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After 6 weeks of New Lynn and Glen Eden having six deaths and a whole suite of neighbourhoods terrorised, and four Police injured, the PM finally promises to ask for a briefing on a massive crimewave:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday said she had not been briefed on the shooting but planned to speak to Police Minister Poto Williams.
She did not believe police had lost control of law and order in Auckland and said police had been working to get weapons out of the hands of criminals and clamp down on firearms "designed to cause mass devastation".
"We have taken direct action to try and reduce the access and nature of firearms that are being accessed in the wider community," Ardern said.
"You'll see that we've moved on licencing, we've removed those weapons that are military-style.
"The efforts of police have also been very focused on the seizure of both firearms and criminal assets."
Looking forward to other agencies stepping in to assist our outstanding Police men and women in this total societal failure.
So she has not been briefed on the rampage in West Auckland?
Oh well.
but to her credit, she used all her good words.
And i don’t think this is ‘societal’ failure, if anything society is suffering for the absence of political leadership. I mean she is still waxing on lyrically of removing weapons from law abiding citizens as if the gangs that she and her government are treating so kindly, really gave a fuck about legal weapons and her good words.
'According to O'Reilly, Black Power members use guns to hunt for food to feed their families and to defend themselves. He admits many obtain their guns illegally.'
National removed legislation requiring every firearm to be registered making it easier for firearms to be stolen harder for police to trace.
National cut proper investigation into gun owners suitability. Allowing retired police to do background checks that weren't carried out
National cut police numbers by 20% in 9 yrs .with low numbers police stopped checking gun owners safe storage of guns.especially in rural ares where 40% of guns are stolen from a very small percentage of the population who leave firearms lying around instead of in a lock up with firing mechanisms stored separately.
The govt put new legislation in place very similar to Nationals proposed bill.
Plus every gun will have to be registered like in Australia plus background checks more stringent plus shorter licence periods with those background checks revised in case of changes in mental or criminal status.
Not like your 1/2 truths
Police hadn't been running checks on gun club membership for years let alone checking safe keeping .
The Milton gun club had effectively been taken over by far right skin heads.Practicing terror tactics.
'National removed legislation requiring every firearm to be registered making it easier for firearms to be stolen harder for police to trace.'
– I'm not opposed to a registry however given the breaches of police security I would want reassurances that the information isn't leaked
– Someone with access to the registry leaking details of who owns what weapons and where is something we should all be concerned about
'National cut proper investigation into gun owners suitability.'
– Link please
'Allowing retired police to do background checks that weren't carried out'
– Is it the retired police doing the checks thats the problem or that the checks weren't carried out, something I've also talked about
'National cut police numbers by 20% in 9 yrs'
– National hasn't been in power for over 4 years
'With low numbers police stopped checking gun owners safe storage of guns.especially in rural ares where 40% of guns are stolen from a very small percentage of the population who leave firearms lying around instead of in a lock up with firing mechanisms stored separately.'
– Thats up to the police to sort is it not
– Also link please
'The govt put new legislation in place very similar to Nationals proposed bill.'
– Link please
'Plus every gun will have to be registered like in Australia plus background checks more stringent plus shorter licence periods with those background checks revised in case of changes in mental or criminal status.'
– I agree with this (in regards to the registration, see above)
'Not like your 1/2 truths'
– I posted links, don't like what the links say thats your issue
'Police hadn't been running checks on gun club membership for years let alone checking safe keeping.'
– Again, if true, thats an issue with the police not doing their jobs, I see plenty of police sitting on the sides of roads holding speed cameras
'The Milton gun club had effectively taken over by far right skin heads.'
– Link please
'Practicing terror tactics.'
– Hyperbole but, again, the police once again dropped the ball
'As a result, Breidahl says he spoke to another firearms club, who agreed the matter needed to be taken to the police.'
"I went to the arms officer, laid out my concerns and I was told they're a bunch of silly old duffers down those ways, don't worry about them, it's all good."
– Its why I've said in previous posts that firearm licencing needs to be run seperately though in conjunction with the police
The 1983 gun reform under National. Police no longer required to hold every guns serial number
The Bruce gun club herald Police investigating found fascist leaning members and confederate flags etc 2019
The recent legislation on gun ownership hansard.
Looking at NZ stats Police funding and numbers remained the same even though the population increased by 20% and 501's had already been intensifying gang violence.
Not to mention the P epidemic had gotten out of Control.
Remember John Key was going to get rid of the scourge of P it grew exponentially under his watch while he underfunded Police so the well off could get tax cuts just before each election.election bribes
'For most of its history, New Zealand had a gun register. This emerged during the 1860s and the Land Wars when the government was trying to control a free flow of firearms into the country. But some 120 years later, in a very different context, the pre-computer registration system was unfit for purpose. Only about 7% of all registered firearms could be located.'
'The replacement Arms Act of 1983 did away with the general register and put more emphasis upon ensuring all firearms users were “fit and proper”. Only pistols and military style semi-automatics had to be registered.'
It's known as the Milton gun club locally as the District is called Bruce County read the herald and other articles on how this gun club was infiltrated by criminals who openly displayed fascist leanings .
Not to mention how police volunteers did nothing to investigate the background of the ChCh shooter effectively rubber stamping this nut jobs gun licence.
'Looking at NZ stats Police funding and numbers remained the same even though the population increased by 20% and 501's had already been intensifying gang violence.'
– I have no issue with increasing police funding so maybe the current government, the government thats into its second term, could look into it?
'Not to mention the P epidemic had gotten out of Control.'
'Remember John Key was going to get rid of the scourge of P it grew exponentially under his watch while he underfunded Police so the well off could get tax cuts just before each election.election bribes'
– Think you're starting to get a little over excited and off track, you might want to consider pulling it a back a bit
National left the building 1 August 2017 when Labour won their first round. They then won another round – a landslide no less – 17/10/2020.
Labour ran on 'fixing' things, and i am sure that they thought an over abundance of kindness is gonna fix things, but then there is always the one rotten apple that rots all the other apples.
So any day now Labour can start fixing things. They tried kindness and coddling the gangs and as always when dealing with abusers that did not work. So now throw the fucking book of law against them.
As for the MP for New Lynn, Deborah Russel, can someone please call her on her courtesy phone, give her some pain meds for her back aches and ask her to finally actually do something to earn her wage and perks.
Last i "spoke" to her i asked her if she thought that 'fuck off' was a considered and kind Labour speak to say to people whom she did not consider worthy of her attention, and i also asked if her back was better now after having watched the sorry spectacle she made out of herself during the submissions in regards to the "Men are women and women are to shut the fuck up bill", and if her back was better now could she finally do her job as fwiw, she is on full pay and perks, and if not, she should consider leaving hte job to someone in better health and with more stamina.
The dame did not answer.
But then maybe you have good words that you can use? See where i am right now i would simply tell her to fuck off, when there fuck off some more, when there continue to fuck off, until no one has ever got to deal with that useless None Male Member of Parliament, courtesy of the Labour Party ever again..
Vote Labour 2023 = our MPs will vote Aye, never ask never tell, cause its money for nothing and perks for life. Courtesy of the taxpayer, dead or alive.
"men are women and women are to shut the fuck up bill". Lol.
But right now in Cananda gender critical views such as biology matters and its not possible to change your sex and if you are born male, then you are a man are about to be outlawed as hate speech. So although I laugh, it is serious.
Oh. I see. You are probably NOT the right person to call her then.
Mutual exchanges of fuck offs seem most unlikely to achieve anything worthwhile in the area of crime reduction & increased policing & security for local residents.
Do you know anybody who is capable of polite discourse with her who you might perhaps ask to contact her instead?
Who said I had concerns about it? It’s just logical two people telling each other to fuck off aren’t likely going to agree on a course of action as they’re not even attempting to communicate.
You seem a permanently aggrieved & angry individual to me whenever I take the time to read what you write here. Have I got that wrong?
Geeza, I really appreciate your contributions on this site.
But it is not really Sabine's job to talk to Deborah R or get her to do her job.
I am not sure what if anything Deborah has done to date about the ghastly situation in New Lynn. But a I haven't heard her say anything. This doesn't seem good enough to me.
I remember when the Roast Busters came to light and David Cunliffe who was the member for New Lynn, said he had regular meetings with the police and had not been made aware of RB
I understand that it’s no one here’s “job” to talk to Deb Russell about doing her job of raising some kind of public ruckus with the media, within the government, and/or with the police about the dreadful & now deadly crime wave in New Lynn, her electorate, Anker.
But when someone complains on a blog that she should be doing SOMETHING, & she apparently isn’t – and she’s not – as far as we know – reading this blog, then what is the point of just moaning about it on a blog?
It’s easy enuf to find out her parliament contact email address & send an email asking her to do something, or asking what she IS DOING . In fact if you KNOW what you want her to do you can even spell it out as a suggestion.
If we all confine ourselves to whining on TS & no one chases her up she can always say “No one ever contacted me about it!”
She sounds like a big disappointment to her electors. So kick her butt into action, even if it’s just to reply to an email (copied to PM’s office). But choose your language carefully. One catches more bears with honey than with vinegar. I know how to shame a politician into action with a very polite request. It just requires a bit of contemplation before hitting “Send”.
I think Sabine may seem perfectly aggrieved and angry, but I nearly always appreciate the content of what she has to say. Lets face it there is a lot to be angry about. I also very much appreciate your contribution on this blog, especially the wee video clips of birds.
I guess for me the point of The Standard is to share political views and opinions about things we are concerned about and to become better informed about issues. It may or may not lead to political action. I suspect most of us are politically active in someway, but of course its not compulsory.
Some of us got to see Ms Russell in action on recent select committees and to be frank with you her contact was most unprofessional including a FB post where she posted ever wanted to tell people to f..k right off and when asked about this she replied that she had been listening to submissions on BMDRR.
But maybe she is the perfect person to sort out West Aucklands violence problems. She could tell them all to fuck right off.
But maybe she is the perfect person to sort out West Aucklands violence problems. She could tell them all to fuck right off.
Well, Anker, it’s nice to see you can still find some humour in the situation, instead of just always looking at the black side of things. That’s very witty. 🙂
A perusal of the Report of the Royal Commission shows a completely different take on the 'Milton' (Bruce) Rifle Club incident [26] and indeed upon Breidahl [29] and the Conclusion [46] With far more comprehensive information at the Link.
Based on the evidence we have reviewed, we think it more likely than not that the individual did not attend the competition at the Bruce Rifle Club on 19 November 2017. Accordingly, we conclude that he was not there. It follows that we also conclude that any complaint Peter Breidahl may have made to New Zealand Police about the Bruce Rifle Club was not about the individual. This conclusion may be enough to address the requirement in our Terms of Reference but, for the sake of completeness, we think it appropriate also to address whether such a complaint was made.
29
The former Dunedin District Arms Officer had dealt with Peter Breidahl on two earlier occasions. On 27 June 2017, the former District Arms Officer and a sworn police officer met with Peter Breidahl. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss whether Peter Breidahl’s firearms licence should be revoked, after New Zealand Police had received evidence that he had stored a firearm in the boot of his car secured by a cable. In a statement to New Zealand Police and in evidence to us, the former District Arms Officer recalled Peter Breidahl being “agitated” and “swearing repeatedly” to the point where the sworn police officer told him to calm down.
46
We conclude that:
the individual was not present at a competition held by the Bruce Rifle Club on 19 November 2017; and
Peter Breidahl did not complain to New Zealand Police about the culture of the Bruce Rifle Club on 20 or 21 November 2017.
New Zealand cricket team grabbed a draw from the jaws of defeat.
Ravindra in his first test and Patel batting at 11 held a dominant Indian bowling attack at bay to salvage a draw. Second test starts on Friday @ Mumbai.
From Stuff: "The Times of India noted the result was the first time that New Zealand had gone 10 test matches undefeated (eight wins, two draws) with the current streak starting against India at the start of 2020."
The only real issue is the inability of spinners to make meaningful contributions to the wicket taking.
3 wickets combined from 102 overs, just not good enough in these conditions
The NZ cricket board has done fantastically well of late.
Getting rid of the 'biomechanics' fetish down at Lincoln and marshalling the resources they have to produce the best all round team in the game means they should be a shoo in for admin of the year
But
Our dearth of quality spinners is holding us back.
So I would suggest that the NZ cricket specify that each province will always play one specialist spinner per team (not counting all rounders or such like) and that one province (Otago makes sense) prepares spinning friendly tracks
Having said that this Black Caps team is the greatest NZ cricket team ever assembled.
If one of the Big Three had the overall success this team had the media would be all over them, calling them one of the greatest teams ever.
'Molyneux Park is to far away for large numbers of budding young cricketers'
– Is it though, whatever location is chosen players would have to travel there ie Christchurch to Napier, Westport to Wanganui, Wellington to Whangarei etc
– Its only a 2.5 hour drive from Dunedin
– The younger players would just be attending camps so not like its full time and if Otago was to be mandated to "spinners' location I'm sure they wouldn't have any issues attracting top class spinners
– Hell I'd probably mandate Otago (or whatever province was chosen) play two spinners (one can be an all rounder)
Yeah I'd go with Wagner, hind sights 20/20 and all that but Wagner in place of Somerville (heroics with the bat aside) probably would have meant a better chance of victory for NZ
Taylor stays until Taylor decides to retire!
However Daryl Mitchel would be the next cab of the rank
Covid has disrupted sport amazingly the blackcap have handled conditions extremely well.being away from family going through multiple MIQ and performing amazing feats on the wicket.
lol, your link came to mind when I saw a young guy doing it right this evening.
The couple were walking past me and there's a maccas across the road and down the block a bit. She vaguely mentions that she feels like having a burger and fries – more thinking out loud than anything. He goes "anything else?" and then trots over the road while she continues on.
Almost at the level of "your wish is my command". If that's a typical action from him, he's a keeper lol
The other guy from your link needs to lift his game. But some guys are doing it right.
They are the second-largest source of micropollutants in the ocean, by weight, after tyre dust… 230,000 tonnes of nurdles end up in oceans every year.
Nurdles, the colloquial term for “pre-production plastic pellets”, are the little-known building block for all our plastic products. The tiny beads can be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and other plastics.
nurdles have been washing up in their billions along hundreds of miles of the country’s coastline, and are expected to make landfall across Indian Ocean coastlines from Indonesia and Malaysia to Somalia. In some places they are up to 2 metres deep. They have been found in the bodies of dead dolphins and the mouths of fish. About 1,680 tonnes of nurdles were released into the ocean. It is the largest plastic spill in history, according to the UN report.
The report describes how this problem was identified 30 years ago but nurdles still are "not deemed hazardous under the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) dangerous goods code for safe handling and storage." Another example of the legal establishment's sociopathic nature. No compulsion upon industry and shipping corps to operate safely. Delinquent behaviour institutionalised.
The UK’s minimum gap for Covid booster jabs will be halved from six months to three, after the government accepted advice from its vaccines watchdog to speed up the programme to limit the spread of the Omicron variant.
No it doesn't take months as it is just a tweek to an existing vaccine that's the beauty of mRNA vaccines .It may take a couple of months to ramp up enough doses to treat large populations.
But even that has improved with more manufacturing facilities being developed.
mRNA vaccines have been around for 20 years they are much quicker to develop than older vaccines.
Safety is a concern but in these times to keep ahead of Covid 19 we have to make sacrifices as the other option of leaving the virus go rampant is thousands of times more deadly.
New ways of administering the vaccines are being trialled in Switzerland now and are expected to be widely available by the middle of next year.A high tech patch worn on the arm slowly releases the vaccine which will last 6 times longer.36 months immunity compared to 4 to 6 months now.
Technology around antivirul treatments has also lead to breakthroughs with between 60 to70% efficacy combined with high vaccination rates this could be good for those antivaxxers although they may turn that down as well.Most of the retrovirul medicines need to be administered in the early stages to stop the virus multiplying and doing irreparable damage.
If the vaccines prove to be much less potent against Omicron, they may need to be tweaked to enhance their effectiveness. Preparing for the worst, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson are planning to test an artificial version of Omicron against their vaccines.
The mRNA vaccines in particular — Moderna’s and Pfizer-BioNTech’s — were built with technology that should permit rapid modification. Pfizer’s scientists “can adapt the current vaccine within six weeks and ship initial batches within 100 days in the event of an escape variant” that eludes the immune system, said Jerica Pitts, a spokeswoman for Pfizer.
Moderna’s work began on Tuesday, immediately after its scientists learned of Omicron — the fastest the company has ever responded to a variant, said Dr. Stephen Hoge, Moderna’s president.
Even without data on Omicron’s spread, it was obvious the variant would be a formidable threat to vaccines, he said.
“This thing is a Frankenstein mix of all of the greatest hits,” Dr. Hoge said, referring to the variant’s many concerning mutations. “It just triggered every one of our alarm bells.”
Moderna could update its current vaccine in about two months and have clinical results in about three months if necessary, he said.
Both companies also plan to test whether booster shots will bolster the immune system enough to fend off the new variant. Boosters of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been shown to raise antibody levels significantly.
But those antibodies may not be broadly effective against every iteration of the virus, and may not be enough to neutralize Omicron entirely, said Michel Nussenzweig, an immunologist at Rockefeller University in New York.
I think they just want to give the under 60's confidence to participate in normal economy/society – it suggests a new effort at herd immunity (quick mass infection with omicron).
As I read that article they aren't calling for "Booster Shots every two months" as you say. They are calling for a single booster shot two months after your second dose.
It is already illegal under MARPOL to dump any plastics at sea. They do not have to be a hazardous substance in the IMDG code.
Note shipping companies have already been prosecuted several times for the release into the oceans, intentional or otherwise of nurdles, and many other cargo's.
Laws against dumping off ships, deliberate or accidental, are much more stringent than dumping from land, which is the source of most ocean pollution.
Laws against dumping off ships, deliberate or accidental, are much more stringent than dumping from land
Unhappily, they are rarely enforced. NZ laws were just as strict before we signed Marpol, but rarely enforced, except against those vessels so incompetent they leaked oil in harbour or the like.
Fishing vessels, like farming, seem to be sacred cows, if you can pardon the expression.
Commercial ships it is a different story.
Though the emphasis is more on avoiding pollution in the first place, rather than "after the fact".
I was rather disgusted about the almost complete lack of concern, when a shore installation had a fairly large spill, compared with the atitude to ships and boats.
Neil didn't have global vaccinations in mind when he wrote this … the title of the song now has relevance in a much wider sense. Less damage to mankind through disease, but a fragmentation on the fringes of social cohesion.
Was probably the U2 album "The Unforgettable Fire" in my case. The title song spoke to some deep longing in my soul. Or maybe it just triggered some hormones in teenage me 😛
Slightly off your main point … but older brother Dennis & my good-self were Biiiiggggg Neil Young fans through the late 70s (me = early-mid teens) … had virtually all his albums … before we both discovered Punk / New Wave / Tom Waits / Blues & Modern Jazz (Davis / Coltrane) in the early 80s … & finally got our hair cut.
Ha – indeed. My tastes are pretty mainstream for the most – Mark Knofler is still my all time hero. And I’ve been listening to a hell of a lot of these guys lately.
And now I'm no longer corporate you might be surprised at how long my hair has become
I certainly hope so. Do people generally know the impact puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and subsequent surgery on young bodies. Impacts fertiliy and sexual pleasure. Gives young women deep voice Adams apple body and facial hair. Not all these changes can be reversed especially the removal of the womb.
I stand with the nurses in their fight against the EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway, and Singapore. These governments must be investigated for blocking a faster global vaccine rollout leading to the loss of countless lives.
Spin bowling is the darkest, hardest art. At 17 my youngest took 7 for 27 in a senior 20/20, the victims included two ex-internationals ( NZ and Canada ), 3 Hawke Cup players and some bloke who should have been a Black Cap but went over to the dark side to be an AB fullback and ease into retirement coaching a bunch of Jafas. He was unplayable that night, it was the pitch, the light the humidity the temperature and luck, and I don't think he has taken 7 wickets in a season since, ( thats a bit unfair he has had some success ), as much as he would love too. How do you coach to get that form back.? You can try but it needs everything to aline.
I think if Wagner had been roughing up the Indian tail in their second innings 190 would have easily been enough to win.
Experience is the answer taking young prospective bowlers to the sub continent.Or Australia.paying Shane Warne to tour schools and set up spin coaches to widen the skill set of deliveries.NZ spinners tend to be very one dimensional.
We also need to get them playing on spin-friendly pitches as well. Remember when NZ bowling tracks used to be made for 'Dibbly, Dobbly, Wibbly and Wobbly" medium pacers, just bowl it on a length and let the pitch do the work?
Well they got found out, time and time again, overseas, the tracks then became more conducive to pace and after getting rid of the biomechanics fascination:
'Remember when NZ bowling tracks used to be made for 'Dibbly, Dobbly, Wibbly and Wobbly" medium pacers, just bowl it on a length and let the pitch do the work?' Yep, I so remember Jeremy Coney's 'dark art' of bowling wibbly wobbly balls pretty successfully at times.
The E tū and PSA unions are calling on the Ministry of Health to “stop and listen” to home care support workers who fear they will become vectors for Covid-19 without appropriate PPE.
Union members say the vinyl gloves issued by the Ministry of Health roll up and tear easily, but the ministry says the gloves are appropriate for the work they do and that infection prevention and control information is being sent out to help workers understand the level of PPE they need.
These are the same vinyl gloves that i wear when painting my molds. They are shitty little one use only gloves and i go trhough a box in a week, they rip easily, fit badly – regardless the size, and barely cover the wrists. Seriously what is wrong with the Ministry of Health.
This is the same shit that Rosemary already complained about several times over the last year.
Rosemary read that and wept whilst banging her head repeatedly on the desk.
SSDD literally.
For a while, early last year, all we could source in the way of gloves were said food grade gloves from the supermarket. Oh how I remember the raggedy handy look as they tore and shredded. (We got one box of 100 gloves supplied through the DHB per month. Not enough by a long chalk.)
And when we moved North…the local DHB wold only supply latex gloves…totally unsuitable for our purposes. But good news in that thanks to Te Virus I was now being paid as Peter's carer and could afford to buy our own good quality vinyl gloves through a medical supply house. Yay! (We have also had to purchase pretty much all of his supplies, as the time from request to delivery was increasing considerably…not to mention the quality being poor)
Not so good news is that owing to our reluctance to avail ourselves of the Pfizer Product I am no longer being paid as Himself's carer.
Just deserts for we refusniks y'all cry…and well and good…but some of you might just have an inkling why we are a little less than impressed with the credibility of our Ministry of Health. Still can't decide if its incompetence or malice.
Decisions are made by bureaucrats who have never actually done the job, performed the task, spent time in the trenches…and yet they claim authority.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson said the workers’ concerns were raised with its Infection Prevention and Control Technical Advisory Group who advised the gloves were safe for personal care use – like showering or bathing.
“As previously discussed and communicated with the sector, such work does not always indicate a need for gloves. Gloves are only required if there is potential for exposure of the hands to blood and body fluids, mucous membranes, or broken skin,” the spokesperson said, adding that hand hygiene remains the most important step to prevent infection.
I'm hurled through the timewarp back to last year as we were told that PPE was not required by homecare workers unless they came within a metre of their client. I remember Peter commenting 'Do you think they think we get scrubbed with a yard broom in the shower?'.
Back in the day we truly believed that our pleas for recognition from the Miserly of Health of Peter's high care needs were being rejected due to innocent ignorance.
We naively thought that if we could speak kanohi ki kanohi to The Person Who Can Make Decisions we could explain the whys and the wherefores, give examples of other MOH;DSS clients we knew with very similar care needs who had miraculously got the supports they needed, offer a rational explanation why Peter had been shunted into the margins in comparison and voilla! All would be sorted and equity would reign. (Back then we still had some expectations that they did actually want to do right by disabled people…put that person 'in the center'.)
There was a level of incompetence….but it had morphed into malice long since.
It took years of legal wranglings, the HRC and OHRP, feral attacks by the Misery of Health ably aided and abetted by Crown Law, two changes of government and a slew of media articles before some of us had some financial relief. Enough, I might add, to fund the necessaries that the Miserly refused to fund. Like an accessible bathroom and decent fucking gloves.
Maybe you need to join a gang, or even better create one? That seems to do the trick in getting what you want with no consequences to what ever you may or may not do.
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The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
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Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Asia Pacific Report A group of 65 Auckland University academics have written an open letter to vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater criticising the institution’s stance over students protesting in solidarity with Palestine. They have called on her administration to “support” the students who were denied permission to establish an “overnight encampment” by ...
The Student Volunteer Army is on the march, generating approximately 1.6 million hours of volunteering from roughly 35,000 secondary school students in just five years. For Rebekah Brown, the pathway to volunteering started with her singing coach. With a passion for the arts, the suggestion to volunteer at Acting Antics, ...
Keeping up with online communication can be exhausting, so Fran Barclay enlisted the help of Meta’s new ‘intelligent assistant’ to respond to all her messages. Could her mates tell the difference? For centuries, technology has ruled the ways in which we communicate. From the dawn of written language, to the ...
Jamie Arbuckle, a councillor who has become an member of parliament, says he has settled into having two roles so comfortably he's going to keep both pay cheques. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luis Gómez Romero, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory, University of Wollongong Fifty years ago, Australian feminist Anne Summers denounced “the ideology of sexism” governing over so many women’s lives. Unfortunately, sexism is as lethal today as it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images The COVID-19 pandemic and the hybrid work patterns it fostered have changed the way we think about office space, and central business districts in general. While fears ...
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[deleted quote without link]
Here's how to link to tweets:
This also embeds the tweet so people can see the whole thing, and it will automatically include a live link so people can see the tweet in context if they want to.
eg this URL https://twitter.com/max_tweedie/status/1465167205641850883
becomes this tweet embed,
https://twitter.com/max_tweedie/status/1465167205641850883
Thanks (for all the fish) 🙂
🐬
After 6 weeks of New Lynn and Glen Eden having six deaths and a whole suite of neighbourhoods terrorised, and four Police injured, the PM finally promises to ask for a briefing on a massive crimewave:
Glen Eden police shooting: Gunman killed, four police officers in hospital after 11 hours of mayhem – NZ Herald
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday said she had not been briefed on the shooting but planned to speak to Police Minister Poto Williams.
She did not believe police had lost control of law and order in Auckland and said police had been working to get weapons out of the hands of criminals and clamp down on firearms "designed to cause mass devastation".
"We have taken direct action to try and reduce the access and nature of firearms that are being accessed in the wider community," Ardern said.
"You'll see that we've moved on licencing, we've removed those weapons that are military-style.
"The efforts of police have also been very focused on the seizure of both firearms and criminal assets."
Looking forward to other agencies stepping in to assist our outstanding Police men and women in this total societal failure.
So she has not been briefed on the rampage in West Auckland?
Oh well.
but to her credit, she used all her good words.
And i don’t think this is ‘societal’ failure, if anything society is suffering for the absence of political leadership. I mean she is still waxing on lyrically of removing weapons from law abiding citizens as if the gangs that she and her government are treating so kindly, really gave a fuck about legal weapons and her good words.
Anyone feel safer?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/111594950/gangs-bosses-say-weapons-wont-be-handed-back-after-christchurch-mosque-shooting
'According to O'Reilly, Black Power members use guns to hunt for food to feed their families and to defend themselves. He admits many obtain their guns illegally.'
But don't worry, they got issued a stern warning:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/111712728/police-minister-warns-gangs-hand-over-guns-or-the-police-will-come-after-you
The reality though:
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2007/S00022/minister-wont-take-guns-from-gangs.htm
Why, because the gangs said the word Labour and all those on the left fear the most…they said racism and Labour backed off:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/439150/gang-gun-ownership-ban-bill-racist-politics-mongrel-mob-tells-mps
Talk about Spin PR.
National removed legislation requiring every firearm to be registered making it easier for firearms to be stolen harder for police to trace.
National cut proper investigation into gun owners suitability. Allowing retired police to do background checks that weren't carried out
National cut police numbers by 20% in 9 yrs .with low numbers police stopped checking gun owners safe storage of guns.especially in rural ares where 40% of guns are stolen from a very small percentage of the population who leave firearms lying around instead of in a lock up with firing mechanisms stored separately.
The govt put new legislation in place very similar to Nationals proposed bill.
Plus every gun will have to be registered like in Australia plus background checks more stringent plus shorter licence periods with those background checks revised in case of changes in mental or criminal status.
Not like your 1/2 truths
Police hadn't been running checks on gun club membership for years let alone checking safe keeping .
The Milton gun club had effectively been taken over by far right skin heads.Practicing terror tactics.
Talk about Spin PR.
'National removed legislation requiring every firearm to be registered making it easier for firearms to be stolen harder for police to trace.'
– I'm not opposed to a registry however given the breaches of police security I would want reassurances that the information isn't leaked
– Someone with access to the registry leaking details of who owns what weapons and where is something we should all be concerned about
'National cut proper investigation into gun owners suitability.'
– Link please
'Allowing retired police to do background checks that weren't carried out'
– Is it the retired police doing the checks thats the problem or that the checks weren't carried out, something I've also talked about
'National cut police numbers by 20% in 9 yrs'
– National hasn't been in power for over 4 years
'With low numbers police stopped checking gun owners safe storage of guns.especially in rural ares where 40% of guns are stolen from a very small percentage of the population who leave firearms lying around instead of in a lock up with firing mechanisms stored separately.'
– Thats up to the police to sort is it not
– Also link please
'The govt put new legislation in place very similar to Nationals proposed bill.'
– Link please
'Plus every gun will have to be registered like in Australia plus background checks more stringent plus shorter licence periods with those background checks revised in case of changes in mental or criminal status.'
– I agree with this (in regards to the registration, see above)
'Not like your 1/2 truths'
– I posted links, don't like what the links say thats your issue
'Police hadn't been running checks on gun club membership for years let alone checking safe keeping.'
– Again, if true, thats an issue with the police not doing their jobs, I see plenty of police sitting on the sides of roads holding speed cameras
'The Milton gun club had effectively taken over by far right skin heads.'
– Link please
'Practicing terror tactics.'
– Hyperbole but, again, the police once again dropped the ball
'As a result, Breidahl says he spoke to another firearms club, who agreed the matter needed to be taken to the police.'
"I went to the arms officer, laid out my concerns and I was told they're a bunch of silly old duffers down those ways, don't worry about them, it's all good."
– Its why I've said in previous posts that firearm licencing needs to be run seperately though in conjunction with the police
The 1983 gun reform under National. Police no longer required to hold every guns serial number
The Bruce gun club herald Police investigating found fascist leaning members and confederate flags etc 2019
The recent legislation on gun ownership hansard.
Looking at NZ stats Police funding and numbers remained the same even though the population increased by 20% and 501's had already been intensifying gang violence.
Not to mention the P epidemic had gotten out of Control.
Remember John Key was going to get rid of the scourge of P it grew exponentially under his watch while he underfunded Police so the well off could get tax cuts just before each election.election bribes
'The 1983 gun reform under National. Police no longer required to hold every guns serial number'
– Heres why:
https://theconversation.com/comprehensive-gun-register-part-of-next-stage-of-firearms-law-reform-post-christchurch-shootings-125082
Gun register history
'For most of its history, New Zealand had a gun register. This emerged during the 1860s and the Land Wars when the government was trying to control a free flow of firearms into the country. But some 120 years later, in a very different context, the pre-computer registration system was unfit for purpose. Only about 7% of all registered firearms could be located.'
'The replacement Arms Act of 1983 did away with the general register and put more emphasis upon ensuring all firearms users were “fit and proper”. Only pistols and military style semi-automatics had to be registered.'
Interesting isn't it.
So why have the Police been lobbying the govt for years for a firearms register.
Looking at Australia they have a gun register and much lower gun violence.
Lower maybe but much lower
– Link please
You only highlighted the parts of your link that suits your agenda.
Reading the whole article it says that having a register would help on many fronts.
Finding how the supply of guns go from legal owners into criminal hands.
Read your own link not something about the 1860's but about the Thorpe enquiry and onwards.
John Banks police minister at the time of the Aromoana massacre regretted not reforming gun ownership legislation .
I'm not against a gun register (see my discussion with McFlock yesterday) I do however have concerns
My preference is, as stated previously, is proper funding and run by a new set up, in conjunction with, but not by the police
'The Milton gun club had effectively been taken over by far right skin heads.Practicing terror tactics.'
'The Bruce gun club herald Police investigating found fascist leaning members and confederate flags etc 2019'
– Not quite the same is it
It's known as the Milton gun club locally as the District is called Bruce County read the herald and other articles on how this gun club was infiltrated by criminals who openly displayed fascist leanings .
Not to mention how police volunteers did nothing to investigate the background of the ChCh shooter effectively rubber stamping this nut jobs gun licence.
Police cost cutting by outsourcing.
Which again backs up my point about the police not being in charge of the register
'Looking at NZ stats Police funding and numbers remained the same even though the population increased by 20% and 501's had already been intensifying gang violence.'
– I have no issue with increasing police funding so maybe the current government, the government thats into its second term, could look into it?
'Not to mention the P epidemic had gotten out of Control.'
'Remember John Key was going to get rid of the scourge of P it grew exponentially under his watch while he underfunded Police so the well off could get tax cuts just before each election.election bribes'
– Think you're starting to get a little over excited and off track, you might want to consider pulling it a back a bit
National left the building 1 August 2017 when Labour won their first round. They then won another round – a landslide no less – 17/10/2020.
Labour ran on 'fixing' things, and i am sure that they thought an over abundance of kindness is gonna fix things, but then there is always the one rotten apple that rots all the other apples.
So any day now Labour can start fixing things. They tried kindness and coddling the gangs and as always when dealing with abusers that did not work. So now throw the fucking book of law against them.
As for the MP for New Lynn, Deborah Russel, can someone please call her on her courtesy phone, give her some pain meds for her back aches and ask her to finally actually do something to earn her wage and perks.
Reading what you wrote, looks like you’re the perfecr person to do that job & make the call.
🙄 *perfect
Last i "spoke" to her i asked her if she thought that 'fuck off' was a considered and kind Labour speak to say to people whom she did not consider worthy of her attention, and i also asked if her back was better now after having watched the sorry spectacle she made out of herself during the submissions in regards to the "Men are women and women are to shut the fuck up bill", and if her back was better now could she finally do her job as fwiw, she is on full pay and perks, and if not, she should consider leaving hte job to someone in better health and with more stamina.
The dame did not answer.
But then maybe you have good words that you can use? See where i am right now i would simply tell her to fuck off, when there fuck off some more, when there continue to fuck off, until no one has ever got to deal with that useless None Male Member of Parliament, courtesy of the Labour Party ever again..
Vote Labour 2023 = our MPs will vote Aye, never ask never tell, cause its money for nothing and perks for life. Courtesy of the taxpayer, dead or alive.
"men are women and women are to shut the fuck up bill". Lol.
But right now in Cananda gender critical views such as biology matters and its not possible to change your sex and if you are born male, then you are a man are about to be outlawed as hate speech. So although I laugh, it is serious.
Sabine lol lol.
I thinkwe might find that Deborah is re-reading an article in Scientific America and therefore she is oblivious to everything going on in New Lynn.
Oh. I see. You are probably NOT the right person to call her then.
Mutual exchanges of fuck offs seem most unlikely to achieve anything worthwhile in the area of crime reduction & increased policing & security for local residents.
Do you know anybody who is capable of polite discourse with her who you might perhaps ask to contact her instead?
The above is @ Sabine.
Replied in wrong place. Soz.
She is very good at telling people to fuck off.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/09/david-seymour-decries-labour-mp-deborah-russell-s-disgraceful-tweet-voicing-frustration-after-sex-self-id-submission.html
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2020/04/22/what-on-earth-was-deborah-russell-thinking/
maybe you need to address your concerns about good language with the MP rather then me.
Who said I had concerns about it? It’s just logical two people telling each other to fuck off aren’t likely going to agree on a course of action as they’re not even attempting to communicate.
You seem a permanently aggrieved & angry individual to me whenever I take the time to read what you write here. Have I got that wrong?
Geeza, I really appreciate your contributions on this site.
But it is not really Sabine's job to talk to Deborah R or get her to do her job.
I am not sure what if anything Deborah has done to date about the ghastly situation in New Lynn. But a I haven't heard her say anything. This doesn't seem good enough to me.
I remember when the Roast Busters came to light and David Cunliffe who was the member for New Lynn, said he had regular meetings with the police and had not been made aware of RB
I understand that it’s no one here’s “job” to talk to Deb Russell about doing her job of raising some kind of public ruckus with the media, within the government, and/or with the police about the dreadful & now deadly crime wave in New Lynn, her electorate, Anker.
But when someone complains on a blog that she should be doing SOMETHING, & she apparently isn’t – and she’s not – as far as we know – reading this blog, then what is the point of just moaning about it on a blog?
It’s easy enuf to find out her parliament contact email address & send an email asking her to do something, or asking what she IS DOING . In fact if you KNOW what you want her to do you can even spell it out as a suggestion.
If we all confine ourselves to whining on TS & no one chases her up she can always say “No one ever contacted me about it!”
She sounds like a big disappointment to her electors. So kick her butt into action, even if it’s just to reply to an email (copied to PM’s office). But choose your language carefully. One catches more bears with honey than with vinegar. I know how to shame a politician into action with a very polite request. It just requires a bit of contemplation before hitting “Send”.
I think Sabine may seem perfectly aggrieved and angry, but I nearly always appreciate the content of what she has to say. Lets face it there is a lot to be angry about. I also very much appreciate your contribution on this blog, especially the wee video clips of birds.
I guess for me the point of The Standard is to share political views and opinions about things we are concerned about and to become better informed about issues. It may or may not lead to political action. I suspect most of us are politically active in someway, but of course its not compulsory.
Some of us got to see Ms Russell in action on recent select committees and to be frank with you her contact was most unprofessional including a FB post where she posted ever wanted to tell people to f..k right off and when asked about this she replied that she had been listening to submissions on BMDRR.
But maybe she is the perfect person to sort out West Aucklands violence problems. She could tell them all to fuck right off.
But maybe she is the perfect person to sort out West Aucklands violence problems. She could tell them all to fuck right off.
Well, Anker, it’s nice to see you can still find some humour in the situation, instead of just always looking at the black side of things. That’s very witty. 🙂
A perusal of the Report of the Royal Commission shows a completely different take on the 'Milton' (Bruce) Rifle Club incident [26] and indeed upon Breidahl [29] and the Conclusion [46] With far more comprehensive information at the Link.
https://christchurchattack.royalcommission.nz/the-report/part-6-what-public-sector-agencies-knew-about-the-terrorist/bruce-rifle-club-allegations/
26
Based on the evidence we have reviewed, we think it more likely than not that the individual did not attend the competition at the Bruce Rifle Club on 19 November 2017. Accordingly, we conclude that he was not there. It follows that we also conclude that any complaint Peter Breidahl may have made to New Zealand Police about the Bruce Rifle Club was not about the individual. This conclusion may be enough to address the requirement in our Terms of Reference but, for the sake of completeness, we think it appropriate also to address whether such a complaint was made.
29
The former Dunedin District Arms Officer had dealt with Peter Breidahl on two earlier occasions. On 27 June 2017, the former District Arms Officer and a sworn police officer met with Peter Breidahl. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss whether Peter Breidahl’s firearms licence should be revoked, after New Zealand Police had received evidence that he had stored a firearm in the boot of his car secured by a cable. In a statement to New Zealand Police and in evidence to us, the former District Arms Officer recalled Peter Breidahl being “agitated” and “swearing repeatedly” to the point where the sworn police officer told him to calm down.
46
We conclude that:
the individual was not present at a competition held by the Bruce Rifle Club on 19 November 2017; and
Peter Breidahl did not complain to New Zealand Police about the culture of the Bruce Rifle Club on 20 or 21 November 2017.
Interesting
Even that is not the full story!
A great result last night.
New Zealand cricket team grabbed a draw from the jaws of defeat.
Ravindra in his first test and Patel batting at 11 held a dominant Indian bowling attack at bay to salvage a draw. Second test starts on Friday @ Mumbai.
From Stuff: "The Times of India noted the result was the first time that New Zealand had gone 10 test matches undefeated (eight wins, two draws) with the current streak starting against India at the start of 2020."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/456840/black-caps-hold-on-for-draw
Yes very well done to the Black Caps.
The only real issue is the inability of spinners to make meaningful contributions to the wicket taking.
3 wickets combined from 102 overs, just not good enough in these conditions
The NZ cricket board has done fantastically well of late.
Getting rid of the 'biomechanics' fetish down at Lincoln and marshalling the resources they have to produce the best all round team in the game means they should be a shoo in for admin of the year
But
Our dearth of quality spinners is holding us back.
So I would suggest that the NZ cricket specify that each province will always play one specialist spinner per team (not counting all rounders or such like) and that one province (Otago makes sense) prepares spinning friendly tracks
Having said that this Black Caps team is the greatest NZ cricket team ever assembled.
If one of the Big Three had the overall success this team had the media would be all over them, calling them one of the greatest teams ever.
Halcyon days indeed
Our wickets aren't generally conducive to spin.
Not dry enough.
Molyneux Park in Alexandra, with the right soil and preparation could be our best bet, maybe McLean in Napier
We need to encourage spin bowling in NZ as its our one glaring weakness, although a proper opening partner for Latham wouldn't go amiss either
Molyneux Park is to far away for large numbers of budding young cricketers.McClean Park slightly better.
'Molyneux Park is to far away for large numbers of budding young cricketers'
– Is it though, whatever location is chosen players would have to travel there ie Christchurch to Napier, Westport to Wanganui, Wellington to Whangarei etc
– Its only a 2.5 hour drive from Dunedin
– The younger players would just be attending camps so not like its full time and if Otago was to be mandated to "spinners' location I'm sure they wouldn't have any issues attracting top class spinners
– Hell I'd probably mandate Otago (or whatever province was chosen) play two spinners (one can be an all rounder)
That's a 5 hrs round trip 15 hrs for 2 practices and a 1 day game 20hrs for a 2 day game.
My son a top cricketer was offered coaching in Alexandra when he was at highshool. But the cost and time was to much a teenager needs a life to.
Dunedin wickets are not usable in some years one year only 2 outdoor games were played.because of wet outfields being to dangerous.
I wasn't suggesting the wickets in Dunedin but the wickets in Alex and as for cost well thats, unfortunately, thats just how it is.
Bottom line is we need to get our spinners to improve.
Spin bowlers are like base players no wants to be them and girls dont want to date them 😉
Shane Warne respectfully disagrees
PR Peter Petherick,he was from there,very good spinner,I would sell pies at the Brook for free admission so I could watch the man.
Its not that we can't produce spinners, we just don't have the grounds to support them
One of the commentary team observed, regardless of conditions, your best bowlers will take the wickets.
On that note, they must play Wagner in Mumbai. Who replaces Taylor is another story.
Yeah I'd go with Wagner, hind sights 20/20 and all that but Wagner in place of Somerville (heroics with the bat aside) probably would have meant a better chance of victory for NZ
Taylor stays until Taylor decides to retire!
However Daryl Mitchel would be the next cab of the rank
I've long been a fan of Taylor, what are the chances he stands aside for the team's benefit? He has looked out of sorts for the last few appearances.
Somerville stays, Wagner in and everyone moves up a position in the batting order.
Halcyon days indeed. To think Conway may struggle to get back in the team if Young keeps showing his worth.
Covid has disrupted sport amazingly the blackcap have handled conditions extremely well.being away from family going through multiple MIQ and performing amazing feats on the wicket.
He doesn't need to step aside for anyone.
The last game he played (before this one) was last June, the Word Test final against India, he scored 47 no in that last innings
The test before that, against England, he scored 80.
The problem with everyone moving up is our batting line up becomes a bit weaker and thats not good against an Indian team at home
Somerville goes , Wagner in, test team unchanged for me
OK, well put, Taylor stays.
I will let the other selectors now what we have decided.
Agree about Taylor PR. And Wagner, yes please, bring him back
3 spinners channeling their MR, ordinary bowling but hard to get rid of.
With the NW sticking around to lunch it is was inevitable the other two would be there at stumps.
Love the Black Caps. The worlds best team at anything. Kane W full of integrity and dignity and a love of the game.
As for the nail bitting finish with Ajaz and Rivandra versus the light! Ripping great stuff.
Can't wait for Mumbai.
Something profound to start Tuesday with-
'Personally, I always welcome this conversation starter as a chance to explain that a swimsuit is an expression of a woman’s sensual soul'
Do not comment on your girlfriend's thong bikini | Stuff.co.nz
lol, your link came to mind when I saw a young guy doing it right this evening.
The couple were walking past me and there's a maccas across the road and down the block a bit. She vaguely mentions that she feels like having a burger and fries – more thinking out loud than anything. He goes "anything else?" and then trots over the road while she continues on.
Almost at the level of "your wish is my command". If that's a typical action from him, he's a keeper lol
The other guy from your link needs to lift his game. But some guys are doing it right.
The report describes how this problem was identified 30 years ago but nurdles still are "not deemed hazardous under the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) dangerous goods code for safe handling and storage." Another example of the legal establishment's sociopathic nature. No compulsion upon industry and shipping corps to operate safely. Delinquent behaviour institutionalised.
a booster every three month? and is it then still a booster or just a regular top up?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/29/covid-booster-jabs-to-be-offered-to-all-uk-adults-after-three-month-gap
oh well….its a brave new world.
That's an early call, if the new variant gets around the vaccine (which fades by 6 months with delta) why would boosters at 3 months achieve anything?
Pfizer have already said they will develop a new vaccine quickly if necessary (the thing is it takes months to trial them).
No it doesn't take months as it is just a tweek to an existing vaccine that's the beauty of mRNA vaccines .It may take a couple of months to ramp up enough doses to treat large populations.
But even that has improved with more manufacturing facilities being developed.
Will regulatory authorities allow them to "tweek" and mass produce without safety data?
mRNA vaccines have been around for 20 years they are much quicker to develop than older vaccines.
Safety is a concern but in these times to keep ahead of Covid 19 we have to make sacrifices as the other option of leaving the virus go rampant is thousands of times more deadly.
New ways of administering the vaccines are being trialled in Switzerland now and are expected to be widely available by the middle of next year.A high tech patch worn on the arm slowly releases the vaccine which will last 6 times longer.36 months immunity compared to 4 to 6 months now.
Technology around antivirul treatments has also lead to breakthroughs with between 60 to70% efficacy combined with high vaccination rates this could be good for those antivaxxers although they may turn that down as well.Most of the retrovirul medicines need to be administered in the early stages to stop the virus multiplying and doing irreparable damage.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/28/health/covid-omicron-vaccines-immunity.html
Booster Shots every two months according to Australia
they sure do seem to know what they do, right?
I think they just want to give the under 60's confidence to participate in normal economy/society – it suggests a new effort at herd immunity (quick mass infection with omicron).
As I read that article they aren't calling for "Booster Shots every two months" as you say. They are calling for a single booster shot two months after your second dose.
There is a great difference.
Aren't calling for it yet
It is already illegal under MARPOL to dump any plastics at sea. They do not have to be a hazardous substance in the IMDG code.
Note shipping companies have already been prosecuted several times for the release into the oceans, intentional or otherwise of nurdles, and many other cargo's.
Laws against dumping off ships, deliberate or accidental, are much more stringent than dumping from land, which is the source of most ocean pollution.
Laws against dumping off ships, deliberate or accidental, are much more stringent than dumping from land
Unhappily, they are rarely enforced. NZ laws were just as strict before we signed Marpol, but rarely enforced, except against those vessels so incompetent they leaked oil in harbour or the like.
Not true.
Unless you mean laws against farmers polluting rivers?
In the years I was fishing, the only vessels I saw prosecuted spilled oil in port. Out of sight of land there is no enforcement.
Fishing vessels, like farming, seem to be sacred cows, if you can pardon the expression.
Commercial ships it is a different story.
Though the emphasis is more on avoiding pollution in the first place, rather than "after the fact".
I was rather disgusted about the almost complete lack of concern, when a shore installation had a fairly large spill, compared with the atitude to ships and boats.
The NZ law is pretty clear – you can be done for an orange peel.
But a hell of a lot of old net and plastic strapping gets deep sixed.
“At least half of […ocean plastic waste] is not consumer plastics, which are central to much of the current debate, but fishing gear.”
https://twitter.com/PlaguePoems/status/1465351196470820869
How many letters are left? Asking for the strain that will be discovered in NZ say in January?
New Zealand will need to ban any use of Mu.
We've seen off mu and thus sustained the sovereign independence of nu xi land – just have to do the same with omicron.
Plenty more Hebrew and Cyrillic characters if we need to go that far. And then there's like 100,000 Unicode "variants"
Neil didn't have global vaccinations in mind when he wrote this … the title of the song now has relevance in a much wider sense. Less damage to mankind through disease, but a fragmentation on the fringes of social cohesion.
At one point in your adolescence there is a moment when you hear music for the first time. It was this album for me.
And oddly enough the circumstances – which I cannot retell here – had a dire culmination spoken of in this song decades later.
Was probably the U2 album "The Unforgettable Fire" in my case. The title song spoke to some deep longing in my soul. Or maybe it just triggered some hormones in teenage me 😛
I haven't listened to it before – but it sure has an unusual drum groove.
.
Slightly off your main point … but older brother Dennis & my good-self were Biiiiggggg Neil Young fans through the late 70s (me = early-mid teens) … had virtually all his albums … before we both discovered Punk / New Wave / Tom Waits / Blues & Modern Jazz (Davis / Coltrane) in the early 80s … & finally got our hair cut.
Ha – indeed. My tastes are pretty mainstream for the most – Mark Knofler is still my all time hero. And I’ve been listening to a hell of a lot of these guys lately.
And now I'm no longer corporate you might be surprised at how long my hair has become
I got into a twitter argument the other day as to whether Heavy Metal was "good". The guy was saying that he only listens to classical. So I showed him this.. How Classical Music Influenced Modern Metal Music (projectrevolver.org)
https://youtu.be/Q93n3dvaaTI
You remind me of this gem:
Includes that lovely line “a long walk down a windy beach to a cafe that’s closed” .
You like history, you like Swedish Metal heavily influenced by British Heavy Metal?
Well have I got a treat for you…Sabaton.
With Sabaton you get music and history.
https://www.youtube.com/c/Sabaton/featured
https://www.youtube.com/c/SabatonHistory
For example want to know how the Swiss Guards came about?
@Puckish Rogue yeah that's a cool genre.. see also Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills", and Led Zep's "Immigrant Song"
Very good songs indeed
Sweden has reversed course on child medical transitioning.
This hour long Swedish investigation programme explores why.
(Now with English subtitles)
Good news, maybe the tide is starting to turn
I certainly hope so. Do people generally know the impact puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and subsequent surgery on young bodies. Impacts fertiliy and sexual pleasure. Gives young women deep voice Adams apple body and facial hair. Not all these changes can be reversed especially the removal of the womb.
22.000 plus of these destransitioners.
Spin bowling is the darkest, hardest art. At 17 my youngest took 7 for 27 in a senior 20/20, the victims included two ex-internationals ( NZ and Canada ), 3 Hawke Cup players and some bloke who should have been a Black Cap but went over to the dark side to be an AB fullback and ease into retirement coaching a bunch of Jafas. He was unplayable that night, it was the pitch, the light the humidity the temperature and luck, and I don't think he has taken 7 wickets in a season since, ( thats a bit unfair he has had some success ), as much as he would love too. How do you coach to get that form back.? You can try but it needs everything to aline.
I think if Wagner had been roughing up the Indian tail in their second innings 190 would have easily been enough to win.
Experience is the answer taking young prospective bowlers to the sub continent.Or Australia.paying Shane Warne to tour schools and set up spin coaches to widen the skill set of deliveries.NZ spinners tend to be very one dimensional.
We also need to get them playing on spin-friendly pitches as well. Remember when NZ bowling tracks used to be made for 'Dibbly, Dobbly, Wibbly and Wobbly" medium pacers, just bowl it on a length and let the pitch do the work?
Well they got found out, time and time again, overseas, the tracks then became more conducive to pace and after getting rid of the biomechanics fascination:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/blogs/4433845/Eh-What-is-Simon-Doull-on-about
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/149552/Crowe-Blame-biomechanics
Now the cricket board need to do the same with spinners
'Remember when NZ bowling tracks used to be made for 'Dibbly, Dobbly, Wibbly and Wobbly" medium pacers, just bowl it on a length and let the pitch do the work?' Yep, I so remember Jeremy Coney's 'dark art' of bowling wibbly wobbly balls pretty successfully at times.
I think they are just freaks of nature., you’ve just got to wait for the next one to come around like Dan Vettori.
Naah I don't think so, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are producing very good spinners all the time
The difference, to me, is the pitches they play on
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/127131673/convicted-murderer-scott-watson-denied-parole-for-the-fourth-time
Sometimes the justice system works
Interesting PR. Can you say anymore? About Scott Watson that is?
Guys a major a-hole
interesting re Scott Watson. Do you think he is guilty? Don't answer if you feel you can't.
this is like a deja vu of a deja vu that was already deja vu'ed
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/127117381/covid19-unions-home-care-providers-and-workers-ask-for-ppe
These are the same vinyl gloves that i wear when painting my molds. They are shitty little one use only gloves and i go trhough a box in a week, they rip easily, fit badly – regardless the size, and barely cover the wrists. Seriously what is wrong with the Ministry of Health.
This is the same shit that Rosemary already complained about several times over the last year.
Rosemary read that and wept whilst banging her head repeatedly on the desk.
SSDD literally.
For a while, early last year, all we could source in the way of gloves were said food grade gloves from the supermarket. Oh how I remember the raggedy handy look as they tore and shredded. (We got one box of 100 gloves supplied through the DHB per month. Not enough by a long chalk.)
And when we moved North…the local DHB wold only supply latex gloves…totally unsuitable for our purposes. But good news in that thanks to Te Virus I was now being paid as Peter's carer and could afford to buy our own good quality vinyl gloves through a medical supply house. Yay! (We have also had to purchase pretty much all of his supplies, as the time from request to delivery was increasing considerably…not to mention the quality being poor)
Not so good news is that owing to our reluctance to avail ourselves of the Pfizer Product I am no longer being paid as Himself's carer.
Just deserts for we refusniks y'all cry…and well and good…but some of you might just have an inkling why we are a little less than impressed with the credibility of our Ministry of Health. Still can't decide if its incompetence or malice.
Malicious incompetence seems true to me.
Decisions are made by bureaucrats who have never actually done the job, performed the task, spent time in the trenches…and yet they claim authority.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson said the workers’ concerns were raised with its Infection Prevention and Control Technical Advisory Group who advised the gloves were safe for personal care use – like showering or bathing.
“As previously discussed and communicated with the sector, such work does not always indicate a need for gloves. Gloves are only required if there is potential for exposure of the hands to blood and body fluids, mucous membranes, or broken skin,” the spokesperson said, adding that hand hygiene remains the most important step to prevent infection.
I'm hurled through the timewarp back to last year as we were told that PPE was not required by homecare workers unless they came within a metre of their client. I remember Peter commenting 'Do you think they think we get scrubbed with a yard broom in the shower?'.
Malicious incompetence…yes indeedy.
There comes a point were repeated instances of 'incompetence' turn into malice.
Bureaucratic inertia has a leviathon like stubborness.
Back in the day we truly believed that our pleas for recognition from the Miserly of Health of Peter's high care needs were being rejected due to innocent ignorance.
We naively thought that if we could speak kanohi ki kanohi to The Person Who Can Make Decisions we could explain the whys and the wherefores, give examples of other MOH;DSS clients we knew with very similar care needs who had miraculously got the supports they needed, offer a rational explanation why Peter had been shunted into the margins in comparison and voilla! All would be sorted and equity would reign. (Back then we still had some expectations that they did actually want to do right by disabled people…put that person 'in the center'.)
There was a level of incompetence….but it had morphed into malice long since.
It took years of legal wranglings, the HRC and OHRP, feral attacks by the Misery of Health ably aided and abetted by Crown Law, two changes of government and a slew of media articles before some of us had some financial relief. Enough, I might add, to fund the necessaries that the Miserly refused to fund. Like an accessible bathroom and decent fucking gloves.
Maybe you need to join a gang, or even better create one? That seems to do the trick in getting what you want with no consequences to what ever you may or may not do.
Seriously, worth considering in my books.
I'm pushing for industrial action when we have our meetings, bit of an uphill battle though
How's your union for things like that?