A very good post on the Green Party website by Meteiria Turei condemning the government for pimping out our beautiful coastal environment to the highest bidder.
The Green Party is condemning the Government for announcing the tender process today for new permits to conduct exploratory deep sea drilling in New Zealand waters off the west coast of the North Island and the east coast of the South Island. Much of the area is in deep water.
“The Government is putting the economic interests of the oil companies over the environmental values of the people of New Zealand,”
“The Government’s argument of an economic boon are rubbish. There is little evidence that there would be many jobs from these deep sea rigs and they put at risk the local economies if there is a spill.
“With deep sea drilling the Government is pursuing a failed economic agenda that runs totally counter to our real economic advantages and opportunities.”
Metiria Turei
To have any meaning words need to be backed up with actions.
The Green Party if they choose, could stop deep sea oil drilling now.
A united opposition stand in parliament against deep sea oil exploration and drilling would have the effect of killing off the oil company investors enthusiasm to take up the current government’s offer.
This is the time for the Green Party to put in a serious real world effort to win the Labour Party over to oppose deep sea oil drilling.
To back up her words Meteiria Turei needs to take immediate action in the house, with a Green Party private member’s bill calling for a moratorium on all deep sea oil and gas drilling. And seriously lobby the Labour Party to back it.
This needs to be dealt with now. Not in the closed, heated, hot house environment of rushed coalition talks held behind closed doors following an election.
If the Green Party Bill is drawn from the ballot and the Labour Party refuse to support it and instead choose to stand with the Nats, instead of their future coalition partner, then the respective parties will know where they all stand, and will be able to make their future coalition decisions based on that.
Likewise the voting public will know where to place an informed vote, instead of being kept in the dark and crossing their fingers as they vote, hoping that it works out.
If on the other hand……
The Labour Party do agree to back the Green Party private members bill to turn it into an opposition members bill to banish deep sea oil drilling from our economic zone then this as well as driving investors off, would set the strong foundations for a principled coalition that will stand the test of time.
Mark my words
For the Green Party to ignore this major policy difference between the two major opposition parties at this time and place and leave it for later, will be a major tactical error that will see Turiana’s good words being turned into empty rhetoric in the name of pragmatism and under the pressure of “real politik”, to be left on the cutting room floor, during future coalition talks, to the disappointment of Green Party members and supporters.
Trouble about the jobs burble. They are temporary construction stuff and when done they are gone and the new ones arising are fewer and may not be available to locals, but the often tenuous economy of the surrounding towns has changed and life is more difficult, houses dearer etc and still not many jobs.
So Auckland Council wants to consult with Aucklanders about our transport future. There is a significant funding hole if all important projects are proceeded with.
There needs to be a debate about how these projects are funded and it is proper to put the evidence in front of the people and ask them for their view.
So what does the Government do? It effectively sabotages the consultation on day one by ruling out most of the possible funding mechanisms.
Why can’t it wait for the evidence to be properly analysed and for the people to speak? What is it afraid of?
Sometimes I am so glad I live in Levin, No traffic Jams, (No Car) cheap rents, can get everywhere by bike. Yep no jobs I know, also no 2 hour stress fest morning and night either.
But it’s also way safer to bring up my 2 year old, very few cars. But I do know one thing my Blood pressure has gone down since I left the Capital, and it’s rat race. But my littley does keep it bouncing now he can climb.
It’s a damn site better than what was offered before and all under the same roof. and it will be good when it’s all finished. Oh well I seem to work when Labour is in power, and am on the dole when the Nats get in, and fuck up the economy again.
Yes David H. We too in Marlborough have all those that you have (but so far we have only roundabouts- no traffic lights where you have 2 sets.) I am bemused that so many people choose to live in big cities! They seem to have so much against making their lives enjoyable. I don’t get it.
Some of us were born in cities, and have our roots there. It’s also where the jobs are. There are also many other exciting benefits to living in cities, if they were organised for the benefit of all, and not dominated by the wealthiest of the propertied classes.
Hah! Worked and studied in that area back in the 80s and early 90s – cycled many times between Newcross, Walthamstow and Stockwell – sometimes doing a whole round trip to those areas on the same day, and into the evening. Cycling seemed relatively safe back then too.
I know being London born and bred. Now there’s a city full of history, I used to go to all the Museums (Not fussed on the stately homes) Growing up in South east London in the 60’s was fun working down the Markets at Deptford. I think we got out at the right time 1969.
Well Karol I was born in Sydenham in a hovel owned bybthe Duke of Westminster ,
We were hard up,but happy Then along came Hitler who seemed to have grudge for me bombing us out three times . 3 new places in 6 years finished up in a flat above The shops in Lordship Lane in Dulwich , Then served my apprenticeship in Newmarket . later on moved to Epsom and courted my wife who lived in the East End by biking from Epsom 3 or 4 nights a week . Married and lived in the country ever since ,60m years inFeb.
Used to stop for pie at a pie stall in New Cross on the way back .
Were you born within the sound of Bow Bells Pink Postman? My father was… although his family shifted soon afterwards. He loved telling Kiwis he was a Cockney even though he had no Cockney accent. As a child I never tired of listening to the stories and songs of old London. Seen the Julie Andrews film ‘Mary Poppins’ half a dozen times.
Damn, you’ve seen some changes, TPP. Epsom to the East End is a long commute by bike.
I remember hearing some of the Blitz stories when I lived in London. 60 years married! Congratulations – a full, productive and interesting life so far.
Hi Pink Postman Like to hear others tales about where they come from. You mentioned New Cross I used to go to New Cross as that was where Millwall had there football ground. Great childhood days prior to the Thatcher shit with a lot of care by the so called “lower” classes. I remember as a kid the grown ups putting their hands on the wall of the exit stairs forming a tunnel so all us kids could get out safely. just like today eh. I think it would do good for some of these right wing prats to live in that type of community, it might teach them that there is more to life than screwing everybody for a dollar.
And the Winkle stall, with the Jellied eels, and Pie and Mushy Peas. Ahhh theMemories
My stepfather ran the Centurian public house in Deptford, A 3 story edifice Well to a 11 year old it was, with lots of rooms to play in, and the roof to sit, and get soaked in the Thunderstorms.
David H
Your remark about roundabouts triggered a thought I’ve had for a while. Courtesy on the roads – could be a great facilitator for better conditions and less accidents.
And one thing would be that at roundabouts a driver should slow a little say 10km or change down, which gives time for other traffic to enter or pass safely. The extra seconds provided by just a more deliberate approach to a roundabout, give way etc. would allow other traffic to go. Instead people often maintain a 50 kmh speed up to and through, and hardly seem aware of others around them. Get them up in a high 4WD and they’re like royalty in a world of their own.
In my experience the practices of (mainly Auckland) drivers are puzzling. When there are road works, with signs showing the stretch of road has a 30 or 40 kph speed limit, I seem to be one of the few drivers that actually slow down. And I usually feel pressured by other drivers to go faster.
Usually there are clear reasons why there is a temporarily low speed limit – workers working near to the stream of traffic, uneven road surface, narrowed road with little space for diverging in case of a collision, etc.
Ditto for people slowing down when approaching a pedestrian crossing. Some drivers seem to have no respect for anyone else, just an attitude of getting to their destination as fast as possible. Why the constant need for so much haste?
I thought I was the only one who actually slows down to 30.
Pisses me right off seeing people ignore those signs. I don’t mind that they aren’t concerned for their own safety, but they could give a thought to the people working within feet of their hurtling block of steel.
My apologies for spelling your name wrong. My arthritis does not get my fingers on the right keys at times, and I find this site a shit to edit.
Regards
karol
Is the behaviour we mostly display as drivers an indication of national character? Some people are unwilling to limit or control themselves for their, and others, safety.
That can be applied to more situations than that of driving too.
Drivers seem to be very self-centred – who lifts a hand for a thank-you gesture to a car that makes way for you when not legally obliged, who gives a couple of short toots to a large vehicle that moves over to let you past etc. I usually do, but don’t notice many others though it used to be common in my younger days. (I’m probably thinking prior to 1984 when we were sprayed and saturated with the propaganda of – ‘There is no such thing as society.’)
CHH may be looking for temps, if its any help. It’s not the busy season yet, but they do have a regular turnover in the casual pool. Reasonably well paid, unionised site. They use the temp pool to assess whether to hire workers as permanents, so it might be a foot in the door for you or other family members who are looking for a long term job.
And if you can ever get a start at Graphic Press, you’ve won the job lottery! One of the most amazing worksites I’ve ever been in, with a genuine commitment to profit sharing and total respect for their workers. Lovely place.
30G is just stingy, the rent seeker in our elites just can’t seem to understand, their greed is a corruption of our economic health, and we’d all be richer should they remove the private tax shackles evident in all areas of our economy. In order for them to get rich, they need to leverage their existing capital to multipliers of what is sensible, and to maintain their solvency they need mum and dad nz to pay the interest on the debt. Its wrong, its extortion, its bad economics.
Broadband will open up small town NZ with huge opportunities to have the lifestyle and the means to sustain it. Well it would if the rent seekers weren’t so stingy with 30G a month.
Thanks, micky. I have been thinking of doing another Auckland post, particularly on how the NZ herald is blatantly opposed to the Auckland Unitary Plan. Just too many things happening right now.
But the Auckland Transport Blog has done some very good posts on the NZ Herald’s blatant bias against the AUP and the City Central Rail Loop – so many NZH articles opposed to the AUP that it is looking like a concerted campaign.
It is interesting Karol that out west the Unitary Plan is not raising anything like the sort of opposition that central and north Auckland is showing.
I believe it is because locally we have been talking about intensification around Henderson and New Lynn and in a smaller way around Glen Eden for the past decade as well as at the same time trying to preserve the Waitakere Ranges by holding the MUL in place. The area is already developing the way that the rest of the city will hopefully.
The alternative of uncontrolled urban sprawl is too awful to comprehend. You just have to think about the problems associated with uncontrolled sprawl with a lack of community infrastructure to realise how stupid this is.
We should have learned about this from suburbs such as Kelston, Otara, Managere, Flat Bush, Birkdale etc where they basically plonked a whole lot of houses in with no cultural centre. These areas are full of good people but they are handicapped because they are just a collection of roads and houses and have not social centre.
Surely we should have learned from the experience.
Why does there need to be a debate – Just issue the funds required, at close to zero %, for the key transport programmes to go ahead, get it done!
This continued nonsense of *manufactured scarcity*, and having to raise steal the funds, by borrowing and/or picking the pokets of Aucklanders, even further!
Only debate needs to be , which projects to get moving first!
The Wellington mandarin’s and the Agri lobby block do not want Auckland to have an dffective tax raising power. And they collectively manipulate Smith et al.
Why stop Auckland have an effective tax base and control over its destiny?
It looks like it will be controlled by leftish people for the foreseeable future.
It is not controlled by big business.
It owes no allegiances to the primary industries sector.
Yup, scot free for Hotchin/Watson etc not even any corporate breach charges on care of duty issues against boys club members like Muir. Wish I could’ve laid odds at the TAB on it, a shoe in.
This is one reason why we can’t attract foreign investment, no effective policing of the cowboys club. The SFO is a F’n joke just the way neo lib’s like it while they PPP up more incarceration capacity for the masses.
However foreign investors will line up for the family silverware such as MRP etc.
The questions in the poll said: “The Government Communications Securities Bureau the GCSB is responsible for defending New Zealand against an increasing number of cyber attacks, but it’s been caught up in controversy, including potentially illegal spying on 88 people including New Zealand citizens and residents. Can our GCSB spies be trusted to act in the best interests of New Zealanders?”
There is a load of bias in the lead up to the question. And the question should really be about the spy boss and the role of the PM in providing oversight, not the spy-workers who are most likely following orders or set parameters for their activities.
On Backbenches last week that horrible little turd Jamie Lee Ross once again repeated his favourite trite Thatcherism about how “the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money to spend”.
Apparently he’s too thick to notice that the slogan implies that the people who oppose socialism are the ones who want to spend other people’s money.
Repeating such pure cliché, is the sign of a very ill-informed individual, who was *selected* for his ability to bend over, and to repeat the messages he has been brainwashed into believing!
As felix points out, very thick, but a supporter of evil none the less!
Listening to the news this a.m. First Hanover – after lengthy examination there isn’t enough evidence to hang a criminal case on. Shouldn’t tricksters and negligent and deliberately ignorant businesspeople have a lifetime ban or near, on running any business that involves providing finance! They could open a garage and repair cars, or buy a property and farm, but keep them away from being directors or owners of any other company where they can carpet the floor with NZ’s venture capital and retirement savings.
And second. The politicians have been treated like businesses, limited liability entities. If they couldn’t just step out of the spotlight and into some well-paid job and vanish from sight, leaving their detritus behind them for the people, they might think twice. If John Key and his band of degenerates think they are going to open us up to deep water disasters and ruin our livelihoods for at least a generation, and get off scot-free they are mistaken. The passion that goes into opposing abortion by the febrile fervent, may be a small example of what will come.
‘Climate Collision Course: CO2 Levels About to Hit 400 PPM
In a first in human history, “it looks like the world is going to blow through the 400-ppm level without losing a beat.” ‘
‘Now we know that the Earth has shown a remarkable ability to regulate its temperature within a range conducive to Life, and that several natural carbon cycles have served as temperature regulators. When humans extract carbon from geologic reservoirs hundreds of millions of years old, dumping it into the surface reservoirs (especially the air), we are attacking the Earth’s metabolism.
There’s no known means of getting rid of the excess carbon we’ve already disgorged. The only secure way to sequester carbon is to leave it in the ground. Fossil fuel extraction must stop.’
‘The truth is, we are in terrible, terrible times on every front. Judge that however you wish, call me whatever, but we are in terrible times and they are going to get a lot worse. Climate change is not for the faint of heart, that is for sure. There is a growing number of credible people who are convinced, based on science, that we have very few years left on the planet. Maybe fewer than 10, and certainly no more than 35.
Global warming alone is sufficient to cause extinction of all life, and it is far worse than most people know because all our information is so filtered and politicized. We have triggered between 8 and 12 feedback loops that contribute to increased warming, depending on which expert you pay attention to. Living beings are dying, forests, the oceans, hundreds of species per day are going extinct, plants are dying, rivers are dying, aquifers are depleted, and the dying is going to get a lot bigger before it gets smaller. The things that are causing the dying, including the CO2, are increasing every year. Every year we put however much percentage again over last year’s amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. If we could stop right now, which is not possible, the earth would continue to warm because of the melting glaciers, ice caps and permafrost that have been triggered. The role in climate stability that the ice caps and ice sheets play is critical to understanding what is occurring and what will occur. ‘
The book—titled The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills, written by David Stuckler, an Oxford University political economist, and Sanjay Basu, an epidemiologist at Stanford University—uses historical case studies from around the globe and throughout history to show “how government policy becomes a matter of life and death” during deep or prolonged financial crises.
‘Discovering that the cure to the financial crisis of 2008 was in some ways worse than the affliction, Stucklet and Basu argue that countries “turned their recessions into veritable epidemics” by championing austerity measures that ultimately “ruined or extinguished” thousands of lives in series of “misguided” attempts to balance budgets, appease financial markets, and bow to the economic elite.’
‘New Research: Economic Austerity in US and Europe ‘Is Killing People’
HIV/AIDS, malaria outbreaks, shortages of essential medicines, lost healthcare access, and an epidemic of drug abuse, depression and suicide.’
‘Citing examples from the historical and current record, Stuckler and Basu show that many countries have weathered financial and other crises by investing in public health and innovative social programs.
“Ultimately what we show is that worsening health is not an inevitable consequence of economic recessions. It’s a political choice,” said Professor Basu.’
A bankrupt and in huge debt to the US Socialist UK brought in the NHS and Unemployment benefits.
And more on the appointment of Susan Devoy as Race Relations Commissioner.
TVNZ sought more information on the appointment and ‘other applicants’ and – surprise, surprise – Devoy was not the only sports star considered for the role.
“Rugby legend Michael Jones and netballer Irene Van Dyk were both shortlisted for the position before it was given to Devoy earlier this year.
The revelation has prompted fresh questions over what qualifications are needed for the job. …
As I/S at NRT says
Like Devoy, its hard to see how either of these people could possibly have been regarded as qualified for the role. Their sole qualification seems to be fame (and in Jones’ case, his strong links with the National Party).
The Human Rights Commission is an important body and a vital watchdog in our society. It deserves better than National’s celebrity crony-appointments.
I was remembering Paul Henry’s sensitive comment about our Governor General with an Indian name not being a real New Zealander. Well Irene Van Dyk was South African wasn’t she, certainly not born and bred in our fair land. But rugby players know how to handle pesky racist name callers etc.
In Paul Henry’s world, white South Africans are real New Zealanders. Unless of course, they’re white South Africans who fought apartheid. I have no idea what van Dyk’s history is in that respect.
Michael Jones probably knows a bit more about race relations than many of the previous holders of the position – what with knowing the oppression first hand and such.
Yup and his religious beliefs caused him issues so he actually would’ve been OK IMO, but he’s too smart to sully his persona being Collins lapdog, Devoy on the other hand….
When is NZ Prime Minister John Key going to stand down John Banks as a Minister?
The John Banks Private Prosecution has been referred to the Solicitor General with a request that the Crown take over the prosecution and appear for the Informant when Banks is summonsed to appear in the Auckland District Court sometime in May or early June 2013.
“When is NZ Prime Minister John Key going to stand down John Banks as a Minister?”
When the ref sends him off, not before.
I’m looking forward to Banks’ day in court, the media scrums where he bleats on and on in his bully/shouty way about how he’s the victim as narcissists typically do. I’m looking forward to Banks doing the walk of shame out of court followed by yet another ‘I am standing tall’ speech. And I’m looking forward to John Key matter-of-factly announcing in the house that he is standing Banks down as a minister as if it’s just an other one of his ‘corrections’.
Also the John Key press conference afterwards where he acts like it’s just some technical thing between Banks and ‘the courts’, like it’s nothing to do with him anyway, like he’d rather talk about ‘jobs’, and like ackshully, he’s not bovvered about it.
The link provides a further link to the Judge’s decision to allow the case to go forward.
I had been meaning to read the decision in full and found it well worth reading in terms of how the Judge very fully dealt with the (weak IMO) arguments of Banks’ counsel seeking to have the case thrown out.
Looking forward to the next round. Referral to the Solicitor General leaves the SG and Key etc in a real conundrum!
Another sign that the honeymoon is over? I don’t usually read Travel pieces as my travel days are essentially over, but was drawn to read this one in the Herald by the title – “Why the PM’s wandering eye does matter”.
It’s none of our business if any old Minister of Tourism – or any old Prime Minister, for that matter – chooses to take his family holidays in Hawaii each year.
But when John Key chose to pick up the tourism portfolio he was making a marque declaration about the industry’s importance to New Zealand. Like David Lange baggsying the education portfolio back in the 1980s, this sends a powerful message – look Rest Of The World, this stuff is so important to us that the Prime Minister runs the shop … er, when he’s not tanning himself on Waikiki, of course.
…
When quizzed at last week’s Trenz tourism conference about taking his big holidays in Hawaii rather than in New Zealand, Key – who takes shorter breaks at his holiday home in Omaha – had a smart enough answer.
“The reason I go is not because I don’t love New Zealand. The reason I go is because if I truly want to have a couple of weeks where it’s just me and the family – given the other 50 weeks it’s seven days a week 360-odd days a year – I can’t do that in New Zealand because you can’t switch off being Prime Minster.”
Yep, a smart enough answer. A smarter one might have been to say, “You know what, funny you mention it, next summer we are staying in New Zealand.”
Go on, John, there are plenty of places a millionaire can hole up for a week or two of privacy in Nelson or Coromandel.
Key’s reply also suggests that the Hawaii holidays are only two weeks a year???? Cannot be bothered checking but IIRC, their summer breaks there are definitely longer than two weeks.
“Go on, John, there are plenty of places a millionaire can hole up for a week or two of privacy in Nelson or Coromandel”
or closer to home even, there is a big place in his own electorate that seems perfect to hide away unknown and unseen, worked for that german billionaire, JK never even knew he was there
In other STUFF news:
SFO will not be prosecuting Hotchins or Golden Boy *juxtaposed* against the jailing of the ‘dirty filthy’ for drug offences.
I was just thinking (and NOT that I’m an advocate for so called ‘dealers’): Which of the two has caused its victims greater long term damage – given that the Polis generally over-value drug hauls’ street value?
Oh yea – Eric Watshis name!
Just a thought. Let’s imagine for a moment that 100,000 Americans all up and off to some right wing state in the US, there they stole each others phones, three times, and all got locked away for life. How long would the three strikes law last under the weight of that many inmates. The reason why the right wing exists is they know that Americans no longer want to standup and be counted to defend their constitution. geez, like there aren’t 100,000 people jobless in the US.
the message is out, guess we all were wrong. looks like NZ is fine
funny how it does not mention 57 billion dollars of new debt and where oh where do they get the after tax wage increase of 22% since 2008. Aside from a couple of high-end ad guys I know of no-one whose pay jumped by a fifth.
Oh, please! the last thing Aucklanders need is Maurice Williamson being let loose on it. In such a case I will likely fast-forward my retirement out of Auckland. Enough is Enough!
I just saw Gerry Brownlee on TV3 explaining why the Government ill not do anything for Auckland’s transport intentions. He ruled out everything except increased rates.
Labour should focus on this. They need to designate someone, eg Phil Twyford as spokesperson for Auckland issues. This person should have no other obligations or roles. All they need to do is take care of Auckland issues, talk about Auckland issues and investigate Auckland issues. With a third of the country’s population in the area this person should, like Len Brown, just talk about Auckland.
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Michael Baker, University of OtagoOverjoyed. That’s not a word epidemiologists normally use, but that’s how I felt after hearing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s announcement about New Zealand’s COVID-19 shutdown of everything except essential services for at least four weeks from midnight on Wednesday. More than anything, I just ...
How much homelessness is caused by house hoarding? We're about to find out. The pandemic has destroyed tourism, which means that house hoarders who put their hoarded properties up as short-term tourist rentals are now offering them on the ordinary rental market:Property investors are pulling properties from Airbnb to offer ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bruce Lieberman It seems like such a simple, straightforward, empowering idea: plant trees – a lot of trees – all over the world, and watch the planet’s temperature fall. Who doesn’t love a tree or two, even far more – the right ...
According to Newshub, Simon Bridges is open to joining a “grand coalition” with Labour as we hunker down to go into a month long lockdown. The idea is sound. Before now, the role of the opposition was to scrutinise and oppose. In the context of what almost amounts to a ...
Kia ora my name is Chloe Ann-King* and I am the founder of Raise the Bar, a campaign and non-profit that gives free legal aid, advocacy and tautoko to hospitality workers in Aotearoa. Right now all over our country hospo workers are being fired at will, having shifts cut or ...
We need to be lifting our game against COVID-19. You and I need to help those working to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while they’re trying to lift the testing and treatment efforts. We don’t want to be playing this game running backwards. Best to play it solidly forward, from ...
Prof Tony Blakely, Prof Michael Baker, and Prof Nick WilsonThe NZ Government must do more to clearly articulate its COVID-19 strategy: eradication or ‘flattening the curve’ mitigation. But to do so means understanding the maths and ethics of both these strategies. In this blog, we adapt our work for ...
A few days ago I was starting to write something about the pandemic, which now seems unconscionable. It took the form of a letter to an agony aunt:“Dear Deidre, I have an ugly confession. I am quite excited by Covid-19.”This is how the piece went:“I’m not a psychopath, honest. Although the ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Climate Feedback Article Review... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... In Just 10 Years, Warming Has Increased the Odds of DisastersThe likelihood of extreme events ...
Last week, the government announced a $12 billion initial package to support people during the pandemic. Today, the Reserve Bank is buying government bonds - effectively printing money - to keep up the money supply during the crisis. Normally such moves would have the right apoplectic. Instead, the National Party ...
I am a pundit, somebody who opines and comments on the news. There are no real qualifications to punditry though having a rudimentary way with words and good general knowledge helps. That is one reason there is a constant oversupply of would-be pundits and why it is quite hard to ...
I recently encountered the following prescription from a Faculty of Education at a leading New Zealand University. At first I wondered if it was another product of the postmodern generator (http://www.elsewhere.org/journal/pomo/), designed to create gibberish in the postmodern form, but I’m told it is real: The “schooled” society: Towards the ...
The coronavirus pandemic has of course had a major impact on individual lives and on societies as a whole. But, long after the crisis has passed (assuming it does), we will begin to realise that its real and lasting significance lies in the lessons it has taught us, if only ...
COVID-19 has plunged Aotearoa New Zealand (indeed, the world) into territory that, while maybe not totally unprecedented, certainly hasn’t been seen during the lifetimes of most of us here today. Our borders are closed to non-citizens, we’re being told not to gather in groups of more than 500 outside/100 inside, ...
For the last few weeks, I’ve been urging you to prepare yourself, your family, business, and community for Covid-19. Now it’s time for real action. Yesterday the director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced another 13 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, bringing our total to date to 52. ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Mar 15, 2020 through Sat, Mar 21, 2020 Editor's Pick Now Isn’t the Time to Forget About Our Climate Change EffortsTasha Tilberg, Lindsey Wixson, and Liu Wen photographed ...
by Jan Rivers The article has been corrected to show that it was Ewen MacAskill, former Guardian journalist and not Luke Harding who travelled to meet Edward Snowden with journalist Glenn Greenwald and filmmaker Laura Poitras. Some of the Guardian’s well-known journalists who did not sign the protest letter are ...
by Cultural Worker Late March 2020 amidst the virus. With gigs crashing and burning all around it was without much hope that I called a long standing rest home booking: “ Hi, I’m supposed to be entertaining at your place this afternoon – is it still on?” “”If you don’t ...
Whenever people demand real change from their politicians, we're told that "politics is the art of the possible". The implication is that change isn't possible, so we'd better just get used to the sucky status quo. But now that there's a pandemic, a lot of things we were previously told ...
Together: In leading New Zealand through the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Prime Minister could do a lot worse than allow herself to be guided by the spirit of collective sacrifice and co-operation that animated the New Zealanders of 80 years ago. Most Kiwis alive today have had no opportunity to prove their ...
It is said that generals fight the last war. In the case of the early stages of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) they had learned from the Great Depression of the 1930s and they fought intelligently and successfully. Later their advice would be ignored in favour of the Austerians who ...
Solidarity Forever: All over the world, the arrival of the Covid-19 virus has exposed the fragility of the walls we erect around ourselves and our loved ones. It has shattered our illusions of autonomy and revealed to us how utterly dependent we all are on other human-beings. Finally, we see ...
Looking across the various arguments for/against the leading candidates to take the Democratic Nomination, you might honestly be very hard pressed to tell. There are a number of things that have now started happening since Amy Klobuchar and “Mayor Pete” Buttigieg both threw the towel in and immediately (and ...
by Daphna Whitmore Abortion is no longer in the Crimes Act in New Zealand. The law reform passed yesterday and now abortion is a medical matter between a woman and her doctor. Many women’s groups and progressive people have campaigned for reform for decades. The women’s liberation movement and some ...
Doug Specht, University of Westminster and Julio Gimenez, University of Westminster When fake news, misreporting and alternative facts are everywhere, reading the news can be a challenge. Not only is there plenty of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and other scientific topics floating around social media, you also ...
Michael Baker, University of Otago and Nick Wilson, University of OtagoWith some of the toughest border restrictions and a newly-announced NZ$500 million boost to health services, New Zealand is among a small number of countries with a strategy to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand is also fortunate in ...
As expected, the government has introduced a sessional order to allow Parliament to operate during the pandemic. You can read it on the Order Paper here, but the short version is that questions and motions can be filed electronicly, select committees can work remotely, and the the Business Committee can ...
Axel Bruns, Queensland University of Technology; Daniel Angus, Queensland University of Technology; Timothy Graham, Queensland University of Technology, and Tobias R. Keller, Queensland University of Technology News and views about coronavirus has spread via social media in a way that no health emergency has done before. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, ...
So you’ve recently returned from overseas, come into contact with someone who tested positive, got a bit of a dry cough yourself or perhaps just want to self isolate for 14 days to avoid other people who might have COVID-19. Here are a few tips and tricks to help get ...
Our Good Fortune: Precisely because she has never been an ideologue (she calls herself a “pragmatic idealist”) Jacinda Ardern has a political nimbleness and spontaneity which, when infused with her exceptional emotional intelligence, produces spectacular demonstrations of leadership. Jacinda's empathic political personality contrasts sharply with the less-than-sunny ways of her ...
The Abortion Legislation Bill has just passed its third reading, 68-51. NZ First MPs bailed because their referendum amendment didn't pass, but there were plenty of MPs to provide a majority without them. The bill is a long way from perfect - most significantly, it subjects pregnant people who need ...
As most of the world tries to suppress the coronavirus spread, some countries are going it alone – trying to manage the pandemic through so-called “herd immunity”. Herd immunity means letting a large number of people catch a disease, and hence develop immunity to it, to stop the virus spreading. ...
So, as I sit at home with a very, very slight headache (i.e. not at work when I would otherwise be so), the now familiar figure of Ashley Bloomfield reports eight new confirmed cases of COVID-19 including two in Waikato. A surprise, given that we had just twelve yesterday? No. ...
Many who advocated for, and voted for, the current Coalition – particularly those who voted Labour and the Green Party – expected to see a sea change in the reality of social services. A real, deep change of attitude, approach of process through which the system negotiates the difficult and ...
New Zealand’s border restrictions will come with significant job and business losses in the tourism sector, both at home and in the Pacific. But the new travel rules are absolutely necessary to protect the health of New Zealanders and people right across Pacific Islands, because New Zealand is a gateway ...
Professor Philip Hill and Associate Professor James UssherMost infectious diseases have an Achilles heel, the secret is to find it. The question is if we don’t have a drug or a vaccine for COVID-19, is there something else we can do to beat it? Some people estimate that, without ...
The Coalition Governments $12.1 billion economic package to help combat the financial effects of COVID-19 was generally well received across the board, even amongst many business leaders who would normally be critical of a Labour led Government.However there was one glaringly obvious exception, Simon Bridges. The so-called leader of the ...
With confirmed cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand up to 12, many influential people are writing open letters and opinion pieces and doing press conferences asking why we aren’t pulling out all the stops and testing thousands of people a day like they are in South Korea. The thing is, ...
by Daphna Whitmore The willingness to put human life before business shows that sometimes capitalism is capable of suspending its relentless drive for profit. For a short time it can behave differently. Flatten the curve is the public health message since COVID-19 suddenly overwhelmed the hospital system in northern Italy. ...
Worldwide, the 1918 influenza epidemic – wrongly called ‘Spanish’ flu – lasted about two years. However, it lasted about six weeks in New Zealand (remembered as ‘Black November’, because the dead turned a purplish-black). It is thought about 7000 Pakeha died and 2,500 Maori. The population mortality rate was about ...
In a world and a time when the worst off and most vulnerable have been asked, time and again, to foot the bill for the complete subjugating to the will of the 1% thanks to the GFC, at a point where the world as a whole is now seeing quite ...
With the economy already reeling from a crisis that’s barely begun, the Government today sought to provide reassurance to workers and businesses in the form of a massive phallic pun to insert much-needed cash into the private sector and help fight the looming pandemic. Here are the key components: $5.1 ...
I am a member of the working poor and so still need state welfare to make rent. So I had booked an appointment for yesterday with my caseworker at Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) to apply for a transition to work grant. However the current health advice in New ...
Today the government announced a financial package to deal with the effects of the pandemic. So far, it looks good: an initial $500 million for health to deal with immediate priorities, wage subsidies for affected businesses, $585 a week from WINZ for people self-isolating who can't work from home, and ...
The COVID-19 situation in New Zealand is moving fast - and to avoid what we've seen overseas - the Government's response must be to move fast too. We're committed to keeping New Zealanders safe and well-informed every step of the way. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is encouraging New Zealanders overseas to stay where they are amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are reaching a point where the best option for most New Zealanders offshore is to shelter in place, by preparing to safely stay where they are.” "This includes following the instructions ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters is encouraging the tens of thousands of New Zealanders travelling overseas to consider sheltering in place, in light of COVID-19. “Since 18 March, we have been warning New Zealanders offshore that the window for flying ...
Ground-breaking law has passed that will decriminalise abortion and ensure women and pregnant people seeking abortions have compassionate healthcare. ...
The Green Party says that the measures announced by the Government today will help families and businesses to prioritise our collective health and wellbeing in the response to COVID-19. ...
As New Zealanders brace for a global downturn due to Covid-19, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says his Coalition Government’s rescue package "more significant" than any other he's seen around the world. The Coalition is to reveal a multi-billion-dollar stimulus plan on Tuesday afternoon designed to cushion the economic blow ...
We know some people are feeling anxious about COVID-19. While the situation is serious, New Zealand has a world-class health system and we’re well-prepared to keep New Zealanders safe. ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order A New Zealand First member’s bill drawn from the ballot today seeks to overhaul the youth justice system by instigating a system of demerit points for offences committed by young offenders. “The ‘Youth Justice Demerit Point System’ will put an end to ...
Hon. Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic DevelopmentThe Provincial Growth Fund is investing $6 million in a land-based aquaculture pilot to see whether yellowtail kingfish can be commercially farmed in Northland, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today.A recirculating land-based aquaculture system will be built and operated ...
Hon. Shane Jones, Minister for ForestryForestry Minister Shane Jones has announced two One Billion Trees programme grants of more than $1.18 million to help hapu and iwi in Northland restore whenua and moana.“Many communities around Aotearoa have benefited from One Billion Trees funding since the programme was launched ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign AffairsAhead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to establish truth, accountability and justice for the downing of Flight MH17 ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime MinisterThe Government is investing $19.9 million through the Provincial Growth Fund in a game-changing hydrogen energy facility in South Taranaki, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters announced today.“The development of alternative energy initiatives like this one is vital for the Taranaki region’s economy. ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Minister for Foreign AffairsForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand is partnering with countries in the Pacific to ensure they are prepared for, and able to respond to the global threat of Coronavirus (COVID-19).“There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the ...
New Zealand will temporarily remove tariffs on all medical and hygiene imports needed for the COVID-19 response. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said today that the New Zealand Customs Service will apply tariff concessions to all diagnostic reagents and testing ...
Minister of Finance Grant Robertson has clarified that the changes to the wage subsidy scheme announced yesterday mean that employers should be passing on the full subsidy to workers, except in the case where the person’s normal income is less than the level of the subsidy. “We still want employers ...
Medical face masks from the national reserve supply are now being distributed to District Health Boards, while at the same time local production is being ramped up. Yesterday more than 640,000 masks were sent to DHBS – that is an immediate two week supply, with more to follow in coming ...
The Government has made modifications to the wage subsidy scheme to ensure people don’t lose their jobs during the national lockdown. These changes will soften the impact of COVID-19 on workers, families and businesses, and position them to exit the lockdown and look to recovery, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. ...
Farmers whose herds were culled in response to the outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis will be able to minimise the tax treatment of their income in some circumstances. Revenue Minister Stuart Nash says Cabinet has agreed to change the law. It means farmers may be eligible to spread their income over ...
A $27 million dollar package, effective immediately, is being provided to social sector services and community groups to ensure they can continue to provide essential support to communities as we stay at home as a nation to stop the spread of COVID-19, Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni announced. “At ...
“The guilty plea today will provide some relief to the many people whose lives were shattered by what happened on March 15,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. “These guilty pleas and conviction bring accountability for what happened and also save the families who lost loved ones, those who were injured, ...
The Prime Minister is holding daily press conferences to update New Zealanders on the Government's response to COVID-19. Links to videos and transcripts of these updates below. These transcripts also include All of Government press conferences led by Director Ministry of Health's Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. 25 March: Live update from the Prime ...
Frontline Police numbers have broken through the 10,000 mark for the first time in history as officers step forward to keep the community safe during the COVID19 lockdown. “Two Police graduations in Auckland and Wellington in the past week have been conducted in unprecedented circumstances,” Police Minister Stuart Nash said. ...
Urgent legislation has been passed to support the package of economic and social measures needed to recover from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. “The COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill will cushion New Zealanders from the worst economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Revenue Minister ...
From tomorrow, Government support for farmers and growers affected by drought will be expanded and extended across the country, with access to Rural Assistance Payments (RAPS) available throughout the North Island, parts of the South Island and the Chatham Islands, Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced. “These challenging conditions have ...
Parliament has passed amendments to legislation that give the Secretary of Education stronger powers to act in the fight to limit the spread of COVID-19, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “They are part of a suite of changes passed under the COVID-19 Response (Urgent Management Measures) Legislation Bill,” Chris ...
Canada, Australia, Chile, Brunei and Myanmar have joined forces with New Zealand and Singapore by committing to keep supply chains open and remove any existing trade restrictive measures on essential goods, especially medical supplies, in the face of the Covid-19 crisis. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker today welcomed ...
Immediate freeze on rent increases Tenancies will not be terminated during the lock-down period, unless the parties agree, or in limited circumstances Tenants who had previously given notice can stay in their if they need to stay in the tenancy during the lock-down period Tenants will still be able to ...
As New Zealand unites to lock-down in the fight against COVID-19, the Finance Minister is urging all businesses and workers to stay connected over the next four weeks. “We understand the extreme pressure many businesses are under right now. I know most business owners think of their workers as family ...
A State of National Emergency has been declared across the country as the Government pulls out all the stops to curtail the spread of COVID-19. “Today we put in place our country’s second ever State of National Emergency as we fight a global pandemic, save New Zealanders’ lives and prevent ...
Mr Speaker I wish to make a Ministerial Statement under Standing Order 347 in relation to the recent declaration of a State of National Emergency. Having considered the advice of the Director Civil Defence Emergency Management, the Minister of Civil Defence declared a State of National Emergency for the whole of ...
People needing to travel on domestic flights, trains and Cook Strait ferries to get home before the country moves into level 4 lock-down tomorrow night will be able to continue using the passenger services until midnight on Friday, Transport Minister Phil Twyford said today. Domestic passenger services, particularly ferries, have ...
The Government, retail banks and the Reserve Bank are today announcing a major financial support package for home owners and businesses affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19. The package will include a six month principal and interest payment holiday for mortgage holders and SME customers whose incomes have been ...
Minister of Transport Phil Twyford has today announced details of the Government’s support package to keep key air freight moving and ensure New Zealanders retain access to essential goods during the four-week level 4 lockdown. “The Government is working with airlines and air freight operators to ensure New Zealand’s key ...
New Zealand moved up to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 – Restrict New Zealand to move up to COVID-19 Alert Level 4 – Eliminate, in 48 hours Two-staged approach to give people and businesses time to prepare Level 3, from tomorrow Non-essential businesses must close All events and gatherings must be ...
Good afternoon The Cabinet met this morning to discuss our next actions in the fight against COVID-19. Like the rest of the world, we are facing the potential for devastating impacts from this virus. But, through decisive action, and through working together, do we have a small window to get ...
The Government is announcing significant further support for the economy, workers and businesses as the country unites to prepare for Alert Level 4 in the fight against COVID-19. Cabinet today agreed to remove the cap on the Government’s wage subsidy scheme, which will inject a further $4 billion into the ...
The Government is backing the Reserve Bank’s latest action to support the economy by reducing longer-term interest rates, meaning lower costs for businesses and mortgage holders, and a lower currency to help our exporters. The Minister of Finance has signed a memorandum of understanding and a letter of indemnity with ...
The Government has asked the Commerce Commission to take account of the exceptional circumstances created by COVID-19 when monitoring business behaviour in coming weeks. “The purpose of my request to the Commerce Commission is to make sure businesses can work together in ways that will allow them to provide ...
The New Zealand Government has temporarily closed its High Commission in Bridgetown, Barbados and its Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Due to the increasing scarcity of air links in and out of Bridgetown and Yangon, and the pressure COVID-19 is placing ...
Associate Health and Whānau Ora Minister Peeni Henare has today announced the Government’s plan to support Māori communities and businesses in the face of COVID-19. “Our Government’s $12.1 billion economic package will help many Māori whānau, workers and businesses, whether it’s through wage subsidies, income support and worker redeployment, or ...
The Government and the hospitality industry have worked together to produce guidelines to assist with managing and reducing transmission of COVID-19, Health Minister David Clark announced today. The guidelines developed between the Government, Hospitality New Zealand and SkyCity Entertainment Group, set out how the new restrictions on physical distancing and ...
Four stage Alert System for COVID-19 announced New Zealand moved up to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 – Reduce Contact New Zealanders over 70 and those with certain medical conditions told to stay at home as much as they can to reduce risk of contact with the virus Workplaces to implement ...
Kia ora koutou katoa I’m speaking directly to all New Zealanders today to give you as much certainty and clarity as we can as we fight Covid-19. Over the past few weeks, the world has changed. And it has changed very quickly. In February it would have seemed unimaginable to ...
New Zealand and Singapore have jointly committed to keep supply chains open and to remove any existing trade restrictive measures on essential goods, especially medical supplies, in the face of the Covid-19 crisis. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker welcomed the commitment. “This is an important collective response, and ...
JOINT MINISTERIAL STATEMENT BY SINGAPORE AND NEW ZEALAND AFFIRMING COMMITMENT TO ENSURING SUPPLY CHAIN CONNECTIVITY AMIDST THE COVID-19 SITUATION The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious global crisis. As part of our collective response to combat COVID-19, Singapore and New Zealand are committed to maintaining open and connected supply chains. We ...
Travel restrictions, closing our border to almost all travelers came into force from 23:59 on Thursday 19 March 2020 (NZDT). All airlines were informed of these restrictions before they came into force. Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says “The transit of passengers between Australia and New Zealand has been agreed upon and ...
The Government has allocated $100 million to help redeploy workers affected by the economic impact of COVID-19, with the hard-hit region of Gisborne-Tairāwhiti to be the first helped, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford, Forestry and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. Phil Twyford ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is ramping up support for Tairāwhiti’s wood processing sector to bolster the region’s economy at a time of heightened uncertainty, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Following earlier announcements today of a regional support package for Tairāwhiti, Minister Jones has also announced a ...
The Coalition Government has stepped in to protect Air New Zealand with a significant financial deal that protects essential routes and allows the company to keep operating. The Government and Air New Zealand have agreed a debt funding agreement through commercial 24-month loan facilities of up to $900 million*. The ...
The Government has taken further measures to protect New Zealanders from the COVID-19 virus, effectively stopping all people from boarding a plane to New Zealand from 11:59pm today, except for returning New Zealanders, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. New Zealanders’ partners, legal guardians or any dependent children travelling with ...
The Government has reinforced its commitment to protecting the health of New Zealanders from COVID-19 through the cancellation of indoor events with more than 100 people. “Protecting the health of New Zealanders is our number one priority, and that means we need to reduce the risks associated with large gatherings,” ...
The New Zealand Government is advising New Zealanders not to travel overseas due to COVID-19, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “We are raising our travel advice to the highest level: do not travel,” Mr Peters said. “This is the first time the New Zealand Government has advised New Zealanders ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier this week as part of the Government’s $12.1 billion COVID-19 economic response. The initial part of the aviation package aims to secure the operators of New Zealand’s aviation security system, and ...
How is Covid-19 spreading within the country? Newsroom is collating information as it's available to paint a picture of what's happening. There were 83 new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, down from the previous day's 85 new cases. Details of how many tests have been completed are now bing released ...
By RNZ News New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke to her followers on Facebook today from her office in Premier House. Her chat lasted about 15 minutes and garnered more than 310,000 views. She discussed wage subsidies for full-time and part-time workers, personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies for ...
COMMENTARY:By Bob Howarth (self-isolating in Australia after his latest trip to Timor-Leste) After days of web surfing for Covid-19 coronavirus news around the Asia-Pacific, two areas that appear to need improving in some countries are official communication and fact checking. So here’s my two cents, rupiah, kina or ...
Whether it’s a robot uprising, a woman catfishing into the publishing world or a bunch of lovestruck islanders, NEON has you covered. Here’s what we’re bingeing on NEON for the foreseeable future.WestworldJust in time for lockdown, there’s a buzz-worthy show with endless discussion points coming out on a weekly basis. ...
There’s been a lot of talk about PPE of late – do we have enough, is it getting to the right people, and who exactly are the right people, anyway? Here’s the latest official advice.The Ministry of Health has now circulated updated advice on the appropriate use of PPE (personal ...
A month ago, not many had heard of Ashley Bloomfield. But as the Covid-19 response has ramped up, the director-general of health has become a calm, reassuring presence in a time of uncertainty and fear. Rachel Thomas profiles him, in a piece first published on RNZ.Today, Saturday, director-general of health ...
Jim Kayes tests the waters of social media to see how people are coping with being told to avoid their favourite pastime.“There is something ridiculously exhilarating about catching a fish. The thrill might have faded for the salty angler, but for this rookie, the novice still snagging fish hooks ...
The Government yesterday reassured us there are plenty of masks for front line staff dealing with the public. Yet it seems home care workers, who provide up-close personal care for tens of thousands of people every day, won’t be given them. Yesterday two documents hit my inbox. One was a ...
Hobson’s Choice spokesman Don Brash (a former leader of the National and ACT Parties) is not alone in challenging the justification for tribes claiming to have closed roads to protect their people against Covid. Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters – his remarks apparently ignored by ...
Preliminary results from a survey investigating how well-equipped Māori whānau in the South Island are to stay at home for extended periods show that the majority are prepared to manage their short-term needs, but have increasing anxiety about ...
"The risk of fraud and corruption is compounded during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. When quick decisions are necessary to move vast amounts of resources, bribery, fraud and corruption abound," says Suzanne Snively, Chair of Transparency International ...
By RNZ Pacific Guam remains the Pacific pandemic hot spot with the number of Covid-19 coronavirus cases climbing above 50. On Friday six people tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total to 51. Thirteen of the cases are currently in hospital. READ MORE: Al Jazeera live updates – ...
By Mong Palatino Many Indonesian internet users have expressed anger over the decision of the House of Representatives (DPR) to test its 575 members for Covid-19. Indonesia has a population of more than 260 million. As of today, the country has 913 Covid-19 positive cases with 87 deaths. But ...
New Zealand has 78 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and five probable cases, the Government has announced today, taking the total to 451. Civil Defence Emergency Management director Sarah Stuart-Black said 12 people are in hospital and two are in intensive care, including one on a ventilator. Twelve are in ...
New Zealand has 78 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and five probable cases, the Government has announced today, taking the total to 451. Civil Defence Emergency Management director Sarah Stuart-Black said 12 people are in hospital and two are in intensive care, including one on a ventilator. Twelve are in ...
By Michelle Steven in Port MoresbyPacific New Guinea’s National Capital City Covid-19 Task Force team is preparing ahead should there be a possible coronavirus case during the 14-day lockdown. NCD Governor Powes Parkop told a media conference that the capital city would be in total lockdown with no public ...
Leading immigration lawyer Aaron Martin assesses the impact of the announcement of the epidemic notice for migrants. Immigration New Zealand announced that the government epidemic management notice relating to immigration matters comes into effect on 2 ...
Just a tiny handful of print publications will continue through the lockdown, with only daily newspapers specifically identified as being able to continue. Duncan Greive spoke to publishers of magazines and community newspapers about the impact on them and their communities.Publishers of magazines and community newspapers are reeling, after a ...
Just a tiny handful of print publications will continue through the lockdown, with only daily newspapers specifically identified as being able to continue. Duncan Greive spoke to publishers of magazines and community newspapers about the impact on them and their communities.Publishers of magazines and community newspapers are reeling, after a ...
Jacinda Ardern has pleaded with the Australian Prime Minister to make an exception to the rule that bars many of the 650,000 New Zealanders there from receiving a benefit. ...
In our new series The Lockdown Letters, some of New Zealand’s best writers tell us what they’ve been up to in the days of Covid-19 alert level four. Today, political commentator and essayist Morgan Godfery.I’M TWEETING AT 2AM.The responsible part of my brain is sending sleep signals. Inconvenient yawns. The ...
Take a vicarious roadie via Attraction, the novel by Ruby Porter that was longlisted for the country’s biggest fiction prize. Released last year, it’s now a slightly eerie snapshot of Aotearoa as we were. Attraction is a New Zealand road trip novel with a heavy dose of postcolonial guilt. Whitewashing, cultural ...
Iwi everywhere put support plans into action, focusing on their kaumātua, writes Kayne Ngātokowhā Peters. Iwi are ramping up support services to assist their people in need following the closure of Ministry of Social Development offices and the move to online and phone assistance from Work and Income. Central North Island ...
It’s been 10 years since the release of Dane Rumble’s solo album The Experiment. Josie Adams looks back on why New Zealand fell so hard and fast.At The Experiment’s launch, a decade ago yesterday, Dane Rumble had only one wish: “I just want to write the best album that I ...
"She blindfolded each of the children with a scarf, saying, ‘There’s going to be a surprise!'": a horror story set at a children's birthday party, by Dunedin writer Emma Neale. As soon as the last child arrived at Bevan’s ninth birthday party, the bashing began. Allan walloped Bevan with a ...
As New Zealand adjusts to our new normal, one thing from the old world remains – commercial breakfast radio. We tuned into the first morning of lockdown on the airwaves. In a time when the world seems completely upside-down, you can thankfully still count on commercial breakfast radio to be there ...
Dynamic Silver Ferns defender Jane Watson shares her heartrending and brave story in the final episode of the Pure As documentary series. The fading scar just below Jane Watson's left shoulder is the only clue to her until-now untold story, of the challenges that have tormented the netball world champion. The dynamic, tenacious ...
By now, everybody should know about staying in their bubble and leaving the house only for essential services and exercise, provided social distancing rules are followed. Does this mean people can still take the boat out, or go surfing? “Staying at home will save lives,” said Jacinda Ardern in a question ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here.New Zealand is currently in alert level four. The country is shut down, apart from essential services. For updated official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by The Spinoff Members. To support this work, join The ...
Donald Trump and Boris Johnson's response to coronavirus has revealed some disturbing attitudes towards segments of the population As New Zealand enters a period of indeterminate lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we (and I mean us as a global population) have learned a lot about the importance of ...
As New Zealand entered national lockdown, The Spinoff commissioned social media polling company Stickybeak to measure the mood of the nation. Stickybeak co-founder David Brain reveals what the poll results show.As soon as the PM made her Monday afternoon announcement that the country was going to alert level three and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra All Australians arriving from overseas will be quarantined in hotels or other facilities under strict supervision for a fortnight, under the latest crackdown in the battle against the coronavirus. Announcing the measure after Friday’s meeting ...
By RNZ News As the number of Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic cases in New Zealand increases, daily demand for protective clothing for medical workers has come under pressure. On the second day of the country’s lockdown, the number of New Zealand’s Covid-19 cases has jumped by 85, with a man ...
Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr and Bernard Hickey 'Zoom' out to talk about the once-in-a-lifetime shock to the global economy this week and what it means for businesses and investors. Just as many other businesses are adjusting to the lockdown, so too are Kiwibank and Newsroom. Chief ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon MacKay, Lecturer, Business Analytics, University of Auckland New Zealand and much of the world is now under an unprecedented lockdown. Public health experts say this is the best way to suppress the spread of the virus. But how long will such ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Allen Cheng, Professor in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Monash University According to Google Trends, the top globally trending topic this week is “orthohantavirus”, as spurious sites claim it’s the next pandemic on the horizon. Take it from me: it’s not. This baseless claim ...
As soon as the Prime Minister announced that the country had moved to a Level Three alert and would then move to a full Level Four lockdown, the only thing on most people's minds in downtown Wellington was how to prepare for living and working from home for at least ...
Two Cents' Worth hosts Bernard Hickey, Nikki Mandow and Gyles Beckford reflect on the most turbulent week in New Zealand’s economic history. They look at two new tools for business and online working advice that were built over a weekend to help deal with the Covid-19 crisis. They also talk ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erica Mealy, Lecturer in Computer Science, University of the Sunshine Coast These past few weeks have shown the brittleness of Australia’s online systems. It’s not surprising the federal government’s traditionally slow-moving IT systems are buckling under the pressure. On Sunday, the federal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arindam Basu, Associate Professor, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University of Canterbury The number of New Zealanders testing positive for COVID-19 will continue to rise despite the strict conditions of the four-week lockdown that began this week. As of today, there are 368 ...
Advocates say they’re drowning in complaints of exploitation brought on by the lockdown, Dileepa Fonseka reports Migrant associations and unions have been swamped with allegations that some employers have abused the Government’s wage subsidy scheme or skirted their obligations. Indian Workers Association spokesman Mandeep Bela said he had been “flooded” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona MacDonald, Senior Research Fellow, Victoria University For children, school is about more than just learning. This is even more the case for children living in disadvantage as many schools also provide vital food and a welcoming environment. As the COVID-19 pandemic ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Walker, Adjunct Professor, School of Communications, La Trobe University Leaders of the world’s largest economies came together at a virtual G20 this week to “do whatever it takes to overcome the coronavirus pandemic”. But the reality is that global capacity to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Sonnemann, Fellow, Grattan Institute Australian schools and teachers are preparing to shift classes online – some independent schools already have. Remote learning is likely to be the norm in the second term and possibly longer. Even if done well, there are ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dilan Thampapillai, Senior Lecturer, ANU College of Law, Australian National University The coronavirus and its attendant emergency measures are set to deliver a profound shock to the residential tenancy market. How it will work out is anybody’s guess, but it is looking ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Gibney, NHMRC early career fellow, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity In three short months, more than half a million cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, have been reported worldwide. The US now has the highest number of COVID-19 ...
By Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific journalist A 43-year-old woman has reportedly died due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in Indonesian-administered West Papua province. It is the first recorded death from Covid-19 in the Papua region, and adds to fears that a looming surge in cases could overwhelm the health ...
By JC Gotinga in Manila Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff General Felimon Santos Jr has tested positive for the Covid-19 novel coronavirus. Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana shared the information today with reporters covering defence issues. General Santos said yesterday that he was on home quarantine after coming ...
The Fold podcast returns for March into a media world transformed by the impact of Covid-19. Host Duncan Greive records a monopod to assess its impact.In last month’s edition of this podcast, The Spinoff editor Toby Manhire and I discussed RNZ’s Concert debacle. At the time, it was the biggest ...
As New Zealand faces the most brutal recession in living memory, the battle to preserve the core of the economy deepens. Companies are cancelling dividends to protect what cash they have, others are reaching for financial aid from their banks or the government. Yet for some businesses, notably the big ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s contentPublic health strategy Henry Cooke (Stuff): New model shows coronavirus could kill 80,000 Kiwis without lockdown Kate Newton (RNZ): Modelling shows ...
Shoppers are ignoring physical distancing rules, while rule-flouters face jail time in Sāmoa and the Cook Islands, writes Teuila Fuatai. Scenes from one of Fiji’s best-known fresh produce markets illustrate the difficulties of clamping down on Covid-19. Footage captured at the Sigatoka markets on Viti Levu on Thursday March 26 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Terry Goldsworthy, Associate Professor in Criminology, Bond University As coronavirus continues to affect all aspects of life, law enforcement agencies are playing a more pivotal role in enforcing new health and social regulations while ensuring society continues to function in a civil ...
This week in politics: Parliament authorises 'the biggest blank cheque in the history of the country', as the massive economic cost of Covid-19 starts to emerge. ...
Analysis by Keith RankinAustralia – exponential growth. Chart by Keith Rankin.Canada – exponential growth. Chart by Keith Rankin.New Zealand – exponential growth. Chart by Keith Rankin.Australian cases have been on an exponent growth path since late February, with no remission yet in sight. The good news ...
It turns out that treating allies like enemies and creating enemies out of rivals may not be a great approach to diplomacy when your problems are global – like Covid-19, writes Peter Bale After three years of crapping all over allies – like calling Germany a deadbeat over its Nato ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Fair, Adjunct Professor, School of Information Technology, Deakin University Borders, beaches, pubs and churches are closed, large events are cancelled, and travellers are subject to 14 days’ isolation – all at significant cost to taxpayers and the economy. But could telecommunications ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tauel Harper, Lecturer, Media and Communication, UWA, University of Western Australia Tonight, for the first time in its 12-year history, my weekly boardgame group will meet online, instead of our regular weekly in-person sessions. Tomorrow night, a planned dinner with friends has ...
Keith Rankin on Malthusian checksKeith Rankin.The 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic has all the visible hallmarks of a Malthusian pestilence, a necessary positive check visited upon an over‑abundant humanity. Indeed, that is a likely future interpretation of this event. It’s an important perspective which should be treated with both understanding ...
Dua Lipa’s new album, Future Nostalgia, is an ode to good memories and a gateway to Zumba. Josie Adams listened to it and took a heady trip into her past.We’re only three months in, but I’m calling it now: Future Nostalgia will be one of the best pop records released ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland New cases of the coronavirus are reported every day, and as yet there’s no vaccine. So what treatments are available if you’re one of the unlucky ones who gets infected? If your symptoms are ...
Technology retailers experienced a surge in demand for home office supplies as the Covid-19 shutdown loomed Wednesday evening. With thousands being forced to work at home, monitors, keyboards and headsets were flying out the door. PB Tech store manager Donny Dong said there had been a steady stream of customers ...
Simon Day and Calum Henderson celebrate some iconic matches from the Black Caps’ back catalogue.The only thing better than watching live cricket is watching classic cricket. It’s a sport that’s built on characters and narratives, and to be honest, four out of five games are just a bit disappointing. But ...
The Council of Trade Unions is welcoming today's announcement from the Minister of Finance to further support working Kiwis. "Maintaining working Kiwis in employment is essential to ensure we can get though this challenging time," CTU President ...
The mortgage holiday scheme for those hit financially by the Covid-19 virus is up and running. The six-month home loan deferral scheme was arranged between the banks and the government. Bankers Association chief executive Roger Beaumont said the banks can now offer to defer mortgage payments of principal and interest ...
Watch our fifth live Q&A session with Dr Ayesha Verrall, a senior lecturer at Otago University who specialises in infectious diseases. Ayesha Verrall is an infectious diseases physician and senior lecturer at Otago University's Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Wellington). Dr Verrall has been monitoring the spread and impact of Covid-19 closely ...
Coronavirus-hit Kiwi businesses that apply to the Government's wage subsidy scheme must pass on the full amount to their employees - even if they are entirely closed down, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Finance Minister Grant Robertson have confirmed. The Government has also scrapped a separate sick leave regime, folding it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Bret Hart, Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor Curtin Medical School Public Health Physician, Curtin University You might have heard about contact tracing which, when combined with social distancing, has proven a powerful asset in controlling the spread of COVID-19. In short, it ...
The proposition that our Police are paving the way for a partnership in which former MP Hone Harawira and other iwi leaders police communities within the borders they define went unchallenged when put to press officers working for the Prime Minister and the Police. The picture painted in the preceding ...
Tougher Covid-19 restrictions would have a massive impact on the billion-dollar industry, but growers remain cautiously optimistic they can beat the clock, writes Jim Kayes. Craig Lemon sits in a room usually teeming with people, surrounded by bottles of hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes. With 260 hectares of kiwifruit orchards ...
A poem by Wellington poet Jenny Bornholdt. Finance City bracketed by snowwoollens airbornein the hall.Starved, our animal selvestore grassfrom the lawn, barkfrom the trees, trottedto where our childrengnawed the bones of animalssmaller than themselves. Was this the endof the world? Of childhood?This frozenness trapping usin our adult selves. Who knew what wouldhappen next. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodie L. Rummer, Associate Professor & Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University The Great Barrier Reef is suffering its third mass bleaching event in five years. It follows the record-breaking mass bleaching event in 2016 that killed a third of Great Barrier ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeremy Baskin, Fellow, Melbourne School of Government and Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne G20 leaders have pledged to do “whatever it takes” to minimise the impacts of COVID-19. Most of these nations are lumbered with welfare safety nets unfit for purpose. ...
Open mike 30/04/2013 
I’m here in lockdown with my flatmate and her two girls (6 and 2) and it. is. a time. They’re usually really active so to start with the only boardgame in the house is the copy of Guess Who that the 6 year old got for her birthday. Flatmate commented ...4 hours ago
The CV-19 (COVID) pandemic has seen the imposition of a government ordered national quarantine and the promulgation of a series of measures designed to spread the burden of pain and soften the economic blow on the most strategically important and most vulnerable sectors of society. The national narrative is framed ...9 hours ago
. . Lock Down: Day 2 – A photo essay with observations . March 27 – Day 2 of our Strange New World. The Park and Ride near my suburb, usually filled with hundreds of vehicles, had just… four; . . Another drive into Wellington City on a highway nearly ...12 hours ago
Fortune's Children: Under extraordinary pressure, the leader of the Government and the leader of the Opposition will each show us what they are made of. Have they been blessed with intelligence, grace, wit, poise, toughness, empathy and humour – and in what measure? More importantly, to what extent have they ...14 hours ago
17 hours ago
Society-wise, aside from the specific morbidity shall we say of the medically-oriented aspects of this COVID-19 crisis, what is unfolding before the world is in more than one way an instructive study of humanity and reactions to a high intensity, high stress environment in real time. Friends, we are at ...1 day ago
Right now low waged and insecure workers are feeling the economic brunt of the looming #Covid19 Recession. In response legal advocate Toby Cooper* and hospitality and worker’s rights advocate Chloe Ann-King, are putting together a series of legal blogs about your employment rights: In this legal blog we outline some ...1 day ago
by Equipo Jurídico Pueblos and Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (25/03/2020) An escape plan in question On the night of March 21st and the early morning of the 22nd, the forces of the Colombian state stormed into the Modelo prison in Bogotá, murdering 23 prisoners and injuring 83, in response to the ...1 day ago
When the government banned semi-automatic weapons in response to a terrorist atrocity, gun-nuts were outraged. Mired in toxic American gun culture, they thought owning weapons whose sole purpose was killing people was some sort of "constitutional right", a necessity for "defending themselves" against the government. Now, the Court of Appeal ...1 day ago
Just before midnight on Wednesday March 25, Aotearoa New Zealand entered a countrywide alert level four lockdown. For at least the next four weeks, everyone who isn’t an essential worker is confined to their bubble. We are doing this to stop the explosive growth in people contracting and dying from ...1 day ago
Tamper with The System? Well, we already are. But there's a difference between accidentally trickling sand into a precision gearbox versus formulating a plan to alter it on the fly with improvements in mind. One action is more or less innocently unscrupulous, the other amenable to earning an easy ...3 days ago
Kia ora my name is Chloe Ann-King* and I am the founder of Raise the Bar, a campaign and non-profit that gives free legal aid, advocacy and tautoko to hospitality workers in Aotearoa. Right now all over our country hospo workers are being fired at will, having shifts cut or being ...3 days ago
We're about to do something unprecedented as a nation. We hope that by taking this extraordinary action before a single life in New Zealand has been lost to the deadly novel virus we will save tens of thousands of lives. Our lives. We'll do it together, in households, in isolation ...4 days ago
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”So writes the author of Ecclesiastes, a book in the Old Testament that’s counted as a ‘wisdom’ book and written as if by an unnamed king of Jerusalem. But who would have thought there would be a time ...4 days ago
According to Newshub, Simon Bridges is open to joining a “grand coalition” with Labour as we hunker down to go into a month long lockdown. The idea is sound. Before now, the role of the opposition was to scrutinise and oppose. In the context of what almost amounts to a ...5 days ago
Kia ora my name is Chloe Ann-King* and I am the founder of Raise the Bar, a campaign and non-profit that gives free legal aid, advocacy and tautoko to hospitality workers in Aotearoa. Right now all over our country hospo workers are being fired at will, having shifts cut or ...5 days ago
A few days ago I was starting to write something about the pandemic, which now seems unconscionable. It took the form of a letter to an agony aunt:“Dear Deidre, I have an ugly confession. I am quite excited by Covid-19.”This is how the piece went:“I’m not a psychopath, honest. Although the ...5 days ago
I am a pundit, somebody who opines and comments on the news. There are no real qualifications to punditry though having a rudimentary way with words and good general knowledge helps. That is one reason there is a constant oversupply of would-be pundits and why it is quite hard to ...6 days ago
The coronavirus pandemic has of course had a major impact on individual lives and on societies as a whole. But, long after the crisis has passed (assuming it does), we will begin to realise that its real and lasting significance lies in the lessons it has taught us, if only ...7 days ago
COVID-19 has plunged Aotearoa New Zealand (indeed, the world) into territory that, while maybe not totally unprecedented, certainly hasn’t been seen during the lifetimes of most of us here today. Our borders are closed to non-citizens, we’re being told not to gather in groups of more than 500 outside/100 inside, ...7 days ago
by Jan Rivers The article has been corrected to show that it was Ewen MacAskill, former Guardian journalist and not Luke Harding who travelled to meet Edward Snowden with journalist Glenn Greenwald and filmmaker Laura Poitras. Some of the Guardian’s well-known journalists who did not sign the protest letter are ...1 week ago
Looking across the various arguments for/against the leading candidates to take the Democratic Nomination, you might honestly be very hard pressed to tell. There are a number of things that have now started happening since Amy Klobuchar and “Mayor Pete” Buttigieg both threw the towel in and immediately (and ...1 week ago
Some fave speeches: ...1 week ago
Many who advocated for, and voted for, the current Coalition – particularly those who voted Labour and the Green Party – expected to see a sea change in the reality of social services. A real, deep change of attitude, approach of process through which the system negotiates the difficult and ...1 week ago
In a world and a time when the worst off and most vulnerable have been asked, time and again, to foot the bill for the complete subjugating to the will of the 1% thanks to the GFC, at a point where the world as a whole is now seeing quite ...2 weeks ago
With the economy already reeling from a crisis that’s barely begun, the Government today sought to provide reassurance to workers and businesses in the form of a massive phallic pun to insert much-needed cash into the private sector and help fight the looming pandemic. Here are the key components: $5.1 ...2 weeks ago
I am a member of the working poor and so still need state welfare to make rent. So I had booked an appointment for yesterday with my caseworker at Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) to apply for a transition to work grant. However the current health advice in New ...2 weeks ago
The COVID-19 situation in New Zealand is moving fast - and to avoid what we've seen overseas - the Government's response must be to move fast too. We're committed to keeping New Zealanders safe and well-informed every step of the way. ...10 hours ago
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The scale of what we face right now is unlike anything we have ever seen before. Overcoming it is our common purpose. ...3 days ago
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is encouraging New Zealanders overseas to stay where they are amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are reaching a point where the best option for most New Zealanders offshore is to shelter in place, by preparing to safely stay where they are.” "This includes following the instructions ...4 days ago
New Zealand will temporarily remove tariffs on all medical and hygiene imports needed for the COVID-19 response. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said today that the New Zealand Customs Service will apply tariff concessions to all diagnostic reagents and testing ...10 hours ago
How is Covid-19 spreading within the country? Newsroom is collating information as it's available to paint a picture of what's happening. There were 83 new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, down from the previous day's 85 new cases. Details of how many tests have been completed are now bing released ...3 hours ago
By RNZ News New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke to her followers on Facebook today from her office in Premier House. Her chat lasted about 15 minutes and garnered more than 310,000 views. She discussed wage subsidies for full-time and part-time workers, personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies for ...4 hours ago
Whether it’s a robot uprising, a woman catfishing into the publishing world or a bunch of lovestruck islanders, NEON has you covered. Here’s what we’re bingeing on NEON for the foreseeable future.WestworldJust in time for lockdown, there’s a buzz-worthy show with endless discussion points coming out on a weekly basis. ...6 hours ago
Jim Kayes tests the waters of social media to see how people are coping with being told to avoid their favourite pastime. “There is something ridiculously exhilarating about catching a fish. The thrill might have faded for the salty angler, but for this rookie, the novice still snagging fish hooks ...8 hours ago
The Government yesterday reassured us there are plenty of masks for front line staff dealing with the public. Yet it seems home care workers, who provide up-close personal care for tens of thousands of people every day, won’t be given them. Yesterday two documents hit my inbox. One was a ...9 hours ago
Hobson’s Choice spokesman Don Brash (a former leader of the National and ACT Parties) is not alone in challenging the justification for tribes claiming to have closed roads to protect their people against Covid. Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters – his remarks apparently ignored by ...9 hours ago
Preliminary results from a survey investigating how well-equipped Māori whānau in the South Island are to stay at home for extended periods show that the majority are prepared to manage their short-term needs, but have increasing anxiety about ...10 hours ago
New Zealand has 78 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and five probable cases, the Government has announced today, taking the total to 451. Civil Defence Emergency Management director Sarah Stuart-Black said 12 people are in hospital and two are in intensive care, including one on a ventilator. Twelve are in ...11 hours ago
Jacinda Ardern has pleaded with the Australian Prime Minister to make an exception to the rule that bars many of the 650,000 New Zealanders there from receiving a benefit. ...15 hours ago
Iwi everywhere put support plans into action, focusing on their kaumātua, writes Kayne Ngātokowhā Peters. Iwi are ramping up support services to assist their people in need following the closure of Ministry of Social Development offices and the move to online and phone assistance from Work and Income. Central North Island ...16 hours ago
"She blindfolded each of the children with a scarf, saying, ‘There’s going to be a surprise!'": a horror story set at a children's birthday party, by Dunedin writer Emma Neale. As soon as the last child arrived at Bevan’s ninth birthday party, the bashing began. Allan walloped Bevan with a ...17 hours ago
Dynamic Silver Ferns defender Jane Watson shares her heartrending and brave story in the final episode of the Pure As documentary series. The fading scar just below Jane Watson's left shoulder is the only clue to her until-now untold story, of the challenges that have tormented the netball world champion. The dynamic, tenacious ...17 hours ago
Donald Trump and Boris Johnson's response to coronavirus has revealed some disturbing attitudes towards segments of the population As New Zealand enters a period of indeterminate lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we (and I mean us as a global population) have learned a lot about the importance of ...19 hours ago
Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr and Bernard Hickey 'Zoom' out to talk about the once-in-a-lifetime shock to the global economy this week and what it means for businesses and investors. Just as many other businesses are adjusting to the lockdown, so too are Kiwibank and Newsroom. Chief ...1 day ago
As soon as the Prime Minister announced that the country had moved to a Level Three alert and would then move to a full Level Four lockdown, the only thing on most people's minds in downtown Wellington was how to prepare for living and working from home for at least ...1 day ago
Two Cents' Worth hosts Bernard Hickey, Nikki Mandow and Gyles Beckford reflect on the most turbulent week in New Zealand’s economic history. They look at two new tools for business and online working advice that were built over a weekend to help deal with the Covid-19 crisis. They also talk ...1 day ago
Advocates say they’re drowning in complaints of exploitation brought on by the lockdown, Dileepa Fonseka reports Migrant associations and unions have been swamped with allegations that some employers have abused the Government’s wage subsidy scheme or skirted their obligations. Indian Workers Association spokesman Mandeep Bela said he had been “flooded” ...1 day ago
As New Zealand faces the most brutal recession in living memory, the battle to preserve the core of the economy deepens. Companies are cancelling dividends to protect what cash they have, others are reaching for financial aid from their banks or the government. Yet for some businesses, notably the big ...1 day ago
Shoppers are ignoring physical distancing rules, while rule-flouters face jail time in Sāmoa and the Cook Islands, writes Teuila Fuatai. Scenes from one of Fiji’s best-known fresh produce markets illustrate the difficulties of clamping down on Covid-19. Footage captured at the Sigatoka markets on Viti Levu on Thursday March 26 ...1 day ago
It turns out that treating allies like enemies and creating enemies out of rivals may not be a great approach to diplomacy when your problems are global – like Covid-19, writes Peter Bale After three years of crapping all over allies – like calling Germany a deadbeat over its Nato ...1 day ago
Technology retailers experienced a surge in demand for home office supplies as the Covid-19 shutdown loomed Wednesday evening. With thousands being forced to work at home, monitors, keyboards and headsets were flying out the door. PB Tech store manager Donny Dong said there had been a steady stream of customers ...1 day ago
The mortgage holiday scheme for those hit financially by the Covid-19 virus is up and running. The six-month home loan deferral scheme was arranged between the banks and the government. Bankers Association chief executive Roger Beaumont said the banks can now offer to defer mortgage payments of principal and interest ...1 day ago
Watch our fifth live Q&A session with Dr Ayesha Verrall, a senior lecturer at Otago University who specialises in infectious diseases. Ayesha Verrall is an infectious diseases physician and senior lecturer at Otago University's Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Wellington). Dr Verrall has been monitoring the spread and impact of Covid-19 closely ...1 day ago
Coronavirus-hit Kiwi businesses that apply to the Government's wage subsidy scheme must pass on the full amount to their employees - even if they are entirely closed down, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Finance Minister Grant Robertson have confirmed. The Government has also scrapped a separate sick leave regime, folding it ...1 day ago
Tougher Covid-19 restrictions would have a massive impact on the billion-dollar industry, but growers remain cautiously optimistic they can beat the clock, writes Jim Kayes. Craig Lemon sits in a room usually teeming with people, surrounded by bottles of hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes. With 260 hectares of kiwifruit orchards ...1 day ago
A very good post on the Green Party website by Meteiria Turei condemning the government for pimping out our beautiful coastal environment to the highest bidder.
http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/govt-exposing-auckland-dangers-deep-sea-drilling
But doesn’t the Labour Party as well as the National Party in Government currently also support deep sea oil drilling and exploration?
Could this be the deal breaker for a Labour/Green coalition government?
To have any meaning words need to be backed up with actions.
The Green Party if they choose, could stop deep sea oil drilling now.
A united opposition stand in parliament against deep sea oil exploration and drilling would have the effect of killing off the oil company investors enthusiasm to take up the current government’s offer.
This is the time for the Green Party to put in a serious real world effort to win the Labour Party over to oppose deep sea oil drilling.
To back up her words Meteiria Turei needs to take immediate action in the house, with a Green Party private member’s bill calling for a moratorium on all deep sea oil and gas drilling. And seriously lobby the Labour Party to back it.
This needs to be dealt with now. Not in the closed, heated, hot house environment of rushed coalition talks held behind closed doors following an election.
If the Green Party Bill is drawn from the ballot and the Labour Party refuse to support it and instead choose to stand with the Nats, instead of their future coalition partner, then the respective parties will know where they all stand, and will be able to make their future coalition decisions based on that.
Likewise the voting public will know where to place an informed vote, instead of being kept in the dark and crossing their fingers as they vote, hoping that it works out.
If on the other hand……
The Labour Party do agree to back the Green Party private members bill to turn it into an opposition members bill to banish deep sea oil drilling from our economic zone then this as well as driving investors off, would set the strong foundations for a principled coalition that will stand the test of time.
Mark my words
For the Green Party to ignore this major policy difference between the two major opposition parties at this time and place and leave it for later, will be a major tactical error that will see Turiana’s good words being turned into empty rhetoric in the name of pragmatism and under the pressure of “real politik”, to be left on the cutting room floor, during future coalition talks, to the disappointment of Green Party members and supporters.
Nobody can say it hasn’t happened before.
Trouble about the jobs burble. They are temporary construction stuff and when done they are gone and the new ones arising are fewer and may not be available to locals, but the often tenuous economy of the surrounding towns has changed and life is more difficult, houses dearer etc and still not many jobs.
So Auckland Council wants to consult with Aucklanders about our transport future. There is a significant funding hole if all important projects are proceeded with.
There needs to be a debate about how these projects are funded and it is proper to put the evidence in front of the people and ask them for their view.
So what does the Government do? It effectively sabotages the consultation on day one by ruling out most of the possible funding mechanisms.
Why can’t it wait for the evidence to be properly analysed and for the people to speak? What is it afraid of?
What is it afraid of? My guess would be, reality
Sometimes I am so glad I live in Levin, No traffic Jams, (No Car) cheap rents, can get everywhere by bike. Yep no jobs I know, also no 2 hour stress fest morning and night either.
and we have Te Takere !
but yeah, the dearth of employment opportunities is a growing concern
But it’s also way safer to bring up my 2 year old, very few cars. But I do know one thing my Blood pressure has gone down since I left the Capital, and it’s rat race. But my littley does keep it bouncing now he can climb.
It’s a damn site better than what was offered before and all under the same roof. and it will be good when it’s all finished. Oh well I seem to work when Labour is in power, and am on the dole when the Nats get in, and fuck up the economy again.
Yes David H. We too in Marlborough have all those that you have (but so far we have only roundabouts- no traffic lights where you have 2 sets.) I am bemused that so many people choose to live in big cities! They seem to have so much against making their lives enjoyable. I don’t get it.
Some of us were born in cities, and have our roots there. It’s also where the jobs are. There are also many other exciting benefits to living in cities, if they were organised for the benefit of all, and not dominated by the wealthiest of the propertied classes.
I know Carol being born and bred London style. Now that’s a city. I used to go on the train from Deptford to new Cross and then
Hah! Worked and studied in that area back in the 80s and early 90s – cycled many times between Newcross, Walthamstow and Stockwell – sometimes doing a whole round trip to those areas on the same day, and into the evening. Cycling seemed relatively safe back then too.
I know being London born and bred. Now there’s a city full of history, I used to go to all the Museums (Not fussed on the stately homes) Growing up in South east London in the 60’s was fun working down the Markets at Deptford. I think we got out at the right time 1969.
“I think we got out at the right time 1969.”
You did. What happened next wasn’t pretty.
Well Karol I was born in Sydenham in a hovel owned bybthe Duke of Westminster ,
We were hard up,but happy Then along came Hitler who seemed to have grudge for me bombing us out three times . 3 new places in 6 years finished up in a flat above The shops in Lordship Lane in Dulwich , Then served my apprenticeship in Newmarket . later on moved to Epsom and courted my wife who lived in the East End by biking from Epsom 3 or 4 nights a week . Married and lived in the country ever since ,60m years inFeb.
Used to stop for pie at a pie stall in New Cross on the way back .
Were you born within the sound of Bow Bells Pink Postman? My father was… although his family shifted soon afterwards. He loved telling Kiwis he was a Cockney even though he had no Cockney accent. As a child I never tired of listening to the stories and songs of old London. Seen the Julie Andrews film ‘Mary Poppins’ half a dozen times.
Damn, you’ve seen some changes, TPP. Epsom to the East End is a long commute by bike.
I remember hearing some of the Blitz stories when I lived in London. 60 years married! Congratulations – a full, productive and interesting life so far.
Hi Pink Postman Like to hear others tales about where they come from. You mentioned New Cross I used to go to New Cross as that was where Millwall had there football ground. Great childhood days prior to the Thatcher shit with a lot of care by the so called “lower” classes. I remember as a kid the grown ups putting their hands on the wall of the exit stairs forming a tunnel so all us kids could get out safely. just like today eh. I think it would do good for some of these right wing prats to live in that type of community, it might teach them that there is more to life than screwing everybody for a dollar.
And the Winkle stall, with the Jellied eels, and Pie and Mushy Peas. Ahhh theMemories
My stepfather ran the Centurian public house in Deptford, A 3 story edifice Well to a 11 year old it was, with lots of rooms to play in, and the roof to sit, and get soaked in the Thunderstorms.
Centurian Pub – closed 2004.
But I have found that Roundabouts can be more hazardous to your health, than Traffic lights, especially when on a bike.
David H
Your remark about roundabouts triggered a thought I’ve had for a while. Courtesy on the roads – could be a great facilitator for better conditions and less accidents.
And one thing would be that at roundabouts a driver should slow a little say 10km or change down, which gives time for other traffic to enter or pass safely. The extra seconds provided by just a more deliberate approach to a roundabout, give way etc. would allow other traffic to go. Instead people often maintain a 50 kmh speed up to and through, and hardly seem aware of others around them. Get them up in a high 4WD and they’re like royalty in a world of their own.
In my experience the practices of (mainly Auckland) drivers are puzzling. When there are road works, with signs showing the stretch of road has a 30 or 40 kph speed limit, I seem to be one of the few drivers that actually slow down. And I usually feel pressured by other drivers to go faster.
Usually there are clear reasons why there is a temporarily low speed limit – workers working near to the stream of traffic, uneven road surface, narrowed road with little space for diverging in case of a collision, etc.
Ditto for people slowing down when approaching a pedestrian crossing. Some drivers seem to have no respect for anyone else, just an attitude of getting to their destination as fast as possible. Why the constant need for so much haste?
“More haste, less speed”.
I thought I was the only one who actually slows down to 30.
Pisses me right off seeing people ignore those signs. I don’t mind that they aren’t concerned for their own safety, but they could give a thought to the people working within feet of their hurtling block of steel.
Kasrol
Unfortunately that is the world today. Get out of my fucking way, you are stopping me from making or getting a another dollar.
[lprent: I think that I can help. Would you like to not be able to comment here? That would give you the time.
You really are a dickshit – do something that is more than stupid trolling. Or leave one way or another. ]
Karol
My apologies for spelling your name wrong. My arthritis does not get my fingers on the right keys at times, and I find this site a shit to edit.
Regards
I think halfcrown was echoing a current zeitgeist which he doesn’t agree with – being sarc/satirical.
karol
Is the behaviour we mostly display as drivers an indication of national character? Some people are unwilling to limit or control themselves for their, and others, safety.
That can be applied to more situations than that of driving too.
Drivers seem to be very self-centred – who lifts a hand for a thank-you gesture to a car that makes way for you when not legally obliged, who gives a couple of short toots to a large vehicle that moves over to let you past etc. I usually do, but don’t notice many others though it used to be common in my younger days. (I’m probably thinking prior to 1984 when we were sprayed and saturated with the propaganda of – ‘There is no such thing as society.’)
“a driver should slow a little say 10km” It’s not Rocket Science is it? And when I drove I always slowed down because of the danger.
CHH may be looking for temps, if its any help. It’s not the busy season yet, but they do have a regular turnover in the casual pool. Reasonably well paid, unionised site. They use the temp pool to assess whether to hire workers as permanents, so it might be a foot in the door for you or other family members who are looking for a long term job.
And if you can ever get a start at Graphic Press, you’ve won the job lottery! One of the most amazing worksites I’ve ever been in, with a genuine commitment to profit sharing and total respect for their workers. Lovely place.
Levana … not so much!
Thanks for that TRP will make a few inquiries.
I guess that CHH means Carter Holt Harvey?
30G is just stingy, the rent seeker in our elites just can’t seem to understand, their greed is a corruption of our economic health, and we’d all be richer should they remove the private tax shackles evident in all areas of our economy. In order for them to get rich, they need to leverage their existing capital to multipliers of what is sensible, and to maintain their solvency they need mum and dad nz to pay the interest on the debt. Its wrong, its extortion, its bad economics.
Broadband will open up small town NZ with huge opportunities to have the lifestyle and the means to sustain it. Well it would if the rent seekers weren’t so stingy with 30G a month.
Thanks, micky. I have been thinking of doing another Auckland post, particularly on how the NZ herald is blatantly opposed to the Auckland Unitary Plan. Just too many things happening right now.
But the Auckland Transport Blog has done some very good posts on the NZ Herald’s blatant bias against the AUP and the City Central Rail Loop – so many NZH articles opposed to the AUP that it is looking like a concerted campaign.
It is interesting Karol that out west the Unitary Plan is not raising anything like the sort of opposition that central and north Auckland is showing.
I believe it is because locally we have been talking about intensification around Henderson and New Lynn and in a smaller way around Glen Eden for the past decade as well as at the same time trying to preserve the Waitakere Ranges by holding the MUL in place. The area is already developing the way that the rest of the city will hopefully.
The alternative of uncontrolled urban sprawl is too awful to comprehend. You just have to think about the problems associated with uncontrolled sprawl with a lack of community infrastructure to realise how stupid this is.
We should have learned about this from suburbs such as Kelston, Otara, Managere, Flat Bush, Birkdale etc where they basically plonked a whole lot of houses in with no cultural centre. These areas are full of good people but they are handicapped because they are just a collection of roads and houses and have not social centre.
Surely we should have learned from the experience.
Why does there need to be a debate – Just issue the funds required, at close to zero %, for the key transport programmes to go ahead, get it done!
This continued nonsense of *manufactured scarcity*, and having to
raisesteal the funds, by borrowing and/or picking the pokets of Aucklanders, even further!Only debate needs to be , which projects to get moving first!
MS – which funding options has it ruled out?
The Wellington mandarin’s and the Agri lobby block do not want Auckland to have an dffective tax raising power. And they collectively manipulate Smith et al.
Why stop Auckland have an effective tax base and control over its destiny?
It looks like it will be controlled by leftish people for the foreseeable future.
It is not controlled by big business.
It owes no allegiances to the primary industries sector.
A handy resource for battling the privatisation of Education in New Zealand, and other issues of course http://saveourschoolsnz.wordpress.com/do-something/
Pissed off the Parekura isn’t given as much attention on the front page of Stuff as the Jamie’s World child.
Or the Hanover Thieves getting away with it.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8610994/No-SFO-charges-over-Hanover
Yup, scot free for Hotchin/Watson etc not even any corporate breach charges on care of duty issues against boys club members like Muir. Wish I could’ve laid odds at the TAB on it, a shoe in.
This is one reason why we can’t attract foreign investment, no effective policing of the cowboys club. The SFO is a F’n joke just the way neo lib’s like it while they PPP up more incarceration capacity for the masses.
However foreign investors will line up for the family silverware such as MRP etc.
TV3 Reid poll – wrong & poorly constructed question.
There is a load of bias in the lead up to the question. And the question should really be about the spy boss and the role of the PM in providing oversight, not the spy-workers who are most likely following orders or set parameters for their activities.
On Backbenches last week that horrible little turd Jamie Lee Ross once again repeated his favourite trite Thatcherism about how “the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money to spend”.
Apparently he’s too thick to notice that the slogan implies that the people who oppose socialism are the ones who want to spend other people’s money.
Thatcher: evil and thick. Jamie: just thick.
“the problem with capitalism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money to steal”
too true!
Repeating such pure cliché, is the sign of a very ill-informed individual, who was *selected* for his ability to bend over, and to repeat the messages he has been brainwashed into believing!
As felix points out, very thick, but a supporter of evil none the less!
Listening to the news this a.m. First Hanover – after lengthy examination there isn’t enough evidence to hang a criminal case on. Shouldn’t tricksters and negligent and deliberately ignorant businesspeople have a lifetime ban or near, on running any business that involves providing finance! They could open a garage and repair cars, or buy a property and farm, but keep them away from being directors or owners of any other company where they can carpet the floor with NZ’s venture capital and retirement savings.
And second. The politicians have been treated like businesses, limited liability entities. If they couldn’t just step out of the spotlight and into some well-paid job and vanish from sight, leaving their detritus behind them for the people, they might think twice. If John Key and his band of degenerates think they are going to open us up to deep water disasters and ruin our livelihoods for at least a generation, and get off scot-free they are mistaken. The passion that goes into opposing abortion by the febrile fervent, may be a small example of what will come.
‘Climate Collision Course: CO2 Levels About to Hit 400 PPM
In a first in human history, “it looks like the world is going to blow through the 400-ppm level without losing a beat.” ‘
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/29-2
‘Now we know that the Earth has shown a remarkable ability to regulate its temperature within a range conducive to Life, and that several natural carbon cycles have served as temperature regulators. When humans extract carbon from geologic reservoirs hundreds of millions of years old, dumping it into the surface reservoirs (especially the air), we are attacking the Earth’s metabolism.
There’s no known means of getting rid of the excess carbon we’ve already disgorged. The only secure way to sequester carbon is to leave it in the ground. Fossil fuel extraction must stop.’
‘The truth is, we are in terrible, terrible times on every front. Judge that however you wish, call me whatever, but we are in terrible times and they are going to get a lot worse. Climate change is not for the faint of heart, that is for sure. There is a growing number of credible people who are convinced, based on science, that we have very few years left on the planet. Maybe fewer than 10, and certainly no more than 35.
Global warming alone is sufficient to cause extinction of all life, and it is far worse than most people know because all our information is so filtered and politicized. We have triggered between 8 and 12 feedback loops that contribute to increased warming, depending on which expert you pay attention to. Living beings are dying, forests, the oceans, hundreds of species per day are going extinct, plants are dying, rivers are dying, aquifers are depleted, and the dying is going to get a lot bigger before it gets smaller. The things that are causing the dying, including the CO2, are increasing every year. Every year we put however much percentage again over last year’s amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. If we could stop right now, which is not possible, the earth would continue to warm because of the melting glaciers, ice caps and permafrost that have been triggered. The role in climate stability that the ice caps and ice sheets play is critical to understanding what is occurring and what will occur. ‘
The book—titled The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills, written by David Stuckler, an Oxford University political economist, and Sanjay Basu, an epidemiologist at Stanford University—uses historical case studies from around the globe and throughout history to show “how government policy becomes a matter of life and death” during deep or prolonged financial crises.
‘Discovering that the cure to the financial crisis of 2008 was in some ways worse than the affliction, Stucklet and Basu argue that countries “turned their recessions into veritable epidemics” by championing austerity measures that ultimately “ruined or extinguished” thousands of lives in series of “misguided” attempts to balance budgets, appease financial markets, and bow to the economic elite.’
‘New Research: Economic Austerity in US and Europe ‘Is Killing People’
HIV/AIDS, malaria outbreaks, shortages of essential medicines, lost healthcare access, and an epidemic of drug abuse, depression and suicide.’
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/29-1
‘Citing examples from the historical and current record, Stuckler and Basu show that many countries have weathered financial and other crises by investing in public health and innovative social programs.
“Ultimately what we show is that worsening health is not an inevitable consequence of economic recessions. It’s a political choice,” said Professor Basu.’
A bankrupt and in huge debt to the US Socialist UK brought in the NHS and Unemployment benefits.
And more on the appointment of Susan Devoy as Race Relations Commissioner.
TVNZ sought more information on the appointment and ‘other applicants’ and – surprise, surprise – Devoy was not the only sports star considered for the role.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/sports-stars-shortlisted-race-relations-top-job-5422082
“Rugby legend Michael Jones and netballer Irene Van Dyk were both shortlisted for the position before it was given to Devoy earlier this year.
The revelation has prompted fresh questions over what qualifications are needed for the job. …
As I/S at NRT says
Like Devoy, its hard to see how either of these people could possibly have been regarded as qualified for the role. Their sole qualification seems to be fame (and in Jones’ case, his strong links with the National Party).
The Human Rights Commission is an important body and a vital watchdog in our society. It deserves better than National’s celebrity crony-appointments.
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2013/04/nationals-celebrity-cronyism.html
What a joke. On us.
File under: ‘Contempt For Democracy.’
I was remembering Paul Henry’s sensitive comment about our Governor General with an Indian name not being a real New Zealander. Well Irene Van Dyk was South African wasn’t she, certainly not born and bred in our fair land. But rugby players know how to handle pesky racist name callers etc.
In Paul Henry’s world, white South Africans are real New Zealanders. Unless of course, they’re white South Africans who fought apartheid. I have no idea what van Dyk’s history is in that respect.
Michael Jones probably knows a bit more about race relations than many of the previous holders of the position – what with knowing the oppression first hand and such.
Yup and his religious beliefs caused him issues so he actually would’ve been OK IMO, but he’s too smart to sully his persona being Collins lapdog, Devoy on the other hand….
As recent history shows, that’s a completely incidental consideration.
Collins confuses “probably being good at running a race” with “being good at running Race Relations commission”?
At least Jones seemed aware that he was not the right crony for this job.
When is NZ Prime Minister John Key going to stand down John Banks as a Minister?
The John Banks Private Prosecution has been referred to the Solicitor General with a request that the Crown take over the prosecution and appear for the Informant when Banks is summonsed to appear in the Auckland District Court sometime in May or early June 2013.
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com/uncategorized/john-banks-prosecution-referred-to-solicitor-general/
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation campaigner’
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
“When is NZ Prime Minister John Key going to stand down John Banks as a Minister?”
When the ref sends him off, not before.
I’m looking forward to Banks’ day in court, the media scrums where he bleats on and on in his bully/shouty way about how he’s the victim as narcissists typically do. I’m looking forward to Banks doing the walk of shame out of court followed by yet another ‘I am standing tall’ speech. And I’m looking forward to John Key matter-of-factly announcing in the house that he is standing Banks down as a minister as if it’s just an other one of his ‘corrections’.
Also the John Key press conference afterwards where he acts like it’s just some technical thing between Banks and ‘the courts’, like it’s nothing to do with him anyway, like he’d rather talk about ‘jobs’, and like ackshully, he’s not bovvered about it.
The government is trying to run the country on a knife-edge!
And the legs are slipping one slip too far and snjiick off they go.
Such an accurate painting of the totality of Shonkey Python there EM.
Bloody tragic isn’t it ? “That” is our Prime Minister.
Word of warning. I wouldn’t hold my breath over Botox Banks. Shonkey’s spooned with that boy. Would take a very sharp knife !
Thanks for the news and link, Penny.
The link provides a further link to the Judge’s decision to allow the case to go forward.
I had been meaning to read the decision in full and found it well worth reading in terms of how the Judge very fully dealt with the (weak IMO) arguments of Banks’ counsel seeking to have the case thrown out.
Looking forward to the next round. Referral to the Solicitor General leaves the SG and Key etc in a real conundrum!
Another sign that the honeymoon is over? I don’t usually read Travel pieces as my travel days are essentially over, but was drawn to read this one in the Herald by the title – “Why the PM’s wandering eye does matter”.
It’s none of our business if any old Minister of Tourism – or any old Prime Minister, for that matter – chooses to take his family holidays in Hawaii each year.
But when John Key chose to pick up the tourism portfolio he was making a marque declaration about the industry’s importance to New Zealand. Like David Lange baggsying the education portfolio back in the 1980s, this sends a powerful message – look Rest Of The World, this stuff is so important to us that the Prime Minister runs the shop … er, when he’s not tanning himself on Waikiki, of course.
…
When quizzed at last week’s Trenz tourism conference about taking his big holidays in Hawaii rather than in New Zealand, Key – who takes shorter breaks at his holiday home in Omaha – had a smart enough answer.
“The reason I go is not because I don’t love New Zealand. The reason I go is because if I truly want to have a couple of weeks where it’s just me and the family – given the other 50 weeks it’s seven days a week 360-odd days a year – I can’t do that in New Zealand because you can’t switch off being Prime Minster.”
Yep, a smart enough answer. A smarter one might have been to say, “You know what, funny you mention it, next summer we are staying in New Zealand.”
Go on, John, there are plenty of places a millionaire can hole up for a week or two of privacy in Nelson or Coromandel.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10880426
Key’s reply also suggests that the Hawaii holidays are only two weeks a year???? Cannot be bothered checking but IIRC, their summer breaks there are definitely longer than two weeks.
Key probably works ~40 weeks a year. Hard work, sure, but it’s not 50.
“Go on, John, there are plenty of places a millionaire can hole up for a week or two of privacy in Nelson or Coromandel”
or closer to home even, there is a big place in his own electorate that seems perfect to hide away unknown and unseen, worked for that german billionaire, JK never even knew he was there
LOL!
Somehow I don’t think Key would be welcome there from reading KDC’s twitters.
In other STUFF news:
SFO will not be prosecuting Hotchins or Golden Boy *juxtaposed* against the jailing of the ‘dirty filthy’ for drug offences.
I was just thinking (and NOT that I’m an advocate for so called ‘dealers’): Which of the two has caused its victims greater long term damage – given that the Polis generally over-value drug hauls’ street value?
Oh yea – Eric Watshis name!
Just a thought. Let’s imagine for a moment that 100,000 Americans all up and off to some right wing state in the US, there they stole each others phones, three times, and all got locked away for life. How long would the three strikes law last under the weight of that many inmates. The reason why the right wing exists is they know that Americans no longer want to standup and be counted to defend their constitution. geez, like there aren’t 100,000 people jobless in the US.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/397854_10151631553985429_867186158_n.jpg
the message is out, guess we all were wrong. looks like NZ is fine
funny how it does not mention 57 billion dollars of new debt and where oh where do they get the after tax wage increase of 22% since 2008. Aside from a couple of high-end ad guys I know of no-one whose pay jumped by a fifth.
Looks like National’s low pay policies and teacher cuts are already biting them in the bum.
That’s English pulling his bullshit “after tax” wages figure, which after the tax cuts to the wealthy did leap ahead.
Oh, please! the last thing Aucklanders need is Maurice Williamson being let loose on it. In such a case I will likely fast-forward my retirement out of Auckland. Enough is Enough!
I just saw Gerry Brownlee on TV3 explaining why the Government ill not do anything for Auckland’s transport intentions. He ruled out everything except increased rates.
Labour should focus on this. They need to designate someone, eg Phil Twyford as spokesperson for Auckland issues. This person should have no other obligations or roles. All they need to do is take care of Auckland issues, talk about Auckland issues and investigate Auckland issues. With a third of the country’s population in the area this person should, like Len Brown, just talk about Auckland.