create so much in the first place and not need the furnaces.
In Qtown it just might work. Tourists aren’t going to stop with the rubbish any time soon.
“Far better to simply not create so much in the first place and not need the furnaces.”
Love your optimism !!
I believe they get paid to take other countries rubbish in Sweden . But building small should solve waste volume problems . On in every city as opposed to huge centralized ones.
I believe so as well.
Problem: Other countries are also reducing the trash that they produce.
As I say – not feasible long term.
Works for Seoul. Doesn’t meet all their energy needs of course – but still worth doing.
Really, all the facility needs to do is cover its costs minus whatever trucking and tip fees would have been.
Why waste the energy and resources to create the waste in the first place?
“Burn in a furnace to make power”
What century do you live in???
Sounds like you are still back in the 1900’s…
We could save ourselves millions per year just banning the spam that arrives in the mail box. The fact that such rubbish wasn’t banned with the electronic form was because of tradition. Businesses had been doing it for decades (against everyone;s wishes which is why it’s called ‘junkmail’) and so the government decided that they couldn’t ban it despite it costing us so damn much more than electronic spam.
Speaking of junk mail.. from time to time when doIng the recycling in Feilding, I see the local junk mail distribution rooster emptying banana box after banana box (more than a dozen last count)into the paper bin.
Another example of a rate payer subsidy to business.
So much waste.
Yeah, that too.
New Zealand Labour openly abandons all pretext of being a political party for the working classes in favour of defending the “deserving” middle classes…as if we didn’t already know…
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018668919/collins-kiwibuild-criticism-mean-spirited-twyford
Yes that centrist MF Phil Twyford made it quite clear in his RNZ interview this morning that the middle classes are the only kiwi’s who ‘deserve’ to own their own government built ‘affordable homes’ and that low wage earners can just get fucked.. that in the eyes of Labour that they are undeserving of the right to own their own government built ‘affordable home’.
Well one can only to come to this conclusion as Labour have and are doing absolutely nothing to change, modify, slowdown or in any way inhibit the hideous and obscene kiwi obsession with commodifying our homes into just another tradable commodity.
Turn Labour Left!
well the ‘deserving middle class’ may well have just been gifted negative equity…..something many who missed out may be quite happy not to receive
I read somewhere that only 40% of people can afford the ‘affordable’ houses. So what happens to the other 60%? No doubt some global corporate will come to the rescue with a taxpayer funded option.. after people live in cars and tents for a few years.
The only good news for renters, is that the locals and those that recently got residency here under the Natz are now leaving for better jobs and working conditions elsewhere and lower costs of living so I think there is a bit of boil off the rental market in Auckland. Had a look the other day and there seemed more rental properties on Trade me, maybe a sham, who knows.
Neoliberalism has screwed many industries now in NZ, hospitality, construction, I think they are after the teachers now with the big migration drive ramping up everyday in the MSM.
Not sure how a foreign teacher, new to NZ and without knowledge of our curriculum, is going to fair better than a local one with the amount of special needs kids, poverty, housing shortages and cost of living. But hey, lure them in, lure them in… don’t address the underlying problems on current teachers!!!
Thats because you havent been doing any reading.
Twyford has made clear , Kiwibuild and more State house build go hand in hand in the future plans
Yeah, shut and wait poor people, you we’re told!!!
Actually, if you look at the HNZ stock between March and June 2018, it increased by almost 500 homes in those three months.
Kiwibuild homes completed in that time? Somewhere around zero?
It seems Labour made the middle class wait…
Kiwbuild owners middle class?
They included a warehouse worker, concrete worker , nurses etc..
Find another grievance to have a whinge about….. to spare us all , maybe not.
lol true, I should have guessed the nats would be pulling the most extreme case they can bullshit from, as well.
But it’s also nice to see the HNZ stock increasing again. HNZ stock dropped 9.5% from 2011 to 2017.
Your link is crap – what am i supposed to look at – the ministry massaging figures? *sigh* you labour party hacks are almost as bad as the Tory scum.
Nice example of wilful blindness there. Reality doesn’t suit your fixation, therefore the figures must be wrong even if you can’t explain how.
never mind Flock, hes just a local jumped up left wing Trump type. let him wallow in his ignorance
Oh look dukeofurl, brefet of actual ideas to discuss a point so does their usual – abuse the commentator.
As for the trump rib, you might want to examine your behaviour – your the one who acts like trump not me.
If the NZH stock increase why is the waiting list for state housing increasing. More poverty perhaps or just dodgy figures???
There’s a certain drug lord who needs a place when he comes out of prison whose recently been granted residency.
Only not hand in hand, because people are moving into houses that they will privately own on former state house land, but hey, the state house tenants are still in emergency hotels, housing, tents, cars and couch surfing. Not hand in hand at all, it is trickle down…
I know this is already linked to on TS, but this brilliant expose/analysis of the JLR affair (to date!) by Frank Macskasy needs to be read by everybody.
https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/some-troubling-questions-about-the-ross-affair/
The extra strange part of this , and shows the medias working hand in glove with national.
When Mayor Browns extra marital affair was revealed , maybe 5 years ago, the other womans name wasnt mentioned by Slater at that time.
Very soon though NZ Herald put Bevan Chuang’s name all over its wrong page and multi page inside spread.
Currently the Herald just does exclusives from the National partys version of events in the Ross saga. Its our Pravda – and thats not news to a lot of people.
You reckon if a gnats backbencher wanted to get her version of events out there, the hibbled would just sit on it dukky? Ok..
Myth busting. This is one for you red.
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/time/4413537/steve-king-subgroup-western-civilization
Sighs … I never made it a cultural pissing contest. Still if the article wants posit that there is no such thing as “Western Civilisation”, then exactly on what basis can you argue for the existence of any other culture? Chinese? Polynesian? Amerindian? Mayan? Arabian? Persian? This is a very peculiar logic capable of erasing all these well-understood historic markers.
Nor would I be all that surprised if the specific notion of “Western Civilisation” arose quite late in the piece; for most of the post-Renaissance era everyone in Europe would have though of themselves as French, Italian, Spanish, Scottish, English, Hungarian, or one of many Germanic identities. The idea of a pan-European “Western” identity probably only arose almost in hindsight, and with the perspective lent by the distance across the Atlantic ocean.
And if you erase the idea of “Western Civilisation” and any possibility of it’s technical superiority, then you have zero explanation for the entire process of European colonisation which so transformed the planet. From it’s very early Portuguese origins, through to the extraordinary scope of the British Empire. You have no explanation for the first round of globalisation which began around the mid-1800’s and culminating in WW1. You have no explanation for the Scientific Revolution, for the multitude of intellectual discoveries by luminaries from Gallileo through to von Neuman. You have nothing on which to rest the Industrial Revolution, no explanation as to why it happened first in Europe and not say China, India or Mayan America. You don’t even have an explanation for the Treaty of Waitangi.
It was of course a highly materialistic revolution, and despite it’s transforming power, it has it’s own internal contradictions, it’s own terrible limitations we still grapple with. Nor does it mean there was not plenty of history happening everywhere else on the planet. But nonetheless the era of European colonisation was pivotal to the transformation of the world, from largely isolated groups of primarily tribal, insular peoples around say 1600, into the global world we live in today.
The whole of human history is highlighted by one group of people with better technology and social sophistication, overwhelming and subjugating their neighbours. The usual mistake people made was conflating their superior tools, with the idea of themselves being a superior people. If nothing else the post WW2 modern era should permanently put that mistake into the rubbish bin of history.
Because we are now on the cusp of being a single global people; there are no ‘others’ to invade, to conquer or imagine we are ‘superior’ to. That will soon be a notion as repugnant as we now consider the ancient practise of chattel slavery. We are stepping through a historic transition; our challenge now is to complete this globalised world we have all built, and breath a spiritual life into it. I rest my case by quoting the last sentence of your reference:
“Civilization is a worldwide phenomenon,” says Hunt, “and we have things in common with people everywhere.”
“‘Western civilization’ was invented during World War I as a way of explaining to American soldiers why they were going to fight in Europe, to stand up for the common values of our civilization, in this case against the Germans, who were seen as threatening the common values that the U.S. had with Britain and France,”
WW1 was a clash of civilization, and neo Darwinist ideals of the German Allmacht.
One of the most graphic pictures of the German attitude, the attitude which has rendered this war inevitable, is contained in Vernon Kellogg’s Headquarters Nights.’ It is a convincing, and an evidently truthful, exposition of the shocking, the unspeakably dreadful moral and intellectual perversion of character which makes Germany at present a menace to the whole civilized world.
The man who reads Kellogg’s sketch and yet fails to see why we are at war, and why we must accept no peace save that of over whelming victory, is neither a good American nor a true lover of mankind.
Theodore Roosevelt .
https://archive.org/details/headquarters00kell/page/30
Interesting quote Poisson, and timely too. ” the unspeakably dreadful moral and intellectual perversion of character which makes ******* ( you choose the nation state ) at present a menace to the whole civilized world.”
History never repeats…?
Such a good song.
Positive news.
As a Grey Power representative, I recently attended a meeting with board members and planning staff of the local District Health Board.
They were able to report that with a milder winter and a larger uptake of people taking influenza vaccinations, there has been far less hospital-based admissions. Another GP rep pointed out that the winter warmth payment will also have played its part in this positive outcome.
The CEO also reported that oral health plays a huge part in maintaining people’s general wellness. There have been good steps taken in this direction, too.
There would be some good results when the research is done and the figures published as to the positive effects that work and initiatives like this will have achieved.
Thats good to hear.
Lets hope the era of ‘new build hospitals’ that have fewer beds than the ones they replace is over.
That was a political process where the future patient numbers were reduced to ‘make the business case work’ for the rebuild.
Excellent news.
When you look at Goz and ChrisT’s comments and responses (above), it caused me to wonder what the best thing about the current gNatzi Party is.
All I can come up with with that none of them are ‘NEETS’ (Not in Empolyment, Education or Training).
They’re EMPLOYED – some as elected supposed representatives
They’re all in Ideological EDUCATION, some even reEDUCATION
And all are in TRAINING – whether it’s the martial and knife arts, or in media and spin, or re-imaging such as how to turn a Little Feat truck stop gal into a sophisticated leopard print gal who looks like she has some sort of authority bearing in mind her ‘colleagues’ are gaining experience day by day in the art of the knife.
Can anybody else see anything to redeem them?
Great to see Peters and Twyford overrule Kiwirail to keep the electric trains on North Island main trunk line.
Good refurb work for the Hutt workshops as well as good sustainability outcomes.
Thats wonderful news ..stoked!! gota link?
xanthe, here’s one. I have a relative in Kiwirail who will be stoked by the retention of these electric trains, which is why I sought a link. Peters and the Greens also very happy.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1810/S00286/government-saves-electric-trains.htm
Yay! so we do now actually have a functioning government , who woulda thunk it.
yippie
Here’s another link to the reasoning of Dr Roger Blakeley who supported this move in September this year.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/106777341/will-electric-locomotives-on-main-trunk-line-be-scrapped
I guess the Chinese train builder that national had lined up wont be too happy
Perhaps national will return their donation
Thanks Ad for that good, news indeed.
Perhaps it is time for a change or three iin Kiwirail’s board.
Twitter
Jami-Lee Ross
@jamileeross
I appreciate all the recent messages of support. I was well looked after by the fantastic people at Middlemore, and grateful for their care. On medical advice I remain on leave, but have given National my proxy vote to ensure Botany continues to be represented in Parliament.
1:45 PM – Oct 30, 2018
Jami-Lee Ross has broken his silence briefly today on Twitter to say that he was well treated at Middlemore Hospital and to thank people for their support.
He has also confirmed that he has given his proxy vote to National which allows him to continue to vote alongside his former party while he remains on leave from Parliament. This ensures the proportionality of Parliament is maintained thereby avoiding National being able to trigger the waka-jumping law.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/108219413/disgraced-mp-jamilee-ross-still-voting-alongside-national
In his absence, Ross’s office has been moved from the National Party quarters in the Beehive to Bowen House.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12151346
In reality ,voting differently from national isnt a trigger for the waka jumping law.
Under the previous similar legislation Donna Awatere took her case to the Supreme court on the very issue of ‘voting with your former party’
the Court ruled , that voting didnt matter.
Once she was
expelledleft the party , as Ross is, and the Speaker recorded them as an ‘Independent’ that was the change in proportionality that the law talked abouthttp://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/richard-prebble-and-ken-shirley-v-donna-awatere-huata-1/@@images/fileDecision
But of course a Supreme court could rule differently if the new law is worded differently, or even if the current judges think differently
Keeping all his options open!
All of the legal advice I have heard in the media (including a very clear opinion by Geddis) is that proportionality changes the moment JLR left the National Party, so in fact the WJL can be used.
I think National has to wait 21 days from the moment he resigned from the party before he can be chucked out.
The sentence on proportionality was clumsy, rushed wording on my part based on the Herald article, and also Ross’ letter. Mea cupla.
It does not reflect my personal view and IMO the whole issue of proportionality under the revised waka jumping additions to the Electoral Act is far from clear and constitutional lawyers are going to have a ball with this issue and its consequences.
Obviously no-one thought that the issue would arise quite so quickly (if at all) after the passing of the waka jumping amendments – ie IIRC the Royal Assent was only granted on 3 Oct and the changes then came into force from 4 Oct. (Checked – dates correct.)
It really is quite ironic that the Ross situation has arisen so soon – and that it pertains to the National Party in view of their absolute opposition to the changes. If it were not for the nature of the other issues involved (donations, sexual relationships, claims of harassment etc) one could almost wonder whether it was/is a conspriacy … LOL.
Newshub covered the whole situation last night in this article
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/10/jami-lee-ross-gears-up-for-return-to-parliament.amp.html
Some of the related issues were also covered previously in these two articles prior to the waka jumping bill going through.
https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/news-and-communications/news/waka-jumping-bill-raises-constitutional-concerns
https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/politics/waka-jumping-bill-brouhaha-not-clear-cut/
The real question is whether National will seek to invoke the waka jumping provisions. Jane Patterson suggested this morning on RNZ Morning Report that indications are that they are very loathe to invoke the waka jumping law and that they had not yet decided whether they would even accept Ross’ proxy vote. (No audio yet up on RNZ website.)
On behalf of the Tax Payers
It is amazing how Hateful the females of National are. They use every opportunity to display their viciousness.
One of the most vile is Judith Collins who has been in Parliament for nearly forever. Earned a hell of a lot of easy money from the Tax Payers.
But achieved absolutely nothing. ! Nothing.
Just a grumpy old frumpy waste of time. The usual national aggressive female.
Kia ora The Am Show I new that the media of the Papatuanuku were going to make a mountain out of a mole hill over the Earth Quake with the Prince and Duchess visiting
thats what the media does I did not feel the Quake.
That’s cool Duncan one must treat there guest with respect I wonder what they will name the new Kiwi chicks in Rotorua.
More mana for Te tangata whenua culture O Aotearoa culture with the Prince & Duchess speaking te reo ka pai.
Yes criminalizing abortion’s is a stupid .
Loyd looks quite happy with the new NZ chipped passport that skirts around the ques .
Amanda thats the way we cannot have people make it the noorm to be an ASS.
The US mid turm elections most mid term elections swing against the ruling party only 2 times in 80 od years has this phenomenon not happened but not to worry the Demacrats are more intelegint than the gop party they can forecast the future and care about there effects on it.
That’s a cool story of Mr Longman ABC reporter finding his grandparents photo in the New Zealand national library . Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute
It’s cool having a vip escort were ever I go some ECO MAORI music for the minute https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=usN-pKfw6Q8
Eco Maori say if they stopped sending actors and paying them thousands to do the impossible they send in 1 a fortnight and stopped escorting me were ever I go they will save a few million instead of pissing money into the wind the sandflys have at least 3 cars following me as they are scared.
Court staff at the Hastings and Napier district courts will walk off the job at 3pm today.
The PSA this afternoon advised the Ministry of Justice of strike action to take place today at the Napier and Hastings District Courts for two hours from 3pm. ana to kai Ka kite ano Link below.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12151493
Here is reality for African American farmers being bullied and ripped off by European American’s Eco Maori Tau tokos /supports all minority’s who are being treated like dirt
It’s not fair, not right’: how America treats its black farmers .
I hope big changes are going to happen in America in the next few days you all have to get up and out and vote for you childrens and grandchildren future our future Kia kaha / stand strong. Ka kite ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/30/america-black-farmers-louisiana-sugarcane
Kia ora Te Karea Eco Maori doesn’t agree on war so I tau toko the protesters .
The Prince and Duchess look good wearing te korowai It was good to here Chris words I watch him and his whano on Maori TV they make me proud of our culture Piripi.
Lets hope that our goverment has made the correct move on the trade agreement with the rest of the TPP Talasa.
I say all people should be aloud to vote even if you are in Prison.
I have all ready had my say on the Ngapuhi Treaty settlement im not sure about the take .
Ka kite ano Kia Kaha to the Maori All blacks
Kia ora Newshub Jo has been lucky to survive that avalanche all the best.
Its good that Galloway is reviewing his call on that immigrant in jail.
Rotorua had a bright beautiful day for the Royal couple visit and all the Maori culture people making us all proud of our culture and country.
Samantha Its atrocious what man is doing to our wild life we do need a Global Pact to STOP the sharp decline in our wild life I intend to write a post on that subject tomorrow.
That was a big show of mana in the protest against the defence arms display show in Palmerston North ka pai .
Halloween is for Te Tamariki my children went with it in my time we only seen it on TV.
Ka kite ano
The Crowd Goes Wild James & Mulls not to many cups of tea last nite with Grizz guys.
Maa going to play for the Blues and Marty back for Otago there is a lot of people with good skills in the Kiwi .
I ts cool that the coach of the Liverpool soccer teams coach Jurgen uses the mighty Haka some times ot motivate his player .
I say Bryce is a unreliable tomato guys lol he is shinning bright hows Rodger .
James thats cool that you acknowledge Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan visit to Rotorua .
All the best to the Breakers fingers crossed.
Ka kite ano P.S nice ties guy’s